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The Final Push!
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Nicholas Owen presents a short video describing the Northern Extension Project situation in mid-February 2013, with only a few weeks to go before the opening of the extension to East Grinstead. The last bit of track still needs to be laid, but other preparations are well in hand. The Railway still needs about £100,000 to complete the project, so all donations
are appreciated
.
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East Grinstead Festival Special Events
As part of our opening festival, we have a number of special tours organised in local towns, villages, and other attractions.
On
26/03/2013
, East Grinstead Town Promotions Manager Simon Kerr will conduct guided tours of the historic High Street, which has one of the longest rows of 14th century timber framed buildings in the UK. The almshouse of Sackville College was where James Mason Neale wrote the famous Christmas Carol "Good King Wenceslas" when he was college warden.
Other notable buildings include the town's old lock-up, St. Swithun's Church, and the new town museum. The tours connect with the 11:00 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. train services from Sheffield Park
On
02/04/2013
, our friends at The National Trust Garden, Sheffield Park have kindly agreed to give two guided tours of this famous garden laid out in the 18th century by Capability Brown.
Enjoy a stroll around the lakes and view the spring colours while your informative guide tells you about the unusual trees and plants. The tours will connect with the 10:45 a.m. and 1:15 p.m. trains from East Grinstead, with a courtesy bus to the garden from Sheffield Park station. The tours are free but normal admission charges will apply to the garden for non-National Trust members.
On
06/04/2013
free vintage buses will operate from Horsted Keynes station to Horsted Keynes village and Chelwood Gate. Stop off in Horsted Keynes and follow our guides down to the historic village Norman Church, unusual in being built in the shape of a cross with a central tower.
The former British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan is buried in St Giles' churchyard as his country house--"Birch Grove"--is within the local parish and is, of course, the hamlet after which the Railway's E4 locomotive is named.
Special guided tours of the Church and Churchyard have been organised for Railway passengers. Catch either the 11:00 a.m., 12:15 p.m., or 1:30 p.m. trains from Sheffield Park, or the 10:45 a.m., noon, or 1:15 p.m. service from East Grinstead for the connecting vintage buses at Horsted Keynes station
For the
07/04/2013
Service of Thanksgiving, a special train will depart from Sheffield Park at 6:00 p.m. for East Grinstead, calling at Horsted Keynes at 6:17 p.m. A shuttle bus service will operate from our station at East Grinstead to the High Street and St Swithun's. The train will return following the service.
To reserve your place on any of these special guided tours, contact our Customer Service Team at 01825 720800, and don't forget, if you buy your Bluebell Bonus tickets in advance, you can save up to £2.50 off of each adult train ticket for the day!
By Tim Baker, Commercial Director
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STOP PRESS: Festival Ticket Bulletin
23 March, 2013
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9:45 a.m. from East Grinstead--all seats now booked; however, there will be two non-reservable carriages for those who turn up on the day.
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9:30 a.m. Breakfast "Grinstead Belle" Breakfast is sold out. There's an extra train on 24 March; however, only two tables of two are left and 12 tables of four!
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10:05 a.m. from Sheffield Park. The first service train still has some seats available
Imberhorne Limited Gala Pullman (five course meal with firework display and jazz band). Two tables of two and 10 tables of four are left.
Bookings are now open for "The Blue Belle" special on
28/03/2013
departing Horsted Keynes at 1:10 p.m. This train is hauled by two Class 73 Electro Diesels and will be busy with passengers from the UK Railtour special excursion from London Victoria. To guarantee a place on this train, you can reserve a seat at £2.50 per person.
Spaces are also available on the following:
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24/03/2013 23:00:00
Officers Special in the Observation Car (26 places remain).
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25/03/2013 23:00:00
Guided tours of East Grinstead High Street.
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01/04/2013 23:00:00
Guided tours of Sheffield Park garden.
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05/04/2013 23:00:00
Guided tours of St Giles Church, Horsted Keynes.
Also, bookings now open for the Bo Peep Specials on Good Friday, Easter Saturday, Easter Day, and Bank Holiday Monday
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For full details of the East Grinstead Festival--23 March to 7 April--can be
found here
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Welcome to the Big Fish
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John Sandys nicely captured the arrival of No. 33103 "Swordfish," who will help the Railway complete the remaining tasks on the Northern Extension Project.
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Final Preparations Made for Track
Trek
The Track Trek
has
captured the imagination of the Northern Extension Project volunteer force, which is earnestly laying both Terram sheeting and--as far as possible--track, to make the interior of the cutting as accessible as possible. On site yesterday, heavy plant was continuing in operation clearing material away from the centre of the cutting.
The Trek has now closed to further participants, with numbers approaching 800. Even with the final push, we have had to amend the plans, so that the Trek is now one way, from East Grinstead to Kingscote. A shuttle bus service will operate between East Grinstead and Kingscote.
Nigel Longdon explains that "all trekkers will have to walk between the rails for almost the whole route, which is in effect a four-foot wide corridor--to have people walking in opposite directions would be impractical."
