rasalmon Posted March 27, 2021 Share Posted March 27, 2021 Looks like we will shortly have some NEWS! Keep your eyes peeled... Make sure you check our website and social media channels at 11am on Monday (29 March) to find out more Photo: Andrew Strongitharm 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Tony Teague Posted March 27, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 27, 2021 An announcement of an announcement - I'm all ears! (or will be on Monday). 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bomag Posted March 27, 2021 Share Posted March 27, 2021 1 hour ago, rasalmon said: Decades ago Bluebell and Middleton came to an agreement that honours were due to both, with Middleton being recognised as the first heritage line to re-open, and Bluebell as the first to reopen a former passenger line. All that was mentioned on here was "After we've celebrated our 60th (61st) anniversary..." It would be very strange if Bluebell stole Middelton's thunder, and celebrated Middleton's anniversary, so Bluebell celebrates its own, as KESR will be celebrating its 50th this year (or 60th if you believe Heritage Railways mag!). Sorry, it just sounds like, 60 years on, you personally have a massive chip on your shoulder over how successful Bluebell has been, when you should be celebrating how successful Middleton has been. I have no problem with the Bluebell railway, except that it could do with using a few more chainsaws on the undergrowth. Having been shown the work on Imberholme cutting a few years previously when visiting with the HRA, just before my mother's death we had a enjoyable trip on the extension to East Grinstead, using the wheel chair lift coach and having a very nice lunch; however, she would not want anyone to forget, in a light-hearted way, the correct precedence - irrespective of the quality of the Bluebell food. What I do have issue with a limited number of people involved with Bluebell over the years having a very selective memory and being very sniffy that Middleton was either not a 'real' railway, or it being run by a bunch of people playing with trains. Internal disagreements in early 60's RPS are not really relevant here; however, early schemes needed larger than life people (or just plain eccentrics) and tended to be very set in their ways. So yes I do take issue seriously - the only thing I have a chip on my shoulder about is those people who think I have a chip on the shoulder about it. It balances it all out. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Neal Ball Posted March 28, 2021 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted March 28, 2021 6 hours ago, Bomag said: ..... What I do have issue with a limited number of people involved with Bluebell over the years having a very selective memory and being very sniffy that Middleton was either not a 'real' railway, or it being run by a bunch of people playing with trains. Internal disagreements in early 60's RPS are not really relevant here; however, early schemes needed larger than life people (or just plain eccentrics) and tended to be very set in their ways. So yes I do take issue seriously - the only thing I have a chip on my shoulder about is those people who think I have a chip on the shoulder about it. It balances it all out. Clearly you have an axe to grind. Let’s stick to the title of the page please and focus on news from the Bluebell. If you would like to set up a Middleton page in the Preservation section, you are able to. Moving on: Thanks for the heads up about tomorrow’s announcement @rasalmon, sadly it’s looking more likely that we still won’t be able to travel to the UK this year. Or at least not during the summer, so will miss out on the 61st celebrations. Here’s to a pint of Harvey’s at the railway in 2022.... 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zomboid Posted March 28, 2021 Share Posted March 28, 2021 What's 6 weeks after 60 years? Particularly with the caveat of "standard gauge". Talyllyn was first, everyone else wasn't Though saying that, the facts are the facts and should be stated accurately if they're going to be mentioned at all. 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
STONECOLDSMILE1882 Posted March 29, 2021 Share Posted March 29, 2021 Today I got my up date direct off of Bluebell’s ‘What’s new at the Bluebell Railway’ site. https://www.bluebell-railway.com/brps/whats_new/ Having read through the reactions to some of the recent posts within this thread I sadly get the impression that certain individuals regard it as their personal domain, act like Moderators when they clearly aren’t and shut out anyone who doesn’t agree with their narrow world view. Hopefully that person is a major contributor to Bluebell, volunteers a huge amount of time and donates a vast amount of money to it. Difficult to see the point in Bluebell news on here when it is already supplied from the horses mouth. I thought that RMWEB was fairly tolerant which is the main reason I joined but I certainly won’t be wasting my time and posting anything else on this thread....as I am sure that you will be pleased to know. 1 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rasalmon Posted March 30, 2021 Share Posted March 30, 2021 In case people haven't spotted it yet, the news was: The Bluebell Railway has provisionally set Thursday 20 May as its reopening date. Please find the reopening FAQs here. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulG Posted March 31, 2021 Share Posted March 31, 2021 Interesting that the Bluebell Railway is not reopening until the 20th May, the North Norfolk Railway is reopening on 12th April. Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Chris116 Posted March 31, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 31, 2021 Both the Mid Hants and Severn Valley are also opening on 12th April while the Worth Valley and Great Central restart on 17th April. Many other lines have not yet announced when they will reopen but in many cases the date is probably chosen with volenteer staff availability very much in mind. I look forward to visiting many of them later in the year and wish all lines a successful and profitable year. