Bluebell Motive Power

John - See Paul42's post in the Bluebell Matters thread - 847 and 1638 on the service trains, 263 on the Lunchtime Arrow / Rambler, 178 as station pilot:

http://www.national-preservation.com/threads/bluebell-matters.39323/page-47#post-825906

Tom

 

Thanks Tom. Unable to make it this weekend (too much else on), but I do intend to pay a visit before too long.

 

hi tom,
have you any news on Stepney? i've heard on the grapevine that last weekend the main steam pipe has failed and the loco has been withdrawn.
cheers,
julian

 

That's my understanding too.

Tom

 

Oh dear. Not good.

 

As someone due to be on the photo charter with Stepney yesterday, that is exactly what I was told last week. Stepney failed with a major leak from the main steam pipe. As it happened the weather was shocking yesterday here in Hampshire, bucketed down, so the charter would have been a washout !

 

Not exactly the greatest loss from an operation POV, losing Baxter would have deprived us of a more useful machine. Sad that we might never see her in steam again, though, if rumours about her frames are to be believed. Hopefully before they stuff and mount her they at least paint her back in the livery she deserves.

<<<<<<< Namely that one

 

The Bluebell is very lucky to be able to hire in steam loco's, regardless of what they look like or their livery.

 

I do hope Stepney isn't permanently withdrawn. Even though Bluebell is seen as being flagship loco for the railway it does not have the same level of fame as Stepney and so not quite as much appeal.

 

Never? is that an economic decision or a because we do not want to replace the frames?

 

I don't think any engine is "pemanently withdrawn", nor is any engine" guaranteed to make a comeback" - in whichever case, it's a cost-benefit analysis between traffic (and other) potential and estimated overhaul costs. If the estimated costs exceed that which the company feel it is prudent to do the restoration (bearing in mind their main duty is to ensure sufficient motive power to run a reliable service), then there are always external funding routes that can be explored - as, for example, is currently happening with 27. Of course with Stepney, beyond the obvious traffic potential (and we do always need one or two small engines in traffic, as witnessed by the fairly intensive use 178 and 323 are currently getting), there is the fact that Stepney has obvious marketing "pull" over and above any other small engine. That said, if I were a betting man, I'd suspect we'll see Fenchurch in traffic before Stepney - not least with the significant anniversary coming up in 2022.

Tom

 

Just out of interest but is a visit for Met1 and 353 still planned for this year.

 

thank you for the replies re Stepney.

i understand there is a new set of cylinder castings for Stepney, the second set having been sold for Sutton on the Spa Valley. so that is one big hurdle out of the way.

it is about time Stepney had a really thorough overhaul.

cheers,
julian

 

I'm using the forum through the tapatalk app, and the icon it shows for 'Galas and Events' seems to be a pic of Baxter with the four wheelers and 1520. You can't zoom in on it though, and it doesn't seem to link to anything specific. Anybody know if that's a recent occurrence? I thought Baxter had top and tailed with a P once or twice but not handled any passenger trains alone yet...


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Can anybody tell me what's scheduled to run Saturday please?

As I'm at a loose end that day, and I feel that its about time I got myself over there!!!

 

The roster only goes up to Saturday but I'd be surprised if the locomotives on Sunday differed from those on Sunday.

Seems to be L150, 847 and 1638. You might well find 323 is the station pilot at SP as well.

 

That'll do for me!

Many thanks.

 

Did anybody else read the piece in Steam Railway about the Monday Shunt returning with steam? I usually defend SR but I honestly couldn't find anything of substance in the article at all, apart from Roy Watts saying that there's a place for smaller locos. Anybody know if theres more to it or is it just a page filler?

 

There did seen to be a disconnect between the words directly attributed to Roy and what Steam Railway made of the story - not so much 2+2=5 as 2+2=96, 30064 and 27505...

From what I can see, given the loco works programme, it is hard to see how any of those locos could be accommodated for several years at least, with 73082, 541, 34059, 80151, B473 and 65 all ahead of them in the queue. In any case, 323 and 178 perform our shunting requirements well, and should continue to do so for another 5-7 years with any luck, by which time 672 or 27 may be ready to take over.

As for the specific issue of a steam Monday shunt - I haven't heard anything. If SR want to make a play about a regular rostered steam shunting service, we have one every Sunday

Tom

 

one of john sandy's pics from 15th may seems to indicate work being done to Stepney, with the inner dome cover removed... can anyone provide any further details please?
cheers,
julian