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Bluebell Railway General Discussion

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

  1. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    The remains of "fag packet junction" … It's been like that in all my time at the Bluebell. My understanding is that long term, there is a desire to remodel the south end of the station (including the loco yard); however, there isn't yet a plan to do so. The work John Sandys illustrates was essentially tactical in nature to replace a number of crossover timbers, not part of a long-term remodelling plan.

    Tom
     
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  2. Steve B

    Steve B Well-Known Member

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    Those photos by John Sandys also appear on the Bluebell's Facebook page and in the comments there is a bit of the history of the scissors crossover:

    Quote: "It was made for, but never installed on Ryde Pier. It was installed and used for a few years as the main set of run-round points at Sheffield Park, but the Dock road then had to be extended to accommodate 4 carriages for dedicated catering trains, at which point the current layout was installed. Two points of the crossover now provide access to the loco yard, the third acts as the trap points for the "Newick Spur" Siding, and the fourth was removed to allow the dock siding to curve in."

    When it was in use at SP the line from the platform joined up with the scissors crossover, with the connection to the dock coming off that before reaching the crossover.

    Steve B
     
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  3. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    A couple of other updates from the e-Newsletter:

    Double Donations Dash: We Did It!

    Well, we made it! At first our target of £250,000 seemed a daunting one, even with the incredible offer of matched funding. We had a few delays at the beginning of the Appeal, and consequently extended the closing date to 31 December, but, as ever, the response was magnificent.

    Despite my misgivings that we would not hit the target, we sailed past £250,000 to reach £262,000 by 5 December. The rate of donations has begun to slow down but there is still time to raise the total by 31 December.

    Thank you to everyone who has contributed so much, so quickly.

    With the security of "money in the bank", planning has already started for the next phase of work on OP4. Work to complete the external walls of the carriage shed and the Heritage Skills Centre (HSC) with the remaining brickwork and cladding will soon be underway.

    Hopefully, there will be no unforeseen problems to delay progress, but, all being well, there should be enough money to lay the ground floor concrete slab in the HSC and to undertake work leading to the eventual installation of new toilets and changing facilities for Carriage & Wagon staff.

    Future work will include the concrete path and ramp to access the HSC once the walls are up and laying the track for the last storage road. Future phases of work to fit out the carriage shed and HSC will follow as funds permit, but for the time being all thoughts are on the current phase of work.

    By Trevor Swainson, Funding Governor, Bluebell Railway Trust
     
  4. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    And this - the railway has been awarded the Siemens Signalling Award at the National Railway Heritage Awards Ceremony for the third year running:

    A Third Siemens Award Signals the Way Forward for S&T

    The Bluebell Signals & Telecommunications (S&T) staff are very proud to have received the Siemens Signalling Award at this year's National Railway Heritage Award Ceremony.
    This is the third consecutive year we have won. In 2016, we won for Kingscote Signalling, and in 2017 for the Horsted Keynes signal box. This year's award was for the restoration of the LB&SCR signals at Sheffield Park.

    The judges were impressed with the modern methods used without affecting the heritage appearance. The original wooden posts were rotten at ground level. To extend the life of the replacements posts, steel feet were manufactured using identical methods employed on modern colour light signals.

    The electrical connections were fitted at the base of the signals reducing the need for working at height. Anti-slip surfaces were fitted on all surfaces, and compliant handrails and kickboards fitted as appropriate.

    The award demonstrates the sympathetic use of modern ideas and materials that can benefit safety, efficiency, and ambiance on heritage railways. We must not forget that our colleagues from the Friends of Sheffield Park, as well as Matt Crawford and Andy Palmer (with his carpentry skills), helped make this all possible.

    An important principle we have encompassed throughout all these projects is to refer to other heritage railways and their experiences of similar schemes, followed by discussion with the Bluebell Preservation Standard Group--a certainty is that no one person has all the good ideas. The story on the National Railway Heritage Awards detailing our success is reported in January's "Railways Illustrated" published on 29 November.

    This year, the S&T team has been consolidating the improvements made over the last few years with a number of behind-the-scenes enhancements, while preparation for the additional token instrument at East Grinstead and the mandatory maintenance checks have continued.

    We now have all the signal aspects lit by LEDs. This programme started a couple of years ago with experiments and discussions with other heritage railways. We used to spend a fair proportion of our faulting time on lamp changing, but since installation commenced, we have not had a single (LED) lamp fault.

    Remote condition monitoring of power supplies and signal box status now takes place in the Horsted Keynes S&T mess room, resulting in some types of faults being attended to before they have been formally reported!

    The continuing deterioration of the Sheffield Park point rodding has meant more patch and make-do repairs, but it is hoped that more permanent solutions can be agreed to in the near future.

    By Brian Hymas
     
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  5. cav1975

    cav1975 Member

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    I believe that this is the crossover that was made for Ryde Pier Head and which was purchased by the Bluebell after BR found that they didn't have any cranes available on the Isle of Wight to install it. Subsequently the layout at Ryde Pier Head was drastically simplified. I don't think that the whole RPH layout has ever been operational at Sheffield Park.
     
