I've been a member of the BR for many years and took our first ride two years ago yesterday, taking our Grandson as well. Great day out, all the way from Dorset. Three cheers for the Bluebell Railway - and we salute those who worked so long and hard to make it happen.
This needed 'doing' . . . .an essential public record created . . . and for me, another bucket list experience . . . . . resided in LINDFIELD in the 70'S and drove out to the Bluebell most weekends: loved the historical ambience of Horsted Keynes station and the glorious steam and oil smell of the loco's so prevalent in the '30's - '50's. So pleased for you all that 'isolation' is no more and that one can board a train at Sheffield Park and connect to trains and finally alight at e.g. Miles Platting, Pontefract High Level and Vladivostock . . . . not too sure though about Borussia Munchen Gladbach. Huge well done to all. Respectful admiration and greetings from Canada.
That roadbed looks as if it'd easily take a train at say 50MPH. Well we can always dream, can't we ? Looks like the good old hybrid DEMU you have is turning heads, and for the right reasons. Many happy memories of working the three-car across the Ponderosa, and of course the usual units. Even the strange 1111 ! People loved the Green one though, and the strange sets we had in the early - mid 80's, 1013 on the Uckfields, usually , 1107, 1113, etc. Not forgetting 1011, or 203001 of course. Always had a soft spot for her. Miss those old DEMUs.
This is a really excellent video and thank you for putting it up on TH-cam. Not only is this a great video of the whole Bluebell line (literally: trap point to buffer stop) but the sound effects are excellent too. Good idea recording from the back cab! 10/10
I have not been on the Bluebell since long before the extension to East Grinstead was done - was just a dream of the future back in the 80's when i was last there. This video sparked my interest so i had to have a look on Google Earth. If you change the imagery date for the area going towards East Grinstead it's interesting to watch the progress of the extension over the years. And it's very obvious how the last stretch was delayed because of all the work needed cutting back through the landfill. I really must visit again, though not so easy now i live in Devon - was living in Surrey back then. They have come a long way since i was there, the line stopped just after the tunnel when i last visited. Great to see the dream came true in the end. Great work by all involved in the achievement.
Interesting if surreal ride down to Sheffield Park. Strange mixture of upper and lower quadrant semaphore signals which seem to be shorter of stature than would be typical of SR practice. Weird arrangement at East Grinstead with a strange gate to begin with, then coming up to the buffers at Sheffield Park at the end which has a strange dream like quality. Thanks for uploading this wonderful world of weird cab rides!
Funny thing is that Dr. Beeching lived in East Grinstead. Just imagine if he were still alive to see what the volunteers have done. "Oh, you think this railway should be closed do you? Well, bugger that, we'll just open it up again ourselves!"
I'm pretty sure Beeching lived in Lindfield. At least he did after he retired. I worked on his house in the High Street. The one wit the black oak timbers on the left as you drive towards The Tiger PH
East Grinstead Council built a road on the track bed there and named it Beeching Way - part of the A22. I wonder if there's also a cul-de-sac named Beeching Close?
I remember standing on one of the bridges at Imberhorne in the 1990s after I'd been on the Bluebell line as it existed in those days. I looked down on the huge pile of rubbish that had been dumped in the cutting, and thought "maybe one day the line might be able to re-open if all that crap could be removed - after all, the viaduct is still there". I never thought it would be open only a decade or so later, and that I'd see a driver-eye view of the route.
When I last visited one of the trains had been in Thomas the tank engine. I think it was called Stepney. This was 15 years ago so was wondering if it was still used on the Bluebell Railway. Also when I last came here we stopped at Horstead Keynes as that was as far as the line went at the time. Hopefully the part from Sheffield Park to Lewes will re-open sometime in the future.
The delay at Kingscote demonstrates the importance of on-time train operation. The correct sequence should have been northbound train (the steamer) in first, surrender token and wait. Southbound train (the tour) comes in, surrenders its token at the box at the north end of the station and proceeds forward (the signalman can obtain the road down to HK as he has the appropriate token to put in and release the one the southbound special will need). The signalman then clears the line northward and passes the correct token to the steamer, which would have a time allowance to enable it to wait for this to happen. And importantly, the signalman hasn't had to walk the length of the platform.
