Visit to the Bluebell Railway

By MCN Merseyside Cheshire and North Wales | 2022-08-09

Five members made the journey south to East Grinstead to visit the Bluebell Railway on a glorious hot and sunny day.

We joined the 12:45 service from East Grinstead for the 11-mile journey to Sheffield Park which consisted of six coaches of mixed open and compartment stock hauled by Maunsell Q Class no 30541. At Horsted Keynes we passed the northbound service hauled by BR Standard Class 5 no 73082 – Camelot.

After a look round the museum and the locomotive shed (and a quick pint for some of us in the Bessemer Arms) we rejoined the train for the 14:15 service back to East Grinstead.

We were remarking amongst ourselves how tinder-dry the lineside vegetation was when the driver brought the train to a sudden halt just north of Horsted Keynes. We then saw the crew dashing down the side of track with their shovels to beat out a new grass fire. They then quickly followed with buckets of water from the tender to snuff out the smouldering remains before restarting the train.

The party members went their separate ways on the journey back home with various stops for observation and photography.

We were fortunate to make the journey just a couple of days before the hot weather forced the railway to curtail their timetable and introduce a diesel-only service.

30541 taking water at Sheffield Park before its journey to East Grinstead : Image Credit - Peter Young.
30541 taking water at Sheffield Park before its journey to East Grinstead : Image Credit - Peter Young.
The crew finish putting out a lineside fire after bringing the train to a sudden stop just north of Horsted Keynes : Image Credit - Peter Young.
The crew finish putting out a lineside fire after bringing the train to a sudden stop just north of Horsted Keynes : Image Credit - Peter Young.
Posted in MCN Meeting Report