We hope this necessary change will not dampen enthusiasm, and indeed reports are coming in of great efforts to secure sponsorship. East Grinstead Mayor Liz Bennett's
JustGiving page
exceeded £1,000 on 15 Feb., with Deborah Salmon and Martin Widdowson following at or near £500.
The organizers were also e-mailed by a gentleman who will be bringing £400 in sponsorship. However much is raised, we thank you for your efforts, and we hope you can put your feet up and ride the route in a train very soon!
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The BBC Covers the Opening Date News
(From BBC Sussex) "The opening date for an extension to a volunteer steam railway in Sussex has been announced.
"The Bluebell Railway will open its extended track, from Sheffield Park to East Grinstead, on 23 March.
"The project has cost £3.5m with workers having to remove almost 100,000 tonnes of domestic waste from the Imberhorne cutting.
"Chairman of the Bluebell Railway Trust
[should be "Preservation Society"--Eds]
Roy Watts said tickets had sold out for the first journey ...
"... Mr Watts said: 'When you think it [the Railway] is a predominantly volunteer organisation, which is supported by 50-odd permanent paid staff, I think it is a phenomenal achievement.
"It is one of those things when you look at the enormity of the project and people think, 'you'll never do that,' and yet here we are literally on the cusp of proving them all wrong.
"I just hope all the members are proud of what we've all done.'"
For the full story,
click here
.
---
See also
this story
from
The Argus
. One or two typos in it (!), but it's positive coverage that situates our Railway in a national context, as an environmentally conscious, economically viable transportation option.
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Should Beeching Way Be Renamed in Honour of the Bluebell Railway?
(From
This Is Sussex
) "The Bluebell Railway comes to East Grinstead in five weeks, and it has already been suggested a local road be renamed in its honour.
"Mark Fretten, of Gilham Lane in Forest Row, has come up with the idea of renaming Beeching Way (the A22) Bluebell Way.
"He said: 'Here's an idea for East Grinstead as a town to celebrate the achievement of those who have worked so hard and are about to put it back on the map.
"'How about, from 23 March, Beeching Way is renamed Bluebell Way-- recognising those who have brought the railway back to life for the town, rather than continuing to recognise those who all but killed it off?'"
For the complete story,
click here
.
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Bookmark this Special Events page
for a full listing of 2013 events, as so far known. In addition to the two-week East Grinstead opening festivities, there's the return of "Giants of Steam" in October, a new Edwardian event in June, and a Model Railway weekend.
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Volunteer for the Bluebell Railway: Find Out More Days
Whether you are male or female, are skilled or with no previous experience, can offer a day a month or more, why not find out what volunteering on the Bluebell Railway entails.
Find Out More Days in 2013 are on the first Sunday of every month until November:
3 March; 7 April; 5 May; 2 June; 7 July; 4 Aug.; 1 Sept.; 6 Oct.; 3 Nov.
The meeting time is 10.30 a.m. in the classroom at Sheffield Park Station. More information can be
found here
.
Dave Clarke's
photo
below shows the participants in the Volunteer Recruitment "Find Out More Day" on 3 Feb. at the Carriage & Wagon Department.
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A History of the Three Bridges Loco Shed, 1848-1964
Enjoy this collection of local motive power social history--courtesy of Paul Edwards' Brighton Motive Power Depots and Sussex Motive Power Depots websites--gathered from within the depot ...
"Three Bridges locomotive shed was opened in July 1848 by the L.B.S.C.R. (Shed Code 3-B).
"On 27 Jan., 1964, the steam shed was closed and the steam depot became a Mixed Traction depot. The Mixed Traction depot was closed in April 1969 along with Eastbourne M.T. & Feltham depots.
"With electrification arriving at Three Bridges in c1932, this created a new motorman's depot at Three Bridges (E.M.U.T.)" ...
more
.
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Brighton Atlantic Update: Small Steps Mean Major Progress
Fred Bailey supplies this update and photos on the Brighton Atlantic project ...
"As it is some time since we have updated our web pages I thought I ought to offer a few words of explanation. We have been steadily working on the project despite the lack of wheels.
"As to these items, there have been a few production problems with them, which have delayed their completion, but we think that these are now resolved, and hopefully they should soon be finished and delivered.
"It is only the shrinking in of the crankpins with their keys and the final seal welding that needs to be done to finish the job in its entirety" ...
more
.
The
photo
below shows the rear cylinder cover bolted to the cylinder and inner lagging plates being trial-fitted.
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GNR Saloon: Gearing Up for the Festival
The GNR Directors' Saloon has been in the shed at Horsted Keynes for some much needed TLC over the winter, following mechanical work on the bogie pins that saw the coach lifted on the electric jacks in December.
Some minor external timberwork repairs are ongoing, in preparation for the coach's revarnish, which unfortunately has had to be delayed until summer.