The option to push South has been looked at and while not impossible is highly unlikely given that both a major road and houses have now been built across the trackbed. A more suitable and realistically achievable alternative is between Horsted Keynes and the mainline north of Haywards Heath along the old Ardingly Branch. The trackbed is in excellent condition and hasn’t been built upon although there a two obstacles to overcome. A missing bridge west of Horsted and access through the Hanson Aggregates plant near Ardingly which is connected to Network Rail via its own spur which was part of the original route. This option is entirely achievable and would create a through route over the Bluebell between Haywards Heath and East Grinstead. It would be a great rail tour option and could be useful track access for Network Rail if they needed to put a diversion in place.
Understood. Unfortunately this is a factory-built characteristic of the GoPro Hero 3+ camera. As per other comments, once I got to see this on a larger screen I did realise that the camera's focus is set to a point much closer than Infinity. It turns out it's actually possible to adjust the fixed focus point on such cameras (a crude and hazardous act involving gaffer-tape and molegrips!), and I duly did so - so our subsequent footage is much better in this respect.
Been on this line as a kid myself....Bit concerned about the modern light signals, and the semaphores look electric powered too.As a heritage line...why not have it manual 100% with cable signals and rod points...as it used to be. I bet Mr elfensafy poked is nose in here...
The reason for the colour lights is explained on the Bluebell's "Long Two Miles" DVD - there was a national shortage of semaphore signal motors at the time the S & T was being installed, so they went for colour lights, justified on the basis that the Southern Railway had installed them on the Brighton line at the time of electrification before WW2 - so they were authentic for period. Motorised semaphores? Simply easier to operate and maintain...
This is the trouble with preserved lines they are invariably run by people that are reenactment society merchants. Mainly the 1930s. I would rather these lines be used as fully functional passenger routes. The sadist thing is that most people that work on these railways have zero interest in proper passenger railways and more than likely never use them. Hence the reason why the line closed in the first place.
@@ZeldaFitz: But the problem is that operating a preserved line is easier and cheaper than running a full railway, and you don't require as much equipment (such as AWS/TPWS) or upkeep for the higher speeds. I doubt that your opinion on those who work on these railways have "zero interest in proper passenger railways" is really justifiable, considering they're more than likely volunteers (who may or may not work on the "proper" railway as their day job), and that to run a proper service would require a lot of investment in the line and also in employing and paying staff. On top of that, some of these "preserved" lines actually do just that...
It did in BR days on the Long Thin Drag. It's rather beyond our daily range from St. Leonards depot unfortunately, but if we ever get to run a multi-day outing I imagine it's something we'd seek to incorporate.
Each station represents a chapter in the Bluebells’ history. Sheffield Park recreates a London Brighton & South Coast Railway Station (lower quadrant signals), Horsted Keynes - Southern Railway Station (upper quadrant signals), and Kingscote - 1950’s British Railways Southern Region Station (upper quadrant signals but with some colour light signals due to the national rail interface at East Grinstead). As for the era that the station at East Grinstead represents - well I am not quite sure we have worked that one out yet!
The maximum permitted speed on the Bluebell Railway is 25mph, this is because it is a preserved railway in private operation. Specific legislation applies to such railways, including that limit.
Unfortunately in today's paranoid elf'n'safety days these preserved lines aren't normally permitted to run their trains to full effect, 25 MPH being the maximum permitted by law. Next thing you know they'll want a man with a red flag walking in front of every train. Seems unfair to me, as it's still perfectly legal to take an ancient car, such as a 1900's White Steam Car, and use it on the highway, despite it having inadequate lights, no indicators, and piss-poor brakes, as long as it has an MOT certificate. Go figure it out, I can't LOL !
My motorcycle a 1950 BSA has no indicators, no brake light and no reflectors. It is a 250 but is not much quicker than an older moped. The fact that it is more stable than a moped and brakes just as well if not better says it all. Now as far as the trains are concerned, there is no real need for speed as these are lines for heritage trains some being over 100 years old some of the track bed may not be up to it. I do believe that there is a move afoot to have an increase subject to examination. No examination then the 25 will stay.
