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come back regularly to check the latest changes.
Latest News/Updates - Earlier updates - Latest news - Recent photo reports
2 July:
- More photos here from the Family Fun weekends, from Derek Hayward.
- With profits going to the Bluebell's Northern Extension fund, some retro railway ringtones are now available, at a price of just 95pence each, from the Beulah audio archive and include:
- A manic signal box bell
- Egham level crossing bell
- Train spotters listing loco numbers (BR Southern Region)
- A steam engine having a mega slip
- HST horn
- Diesel loco horn
- Pee Wee warning tone
1 July:
- Santa Special details now available, with postal and on-line booking opening today. N.B. online booking is only for 3rd class tickets - First Class and Observation Car tickets only available by post (or phone after 5th October).
- The Pilstyes, in Lindfield, offering both B&B and self-catering accommodation, added to the Accommodation near the Railway page.
- Update to the FAQ page, adding details of our gradients, and noting that the line closures pre-dated the appointment of Dr Beeching as Chairman of the British Railways Board, and explaining the dual closure of the line.
- With the SECR O1-class No.65 coming to the end of its boiler certificate, and the loco roster only showing two more days in service, the photo on the right from Ashley Smith illustrates it in use on 20th June on the Fathers' Day Wealden Rambler special during the Family Fun weekend.
- Update to loco news page on the overhaul of B473 (LBSCR E4 'Birch Grove')
Earlier updates - Latest news - Recent photo reports
The Trains for the coming week
page is updated weekly, with detailed information for visiting enthusiasts - but please note that notification of a train or service on that page does not necessarily imply that it is available to the public - all public services are listed in the Timetable.
Note: Throughout this site many of the photos are presented as small
versions which can be clicked on to access the full-size image.
Latest News
See also a variety of photographic news reports listed further down this page.
- Carriage & Wagon Works
News - Updates on the restoration of the LBSCR Milk/Fruit Van and the overhaul of the SECR Birdcage, the return to service of SR Maunsell open third No.1336, and the work last year on the BGZ - 30 June, 30 April, 26 March and 15 February 2009
- Loco Works News: progress on LBSCR E4 No.473, an update from the Maunsell Locomotive Society on the overhaul of S15 No.847 and an award for their PMV restoration, on the Brighton Atlantic project, from the Bulleid Society on the visit of 'Normandy' to Eastleigh, photos of "Camelot" lifted and the S15 re-wheeled, the overhaul of SECR P-class loco No.178, and SECR H-class No.263 - 1 July, 29, 25, 10 June and 25 May 2009
- Press Release - Fifty years of the Bluebell Railway - Celebrations start - 9 June 2009
The latest news of the Horsted Keynes
Re-signalling. Last update 7 May 2009
- East Grinstead Extension: Track laid beneath Imberhorne Lane Bridge - report and photo - 27 April 2009
- Loco Works News: an update from the Bulleid Society on the completion of "Sir Archibald Sinclair", and the latest on the Standard Class 2 Loco project - 26, 16 April 2009
- Report, photos and videos from the Branch Line weekend - 21-22 February 2009
- Loco Works News: a roundup of 2008 from the 73082 Camelot Locomotive Society - 1 February 2009
- Report on the East Grinstead Open Day - 17 January 2009
- We now have our Main-line connection at East Grinstead - report and photos - Track laying at East Grinstead - 16 January 2009
- Share Issue raises over £ 2/3 Million! - report 12 January 2009
- East Grinstead Extension: Trial phase of the tip excavation completed successfully - reports and photos - 17 December
- Loco Works News: update from the Bulleid Society on 'Blackmoor Vale' and an update from the Villa Team on 'Baxter' - 5 August and 5 May 2008
- Operation Undercover - updated 26 March 2008.
- Archive news from the Bluebell
Take a tour of this web site 
Latest photographic and video reports:
See also the News Reports listed above, and videos elsewhere on this site.
We are getting so many photo galleries submitted that we have decided that only the best, or most interesting can now be featured here.
