Bluebell Railway Giants Of Steam: 14th - 16th October 2022

Morning all!



Tom

 

Fabulous.

 

BR Standard Sir?
Yes Please!
I’m afraid we only have them in a medium size today and in one colour

 

The 2pm service looked impressive from the paddock at Horsted Keynes, pity about the light.
The exterior of the Hastings brake looks superb on the side that is visible.

 

Beachy Head looks impressive in Atlantic House with the boiler on, only just possible to get it in shot.

 

Just got in from a great day, managed to get behind all 3 visitors (although 73156 only briefly on the first double header back to Sheffield Park, but hopefully I'll get more mileage at the GCR soon).

My only issue was confusion from the timetable provided in the guide (not sure if any other timetables had the same errors). I caught the 2 Std 5's at Horsted Keynes back to Sheffield Park, but 73156 detached outside SP to form the 1:10 departure to EG, but that departure was listed as 76017 (with 30541 attaching at HK) and the 2pm departure to EG was listed as the 2 Std 5's instead of 76017/73082, but the 2:15 EG departure was listed as 73156/30541 (which was the correct listing) and the 3:00 EG departure was listed as 76017/73082 with 76017 detaching at HK (which was also the correct listing). 76017 was also listed as 76016 a couple of times. Like I said minor gripes and did mean I got a run behind 76017 that I didn't originally have planned.

 

The timetable on the website did not have the same error. A fellow passenger also spotted the error.

 

Ah ok thanks. A few others using the guide got confused by it too.

 

Sounds good. Wish we could have made it. Covid 2 Galas nil

 

Yes, it was really good - best gala I have been to for a long time. Everything ran beautifully to time and all locos seemed to be performing well. Quite a lot of people there too. I wasn't sure whether the absence of a real "Giant of Steam" (a big Pacific or similar) would be a problem but evidently not. The theme was supposed to be Standards of course but to me the real star of the show was Wightwick Hall - looked and sounded great. Big thanks to whoever fixed it last week!

One moment that made me smile was when a small boy, upon seeing a Southern unit parked at East Grinstead remarked "oh look there's a real train." He obviously needs "re-education"!

 

The 5.05 with 76017 on its own was even better I worked hard for that one. The timetable snd loco moves were interesting, you had to read the shunt notes quite carefully.

Dropped in last night on the evening photoshoot on shed; they’ll be some good photos to come I think.

Oh, and one ticked off my bucket list - had a ride with the guard on the first train of the day (behind the Hall) including the return trip in the birdcage brake - a whole new view of the line.

Tom

 

Paul, that’s serious thigh rubbing moment mate!

 

Sir, that photo of the double headed 5’s is something special thanks for sharing.

 

Certainly was! Also had some of the cab fittings in place, including the regulator from the original 32424. Some of the reps of 73156 were in there at the time I first went to have a look, who were full of praise for the work gone into the reconstruction and some of the parts that have had to be made.

 

Tom

 

Oh for the day we see flames in that firebox

 

Fabulous gala, good variety of things happening I thought. Some photos below, video to come later on once Youtube stops being an ****. More photos at https://railwaygalleries.smugmug.com/Bluebellphotosets/Giants-of-Steam-October-2022/

 

Video now available at