River Huntingdon The reason for the 25mph limit is noting to do with health and safety, but to do with the ancient law that allows private railways to operate. As time went by, Britain’s railways were ever more tightly regulated, with unbelievably high standards of build, signalling, track, etc. There were some parts of the country that wanted a railway, but couldn’t afford to build one. So the Light Railway was born. They could be built much more simply, with less stringent signalling, etc and less heavy duty rails. They sprung up all over the place. Colonel H F Stephens was the master of railways on the cheap. The KESR is one of his creations. However, the catch was that the lighter and cheaper track couldn’t support full mainline speeds, so Light Railways had a 25 mph speed restriction. Now, when the likes of the Bluebell wanted to reopen their railways, that was fine, but the Board of Trade (rightly) insisted on them meeting the standards of a modern Standard Gauge line. This meant that these cash strapped lines had to be maintained to the same standard as, say, the West Coast Main Line. As a result, there was no way they could afford to operate. However, some genius realised that if you called it a Light Railway, you could get away with it and operate. Therefore, all the preserved lines are classed as Light Railways. But in order to get away with that loophole, you have to abide by the rules and only run at 25 mph.
Not a SPAD, no! I know it's flickering, because of interference between the refresh rate of LED signal bulbs and of our camera. But you can clearly see it's a red signal and not any other colour. However, as per the caption, we are *shunting* ahead using the authority to move the train past the red stop-signal that is granted by the *shunt* signal - that's the two white lights at a 45-degree angle beneath the red. Hope this helps.
I think it's Operational security rather than Physical security. There need to be robust measures in place to ensure that two entirely separate railways remain separate - and that when a train is to be handed from one to the other, this is done safely and with the full understanding and cooperation of both entities.
I'm pretty sure it's a reflection. Because the cab windscreen is angled back to the right slightly, it is possible to get total internal reflections within the glass (e.g., see the tunnel-mouth imaged at top right as we approach the end of any tunnel on my footage). In this case it might have been reflected sunlight coming in through the cab-side window and reflecting in the windscreen. It's probably not a UFO. :)
I would have expected to hear the horn clearly even from the rear of the train. I didn't hear it at all at any of the whistle boards which I thought odd, particularly as several are on the approach to public crossings. Still an outstanding video all the same.
It's not like that. The back cab audio is being recorded in a soundproofed room just a yard from a very noisy 62-litre diesel-electric engine/generator set, and it's 120 metres (the length of a football pitch) away from the horn which in any case is facing away from us. You can't hear it from the back cab. Just to demonstrate this to you, I've found an example piece of footage from the original leading-cab video featuring use of the horn, and shared it with you HERE: th-cam.com/video/S89triZ0JZI/w-d-xo.html - this comes 4m48s after the starter-bell sounds for us to leave Kingscote, so at 22:47 in this video. Go to 22:47 in this video and turn the volume up as loud as you want - you can't hear the horn, though we know it sounded at that instant on the synchronised audio track.
@@hastingsdiesels62 litres. This is the first time I have seen reference to locomotive type diesel engine sizes. I know the cylinders are ten inch bore by twelve inch stroke, but I don't have the mathematical skills to work it out, multiplying by four I think I could manage! Yet the DMMUs and even the DEMUs with underfloor automotive type engines, the engine size in litres is always given.
Whilst HDL does have enough motor coaches and intermediate trailer vehicles to make two units, if you include our unrestored stock, it isn't something that we are focussing on.
It was, at one time. Perhaps might be again, like the Great Central is, but let's hope the Bluebell's more sympathetic of MK1 based EMU or DEMU stock. The GCR had a lovely 4-BIG unit, which apparently was buggered up by gypo pikeys, they stole all the copper wiring, etc, and it was eventually scrapped, or so I was told. The same fate suffered by a VEP on another "preserved" line. Once these old trains are gone, that's that, they won't return. They've cannabalised other MK1 mainline EMUs for what I call the Franken Belle, the old Brighton Belle, too. So far, nothing much has come of this. Or the much vaunted 4CEP that was supposed to be rstored to as-built condition.
Am in USA. What's with the gate at 3:25 ? Is this common across the pond ? Never saw this done on US RRs except gates securing say, an oil or some other freight ('goods' for you I guess) storage tracks..M
The Bluebell is a private railway, and not part of the Network Rail national rail infrastructure. As such there are special signalling arrangements including catch points as seen, and a gate too. I believe this is done at other locations (eg on the way to Swanage; at Alton) where public meets private.
Spitefully all shut down by Beeching, Marples, McAlpine, and other conservatives road cronies. Almost like the Titfield Thunderbolt's Bedford OBs' Pierce and Crump ! Not that New Labour did us any favours either. Glad I'm retired.
