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Geoff, there is always something going on, be it locos, carriage works, infrastucture etc. It should be like any preserved railway really, the news section gives an update of what is going on, useful for those who perhaps cannot attend. Just think that 5 weeks at this time of year is a bit excessive since they seem to be making a serious effort to try and bring more people to the railway to add to the coffers, advertise what you are doing. Perhaps in this new world of the Bluebell management they need to give Richard a hand or an assistant? So what is happening to the Met coaches for instance? How are they getting on with O1?

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The O1 was in the workshops last weekend, with the tender outside. All the backhead fittings were going on, looks as if it won't be long before its running again.

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I attended the 'model railway weekend' yesterday. Dire to say the least. Only one or two layouts worthy of the name 'model railway'. Most of the traders

selling second-hand trash. This type of event does the model railway hobby no favours.

 

Thats a shame, IIRC the first year the Blubell held it, the selection of layouts was excellent.

 

However as with diesel galas those organising such events do need to really know the subject / the target market properly and it would seem that in some cases the Bluebell does lack the necessary expertise to pull it off these type of events successfully.

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I'm not sure that it is advertised as a model railway show, I know that local clubs get invited to attend with layouts, individuals as well by the looks of it, but no expenses are paid, I don't believe that the event is sponsored either. A few photos

 

This live steam A3 was superb

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This was part of the N gauge modular layout display in the loco works

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Wow

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Perhaps not so wow

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There is no doubt that the railway modelling bit of it needs freshening up, some exhibits appear every year, some every other year, I thought that we had seen the last of the P4 layout Pulborough, unless my eyes were deceiving me it is now an abridged version, brilliant layout though. A few more photos, Bluebell and Captain Baxter were top and tailing some 4 wheelers and the LNWR observation coach. I didn't take a photo but you have to laugh at the driver and fireman of Baxter when looking through the Obs coach straight into the open cab, because of the short wheelbase and small wheels Baxter certainly pitches up and down as it goes over the track joints, mind you the recent work carried on the trackwork down from Horsted Keynes to Sheffield Park has improved things greatly. A few more shots

Token exchange at HK

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The trolley now arriving at Sheffield Park.

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Anyhow, came away thinking that the Bluebell is not just any preserved railway, its a working museum. Running was the H class 263 built 1905, P class 323 Bluebell of 1910, the Maunsell Q 30541 of 1939, Captain Baxter of 1877 and in the shed was recently retired C class 592 of 1902 soon to be replaced in service by O1 class 65 of 1896. And in the nearish future they will have the Brighton Atlantic running but that will probably have a 2020 build date on it, if you have not seen it, it is well worth a visit.

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There is no doubt that the railway modelling bit of it needs freshening up, some exhibits appear every year, some every other year, I thought that we had seen the last of the P4 layout Pulborough, unless my eyes were deceiving me it is now an abridged version, brilliant layout though.

Pulborough was retired from the exhibition circuit in 2008, so that this was its first appearance for many years.  It is the same layout, with just the scenery upgraded. During its time in storage, it had suffered from damp and mice, so that it required considerable work to refurbish it and bring it up to current exhibition layout standards.  The river board, particularly required complete rebuilding from the baseboard upwards.The plan is that the layout will appear only once or twice a year at exhibitions, as Barry Luck's Plumpton Green is now on the circuit.  We had a few teething troubles with the running of the layout, as it hadn't been possible to set up the whole layout prior to the exhibition, but these were generally sorted out by Sunday.  I think that it is a superb layout and very interesting to operate the timetable based on the WTT of 1912 - I say that as a operator, not one of the building team.

 

Mick

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2018 Special Events:

  • 23-25 March - Diesel Gala
  • 18-20 May - Branch Line Gala
  • 11-12 August - Steam through the Ages
  • 12-14 October - Autumn Gala

Also on on 10-18, 24-25 February, 3-4, 10-11 and 17-18 March, the Bluebell will be operating a timetable based around the 1958 'Sulky Service' that BR operated prior to the Bluebell's second closure.

 

All info from http://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/whats_new.html

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Tornado is making a return to the Bluebell railway during the late May bank Holiday: http://rasalmon.co.uk/bluebell/download/news/Bluebell_News_60163_12Jan18.pdf 

 

Before we get there - 2018 marks the 60th anniversary of the closing of the line through Sheffield Park and there are special events taking place in Feb and March: https://www.bluebell-railway.com/whats_on/diamond-anniversary/ 

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Tornado is making a return to the Bluebell railway during the late May bank Holiday: http://rasalmon.co.uk/bluebell/download/news/Bluebell_News_60163_12Jan18.pdf 

 

Before we get there - 2018 marks the 60th anniversary of the closing of the line through Sheffield Park and there are special events taking place in Feb and March: https://www.bluebell-railway.com/whats_on/diamond-anniversary/ 

 

 

The sulky service is this week: https://www.bluebell-railway.com/whats_on/diamond-anniversary/ 

 

With this weekend a commemoration of the closure.

 

The railway has also made an announcement about 2019 being the anniversary of the formation of the BRPS and 2020 the anniversary of the opening of the Preservation railway.

 

Full event details for this year are here: https://www.bluebell-railway.com/whats_on/events-dates/ 

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The modelling weekend is coming up on the 23/24Jun. With the reconstruction work that has been going on at the north end of Sheffield Park loco shed, will the loco works and Atlantic shed etc be open to the public?

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