Please note that some photos included below are taken by volunteers and staff during the course of their duties, and so may have been taken in areas not open to the general public. These photos are very valuable, since they enable the public to see these otherwise hidden facets of the railway, but visitors to the railway should note that they may be unable to visit these locations themselves.
Please note that the Bluebell Railway is not responsible for the content of external web sites.
- Family Fun Weekends, photos from Derek Haywardand Ashley Smith - 20-28 June 2009
- Gallery from Derek Hayward covering the Founder Members event - on 17 June 2009
- Andrew Strongitharm's gallery featuring activity on the railway - late May/early June 2009
- Behind the scenes at the Bluebell photos on the BBC Sussex and Surrey website.
- "Normandy" back at the Bluebell (after its visit to Eastleigh) from Chris Dadson - 29 May 2009
- Photos showing our presence at Eastleigh 100 (23-25 May 2009) available from:
- Photos from Derek Hayward along with an update to his Sheffield Park Shed/Works collection - 24 May 2009
- Ken Upton's track walk sequence - 12th May2009
- Southern at War - 9-10 May 2009
- Dave Humphries' Mobile Phone Picture of No.65 resting on the A22 en-route back to Sheffield Park from the KESR - 7 May 2009
- Andrew Strongitharm's gallery of photos of No.65 now includes photos from the KESR "Last Train's Gone" gala. Further photos of this event are available from Ashley Smith and Peter Skuce - 2-4 May 2009
- Martin Lawrence's video of 80151 - 2 May 2009
- Recent developments from Chris Dadson - 2 May 2009
- Repaint of 4279: Dave Clarke's sequence of photos - 2 May 2009
- Paul Pettitt's page update on U-class No.1638, New page for C-class, No.592, and photos of ED Class 73 - 1 May 2009
- Large number of photos from Wouter Adriaanse covering the working visit of P-way volunteers (Weg & Werken on Tour) from our twin railway, Museum Stoomtram Hoorn-Medemblik, when they were helping us with track maintenance on the Bluebell at the end of April.
- Derek Hayward: the spoil train/Imberhorne Lane, Spring Specials, Vintage buses at Kingscote on 26 April and general photos covering the new memorial garden at Horsted Keynes; Ketches Halt (prior to dismantling); Repaint of 4279 etc,
- The Return to Steam of 34059 "Sir Archibald Sinclair" - 24, 25, 26 April 2009
Older photographic updates are in the What's New
Archive
What's been updated on the Bluebell Web Site?
Older updates are in the What's New
Archive
Most recent updates: See top of this page
30 June:
- Update from the Maunsell Loco Society, reporting the re-wheeling of the S15, and also their success in winning the Rail Category in the Eastbourne Historic Vehicle Club 2009 Awards Scheme for the restoration of their SR PMV (Parcel & Miscellaneous Van). See Derek Hayward's photo of the van here.
- Photo today shows the miniature train service at Kingscote on Sunday, from Derek Hayward
- Report and photos on the restoration of LBSCR Fruit/Milk van No.270 added to the C&W Works News, with thanks to Jim Hewett. This includes the first use of the electric lifting jacks, last week.
- On Sunday 23rd August we are hosting the 'Flavours from Sussex' Food Fair between 10am and 5pm in our field at Horsted Keynes Station, in conjunction with the Haywards Heath Co-op. There will be stalls with local suppliers selling and giving samples of local produce. Entry will be by train travel ticket or platform ticket and you can of course save money by purchasing Bluebell Bonus travel tickets at least 8 days in advance.
- Update to the loco roster, showing what locos we currently expect to work on what days over the next 3 months (always subject to change), from Lewis Nodes.
28 June:
- Update with 10 photos added to the news of the Brighton Atlantic Project
- Photo gallery from Derek Hayward, illustrating the last two weekends' Family Fun days, and a few lineside shots from Ashley Smith.