I saw that too. Not sure what's going on, as GoPro is a fixed-focus camera. I suspect it's actually continuous camera-shake caused by the vibration from the engine immediately behind the cab.
I believe you are correct. Thanks for encouraging me to do more research into this. It seems the GoPro Hero 3+ models had their fixed focus optimised for short-range work. There's a DIY fix to alter the focus: th-cam.com/video/SnLdpSRMsEs/w-d-xo.html
Many thanks Manek. I've just carried out the modification as per link yesterday, focus is immediately obviously much improved. I've got some footage from last September still to publish, but anything I shoot from now on will be with improved focus. I am glad you convinced me to look into this!
But, as someone has explained earlier, they can’t, because the line is operated as a “light rail” line, whose conditions and speed are governed by the Light Railways Act of 1896. And that Act specified a top speed of 25mph.
This line should go to Lewes. Imagine the money the heritage railway could make offering a shuttle between East Grinstead and Lewes with a supplement if the service was steam hauled of course. Most of the trackbed is clear but to get revenge on the idiots in Newick who stuck houses all over the trackbed just put a tunnel under it all and then don't bother putting a station there so the idiots who brought all the houses wouldn't be able to enjoy the railway and would have to use their cars. By 2030 when petrol cars are banned they will have to walk to Lewes or Sheffield park to take the (steam) train as coal will be the only thing left by then lol.
Yup. If you read around this, you'll see that I subsequently improved the fixed-focus setting on that camera, and many of the more recent videos are better for that.
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Well, that's fifty minutes of my life well spent what a lovely piece of film and surely a modelers dream, thanks for sharing.
My pleasure!
I've been a member of the BR for many years and took our first ride two years ago yesterday, taking our Grandson as well. Great day out, all the way from Dorset. Three cheers for the Bluebell Railway - and we salute those who worked so long and hard to make it happen.
Five years on and it's still an excellent video. 😀
A particularly fine video well produced and of special interest traversing lines that the public rarely access,well done.
Most enjoyable. Beautiful countryside well maintained track. Thanks for posting.
This needed 'doing' . . . .an essential public record created . . . and for me, another bucket list experience . . . . . resided in LINDFIELD in the 70'S and drove out to the Bluebell most weekends: loved the historical ambience of Horsted Keynes station
and the glorious steam and oil smell of the loco's so prevalent in the '30's - '50's. So pleased for you all that 'isolation' is no more and that one can board a train at Sheffield Park and connect to trains and finally alight at e.g. Miles Platting, Pontefract High Level and Vladivostock . . . . not too sure though about Borussia Munchen Gladbach. Huge well done to all. Respectful admiration and greetings from Canada.
always love going on the Goddess, especially when she takes us along one of the most lovely stretches of preserved line in the country.
I LOVE the way the train is taken right to the (present) end of the Bluebell metals!
I really enjoyed that. Hopefully one day the line will carry on South beyond Sheffield Park!
One of the best 'Bluebell' videos I've seen.... Thank you...
Thank you so much for sharing this one. Gave me some great ideas for my OO gauge layout !
A great video, as always. Thanks for the trip.
That roadbed looks as if it'd easily take a train at say 50MPH. Well we can always dream, can't we ? Looks like the good old hybrid DEMU you have is turning heads, and for the right reasons. Many happy memories of working the three-car across the Ponderosa, and of course the usual units. Even the strange 1111 ! People loved the Green one though, and the strange sets we had in the early - mid 80's, 1013 on the Uckfields, usually , 1107, 1113, etc. Not forgetting 1011, or 203001 of course. Always had a soft spot for her. Miss those old DEMUs.
Roadbed looks terrific compared to modern Australian lines, especially my home state of Victoria!
This is a really excellent video and thank you for putting it up on TH-cam. Not only is this a great video of the whole Bluebell line (literally: trap point to buffer stop) but the sound effects are excellent too. Good idea recording from the back cab! 10/10
Thank you!
I have not been on the Bluebell since long before the extension to East Grinstead was done - was just a dream of the future back in the 80's when i was last there. This video sparked my interest so i had to have a look on Google Earth. If you change the imagery date for the area going towards East Grinstead it's interesting to watch the progress of the extension over the years. And it's very obvious how the last stretch was delayed because of all the work needed cutting back through the landfill. I really must visit again, though not so easy now i live in Devon - was living in Surrey back then. They have come a long way since i was there, the line stopped just after the tunnel when i last visited. Great to see the dream came true in the end. Great work by all involved in the achievement.
