Christmas Sussex Belle 12/12/12

As there's no thread for tomorrow's railtour to Eastbourne I thought I'd get one started with the link to the times below. Not sure where to phot this yet, was going to go to Hampden Park Station but as the train is due at Eastbourne at 13:01 there's an up service due to pass Hampden Park at 13:02 so there's a chance of the two trains going past each other if Tangers is a few minutes late and potentially loss of photo if they clash. Might chance the bridge at Willingdon Junction but the verge/embankment is quite heavily overgrown so could be a problem trying to get a more side-on photo there. The good news though is that IF there is any sun it will be in the ideal position when the train is coming towards Eastbourne.

t1212b.htm

 

I'll be seeing her through Haywards Heath again. Will make a nice change seeing her pass at speed. Not had that since 44932 last year during the evening and 60019 back in 2009 in daylight.

Also good to see that we have a Sussex Belle that actually spends a lot of time in Sussex (as its normally only a small amount around Rye, Hastings etc before heading back through Kent).

 

All the best to you chaps, and I look forward to seeing your pictures. I used to live less than 10 miles away from the Lewes-Polegate section, and I'm really gutted that I won't be able to see this one, as so little steam runs on thts line. The bottom line is that although the Met Offfice suggest that there's a chance of sun, particularly in the immediate area around Eastbourne, a drive of over 150 miles in predominantly foggy conditions is a bit much, even to see one of my favourite engines in my favourite part of the world .

Out of interest, is this the first steam from Keymer Junction to Eastbourne (i.e., eastbound) since Sir Lamiel in 1994/5? I can't think of any subsequent runs.

 

Thinking of heading to Beddingham for this, a nice shot of her trundling along towards Glynde will do nicely. Black and White though, unless we have some sun!

 

I think there have been tours that have used it since. I think 34016 or 73096 did one in the early 2000's and I think I was told in another thread that 34067 again did this route on a tour a few years ago.

 

There were at least a couple of years of 'Brighton Breezy's' that did a triangle around Brighton using that line 10 or so years ago, think 73096 was northbound only when it did it plus Britannia ran as far as Hampden Park last year for the Lewes train. I am off to Plumpton this morning!

 

Last year Britannia was hauled to Hampden Park by a diesel on the rear (it certainly left Haywards Heath at the rear of the ECS facing towards London before returning in charge of the train later that morning). I do remember a picture of 45407 (as 45157) at Lewes on a Brighton Breezy though.

It is a route that would be nice to have a Steam presence.

 

You never know there might be more Sussex Belle's coming down the Eastbourne line as on the steam tours website it's says instead of Victoria to Hastings it's now Victoria to Eastbourne "due to bridge restriction at Ore". Of course sods law dictates that now we finally have steam on the Eastbourne line there won't be any Sussex Bellle's booked for next year, hope not though.

 

Through Redhill early at 11.40

 

1242 at Glynde

 

Was a couple of minutes down this morning at Wandsworth Common but seems to have made up the time.

 

Must have been around 18 minutes early through Gatwick, as I got there at 1148 for a 1206 scheduled passing time, but it had already gone! The Horsham route was disrupted by the amazing and unforeseeable occurence of a frost in mid-December, so the scheduled train through Redhill that would have entailed the steam being held in the centre road there was cancelled and presumably 34067 was given a straight, and very early, run through Surrey!

 

She seemed to be on time through Haywards Heath rather than early so she may have been held up somewhere between Gatwick and Haywards Heath. She went through quickly but not at 75mph.

 

It's hardly surprisng that 34067 was early at Gatwick. The timings for this (theoretically) non-stop run from London to Eastbourne work out at at an average of under 30mph! About 100 years ago, the LBSCR were running non-stop in 90 minutes with the "Eastbourne Sunday Pullman", using far less powerful engines than a Bulleid Pacific.OK, in those days, such a train would have been given priority over other services, would have run via the Quarry Line and would not be dragging a diesel on the back, but it's still a pity that when steam does run down the Brighton Main Line that the timings are so lethargic. It's actually not much better with the diesel-hauled VSOE pullman workings, which seem to take about 90 minutes to reach Haywards Heath.

 

Picture from Wandsworth Common this morning:

Rush Hour | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

 

Two video clips I took at Hampden Park and Stonegate I've now uploaded to Youtube.

34067 Tangmere passes Hampden Park, Eastbourne. 12/12/12. - YouTube

34067 Tangmere passes Stonegate, East Sussex. 12/12/12 - YouTube

Cheers

 

Thanks Ralph, there did seem to be a lot of traffic around this morning even if it was getting along towards Midday. I doubt the delays on Southern services helped much either.

 

Tangmere at Beddingham

 

Lovely shot there Tom, we were very lucky today with the weather. I really did think that with the last two days being brilliant blue sky and sunshine in East Sussex, sod's law would dictate the weather would be all cloudy and grey for the steam tour down here.