Bluebell Railway news

[Dunsignalling]

10 hours ago, Zomboid said:

I've no idea about the Bluebell railways internal politics, so I wouldn't want to specifically comment... You often find people in clubs and societies like to create and then jealously guard their own little fiefdoms. Which are then really hard for anyone else to pick up when the time comes.

And conversely, (voice of experience) it can be ruddy difficult to pass on a position when you want/need to. Then you can easily become stale or demotivated, which doesn't help anyone.

 

I haven't held any voluntary offices for a while now, but I long ago decided not to continue in any position for more than three years. That means starting to look for a successor after two, if not one! 

 

John

 

 

[john new]

What I have noticed across the board in all the activities my wife and I are involved with is there are less volunteers coming through. I have seen the scenarios both @Zomboid and @Dunsignalling mention occur in clubs, societies and even in paid work situations when changes occur and some people moved on struggle to let go of their old roles. Equally there are times when the situation is easier and changes are seamless. 

 

Of the two in my experience though I have found Dunsignalling's to be the far more prevalent of the two. Currently I know of situations where  the ratio is 1 (Zomboid) to 5 (Dunsignalling), with two other people having said they want to stand down next year due to age unless new blood does volunteer I suspect it may well go to 1:7 by the end of 2022.

 

Apologies for thread drift, better get back on topic. On a positive note I am glad to see the Bluebell getting people it needs, we must hope that is new blood and not by pulling volunteers away from other groups.

 

Edited September 7, 2021 by john new
To make better sense.

[Neal Ball]

Thanks @john new as per the comments from @rasalmonit looks like they are new people coming forward.

 

I suppose there is a certain inevitability that people will come forward from other groups on the railway.

 

This is one of the downsides to us moving to Spain - I would love to get involved - but the distance precludes it.

[Neal Ball]

The September issue of the Bluebell Times is now available: https://www.bluebell-railway.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Issue-24.pdf

[G-BOAF]

Excellent news about the O1 being purchased by the Bluebell Railway Trust (latest Bluebell Times). Incredible that it was purchased without a public appeal, i.e. the Trust can stump up such money in quick order to respond to the situation. Clearly no railway is awash with money, but good to know that reserves/good contacts are in place when urgently required.

https://www.railadvent.co.uk/2022/01/bluebell-railway-trust-purchases-south-eastern-railway-steam-locomotive-no-65.html

I wonder who the other parties interested in purchasing it were? KESR? Too small for the LSL or Carnforth fleets....

 

A (thankfully) hypothetical question:

Had it been purchased by someone else and left the railway, what would have happened to the boiler? I understand that it is currently running with the spare H Class boiler owned by the Railway. Would this have been removed upon transfer and the original (non-ticketed) boiler put in its place? In this case, the locomotive is worth more to the Bluebell (in ticket) than an alternative purchaser (out of ticket).

What is the usual arrangement when locomotives are sold but fitted with components under different ownership?

Or indeed simply when a railway has paid (or part paid) for a restoration and a locomotive is then sold and moved?

 

Edited January 17, 2022 by G-BOAF

[Neal Ball]

5 hours ago, G-BOAF said:

Excellent news about the O1 being purchased by the Bluebell Railway Trust (latest Bluebell Times). Incredible that it was purchased without a public appeal, i.e. the Trust can stump up such money in quick order to respond to the situation. Clearly no railway is awash with money, but good to know that reserves/good contacts are in place when urgently required.

https://www.railadvent.co.uk/2022/01/bluebell-railway-trust-purchases-south-eastern-railway-steam-locomotive-no-65.html

I wonder who the other parties interested in purchasing it were? KESR? Too small for the LSL or Carnforth fleets....

 

A (thankfully) hypothetical question:

Had it been purchased by someone else and left the railway, what would have happened to the boiler? I understand that it is currently running with the spare H Class boiler owned by the Railway. Would this have been removed upon transfer and the original (non-ticketed) boiler put in its place? In this case, the locomotive is worth more to the Bluebell (in ticket) than an alternative purchaser (out of ticket).

What is the usual arrangement when locomotives are sold but fitted with components under different ownership?

Or indeed simply when a railway has paid (or part paid) for a restoration and a locomotive is then sold and moved?

 

 

The latter bit is probably a question for Richard Salmon @rasalmon

[SR71]

This topic seems to have been quiet for a bit. Went to the bluebell today for their terrier weekend. Pictured at Kingscote this morning.

 

 

Sadly after this trip Poplar was failed. I didn't get the details but hopefully it will be back running over the weekend as the sound they made climbing out of Horsted was great.

[Paul.Uni]

9 minutes ago, SR71 said:

hopefully it will be back running over the weekend

Unfortunately it won't be back in use.

