Above, Bluebell Railway PLC Chairman Dick Fearn and Preservation Society Vice Chairman Sam Bee (on left) receive the Heritage Railway Association (HRA) "Large Groups" award from Lord Faulkner of Worcester, HRA President, at the Association's annual dinner in Bath Spa on 8 Feb., 2014, in the company of members David Wigley and Roger Price (on right). The Bluebell Railway received this prestigious award in recognition of the historic completion of its link with the national rail network. Photo by Gwynn Jones.

Writes Sam Bee, "The main meeting was held in the Guildhall in Bath, a most impressive building with chandeliers lighting the meeting venue. Once the formal AGM business was completed various interesting presentations were given, first by Neil Butters current Chairman of the Council in Bath, followed by Don Foster MP for Bath.

"Dick Fearn, the newly appointed chairman of the Bluebell Railway PLC then took the floor. He had previously addressed an HRA meeting in Dublin and recently retired as Chief Executive of Iarnrod Eireann, the Irish railway network. He was therefore able to talk with more than a little authority on both national and heritage railways. He spoke on various aspects and made the point that in addition to the obvious high priority of safety, a highly important matter for both types of railway is customer care.

"We were then addressed by Henry Cleary of BESTT (Boiler & Engineering Skills Training Trust) who gave details of the work and aspirations of this organisation of which the HRA is a member ... MORE .

The first big job of the year, relaying a quarter of a mile of plain line on Freshfield Bank, was successfully completed on time and handed back to the operators ready for the February half-term service.

This job has used all new bought-in rail and stone, along with concrete sleepers from stock, and has enabled a long-running temporary speed restriction to be lifted.

Like so many lineside tasks these days, the weather once again did its best to make things "mission impossible," but it goes without saying deadlines still have to be met, and with the usual perseverance from Matt Crawford and his team, all went to plan.

Attention now has turned to the final preparation for renewal of Horsted Keynes 23 points in early March. This piece of fairly complex point work has been prefabricated, complete with signalling attachments, and will be lifted into place in three sections with minimum disruption to traffic.

It has been possible to use materials left over from the Northern Extension Project for this work, which has shaved some £15,000 off the cost. These are flat-bottom points and not usually deployed within station limits, but they are out of sight of the platform ends, so in the circumstances dispensation was granted for their use.

Once completed all temporary speed restrictions will have been removed from the single line and the Infrastructure Team will have done its bit towards the 2014 time-keeping initiative. Once these two big track jobs are out of the way, a period of more routine tasks will follow.

By Chris White, Infrastructure Director

Dan Hamblin's photo, taken from a passing train, shows progress assembling the new points for Horsted Keynes. It will be installed in stages over the first few weeks of March, with the line remaining open at weekends (see the Infrastructure Update above).

(From the Mid Sussex Times ) Plans are on track for steam trains to roll regularly into Haywards Heath railway station for the first time since the 1960s--although not for 10 years or so.

The Bluebell Railway, which a year ago extended its preserved steam service from Sheffield Park in East Sussex through to East Grinstead, has now set its sights on Haywards Heath.

Land has been set aside for the Bluebell Railway to build a station in the town, said Chris White, the Railway's Infrastructure Director, speaking to the Mid Sussex Times.

Mr. White, who has volunteered with the preservation organisation since 1975, said, "What we have negotiated with the developers of the station site, where there is a new Waitrose going, is an agreement with them, Network Rail and the Local Authority, that at the point at which we can run trains to Haywards Heath, there is a plot of land allocated for us to build a station which sits between the Network Rail station and the new Waitrose."

Cllr Norman Webster, cabinet member for planning said, "As a council we would love to see the Bluebell Railway service extend to Haywards Heath, and we have ensured that a piece of land is safeguarded for a platform by making it a condition of the planning permission granted for the Haywards Heath station redevelopment."

However, Mr. White added that while they view the project as a "very desirable long term preservation and commercial opportunity", they are yet to work out the costs of the project.

He said, "We are putting together the bones of a project to extend the Railway from Horsted Keynes to Ardingly, and once we've got to Ardingly, the plan is then to negotiate running rights with Network rail through to Haywards Heath."

This section of track is still in use commercially by a daily freight train carrying stone.

Once the railway reaches Haywards Heath, the effects are likely to be far-reaching. Last March, East Grinstead became the northern terminus of Bluebell's operation, and the town promotions manager Simon Kerr told the Middy it "certainly put us on the national tourist map."

Mr Kerr said, "The economic spin off is reflected by increased tourist spend in our shops and cafes here, and this has been confirmed by retailers who have been surprised by the number of visitors who have come into town while visiting the Bluebell Railway."

The number of additional visitors to the town who have arrived by train is estimated to be in excess of 60,000 in 2013.

Mr Kerr added, "Although it's still not quite a year since the line opened, the extension has won the hearts of all our locals, and I'm sure it will go on to increase our visitor flow in the coming season and beyond.

"Should the Western spur from Horsted Keynes to Haywards Heath be re-connected, I'm sure that it would bring yet more visitors who will go on to enjoy an even bigger 'Bluebell Experience'--and better yet, residents of Haywards Heath can come and visit us by train too!"

For the full story, and to leave comments, click here .

The Bluebell Railway Museum has set up a display in East Grinstead Town Museum. It will run until 20 July, 2014.

The theme of the display is "The Bluebell Railway: Then and Now." There are "then and now" photographs of all the stations, plus various artifacts and a centre piece--the five-inch gauge model of locomotive Beachy Head. Copies of some of the original plans of the Bluebell Railway also are on display.

The exhibition was officially opened by Nicholas Owen on 15 Feb., 2014. For more information about the East Grinstead Museum, visit eastgrinsteadmuseum.org.uk .

Sir Terence Cuneo, the celebrated artist of industrial and military scenes, is seen in the above British Pathe video painting the Condor London-to-Glasgow accelerated transit freight train for a series of BR posters. Later in the video, see some steam locos he drives himself to improve the viewpoint!

The finished painting is seen below as the BR poster.

The all-container express Condor (for CONtainer-DOor-to-dooR) service was introduced in early 1959, offering collection and next-day delivery of railway-owned containers. The service ran between London and Glasgow.

The original train had about 27 wagons, all standard four-wheeled vacuum braked container flats. The rolling stock was rated to travel at up to 75 mph.

By Neil Cameron

Enjoy a traditional Sunday carvery--featuring locally sourced meats with all the trimmings--in the newly refurbished Birch Grove Suite at Sheffield Park station (on the first floor; unfortunately, there is no wheelchair access).

The carvery is available every Sunday, except on some special event days and when in use for private hire. If you are not purchasing a travel ticket and you want to enjoy the carvery, you can purchase an admission ticket for £5 per person.

However, special discounted train travel plus a one- or two-course meal is available. Booking is essential. You can book a table for seating between noon and 2:30 p.m. by phoning 01825 720800 or by calling into the Travel Centre at East Grinstead Station or the Sales and Information Office at Sheffield Park.