The Bluebell Railway arrives at East Grinstead - 23 March 2013
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- Опубліковано 4 кві 2013
- Official video of the opening day of our Northern Extension, 23 March 2013, when the Bluebell Railway's first public steam trains were run out of, and into East Grinstead station. Nicholas Owen narrates this video, recording the completion of a project which has taken 39 years and cost about £11 Million, almost all raised by and from the Bluebell's membership and the public.
The Bluebell line, having closed in 1958, re-opened in 1960, running just 5 miles from Sheffield Park to Horsted Keynes, with just two engines, "Stepney" and "Bluebell". These two were joined by other steam locomotives, including No.B473, "Birch Grove", in 1962. The honour of powering the inaugural passenger train fell to these three centenarian locomotives.
The Northern Extension Project itself was launched in 1974, when the former site of West Hoathly station was purchased, and in 1985 planning permission was granted after a long battle, to extend the line over the 6 miles into East Grinstead. Over the next decade, the line was extended to Kingscote, but the remaining 2 miles to East Grinstead has taken a further 19 years, with complex land purchases being the initial challenge, and then more recently the fund raising and extraction of rubbish from the tip in Imberhorne Cutting, which was given added urgency by the abolition of the Landfil Tax Exemption in April 2012. This target was achieved (the cost would have been many millions higher otherwise), and the railway re-instated through the cutting, being connected up earlier in March 2013, just in time for final safety verifcation and crew training.
For a volunteer-run origanisation to have achieved this, without any large grants or subsidies, is a real testament to the tenacity of so many, some of whom sadly are no longer with us.
The weather on the opening day was typical of that which the railway has experienced over the last year, a final challenge to be overcome!
But now the Bluebell Railway has arrived in East Grinstead, and been welcomed by the Mayor.
Full details of the Extension and its development are available:
www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/blu...
as are details of our train services:
www.bluebell-railway.com/
The railway is operated by several hundred volunteers, drawn from a continually growing membership of (currently) around 10,600. We always welcome new members and volunteers, especially now the connection to the National Rail Network has been made, making access easier for many.
www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/blu...
I was on the first train back,a memory that I will cherish forever especially when the chief train attendant said (as we crossed the viaduct)"Ladies and Gentlemen raise your glasses to East Grinstead!" A cheer went up as well as the glasses.
A fantastic achievement and a massive contribution to the development of tourism.
Indeed - of all the volunteers working in the freezing conditions, the Band must have been the stars - roll on a station building and canopy at East Grinstead in the fullness of time!
Congratulations to Nicholas Owen on his highly professional (as one would expect) documentary filming of the Grand Opening Day and the previous Funding Appeal and a salute to all the hard working, dedicated people who made the great extension possible. And finally - at least the cold March weather ensured billowing clouds of locomotive STEAM...
another milestone achievement, congratulations and the next time we visit the UK we'll be there, greetings from Western Australia
Looking forward to visiting in May of 2014 from Australia . Both of us are long time Steam Fan and all round "Big Kids " when it comes to Trains, Real or in my case N Scale Models also.It really makes me feel good that projects like this are so well supported. See you soon, can't wait. Well done Bluebell Railway
Congratulations bluebell its been a fantastic year :-D
Well I have just watched this wonderful video and am so excited as during this month the family are taking our Grandson on the Railway for his 4th Birthday treat. In these days of high technology we couldn't think of anything better.
I was really hoping the band would play out of sync (as on the Railway Children film)!!
Fantastic to see 2 more miles of heritage track added to our steam railway network. Can't wait to visit in the summer.
Well done Bluebell Railway
Great video of a terrific achievement, congratulations to all the team at the Bluebell Railway.
Awesome achievement and an inspiration. Congratulations to all involved.
you all have done a great job to get this line open once more great video.Congratulations to you all.
No words to describe
fab video we could do with these trains on main lines back in the country they ad class to the services keep up the great work
Give it up for the band! I for one can say it was one of the coldest gigs yet!
Fantastic stuff! What a railway should be doing!
great up to Lewes
Congratulations. Just goes to show - 'if you want something done, do it yourself''. Uckfield ~ Lewes campaign please note!
Marvelous :) Just seen myself 5:35
No, it was a passenger dressed for the occasion, he traveled for most of the day in the pre grouping stock, hence the 1920's appearance.
What a fantastic achievement. I live in the north of the UK and dont really know where abouts these places are. Hopefully i could visit one day. do you have a map of the line on your website showing where it is in relation to other existing national rail lines and roads and where west and south extensions might be in the long term future?
1:45 whats the music played here?
+Young Bewes Rather appropriately it was "Congratulations and Celebrations", played by the Bluebell Railway Band.
I wonder if the bluebell railway still uses 4 wheel coaches
+sirfowler Yes, three Victorian coaches restored so far, and another three under restoration:
www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/pics/661.html
www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/pics/coach114.html
www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/pic2/lcdr/51.html
BluebellRail awsome!
Did I see Winston Churchill on the train?
Whats the chnces of getting to Lewes/
See our long-term plan (towards the end of section 5):
www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/soc/ltp.html - you'll see that Ardingly has higher priority than Lewes.
and also the FAQ:
www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/faq.html#42 - for more details of our current thoughts on westwards (Ardingly/Haywards Heath) and Southwards (Lewes) extensions.
£4 million pounds? This could have been spent on security for sending Prince Harry to Las Vegas or other essential projects instead of wasted on this piece of history for everyone to enjoy. ;-)
All this human effort because of the stupid Beeching cuts. There was a time when every important town in Cornwall and elsewhere had a working station. Scrap HS2 (with it's ridiculously high fares) and undo the Beeching cuts, almost all the rights of way were protected so it's quite possible. I used to live in Lewes and another route would have been welcome.
Actually the Bluebell line closed (and was reopened) before Beeching even produced his report. So in our case it has nothing to do with Beeching! Re-opening Lewes to Uckfield is nothing really to do with us, but has growing support, whether through the BML2 initiative, or just to re-connect lines which should never have been severed.
Left us in the 1950's ? The lady mayoress needs educating
The Bluebell Line (as the Lewes & East Grsintead Railway was known) was closed in 1958, and returned to East Grinstead in 2013, so the Mayor is quite correct. Please note that she's Mayor, not "Lady Mayoress".