Bluebell Railway Giants of Steam 11th-13th October 2024

I know, I was firing that weekend. We get told the load by the guard

It may have taken 7 coaches on test, but those 7 were three Maunsell carriages, one Bulleid, two Mets and the LNWR Observation Car - considerably lighter than 7 Mark 1s. I make that set about 196-198 tons depending precisely which Bulleid it was.

In BR days, the locos had 200psi boilers, not the 170psi that ours has. They also weren't generally working over a twisty line with 1 in 55 gradients.

Tom

 

Yes very different. The H2s were rated 4P in BR days which may have been about right then but maybe a bit of a stretch now. Certainly I would think compared to the BR tank which being 6 coupled could cope easily with 6 coaches on the Bluebell gradients.

 

This has appeared in Realtime Trains
Realtime Trains | 5Z44 0816 Crewe H.S. to East Grinstead Sidings | 08/10/2024 which I assume is the movement of 60007

 

Amazing to see it is timed to run at 60 mph. I wasn't aware a loco in that class could run that fast.

Just putting my coat on now . . . . . . . . . . . .

 

Very droll. I had 368 miles behind 60007 in Scotland in 1965 including my fastest time Forfar to Perth with 90 over the river at Cargill

 

To add a bit of clarification - it appears that 60007 runs round it's train (presumably just its support coach) at Acton Lane. There is actually a separate move which allows the loco to be turned on the Acton/Willesden triangle. This means that it will then run tender first to the Bluebell and will therefore be facing North like all other locos at the gala.

 

Are platform tickets available during the gala? After a long drive down from the West Country, a bit of R and R in the Bessamer Arms is going to be very welcome,.

 

Platform ticket prices are available in the downloadable fares document. https://www.bluebell-railway.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Gala-Price-List.pdf
£5 for child
£10 for adult

I can't remember if it can be redeemed for the price of your ticket or a certain amount purchased from the Bessemer or the shop. You MIGHT have to enquire about that at the booking office.

 

A taster for the Gala and some action from 73082 & 34059 double heading for an excellent Jon Bowers Charter on Monday remembering the S&D!!




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Great video.

That would explain hearing what sounded like 34059 when I left work around 4 on Monday (my Dad said he could hear it running all day). I was a bit worried, as it sounded like 34059 was having a massive slip, but going by the video it was just how the loco sounded in tandem with 73082.

 

Coming back to the earlier discussion about shunting - there was a fairly major shunt on Sunday evening to get the carriages together. With buckeyes, mostly in the dark, done by the service crew on Sir Archie (with an ECS move by the Camelot crew to drop the GA set at HK and return with an RMB). So it can be done safely by regular crews - but it was diagrammed, not a "can you just".

Tom

 

Thank you!! They both sounded brilliant all day working hard together


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Doesn’t the lineside look fantastic - a credit to the teams that look after it.

Tom

 

Will there be brake van rides at this year's event?
I can't see any info on the website but have enjoyed these in the past

 

I don't think so - there doesn't;t seem to be a loco rostered or any move of a loco up to Horsted Keynes.

Tom

 

Echo that completely!! The lineside teams have done a fantastic job. You wouldn’t have thought it had just been summer


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

The railway is very busy today.

 

The last train after arrival at East Grinstead

 

Why is 60007 showing 51L shed plate?