Interesting if surreal ride down to Sheffield Park. Strange mixture of upper and lower quadrant semaphore signals which seem to be shorter of stature than would be typical of SR practice. Weird arrangement at East Grinstead with a strange gate to begin with, then coming up to the buffers at Sheffield Park at the end which has a strange dream like quality. Thanks for uploading this wonderful world of weird cab rides!
Great video. So lucky that Imberhorne viaduct was never demolished after closure.
The Viaduct was used by B.R. for Carriage storage I recall.
East Grinstead, spent many a happy hour in the pubs there over the years.
Very nicely done. Thank you.
Funny thing is that Dr. Beeching lived in East Grinstead. Just imagine if he were still alive to see what the volunteers have done.
"Oh, you think this railway should be closed do you? Well, bugger that, we'll just open it up again ourselves!"
I thought the line was closed before Beeching's time?
I'm pretty sure Beeching lived in Lindfield. At least he did after he retired.
I worked on his house in the High Street.
The one wit the black oak timbers on the left as you drive towards The Tiger PH
Beeching lived close to Forest Row.
East Grinstead Council built a road on the track bed there and named it Beeching Way - part of the A22. I wonder if there's also a cul-de-sac named Beeching Close?
Very informative captions. Thanks.
If only the track didn't stop, one day maybe. Lovely railway!
Another nice trip through the English countryside, lovely. Tony. Australia.
GOSH FOUR YEARS AGO EXACTLY TODAY 7th May 2020 STILL LOVE THIS ;)
Thank-you!
And, yes, we saw plenty of bluebells.
Plenty of primroses, too. A credit to all!
Best on train video of the Bluebell I have ever seen.
Thank you - Glad you like it!
thanks
Interessante video . Met aanvullende informatie.
I remember standing on one of the bridges at Imberhorne in the 1990s after I'd been on the Bluebell line as it existed in those days. I looked down on the huge pile of rubbish that had been dumped in the cutting, and thought "maybe one day the line might be able to re-open if all that crap could be removed - after all, the viaduct is still there". I never thought it would be open only a decade or so later, and that I'd see a driver-eye view of the route.
I wonder where they took all the landfill rubbish ?
Nice to see how the east grinsted/bluebell exchange works 👌
When I last visited one of the trains had been in Thomas the tank engine. I think it was called Stepney. This was 15 years ago so was wondering if it was still used on the Bluebell Railway. Also when I last came here we stopped at Horstead Keynes as that was as far as the line went at the time. Hopefully the part from Sheffield Park to Lewes will re-open sometime in the future.
Hi Stepney is on permanent display in SteamWorks engine sheds at Sheffield Park station
I want to say that, from Norwood Station to Sheffield Park Station, you have passed in total 50 (bridges and tunnels) and 20 railroad level crossings.
The delay at Kingscote demonstrates the importance of on-time train operation. The correct sequence should have been northbound train (the steamer) in first, surrender token and wait. Southbound train (the tour) comes in, surrenders its token at the box at the north end of the station and proceeds forward (the signalman can obtain the road down to HK as he has the appropriate token to put in and release the one the southbound special will need). The signalman then clears the line northward and passes the correct token to the steamer, which would have a time allowance to enable it to wait for this to happen. And importantly, the signalman hasn't had to walk the length of the platform.
Great video!!
What a wonderful journey.
would be great if the Bluebell Line looked at possible plans to push south from here,
There is a plan on their website, but the Ardingly branch is the priority and even that is years and years away.
The option to push South has been looked at and while not impossible is highly unlikely given that both a major road and houses have now been built across the trackbed. A more suitable and realistically achievable alternative is between Horsted Keynes and the mainline north of Haywards Heath along the old Ardingly Branch. The trackbed is in excellent condition and hasn’t been built upon although there a two obstacles to overcome. A missing bridge west of Horsted and access through the Hanson Aggregates plant near Ardingly which is connected to Network Rail via its own spur which was part of the original route.
This option is entirely achievable and would create a through route over the Bluebell between Haywards Heath and East Grinstead. It would be a great rail tour option and could be useful track access for Network Rail if they needed to put a diversion in place.
