Coverage of the event from Uckfield FM.

 

Congratulations to the Bluebell Railway's Facebook page, which has passed 6,000 "likes." You can join the crowd at this link.

The tunnel ice prevention project was completed on budget and three days before the planned completion; it will be reported more fully with pictures in the next edition of Bluebell News. Overall a really successful job was well executed by everyone involved.

At East Grinstead, the locomotive water supply is now just about finished and will be commissioned just as soon as one outstanding section of pipe is delivered to connect up the tower sump pump. We plan to hold a small ceremony on site to mark its formal entry into service, once the final testing is complete.

Efforts have now turned to Horsted Keynes 23 point renewal, with preparatory work now taking place. A look at the south end of the station reveals a new drain being installed parallel to and on the west side of the formation. This will not only drain 23 points but eventually the whole south end of the station--it currently relies on a poor drainage system.

In the longer term, most of this area needs either renewal or relaying with more effective drainage and the now customary membrane underlay. Replacement of 23 points themselves will take place week commencing 11 Nov. in two phases in order to keep trains running during the weekends.

There was also the recent delivery to Horsted Keynes yard of the two bridge sections gifted by the Highways Authority for future use on Ardingly extension.

These single line steel bridge sections, complete with walkways, are in excellent condition and will be gradually cleaned up and painted ready for eventual use to "bridge the gap" south of the Ardingly Spur formation, where the demolished viaduct once stood.

But please don't expect to see them positioned for a year or two yet!

By Chris White, Infrastructure Director

... and arriving!

Martin Lawrence took some photos at Horsted Keynes on 2 Oct. recording the arrival of the replacement bridge spans for Sheriff Mill Viaduct.

These spans are very suitable for the Railway's long-term purposes, but not because we are in a position to go charging off westwards immediately!

There's a lot of other work to do--as well as fundraising for vital and urgent projects such as Keep Up The Pressure--before the Railway can think about raising the funds to start major work on the Ardingly Branch.

This webpage from the Malvern Industrial Archaeology Circle shows the dismantling of the M50 bridge in March 2012 and has more about the history of these bridge sections.

Keep Up the Pressure!

Thank you to all those who have contributed to the Keep Up the Pressure Appeal. Currently, the total stands at more than �74,500.

KUTP funds will help expedite the Railway's planned loco overhauls, by sending several boilers away for major work. The aim is that within a few years we should have five of large locomotives in steam, alongside three medium-sized locos.

All contributions are gratefully received at JustGiving.com or by cheque using our gift aid form, found here, to Bluebell Railway Trust, Sheffield Park Station, East Sussex TN22 3QL.

Congratulations to Chris White, who received a "High Commendation" (first runner-up) at this year's Rail Staff Awards in the category of Rail Engineer of the Year.

Chris attended the event along with Matt Crawford and Barbara Watkins (representing the volunteer team in the absence of Nigel Longdon).

Looking for some colour?! Autumn Tints specials continue through 25 Oct. Find out more.

The opening of the East Grinstead extension has seen a significant growth in visitor numbers, both individuals and groups (such as clubs, societies, and schools) and, over the 27 weeks since we began daily running in March, some 300 groups have visited the Railway.

As a result, the Bluebell's Team of Guides, who meet the groups on arrival and accompany them throughout the visit, have been kept busy dealing with myriad questions about the Railway, in particular the extension and our plans for the future.

Visits by schools from across the south east are a particular challenge, but these are a key feature of the Railway's educational work, and a good deal of work goes into attracting them and devising suitable programmes, tailored to meet the needs of school staff.  

The end of September saw the end of the 2013 season, during which just fewer than 30 schools visited, culminating in the final week with visits from three schools on four successive days!

For the younger children such visits provide an introduction to railways and the part that they have played in the geography, economy, and social history of the UK. The Guides play an important role in this process, meeting the schools on arrival, showing them around the stations and generally explaining how the Railway works.

It's easy to forget that young children have often never seen coal, let alone know how it is used to power steam locomotives. Equally important is the role that our signalling and locomotive crews play in explaining their respective roles to the children.

For the older children, visits provide an opportunity to study specific aspects of railway and social history--the impact of the Beeching Report on communities, for example--and in that respect, the museum tells much about the impact upon communities of WWII.  

Our WWII evacuee package is proving to be increasingly popular, with more schools entering into the spirit of the occasion and bringing the children and their accompanying adults dressed in appropriate 1940s-style clothing.

This year has seen improvements made to the package, with the introduction of a team of actors from local dramatic societies. They help coordinate the activities, interact with the children, and assist the school staff with activities, such as billeting exercises at Horsted Keynes Station.

Such has been the success of the new product that a number of bookings are already in hand for the 2014 season.

By David Cockram, Education Officer

Pupils at Dallington Primary School learning about life during the Second World War. Photo from This Is Sussex.

Loco News: Welcome to "The Sherwood Forester"

The Railway is taking on hire LMS "Black Five" No. 45231 "The Sherwood Forester" from the end of October until it goes back to main-line work in March. Its exact arrival date has not yet been agreed.

L150 is currently being re-tubed at the Flour Mill, and will be returning to us after its "Santa on the Met" duties on 8 Dec. It is planned to stay for 2014, with some some short visits to London Underground.

No. 178 is expected to be back in service this week following its annual boiler exam.

A technique for repair of the fractures in the copper firebox plates in No. 1638 has been approved by the insurance inspector, and we are awaiting a contractor to carry out the copper welding work. Note, however, that only once the welding has been tried will its success or otherwise become known.

By Lewis Nodes, Locos & Rolling Stock Director

"The Sherwood Forester." Photo by "cooldudeandy01"/Foter/CC.

The first part of Alan Postlethwaite's collection of photographs has been added to the Museum website.

This set joins the collections already available from JJ Smith and Colin Hogg, and as with these sets, prints of Alan's photos can be ordered.

You may know Alan's name as he has written many railway books and contributed articles to magazines such as Southern Way. We thank Alan for making his collection of photographs available to the Bluebell Railway Museum Archive.

The museum's photographic collection is found at photos.bluebell-railway-museum.co.uk.

By Tony Hillman

Here are six station photographs from the newly released Alan Postlethwaite collection:

Photo 1; Photo 2; Photo 3; Photo 4; Photo 5; Photo 6

East Grinstead Station on 4 July, 1959, by Alan Postlethwaite.

 

(From The Guardian) "... The old rolling stock used was hunted down on the internet and found in a field in Wales. It provides the location for the whole film, the story of an attempt to kidnap a train and send it hurtling to its doom.

To read the whole story, click here.

Coverage from the Evening Standard can be found here.

The Last Passenger Web Trailer.

Chris Rigby's photo (above) from 29 Sept. shows the SR U-class No. 1638 looking the part, in charge of the lunchtime dining train at Holywell, which was, exceptionally, reinforced with the First Class Lounge Car.

Kieran Hardy has re-loaded his photos from the Railway's 50th Anniversary Gala, from 2010.

Brian Lacey's photo shows No. 323 "Bluebell" arriving at East Grinstead with the Autumn Tints special on 2 Oct.

Martin Lawrence's gallery from 3 and 4 Oct.

Derek Hayward's new "Ardingly collection."

John Sandys' set from 8 Oct., 2013 includes photos of the new "Autumn Tints" train at East Grinstead and of the new trolley service for this train.

Warmly,

John Walls

eNewsletter Editor-in-Chief, Bluebell Railway Preservation Society