Bluebell Railway Diesel Gala 2017

[trainmania100]

It probably sounds a long way off, but 2017 is right around the corner - and so is the annual Bluebell Railway Diesel Gala!

Last year was a GBRf themed day with the appearance of all things GBRf - and a colas 47. The year before was a pair of Deltics.

Bluebell Railway are pleased to present a Western Themed Gala.

"For 3 days from March 31st -April 2nd there will be several visiting diesel locomotives from the former Western Region of British Rail."

If Western Champion is present, it will be a day to never be forgotten! What other locomotives do you think will turn up? Discuss here

 

[168lover]

It probably sounds a long way off, but 2017 is right around the corner - and so is the annual Bluebell Railway Diesel Gala!

Last year was a GBRf themed day with the appearance of all things GBRf - and a colas 47. The year before was a pair of Deltics.

Bluebell Railway are pleased to present a Western Themed Gala.

"For 3 days from March 31st -April 2nd there will be several visiting diesel locomotives from the former Western Region of British Rail."

If Western Champion is present, it will be a day to never be forgotten! What other locomotives do you think will turn up? Discuss here

western region so guessing a 47, 50, 52, 33, 73 or maybe even an HST

 

[trainmania100]

western region so guessing a 47, 50, 52, 33, 73 or maybe even an HST

A HST would be hellfire especially that prototype one.
For me a 41, 50 and 52 would do just amazingly

 

[fgwrich]

Hymeck, Warship and Western most likely. Actually the Warship would rather suit the line if ran with the Bulleid rake - It's allow the line to recreate an ACE feel.

 

[Cowley]

Hymeck, Warship and Western most likely. Actually the Warship would rather suit the line if ran with the Bulleid rake - It's allow the line to recreate an ACE feel.

That's a good shout. Green Warship on Bulleids would look lovely

 

[swt class 450]

It would be nice if Southern sent a 171 to the rally.

 

[ffm]

No it wouldn't

 

[12CSVT]

It would be nice if Southern sent a 171 to the rally.

I think I'd rather a thumper unit attended

 

[fgwrich]

No it wouldn't

I think I'd rather a thumper unit attended

Agreed and Agreed. If you want a 171, then head southeastwards at Oxted and you can pick up one with similar gradients at linespeed. Rather than trundling up and down a pres line at 25MPH.

Thumper - Yes Please! One of the lines more regrettable choices in not choosing to save or host a 205 yet. I wouldn't mind hearing one of those roar up Shapthorne Tunnel and out of Kingscote.

 

[trainmania100]

I beleive HDL ran a Thumper railtour not that long ago to the Bluebell Railway, i remember seeing it arrive into Sheffield Park.

 

[theblackwatch]

Hymeck, Warship and Western most likely. Actually the Warship would rather suit the line if ran with the Bulleid rake - It's allow the line to recreate an ACE feel.

A Warship is unlikely I think - of the survivors, D821 is part way through an overhaul at Old Oak Common, and D832 is in need of some TLC at the East Lancs and may have even been stopped now. On the other hand, I believe the appearance of a Western is quite likely.

 

[4-COR 3142]

As it's being talked of as a Western Region themed event, rather than a Diesel Hydraulic one I expect to see some 50's as well as a Western and either a Hymek or a Warship. I'd also expect whatever permutations to add up to 4 engines max. on site for the event.

I would also be surprised if any HST's could run at the Bluebell due to clearance issues with platforms etc.,......besides which it's not billed as a DMU Gala either!

 

[Train wasp]

what about a class 14 Teddy Bear.

 

[43096]

besides which it's not billed as a DMU Gala either!

Very droll. It's a diesel gala and last time I checked HSTs had Diesel engines.........

 

[4-COR 3142]

Very droll. It's a diesel gala and last time I checked HSTs had Diesel engines.........

Sorry 43096, No offence intended.

As you say they do have diesel engines, but so does a Pacer! and I - personally - wouldn't travel the whole 20 miles to the Bluebell to see one of them or an HST but that as I said is personal preference.

The Deltic's visiting for the gala a couple of years ago brought in a massive crowd which I hope for the Bluebell will happen again if a Western appears in 2017 as it would be a real draw.

If they ever do an HST only event you can have my space in the car park with my blessing........Have a good Xmas

 

[daikilo]

Did the prototype HST ever run (testing) on the Western region?

 

[43096]

Sorry 43096, No offence intended.

As you say they do have diesel engines, but so does a Pacer! and I - personally - wouldn't travel the whole 20 miles to the Bluebell to see one of them or an HST but that as I said is personal preference.

The Deltic's visiting for the gala a couple of years ago brought in a massive crowd which I hope for the Bluebell will happen again if a Western appears in 2017 as it would be a real draw.