 

Updated timetable: https://www.bluebell-railway.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/AMENDED-FENCHURCH-TIMETABLE.pdf

[SR71]

That is a shame so soon after they out shopped it. Hopefully No11 will keep the flag flying. Terriers used to do SP to HK solo so I guess the pairing with the O2 is to try and make sure if that.

 

There were are lot of books at keen prices at the carriage shop and on other stands at each station. Worth a visit even without terrier(s).

[thegreenhowards]

It’s a brake thing. W11 can’t work the vac brakes on the coaches.

[Nick C]

12 hours ago, Paul.Uni said:

Unfortunately it won't be back in use.

 

Updated timetable: https://www.bluebell-railway.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/AMENDED-FENCHURCH-TIMETABLE.pdf

Looks quite serious, sadly - bent con-rods...

[5944]

This was posted on the Bluebell Railway's Facebook page, but I don't know who the original photographer was. I was on the service when it failed, but didn't notice anything untoward until we arrived at Horsted Keynes and stopped with the rear of the last coach only just in the platform. Looking between the frames you could see one connecting rod was bent, but the other one wasn't really visible.

 

[Bucoops]

Ouch, Gutting to see, hopefully repaired quickly and not too expensive.

[5944]

3 hours ago, Bucoops said:

Ouch, Gutting to see, hopefully repaired quickly and not too expensive.

Hopefully a bit of heat and a big hammer will sort out the rods, the worry is what's caused it and has it damaged the cylinders, journals, wheels etc.

[SR71]

Don't know if the crew was bluebell or whether the owning group were on there too. I guess the need for further investigation of possible additional damage prevents them borrowing Fenchurch's motion at least for tomorrow.

 

I hope it can be resolved amicably, as it's such a shame for all involved.

Edited July 30, 2022 by SR71
SWIMBO talking as I tried to write it the first time.

[Bucoops]

38 minutes ago, 5944 said:

Hopefully a bit of heat and a big hammer will sort out the rods, the worry is what's caused it and has it damaged the cylinders, journals, wheels etc.

 

I alas think I am being a bit optimistic, it doesn't looks like a cheap repair at all :(

[bigherb]

Looks like a big end seized.

[The Evil Bus Driver]

Not a 5 minute job but the works at Sheffield Park is one of the best so they'll at least be able to trace the cause and figure out the damage, if any, and how to fix it. 

 

I certainly wouldn't like to be thd one who has to telephone Poplar's owners with the news though.

[willjam39]

Wow, a sudden stop to cause that kind of bend. Always wondered if visiting engines had crews travel with them or if the railway supplied them for insurance purposes.  

[Nick C]

34 minutes ago, willjam39 said:

Wow, a sudden stop to cause that kind of bend. Always wondered if visiting engines had crews travel with them or if the railway supplied them for insurance purposes.  

I believe there is usually an owner's representative who travels with the loco. Whether they drive or the local crew do depends on circumstances - e.g. with a Diesel in particular, the host railway may not have any drivers certified for the type, so the visitor would drive with a conductor from the host railway.

[Michael Hodgson]

I imagine it took a while to remove the rods so the loco could travel.

[roythebus1]

From what I've heard from someone very qualified in railway engineering and is a Bluebell member, it may be that someone had used the wrong split pins. It was almost certainly not bad prep or lack of oil. But rather than keep on speculating, best wait for the engineering report to come out.

[The Evil Bus Driver]

10 hours ago, roythebus1 said:

From what I've heard from someone very qualified in railway engineering and is a Bluebell member, it may be that someone had used the wrong split pins. It was almost certainly not bad prep or lack of oil. But rather than keep on speculating, best wait for the engineering report to come out.

Still not good but I'm guessing the footplate crew will be relieved by that. 

[roythebus1]

Things happen, a few years back I was duty shunter for a Thomas day on the K&ESR. Thomas was a good little engine on Saturday and half way through Sunday, then he sounded ill. He was diagnosed with the valve timing being out of time! A tapered flat cotter pin had fallen out. He was made to stay still where he was, fortunately we could shunt and do run-rounds around him. The shed staff had a look round for the missing cotter, so I decided to have a walk down the track. There was the missing cotter just in advance of the home signal laying in the four foot! What made it fall out there is a mystery.

[The Evil Bus Driver]

2 hours ago, roythebus1 said:

Things happen, a few years back I was duty shunter for a Thomas day on the K&ESR. Thomas was a good little engine on Saturday and half way through Sunday, then he sounded ill. He was diagnosed with the valve timing being out of time! A tapered flat cotter pin had fallen out. He was made to stay still where he was, fortunately we could shunt and do run-rounds around him. The shed staff had a look round for the missing cotter, so I decided to have a walk down the track. There was the missing cotter just in advance of the home signal laying in the four foot! What made it fall out there is a mystery.

Sounds almost like  a story from the Reverend himself!