Bluebell Railway General Discussion

I hope they're not worrying about steam heat in June!

 

Not unreasonable given the past few days, and the fact our Central Heating has come on virtually every night this week.

 

Yes - though I guess the point is that the load limit is the load limit - so if it is raised to 160 tons, that means it has been deemed you can take 160 tons with that loco at any time, including in the carriage warming season.

(The current limit is 150 tons, and I think the GA set including the LMS BGZ is 136; it will be about 156 with the Mark 1 service vehicle. The H class has the same limit currently).

Tom

 

I remember a few years ago in December, the O1 took the Santa Special X set in the absence of any other steam loco being available. I think it was assisted in the evenings for Steamlights by D4106 but worked solo in the day. That's (very, very roughly) 230 tons. AND steam heat at that time of year, I would have hoped!

I wonder if the O1 will be given a re-start test on the 1 in 55 with 160 tons at some point?

It is also worth baring in mind that the Arrow has extended timings in some sections. AIUI the weight limit for the O1 is already 200 tons for Goods i.e. extended timings?

 

I doubt that starting on a gradient is the issue, it is making sure you can keep up with the boiler and have enough water level over the two big summits, i.e. Imberhorne and particularly West Hoathly.

Tom

 

The June issue of The Bluebell Times is ready to download.

In this issue:

• Sharpthorn goes to the High Weald Steam Rally - hauled by steam
• Henry the Collecting Dog visit London Jack
• Beachy Head goes to Didcot - and the LSWR Brake 3rd goes to Darlington!
• Overhaul updates on Q class 541 and Schools class 928
• £300 well spent: how Maunsell carriage 1309 came to the Bluebell Railway
• What’s involved in being a volunteer?
• Can you help? Volunteer Finance Director needed
• Carriage Shop and The Brighton Circle together donate £500 to the Stroudley Coach Fund
• More archive photos - and reader feedback on Brighton Signal Box

You can download the latest issue here: https://www.bluebell-railway.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/issue-82.pdf

Tom

 

A quick update on the AGM / EGM. I didn't take written notes, so this is a flavour and if I have misinterpreted anything, it is my mistake!

The substantive votes at the EGM were all very well explained by Keith Leppard (the new BRPS Society Chairman, after Roy Watts' retirement) and were all carried nearly unanimously. The effect of those is not to change the structure yet, but to authorise the BRPS trustees to proceed with preparing for conversion into a Community Benefit Society (and eventual merger with the PLC, which is separately going down the same track). The aim is to hold another BRPS EGM in October, at which time the conversion to the new structure will be voted on.

The proposals to do away with Life Memberships after 1st October was also carried. In the new structure, the primary benefit of life membership - free first class travel - will be preserved, but only for those who were life members up to that cut-off date, after which they won't be sold. (Hint!)

There was an interesting snippet given - in answer to a question from the floor - about how much people use their membership. Apparently, the ~ 2,200 life members travel on average 1.2 times per year. The ~ 7,000 ordinary members travel on average 1.4 times per year. The current fare is £30 on the day (life members free, ordinary members £15 - it's 10% less for advance tickets, which I believe are actually now the majority). So my fag packet calculation is that the value of fares foregone by membership privileges is (2,200 * £30) + (7,000 * 15) = £171,000 - or £154,000, if you assumed all those would be advance tickets. The Society accounts show subscription income last year of £181,000. So even ignoring the secondary spend likely from those members and all the other benefits that membership accrues, the cost impact of memberships on fares is broadly neutral, with the one proviso that the "lost" fare income is from the plc, but the "gained" subscriptions are to the Society. But I think some hard numbers like that are interesting to those who like to paint a picture that membership is a financial millstone.

The new plc chairman gave the address about the plc accounts, but ranged rather more widely to talk about the long term financial roadmap. Broadly (and I am going from memory here), he suggested another predicted substantial loss in 2026 (which won’t be cushioned by the sale of locos to the Trust, as happened in 2025); a small loss in 2027; break even in 2028 and moving to profit in 2029 onwards. Broadly this plan is based on three factors: the financial benefits of the structure change; bolstering the C&W to offer more paid services; and a target to raise passenger numbers by 10,000 over that period. 2025 - particularly the second half - had been strong in passenger terms, and that has carried over into this year, with ticket revenue and passenger numbers up on budget thus far.

The Trust accounts weren’t ready in time for the meeting, but a verbal report was given, supplemented by a written statement distributed at the meeting. For the time being, the aim of the Trust is to remain independent and they are not part of the wider Governance changes t0 create the merged CCBS. The income for 2025 was exceptional, at £2.44million. Of that, £2.05m was legacies - the highest ever - but thus far only £200k has been received. (There is a nuance in their accounts that you have to declare legacies in the year you are notified about them, rather than the year you receive the money, and sometimes there is a considerable gap between the two). Nonetheless, a good result. Of those 2025 legacies, £500k is for carriage restoration; £250k for Ardingly; £5k for the Sheffield Park signal box. The remaining £1.2m are unrestricted. In the donations, the high-level figures is that in 2025 the Trust donated £282k for loco projects; £43k for carriage and wagon; £356k for infrastructure; £47k for apprentices; £88k for railway 200 projects; £17k other - a total of £826k donated.

Although not in the accounts, legacies have continued into 2026 - an estimated £1.5m more in the first six months of the year.

I think that’s all; all the above (except the Trust bit where I have the notes in front of me) is as I remember it so may vary a bit in detail but I think is correct in substance.

Tom

 

Thank you very much Tom for explaining everything that happened. From the webcam the 18:40 looked to be exceptionally well loaded which suggests the AGM was busy, which is good.

 

A couple of photos from the C&W tour.

971 part-way through its restoration:



One of the two petrol tankers being restored by the Wagon group, in wartime air ministry colours.



Tom

 

Whomever left £500k for Carriage restoration was very generous, I imagine that will fund at least one restoration of a coach from grounded body or unrestored condition.