If they ever do an HST only event you can have my space in the car park with my blessing........Have a good Xmas

Sorry, it was a tongue in cheek response!

One thought on the whole "it's a DMU" debate: you can couple DMU sets in multiple (hence multiple units), but you can't couple two HST sets together in multiple. Maybe they are just HSTs?

As for getting one to the Bluebell, I suspect clearances are a major stumbling block. There are several preserved lines that are cleared, usually as a result of charters visiting. I'd like to see a set on the Mid-Hants, but getting them cleared for Pirbright Jct to Alton would be a challenge.

 

[daikilo]

Did the prototype HST ever run (testing) on the Western region?

I'll answer my own question after more research as it probably did after being transfered in in 1975 and ahead of the 253s in Autumn 1976. No evidence yet though.

 

[4-COR 3142]

I'll answer my own question after more research as it probably did after being transfered in in 1975 and ahead of the 253s in Autumn 1976. No evidence yet though.

Large number of photos about including....I think a well publicised image of it and the the APT prototype both at Swindon which of course I can't find yet.

The 125group have a number of images including this one at Didcot....quite stylish for a DMU.

https://i2.wp.com/www.125group.org....-Didcot-02-07-75-Robin-Patrick-4-1024x673.jpg
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Sorry, it was a tongue in cheek response!

One thought on the whole "it's a DMU" debate: you can couple DMU sets in multiple (hence multiple units), but you can't couple two HST sets together in multiple. Maybe they are just HSTs?

Hi 43096 we're both spending too much time with our tongues in our cheeks today!

It is an interesting topic though, I sort of see what you're saying but I always think that Multiple Units have more than one coach permanently or Semi permanently coupled together to form a service train. A single 4-COR is a multiple Unit on its own?
So the one additional question I've now got is why is a Class 121 and 122 classed as a DMU? - perhaps this is where your multiple unit description works best.

As far as whether HST's are or aren't DMU's I point firmly to the numbering given by BR - five digit 'coaching stock' numbers and initially 6 digit set numbers on the front.
They were classed as 253's not class 43 despite what Ian Allan books of the time may say. (A class 43 is about 50% of the Warships depending on where they were built)

I think my own ambivalence to them comes from the fact that by the time I got to watch trains on ER and WR they had taken over top link duties from Loco hauled trains.

The excitement of looking from Paddington at a headlight coming pass Royal Oak only to have the bubble burst when I realised it was just a 'flying bannana' not a 'real' train still haunts me now.

I do however smile when I think of listening to the 'things' at speed, the second power car always seemed to be struggling to keep up....very Thomas and Gordon in its own - slightly - endearing way.

I had a good browse through the 125 groups website when I was looking for WR images earlier, such a shame they didn't get the chance to get both 41xxx power cars though isn't it?

 

[daikilo]

I thought we resolved the HST question ages ago, it is a train with a loco at each end and not a DMU. I guess the 8xx are actually MUs.

Also any single car such as a 121, 139 or 153 is not an MU of any sort as each are single units. If they are attqched to anything else and then operate together they become an MU.

 

[43096]

Hi 43096 we're both spending too much time with our tongues in our cheeks today!

It is an interesting topic though, I sort of see what you're saying but I always think that Multiple Units have more than one coach permanently or Semi permanently coupled together to form a service train. A single 4-COR is a multiple Unit on its own?
So the one additional question I've now got is why is a Class 121 and 122 classed as a DMU? - perhaps this is where your multiple unit description works best.

As far as whether HST's are or aren't DMU's I point firmly to the numbering given by BR - five digit 'coaching stock' numbers and initially 6 digit set numbers on the front.
They were classed as 253's not class 43 despite what Ian Allan books of the time may say. (A class 43 is about 50% of the Warships depending on where they were built)

I think my own ambivalence to them comes from the fact that by the time I got to watch trains on ER and WR they had taken over top link duties from Loco hauled trains.

The excitement of looking from Paddington at a headlight coming pass Royal Oak only to have the bubble burst when I realised it was just a 'flying bannana' not a 'real' train still haunts me now.

I do however smile when I think of listening to the 'things' at speed, the second power car always seemed to be struggling to keep up....very Thomas and Gordon in its own - slightly - endearing way.

I had a good browse through the 125 groups website when I was looking for WR images earlier, such a shame they didn't get the chance to get both 41xxx power cars though isn't it?

I completely get where you're coming from about your ambivalence - they replaced what you liked. No doubt I will be the same with the new IEPs and AT300s for the next few years!

As for the other prototype power car, it's a shame it doesn't exist, but it was scrapped about 4 years before 125 Group had even been started. Still, we should be grateful that 41001 not only survives, but is operational - there have been many important vehicles scrapped over the years; I'm thinking of the LMS prototypes 10000/1, one of the first batch of D60x Warships, etc etc.

