Bluebell Railway - No' 73136 Shunting goods wagons in Horsted Keynes North yard.

Bluebell Railway - No' 73136 Shunting goods wagons in Horsted Keynes North yard. The train was a special working for training purposes (new guards) and only ran between Kingscote and Horsted Keynes. If you love the clatter and clank of goods wagons being shunted then you should love this.

Things of note are;

1) The brake van being uncoupled and left on No 2 road.

2) The Signalman coming over for the "token" and discussing with the crew what actions they are planning.

3) The brake van "running around" using gravity.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• bluebell
• railway
• steam
• diesel
• goods
• wagon
• freight
• shunting
• 73136

[MrDickensonS]

Wait a minute. I thought that the Bluebell Railway was an all steam tourist railroad. when did they get the diesel locomotives?

[MLawrence2008]

@MrDickensonS - For all normal services it is steam only. The diesel was hired in for moving the spoil from the East Grinstead extension only. However, as they needed to do some training for train guards (conductors in USA) the diesel was doing nothing that day and so was handy.

[trainmanaidan]

Did this arrive on a low-loader? And who does it belong to?

[MLawrence2008]

It arrived on a low loader (pic on the Bluebell Site) and as far as I know it is owned by the Class 73 Locomotive Preservation Ltd.

[nweston99]

i'm still against diesel on the bluebell, i understand the current unavailability of locos atm, but my heart still sinks

[MLawrence2008]

Me too, but it does make a change every now and then. All we had day to day was 65, 592, 672, 1638, 5199, 9017 and 80151. And 5199 has gone now too.

[willygrant1971]

I myself would love to see diesels on the blue bell, it's what I grew up with.

I hate the fact that most of the brilliant rail engineering of the 50 s & 60 s has gone, the diesels from this time were awesome, coal was always going to run out anyway and had it not been for ww2 I'm sure it would have happen sooner than it did.

So for all that "blah" on about diesels ruining things, what ever brings visitors to the line must only be good, more money means more preservation, more track, more upke

[colliecandle]

The way world economies are being being deliberately imploded by these evil globalist banksters, many preserved lines will fail in the not too distant future if they are either short 'nowhere to nowhere' lines - OR if they are run and controlled by 'purists' who will not see that people will not be able to afford to ride on 'for pleasure only' lines - railways will HAVE to do what they were intended to do - even 'private' ones, regardless of motive power !

[Marillionmad]

@Reorte definite shudder :O I dread to think!

[Reorte]

@Tudwud Well, it's interesting seeing the odd diesel, but that merely reflects the utterly miserable state of mainline railways these days, when third-rate multiple units everywhere can make people nostalgic even for diesels. Does make me despair for the future though. Will we one day see a Voyager on a preserved railway? (shudder!)

[Tudwud]

Does the Bluebell call itself the "Bluebell Railway" or "Bluebell STEAM Railway"? Either way it is a railway and all most, if not all standard gauge railways in Britain have carried both steam and diesel on their lines. A "Thumper" would have been perfectly acceptable on the Bluebell were it not for some of the Members. Not all Members have the same opinions about the steam v diesel debate. This will run and run. Not all "Tourists" remember the Steam Locos and they may wish to see a diesel!

[opensourcethong]

quite surreal to see that brake van moving on its own. must be very uneven ground

[sothiac5]

really good to see a proper later day Southern loco at work on Bluebell. Eds are superb bits of kit and fit in really well on Bluebell.

[AndreiTupolev]

My heart still sinks? Great scott, it''s not like they're planning on replacing them all with Voyagers. Anyway, what's inappropriate about an ED? Entirely appropriate Southern motive power, in an appropriate Electric Blue livery. Recreates the 60s just right. A DEMU'd look good, too, I think.

[jamiegoddard4]

I don't like the idea of diesels on the bluebell, though given the circumstances i think that a 73 was an excelent choice. It gives a slight impression of what the line might have been like if it had survived into the 70's.

[JGravesend]

Nice to see the Bluebell seeing sense and not being stuck in the past, refusing to acknowledge the existence of mainline diesels! The horn signifying, the beginning of the end for the 99% steam =D

[ValentaLamenter]

If only the Bluebell allowed a few more diesels to visit the line. Sharpthorne Tunnel is just begging to have a 37 opened up inside it! Many lines have steam and diesel running together on non gala days. The diesels must also be useful in the Summer months when there is a risk of lineside fires. If the Kettles start too many fires what are they going to do? Cape the service? Although I'm sure buses could be arranged. It would be just like the mainline then. Hint hint Network Rail!

[A60stock]

Excellent example of a 73 doing what it was designed to do. Designed at Brighton 73s are an amazing piece of kit. The Bluebell manage to create the Southern atmosphere (with no nasty HVJ's in sight) even when shunting. Watch out for 73136 hauling passenger stock next.

The Bluebell could become the first steam and electric preserved railway after they reach East Grinstead.

Bluebell were the first and still the best standard gauge preserved railway.

[HSTHoward]

no diesel railway eH? lol

[VoxRail]

Okay! Thanks for the info :-)

[MLawrence2008]

I believe they are currently out of order due to signal changes at Horsted Keynes

[VoxRail]

Do those shunt signals work? They didn't move, lol.

[2bil2090]

Excellent stuff! I was pleasantly surprised to see the ED pull into Kingscote when I visited on Saturday. I guess it's because I was brought up with them rather than steam, but it doesn't 'look wrong' on the Bluebell.

Are you allowed to 'run round' like that ?

[MLawrence2008]

LOL ,ta Matty :) It looks awful, smells awful but does sound good. I wish they could have had more of a load on it to make it work a bit more.

[mattyboimatty]

wow wot a beast of a machine