Bluebell Railway General Discussion

Due to stay until late October according to https://twitter.com/bluebellrailway/status/1425048138205831182

 

6046 arrived earlier today and been reunited with its tender going by pictures on the Bluebell's various Social Media channels. They also say to keep an eye out for plans for the loco soon.

 

For the benefit of those who don’t do Facebook:

 

Have you told the footplate department that you’re well acquainted with 6046, Tom?

 

Well, if sitting and watching others get on with it counts as well acquainted!

I was just counting the number of dog clamps on the smoke box and thinking "deep joy". Still, variety is interesting.

Tom

 

No problem if it still retains it's Master Mechanics front end - SC ?
Probably not if it's in the UK

 

We or rather the Firemen check inside the smokebox at the start and end of each turn.

 

It will certainly be interesting, you will either love it, or hate it, has the Bluebell had an S160 before? very powerful engines, and very loud, when working hard, but for the crew quite rough riding, but they were originally built as Throw away engines, to operate over the bomb damaged railways of war torn Europe, in the aftermath of the second world war. not expected to have long lives.

 

Can confirm 6046 is the first S160 on the Bluebell's metals

 

Well at least if the crews don't like it, they only have to put up with it until October. If they do like it, it's a nice extra loco to tick off as having worked!

 

I can only describe my experience from when the MHR had 701, the ride was livily, you got bounced up and down, and side to side, all at the same time, The engine did steam well, very well, and as long as you were on top of it, it was quite an easy engine to fire, but saying that, some firemen couldn't get the nack , personally, when i had her, she seemed to steam ok, I found that having a fire quite deep around the edges of the box, and thin in the middle worked best, like a birds nest is the best way to describe it, with the dampers on first notch

 

S160s aren’t that bad riders if you’re track is good. Keep the back corners full and treat her like a Bulleid, just remember the grate is shallower.

6046 was performing the best she ever has done last year following Rob Alcock’s mods to the front end. Not as strong as 5197, but steams like a witch and found our 1in45 bank a doddle with 7x on. So Bluebell should be child’s play to her.

 

The August issue of The Bluebell Times contains details of the appointment of a new Chairman and Locomotive Engineering Director, as well as a round-up of news from around the railway.

In issue 23:

• A wartime locomotive icon hired for the summer season
• Two visitors announced for “Giants of Steam”
• An update on progress with the Heritage Skills Centre
• More photos of the line on the eve of preservation in 1959

And much, much more.

https://www.bluebell-railway.com/bluebell-times/

Tom

 

Very interesting comments from Geoff Mee IMHO

 

@Jamessquared any idea if the EG book shop is accepting donations…? Might have some bits in good nick I could drop in at some point.

Simon

 

Yes they are. I believe mainly transport related. They can be dropped off at the ticket office.

Thanks

Tom

 

Would only be specifically railway books, so that should be fine. Thanks for letting me know, hope to make a trip soon.

Simon

 

Interesting that 6046 is stated as visiting the railway til Early November and yet has not been named a participant at the Giants of Steam Gala in October. Any particular reason for that? On sheer size it's more of a Giant than any of the home fleet listed as taking part...?

 

I don't think I'd read too much into it - probably just that the article about Clan Line / Cheltenham was prepared earlier than 6046 was confirmed to be visiting, which was very late relative to the copy deadline for Bluebell Times.

Tom