Bluebell Railway 2024

Welcome to a selection of pictures from my visits to the Bluebell Railway in 2024.

Friday 10th to Sunday 12th May would see the Bluebell Railway's annual 'Branch Line Weekend' Gala, a weekend where traditionally smaller locos take center stage. Also over the last couple of years the gala timetable has seen a variety of workings, from local trains running sections of the line to loco swaps at Horsted Keynes to maximise variety.

Visiting this year was Manor no.7812 'Erlestoke Manor' from the Severn Valley Railway and the Erlestoke Manor fund. She joined another Severn Valley Railway resident, Pannier Tank no.7714. The third visitor was another Pannier Tank, no.1369 from the South Devon Railway. From the home fleet, long term visitor Hall no.6989 'Whitewick Hall' gave a GWR flavour to the event, she was joined by Terrier no.72 'Fenchurch', O1 no.65 and Std 4 no.80151 who was running as 80100 for the weekend. A busy timetable was in operation, some trains double headed, some running only as far as Kingscote, longer layovers at Horsted Keynes and loco swaps on some services meaning there was non stop action across the event!

Video... youtu.be/pbVTaSAlDjk

On 7th June 2024 new built LB&SCR Marsh Brighton Atlantic no.32424 'Beachy Head' moved under her own steam for the first time, the culmination of a project over two decades in the making, one which has achieved the aim of building an accurate replica of a class thought lost forever. To welcome Britain's newest locomotive a 10 day celebration was then announced for the end of August, which allowed a couple of months for testing, finishing off, running in and crew training.

A formal hand-over cermony was to be held on Sunday 18th August, and then on Friday 23rd August 'Beachy Head' would haul her first public trains, then continuing to run in public service through to Sunday 1st September. The Bank Holiday Weekend of Saturday 24th August to Monday 26th August was to be a special 'Brighton Works Weekend' with fellow built at Brighton locos BOB no.34059 'Sir Archibald Sinclair, Std 4 no.80151 (running as 80154) and Terrier no.72 'Fenchurch' operating an intensive timetable alongside 'Beachy Head'.

Having followed the construction of Beachy Head through regular visits to the Railway over most of my life I did not want to miss the opportunity to see her on her public debut! So we visited for the Bank Holiday Monday of the Brighton Works Weekend, staying overnight and then getting a couple of lineside shots on the Tuesday morning. For the Monday 'Fenchurch' was declared a failure, and replaced by O1 no.65. We arrived at Horsted Keynes in time to watch 'Sir Archiblad Sinclair' with the first train of the day, before taking a trip to East Grinstead and back to Horsted Keynes behind 80151. We then spent time at Horsted Keynes filming the action before heading to Sheffield Park for some detail shots of 32424 and 34059, finishing the day with another trip to East Grinstead and back to Horsted Keynes, returning just in time for a final shot of 'Beachy Head' with her last train of the day. Tuesday saw us head over to West Hoathly for 'Sir Archibald Sinclair' followed by 'Beachy Head' with the first two trains of the day, followed by a quick visit to Horsted Keynes for the O1 (shots edited in alongside clips from Monday) before heading to spend time with my parents for the afternoon.

It was a lovely couple of days, what a fantastic achievement 'Beachy Head' is - huge congratulations to everyone involved in the project.

Video... youtu.be/uTENK5HqE_0