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30 November 
The November 2021 edition of Bluebell Times – Contents include:
– The Jewel in the Crown appeal is off to a strong start – but there is still time to see your donation doubled
– A young 9F Club member raises money for the appeal – by selling lemonade
– Bluebell volunteer Chris Cooper is awarded a lifetime achievement award by the National Transport Trust, after more than sixty years dedication to the Railway
– How volunteering in our museum led to a second career as a community rail line officer
– The Heritage Skills Centre is signed off for use — and the carriage trimming team are first to move in
– A photo retrospective from our hugely popular ‘Giants of Steam’ event
– Local signal box name boards on display in the museum
– An alien presence in SteamWorks!
– And much, much more- The Murder Mystery Dining Train details for 2022 have been updated with an additional date (16 September 2022) added.
- Recent update on the overhaul of SECR P-class No. 27 on the Project 27 blogspot, outlining some of the work that has been carried out recently, including an attempt to make the project’s building at least vaguely useable over the winter.
11 November
- LBSCR L-class 4-6-4T locomotive 333 ‘Remembrance’. One of the two memorial plaques and Southern Railway nameplates carried on the locomotive have recently been obtained for display in the Bluebell Railway’s Museum. This locomotive was the last locomotive built by the LBSCR, completed at Brighton in April 1922, and hauled the heaviest trains on the Brighton main line until displaced by electrification, and in June 1935 was rebuilt as a 4-6-0 tender locomotive at Eastleigh works, running as such until April 1956.
- Update to the web page for Bulleid Brake No. 4227 adding four photos of it at Bristol by Tim Robbins, two of its interior as it now is by Dave Clarke, and links to two photos of it from 1981 when it was still in departmental service with BR.
- The remaining Murder Mystery evening dining trains this year are now Sold Out. Bookings are now being taken for Murder Mystery evenings in 2022 (links are to updated PDFs available to download).
- Photo Competition
The ‘Awake the Giant’ project team are pleased to announce the launch of a Photo Competition, allowing entrants of all ages to enter their best railway images, of preserved steam and from the Bluebell Railway. The competition officially launched on the opening day of the Giants of Steam Gala and runs until 30 November 2021. There is a suggested donation of £3 per photo entered, with loads of fabulous prizes to be won. Full rules, terms and conditions can be found on the ‘Awake the Giant’ webpage. For more information, please email Tom at awakethegiant@outlook.com.
- ‘Awake the Giant’ are also proud to present their official logo. The logo was designed by locomotive department volunteer Liz Groome. To see it full size, click on the logo.
30 October 
- As a bit of fun for Halloween, Robin Procter and the “Awake the Giant” team provide the accompanying image of 9F No. 92240 at Horsted Keynes.
- Video from Derek Spicer featuring the visiting No. 30925 ‘Cheltenham’ in addition to O1 No. 65 and BR Class 5 No. 73082 ‘Camelot’ climbing Freshfield Bank this week.
- John Sandys’ Photos from Friday.
- Peter Edwards’ photo below shows No. 30925 ‘Cheltenham’ emerging from West Hoathly Tunnel with a service train on 22 October.
- The photo below of No. 73082 ‘Camelot’ comes thanks to Brian Lacey, and shows the locomotive entering Horsted Keynes station with a dining service last Sunday with Fireman Tom James and Signalman James Young preparing to exchange tokens.
22 October 
- Many congratulations to Bluebell volunteer Chris Cooper, who received a lifetime achievement award at the annual National Transport Trust awards on Wednesday. The award was received for his services to the Bluebell Railway – in particular for his carriage cleaning work.
HRH The Princess Royal presented Chris with the award at the ceremony at Fawley Hill. (Photo thanks to Roy Watts)
- The Christmas Belle – Make the festive period extra-special and enjoy a delicious Christmas lunch at the Bluebell Railway this December.