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rasalmon Posted April 7, 2021 Share Posted April 7, 2021 The Bluebell Railway has been awarded £272,400 in the second round of grants from the Culture Recovery Fund to help us move towards reopening. Read more about this news here. 6 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rasalmon Posted April 7, 2021 Share Posted April 7, 2021 Updates on progress with Camelot’s intermediate overhaul on The 73082 Camelot Locomotive Society Facebook Page. Members of the owning group have been cleaning down and re-painting the dragbox. The repaired (and mostly new) ashpan is ready, the new tubes are in the boiler, which has been filled with water and will have preliminary checks this week running up to a hydraulic test in the presence of the boiler inspector which is scheduled for 12th April. An out-of-frames steam test will follow and then reassembly can begin. 6 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Oldddudders Posted April 8, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 8, 2021 Lovely news about the grant. And may I say how pleasing it is to have a Bluebell mover-and-shaker posting here for our benefit. 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rasalmon Posted April 9, 2021 Share Posted April 9, 2021 That's very kind, Oldddudders. I'm afraid it's only the same I'm posting on the Blog page... but it does enable a discussion of the news items should anyone wish! Anyhow, the next edition of Bluebell Times is out, and contents include: – More virtual tours coming soon – A new addition to SteamWorks! – A special Easter message from the Railway’s chaplain – An in-depth look at ‘Camelot’ – Electric Vehicle charging points installed at Sheffield Park, funded from the Culture Recovery Fund for Heritage grant – Memories of Fire Service Emergency Services Weekend 2002 – In our Museum: The New Devon Pottery’s “Bluebell Railway” range – Five Minutes with … Sam Bee – Recruitment starts for our next plc Chairman and Locomotive Director – And much, much more. 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodenhead Posted April 10, 2021 Share Posted April 10, 2021 Not been to the Bluebell since I was a nipper - I do love the pre-grouping stuff there, I really need to find an excuse to spend time down south once the lockdown ends.... 4 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rasalmon Posted May 16, 2021 Share Posted May 16, 2021 (edited) Fenchurch's frames and firebox have been sent away for overhaul: https://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/loco_news/21/fenchurch_may21.pdf Camelot's boiler had passed its out of frames steam test: https://www.facebook.com/The-73082-Camelot-Locomotive-Society-381518251989806/ We have 5 additional web cams: https://www.bluebell-railway.com/webcams/ Staff training/refresher runs using the Q-class started today (Saturday), in preparation for the resumption of services on Thursday 20 May. https://www.bluebell-railway.com/brps/whats_new/ The May 2021 edition of Bluebell Times is out: https://www.bluebell-railway.com/bluebell-times/ I took this photo of the H-class at Horsted Keynes last Tuesday; it is seen about to shunt the generator van (BY 404) from the maintenance pit to join a set being prepared for some filming work (we seem to have had quite a bit of that recently, providing some very much needed income). The Metropolitan Railway coaches then went over the pit to prepare them for operation in a few weeks time. The Mk.1/Bulleid side-corridor set will initially be used on the public services. Edited May 16, 2021 by rasalmon 8 1 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeithHC Posted May 17, 2021 Share Posted May 17, 2021 The new webcams are great just Horsted Keynes now missing but appreciate that the they would not happen as they might upset filming in the future. Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rasalmon Posted May 20, 2021 Share Posted May 20, 2021 On 17/05/2021 at 12:52, KeithHC said: The new webcams are great just Horsted Keynes now missing but appreciate that the they would not happen as they might upset filming in the future. Keith Keith, I suspect that's more to do with Horsted not having a decent Internet connection. Regards, Richard 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rasalmon Posted May 20, 2021 Share Posted May 20, 2021 Trains are running again! https://www.bluebell-railway.com/brps/whats_new/ Photo: 80151 at Birchstone Bridge, amongst the Bluebells - David Cable 14 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DKViking Posted July 2, 2021 Share Posted July 2, 2021 Given that there hasn’t been much activity on this thread recently, I thought that I’d just drop this little grenade of chaos… Brilliant news: Class 33 052 has arrived at Bluebell and will be living there as it’s new home. Finally some great news at last. Well done to all those involved, who have finally helped common sense prevail. My Lordz. 3 1 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
STONECOLDSMILE1882 Posted July 2, 2021 Share Posted July 2, 2021 Yeeeeeeha! Finally! 33052…Cromptontastic….Get In! Horsted Keynes MPD. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
STONECOLDSMILE1882 Posted July 2, 2021 Share Posted July 2, 2021 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Neal Ball Posted July 2, 2021 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted July 2, 2021 1 hour ago, STONECOLDSMILE1882 said: Yeeeeeeha! Finally! 33052…Cromptontastic….Get In! Horsted Keynes MPD. I asked that question! It's due to be shedded at Sheffield Park. Details on the loco etc. are here: https://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/soc/notices/diesel_developments_29jun21.pdf 3 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold adb968008 Posted July 4, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 4, 2021 Just intime for Heljans new model of it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
60526 Posted July 6, 2021 Share Posted July 6, 2021 Hopefully it stays as D6570 and green. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zomboid Posted July 6, 2021 Share Posted July 6, 2021 I can't imagine the Bluebell of all heritage lines going for a non-green colour scheme for a diesel. Probably without yellow panels too. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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