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Bluebell Railway Giants of Steam 17th-19th October 2025

Discussion in 'Galas and Events' started by Ben Jenden, Jan 31, 2025.

  1. Ben Jenden

    Ben Jenden Well-Known Member

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    Visiting locos
    60163 Tornado
    2999 "Lady of Legend'
    6880 "Betton Grange"

    Home fleet
    32424 "Beachy Head"

    Webpage: https://www.bluebell-railway.com/sp...qLA47HMHImYFpOGZIw_aem_fk4urtZPV2Uk9r0KCcjHpQ
     
    Last edited: Jan 31, 2025
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  2. A1X

    A1X Well-Known Member

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    Wowzers
     
  3. brennan

    brennan Member

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  4. SG-Canada

    SG-Canada Member

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    I love everything about this, and if my union doesn't go on strike in the next couple of months, I am going to do everything I can to make this year a 2 trip to England one to attend this. Seen Tornado, seeing Lady of Legend, Beachy Head and Betton Grange (who i've been covenanting to for something like 15 years now, every little bit helps) together would be fantastic if my finances allow me to be frivolous!!

    Cheers,

    Stephen
     
  5. WesternRegionHampshireman

    WesternRegionHampshireman Well-Known Member

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    I didn't believe it at first.
    Still trying to comprehend it now.
    All in all, it truly does look a marvellous event, perhaps they will plan to run another giant just to bulk out the numbers as well.
    Five is the perfect amount for this event.
     
  6. ruddingtonrsh56

    ruddingtonrsh56 Well-Known Member

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    If the theme is new builds then the obvious 5th candidate would be 9351 from Minehead. Alternatively (and reasonably in my opinion) they may have judged that 3 high profile visitors to complement their high profile Beachy Head will in and of itself be a satisfactory, unique, attractive enough line up. It's a bit like a few years ago when the Severn Valley brought Tornado and Scotsman together for the first time at their Pacific Power gala - they had fewer other locos in action because the attraction of the guests they had and their relation to each other was enough of a draw that they didn't need to complicate the operation or timetable (or eat into their profit margin) by running more locos and more trains.
     
  7. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    I have no inside information, but I suspect we'd want five locos to run the service. There are four paths, but a fifth loco enables you to swap things round through the day, and double head from time to time - I'm sure the Saint / Grange double header would be thought of, but that means a fifth loco.

    I'd bet on that fifth loco being one of our own - choose from 34059, 73082 or 6989. (And possibly Fenchurch out and about just - well, just because).

    Tom
     
  8. A1X

    A1X Well-Known Member

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    Fenchurch is a Giant of Steam...just in character rather than stature

    Wouldn't the Q hopefully be back by then as well?
     
  9. malc

    malc Part of the furniture

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    34059 would fit in with the theme of new builds/rebuilds, although it was re-built somewhat earlier than the others.
     
  10. SG-Canada

    SG-Canada Member

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    Being purely selfish in locomotives is like to see, twist the theme to the newest with one of the oldest to recently return to steam and invite LSWR 563 from Swanage so I can see our ex guest in Toronto in steam too!

    Yes, I’m being silly, but that feels good sometimes!

    Stephen Gardiner
    Toronto, ON, Canada
     
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  11. 6026 King John

    6026 King John Well-Known Member

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    There is a difference of course in that 9351 is of a class that never actually existed (although I believe drawings were done at Swindon). The Saint, Grange and A1 are re-creations of classes that very much did exist.
     
  12. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    I think having four visiting locos (three of which would require a double lorry move to arrive, and the last a rail move) is probably pushing the budget too far. I'm pretty sure we would have five main locos for the event, but the (so far unannounced) fifth one would be home fleet.

    Tom
     
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  13. WesternRegionHampshireman

    WesternRegionHampshireman Well-Known Member

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    True... then again, Std 5's were seen on SR/GWR/LNER metals, so Camelot would be a good 5th engine.
    Perhaps even the engine that binds the 3 guests and Beachy Head together. :)
     
  14. 60019 Bittern

    60019 Bittern New Member

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    At the risk of diverging from the newbuild theme, we could have a mini GWR 4-6-0 gala with a modified hall, grange and saint if 6989 is used....
     
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  15. Copper-capped

    Copper-capped Part of the furniture

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    Could a Castle, King and Star be found…although that would definitely not be mini”!
     
  16. The Gricing Owl

    The Gricing Owl Member

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    Agreed Tom, from what I've picked up about the cost of lorry moves these days care has to be taken with how many are really needed to bring in locos to make an event a total success.

    And from the various reactions I've seen online I supect your current line up, with another large loco from the Bluebell, will fill the car parks and trains for the entire event. And hopefully the coffers too, with all those just linesiding also contributing, as I know some already do as a matter of course.

    Not a G.O.S. for me this year. And at present I'm still hoping for SR (LM) 41313 on appropriate rolling stock (ie close to 1960s Swanage and Lymington branches) on 14 or 15 March will get me to HK for my only 'event trip' to the Bluebell this year. At present 16 March, the third day of the Branch Line Gala, is already taken in my diary.

    Bryan
     
    Last edited: Feb 9, 2025 at 2:03 PM
  17. John Petley

    John Petley Part of the furniture

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    Yes, 34059 would be the best "Home fleet" member to add to the gala line-up. It's obviously not a new build but if the Bluebell gave a sub-title to the gala as "Classes of locos no one expected to see again after 1968", it would fit this theme perfectly as no rebuilt Light Pacific went straight into preservation. 34010/16/27/28/39/46/53/58/59/101 all owe their survival to Dai Woodham. Obviously, for practical reasons, the Bluebell may prefer to use a different home fleet loco, but I think you have made a good point.
     
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