Very Enjoyable thank you
Lovely countryside ride.
work for rail track west coast main line .great video,
Lovely film I must do that train journey
Just hit the buffers at 88mph with the time set to July 1950, you will get to Lewes then.
East Grinstead to Sheffield Park, cab view - Hastings DEMU - 7 May 2016 - audio from back cab😍😍😍
Wonderful.
Beautiful countryside, wonderful video - but a pity about the blurred camera-work.
It is a pity no one noticed he video was actually out of focus... 😞 Sadly makes the video unwatchable. This would've been awesome to see it!
Understood. Unfortunately this is a factory-built characteristic of the GoPro Hero 3+ camera. As per other comments, once I got to see this on a larger screen I did realise that the camera's focus is set to a point much closer than Infinity. It turns out it's actually possible to adjust the fixed focus point on such cameras (a crude and hazardous act involving gaffer-tape and molegrips!), and I duly did so - so our subsequent footage is much better in this respect.
The best bit was the siding at East Grinstead. Other than that a walking pace idle and coast, hardly worth the fuel.
Been on this line as a kid myself....Bit concerned about the modern light signals, and the semaphores look electric powered too.As a heritage line...why not have it manual 100% with cable signals and rod points...as it used to be. I bet Mr elfensafy poked is nose in here...
The reason for the colour lights is explained on the Bluebell's "Long Two Miles" DVD - there was a national shortage of semaphore signal motors at the time the S & T was being installed, so they went for colour lights, justified on the basis that the Southern Railway had installed them on the Brighton line at the time of electrification before WW2 - so they were authentic for period. Motorised semaphores? Simply easier to operate and maintain...
I prefer it tbh.
This is the trouble with preserved lines they are invariably run by people that are reenactment society merchants. Mainly the 1930s. I would rather these lines be used as fully functional passenger routes. The sadist thing is that most people that work on these railways have zero interest in proper passenger railways and more than likely never use them. Hence the reason why the line closed in the first place.
@@ZeldaFitz: But the problem is that operating a preserved line is easier and cheaper than running a full railway, and you don't require as much equipment (such as AWS/TPWS) or upkeep for the higher speeds. I doubt that your opinion on those who work on these railways have "zero interest in proper passenger railways" is really justifiable, considering they're more than likely volunteers (who may or may not work on the "proper" railway as their day job), and that to run a proper service would require a lot of investment in the line and also in employing and paying staff. On top of that, some of these "preserved" lines actually do just that...
Has the DEMU ever gone over the Settle -Carlisle ? Now that would be something!!
It did in BR days on the Long Thin Drag. It's rather beyond our daily range from St. Leonards depot unfortunately, but if we ever get to run a multi-day outing I imagine it's something we'd seek to incorporate.
why dont you guys double track the line like it used to be?
Interesting how some of the semaphore signals on the line are upper-quadrant and some are lower-quadrant. Why is that?
Each station represents a chapter in the Bluebells’ history. Sheffield Park recreates a London Brighton & South Coast Railway Station (lower quadrant signals), Horsted Keynes - Southern Railway Station (upper quadrant signals), and Kingscote - 1950’s British Railways Southern Region Station (upper quadrant signals but with some colour light signals due to the national rail interface at East Grinstead). As for the era that the station at East Grinstead represents - well I am not quite sure we have worked that one out yet!
East Grinstead, shades of H H Hancocks Half Hour, with Tony and the crew, circa 1960s.
I was hoping to glimpse Saint Hill - but where?
Enjoyed the footage but found the subtitles hard to read against the sky. Would be better at the foot of the video.
Glad you enjoyed it. I have since been doing subtitles differently which I hope is an improvement.
Why are there crossing gates for an entrance when there is no exit? Is this some weird Network Rail rule that nobody understands?
Is the train going particularly slowly today or is the speed limit of this line about 30 mph?..thanx.
The maximum permitted speed on the Bluebell Railway is 25mph, this is because it is a preserved railway in private operation. Specific legislation applies to such railways, including that limit.
Its for chillin` not speed,which in today,s society makes a welcome change.
Unfortunately in today's paranoid elf'n'safety days these preserved lines aren't normally permitted to run their trains to full effect, 25 MPH being the maximum permitted by law. Next thing you know they'll want a man with a red flag walking in front of every train. Seems unfair to me, as it's still perfectly legal to take an ancient car, such as a 1900's White Steam Car, and use it on the highway, despite it having inadequate lights, no indicators, and piss-poor brakes, as long as it has an MOT certificate. Go figure it out, I can't LOL !
