Brighton Belle Restoration Project

[STEVIEBOY1]

Good morning, I just wonder if anyone knows how the Brighton Belle Restoration Project is going ? I did have a look at their website but not sure how updated that is? Thanks. Steve.

 

[32475]

Good morning, I just wonder if anyone knows how the Brighton Belle Restoration Project is going ? I did have a look at their website but not sure how updated that is? Thanks. Steve.

I hope someone can answer your question STEVIEBOY 1. I’ve been keeping track of the project website for a long time but it only seems to give updates about once a year. I know the team are doing a very thorough restoration job and they’ve had their delays and setbacks but it would be really good to know more about progress and launch date.
I had hoped for a ride on the Belle for my 60th so I’m now hoping to do so on my 70th!

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

I hope someone can answer your question STEVIEBOY 1. I’ve been keeping track of the project website for a long time but it only seems to give updates about once a year. I know the team are doing a very thorough restoration job and they’ve had their delays and setbacks but it would be really good to know more about progress and launch date.
I had hoped for a ride on the Belle for my 60th so I’m now hoping to do so on my 70th!

Thank you for this. Fingers crossed for good news soon.

 

[Trainlog]

When looking at Hardware railwayana you usually expect signs, lamps etc...

1932 Brighton Belle Car 89 Pullman Driving Car | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 1932 Brighton Belle Car 89 Pullman Driving Car at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products.

www.ebay.co.uk

To see a Genuine driving trailer up for sale is certainly interesting, i wonder with a renewed appreciation for the old service would anyone buy it with the intention of it running again?

 

[Ted633]

When looking at Hardware railwayana you usually expect signs, lamps etc...

1932 Brighton Belle Car 89 Pullman Driving Car | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 1932 Brighton Belle Car 89 Pullman Driving Car at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products.

www.ebay.co.uk

To see a Genuine driving trailer up for sale is certainly interesting, i wonder with a renewed appreciation for the old service would anyone buy it with the intention of it running again?

Seeing as the Brighton Belle trust and the VSOE pretty much own the rest of the vehicles between them, I expect that's a non starter.

Could see potential for it for use on a heritage railway, although that's presuming it's not all completely rotten underneath!

Scrap or as another Air/BnB (or equivalent) is my best guess though

 

[Trainlog]

Seeing as the Brighton Belle trust and the VSOE pretty much own the rest of the vehicles between them, I expect that's a non starter.

Could see potential for it for use on a heritage railway, although that's presuming it's not all completely rotten underneath!

Scrap or as another Air/BnB (or equivalent) is my best guess though

If restored i reckon it would be a nice platform exhibit on the Bluebell railway, Brighton station - though very unlikely, or even at Margate in the 1:1 collection if Hosking fancies it or Hornby wants it as a piece in there. It would need work but its survived a long time and is hardly the full wrecks some coaches are, i reckon its worthy of a restoration even as a static exhibit again.

 

[Townsend Hook]

To see a Genuine driving trailer up for sale is certainly interesting, i wonder with a renewed appreciation for the old service would anyone buy it with the intention of it running again?

Slight pedant moment on my part, it’s a driving motor, not a trailer.

 

[Cowley]

Wow. I reckon it would fit in my neighbours field. I’ve just sent him the link.

 

[zwk500]

Given the state it appears to be in, I can imagine any heritage organisation interested (and there'd be a few) would be very nervous about purchasing it because unless you have space in a shed it will quickly deteriorate.

 

[notverydeep]

Wow. I reckon it would fit in my neighbours field. I’ve just sent him the link.

Even better, if he isn't happy with it, having paid the £2,200 and £40,000 (seller's estimate) removal cost, he can return it in 30 days - but he would have to pay the postage...

It would be a shame to see it scrapped, but I can't see too many thinking it worth the removal cost. As far as I know only one of the 15 vehicles from the 3 units has been lost up to now (car number 290 of unit 3052) which was destroyed by fire.

 

[Cowley]

Even better, if he isn't happy with it, having paid the £2,200 and £40,000 (seller's estimate) removal cost, he can return it in 30 days - but he would have to pay the postage...

 

[Ashley Hill]

The Brighton Belle project does seem to have turned into one of those secretive projects,a bit like D1048. Information about them seems hard to come by.

 

[zwk500]

The Brighton Belle project does seem to have turned into one of those secretive projects,a bit like D1048. Information about them seems hard to come by.

It's always been rather shy on getting the information out there. I think it's partly because it's a relatively small group of people running it but also that a lot of the work is being done in professional workshops far from the project team and they can't always go up and take photos.
AIUI the 5BEL trust has the vehicles it needs for a full unit, and is now focusing on working towards mainline running. A single driving coach would be a liability more than an asset for them at this stage, especially if (as is likely) none of the components are recoverable. The chances of them being able to assemble a second complete unit, even with substitute trailer cars, are remote from a practical perspective let alone financial, so I can't see them being overly interested unless somebody else was to fund it.

