The Bluebell Railway's 2006

BRANCH LINE WEEKEND

was on Sat 25 & Sun 26 February

Photos are available from:

Videos:

Two videos from David Chappell: 1638 at Horsted Keynes (1.7 MB Windows Media), and Normandy with the Mets (1.9 MB Windows Media)
Two from Mike Snow: 9017 leaves Sheffield Park (2.3 MB Windows Media) and 1638 at Tremains (1.5 MB Windows Media)
Five video compilations from Jon Bowers (Windows Media).
Two from Chris Ward: The Ivatt leaves Horsted Keynes (5.5 MB Quicktime) and the Dukedog arrives at Horsted Keynes in the dark (4.6 MB Quicktime)

The weekend featured a busy and varied timetable of Vintage Branch Line Trains with departures both days at roughly 35-40 minute intervals, excepting a period on Saturday lunchtime when a failure of a signal-detection circuit prevented the trains running on the southern section for a period, since no token could be withdrawn in the signal boxes.
An early morning Breakfast Train ran each day.
Featuring the return of the U, as Southern Railway U-class No.1638 makes its gala debut. This locomotive, which last ran 42 years ago, will be hauling a set of matching coaches - a 1930s' period-piece.
With guest locomotive: LMS Ivatt Class 2 Tank No.41312, which is normally based at the Mid Hants Railway and is on hire to the Bluebell only until 28 February 2006.

The full locomotive line-up was:

1638 - SR 'U' 2-6-0, (photo left, 18 Feb 2006) built in May 1931 at Ashford, Kent
41312 - LMS Ivatt 'Class 2' 2-6-2T, built in May 1952 at Crewe
9017 "Earl of Berkeley" - GWR 'Dukedog' 32xx 4-4-0, rebuilt at Swindon in 1938 from two locos, which were themselves built in 1899 and 1906.
65 - SECR O1-class 0-6-0, built in 1896; rebuilt 1908
55 "Stepney" - LBSCR A1X 'Terrier' 0-6-0T, built in 1875 at Brighton
96 "Normandy" - LSWR B4 0-4-0T, built in 1893
672 "Fenchurch" - LBSCR A1 'Terrier' 0-6-0T, built in 1872 at Brighton - unfortunately this loco failed on the Friday before, and could not be repaired in time, so missed the event.

Additional Attractions

Station pilot shunting goods stock at Horsted Keynes
Scale model of Horsted Keynes, as featured in the latest Bluebell News magazine, will be on display at that station.
Saturday evening photo shoot featuring Maunsell U-class No.1638 and Maunsell carriage stock; also Ivatt tank No.41312 and Goods Train.
Sunday: Ivatt 2-6-2T and three Metropolitan Carriages in a recreation of the last steam train on Chesham Branch.
Carriage Works Visits at Horsted Keynes, each day at 1pm, 1.20 and 1.40.

Coaching Stock used over the weekend:

Set A: SR Maunsell-liveried: 6686-1309-7598-1098-971-404
Set B: BR Side-corridor stock: 35448-16210-25728-25769
Set C: Bulleid stock, plus FO and Milk Tanker 2515-3042-1482-4279-4430
Set D: Metropolitan Railway carriages - Victorian varnished teak!

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