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Bluebell Railway General Discussion

Discussion in 'Heritage Railways & Centres in the UK' started by Jamessquared, Feb 16, 2013.

  1. Dan Hill

    Dan Hill Part of the furniture

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    Thanks for clarifying all of that Tom. There does still seem to be a bit to do to finish off the lines into the shed.
     
  2. 30854

    30854 Resident of Nat Pres

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    It's a very positive development. After all this time, I doubt I'm only one looking at piccies of the almost unrecognisably tidier HK in delighted astonishment.

    Anyone else remember when Horsted Keynes looked almost ridiculously massive for the Bluebell of 40-50 years ago?

    Acquisitions policy notwithstanding, I'd still be inclined to keep a 737 sized tarp to hand .... just in case! ;)
     
  3. Steve B

    Steve B Well-Known Member

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    Yes, I remember. and the long grass that covered most of it!

    Re the 737 - I'm not sure a Eurostar forms part of the Bluebell's long term plan... :)
     
  4. Steve B

    Steve B Well-Known Member

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    Oh, silly me - I can't tell the difference between a 737 and a 373. Specsavers?

    Steve B
     
  5. 61624

    61624 Part of the furniture

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    Gatwick Airport isn't that far away......
    Gatwick Airport isn't that far away......
     
  6. 30854

    30854 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Whenever possible, one should always keep one's options open!:D
     
  7. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    From the eNewsletter:

    "Poleay: A Bridge Not Too Far!

    The Orange Army are on manoeuvres again, this time working on Poleay Bridge, during the November engineering possession when we are not running a normal service.

    The bridge--which is the second one out of Sheffield Park station going north--is structurally sound, so far as the metal girders and supports are concerned. But the embankments on either side have slipped over the years and have been causing some concern. It is now, in railway terms, something of a humpback bridge and measures are being taken to make sure that the situation doesn't get any worse.

    The Infrastructure Department has been busy pre-casting very large concrete blocks at Horsted Keynes; these have been taken down to the work site, ready to be lowered into position at either end of the bridge to support the embankment.

    Four five-metre deep piles also are being driven into the embankment at both ends of the bridge; these will have vertical bull head rails as reinforcements that connect with holes in the concrete blocks to complete the structure. This piling work is another first for the department; previously, on similar stabilising work done at River Slip, piles were reinforced with rails, but shuttering was built around the top to make a retaining wall that was then concreted. To do that solution at Poleay Bridge would take a lot longer, and it might not have been possible to complete the job in time for the Santa Season.

    While the work is underway, the opportunity is being taken to replace all the timber baulks supporting the track, as well as the footboards either side and in the four-foot. They are not quite life-expired, but given that they have been there a very long time, it seems sensible to replace them while we have the opportunity.

    Two new flat-bottomed track panels have been laid south of the bridge and will be tamped up to the bridge level once the work has been completed. A new 60-foot panel across the bridge will eventually connect with the recent tracklaying at the bottom of Freshfield Bank.

    If you want to help us "Bridge the Gap", so to speak, why not sign up for the Track Trek on Nov. 18, 2017, and help to raise funds for more new track. Details can be found in this eNewsletter.

    By Mike Hopps
     
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  8. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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  9. Ploughman

    Ploughman Part of the furniture

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    Over on the Works A query has been posted that may need a wider audience of Bluebell members.
    I have nothing to do with this query other than to copy it over.

    I used to be a member of this railway and I was particularly struck by a stop block at HK which was made from rail made for the original London and Brighton Railway in around 1846. As such it was by far the oldest article on the railway.

    I have just taken a look at a blog on the Bluebell website and this stop block appears to have been swept away by changes to the track layout at HK following on from the building of two new carriage sheds. Has this stop block been preserved
    ?
     
  10. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    @Ploughman - I’ve asked about it, I’ll let you know if I hear anything definitive.

    Tom
     
  11. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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  12. Ploughman

    Ploughman Part of the furniture

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    Thanks Tom.
     
  13. weltrol

    weltrol Part of the furniture Friend

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    Is this getting ready for the installation of a third rail and extension of the Ardingly branch?;)
     
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  14. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    Well, we made it - a bit soggy by the end, but it was a nice day out.

    By the bye, a few photos - not really a report on the track trek per se, but some otherwise hard-to-view locations:

    Tunnel refuge on the "down" side, in one of the wetter bits of the tunnel:

    IMG_4129.JPG

    General view of the tunnel:

    IMG_4131.JPG


    New bridge decking at Poleay bridge (see previous infrastructure reports):

    IMG_4134.JPG

    (Also shows that the bracket signal at Sheffield Park has been bought back into commission).

    Tom
     
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  15. Zoomeg

    Zoomeg New Member

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    Enjoyed the TrackTrek a lot more than last year's, entirely due to the weather. High point (for me) just after the tunnel was the procession of dozens of winter liveried fallow deer. After HK it got a bit damp so I spent a lot of time on the sleepers due to my inappropriate footwear but completely got the need for the need to replace some sections of track. Is the rail alongside the Freshfield Bank - Cockhaise section brand new ? it looked it and will be great to travel over once relaid.

    anyway a really good day out thanks to TrackTrek team for organising!
     
    Last edited: Nov 19, 2017
  16. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    You were lucky with the deer - must have been ahead of us! One of the marshals at Black Hut (just south of the tunnel) said that had been a really big group there, but we missed them.

    As I understand, the rail you saw around Cockchaise (Monteswood Lane) is planned for relaying in February. It was interesting looking at the track at the south end of Freshfield Bank: concrete sleepers with cast chairs mostly dated 1946. It has always struck me as odd that the SR relaid such a sleepy line with concrete sleepers, but so I gather, it needed doing and wood was in short supply immediately after the war.

    Tom
     
    Last edited: Nov 20, 2017
  17. paulhitch

    paulhitch Guest

    Oh deer.

    PH
     
  18. Zoomeg

    Zoomeg New Member

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    and indeed why is the Bluebell going down the route of parading captive Reindeer for a quick buck (no pun they are cows / bulls) at Christmas? surely the magic of deer in the UK is that they are wild and catching a glimpse is a rare and natural experience (although actually common on the line)

    why can't reindeer at Christmas simply stay in the imaginations of children young and old?

    I appreciate that probably nobody here has any influence, maybe someone might know who I can direct my concerns (as a member) to?
     
    Last edited: Nov 21, 2017
  19. Funnell

    Funnell New Member

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    Sorry...what are you concerned about?!!!!
     
  20. 30854

    30854 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Personally, I'd settle for crimbo staying confined to December.
     

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