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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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    For those going to Branch Line Weekend, two bits of good news on the carriages:

    https://www.bluebell-railway.com/wp.../Branch-Line-Carriage-Set-Formations-2019.pdf

    Two bits of good news: entry into service of Bulleid Composite 5768 meaning a four coach Bulleid set; and the Metropolitans back up to four coaches as well! Other carriage sets in use are the three Maunsells; the four Victorian four wheelers and the LNWR Obo.

    See https://www.bluebell-railway.com/whats_on/branch-line-weekend-2/ for details and the revised loco workings.

    Tom
     
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  2. Hirn

    Hirn Member

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  3. Paul42

    Paul42 Part of the furniture

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  4. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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  5. Mark Thompson

    Mark Thompson Well-Known Member

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    In John Goff's update on 4/3, he states:
    "Unfortunately an old monument had to come out as two 20' long timbers that need to be replaced were sitting one on either side of it."
    Any idea what he was referring to?
     
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  6. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    I think it is a reference to a triangular block of concrete that sits in the four foot that in days past would have acted as a fixed positional reference for track alignment and cant.

    (Assuming that’s what he was referring to, there is a sequence of them around Ketches, as shown in this photo (not mine).

    https://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/pic2/wn-2011b/ketches_stevenl2264_26nov11h.jpg

    Tom
     
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  7. Mark Thompson

    Mark Thompson Well-Known Member

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    Ah. Right. Of course, I should have known that. Ì remember seeing them on the curves on the running line, and figured that's what they were for but never realised there was any around SP.
    They only seem to appear in photographs from BR days onward, and I have yet to see a picture of them being put to Practical use.
     
  8. Ploughman

    Ploughman Part of the furniture

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    As you say, normally to be found on curves.
    In the 4ft of single lines and in the 6ft on double track.
    I have somewhere, got a setting gauge for them.
    One definate use or them is for placing around a garden boundary and fastening white plastic chain to them.
    I have seen at least 10 gardens with this sort of feature. However hideous it looks.

    They also tend to create problems for Ballast Cleaners as they jam up the excavating chains.
     
    Last edited: Mar 9, 2019
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  9. Mark Thompson

    Mark Thompson Well-Known Member

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    I see quite a few of them being used on local properties around my way, too. Generally in the lanes close by to where the Cuckoo Line used to run.
     
  10. Martin Adalar

    Martin Adalar New Member

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    Monuments were used on the national network right up until the late 90s, since then tamper and I suppose GPS technology has rendered them unnecessary.
     
  11. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    Spent a pleasant few hours on the first day of the Branch Line Weekend today. The trains were full and it was a close call between 263 with its rake of SECR stock or the double headed O2 and Well Tank for star attraction.

    Some slick operating at work as well as the double header was switched at each end so that W24 was always the pilot loco. And quite a turn of acceleration and speed they had as well.
     
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  12. RLinkinS

    RLinkinS Member

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    I too really enjoyed my day at the Branch Line Weekend. Traveliing in the SECR 4 wheel coach behind 178 was a great experience but it I hate to imagine what it would have been like in one going down from Sevenoaks tunnel to Tonbridge at line speed in the 19th century, especially when the ballast was Dungeness shingle. By comparison the Met set was quite smooth and the Maunsell coaches are very comfortable.
     
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  13. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    I guess they were hardy souls back then!

    Two points about comfort probably are worth noting about Victorian carriages running on modern van underframes. One is that some now running as four wheekers were built as six wheelers - the Bluebell’s LBSCR 1st No. 661 is one such carriage. The other point is that typically van springs are shorter and stiffer than the springs that would have been originally fitted. So probably the original ride would have been smoother, though maybe they might have bounced more on more compliant springs?

    That said, I think the Stroudley brake 3rd 949 - currently under overhaul - might provide a somewhat challenging ride, as it will have bare wooden seats (and half height partitions). I believe there is some consideration to equipping it with loose cushions.

    Tom
     
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  14. big.stu

    big.stu Well-Known Member

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    Friend of a friend posted the following photos on FB of what appears to be a bit of an oops moment in the yard at HK? Anyone know what happened? Non-locking points?

    7a03776e-3179-44cf-ad31-a559324a605f.JPG c9b2bffa-2be2-4ad1-9555-4a6958ad4fd4.JPG
     
  15. Paul42

    Paul42 Part of the furniture

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    Some static shots were taken of 30583 during todays photo charter with 30541( standing in for the Beattie Well which failed yesterday . IMG_2866LR.jpg
     
  16. 73082

    73082 Member

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    I was standing at the South end of platform 2 and saw it happen. I won't dig further into the bottomless pit of theories that were buzzing round Horsted Keynes station on Sunday afternoon, but I think the fact that the timetable slipped by a maximum of 15 minutes (and this was caught up by the end of the day) shows the commendable efforts of the volunteers to keep things moving despite the incident.
     
  17. marshall5

    marshall5 Well-Known Member

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    My understanding is that facing point locks are only required on running lines which carry passenger traffic. The lines in the photos appear to be sidings so may not have point locks fitted. I hope that none of the carriages were seriously damaged.
    Ray.
     
  18. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    In the down yard at HK. The two carriages were taken out of traffic and replaced with the SECR 100 seater for the last trip of the day; beyond that I don’t know the details. Separately, the Beattie Tank had to be taken out of traffic for Sunday afternoon; 178 substituted for it.

    Tom
     
  19. Mark Thompson

    Mark Thompson Well-Known Member

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    Some good news for those of you who used to enjoy Dave Clarke's C&W updates on flickr-
    After a one year hiatus, Dave has recently posted a fairly substantial update. Ok, most of the photos date from September of last year, so the site is not yet fully up-to-date, but I for one am very glad to see a return of his very detailed pictorial updates of Bluebell's carriage and wagon progress:
    https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...FjAAegQIARAB&usg=AOvVaw2qTRaHKf2VkkI86nkFtQxU
    Many thanks, Dave. You've been missed!
     
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  20. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    From the e-Newsletter:

    OP4 Progress Report to 20 March, 2019

    Very little physical work has been carried out on OP4 during the winter months, while the infrastructure team has been engaged on work on the running line.

    However, the time has not been wasted. The last few months have been focused on planning the work for the forthcoming year and the finalisation of some outstanding detailed design. With the completion of the work on the running line, the team has now restarted work on the carriage shed.

    The response to the ‘Wall-to-Wall’ appeal last autumn was fantastic. Thank you to all who contributed. The main focus for the appeal was to complete the wall cladding all around the east/north side of the shed, as well as the Heritage Skills Centre (HSC). However, because of the generosity of our donors, we also will be able to complete the cladding on the western (railway) side of the maintenance road as well as the southern face.

    Before the cladding can be erected, there is a lot of preparatory work required, principally the completion of the dwarf wall all around the shed and HSC, the ground floor of the HSC, and the construction of the ramp at the north end of the shed. The contract for the cladding is being prepared with the intention of starting work during April.

    The ground floor slab of the HSC is a significant piece of work, for which we are currently finalising the detailed design: structural calculations, thermal insulation, and damp-proofing. We are looking at the most economical way of laying the floor, using either in-house resources or contractor.

    The trackwork in the yard is substantially complete, the remaining items being the relaying of the connection to the running line (programmed for mid-May to mid- June); final connections to roads H and J; and road J inside the shed. These latter items will be completed later in the year, once the rear wall between the HSC and the shed is in place. Inevitably the best laid plans are subject to change, but with a fair wind behind us, I am confident that all four roads will be available for use by September later this year.

    By Barry Luck, OP4 Project Manager (Infrastructure)
     

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