- On Wednesday, 17 June, the four original students that thought up the idea
of the Bluebell Railway in 1959, and were instrumental in organising the
original meeting in Haywards Heath where the Bluebell Railway Preservation
Society came into being, attended a grand re-union at Sheffield Park
Station. The founder members and other invited guests toured Sheffield Park Shed, the Workshops, the Brighton Atlantic project, the Carriage and Wagon Works and the signal box at Horsted Keynes. Pictures from Derek Hayward, including the one on the right, which shows (from left to right): Alan Sturt, Chris Campbell, Bernard Holden MBE (who chaired that inaugural meeting, and is now our President), David Dallimore and Martin Eastland.
24 June:
- Major revision to the web page for Maunsell Dining Saloon No.7864 to coincide with the publication of an article in Steam Railway magazine with details of our restoration plans for this coach.
11 June:
10 June:
7 June:
- Update to the Component sponsorship list for the Brighton Atlantic Project.
- Andrew Strongitharm's photos of the three locos in use yesterday (U-class 1638 and Dukedog 9017 on the two service trains plus O1-class No.65 on a Wedding Belle special) link to his gallery featuring activity on the railway over the last two weekends.
- 2009 sees a joint celebration at the Bluebell Railway; it's our 50th Anniversary and also the 80th anniversary of The Golden Arrow, originally linking London to Paris via Dover, now the name used for the Bluebell Railway's Pullman dining train. Leading philatelic specialists Buckingham Covers have created a special commemorative cover (with collectable envelope, see below) to mark the occasion, which is also available from the Bluebell Shop.
- The photos below (from the backlog which have built up over the last couple of weeks) show:
- 34059 'Sir Archibald Sinclair' in action on 24 May (Martin Lawrence)
- 96 'Normandy' at Eastleigh on 23rd May (David Chappell)
- Visitors boarding our 4 Vep at Eastleigh on 23rd May (David Chappell)
- 'Normandy' seen again on 24th May (John Simmonds)
4 June:
1 June:
- Andrew Strongitharm's photo on the right shows one of our representatives at Eastleigh 100 over the Bank Holiday weekend. "Normandy", our 1893-built LSWR B4-class Dock Tank, is now back at the Bluebell (as seen in this photo, from Chris Dadson).
We were also represented by our 4 Vep, which was open to visitors, and contained some Bluebell stands and exhibitions, and which is seen in the two photos below (from Andrew, and the one showing Roy Watts, BRPS Chairman, by Tony Sullivan).
Photo Albums showing our presence at Eastleigh available from:
- Updates to the Loco Works News, with the latest from the Loco Workshop Working Group showing new rivets and other work on the boiler of SECR P-class 178, as well as recent photos showing progress on the H-class and E4.
- Jon Bowers has produced his "Bluebell Annual DVD", showing a variety of
events both on and around the Bluebell during 2008 (ie. a mix of galas,
lineside & footplate footage, as well as behind the scenes coverage of
maintenance work, staff training events, Northern extension developments
etc). There are more details and a trailer on the web page.
The DVD is being sold to raise funds mainly for the Northern Extension tip
removal fund, and £10 from each £15 copy sold will be donated to this cause. Other "good causes" directly associated with the railway will also benefit
from any proceeds left over once production costs are deducted. So buying
one is a good way to both remind yourself of what went on in 2008 but also
pay for a quarter of a ton of rubbish to be removed from Imberhorne tip!
- On 21st May we had a visit from a crane. Maunsell S15 No.847 was
re-wheeled, and Camelot's frames were lifted into the space
vacated by 847, as seen in Tony Sullivan's
photo (also below). A photo from Tom James (24 May) shows the frames in the yard.
Camelot's wheels will be sent away for re-tyreing shortly - the tyres have
already been ordered (in a joint order with 73096 on the Mid Hants). Tom James
has also provided a photo of No.847 re-wheeled.
- Photos from 24th May from Derek Hayward along with an update to his Sheffield Park Shed/Works collection.
- Election results from the BRPS AGM, 17 May - three Trustees to be elected:
- Neil Glaskin 215 Votes Elected
- Chris Cooper 164 Votes Elected
- Lewis Nodes 155 Votes Elected
- Martin Skrzetuszewski 92 Votes
- Sinclair Spencer 85 Votes
At the AGM we made £208.81 profit on the teas and
the retiring collection amounted to a total of £484.42, making a
total of £693.23 raised for the Northern
Extension, along with £970 of Tenner for the Tip certificates sold.