However, most of the work has concentrated on the electrical system, with the fans in the saloons being overhauled (for the first time in 45 years of preservation), additional switches fitted in the kitchen, and a significant enhancement of the coach's "mains shore line" (i.e., the 240-volt wiring and sockets for use when berthed in a shed).
The most obvious work may actually be the re-commissioning of the klaxons at each end of the vehicle, intended for use when the coach is being propelled.
These were removed some years ago for refurbishment, and the re-wiring had to await the lifting of the coach off its bogies.
One of the originals was sadly lost when the firm undertaking its overhaul lost their premises in a fire, but we've been able to procure an appropriate replacement, and both are now tested and working, so visitors and staff may again experience the traditional "last train of the day" symphony.
It is hoped the GNR Saloon will be in public service on the first weekend of the East Grinstead Opening Festival.
By Richard Salmon, Carriage & Wagon Department
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Update on SER Drawing Room Car 33 "Constance"
In 1891 the South Eastern Railway (SER) assembled at Ashford Works six 'Gilbert Cars,' built at Troy, NY, USA, to form the "Hastings Car Train."
These six cars were rebuilt in 1896, and in fact were then advertised to the press as brand-new for the second time!
The rebuilding included enclosing the vestibules at the ends of the coaches and the fitting of gangway connectors and Stones Electric Lighting in place of the original accumulator system ...
more
.
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Professional Engineering magazine has a nice write-up about the Bluebell Railway in its
latest edition
.
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Enjoy These Latest Photos!
Cameron Smith's
photo
shows the E4 arriving at Horsted Keynes on 6 Jan (also below).
A
set by John Sandys
showing Swordfish arriving to help out on the Northern Extension Project.
Martin Lawrence's
gallery
of the Class 33's arrival and some H Class No. 263
footplate photos
.
David Haggar's galleries from the
Branch Line Weekend
and
50th Anniversary Gala
in 2010.
John Sandys'
portrait
of the H-class, preparing to leave Horsted Keynes with the noon ex-Kingscote service, from 10 Feb.
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A Trip Down Memory Line:
A 1929 "Southern Belle"
to Brighton
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Southern Steam: Victoria Station, c1929.
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Thanks to information kindly offered in response to the last eNewsletter, we can offer more history regarding the above, fascinating Southern Steam video.
From Jeremy Clarke ...
"The engine, as originally stated, is Lord Nelson Class No. 859 'Lord Hood.' This loco was unique in the class because it was turned out of Eastleigh in 1929 with driving wheels of 6 feet 3 inch diameter against the standard 6 feet 7 inches.
"Maunsell would have apparently preferred to save costs by using '15'-type 6 feet wheels but this would have incurred considerable alteration to the frame. The second point to note is that the engine is still without smoke deflectors.
"As regards the station itself, as can be seen in the video it is signalled with electrically powered, three-position upper quadrant semaphores supplied by the General Railway Signal Company of Rochester, NY, USA and installed in 1916.
"The lever frame was also of American manufacture but was never received, being lost when the ship carrying it was torpedoed during World War I and sank. A second frame was manufactured, modified in 1939 when colour light signals superseded the semaphores.
"The second Pullman train shown is not the Kentish Belle but the ex-LBSCR's "Southern Belle." The engine--'N15' No. 796 'Sir Dodinas le Savage'--was one of the final batch of 14 (numbers 793 to 806) built at Eastleigh for the Brighton section in 1926-1927.
"These locos were given Ashford-type, 6-wheel, 3,500-gallon tenders that, because the intermediate drawbar differed in height of those from Eastleigh, required the engine's rear beam to be modified also. Interchange of the types was thus impossible and the 14 retained these tenders to the end.
("Incidentally, if a bogie-tendered 'Arthur' found itself on the Brighton line, it could only proceed if the tender held not more than 2.5 tons of coal and 3,000 gallons of water.)
"One other point can be made. The name 'Kentish Belle' was not adopted for this Victoria-Margate-Ramsgate working until 1951. The SECR had introduced a Pullman train, the Thanet Pullman Limited, in July 1921, although it ran only on summer Sundays. It continued in Southern days in one form or another until mid-1939 and was reintroduced after World War II as the 'Thanet Belle' from May 1948."
Related Links
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The Southern Belle enjoys her
21st anniversary celebrations
at Brighton in 1929.
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Golden Arrow 1930s
footage
; home movie style throughout the journey.
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Dover Marine
(later Dover Western Docks), the station of the Golden Arrow and Night Ferry prior to loading. Read the history and see the photos of this station in steam days and the SECR War Memorial. Imagine the intense activity here in steam days, in peace and during two world wars.
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The same area as it
looks today
, now a cruise terminal with all tracks and the 1960s unsightly platform extension removed.
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Thank you as ever for your support of the Railway. Don't forget to share this eNewsletter with friends, colleagues, and family, through social media and e-mail.
See you trackside!
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Warmly,
John Walls
Trustee, Bluebell Railway Preservation Society
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