Bluebell Railway

Branch Line Gala 21 February 2009

Beautiful weather at the Bluebell for the annual Branch Line Gala. Clive Hanley and I met up with Graham Briggs, Gordon McCulloch, Dee Davison and Henry Elliott at the Waterworks location for the first train. Thereafter Graham's carefully formulated plans were thrown into disarray as a rebellion in the ranks precipitated an early move to Freshfields to take advantage of the favourable weather conditions. Here we discovered a slack towards the top of the bank which has been necessitated by land instability, but this rendered the curve beyond the summit a prime location with locomotives working through this section. Later Clive and I dashed down to Sheffield Park to join a jostling throng viewing a line up of SECR locomotives. Unfortunate problems with my remote control caused me to miss the "historic" departure of 65 and 592 from Sheffield Park, and I was only consoled later by news of yet another Leicester City victory and a club record of 20 matches without defeat!

The Gala featured three vintage locomotives which belonged to the South East and Chatham Railway (SECR). P Class 753 a guest from the Kent and East Sussex Railway, O1 Class 65 and C Class 592 (which ran double-headed later in the day with 65). Local A1 terrier 672 Fenchurch was also running. GWR "Bulldog" Class 9017 and Standard 4MT 80151 completed the line-up.

For more details visit: http://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/events/branch_line09.html

The video contains scenes around Horsted Keynes Station; 9017 Earl of Berkeley at Waterworks and Freshfields; 1638 at Sheffield Park; Adams Tank at Sheffield Park; SECR line-up at Sheffield Park (P Class 753, O1-Class 65, CClass 592 and H Class 263); 753 and 65 at Freshfields; 672 Fenchurch at Freshfieldsand Sheffield Park; 753 with the mixed train at Freshfields and later at Horsted Keynes; 80151 on the climb to Freshfields near Tremains.

You Tube (9mins 30secs)

Smaller clips from the above

GWR "Dukedog" 9017 Earl of Berkeley at Waterworks, bursting through the bridge at the summit of Freshfields and accelerating away following the slack near Freshfields summit. (4.9mB)

The line up of SECR locos at Sheffireld Park; guest P-class loco 753 from the Kent and East Sussex leading 65 past Freshfields; 753 on the climb through Freshfields with the mixed train; A1 Terrier 672 Fenchurch approaching Freshfields and later at Sheffield Park. (6.9mB)

80151 climbs past Tremains and heads towards Freshfields (2.8mB)

Autumn Somerset & Dorset Gala 18 October 2008

A splendid day on the Bluebell in the excellent company of Graham and Gordon, Henry and Dee and later Stuart Newman, who was making his first visit to the Bluebell. Saturdays proceedings took place in splendid weather with the majority of the shots in full sun, but there was disappointment as we learned that the line-up had been depleted by the failure of visiting LMS Jinty 47493 - an important component of the Somerset and Dorset theme. 2 guest locos remained, however, evocative 7F 53809 and popular GWR large Prairie 5199. The home fleet of Standard 4MT 80151, U-Class 1638 and O1 65 gave their support.

There was as much action off the track as on, with the sudden appearance of a man with blood-soaked hair, who, it transpired, had been knocked into the bushes by a videographer's tripod. Contrary to first impressions this was an unfortunate accident rather than an example of a lineside rage attack by a cameraman anxious to assert his territorial rights. Later Gordon, armed with a pair of scissors, made what seemed like repeated attempts to ravish Dee in the back-seat of the car, while a bemused Henry looked on.

For more material regarding the event see the following sites: GB Productions, Dee D, Stuart C Newman

A good start to the day, though the sun was very much head on, as 7F 53809 and 5199 head the 10am ex Sheffield Park past the location near to Goddenwick Farm.

Near Masbury circa 1962: I'm a great fan of Ivo Peters, the man who's photography brought the Somerset and Dorset to everyone's attention. 53809 climbs Freshfield (2.3mB)

O1 65 and U-Class 1638 climb Freshfield Bank either side of lunchtime. (3.6mB)

Local Standard 4MT approaches Freshfield Summit from the north with the 3:10 ex Horsted Keynes (1.5mB).

