Bluebell Railway General Discussion

Thanks for this speedy response. Much appreciated!

 

What a polite person. It was a pleasure to read Cymroglan's request and replies. [BJ]

 

Observations on the ground show 72 is now back on Brake Van Rides after a week or so of 65 substitution. I'll take a guess that it will stay as 72 for as long as that locomotive is available. Clearly, flexibility has been allowed with the publicity material and other relevant documents now saying 65 or 72.

 

The latest issue of the Bluebell Times is now available.

In this issue:

• Heatwave causes suspension of most steam services - but the Railway rises to the challenge
• Double celebration as the Railway receives a grant for more solar panels - and obtains a significant rebate on its rates
• Our friends at the Spa Valley Railway help ensure we have qualified drivers for the Hastings Diesel Unit
• Overhaul of Stowe boosted by delivery of new cylinder casting
• Celebrating the unseen work of the infrastructure volunteers who ensure our trains have tracks to run on
• Old and new at Alton as the 4-VEP delights the crowds at the Mid Hants Railway
• 1305 Thumper Group boosted by a £500 donation from the Carriage Shop

https://www.bluebell-railway.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/issue-84.pdf

Tom

 

Evening. Has an electronic newsletter been released this week? I’ve received a couple for the Diesel driving days and the last minute seats but not the bid weekly one.

also is the murder mystery running tonight and would anyone have it timings?

thank you

 

The Murder Mystery is running tonight with 33108

SP 2000
EG 2045

EG 2100
SP 2145

SP 2210
HK 2225

HK 2245
SP 2300

 

Last one I have was last Friday. There was an email about 30 minutes ago for new Wealden Rambler dates, but not the general weekly email - so far.

Tom

 

many thanks for these times. Much appreciated.

 

many thanks Tom.

 

Saw some photos doing the rounds of trackbed clearance on the Ardingly branch, just standard maintenance of assets or something interesting occurring? Didn’t just seem like tree clearance, there was groundworks/plant machinery too.

 

AIUI just standard maintenance. The Bluebell owns the trackbed and is maintaining fencing, drainage etc so that the option is there in the future to extend if desired, but I don’t believe there is any significant change beyond that watching brief.

Tom

 

There was a move a few years ago to force a decision on Ardingly, either to commit or get rid. Did this ever come to anything?

Sent from my CPH2621 using Tapatalk

 

Tom, I was looking at the track route today, and forgive me if I'm wrong, but it looks like you will have to go straight through someone's house, next to the B2028? Am I seeing that wrongly?

 

There was an article in Steam Railway about extensions either last month or the one before and the Bluebell spoke about Ardingly and making a decision what they do ,(I think one suggestion was using it for filming work so it didn't impact Bluebell services), but as I've said for a long time on here, I can't see how they can reach Haywards Heath with no space for the railway to go beyond Ardingly.

 

Lynwood tunnel takes the railway under the B2028. See https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/4513763

I believe the railway had a lease on the tunnel and had to make a decision whether to renew it or not.

 

The timetable for the diesel gala is now available:

https://www.bluebell-railway.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Diesel_Gala_2026-PTT-FinalV5.pdf

 

Seen the timetable for the Diesel Gala. Is 03179 planned to do any shunting or freight demonstrations that aren't shown on the timetable? Really looking forward to seeing it and it doesn't appear to have much to do on the timetable.

 

As is stated on the additional information page of the timetable, 03179 will operate Observation Car rides at Horsted Keynes.

 

When Paul Churchman was the chairman, he gave a long interview to one of the magazines (may have been trackside) and as I recall, in that he floated the idea that at some point the Society would have to make a decision about whether to go to Ardingly or not. That probably would have been about 2023 or thereabouts.

However, to my knowledge nothing has ever come to a BRPS AGM to put forward any proposal. Thus, as far as I am aware the official position is still as stated in the Long Term Plan - https://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/soc/notices/ltp_oct2021.pdf

Tom

​

 

The main one currently ongoing is the work to enable any future extension (if it ever happens). The embankment on the spur will be strengthened, and the current plan is to lay double track along the length of the embankment to “the gap”. This will also see Platform 1 gaining a southern connection, and several signals brought back into operation.

This section of line will allow for training on a double track section away from the main running line, open up more opportunities for filming (theoretically you could have four trains moving about the station simultaneously) and operationally allow us to have a separate platform for terminating services from the north which doesn’t interface with the main running line through to Sheffield Park.