Bluebell Railway | Spring Steam Gala | 20th-22nd March 2026

If all stays to the timetable, and coaching stock allocations remains as they are I have the combination of set D with a mix of 34059, 73082 and 75069 to come across for - either Saturday or Sunday.

So any change in that would be appreciated.

Further more, in addition to the gravel car park at Horsted Keynes, is the big field also available for parking during the event - hopefully not a mud bath?

Thanks in advance,

Bryan - dinosaurs are not keen on wallowing around in mud baths - B

 

Yes, the vents open to the usual width that other quarterlights do, although your fellow diners might not thank you for a showering of coal smuts! Make sure you get there in plenty of time, the breakfast services at Bluebell 65 last year were very popular

 

Set D remains as 6 Green Mk1s and the full car park should be open at Horsted Keynes - fingers crossed the nice weather will have dried the ground out enough for it to be usable!

 

Thank you! What's the point in being in the front coach if you're not getting covered in smuts...? Will be there bright and early tomorrow.

 

I’m due to be on Camelot tomorrow (Saturday) and Fenchurch on Sunday, and I think on both diagrams we have longish layovers at different parts of the day, so if anyone is around, come and say hello.

Tom

 

FYI on the breakfast train, I got to Sheffield Park at 08.40 for the 09.10 departure today and the Pullmans were already either full or about to fill up from what I could gather, so don't turn up last minute!

 

Field Car park wasn't open at Horsted Keynes today, but then it wasn't busy enough to warrant it. I assume It will be a different story tomorrow; ground appeared to be fairly solid. Damp in places but certainly no quagmire.

 

I understand platform 1 at Horsted Keynes was in use today for some northbound departures.

 

Yes - some of the East Grinstead services are terminating in Platform 1. The south end is still unconnected, so another engine couples to the north end to take the service back up to East Grinstead.

 

Speaking of Platform 1...

 

Morning!



Tom

 

The day so far