- Chris Dadson has come across two vintage photos (1 and 2) of 9017 at Moat Lane on the former Cambrian Railway, by Tony Gillett.
- To kick start our 50th anniversary celebrations we will be holding an Open Day on Saturday 12 September 2009. More details later, but it is now listed on the Special Events page.
- Southern at War photos available from:
- Photos of the SECR O1, and all the other action, at the KESR "Last Train's Gone" gala from Peter Skuce.
- The BBC is starting to make archive programmes available, and two so far feature the Bluebell - The Getaways, featuring the lives of several Bluebell volunteers from 1980 and The Train Now Departing - The Survivors, featuring the restoration of Port Line from Barry Scrapyard through to steaming on the Bluebell, in 1988.
- There have been several updates to the Loco Roster over the last few weeks, as plans have evolved.
27 May:
- As many of our regular readers have surmised, I've been rather busy, and then away, over the last few weeks. So apologies for that... to make up for it, I will be gradually including the photos and links I've been sent over the last few weeks, and start here with a topical shot from yesterday (thanks to Peter Austin) of the Dukedog back at home, on the 4pm train from Sheffield Park, emerging from the tunnel.
- There is a photo and report of the scattering of Pat Berry's ashes on 8th May on the BRPS notices pages.
- One major update I was able to do, but not advise here, was the publicity for the Family Fun weekends in June. Advance ticket purchases attract a 1/3 discount if booked by the end of May, so don't delay! The event is our annual "Traditional English Summer Fayre", with activities and attractions to interest all the family, plus of course an intensive service of steam trains.
9 May:
- The first day of the Southern at War event went exceptionally well, with a very good number of visitors enjoying the fine weather and the great atmoshpere of wartime bustle , including the Dakota flypast as seen right (Richard Salmon) and below (Derek Hayward) - see also Derek's gallery of photos.
- Andrew Strongitharm has a gallery for today's event, and a video of the Dakota flypast (seen also in his photo, the second one below).
- Two more photos below showing the locos in use today, both taken by Martin Lawrence: Battle of Britain class 34059 "Sir Archibald Sinclair" (with the repainted Bulleid coach 4279 seen immediately behind the loco), and the U-class 1638 on the other set which consisted of 2 SR Bulleid coaches and 3 SR Maunsells. Martin also has a video from today (featuring 34059), and another from last weekend (with 80151).
- Update from Peter Richards to the Horsted Keynes Resignalling News, illustrated with the photo below by Chris Majer showing Bert Bassett, one of the Bluebell's original signalmen, inspecting the completed frame. The mechanical locking is now complete, with a walkway constructed over the operating floor locking trays. The work has now shifted to downstairs in the locking room where the electrical locking is being applied.
- Large number of photos from Wouter Adriaanse covering the working visit of P-way volunteers (Weg & Werken on Tour) from our twin railway, Museum Stoomtram Hoorn-Medemblik, when they were helping us with track maintenance on the Bluebell at the end of April.
- Dave Humphries took this Mobile Phone Picture of No.65 resting on the A22 en-route back to Sheffield Park from the KESR this week.
- Stephen Gardiner's photos of the Steel
Steam and Stars 2 at Llangollen, including several photos of our Dukedog.
- Photos from Ashley Smith, taken at the K&ESR gala on Monday, including our SECR O1 loco
- Updates provided by Martin Skrzetuszewski and edited by Jon Elphick for:
Page 1 of the Kingscote Station History, updated to incorporate recent research by Roger Barton on Porter-Signalman Alfred Hillman, and an update with further information about BR Standard 4MT loco No.75027's BR service.