Starting at Sheffield Park, a two-course lunch and pudding will be served over a return journey of 1 hour 45 minutes to East Grinstead aboard the beautiful Wealden Rambler dining carriages.
Groups welcome! Whether you’re catching up with friends or having a work Christmas party, an afternoon on The Christmas Belle is sure to be one to remember.
Drink in the nostalgia of the days of steam and Christmas past while you journey through the High Weald, an area of outstanding natural beauty. Good food, good friends and good times!
Tickets must be pre-booked online.
- Two photos below, taken in the rain on the first day of Giants of Steam by Jonathan Netting, showing ‘Clan Line’ at Kingscote.
21 October 
- Brian Lacey’s photo from Monday shows SECR O1-class No. 65 at West Hoathly with an Autumn Tints special.
- Schools-class locomotive No.30925 ‘Cheltenham’ (visiting from the Watercress Line, with thanks to the National Railway Museum) is running over half term, coinciding with our The BrickWorks! Adventure event (every day 22-31 October). During this period travel tickets, and station admission tickets at Sheffield Park, include free admission to the BrickWorks Exhibition.
- Paul Furlong’s photo below shows ‘Cheltenham’ approaching Horsted Keynes on 9 October, and that from Peter Edwards shows the S15 with the Autumn Tints service on 13 October.
16 October 
- Today we bring you more photographs submitted to the blog from Giants of Steam. This photo taken by Alan Jenkins last Saturday shows ‘Cheltenham’ and ‘Tonbridge’ at Sheffield Park provide a pair of Schools class locos together, something which it would be great to achieve properly once the current overhaul of Bluebell-based ‘Stowe’ is completed.
- A special treat before No. 35028 ‘Clan Line’ leaves the Bluebell on Monday evening… The loco will be available for footplate visits at Sheffield Park from 10am to 4pm, tomorrow Sunday 17 October. Come and visit us with a ticket to travel or platform admission ticket!
- The next photo (thanks to Andrew Crampton) shows freshly overhauled ‘Camelot’, now sporting the later BR emblem, at West Hoathly on Friday 8 October.
- Paul Furlong’s photo shows shows ‘Clan Line’ on Freshfield Bank on Saturday 9 October.
- Alan Bedford’s photo on the left shows ‘Cheltenham’ at Kingscote on Friday 8 October, with the Great Northern Saloon at the head of the Southbound 12.55 pm departure.
- Two more photos below from David Cable, showing the two Southern Railway Maunsell locomotives which were running at Giants. The first features ‘Cheltenham’ on a Jon Bowers’ photo charter with the SR Bulleid carriages on Monday, and the second the S15 with the birdcage and Metropolitan carriages near Waterworks / Holywell last Saturday.
14 October 
- David Cable’s photo from Monday’s photo charter shows ‘Cheltenham’ arriving at Horsted Keynes station with the Bulleid carriages. It’s understood that this loco is remaining on the Bluebell until the end of October.
- Focus on Horsted Keynes: This coming Saturday (16 October) in support of, and to inform members and visitors about, the Jewel in the Crown Appeal (Donate here), we have in-depth tours behind the scenes arranged as follows:
C&W Tour 10.20 am
Station tour 11.25 am
S&T tour 12.35 pm
C&W tour 1.40 pm
Station tour 2.45 pm.
- We are pleased to link to a variety of galleries and videos from last weekend’s Giants of Steam Gala:
Video from Ashley Smith and some photos from him.
Videos from “The Southerner”, from Barry Price, from “totally-transport”, from WillowTreeShed, from Brian Seaman, from 82A Studios and from Derek Spicer.
Photo albums by Jon Horrocks and John Sandys.
- More pictures, taken by John Fry, showing progress with the lubrication system on No. 34059 ‘Sir Archibald Sinclair’ have been uploaded to the Bulleid Society’s web site.
- David Cable’s photo below, of ‘Clan Line’, was taken early Saturday morning on the approach to Waterworks / Holywell and Alan Jenkins’ photo shows the H-class with the short fully-fitted goods train which was providing brake van rides around Horsted Keynes.
