Special EventsNewAccess to the Railway Timetable Tel: 01825 720825 BRPS Logo
Click for Golden Arrow details Vistor Info What's New Shop Search the site FAQ Links Details for the enthusiast How you can join in or help us Contacts Navigate

Bluebell Railway Preservation Society

Objectives, Aims & Plans of the Bluebell Railway Preservation Society - 2007

This document is also available as a PDF file.
It was replaced by a new plan agreed at the BRPS AGM in May 2013 - The latest version is available here

Introduction

The document defines the objectives and details the aims and structure plan which the Society aspires to implement. It extends over the short/medium and long term.

It provides a framework within which the Society Trustees exercise their powers to set the overall policy for Bluebell Railway plc and helps them to ensure that the company is pursuing policies designed to deliver the aims and objectives of the Society.

The Society Trustees will report on progress against the Plan at each Annual General Meeting of the Society and will next review the Plan in 2012.

It should be noted that the plans outlined in this document are not set out in any order of achievement or priority.

Objectives of the BRPS

The principal objective of the Society is the preservation and operation of the railway between Sheffield Park , East Sussex and East Grinstead, West Sussex and any future extensions.

The railway also aims, by various means, to recreate three periods of railway history, namely pre Grouping - London Brighton & South Coast, Grouping - Southern Railway and Nationalisation - British Railways Southern Region.

The achievement of these objectives is through:

The railway recognises an obligation to respect the environment in which it operates and in particular will continue to provide sympathetic consideration to the flora and fauna that occupies the lineside and adjacent land. It will pursue any initiatives that can be introduced to improve compliance with generally accepted environmental control methods.

Staffing Aims (Applicable to all departments of the railway)

The railway values its volunteer resources as the most vital ingredient in its continued success. Because of this, the aim is to focus on the following key requirements:

i.    Provision of messing and sleeping accommodation to the best possible standard. The objective is to provide improved or new facilities throughout the railway to meet the needs of individual groups which may in some cases be combined with similar facilities for the paid employees of Bluebell Railway plc. Delivery of this objective will be through a process of volunteer consultation and against a prioritised order of needs.

ii.    Continuation of existing training initiatives and development of new initiatives taking into account the existing skills of volunteers and the work undertaken. Priority will be given to those who undertake safety critical work and this will be achieved by a process of national accredited awards assessed against Rail Academy and best practice standards which have been adapted for heritage railway applications.

Infrastructure Aims

1) Locations

Each station shall have a protected zone within which no new structures shall be erected without the agreement of the Preservation Standards sub-Committee.

a)    Sheffield Park

Sheffield Park will remain of LB&SCR appearance and all works done will be sympathetic to that period. It will remain the headquarters of the railway and the home of the Locomotive department. All locomotive restoration and maintenance will be based at Sheffield Park.

The following projects are proposed for Sheffield Park

  1. Reinstatement of the canopy on platform 1 from the barrier to the gentleman's toilet and also the provision of a disabled toilet.
  2. Expansion of the museum building whilst keeping the original facade
  3. Provision of toilet facilities on platform 2
  4. A review of the use of the site with the intention of providing additional facilities for the Locomotive and Museum Departments and improved or additional attractions for our visitors
  5. To improve accessibility and interpretation within the Locomotive Running Shed, and improved lighting within the Shed
  6. To improve the appearance of the station by achieving a uniform style for platform surfacing and fencing
  7. To carry out a feasibility study to extend the canopies at the north end of both platforms to mirror Kingscote and thus provide additional undercover accommodation for our visitors.

b)    Horsted Keynes

Horsted Keynes will remain of Southern Railway appearance and all works done will be sympathetic to that period. It will remain the home of the Carriage and Wagon, Permanent Way and Signalling & Telecoms departments. All carriage and wagon restoration and maintenance will be based at Horsted Keynes.

The following projects are proposed for Horsted Keynes

  1. To screen the carriage shed from the approach road and tidy up the rail side approach from New Road bridge
  2. To replace the zinc roofing on the platform canopies like for like
  3. To improve the appearance of the Down Yard so that it is tidy and workmanlike.

c)    Kingscote

Kingscote will, after the extension is completed, revert to being a typical country station of the early days of British Railways Southern Region.

The following projects are proposed for Kingscote

  1. To resurface the forecourt in a combination of cobbles and gravel.
  2. To establish in conjunction with the museums department, a goods display on the dock with ancillary items in the goods shed and preserved wagons in the dock roads.
  3. To construct a replica SR loading gauge at the exit of the up siding.

2) Extensions

a)    Kingscote to East Grinstead

i.  Complete the construction of the line from Kingscote to East Grinstead.
ii.  Construction of a new station and provision of rail interchange facilities at East Grinstead.
iii.  Liaise with local authorities, Network Rail and New Southern Railway to develop a high quality joint station that will provide all the operational and other facilities required by Bluebell and its passengers.

b)    Ardingly Branch

i.  Undertake a feasibility study into the reconstruction of the line from Horsted Keynes to Ardingly and Haywards Heath.
ii.  Undertake limited maintenance to drainage, fences, structures and trackbed to prevent further deterioration and an annual check of the boundary of our land.

