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Bluebell Railway General Discussion

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

  1. Johnb

    Johnb Nat Pres stalwart

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    The point I was making is that it would be a bit like Trigger’s broom and take a lot of time and money. It is amazing how the engineering has developed over the years. I remember back in the late 70s some stitch weld repairs were carried out on the cylinder block of 3205 on the SVR and a former Swindon charge hand was asked how they would have tacked it, the reply Eleanor that they wouldn’t even attempt it.
     
  2. 61624

    61624 Part of the furniture

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    I have discovered over the years that as soon as something a little more difficult than run of the mill, people suddenly pop up proclaiming that it would be "too expensive", with no evidence for their statements, and then can often shown to be wrong. The first thing to do with any project is to try to to cost it out to either confirm or disprove such statements. With the costs to hand its then possible to make a realistic value judgement for the probable costs - but never give up without a reality check!
     
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  3. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    To a point, though I think when the Atlantic group looked at it, they were seeing what could be done not to make it "Trigger's broom", i.e. repairing as much as possible rather than replacing.

    Tom
     
  4. Steve B

    Steve B Well-Known Member

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    I think that I'm correct in saying that the black livery carried by Fenchurch on the Bluebell is based on the Newhaven Harbour Company livery, albeit carrying the name "Fenchurch" which wasn't part of that livery. Initially on the Bluebell it had the name on one side and "Newhaven Harbour Company" on the other side. After it's overhaul in the 1970s (?) it remained in the Newhaven black, but with the name on both sides.
    But I agree with you, it did look rather splendid in that livery (see second photo here - https://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/pics/fenchurch.html). But it also looks good as it is today as well.

    Steve B
     
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  5. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    Indeed. There is an operationally very useful carriage which I believe is being discussed at the moment which for years languished in the "ooh, that will be too expensive" column; the principle difference of opinion being I think whether a particular part of the structure could be repaired or would need replacement - the latter turning the whole job into major project tending towards the "too hard" column.

    Tom
     
  6. Paulthehitch

    Paulthehitch Well-Known Member

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    It's very easy for outsiders to come up with WIBN schemes but unless we are careful there is a risk of wall to wall Bulleids and Mk. 1s:rolleyes:
     
  7. Mark Thompson

    Mark Thompson Well-Known Member

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    Unless I miss my guess, the carriage in question would be SECR 100-seater no.971, and rebuilding Bulleids is no walk in the park either, as those who worked on 5768 will testify.
     
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  8. Paulthehitch

    Paulthehitch Well-Known Member

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    Not really my point which is one of sameness.
     
  9. 61624

    61624 Part of the furniture

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    Really? I make it that there are only just Bulleids on the Bluebell make a seven coach set with a single operational spare - and no-where else has anywhere nears as many. Sorry to have to say it, but you should really engage your brain before spouting prejudices!
     
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  10. Paulthehitch

    Paulthehitch Well-Known Member

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    "Sorry to have to say it" but you need to be a touch more alert about the need for more individuality. The Welsh narrow gauge can give lessons.
     
  11. Mark Thompson

    Mark Thompson Well-Known Member

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    Ok. So the next three outshoppings from Bluebell C&W are, in no particular order:
    Pullman Car 54 of 1923
    Maunsell Hastings brake 3rd of 1931
    Stroudley brake 3rd no. 949 of 1882
    Help me here, but I'm really struggling with the "sameness" of these, unless it's because they are all brake vehicles? No?
    Sure there are enough mk1s on the line, but the fleet is not getting any larger.
    Paul, when you've decided what it is you are trying to say, please come back to us, and try a more direct approach, because at present you're not making much sense with this elliptical line
     
  12. Cuckoo Line

    Cuckoo Line Member

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    I would suggest the Bluebell has a lot of individuality, apart from Bullieds and Mk1s what about the Maunsells, Metropolitan set, vintage set etc ?
     
  13. 5944

    5944 Resident of Nat Pres

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    You mean like a railway off the south coast where the fleet of rolling stock consists of little more than outwardly identical green four-wheeled or bogied compartment stock?
     
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  14. RichardSalmon

    RichardSalmon New Member

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    Yes, of course, if you have Swindon Works with the capability to turn out new cylinder castings at the drop of a hat, no doubt at all you'd replace with new. So you're actually saying all steam locos are Trigger's Broom, since that's what they did in main works overhauls anyway.
    We're not exactly behind the curve on the Bluebell, having had four new cylinder blocks cast (two using a traditional wooden pattern, and two using sacrificial polystyrene). But the H-class on the other hand had stitch repairs at its last overhaul, ran for ten years, and the cylinders are, so far as I know, considered fine for the next ten.
     
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  15. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    The Mets in particular have had very heavy use over the last four years (@RichardSalmon might know the days / mileages, but subjectively they feel they have been out a lot). The EG Santa set this year has been the Mets + pre-grouping SR liveried bogie stock.

    Where we have missed a trick has been telling people about the carriages that are out. Too often it’s felt like “The Mets are out because they are available” rather than publicised as something worth coming to see. Contrast that with pre-EG opening when there was invariably a train explicitly marked in the timetable at weekends as “Vintage Branch Train”, consisting of the Brighton bogie first, two hundred seaters and the 404 brake van not found, with one or other of the class 1/2 locos in charge. Now I think we are running just as much vintage stock, but not necessarily telling people about it. (The loss of 1503 also feeds in, since “back in the day” the train of more modern stock was normally a five coach core set with 1503 on the back).

    In many ways the railway worked much better when Kingscote was the limit, even though that situation carried the Damoclesian risk of being cut back to HK at any time that made going to EG inevitable.

    Tom
     
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  16. RichardSalmon

    RichardSalmon New Member

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    There's no risk of that - we have 4 Bulleids in service and one of those is likely to be withdrawn soon for a 40-year overhaul (having been restored back in 1986). The Mk.1s are dropping like flies (and two being considered for disposal), because unless they've had major overhauls, they won't go on for ever. And we have 14 pre-grouping carriages nominally serviceable (and one more joining them in the spring). Add to that 3 Maunsells (again a fourth joining) and two 1920s Pullmans, with another also joining them.
    Look at our Santa Operation this year - 5 Mk.1s, 1 Bulleid, and 7 pre-grouping coaches!
     
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  17. RichardSalmon

    RichardSalmon New Member

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    Yes, the Mets have been heavily used, because over the pandemic we wanted to give families the chance of a private compartment. One of them is several years overdue a re-varnish, and now has large patches on the doors where the varnish has worn right through to bare wood. They are due to come out in the spring for a major door-lock overhaul/replacement programme. On the plus side, the Obo and the 4-wheelers should be returning to service.
     
  18. alexl102

    alexl102 Member

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    I don’t understand how you can level the charge of sameness at the Bluebell’s coach fleet of all railways. They’ve got a fantastic variety, and even their mk1 fleet is a mix of green and blood & custard. A full set of Bulleids would be fabulous, to rival the SVR’s LMS or Teak rakes.
     
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  19. Paulthehitch

    Paulthehitch Well-Known Member

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    There is interesting stuff but this has tended not to be in service when I visit.
     
  20. Paul42

    Paul42 Part of the furniture

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    The Mets, Birdcage, Hundred Seater and LBSCR bogie first are being used next week see https://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/pti/index.html

    This page will tell you what carriages are being used. The Branch line weekend is is the best time to visit since all available of the " interesting stuff" will being used.
     
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