Bluebell Railway General Discussion

I can vouch for that!

 

Also worth noting that :-
"CAMRA Members enjoy our BRPS Members discount for this event, so choose those tickets during the booking process. Please have your membership ID with you when you present your tickets at the event".

 

Following on from the piece in one of the recent Bluebell Times about the railways future vision, Steam Railway report plans to put Sharpthorn more in the spotlight, due to it's use in the construction of the original line, as well as plans to redo the Bluebell's East Grinstead station (something I think the railway has talked about before) and mentions the possibility of having Baxter displayed at EG to better signpost the railway.

 

But are we ever in direct control with no exposure to external circumstances?

 

Right that's why they couldn't hold Fenchurch s birthday in her birthday....

 

The Fenchurch issue may impact the mainly enthusiast brigade.
The FS issue will impact many of the general public. Fully appreciate totally outside of the railway's control, but always surprised me that the gap between the loco being withdrawn and this event was so short. Hope the refunds (which I guess many will want or need) do not cost the railway too much in fees from the credit card providers.

 

As it was mentioned on here a while ago. The Blog has been updated yesterday https://www.bluebell-railway.com/brps/whats_new/

 

Bluebell giving notice of cancellation would depend on when the problem was discovered and when they were informed FS couldn’t be repaired in time.

 

My point is not about when the Bluebell (who for the want of a better word are the innocent party in this) were told the loco would not be ready but more that taking all the bookings from May for a loco under some form of overhaul is always a risk. Maybe there is a deal with their credit card provider for refunds to not cost much, but in the current climate many struggling with finances may take the option of money back rather than some revised date of operation. As an (armchair) member just hope it does not hurt the railway financially. I somehow doubt the NRM will be underwriting any financial loss to the Bluebell.

 

It maybe, but look at the brightside, at least they can make up for 60103's losses with the birthday bash next week and [if not impossible] perhaps a G-O-S with a Western theme, thanks to 6989's visit.

I'm sure both events will pull in all the money lost on 60103's visit.

 

Anthony Coulls raised the plan to stuff and mount Sharpthorn and Baxter on the 'Industrial Locomotive Enthusiasts Page' on facebook and the response was almost universal dismay and anger. Whilst Sharpthorn has been out of service a long time, Baxter worked relatively recently and is by all accounts quite useful to have in service.
I'd be devastated if these plans meant waving goodbye to any prospect of reviving Sharpthorn though.

 

Ditto and though it doesn't appear on you 'at risk' list, add the perfectly delightful (and for it's size, surprisingly powerful) B4 .... which was always 'the reason the Bluebell doesn't need a diesel".

In all honesty, unless contemplating a Welsh Pony level of restoration/rebuilding, Sharpthorne could only ever be an 'operable relic' .... and even fully reconditioned, I honestly couldn't see it being more than ornamental. You'd need three locos that size to shift six up to Sharpthorne!

 

I've said on here before and will likely do so again, but I'm always amazed Sharpthorne wasn't considered for "Steam Works". I get that Stepney is always going to be the "star" of that particular show, but Sharpthorne (a) provides a link to the line's history almost no other standard gauge heritage railways can boast, (b) contains a relatively simple and open cab layout to allow people to get "hands on" and (c) would then be properly protected while occupying a space where if it stays there forever it doesn't really matter (unlike something like 592).

Terrible if Baxter is to be stuffed and mounted, though. Having something of a "tiddler" running around surely has to be useful for something, plus it's always been a popular turn when doing shunting / brake van trips at Horsted at galas.

 

I hate to the person looking for flaws, but what precisely can be done at East Grinstead, given the heavily restricted site, beyond replacing the existing buildings with something more permament.

 

I think quite a number of people were perplexed that Sharpthorne didn't make it into SteamWorks! It's probably fair to say that the stakeholder consultation on that might have gone a bit better: the silver lining is that perhaps it did wake the railway up to the need to do something better. There is a group gradually coalescing round an overhaul - probably cosmetic in the first instance. I think an "overhaul to full working order" would be tantamount to a new build: I doubt there would be any major components left if you put it into running order.

As for putting Baxter on a plinth: first I'd heard of it was in Steam Railway. What I would say is that the current chairman is quite good at asking the questions about the big picture, away from the "we've always done it this way because ..." I think that is quite healthy, provided the Board (and Society) give such plans the scrutiny they need: "How would we keep it secure? Who would look after it up there? What happens if a group comes along with a well-founded plan to restore it?" I'd rather a few kites were flown than we drifted though, to be honest.

The other point I'd make about a plinth: For many years, Sharpthorne was "plinthed" outside Sheffield Park. And now it isn't, it occupies its own siding space. So I sometimes think as enthusiasts, people use emotive phrases like "plinthed" or "stuffed and mounted" to somehow represent some finality, whereas Sharpthorne is proof that a loco can be "de-plinthed" just as easily as it can be "plinthed". Which then raises another awkward question: who would say that Sharpthorne is better cared for now, tucked away in some back siding at Horsted Keynes, than it was when it stood on a plinth in the station forecourt at Sheffield Park?

So to me, for Baxter it comes back to the due diligence questions above. If the future is secure, accessible and reversible, I don't see a problem.

(Though the North London Tank might tell the story even better - but it is larger, so harder to accommodate. With the NLR tank, you could start at "Modern" East Grinstead and see the loco that dismantled the railway; and arrive at "old" Sheffield Park and see the loco that built it. That would be unique.)

So my take is - let's see the detail, let's do our due diligence - but let's not assume every plan is malign, or at least let's ensure that the counter argument to any suggestion is "do what we are doing now" - which for many locos isn't great either, most of all Sharpthorne.

Oh, and pace @Tintagel - I'm sure we need more space at East Grinstead to really make a statement.

Tom

 

W11 ‘Newport’ has arrived at Sheffield Park:

 

Is this W11's first trip 'over' since it went back to the IoW? That's nearly 50 years ago now!

 

W11 visited the Bluebell back in 2000



Photo - Jon Bowers

Tom