CCC Forum

As you may have seen elsewhere I visited the Bluebell Railway yesterday (Sat 23 Sep 2017). I concentrated on the periphery rather than the main attraction (the steam engines and the trains but not totally ignored). At Sheffield Park and Horsted Keynes the stations were well attended by re-enactors (Victorian era at SP and WWII at HK).

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Here are some of the images I grabbed …

… and a few more …

Hi David,
Nice set of images.
You should consider arranging a CCC outing for the next one.
How did you get to the event?
Website address?
Iggy

Hi David

Thanks for posting. This appears to be the Bluebell Line's replacement event for "Southern at War", to which the club once had an outing. Having the Victorian re-enactors as well as those from WWII gives some variety. While I could not always get to SOW, it seemed to be the same people turning up year on year.

Iggy

I travelled down by Southern to Haywards Heath and took the 270 bus which on Saturdays and Sundays deliver's you to Horsted Keynes Station (during the week they stop, at their closest to the railway, one & half miles away in HK village).

Mike

I think the reason for the 'Steam Through the Ages' event this year is because of the extra special visit of 'Flying Scotsman' in April - it threw a spanner in the years arrangements. We'll just have to wait until the new year to see what is planned for 2018.


I took the opportunity to present a photobook of 'Southern at War' to 23rd Sussex Home Guard who are regular attenders of the SAW event. I was also hoping to catch an ARP and his ward to give them a copy of the image that won me the Wadley Trophy at the 2016 exhibition - they don't seem to have attended.

davidb wrote:I travelled down by Southern to Haywards Heath and took the 270 bus which on Saturdays and Sundays deliver's you to Horsted Keynes Station (during the week they stop, at their closest to the railway, one & half miles away in HK village).

Would a train direct to East Grinstead have been easier? I suppose it depends on how well Southern's timetable fits in with the Bluebell's. It could be a long wait at a not very interesting station.

davidb wrote:I think the reason for the 'Steam Through the Ages' event this year is because of the extra special visit of 'Flying Scotsman' in April - it threw a spanner in the years arrangements. We'll just have to wait until the new year to see what is planned for 2018.

I took the opportunity to present a photobook of 'Southern at War' to 23rd Sussex Home Guard who are regular attenders of the SAW event.

Yes, I have photographed them as well. Quite often they are the best thing at SAW. I love the way that they are defending Horsted Keynes station standing around and drinking mugs of tea. It is also very atmospheric when they walk along the platform inspecting the passengers before the train departs.

And, of course, it is SAW. I have no idea why I typed it wrong previously.

Mike Farley wrote:

davidb wrote:Would a train direct to East Grinstead have been easier? I suppose it depends on how well Southern's timetable fits in with the Bluebell's. It could be a long wait at a not very interesting station.

I like to get to the railway early. The Haywards Heath route allows me to get to Horsted Keynes by about 09:30 whereas the East Grinstead route has the first departure from EG at 11:00 - nearly two hours of lost opportunities.

Incidentally, last Saturday had it's problems. Even though I got an earlier train than usual there were problems in the Three Bridges area causing a stop start progress of the train. Finally got to Haywards Heath about 20 minutes past 9 (about 30mins late) just in time to see my connecting bus disappear around the corner. I had to wait an hour more the next one! Still quicker than the East Grinstead option!