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  6. Hirn

    Hirn Member

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    I did wonder if these new feet might might have been ideally a casting - possibly malleablized - which would have been more in keeping.
    Were there fund raising for a pattern I would support it.
    The ones fitted do catch my eye and do seem just as it says above.
    Signals were much of the atmosphere of the railways, especially the individuality of the various ones before World War One.
     
  7. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    A few photos here of the 1st and 3rd class compartments of the Bulleid CK 5768, currently entering the home straight of overhaul at Horsted Keynes.

    https://www.bulleidsociety.org/News/Latest_News.html

    Worth reflecting for a moment that this represents “austerity”, 1940s style :)

    It’s hoped that this coach will enter service at the Branch Line weekend, March 15-17 as part of a four coach Bulleid set.

    Tom
     
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  8. 73082

    73082 Member

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    My video and a few photos from Friday, when "A Horsted Christmas" meant only pre-grouping vehicles were out. Made for some interesting photos, especially once it got dark!



    263 New Road Bridge 21.12.2018.jpg
    65 Horsted Keynes daylight 21.12.2018.jpg
    65 Horsted House Farm 21.12.2018.jpg
    263 Horsted Keynes at night 21.12.2018.jpg
     
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  9. Breva

    Breva Well-Known Member

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    I have heard that the Bluebell has a heritage policy document. Would someone be able to pm me with a copy, or point me in the right direction?
    Many thanks for your help.
     
  10. David R

    David R Well-Known Member

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    Newsletter from 2015 sets out the background:

    http://rasalmon.co.uk/bluebell/download/soc/ps_news/PreservationStandardsNewsNov15.pdf

    Which is what I assume you are referring to. I haven't seen a copy nor am I aware of further information in the public domain. There are however also policies on Carriages, Wagons and Pullmans (mainly relating to acquisition policy) which are in the public domain

    David R
     
  11. Breva

    Breva Well-Known Member

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    Thanks for that. It's interesting to see that a Preservation Standards Committee has existed for some time.
    What would interest me is that concerning structures, current and future. Any documented policy and consultation with those building or maintaining those would be very helpful. Or else an email address to R. Salmon (I had heard that name in relation to preservation policy).

    Many thanks.
     
  12. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    I believe the intention is to put the whole document online but I haven’t seen it in full yet. You might want to contact Chris (Sandy) Saunders at the railway as he is the Trustee with a specific remit for Pres Standards and I believe the lead author on the document.

    Tom
     
  13. flying scotsman123

    flying scotsman123 Resident of Nat Pres

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    From concerns I've heard, might I venture that it would be useful to find out how such heritage committees interact with relevant departments e.g. individual station groups, S+T etc. in a constructive manner.
     
  14. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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  15. 73082

    73082 Member

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    A video and a pair of photos from a sunny afternoon of the final day of the Santa Season yesterday. Merry Christmas and hope the hard working volunteers get a rest over the period!




    73082 New Road Bridge 24.12.2018.jpg

    263 65 Horsted Keynes 24.12.2018.jpg
     
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  16. Dan Hamblin

    Dan Hamblin Part of the furniture

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    Had a ride on the railway today to blow away the cobwebs. It was noticeable how much busier the shed was now the new exhibition has opened and there were lots of favourable comments regarding the improved lighting.

    Regards,

    Dan
     
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  17. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    Yesterday was my last turn of the year.

    First turn of 2019 is next Saturday :eek:

    Tom
     
  18. BR 73082

    BR 73082 Member

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    Couple of pictures from a visit on the 27th December with the H class and Camelot in steam. Had a run down from East Grinstead to Horsted Keynes with 263 then back up on 73082. My dad also enjoyed his first trip over the extension, easy to forget it was almost six years ago it opened! Seen below is 263 heading through Imberhorne cutting with the 11:10 service from Sheffield Park. The other of 73082 can be found by clicking the link below and using the left arrow key to scroll through.

    [​IMG]

    https://www.flickr.com/photos/69575101@N06/45632969905/in/dateposted-public/
     
    Last edited: Jan 4, 2019
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  19. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    There's an update with photos on the What's New page of this winter's track relaying:

    https://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/whats_new.html for 10 January 2019

    For context, last year's renewal was 5/8 mile starting at Monteswood Lane Bridge and heading north; this year it is 1/2 mile starting at Monteswood Lane bridge and heading south. The south end joins up with the north of what was relaid on Freshfield Bank in 2014, i.e. this relay bridges the gap between the two earlier relays.

    See https://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/map_grad.html for a location map.

    Tom
     
    Last edited: Jan 10, 2019
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  20. Ploughman

    Ploughman Part of the furniture

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    I see you are using a rare type of Concrete sleeper. The Keelboard sleeper. F27P

    Usually fitted to sharply curved lines.
    A Plank of wood was fitted in the slots in the sides of the sleeper and acted as a means of stopping the track moving sideways.

    Are you going to refit the boards?

    I know of one location near me at Selby West, Canal curve, not seen them anywhere else.
    Now Lateral Resistance end plates are used instead or a newer means:-
    https://www.google.com/search?q=lat...fAhW5QxUIHXTmDKcQsAR6BAgFEAE&biw=1280&bih=882

    Am I becoming a sleeper spotter? :)
     
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