The LNER Encyclopedia

When I found out one of my favourite lines was holding an Edwardian weekend, I thought my dreams had come true - and they were! The Bluebell easily has the best collection of Victorian and Edwardian locomotives and rolling stock in the country and most likely the world, plus most are in pre-grouping colours which is a very, very refreshing change. Very pleased with my photographs from the day, and looking forward to seeing the results of the two films from my 1917 Kodak camera which I ploughed through



South Eastern & Chatham Railway H Class 0-4-4T 263 of 1905 with the rake of Metropolitan Railway carriages dating from 1898-1900



SECR P Class 178 of 1910





Trio of Victorian four wheelers departs Sheffield Park between SECR P Class 323 'Bluebell'



The lovely SECR double header





LSWR 3rd Class brake of 1910



The 'reconstruction' of Beachy Head using the GNR Atlantic boiler discovered years ago, a very exciting project





SECR locomotives leave Horsted Keynes hauling the Metropolitans (plus GNR Directors Saloon and LNWR Observation Carriage)



Love 'Birdcage' vehicles, this is an SECR 2nd/3rd 'Birdcage' Brake of 1910, in Southern Railway colours



Unfortunately SECR C Class 0-6-0 592 was out of action, and so replaced by Southern Railway 1638



View from East Grinstead viaduct



P Class 178



178's cab



'Stepney', A1X Terrier of 1875, was celebrating it's 138th birthday on Saturday, giving brake van rides to members of the 'Stepney Club'. Later in the day whilst giving rides it wore special headcodes, including a circular one at the base of the chimney with 'I AM 138' painted on it!

Nice pictures. Will be there personally next for the Bachmann day in August.

G'day all
Great pics!
I am very interested in the Beachy Head project as I saw the original working through Earlswood one afternoon (c1956). After telling all my schoolmates, the bridge was crowded the next day. I seem to remember it worked the same train for a week or two.
They were based on the GNR Atlantics, the H1 being an almost carbon copy of the GNR C1, and the H2 having a straighter footplate.
Life seemed so much simpler in those days.
Earlswood Nob

I'll concur, nice photos. The Bluebell is like a working museum, in starting relatively early they have been lucky to accumulate the earlier locos and stock, but you have to keep them going. Shame that you didn't get a photo of the GN saloon which I understand was running. I've been doing my bit with fundraising for their Std2 tank project, not as prominent as the Atlantic, but if anyone is interested in some old Merryweather and Shand Mason fire nozzles or bass/copper standpipe then they are the next to go.
Next weekend is their 'Model Railway Weekend' at Sheffield Park and Horsted Keynes, our Newhaven & District MRC President is exhibiting his IOW Ventnor layout, considering he is 94-96ish and his helper is 80ish, it's quite an achievement. We're going to be in the carriage works alongside the Bachmann stand.
All we need now is for a visit from a green or blue A4, but a N2 or N7 would do.

I can really recommend travelling to the Bluebell via East Grinstead. Try and avoid the first two departures as they tend to get rammed but the 1.15, although busy, wasn't too uncomfortable when me and the boss went down there on a Saturday about a month ago. It didn't take long to get across London and down there either.

We had the spaceship (92212) one way, the U on the way back and the H was on the dining (tea and cakes) working. They were lighting up a P class for service later that weekend. The museum is excellent, the buffet equally so, the stations are tidy, there are good photographic points and the walk round the engine shed and peering up at the engines reminded me of olden days! The missus was well impressed with it all and she says we will be making a return visit later this year - Result!

The older coaching stock is just superb and they have been doing quite well for passengers so far this year which is just as well as they are getting close to the wire on serviceable locos that can haul the loads. They have now sent the boiler of the Standard 5 away for repair on the strength of the increased revenue.

Evenin' all
I visited the Bluebelle a couple of saturdays ago, and it was busy. Two full six coach trains shuttling up and down the line, but its always worth the effort.
I am lucky as I can now get to East Grinstead by bus, and its free for old codgers like me. A gentle stroll (40min) to the bus stop and I am at East Grinstead either 5min after the first train leaves or 55min before it leaves.
I may well visit next weekend to see the model railway exhibition.
It's like a homecoming for me as four(at least) of the locos were allocated to Redhill shed when I was a schoolboy (the standard tank, a N class, a H class, and a S15 class).
Earlswood nob

Just heard tonight that Tornado is coming down to the Bluebell (at last) to operate this weekend during the train collectors fair. I think that the model railway weekend must have put the mockers on some of the steam locos, the uboat was withdrawn with further firebox problems, Bluebell with some mechanical fault although it is now back in serice, the on-loan 9F withdrawn with a broken spring, the Crompton wouldn't start, the on loan GW small prairie was withdrawn with a leaking tube and they had to rely on the recently bought 09 shunter for some of the passenger work. On top of that Stepney is restricted to light work and only one coach due to the state of the cylinders, the pistons are running in concrete by the sound of it and they have finished the work on the C class valves/ cylinders/ springs and it's been out on test this week Hopefully Tornado behaves itself, after the weekend it is due to go over the wheeldrop in the works for some attention. Now that they have the mainline connection I wonder if we might get any other visitors at short notice. Need an excuse for 60007 or 60009 to come down perhaps.

A working Eastern loco down on the Bluebell? Well it was too good to be true, well it was actually true but it is now not going to happen. A message has come up on the Bluebel website - quote
No official announcement had been made as negotiations with the locomotive's owners had not been concluded. Unfortunately, owing to a gauging issue on Network Rail, it is not currently possible for Tornado to reach the Bluebell Railway. We hope that these issues can be resolved in the future and that Tornado will be able to visit the line.

Not too sure what to make of that, perhaps it's problems with the bridges on the East Grinstead mainline, but I'm told that hire fees for Tornado are £2k per day? Down here we always seem to have problems with RA9 locos on the mainline, they're not meant to go through Lewes Tunnel, but the other week Tornado ran through Lewis and up through Haywards Heath to Kensington, even through it wasn't meant to, it also brought the train all the way down instead of a diesel, so the punters seemed to have got their value for money.