Major Projects

a) Operation Undercover

  1. to get all vulnerable rolling stock under weatherproof cover as soon as practicable both at Sheffield Park and Horsted Keynes
  2. to provide a replacement boiler washout pit and maintenance facilities for the Locomotive fleet at Sheffield Park
  3. to expand and improve the Railway's Museum and provision for education and interpretation available to our visitors.

b) Overnight Accommodation for Staff

Provision of messing and sleeping accommodation to the best possible standard.

Departmental Aims

1) Locomotive Department

The locomotive department will aim
i.    To provide and maintain sufficient locomotives in sufficient numbers, incorporating an appropriate mix of types and sizes to enable authentic and profitable train operation. The aim is maintain in service approximately 12 locomotives with the minimum in each category as follows:
a.  Four 'large' locomotives (class 3 and above)
b.  Four 'medium' locomotives (classes 1 & 2)
c.  One 'small' locomotive (class 0)
d.  One shunting locomotive

ii.    To provide and maintain other locomotives of special interest

iii.    To provide secure covered accommodation for all locomotives

iv.    To enhance the works and yard facilities to assist the repair and maintenance of locomotives

v.    To provide training, including apprenticeships, to ensure that the works maintains the skills necessary to undertake its work

vi.    To restore all locomotives currently on the railway and still in ex-scrapyard condition

vii.    To construct replicas of locomotives which are particularly appropriate to the collection and to the operation of the railway

viii.    To plan in conjunction with the Carriage & Wagon Works and the Operating Department for the best matching of locomotives and rolling stock

ix.    To provide facilities where possible for visitors to view the Department's work

2) Carriage & Wagon Department

The C&W department will aim

i.    To provide and maintain appropriate sets of coaches in sufficient numbers, incorporating an appropriate mix of 1st and 3rd class provision to enable authentic and profitable train operation. Whilst acknowledging that sets including a mixture of types such as Bulleid and Mark 1 are both prototypical and inevitable, the aim is to create representative sets as follows:

a.  BR Standard Mark I Steam Stock
b.  Bulleid
c.  Maunsell
d.  LBSCR
e.  LCDR
f.  LSWR
g.  SECR
h.  Metropolitan Railway
i.  Pullman

ii.    To provide and maintain Special Saloons and other vehicles of special interest

iii.    To improve the provision of adapted facilities for mobility-impaired people with the aim of providing such facility on all ordinary trains

iv.    To provide secure covered accommodation for all pre-nationalisation carriage stock

v.    To enhance the works and yard facilities to assist the repair and maintenance of carriages and wagons

vi.    To provide training, including apprenticeships, to ensure that the works maintains the skills necessary to undertake its work

vii.    To restore and maintain brake vans and engineers' vehicles for service purposes

viii.    To restore and maintain heritage goods vehicles for display at each station

ix.    To restore the Brighton Directors' saloon to original condition

x.    To seek out for preservation any carriage or carriage body to augment the incomplete carriage sets

xi.    To plan, in conjunction with the Locomotive Works and the Operating Department for the best matching of locomotives and rolling stock

xii.    To provide facilities where possible for visitors to view the Department's work

xiii.    To provide additional covered accommodation adjacent to the existing shed.

3) Signal and Telecommunications Department

The S&T department will aim

i.    To maintain the signalling and telecommunications systems so that operational performance of the railway can be maximized.

ii.    To complete the re-signalling of Horsted Keynes.

iii.    To complete the signalling of Kingscote and the extension to East Grinstead.

iv.    To establish workshop and storage facilities in permanent buildings allowing a number of vans to be released for restoration and use in traffic. This also allows for a centralised stores rather than having them fragmented around the railway

v.    To replace the signal box at Sheffield Park with an appropriately designed building and to re-signal the station

4) Permanent Way Department

The permanent way department will aim

i.    to maintain the main line so that passengers get the best ride possible and that there is no need to implement speed restrictions (except in emergency)

ii.    to carry out a programme of renewals in those areas/cases where maintenance is no longer a cost effective option.

5) Museums and Archives

The Museum Management Committee will aim
  1. To maintain Registration status with MLA and when appropriate to upgrade to Accredited status as a programme of continual improvement of display, interpretation, collections care and access.
  2. To provide a research centre for students, schools and public researchers to enable them to explore the whole collection and fully accessible by people of all ages and abilities.
  3. To assist other departments to illustrate their work, methods, history and development.
  4. To develop links with other Registered museums in the locality to provide an inclusive knowledge base.

Completed Projects

The following major projects have been completed since the 2004 Plan
a.    HK Canopy Platform 1&2
b.    Loco shed wall at Sheffield Park
c.    New shop at Sheffield Park
d.    Restoration of LBSCR coach 661
e.    Restoration of LCDR coach 114
f.    Restoration of Loco 1638
g.    Construction of Pumphouse No.2 siding
h.    Restoration of Pullman Car 64 (Christine)
i.    Restoration of Met coach 412
j.    Relaying of No.16 points at Sheffield Park
Agreed at the AGM of the Bluebell Railway Preservation Society
19 May 2007

splash


Return to the BRPS Members index page

To Bluebell Home Page, to the Timetable or to Special Events


Visitor Info. - Museum - Trust - Catering - Contacts - What's New - Extension - Locos - Carriages & Wagons - Signals - History - Other - Links - Search - FAQ
Why not become a BRPS Member?     -     Get more involved as a Volunteer

Valid HTML 4.0 Transitional! Page created 24 May 2007 by Richard Salmon, with text from Gavin Bennett
Superceeded by a new version, May 2013.

© Copyright, credits and disclaimer.