Bluebell Railway - '50th ANNIVERSARY WEEKEND' 07/08/2010

The Bluebell Railway was the first Standard-Gauge preserved railway in Great Britain. It's first train was hauled by LBSCR A1X-class 'Terrier' 0-6-0T No.55 "Stepney" in 1960.
Now, 50 years later, in 2010, the Bluebell held a spectacular gala weekened over August 6th-8th to celebrate half a century of progress.
Virtually all of the railway's home operating fleet were in action along with a couple of visitors. Pioneer No.55 "Stepney" had been rapidly given a minor overhaul in order for it to appear at the event and continue to only work minor duties from now on due to its condition. It had been repainted into black - the livery it carried when it first pulled public trains on the railway. It had been hoped that the overhaul of fellow pioneer SECR P-class 0-6-0T No.323 "Bluebell" would also be finished in time for the event. Unfortunately, this was not to be. Instead, "Stepney's" classmate No.672 "Fenchurch" was in operation.
The remaining line-up consited of newly-overhauled SECR P-class 0-6-0T No.178, SECR C-class 0-6-0 No.592, LBSCR E4-class 0-6-2T No.B473, SR U-class 2-6-0 No.1618, SR rebuilt 'Battle of Britain'-class 4-6-2 No.34059 "Sir Archibald Sinclair" and BR 'Standard 4'-class 2-6-4T No.80151. Also, newly-overhauled 'Fletcher-Jennings' 0-4-0T No.3 "Captain Baxter" was in action shunting trucks at Horsted Keynes.
The two visiting locomotives consisted of Furness Railway A5-class 0-4-0 No.20 (visiting from the Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway) and former Bluebell resident Aveling & Porter TJ 2-2-0 No.9449 "The Blue Circle" (from the Battlefield Line Railway). Furness No.20 spent the weekend working shuttle services North from Kingscote along part of the currently laid extension towards East Grinsted. "The Blue Circle" operated Brake Van rides along the old Ardingly Branch at Horsted Keynes.
There were also a few short miniature railways laid out at Sheffield Park, Horsted Keynes and Kingscote. The Horsted Keynes line had the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway's 'Davey-Paxman' 4-6-2 No.7 "Typhoon".
Unfortunately, the event had hoped to see LNER A1-class 4-6-2 No.60163 "Tornado" taking the starring role. But due to on-going boiler problems, the A1 was at the time out of action at its London base at Hither Green.

This footage is from Saturday 7th August 2010.

Locomotives in this feature include...
- LBSCR A1/X-class 'Terrier' 0-6-0T Nos.55 "Stepney" & 672 "Fenchurch"
- LBSCR E4-class 0-6-2T No.B473
- SECR P-class 0-6-0T No.178
- SECR C-class 0-6-0 No.592
- SR U-class 2-6-0 No.1638
- SR rebuilt 'Battle of Britain'-class 4-6-2 No.34059 "Sir Archibald Sinclair"
- BR 'Standard 4'-class 2-6-4T No.80151
- 'Fletcher-Jennings' 0-4-0T No.3 "Captain Baxter" (freshly returned from overhaul)
- Furness Railway A5-class 0-4-0 No.20 (visiting from the Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway)
- Aveling & Porter TJ 2-2-0 No.9449 "The Blue Circle" (visiting from the Battlefield Line Railway)
Also features miniature locomotives including RHDR 'Davey-Paxman' 4-6-2 No.7 "Typhoon" (from the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway)

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

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