7 October 
- Our three-day Giants of Steam Gala starts tomorrow, and a further updated version of the public timetable is now available to download.
- David Chapman’s photo from Wednesday morning, taken while he was on lineside maintenance duties, shows the S15 No. 847 backlit and climbing towards Horsted Keynes at Three Arch Bridge.
- John Harwood’s video from earlier this evening shows No. 35028 ‘Clan Line’ arriving at East Grinstead. No. 30925 ‘Cheltenham’ and its tender arrived by road on Tuesday and Wednesday respectively. No. 80151 has remained at the Mid Hants Railway to cover, it’s understood, the unexpected absence of their Ivatt 2MT Tank, which has gone to the East Lancs Railway’s gala, to stand in for now-withdrawn 60009.
- Two photos below, thanks to Kevin McElhone, show ‘Camelot’ undertaking further test running following its recent overhaul, on Wednesday, using one of the carriage sets prepared for Giants of Steam, which includes the Great Northern Directors’ saloon.
- Travel on the GN Saloon will cost an additional £5 per single journey which includes unlimited supplies of tea/coffee, and the normal range of other refreshments will be offered at appropriately reduced prices. To maintain a Covid-safe environment, the numbers of passengers on board the saloon will be limited, and therefore priority will initially be given to family/friendship groups sharing a table. On Friday 8th October the saloon will be attached to the 11:45 & 2:45 services from Sheffield Park (12:45 & 3:45 from East Grinstead). On Saturday: 10:30, 1:30 & 4:30 from SP and 11:30; 2:30 & 5:30 from EG. On Sunday: 10:30 & 1:30 from SP and 11:30 & 2:30 from EG.
5 October 
- Sean David Moroney’s photo shows Bluebell-based 4MT Tank No. 80151 at the Mid Hants Railway’s steam gala last weekend.
- As ever, plans for the Giants of Steam gala can and do shift slightly…
In place of BR Standard Tank No. 80151 and USATC S160 No. 6046, we will instead have SR S15-class No. 847 and SECR H-class No. 263 – the H-class will be shunting goods wagons and giving brake van rides at Horsted Keynes.
- Schools Class No. 30925 ‘Cheltenham’ will be arriving by road from the Mid Hants iminently, and Merchant Navy Class No. 35028 ‘Clan Line’ arrives by rail from London on Thursday evening. They will be joined by the sole surviving “Standard Arthur”, BR 5MT No. 73082 ‘Camelot’, returning to service after overhaul, in addition to the S15 and H from our home fleet.
- Special guest USATC S160 No. 6046 will also be on static display at Sheffield Park station.
- The fifth version of the public timetable with updated locomotive allocations is available to download. [Link updated to version 5.2 – 7 October]
- The Carriage Shop at Horsted Keynes has extended opening hours for Giants of Steam this weekend:
Friday 7th October – 9.30am to 5pm
Saturday 8th October – 9.30am to 5pm
Sunday 9th October – 9.30am to 4pm
- The Great Northern Directors’ Saloon will be attached to one of the carriage sets each day, and visitors can partake of refreshments on board.
2 October 
- A Special edition of Bluebell Times to launch the “Jewel in the Crown” Anniversary Appeal
In this issue:
– The Grand Plan for Horsted Keynes
– The condition of the station – and how you can help restore it to its former glory
– A history of the station, in words and pictures
– Behind the scenes photos from some of the many films and TV productions shot at the station
– A story of the life – and death – of an Edwardian railway worker at the station.
- Full appeal details
- Donate here.
30 September 
- David Cable’s photo (taken whilst he was undertaking line-side maintenance) shows S15 No. 847 on 8 September in the early morning light with a film crew’s support train.
- Please note there will be no electricity at Horsted Keynes on Sunday 3 October. Therefore, the buffet, carriage shop, model railway and elephant van will be closed on this date.
- Forthcoming services and events:
- 1 October 2021 – Service A timetable
- 2-3 October – Service B timetable
- 6-7 October – Service A timetable
- Giants of Steam: 8-10 October – What can you expect this year? An intensive and varied timetable showcasing different engines of the BR Southern Region. Alongside our own BR Standard Class 5 No. 73082 ‘Camelot’ and BR Standard Class 4 Tank No. 80151, visiting locomotives Merchant Navy Class No. 35028 ‘Clan Line’ and Maunsell Schools Class No. 30925 ‘Cheltenham’ will feature to fit the Southern Region theme. They will be joined by special guest USATC S160 No. 6046 which is at the Bluebell Railway until the end of October. Visitors can compare the might of the American locomotive alongside our Southern beasts and decide who the true Giants of Steam really are! – Giants of Steam timetable [updated]
- Autumn Tints: 11-21 October – Discover beautiful autumnal colours from the comfort of your steam heated carriage as you journey through the beautiful High Weald AONB.
The BrickWorks! Adventure 22-31 October – Join us for our STEM Family Fair, with interactive workshops, trade stands and building challenges for the whole family to enjoy. The BrickWorks! Adventure will feature 15 amazing BRICKLIVE Outer Space models, including a 310cm high Apollo 11 Saturn V rocket made with 68,583 bricks! – intensive steam train timetable too!- SteamLights: selected dates from Friday 5 November 2021 to Saturday 8 January 2022 – Brighten up the chilly winter evenings with a seasonal lights spectacular! Sparkle, glow and shimmer on a magical steam train covered by thousands of colourful lights. Illuminate the dark landscape as you journey and feast your eyes on an amazing light show along the way. With festive displays, music and narration, this is a steam train experience not to be missed!
- Santa Specials: selected dates from Saturday 27 November to Friday 24 December – Nothing stops Santa visiting the Bluebell Railway! After our successful season last year, we aim to give you another wonderful, safe and enjoyable festive experience with all the traditional sights, sounds and aromas of Christmas. Travel by steam train in your own private compartment, visit Santa in his parlour with an opportunity for a photo, collect your special present from Santa’s Workshop, and enjoy the traditional inclusive amusement attractions.
29 September 
- BR Standard 5 No. 73082 ‘Camelot’ was back in service today, test running after its rapid intermediate overhaul, with a new 10-year boiler certificate.
After an early light engine test run up the line it hauled the service trains today, in what was essentially a proving run ahead of its use on the Giants of Steam Weekend. First however, the workshops will be doing some more tweaking/snagging jobs over the next few days, prior to more test running. David Cable’s photo of the locomotive climbing Freshfield Bank was taken whilst he was engaged on lineside maintenance duties.
- The Maunsell S15 No. 847 hauled this evening’s Fish & Chip Special.
28 September 
- A project update and September Newsletter is now available from the Standard 2MT Tank Project, who are creating locomotive No. 84030.
The photo here shows the start of assembling the new bunker – this is the shovelling plate. The profile-cut holes in the plates are being used as a template for drilling the angle iron. The assembly is then temporarily bolted together for trial fitting in its final location before drilling/reaming for riveting.
- Tony Sullivan’s two photos below show firstly the arrival back at Sheffield Park today of the USATC S150 No. 6046 (re-united with its tender which had stayed with us while the locomotive brake gear was repaired).
The second photo shows our BR Standard 4MT Tank, No. 80151, which was loaded onto the same transporter to move to the Mid Hants Railway for their forthcoming gala, a reciprocal loan for ‘Cheltenham’ which is coming to us for Giants of Steam.