A quick dash down the line for the 3:30 ex Sheffield Park. The sun shines brightly as guest loco GWR large prairie 5199 blasts under the bridge at the summit of Freshfields. Seconds later, as she emerged from the cutting a cloud intervened. (2.1mB)

On the approach to Horsted Keynes Station the sun had settled behind low clouds in late afternoon, but by 5:35 when 7F 53809 appeared with her train a narrow band of bright sky had appeared close to the horizon. 53809 was working hard as she approached up the bank, but as she came into view the crew cut off abruptedly for the photographers. Thanks very much! (2.8mB)

Giants of Steam 20 October 2007

I arrived at Horsted Keynes in beautiful weather. Cloud arrived from mid-morning, but dissipated soon after lunchtime.

Many thanks to Graham Briggs for providing the transport; I could never have parked in some of the tight spots he managed to find. Entertainment was provided by Garrulous Gordon McCulloch, Henry Elliott (the 'Person Really In Charge' for the day who provided the focus for the team and who had planned the locations in meticulous detail to Graham's specification!) and the radiant celebrity photographer Dee Davison. We bumped into John and Margaret late in the day.

The first two shots were in glorious early morning sunshine. After filming a horizontal column of steam (inside which was allegedly 34081) the inevitable happened and my XM2 failed on the next and best shot of the day. Fortunately my faith in this camcorder is such that I always carry an old XM1 as a spare and only three shots were actually lost. Note the difference in colour rendition compared to the XM2; quite appropriate for autumn tints I feel.

With four Bulleid Pacifics on show, the whole event reminded me of the Monty Python sketch involving an attempt to purchase anything other than Spam in a specialist spam-loving cafe. One of the regulars chimes in "I like Spam and I've ordered Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam and more Spam". Apologies to younger visitors who may not understand this reference; I suggest ask your dads, or even grandads!

"Spam Spam Spam Spam, Spam Spam Spam Spam, wonderful Spam...." Bulleid Pacifics, visiting engine 34007 "Wadebridge" and local engine 21C123 "Blackmore Vale" burst out of Sharpthorne Tunnel with the 12:29 ex Horsted Keynes (2.6mB)

A classic Bluebell scene; visiting West Country Pacific 34007 "Wadebridge" climbs Freshfield Bank with the 2:35 ex Sheffield Park. (2.6mB)

Standard 4MT 80151 hauling the LNWR Observation saloon and the Mets towards Sharpthorne Tunnel, and later coasting down Freshfield Bank past an enthusiastic Permanent Way Gang. (2.5mB)

West Country Pacific 34028 "Eddystone" catches the late afternoon sun as she heads beyond the Three Arched Bridge towards Horsted Keynes with the 4:18 off Sheffield Park. (2.3mB)

U class mogul 1638 with exotically numbered local spamcan 21C123 "Blackmore Vale" climb Freshfields with the 3:40 (2.4mB)

...more spam: 34081 and 34007 double head the 4:55 ex Sheffield Park. I debated whether to put this in as it is a disappointing shot, the exhaust covering 34007 for most of the time and the stupid cameraman forgetting to stop the pan to record the glinting coaches. Notice the moon hovering above the scene. (2.3mB)

For more information on the locomotives, coaching stock and some images of the event visit the excellent Bluebell railway website.

Bluebell 125, 11 August 2007

"Bluebell 125" is not a reference to a 70s HST locomotive, but the celebration of 125 years of the Sussex branch line.

Once again we were lucky enough to have beautiful weather for this celebratory event on the Bluebell. I travelled down to Sussex with Clive Hanley and Cliff Jones who will, no doubt, have some excellent pictures of the event on their respective websites. Needless to say we ran into Graham and Gordon those intrepid Gala visitors.

Unfortunately the locomotive operators ran into unexpected problems in the shape of low water pressure, which caused substantial delays in the afternoon.

The sun had just broken through the early morning mist when 'U' Class 1638 appeared with the early morning goods train. (2.5mB)

An adventurous climb through the jungle-like undergrowth saw us in position on top of 3 Arch Bridge for Bulleid West Country Pacific 34028's arrival with the Pullman breakfast train. 32473 brings up the rear. (2.3mB)

SER Stirling 0-6-0 no.65 runs past the Waterworks with the Mets. Unfortunately the Metropolitan E class tank was not available. (2.3mB)

65 leaving Sheffield Park with the Metropolitan set. (2.3mB)

"Blackmoor Vale" in the early stages of the 1-in-75 climb of Freshfield Bank. (1.9mB)

34028 "Eddystone" leaves Sheffield Park late in the afternoon (2.5mB)

There are more videos of the Bluebell Galas here: Bluebell Railway web site - What's New?

Warning: The files are of substantial size and will take a considerable time to download for non-broadband users.