Southern at War on the Bluebell Railway

[davidb]

After our visit to Tenterden and the Kent & East Sussex Railway last weekend, I followed it up with the Bluebells version of the 1940's theme (held over the weekend 9th and 10th May).

After arriving at East Grinstead I had time to spare before the bus from East Grinstead to Horsted Keynes. So I thought I'd check out Worth Way. It is an old track bed from Tunbridge Wells to Crawley (Forest Way continues at East Grinstead as Worth Way). The railway has long since disappeared but the route has been converted into footpath/cycle way/bridle way/nature reserve. It's seven miles long but I only had time for about two. The first picture shows an artifact from railway days.

The second image is of a Southern Railway S15 class 4-6-0 locomotive arriving at Horsted Keynes from East Grinstead.

The third is a WWII tank in the forecourt at Horsted Keynes.

[davidb]

More pictures from my visit to the Bluebell Railway at the week end -

Exchanging tokens at Horsed Keynes. The token gives the driver the right to use a section of the track. You see the signalman passing the token for the Horsted Keynes to Kingscote section and receiving the token for the Sheffield Park to Horsted Keynes section. Without the token you're going nowhere!

On platforms 1-2 at Horsted Keynes. A chap there was playing music from a twenty-first century contraption. Glen Miller was being played and these re-enacters were dancing to it.

Dads Army doing what comes naturally - standing, talking, drinking (although in this case it's only tea!)

[davidb]

and yet more -

1. Old bits of track accoutrement on an old trailer attached to Wickman Trolley

2. Detaching Southern Railway U class 2-6-0 number 1638 from it's train before running round and recouping in readiness to depart for East Grinstead

3. and one for the botanists!!