27 September 
- Apologies for the lack of recent news updates on here – a lot’s been going on… but it’s also been business back to usual, with trains full of happy passengers. It’s been a bit tight on the loco side, with the S160 returned to the Churnet Valley for repairs, but it is due back at the Bluebell imminently. The Q-class and S15 both failed with piston or valve ring problems. This left the O1, H and Standard 4 tank to keep our services running. The S15 has now returned to service, and Camelot has been under test (as seen in John Sandys’ photo on the right, part of his album from today), on the verge of returning after its quick intermediate overhaul with a new 10-year certificate. The Q-class needs a bit more work, which is under way inside the “ASH” National Lottery Heritage Fund project’s locomotive maintenance building.
- We have a news update from The Bulleid Society, with more pictures, taken by John Fry, showing progress with 34059 Sir Archibald Sinclair’s overhaul.
- Miss Bessemer saves the train – Penelope Keith reads the story inspired by Miss Bessemer’s fight to keep her local line open, eventually enabling us to resurrect it as the first standard gauge passenger line to be reopened by volunteers. The 5-part series is on BBC Radio 4 each Sunday evening at 7.45pm, started yesterday. You can listen it here on BBC sounds.
- The September 2021 edition of Bluebell Times – Contents include:
– A reminder about the upcoming Bluebell Railway Preservation Society AGM, including all the candidates standing for election
– The latest news from the volunteer co-ordinator
– A selection of new dining trains for the autumn
– Uprated power supply installed at Horsted Keynes
– An update from the team raising money for locomotive No. 92240
– A round-up of the 60+1 anniversary weekend in words and photos
– Historic railway scenes from the Bluebell Railway Museum Archive
– And much, much more
- Southern Railway Schools-class No. 925 ‘Cheltenham’ will be visiting us for our Giants of Steam Autumn Gala. The loco last visited us for our gala in 2015 (as seen in Derek Hayward’s photo, double-headed with S15 No. 847 at Birchstone Bridge), and we look forward to saying ‘welcome back’ for the 8 – 10 October event. ‘Cheltenham’ will join Merchant Navy Class No. 35028 ‘Clan Line’ for the weekend, as well as the S160 and our own fleet of locomotives.
- A new Facebook group has been created, which will document the preservation, restoration and operation of D6570 and D4106 which are based at the Bluebell.
- We have launched a major push to recruit new volunteers – the updated “Volunteer at the Bluebell Railway”
web page has details of 50 different volunteer opportunities, and how to join us. There’s something for everyone, from gardenning to marketing, building maintenance to serving Fish & Chips, alongside the huge range of jobs you might normally associate with operating a heritage railway.
- John Sandys has galleries from 20 August, 23 August, 27 August, 6 September, 13 September, 20 September and 22 September.
- And finally a couple more videos from the “60 plus 1” anniversary gala, thanks to Lee Andrew Davies and James Batcheler.
13 August 
- The August 2021 edition of Bluebell Times is now available.
It covers, amongst other things:
– Wartime loco hired for the summer season
– Two visitors announced for Giants of Steam
– Progress with the Heritage Skills Centre
– What’s Brewing (Beer Festival)
– Paul Russell – new Loco Engineering Director
– Major Upgrade to Museum Website
– East Grinstead Book Shop
– More photos of our line in 1959
– And much, much more
- We are pleased to report that S160-class No. 6046 has arrived on the Bluebell, and will be with us until late October. Six of the class were allocated to the Southern Railway, so are not totally alien to the area. See News Report here.
No. 6046 was built as works No.70280 by the Baldwin Locomotive Company in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, and the locomotive was exported straight to France in 1945 to help with the war effort. After working on industrial lines in Hungary, it was brought to the UK for restoration and then to the Churnet Valley Railway (1992) PLC in 2006.
The photos above show S160 No.6046 at the West Somerset Railway (Paul Bailey, Setpember 2018) and on arrival at Sheffield Park (John Sandys, 11 August 2021). You can see more of John’s photos from Wednesday here.
- John Sandys’ photos from Friday of the 60+1 Anniversary gala.
- Chris Ward’s photos and video from the first two days of the gala.
- Ashley Smith’s photos and video from the gala.
