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Bluebell Motive Power

Discussion in 'Steam Traction' started by Orion, Nov 14, 2011.

  1. A1X

    A1X Well-Known Member

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    Not have a desperation to see criticism of the Bluebell in everything I read it seems to be pretty light-hearted to me
     
  2. threelinkdave

    threelinkdave Well-Known Member

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    I have heard worse from colleagues - just a normal bit of ribbing. Incidentally I am also a long term armchair Bluebell member
     
  3. cct man

    cct man Part of the furniture

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    Ah I see:)

    Chris:
     
  4. cct man

    cct man Part of the furniture

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    I keep having to remind myself just how perfect in every the Bluebell really is, therefore I must mind my fellow volunteers at the MHR to stop having an opinion of the Bluebell.

    Seasons greetings to you Chris Ward.

    BTW where is Chuck Norris,s beard these days.

    Chris:
     
  5. dan.lank

    dan.lank Member

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    Chris, I'm wondering quite what happened at the Bluebell to make you so consistently critical about them every time you hear the words Sheffield or Park? I don't know about everybody else, but I can't help feeling its time to either let it go or keep it to yourself?


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  6. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    So we have two well established heritage lines in the south, each with a pretty good mix of SR locos plus members, a few of whom can't resist having a swipe at another set-up in jest...or not...and through their own site or affiliated links. Strikes me as childish, unnecessary and not even humorous.
     
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  7. 61624

    61624 Part of the furniture

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    I may be wrong, but I don't think I've seen anyone from the Bluebell having a swipe at the Mid Hants.
     
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  8. Grashopper

    Grashopper Member

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    I do enjoy the Mid-Hants blog, and (personally) take the comments about the Bluebell with the humorous tone of the rest of the blog.

    Vince (Bluebell loco dept volunteer)
     
  9. A1X

    A1X Well-Known Member

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    If you can see Chuck Norris, Chuck Norris can see you.

    If you cannot see Chuck Norris you may be only moments away from death.
     
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  10. fergusmacg

    fergusmacg Resident of Nat Pres

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    Although there does appear to be an awful lot of pirouetting around the "elephant in the room" on here. At least someone on the Bluebell's own Yahoo group will say it:-

    "we can not really blame them, our track has caused so many spring failures on our own engines, its not surprising their 9F suffered"

    Perhaps someone can fill us in on what's going on?
     
  11. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    Not a very objective, or informed, source, though! I've not seen any objective evidence to back that statement up, though, i.e. rate of spring failure per mile run, or something like that, showing whether it has changed over time.

    As I recall, there was a spate of spring failures some while back (can't remember when, but in the last five years); that was down to a particular faulty batch where the spring material has not been properly manufactured. I believe we changed suppliers after that.

    I think this is simply an example of when something is pointed out, you suddenly start noticing it more frequently. It doesn't mean the actual rate has gone up, simply that people are noticing it more. As others have pointed out, spring failures are an occupational hazard of running a railway, and occur on all railways.

    Tom
     
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  12. Matt35027

    Matt35027 Well-Known Member

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    Deleted - Tom got there first.
     
  13. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    And with respect to large locos, the more they are shifted around on low loaders the more likely it is that problems may occur, at the time they are moved or subsequently. (That's a general point rather than 9F specific)
     
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  14. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    On an entirely different note: the Keep Up The Pressure appeal is currently at £112k. Next in the queue is Stowe, and the latest appeal video, narrated by Nicholas Owen, is here:



    Tom
     
  15. 46118

    46118 Part of the furniture

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    Tom: Your comment about a "spate of spring failures" and changing suppliers. Exactly the same happened on the SVR and suppiers changed. Probably says more about the quality of the goods supplied--to each railway, rather than the state of any particular p-way.

    46118
     
  16. 5786Dan

    5786Dan New Member

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    What's coming after that and whenabouts do you think they will be back in service?
     
  17. Matt35027

    Matt35027 Well-Known Member

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    In all honesty, it must be said that the P-Way between SP and HK leaves a lot to be desired and is probably a contributing factor in the spring breakages that do occur. Substantial work on the P-Way is in the pipeline, but as Tom has said previously in the other Bluebell thread, it's difficult to schedule such work when the line operates almost every weekend through the year and every day from April to October.
     
  18. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    If it were in my gift to put a Southern loco onto the main line, then ahead of anything else, even another Bulleid, it would be a Schools and Stowe would be my choice. It is sad that we don't have an example doing what they did so stylishly on the SWML for example. OK - they are only a Class 5 but they are quick and alongside a Stanier 5, it's like comparing chalk with cheese. Clearly the Bluebell has an important parochial need but it's nice to dream of a day trip one day from Sheffield Park up to Croydon and then around Kent to say Hastings.
     
  19. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    At the moment it looks something like:

    2014 - B473, 73082
    2014/15 - 541
    2015 - 34059

    Beyond that: 65, 80151, 928 but I wouldn't like to say in which order. 32424 will also likely be finished within that sort of timeframe (ie in the next five years or so).

    Over the same period, we're like to see the withdrawal of 55, 592 and 1638 and then 178.

    Tom
     
  20. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    Yes, but there is a shadowy northern / western conspiracy out there to prevent a Schools ever returning to the mainline on the grounds of the acute embarrassment it would cause other locomotive owners...

    Tom
     
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