10th November 2017
Coach 5768
Some recent pictures showing progress with coach 5768.
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| Second class compartment. | |
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| First class compartment with re-covered arm rests on the luggage rack awaiting fitting. | First class compartment. | |||
27th October 2017
No. 21C123 Blackmoor Vale and No. 34059 Sir Archibald Sinclair – New Inner Fireboxes
Below are some photographs of the new inner fireboxes being constructed at South Devon Railway (Engineering).
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| An Incomplete box awaiting the combustion chamber and throat plate, a number of which can be seen below. This inner firebox is for No. 34101 Hartland. | |
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| Combustion chamber and throatplate pressings. | The foundation ring being lowered into place on the new inner firebox being produced for No. 34059, with the new platework pressing in place and apertures cut for the ends of the thermic syphons. | |||
13th October 2017
50 Years Ago – The Last Days of Southern Steam
The pictures below were taken by Geoff Catlin during the last days of Southern Steam.
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| This was a night shot taken at the end of an evening of torrential rail on 24th June 1967. Was this the final occasion when No.34023 Blackmore Vale worked on the main line? | |
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| Nine Elms Shed – No. 34015 Exmouth stands beside No.34023 Blackmore Vale. The only activity within the shed was on No. 34023. Sunday 9th July 1967. | |
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No. 34019 Bideford stands behind No.34023 inside Nine Elms on the final day of Southern Steam. Sunday 9th July 1967. No. 34019 was a major donor of parts to No.34023 Blackmore Vale. |
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Nine Elms Shed – L to R No. 34002 Salisbury, No. 34088 213 Squadron and No. 34013 Axminster. Sunday 9th July 1967. David Shepherd's paintings of the inside of Nine Elms shed ties in vey nicely with this picture – see below. |
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| David Shepherd's paintings showing No. 34002 Salisbury and, behind it, No .34023 Blackmore Vale. | |
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No. 34057 Biggin Hil was also on Shed at Nine Elms, parked some distance away from the other unrebuilt pacific's awaiting it's final journey to oblivion. Sunday 9th July 1967 |
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A full account, with a lot more pictures, of Geoff's visit to Nine Elms shed, on Sunday 9th July 1967, can be viewed here: http://svsfilm.com/nineelms/catlin.htm
25th September 2017
David Shepherd 1931 – 2017
Wildlife and railway artist David Shepherd died on 19th September. He was an honorary member of The Bulleid Society and named No. 21C123 in May 1976 and also, after overhaul, on 19th August 2000. In addition there was a display of some of his wildlife paintings at the Bluebell in July 2007 and when he visited he enjoyed a brief footplate ride on No. 21C123 Blackmoor Vale at Sheffield Park.
David Shepherd was the one time owner of 9F, No. 92203, which he named Black Prince, and BR standard class 4, No. 75029 both purchased from BR in 1967 from the proceeds of an exhibition of his wildlife paintings in New York. He eventually sold both of these engines, with the 9F now under the ownership of the North Norfolk Railway and the class 4 being owned by the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. He also owned a South African 15F class and Zambian locomotives and was the founder of the East Somerset Railway where his wild life and railway paintings were on display in the station signal box at Cranmore.
Remembered as much for his Wildlife Foundation as for his love of railways, the Foundation set up in 1984 raised £9 million for wildlife conservation projects in Africa and Asia with one of his daughters the chairwoman of the foundation's trustees. Besides Africa, he classed Guildford shed as being one of his favourite places and prints of his paintings of the last days of steam at Nine Elms graced many enthusiasts walls.
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| David Shepherd on the footplate of No. 21C123 Blackmoor Vale. | David Shepherd next to No. 21C123 holding his painting of Nine Elms Shed – see previous article. | |||
15th September 2017
Coach 5768
Further update on the progress of coach 5768.
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| The outer skin has been painted with a brushing filler and awaits rubbing down with an air driven sander prior to the undercoat being applied. | |
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| New tables being constructed for the compartments. | First class armrests being upholstered. | |||
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| First class compartment. | |
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One of the middle doors in almost complete finish. |
19th July 2017
No. 34091 City of Wells
The pictures below were taken during the recent visit of No. 34092 City of Wells to the Bluebell Railway.
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| No. 34092 departing with the 11.10 am from Sheffield Park, Saturday 15th July. | |
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| No. 34092 with the 1.47 pm ex Horsted Keynes, heading north, Saturday 15th July. | |
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| No. 21C123 Blackmoor Vale alongside No. 34092 City of Wells at Sheffield Park. | |
19th July 2017
Coach 5768
A further selection of views of the progress on coach 5768.
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| Second class compartment. | |
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| Second class compartment. | |
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| Southern route map. | |
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First class compartment. |
South end WC. | |||
22nd May 2017
No. 35018 British India Line and No. 35028 Clan Line on Light Test Runs
35018 (21C18) British India Line and 35028 Clan Line were both out on the mainline on Light Test Runs on Thursday 18th May 2017. The first and last Merchant Navys to be modified!
The video below is from khankadet.
9th May 2017
No. 34081 92 Squadron
With the recent re-dedicated of No. 34081 92 Squadron there is at least one Bulleid pacific in traffic in malachite green!
Up to now it has been running without the squadron plaques, but with the re-dedication they have now been fitted; the artwork for these was produced by the Bulleid Society's webmaster and locomotive illustrator Richard Green. Click here and go to the bottom of the page for a closer view of the original and new plaques.
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6th April 2017
Bluebell Railway 2016/17 500+ CLUB
The 500+ Club is now open for membership. Help with the finance to pay for the repairing of No. 34059 Sir Archibald Sinclair by joining. Click here for details
21st March 2017
No. 21C123 Blackmoor Vale and No. 34059 Sir Archibald Sinclair
A visit to South Devon Railway (Engineering) last Wednesday, and below are a few photographs which show the stack of pressings and completed syphons for No.21C123 and No.34059 plus other Bulleid fireboxes awaiting construction.
Most are identifiable and the old combustion chamber from No.34059 can also be seen together with a new blackhead and crown section. SDR (E) will try and produce a new complete pressings for the combustion chamber area, although it may be in two sections rather than six as at present. Hopefully the new firebox for No.34059 will be placed in the boiler in late May, it will then be returned to the Bluebell.
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Coach 5768
A selection of views of the progress on coach 5768 taken last Sunday.
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| Second class compartment. | First class compartment. | |||
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| Electrical wiring and switches. | ||||
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| Corridor with painted ceiling. | Door almost completed. | |||