Bluebell Railway General Discussion

The water tank in the background looks like it could use some paint...

Noel

 

Why do people always have to find some fault?

I was just wondering if the keys in the chairs are the right way round.

 

[deleted

 

You could always be lent a keeying hammer

 

A selection of photos taken yesterday afternoon at the Vintage Transport Weekend can be found at http://paulsimpson.zenfolio.com/p58125445

Buddliea seems to be growing well on the sides of the cutting particulary the Southern end and the Eastern side.The whole cutting could be covered in Buddliea in a few years time.

The bare earth on the extension at Hazelden, where I stood during a photo charter in February, is now covered in metre high Thistles!

 

Any idea when the Latest Blog page may get updated?
22nd of July still up.
http://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/whats_new.html

Assume its due to holidays or similar.

 

Webmaster away due to work see Tom's post 1029.
He is back now, I saw him from a passing train outside the C&W Works on Saturday.

 

Just read in the latest Steam Beano that David Haggar died last month aged only 33. I never knowingly met him although as a reasonably frequent visitor to the Bluebell (and holder of a lineside permit) before moving to Gloucestershire, as he was agreat Bluebell supporter, I probably have stood side by side by him at the lineside in the past without knowing his name. I enjoyed his posts on this forum - you could sense his enthusiasm. It's always good to come across younger enthusiasts born after the end of steam who get bitten by the steam bug, but very sad when someone dies this young. Very sorry to read this and my sympathy to his family. (I believe his father was also an enthusiast)

 

Yes he ( Roger) is. I have only spoken to Roger. Last time I saw David , who was with Roger, was at the K&ESR Gala in May.

 

Inded very sad. I didn't know David personally, only via this forum and the Yahoo group. I don't suppose we really agreed on liveries (!) but at heart he was a great friend of the Bluebell, and particularly the Atlantic project. My thoughts go out to his family and friends.

Tom

 

Add to that he was a fine photographer as well, always enjoyed seeing his contributions in recent times. Hopefully his family and friends can find solace in the kind words spoken about him.

Regards,

Dan

 

Just noticed that, according to Google, the Bluebell is now part of the national rail network

If you find a Bluebell station, it is labelled with the "arrows of indecision" logo; if you click on that, you get various information including, impressively, the times of the next trains. They must be able to parse our timetable. (Though interestingly, it doesn't work for East Grinstead - you only get the Network Rail station).



Tom

 

Only seems to work if you are using the new Google Maps (not the older, quicker version), and oddly, if you search for Horsted Keynes Station, rather than just Horste Keynes, it doesn't work (see screenshot).

Might be worth a look at the review that is linked from the serch too !!! With that being the only review, it gives the wrong image.


Edit: Actually, you can get it from the older google maps, and it's even more impressive

 

The GNR Directors' Saloon is in use all weekend + bank holiday Monday for cream teas. Last weekend out this year. Had a ride behind today and it was quite the experience.

 

Further to Charles' post, for those that don't know, the Great Northern Railway Directors' Saloon is available to anyone with a first class ticket, subject to space (which is limited - about twenty seats, I think). Inside it is very much Late Victorian opulence, and you can get a cream tea for a modest supplement. As it is the last vehicle in the train, the two seats at the southern end present a good view through the end windows of the track receding as you go up the line.

Spaces are first come, first served, though there is an informal system of reservation, and it seems that reservations are also being taken via Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/GN.Saloon?refid=17

The vehicle is attached to the A set, i.e. 9.45, 12.15, 2.45 ex-SP and the corresponding down services from EG, on both Sunday and Monday.

Tom

 

For those complaining about too many Mk1s on the railway, its worth looking at this weekends carriages. There are 17 in use this weekend, only four of which are Mk1s. In addition, four of the railways carriages are in London (the Mets), leaving another five pre-nationalisation designed carriages available for service. Using only a third of the available Mk1s seems pretty good. How many other railways that run Mk1s are managing that?
Daniel

 

Are there any photos shewing how the planting on the new reclaimed cutting is coming along? I've had no luck finding any.

 

Not many photos about I think as it isn't exactly photogenic! A few photographers take photos from the Imberhorne Lane bridge, but they face south and take their pictures of trains working up the hill towards the cutting, rather than in the cutting itself.

However, my totally subjective viewpoint from going through last weekend: The down side (eastern side) is really starting to look quite grown, to the extent that you have to look quite carefully for the black plastic covering the rubbish. Obviously, on that side, some of the cutting side was rock anyway and not covered with sheeting.

On the up (western) side, the sheeting is rather more obvious, but there is significant growth of what to me looks like buddleia or similar (disclaimer: I am not a botanist). Visually, it is getting towards as much green as black as the plants spread out from their footholds through the sheeting. That represents two summers of growth, and I seem to recall about five years was talked about when the sheeting was laid down to provide a full covering. What I am not sure about is what the long-term plant management strategy will be: probably too early at the moment, but once the plants are fully established, I guess thoughts will have to turn to keeping the undergrowth cut back (as happens elsewhere on the line) and, given the steepness of the sides, that probably needs specialist climbing gear. (The people who laid the sheeting were top-roped from above).

In summary: still obviously an ex-rubbish tip, but becoming less obvious with each passing summer.

Tom

 

Yes, the buddleia is certainly taking hold on the cutting sides, while the seeded areas elsewhere now look like they've been there for years! Just so happened that we (P-Way) had a job to do at Imberhorne a few weeks ago which gave us a chance to see close up how the vegetation is establishing itself (as per the attached photo). At the moment most of the stuff on the west side is coming through the holes where the sheets were pinned into position.

I'm not aware of the details of any long term vegetation management strategy that may exist. However I'd have thought the flail that we regularly hire in would easily be able to reach a fair way up the cutting sides (probably at least half-way, and certainly it could remove anything that might get close enough to interfere with passing trains). How you stop any plants from getting too large towards the top of the cutting will be more interesting though, since as Tom says the sides are too steep to tackle in the normal manner.

Nb. attached picture was taken whilst we were working in the area - this section of line is strictly out of bounds even for lineside permit holders.

Cheers,
Jon

 

The Bluebell has a vacancy for a full time C&W fitter. See http://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/recruit/index.html

Tom