The Bluebell Railway

2nd August 1980 to 21st October 2007

It's hard to believe that the Bluebell Railway in Sussex has been operating as a preserved railway for nigh on 50 years. That's twice as long as it was in the ownership of the Southern Railway!

The first set of shots in this collection were taken in August 1980 when the Bluebell was celebrating 20 years of preservation. They were taken on a Kodak Instamatic 25 (which I still have) using 126 film. I hope that their historic interest will make up for their lack of quality.

Newly-restored SR "U" class no 1618 runs round its train at Horsted Keynes 1980-08-02 00:00:00	LSWR road van no 54663 at Horsted Keynes in the summer of 1980. 1980-08-02 00:00:00	Mobile battery charging van DS1686 at Horsted Keynes in 1980 1980-08-02 00:00:00	SECR P Class no 323 Bluebell heads The Pioneer at Horsted Keynes 1980-08-02 00:00:00
SECR P Class no 323 Bluebell heads The Pioneer at Horsted Keynes 1980-08-02 00:00:00	LBSCR Terrier no 672 Fenchurch bring up the rear of The Pioneer 1980-08-02 00:00:00	SR Maunsell Corridor Brake Composite no 6686 (built in 1935) and SECR no 971 10-compartment 3rd (built in 1923) 1980-08-02 00:00:00	LSWR 4-compartment Lavatory Van 3rd no 1520 (SR no 2975) in use as part of the Fire Train at Horsted Keynes 1980-08-02 00:00:00
Southern Railway Van C (later known as a "BY") guard's brake no 442 1980-08-02 00:00:00	BR Std Class 4 4-6-0 no 75027 heads the Pines Express into Horsted Keynes, double-heading U class no 1618, which was standing in for an ailing West Country Pacific Blackmore Vale 1980-08-02 00:00:00	The driver of U class no 1618 hands over the single line staff to the Horsted Keynes signalman on arrival with the Pines Express. It is being piloted by BR Std Class 4 4-6-0 no 75027. 1980-08-02 00:00:00	Horsted Keynes with P Class no 323 Bluebell on the left and U class 2-6-0 no 1618 on the right 1980-08-02 00:00:00
SR S15 class 4-6-0 no 847 awaiting restoration at Sheffield Park 1980-08-02 00:00:00	BR Std class 9F 2-10-0 no 92240 at Sheffield Park inside the newly-built shed 1980-08-02 00:00:00	SR Maunsell Restaurant First / Kitchen Buffet car no 7864 in use as a static catering facility at Sheffield Park. 1980-08-02 00:00:00	SECR 10-compartment 3rd no 1098 1980-08-02 00:00:00
Maunsell Corridor 3rd no 2356 built in 1931 in deprtmental use at Horsted Keynes 1980-08-02 00:00:00	LCDR 6-wheel brake second (later third) no 48 built in 1894 (SR no 2781) 1980-08-02 00:00:00	SECR Goods Brake no 11916 (SR no 55477) 1980-08-02 00:00:00	Kingscote station 2002-06-15 00:00:00
BR Class 9F 2-10-0 no 92240 at Kingscote 2002-06-15 00:00:00	BR Class 9F 2-10-0 no 92240 runs round its train at Kingscote 2002-06-15 00:00:00	BR Class 9F 2-10-0 no 92240 waits to leave Kingscote with a train for Sheffield Park 2002-06-15 00:00:00	Kingscote station 2002-06-15 00:00:00