The Bluebell Railway

1st August 2015

The Bluebell Railway is a heritage line running for 11 miles (17.7 km) along the border between East and West Sussex, England, near to Gatwick Airport. It operates steam trains between Sheffield Park and East Grinstead, with intermediate stations at Horsted Keynes and Kingscote.

The first preserved standard gauge steam-operated passenger railway in the world to operate a public service, the Society ran its first train on 7 August 1960, less than three years after the line from East Grinstead to Lewes had been closed by British Railways . . .

South Eastern & Chatham Railway, H-class 0-4-4T, No.263 heading south past the site of former West Hoathly station

South Eastern and Chatham Railway (SECR), H-class 0-4-4T, No.263 heading south past the site of former West Hoathly station.

The Bluebell Railway is a heritage line running for 11 miles (17.7 km) along the border between East and West Sussex, England, near to Gatwick Airport. It operates steam trains between Sheffield Park and East Grinstead, with intermediate stations at Horsted Keynes and Kingscote.

The first preserved standard gauge steam-operated passenger railway in the world to operate a public service, the Society ran its first train on 7 August 1960, less than three years after the line from East Grinstead to Lewes had been closed by British Railways . . .

Today the railway is managed and run largely by volunteers. It has the largest collection (over 30) of steam locomotives in the UK after the National Railway Museum. The Society also has a collection of almost 150 carriages and wagons, most of them pre-1939.

(Source: Wikipedia).

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Today the railway is managed and run largely by volunteers. It has the largest collection (over 30) of steam locomotives in the UK after the National Railway Museum. The Society also has a collection of almost 150 carriages and wagons, most of them pre-1939.

(Source: Wikipedia).

SECR No.263 with its rake of preserved coaches entering West Hoathly tunnel

SECR No.263 with its rake of preserved coaches entering the steep downhill section, through West Hoathly tunnel, bound for Horsted Keynes and Sheffield Park.

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Southern Railway Maunsell Q-class No.30541,passes the site of West Hoathly station

Southern Railway Maunsell Q-class No.30541, bound for Kingscote and East Grinstead, passes the site of West Hoathly station having topped the steep (1 in 75) climb through West Hoathly tunnel.

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30541 ready to depart from Kingscote

30541 ready to depart from Kingscote with the return working from East Grinstead to Sheffield Park.

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London, Brighton and South Coast Railway (LBSCR), E4 Class Billinton Radial Tank 0-6-2T, No.B473 arriving at Kingscote station with a goods train

London, Brighton and South Coast Railway (LBSCR), E4 Class Billinton Radial Tank 0-6-2T, No.B473, arriving at Kingscote station with a goods train from Sheffield Park.

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B473 pausing at Kingscote station signal box before completing its run around the goods wagons

B473 pausing at Kingscote station signal box before completing its 'run round' the goods wagons.

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B473 completes its 'run round' ready to be coupled to the last wagon in the train - the guards van

B473 completes its 'run round' ready to be coupled to the last wagon in the train - the guards van. The shunting manoeuvres being part of a re-licencing test for a member of the volunteer operational staff.

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30541 eases off as it emerges from the steep climb through West Hoathly tunnel

30541 eases off as it emerges from the steep climb through West Hoathly tunnel.

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B473 completes the first part of its shunting activities to reconfigure the goods train at Kingscote

B473 completes the first part of its shunting activities to reconfigure the goods train at Kingscote.

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B473 gets a little housekeeping before leaving for Sheffield Park

B473 gets a little housekeeping before leaving for Sheffield Park.

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B473 hauls the train out of Kingscote station

All shunting manoeuvres complete and the goods train correctly and safely reformed B473 hauls the train out of Kingscote station.

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SECR 263 arriving at Kingscote with a north-bound passenger train for East Grinstead

SECR 263 arriving at Kingscote with a north-bound passenger train for East Grinstead.

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The short goods train heads south from Kingscote at the end of its shunting activities

The short goods train, formed of preserved wagons from the pre-grouping era, heads south from Kingscote at the end of its shunting activities to re-licence one of the railway's volunteer operational staff.