 

[Cowley]

I suppose I felt much the same with HSTs but now days I hold them in very high regard, they are iconic and one of my earliest railway memories is of being hit by waves between Dawlish and Teignmouth in one and all the passengers gasping, that was in 1978!
Going back to the Bluebell diesel gala, I know it probably isn't possible because of air brakes etc but 41001 on as many vintage carriages as The Bluebell could muster on one train would be a bit of fun thrashing through Sharpethorne tunnel , plenty windows to open too...

37142 and 50042 at Bodmin are two excellent west country locos, or anything hydraulic as has been said.

 

[trainmania100]

Apologies for digging this up, but the thread is still valid and the event is fast approaching,

It is now confirmed that two Class 50 locomotives will be attending the Bluebell Railway Diesel Gala this year, 50035 'Ark Royal' and 50049 'Defiance'.

Im also very excited to share, that Deltic Preservation Society have chosen to spend their 40th Anniversary at Bluebell Railway this year in October
It is going to be a very exciting year.
More locos to be announced for the Spring gala soon.

 

[Phil.]

Large number of photos about including....I think a well publicised image of it and the the APT prototype both at Swindon which of course I can't find yet.

The 125group have a number of images including this one at Didcot....quite stylish for a DMU.

https://i2.wp.com/www.125group.org....-Didcot-02-07-75-Robin-Patrick-4-1024x673.jpg
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


Hi 43096 we're both spending too much time with our tongues in our cheeks today!

It is an interesting topic though, I sort of see what you're saying but I always think that Multiple Units have more than one coach permanently or Semi permanently coupled together to form a service train. A single 4-COR is a multiple Unit on its own?
So the one additional question I've now got is why is a Class 121 and 122 classed as a DMU? - perhaps this is where your multiple unit description works best.

As far as whether HST's are or aren't DMU's I point firmly to the numbering given by BR - five digit 'coaching stock' numbers and initially 6 digit set numbers on the front.
They were classed as 253's not class 43 despite what Ian Allan books of the time may say. (A class 43 is about 50% of the Warships depending on where they were built)

I think my own ambivalence to them comes from the fact that by the time I got to watch trains on ER and WR they had taken over top link duties from Loco hauled trains.

The excitement of looking from Paddington at a headlight coming pass Royal Oak only to have the bubble burst when I realised it was just a 'flying bannana' not a 'real' train still haunts me now.

I do however smile when I think of listening to the 'things' at speed, the second power car always seemed to be struggling to keep up....very Thomas and Gordon in its own - slightly - endearing way.

I had a good browse through the 125 groups website when I was looking for WR images earlier, such a shame they didn't get the chance to get both 41xxx power cars though isn't it?

Just to clarify things for you. A "Multiple Unit" train is a train formed of one or more coaches in a permanent (for operational reasons) formation that can work in multiple with another coupling-compatible Multiple Unit train. So, a Hastings DEMU is a Multiple Unit train. A class 313 is a Multiple Unit train. A single car class 121 is a Multiple Unit train. A class 377 is a Multiple Unit train. An HST is not a conventional Multiple Unit train as it cannot and does not work in multiple with another HST in normal circumstances.

 

[trainmania100]

Thank you for clearing that up Phil,
For a basic understanding,
Locomotives are class 0 - 100 (inc CLass 43 power car locomotives with peripheral coaching stock)
DMUs are class 100 - 300 (inc class 121 150 180 220 )
EMUs are class 300 - 707 and any other later 700s
Hybrid are class 800+

On topic, I am not sure whether there will be a 52 at the western themed gala, as Western Champion was recently having engine repairs.

 

[Cowley]

I think D1015 was meant to be taking the convoy to the Bluebell but I don't think it'll be repaired in time so I'm not sure what the arrangements are now?
Also I think D1062 has some wheelset/bogie issues that would mean it couldn't be taken along as a substitute for D1015.
Does anyone else know any more?

 

[hurricanemk1c]

Deltics!

http://thedps.co.uk/dps40th/

Re HSTs - they may not be able to operate in multiple normally, but the power cars can't exactly haul Mark 1s or HAAs, so that kinda rules them out as being locomotives in the convential sense? Technically I would say they are a self contained train set

 

[trainmania100]

A Hymek would be awesome too, or a warship

 

[4-COR 3142]

I think D1015 was meant to be taking the convoy to the Bluebell but I don't think it'll be repaired in time so I'm not sure what the arrangements are now?
Also I think D1062 has some wheelset/bogie issues that would mean it couldn't be taken along as a substitute for D1015.
Does anyone else know any more?

Cowley, you speak of "taking the convoy" have you an idea of where that was supposed to be going from?

Hopefully at least one Hydraulic has got to be added t the list?

 

[theblackwatch]

D1015 was going to bring the SVR based 50(s) to the event.