- More gala videos from FrontLineSteam, from Tim’s video channel, from Joe Light Railway, and from 82A Studios.
- John Sandys’ album from Monday including footage of the shunt at Horsted Keynes, and the two locomotives in steam, the H-class and the Q-Class.
5 August 
- Some pictures taken by John Fry, showing the boiler of No. 34059 ‘Sir Archibald Sinclair’, prepared for display over the coming weekend, have been uploaded to the Bulleid Society’s web site. In addition there is an update on progress with the Bulleid 5-plank wagon, and photos of 34059’s wheeled chassis.
- Some photos from today, from John Sandys’ showing in particular the Met coaches, and some preparations for the weekend. His photo below shows part of the first-class interior of Metropolitan Railway coach 412.
“60 Plus 1”
Full details are available for our Diamond Anniversary gala which starts tomorrow. Four train service, live music and bar in the field at Horsted Keynes, continuing into Saturday evening, and much more! The Southern Railway “Queen Mary” Brake Van has been outshopped from its rapid mini-overhaul and is seen below photographed yesterday evening; the times for its brake van rides are given on the last page of the timetable. There’s a huge amount going on at all our main stations, and all the details and timetable are here.
2 August 
- Some photos from the Model Railway Weekend, from John Sandys’ from Saturday including that below showing the live steam O-Gauge layout in the Loco Works.
- Neil Munro-Thomson’s photos from Sunday show all four locos in steam, although he’d only arrived at Horsted Keynes just as the model show was being packed up! His photo on the right shows the pair of SECR locomotives on one of the three service trains.
- The timetables for our 60 Plus 1 event this coming weekend (starting on Friday) have been confirmed. We have a busy 4-train timetable planned for the event, alongside a host of displays and festivities to celebrate our belated Diamond anniversary. Sadly the planned cavalcade has been dropped, but we have a lot going on at Horsted Keynes, with Brake Van Rides, a Goods Shunting demonstration, the chance to drive our Sentinel Shunter and guided tours of the Carriage works, with displays from our trimming (upholstery) volunteers and from our Goods.Division who have just completed the rapid repair and repaint of our Queen Mary brake van for the brake van rides. It will also be the first outing since 2019 for our Great Northern Railway Directors Saloon.
- Santa Special tickets are now on sale!
- John Sandy’s photos and videos from today. His second photo below shows a passing train and platform staff at Horsted Keynes.
Keep ‘Camelot’ steaming into the future – an appeal from The 73082 Camelot Locomotive Society.
The Society held its first sales stand since March 2020 at the Bluebell’s Model Railway weekend. ‘Camelot’ was on display outside in the locomotive yard and visitors could go up and view the footplate and meet Society representatives. The newly painted locomotive looked splendid in the sunshine. Reassembly of the locomotive to complete the Intermediate Overhaul is progressing and a return to steam is eagerly anticipated.
The weekend was also the launch of the Society’s new fundraising appeal to replenish its funds. In January 2021 the Bluebell commenced an Intermediate overhaul of the locomotive, in part to deal with a persistent leak in the foundation ring of the boiler. Mindful of the Bluebell’s financial position as a consequence of the 2020/2021 Covid-19 pandemic, the Society has willingly funded the material costs and any contractors costs incurred. Like many other small organisations, we have had severely reduced income since the start of the pandemic in 2020. The £35,000 spent has significantly depleted the Society’s financial reserves and we are now launching an appeal so that we can keep ‘Camelot’ steaming into the future.
As a small locomotive group committed to keeping ‘Camelot’ in service well into the future, we are making this rare appeal to all those who have enjoyed seeing and hearing our locomotive in action. Please help us if you can.
Please download the appeal leaflet for further information (pdf). Although we do not have the facility to take donations online, details on how to donate electronically are included in the leaflet.
The photos below by Julian Heinemann show Camelot and the sales stand as descibed above, on Saturday.
Earlier updates are in the Archive here
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