Bluebell Railway General Discussion

Really pleased to hear such positive feedback! A lot of hard work went into making this weekend possible at such short notice from many different people (including some on this forum), and your kind words will mean a lot to them.

 

With no rain forecasted for the next couple of weeks, lineside as per as it was when the ban started. Will it be a reasonable assumption in saying that the steam ban is going to be extended?

 

Expect an announcement within the next week, but we’re expecting an extension of the ban until at least the end of August, if not further looking at the weather forecast.

 

An enjoyable day, Pullman Breakfast followed by a run behind the Hastings unit. I also gave directions to someone I know from Photo Charters how to go round the road closure.

Thanks to all those involved in putting this event on.

 

Some more photos

 

I think it's likely that the first rain will just soak in to the ground so it's going to take sustained rain before the " weather related service alterations"are reversed. Down here on the K&ESR there are streams and drainage ditches that are bone dry. I've seen them have no discernable flow in extreme circumstances before but never where the beds are absolutely dry with huge cracks. There's been some localised showers on parts of the line but generally there's been no rain at all since early June now. The weather forecast is like the fast show now, today Scorchio, tomorrow scorchio

 

I wondered down on the 8th, partly to see the Thumper.
Not been to the Bluebell before.

It's a nice line. Hornstead Keynes is certainly an impressive station on a heritage railway.

The trains seemed to be driven quite cautiously.
I was too busy trying to take in the experience to get the old GPS out.

I'm not trying to start some macho speed contest, but my regular haunt the Severn Valley tend to run trains bang on 25MPH (with the odd little extravagance)
Not to mention the SVR has a few (albeit very rural) level crossings with 5MPH restrictions. I don't think the Bluebell has any road crossings that I saw.
And the SVR has the ongoing slack at Sterns plus the (I think 15) restriction over Victoria bridge.

Anyway, an enjoyable day out.

 

On Saturday, some of the drivers were being assessed to drive diesel, hence the caution.

With steam, the locos are normally driven pretty bang on 25mph. With diesel, it's very varied. I went for a quick spin on Saturday afternoon. On the way up, I got the fastest time I've ever recorded for Sharpthorne Tunnel - I've been timing for almost a year now. On the way back, I got the slowest ever. Driver seemed to be struggling with the air brakes, understandably.

There is a Speed Restriction of 10mph at West Hoathly.

 

Latest upload from this weekend’s Southern Traction Weekend.

All in all, a great day out lineside and credit must go to all those at the railway for coming up with something last minute in light of the difficult decision to cancel the parade gala.

 

I fully intend to revisit the Bluebell this coming weekend if the Hastings unit is coming out to play! Fabulous train and fabulous line.

 

Hopefully. Watch this space.

 

The loco department roster for next weekend is saying 33108 (A); Cl 201 (B); E6040 (Dining trains); 72 (brake van rides at Sheffield Park).

Tom

 

Thanks for sharing this. It’s now in my calendar, looking forward to another brilliant Sussex day!

 

Thank you to all who are correctly calling a Hastings unit a Hastings unit!* For those who travelled on them in BR service (as I did regularly, growing up on the Hastings line), teenage spotters coined the term 'Thumper' after they were withdrawn and it only applies to the Hampshire/Berkshire and East Sussex units.

Sorry, spottery pedantry but it makes me twitch every time.

I can't remember if a two character headcode was allocated to the Oxted-Lewes line?

I'm guessing it would have been repeated numbers - 11 or 66, etc? (For those who don't know, many of the DEMU routes were allocated them because they weren't allocated to routes which used older electric stock with stencil headcodes. This meant that each end of electric units like 4SUBs only needed one set of 0-9 stencils. This is why CX-Hastings was 22, CSt-Hastings was 33, Tonbridge-Redhill-Reading used 55 and 88, etc.).

* Or DEMU

 

According to SREmG, 32 was Brighton-Tonbridge via Lewes and Uckfield in 1961. Obviously the Bluebell had shut by then, so there's no mention of whether one was allocated for EG-Lewes!

 

No steam until after the diesel gala.

 

I fully understand how busy everyone must be at the Bluebell, but should anyone know, is the Hastings likely to be out and about Wednesday, Thursday or Friday? There’s been a big grandchild x4 change to my plan for Saturday! Thanks.

 

According to the loco department roster, midweek looks like 33108 + 72 on brake van rides - it’s a one train service. So no Hastings Unit.

Tom

 

An overall view of the next few weeks is:

Weekdays (Tuesday-Friday) will have 33108 out with Set A, plus 65/72 on brake van rides at Sheffield Park.

Weekends and bank holidays will have 33108 out with Set A, the Hastings DEMU running as Set B, E6040 running the dining services and 65/72 on brake van rides at Sheffield Park.

Hopefully we will see some sustained rainfall towards the start of September, allowing us to start running steam after the Diesel Gala.

 

Many thanks for this kind reply, I really appreciate you taking the time to answer my question.