My motorcycle a 1950 BSA has no indicators, no brake light and no reflectors. It is a 250 but is not much quicker than an older moped. The fact that it is more stable than a moped and brakes just as well if not better says it all. Now as far as the trains are concerned, there is no real need for speed as these are lines for heritage trains some being over 100 years old some of the track bed may not be up to it. I do believe that there is a move afoot to have an increase subject to examination. No examination then the 25 will stay.
River Huntingdon The reason for the 25mph limit is noting to do with health and safety, but to do with the ancient law that allows private railways to operate. As time went by, Britain’s railways were ever more tightly regulated, with unbelievably high standards of build, signalling, track, etc. There were some parts of the country that wanted a railway, but couldn’t afford to build one. So the Light Railway was born. They could be built much more simply, with less stringent signalling, etc and less heavy duty rails. They sprung up all over the place. Colonel H F Stephens was the master of railways on the cheap. The KESR is one of his creations. However, the catch was that the lighter and cheaper track couldn’t support full mainline speeds, so Light Railways had a 25 mph speed restriction.
Now, when the likes of the Bluebell wanted to reopen their railways, that was fine, but the Board of Trade (rightly) insisted on them meeting the standards of a modern Standard Gauge line. This meant that these cash strapped lines had to be maintained to the same standard as, say, the West Coast Main Line. As a result, there was no way they could afford to operate. However, some genius realised that if you called it a Light Railway, you could get away with it and operate. Therefore, all the preserved lines are classed as Light Railways. But in order to get away with that loophole, you have to abide by the rules and only run at 25 mph.
Was that a SPAD at the beginning or a yellow signal? Was very hard for me to tell since video quality was low. Otherwise, good video!
Not a SPAD, no! I know it's flickering, because of interference between the refresh rate of LED signal bulbs and of our camera. But you can clearly see it's a red signal and not any other colour. However, as per the caption, we are *shunting* ahead using the authority to move the train past the red stop-signal that is granted by the *shunt* signal - that's the two white lights at a 45-degree angle beneath the red. Hope this helps.
Fascinating - and I still can't get over the vandalism instigated by Beeching
This line was closed long before Beeching.
Why is there so much security between the network rail and bluebell
I think it's Operational security rather than Physical security. There need to be robust measures in place to ensure that two entirely separate railways remain separate - and that when a train is to be handed from one to the other, this is done safely and with the full understanding and cooperation of both entities.
Between 6.40 and 7,00 on the viaduct tree to the left of it keep looking in sky above what is that??
I'm pretty sure it's a reflection. Because the cab windscreen is angled back to the right slightly, it is possible to get total internal reflections within the glass (e.g., see the tunnel-mouth imaged at top right as we approach the end of any tunnel on my footage). In this case it might have been reflected sunlight coming in through the cab-side window and reflecting in the windscreen. It's probably not a UFO. :)
It's freaky though how it appears and disappears...
Wonderful video many thanks. Slap wrist for no whistle by hey :-) !.
The audio is from the back cab, so you won't hear the whistle.
I would have expected to hear the horn clearly even from the rear of the train. I didn't hear it at all at any of the whistle boards which I thought odd, particularly as several are on the approach to public crossings. Still an outstanding video all the same.
It's not like that. The back cab audio is being recorded in a soundproofed room just a yard from a very noisy 62-litre diesel-electric engine/generator set, and it's 120 metres (the length of a football pitch) away from the horn which in any case is facing away from us. You can't hear it from the back cab. Just to demonstrate this to you, I've found an example piece of footage from the original leading-cab video featuring use of the horn, and shared it with you HERE: th-cam.com/video/S89triZ0JZI/w-d-xo.html - this comes 4m48s after the starter-bell sounds for us to leave Kingscote, so at 22:47 in this video. Go to 22:47 in this video and turn the volume up as loud as you want - you can't hear the horn, though we know it sounded at that instant on the synchronised audio track.
@@hastingsdiesels62 litres. This is the first time I have seen reference to locomotive type diesel engine sizes. I know the cylinders are ten inch bore by twelve inch stroke, but I don't have the mathematical skills to work it out, multiplying by four I think I could manage! Yet the DMMUs and even the DEMUs with underfloor automotive type engines, the engine size in litres is always given.
do they ever plan to double the train or keep it single?