The latest publication from Buggleskelly Books, with 10% from all orders received via this web site at the address below going to the 32424 (Brighton Atlantic) Project, is:
Sussex Motorman , The Hubert Hobden Memoirs Volume Two: 1935 - 1961
148 gloss pages, 136 photographs, illustrations and maps including 62 colour images, A5 Laminated Card Covers
In this sequel to the acclaimed companion volume Sussex Engineman, The Hubert Hobden Memoirs Volume One: 1913 - 1935 Hubert recounts his period as a Motorman on the Southern Railway up to his retirement in 1961. This unique account, which covers nearly three decades, describes his experiences as one of the very first drivers to work the newly-electrified line to Eastbourne and Hastings. Based at Ore depot, but no stranger to the Brighton Belle, he relates working practises, the perils of the war years, and recalls a host of long-gone railway characters. Also included are the previously unpublished accounts of four of Hubert's contemporaries; signalman Pat Harmer, driver Peter Dove, and Lancing electricians Bill Oliver and Lionel Pilbeam.
Sussex Motorman, which is a limited edition of 1000 copies only, is priced £11.95 (plus 95p P&P). Payment should be made out to "Buggleskelly Books" and sent to:-
"Sussex Motorman", 22 Glassenbury Drive, Bexhill-on-Sea, E. Sussex TN40 2NY.
To coincide with the publication, Volume One: Sussex Engineman has been reprinted. Copies are priced £10.95 (plus 95p P&P).
6 May:
- David Haggar's photo on the right shows our SECR O1-class No.65 passing Bodiam Castle with SECR coaches on a photo charter at the Kent & East Sussex Railway on Friday 1st May. The first photo below was also taken by David at that event.
- Andrew Strongitharm's photo below, shows the O1 on a goods train (banked by P-class No.753), at the KESR gala on Monday. Andrew has updated his gallery of photos of No.65 with photos from the weekend's event.
- Richard Salmon's photo, also taken on Monday, shows the SECR C-class at Horsted Keynes about to take the freshly re-painted Bulleid brake 4279 down to Sheffield Park, where it was due to be used in service this week.
- The on-loan Electro-Diesel No.73136 "Perseverance" left the Bluebell today at then end of a very useful and successful spell clearing spoil from the south end of Imberhorn cutting on our Northern Extension.
2 May:
- Update to loco roster, due to a late change in the locos expected to run this weekend.
- Photo updates available from:
- Paul Pettitt: Picture of the Month (featuring Sir Archibald Sinclair), a new gallery for No.34059 "Sir Archibald Sinclair", page update on U-class No.1638, New page for C-class, No.592, and photos of ED Class 73.
- Derek Hayward: the spoil train/Imberhorne Lane, 34059 "Sir Archibald Sinclair", Spring Specials, Vintage buses at Kingscote on 26 April and general photos covering the new memorial garden at Horsted Keynes; Ketches Halt (prior to dismantling); Repaint of 4279 etc,
- Chris Dadson: Spoil being loaded on the NORTH side of Imberhorne Lane Bridge, views showing how the triangle at HK is being landscaped to form an amenity area, a photograph of a damp but readable newspaper dated 9th December 1965 found amongst the excavated spoil, and progress on re-painting SR Bulleid carriage 4279 (photo right).
- On the topic of the repaint of 4279, C&W volunteers who offered last year to undertake work on it have now been able to give it a quick spruce up, which has taken just two weeks and is nearly finished. Dave Clarke's sequence of photos follows the work, although such is the pace of progress this week that these photos are already out of date! If the weather holds, the work should be finished on Monday, with the carriage back in traffic next weekend. The carriage is due in the workshop at the end of the year for maintenance work, which will include a full repaint. Our other SR Bulleid brake 2515 is also expected to receive similar treatment in the coming weeks.
Older updates are in the What's New
Archive
or the 2008, the 2007, the 2006, the 2005, the 2004, the 2003, the 2002, the 2001, the 2000, the 1999 and the 1997-8 "What was new" archive pages.
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1 July:
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28 June:
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1 June:
27 May:
9 May:
Sussex Motorman , The Hubert Hobden Memoirs Volume Two: 1935 - 1961
148 gloss pages, 136 photographs, illustrations and maps including 62 colour images, A5 Laminated Card Covers
6 May:
2 May:
