Bluebell Railway - 'Brighton Works Weekend' 24/08/2024
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- Опубліковано 5 лют 2025
- New-build H2 Class - 32424 "Beachy Head" would be welcomed into public service with a commemorative 'Brighton Works Weekend', held over the weekend of August 24th-26th. The event would feature four locomotives in action, all with ties to the famous railway works.
Brighton Works can be traced back to the London & Brighton Railway in 1840, originating as a locomotive repair works. The formation of the LB&SCR in 1846, and the appointment of John Craven as their Locomotive Superintendant in 1847, saw an acceleration in its development, enabing the construction of brand new locomotives at the works for the first time; the first to emerge being No14, later named "Merton", in 1852. Continued expansion, development of its facilities, as well as shuffling the workload with other available sites, enabled Brighton Works to pass through Southern Railway ownership, and into British Railways ownership upon nationalisation in 1948. The works would be marked for closure under the BR Modernisation Plan, with locomotive construction ceasing in 1957, the motive power depot following in 1961, and finally locomotive stabling in 1964. The works would be demolished in 1966. In its 105 years of locomotive construction, 1211 locomotives emerged brand new from Brighton Works, with the swansong falling to BR Standard Class 4MT Tank - 80154.
Built at Brighton in 1872, 72 "Fenchurch" is the oldest surviving locomotive to be built at the works, remaining in service for over 91 years before being withdrawn by British Railways in late 1963 from 71A Eastleigh, having spent its twilight years operating on the Hayling Island branch line. At the other end of the scale, 1957 built 4MT Tank - 80151 is the youngest surviving locomotive to be built at the works. For the duration of the event, 80151 would be renumbered as 80154, to represent the final locomotive built at the works. Rebuilt 'Battle of Britain' Class - 34059 "Sir Archibald Sinclair" is another product of the famous works, emerging as 21C159 in 1947. Plans for the rebuilding scheme of the Bulleid pacifics was undertaken at Brighton Works in the 1950s, with 34059 receiving the treatment in 1960. Although 32424 is officially classed as a new-build, there is no denying the Brighton heritage of "Beachy Head". Locomotive manufacturing may have ceased at Brighton 67 years previously, but the legacy of its practices is well represented by 32424, and is a fitting tribute to the railway works which birthed the original 113 years prior.
The event would feature an intensive timetable, with all four locomotives making full return trips between Sheffield Park and East Grinstead. The Friday before the event, and the Saturday, had been scheduled to include a 'Golden Arrow' Evening Dining service. It transpired that the Saturday service would be cancelled, with all possible bookings being transfered to the Friday.
Locomotives:
Ex-LB&SCR H2 Class - 32424 “Beachy Head”
Ex-SR Rebuilt 'Battle of Britain' Class - 34059 "Sir Archibald Sinclair"
BR Standard Class 4MT Tank - 80154 (80151)
LB&SCR A1X 'Terrier' Class - 72 "Fenchurch"
00:00 - 32424 On shed at Sheffield Park
01:24 - 32424 Freshfield Bank
02:45 - 34059 Leamland Bridge
04:38 - 80154 Imberhorne
05:30 - 32424 Sharpthorne Tunnel
07:01 - 72 West Hoathly
08:04 - 34059 Sharpthorne Tunnel
09:40 - 80154 Hosted Keynes footpath
11:56 - 32424 Hosted Keynes footpath
13:29 - 32424 Tremaines
All footage filmed on Saturday the 24th of August 2024.
A tremendous achievement by everyone involved in the construction of Beachy Head. And a worthy addition to the Bluebell's roster of steam locomotives. Thank you for sharing this video.
What a great piece of visual history, see you had to pack your wellies again!!!🙄 Superb potted history to get us into the swing of things and then sit back and enjoy the proceedings - you excel at the detail.👍👍👍 Beachy running well, Fenchurch still packing a punch, almost looked as if she was speeding round that curve!! Top marks to Bluebell for keeping up the standard. Thanks Matthew👍👍
Thanks very much, Bob!
The rain played a heavy factor across the morning, effectively causing me to scrap and rewrite my plan for the majority of the day.
Beachy really is a stunner - the camera doesn't do it justice. I had hoped to squeeze in a couple more clips of Fenchurch, but the rain made it inviable.
This steam locomotive is very similar to the C1 Atlantic Large Boiler 😊👍♥️🚂🚃🚃
You impress as much with your scenery shots as with your steamy shots. Thanks for sharing.
Brilliant. Thank you for this fine video.
Best wishes
Dirk
Beautiful locomotive. 😊
Beautiful video!
Thank you
enjoyed watching your awesome UA-cam video today.
6:48 I think I can see me sitting at the very back of the last coach on the seat that's closest to the window that's next to the lineside photography area. Or maybe I was at the second window on that side of the coach I dunno. But yeah awesome video mate 👍
Very nice video :)
@@SimonTog Thank you
Another good video mate well done
Thank you
great video
@@juanantoniopedroza1421 Thank you
Its to nice an Altanic operating again. I doubt this will happen, but it would be interesting to see Beachy Head and GNR 251 double head a train
Beautiful video the southerner
@@HarryApps-Drsyn Thank you
I just don’t understand why they would wanna paint it into BR Black, makes absolutely no sense, nobody wants it in BR Black, paint it Umber Marsh for Christ sake
Only time will tell, maybe they will?
Can we just appreciate the fact that the UK has a standard gauge Atlantic type locomotive that is operational, for the first time since the The 1970s, when one of the two Great Northern Railway Ivatt Atlantic's had a valid boiler ticket.
This was covered in the comment section of a previous video, but I'll post it here too:
1. The group wanted this recreation to be a 'spiritual continuation' of the original, picking up where the original left off when it was withdrawn. 'To right the wrong', as they put it. So they decided to launch it representing 32424's final configuration.
2. 32424's service with BR is still an important part of the locomotives history, which equally deserves recognition, especially as it was the last Brighton atlantic in service.
3. Fundraising and advertising for the project was done on the basis that 32424 would appear in this final configuration. See point No1.
4. It would require some mechanical alterations to authentically carry any other livery.
5. He who pays the money, makes the choice.
6. Preferences over paint are simply a matter of opinion, and stating that "nobody wants it in BR Black" just because it doesn't align with your opinion is inherently incorrect.
It's a shame that, even after 24 years of building the loco, the efforts of the Atalntic group get overshadowed by the usual opinions over paint.
@@alexfogg381the boiler for this is actually off a scrapped GNR Atlantic!
I suppose that was what the membership of the society wanted, I agree entirely, I don't understand why anyone would prefer this to LBSC or even Southern olive green.
People say "it's just a coat of paint," but it's not is it, a lot of time and effort and expense goes into painting a loco, it's not like slapping a can of paint from B&Q on your garage door
The argument that they wanted to "right the wrong" of not preserving one of the originals by painting it in the livery of the organisation that scrapped the originals seems very very odd indeed