Whilst HDL does have enough motor coaches and intermediate trailer vehicles to make two units, if you include our unrestored stock, it isn't something that we are focussing on.
Hastings Diesels Ltd ok thanks for the info :D
Great Video.
Did the line used to be doubled?
It was, at one time. Perhaps might be again, like the Great Central is, but let's hope the Bluebell's more sympathetic of MK1 based EMU or DEMU stock. The GCR had a lovely 4-BIG unit, which apparently was buggered up by gypo pikeys, they stole all the copper wiring, etc, and it was eventually scrapped, or so I was told. The same fate suffered by a VEP on another "preserved" line. Once these old trains are gone, that's that, they won't return. They've cannabalised other MK1 mainline EMUs for what I call the Franken Belle, the old Brighton Belle, too. So far, nothing much has come of this. Or the much vaunted 4CEP that was supposed to be rstored to as-built condition.
North of Horsted Keynes it was double, South thereof it was single, but built to take a double track.
Am in USA. What's with the gate at 3:25 ? Is this common across the pond ? Never saw this done on US RRs except gates securing say, an oil or some other freight ('goods' for you I guess) storage tracks..M
The Bluebell is a private railway, and not part of the Network Rail national rail infrastructure. As such there are special signalling arrangements including catch points as seen, and a gate too. I believe this is done at other locations (eg on the way to Swanage; at Alton) where public meets private.
This is the interconnection between the state owned lines and the bluebell privately or non state lines.
Good video! But oh such a 🐌 pace! 😰
You could view in 2X playback setting
did the line go further?
It used to go beyond where the bufferstops now are, to Lewes.
Spitefully all shut down by Beeching, Marples, McAlpine, and other conservatives road cronies. Almost like the Titfield Thunderbolt's Bedford OBs' Pierce and Crump ! Not that New Labour did us any favours either. Glad I'm retired.
Great stuff - but viewing it fullscreen shows it's all out of focus...
I saw that too. Not sure what's going on, as GoPro is a fixed-focus camera. I suspect it's actually continuous camera-shake caused by the vibration from the engine immediately behind the cab.
I don't think so. It's continuous, whether the train is stationary or moving, and it varies according to distance. Definitely a focus issue.
I believe you are correct. Thanks for encouraging me to do more research into this. It seems the GoPro Hero 3+ models had their fixed focus optimised for short-range work. There's a DIY fix to alter the focus: th-cam.com/video/SnLdpSRMsEs/w-d-xo.html
Many thanks Manek. I've just carried out the modification as per link yesterday, focus is immediately obviously much improved. I've got some footage from last September still to publish, but anything I shoot from now on will be with improved focus. I am glad you convinced me to look into this!
Thanks for being so quick to fix it!
... in which original B.R region..was this route..I believe it was the L.M.S... ??
No, it was the Southern.
o' ryte.. :)
Southern.
:)
Steve Wyman : British Rail (Southern Region); before that Southern Railway; before that London, Brighton and South Coast Railway.
Why the hell are ratings disabled????
They aren't. I just haven't ticked the box to make ratings viewable. You can still select thumbs up or down as usual.
They really should raise the speed limit to at least 30mph as 20mph is ridiculous.
But, as someone has explained earlier, they can’t, because the line is operated as a “light rail” line, whose conditions and speed are governed by the Light Railways Act of 1896. And that Act specified a top speed of 25mph.
@@petermolloy6142 The date of the Act gives the game away. Totally out of date.
This line should go to Lewes. Imagine the money the heritage railway could make offering a shuttle between East Grinstead and Lewes with a supplement if the service was steam hauled of course. Most of the trackbed is clear but to get revenge on the idiots in Newick who stuck houses all over the trackbed just put a tunnel under it all and then don't bother putting a station there so the idiots who brought all the houses wouldn't be able to enjoy the railway and would have to use their cars. By 2030 when petrol cars are banned they will have to walk to Lewes or Sheffield park to take the (steam) train as coal will be the only thing left by then lol.
The image quality is terrible on this one.
Yup. If you read around this, you'll see that I subsequently improved the fixed-focus setting on that camera, and many of the more recent videos are better for that.
Writing at top to quick no time to read
How beautiful is this countryside. One needs a train to appreciate it.
Did the line always end at Sheffield Park?
No, it used to carry on to Lewes.