 

[Titfield]

I wonder how many "movers" would be willing to take on any form of risk in the removal and transportation of the carriage.

Looking at the photographs of the carriage I rater think there may be a lot of corrosion underneath.

I am reminded of the care and challenge that transporting Car 13 to / from the Swanage Railway (to deputise for Car 14) took a few years ago. IIRC the SDR will not hire out Car 13 off railway any more as a result of issues arising from this movement.

 

[paul1609]

The Brighton Belle project does seem to have turned into one of those secretive projects,a bit like D1048. Information about them seems hard to come by.

Im not a subscriber but I believe that there is an article in Heritage Railway (January 20th Edition) about the project.

 

[D1024]

Im not a subscriber but I believe that there is an article in Heritage Railway (January 20th Edition) about the project.

There is brief mention of the Brighton Belle project at the end of an article about the restoration of 532 Blue Peter and 3 photos which make it look stunning, but it is really a passing comment rather than a full piece about the 5-BEL restoration.

 

[bingleybong]

I wonder how many "movers" would be willing to take on any form of risk in the removal and transportation of the carriage.

Far worse are moved regularly, the problem is where it is, getting it onto a lowloader would be challenging to say the least.

 

[Titfield]

Far worse are moved regularly, the problem is where it is, getting it onto a lowloader would be challenging to say the least.

Given the figure quoted it sounds to me as if a crane will be needed to winch it out which is what made me think about the structural integrity of the carriage.

 

[paul1609]

Id worry about whether there is any A!

 

[JKF]

Got to wonder how they got it in there in the first place! The corner into the place looks a bit tight, as does the T-junction at the end of the road.

It’s here, for those who haven’t already looked:

https://earth.app.goo.gl/57JoJe

 

[zwk500]

Got to wonder how they got it in there in the first place! The corner into the place looks a bit tight, as does the T-junction at the end of the road.

It’s here, for those who haven’t already looked:

https://earth.app.goo.gl/57JoJe

Good truck drivers are incredibly skilled people.

 

[Ash Bridge]

Got to wonder how they got it in there in the first place! The corner into the place looks a bit tight, as does the T-junction at the end of the road.

It’s here, for those who haven’t already looked:

https://earth.app.goo.gl/57JoJe

I can very distantly remember (about 1972?) the driving car came by rail to Stockport and was placed in the former goods yard which was located where the multi-story car park etc. now stands. I’m presuming the road move was made from here and recall seeing pictures in the local newspaper (Stockport Express) of the car body with bogies removed (which travelled separately) on a large low-loader accompanied by comments of the great difficulty manoeuvering something of this size to a location at the bottom of a steep valley down a twisty narrow lane, not to mention the sizeable crane that would be required to lift it back on the pre-positioned bogies at what was then expected to be its final resting place.

 

[Towers]

Is it not likely to at least yield some valuable spares for the Belle?

 

[zwk500]

Is it not likely to at least yield some valuable spares for the Belle?

In the state it's in that's extremely unlikely. I think a lot of the traction equipment had to be replaced anyway by the 5BEL trust to comply with mainline requirements, but I could be wrong.

 

[Towers]

In the state it's in that's extremely unlikely. I think a lot of the traction equipment had to be replaced anyway by the 5BEL trust to comply with mainline requirements, but I could be wrong.

Fair point! I thought maybe even patterns for future requirements etc, but I suppose they likely have all they need by this point.

 

[zwk500]

Fair point! I thought maybe even patterns for future requirements etc, but I suppose they likely have all they need by this point.

Some of the fixtures might be worth getting hold of, but with the (I presume) requirement to move the carriage off the land as part of the sale the 5BEL trust wouldn't want to commit to that, and the seller probably doesn't want to devalue the purchase of the bodyshell by removing anything of value.

 

[matt9f]

If it does ends up being scrapped maybe the cab could be donated to that place in South Wales?

 

[Towers]

If it does ends up being scrapped maybe the cab could be donated to that place in South Wales?

It does sound as though perhaps the most practical option might be to break it up in situ, and allow any components worth saving to be salvaged. The window glass, for example, I would think might be worth stockpiling and would have zero scrap value.

 

[zwk500]

It does sound as though perhaps the most practical option might be to break it up in situ, and allow any components worth saving to be salvaged. The window glass, for example, I would think might be worth stockpiling and would have zero scrap value.

Having had a flick through the photos on the ebay listing the only items worth saving look to be the maker's plates and the oval window frames. Everything else is either not original or decayed to a very bad state.

 

[Towers]

Having had a flick through the photos on the ebay listing the only items worth saving look to be the maker's plates and the oval window frames. Everything else is either not original or decayed to a very bad state.

I did have a gander at the pics, I couldn't see an internal view of the driving cab but I wonder what's left of it? As you say, most of it is probably shot to bits. What's the score with bogies & wheelsets that have been sat for yonks, might they be capable of refurbishment I wonder?