Gordon Pettitt OBE: 1934-2025
Posted: 3rd April 2025
The Bluebell Railway is saddened to learn of the passing of our president Gordon Pettitt OBE at the age of 90.
A private family funeral will take place, followed by a railway industry memorial.
Everyone at the railway passes on our deepest condolences to his family, friends and colleagues at this very difficult time.
A true railwayman passes.
‘Inspiration’ to Visit Bluebell Railway in July for Railway 200
Posted: 3rd March 2025
Bluebell Amongst First Destinations for Special Train
The Bluebell Railway is delighted to confirm that the Railway 200 National Exhibition Train ‘Inspiration’ will visit the Bluebell Railway between 23rd and 29th of July.
Inspiration is a four carriage train that includes exhibits on railway history, ‘wonderlab on wheels’ and careers in rail. The Bluebell Railway is very pleased to be amongst the first destinations for Inspiration, which will arrive right at the start of the school summer holidays and remain on display at Horsted Keynes for a week.
The full Network Rail press release can be found here.
Bluebell Railway Signs Landmark Collaboration Agreement with Network Rail
Posted: 3rd March 2025
The Bluebell Railway has signed a collaboration agreement with Network Rail that will see further collaboration between the organisations.
Lucy McAuliffe, Network Rail’s Sussex Route Director, and Neil Glaskin from the Bluebell Railway signed the agreement in Pullman Car 54. The agreement gives the Bluebell Railway access to Network Rail redundant assets, saving significant sums on renewals. Network Rail intend to expand their use of the Bluebell Railway for training, rail experience days and other events.
The agreement is a further legacy benefit arising from the Bluebell Railway’s Railway 200 programme.
The full Network Rail press release can be found here.
Free Travel to Railway 200 @ Bluebell Railway for Schools
Posted: 19th February 2025
Generous GTR Support For Travel To East Grinstead
Britain’s biggest train operator, Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR), are kindly offering 9,000 free tickets to enable schoolchildren to visit Railway 200 @ Bluebell Railway between 2nd June and 2nd July.
Business Development Manager Jon Beardmore said “We are very grateful to GTR for this generous support, which will particularly help schools from London, Croydon and Surrey visit our Railway 200 event.
“We’ve also raised a significant sum in sponsorship, so entry to the Bluebell Railway will also be heavily subsidised.
Angie Doll, Chief Executive Officer at GTR, said: “Two hundred years ago the modern railway came into existence and utterly transformed our society.
“The inventions, science and technology that created it makes for fascinating learning, which the Bluebell Railway is the perfect partner to deliver in a fun, engaging way.”
The Education Phase of Railway 200 @ Bluebell Railway is aimed mainly at year 8 pupils, with days set aside for older primary children and sixth form.
Any schools interested in attending should email railway200event@bluebell-railway.com or visit www.bluebell-railway.com/railway-200.
February Bluebell Times, Half Term Trains, Branch Line Gala
Posted: 16th February 2025
February Bluebell Times
The February 2025 edition of Bluebell Times, issued on Friday, features:
– Triple success for the Bluebell at the Heritage Railway Association Awards
– Restoration updates for Q class No 541
– Winter update from the Southern Railway Coach Group – and a £500 donation from the Carriage Shop
– Support one of our volunteers as he walks for the British Heart Foundation
– Do you have green fingers and a flare for organisation: We need a new custodian for the Horsted Keynes Memorial Garden
– Your help is needed with our Beer Festival
– Bridging the gap on the Rother Valley Railway: we help with bridge spans – and photos
Half Term week; Branch Line Gala timetable published.
- We are running trains this half term week, alongside ice skating at Sheffield Park. Yesterday and today Terrier ‘Fenchurch’ and SECR O1 No. 65 were hauling the trains (Fenchurch on the Metropolitan set). Tomorrow sees (subject to availability) our award-winning 32424 ‘Beachy Head’ on the A set, and 72 ‘Fenchurch’ on the B set.
- The full loco list (visiting locomotives 68067 and 41313, with our own 32424 ‘Beachy Head, 72 ‘Fenchurch’ and SECR O1 65) and timetable have been announced for our March 14-16 Branch Line Gala.
Bluebell wins three awards tonight
Posted: 8th February 2025
Our Brighton Atlantic and Car 54 win at the HRA Awards
Fantastic news for the Bluebell tonight at the Heritage Railway Association’s annual awards, and congratulations to the teams who fundraised for and built the new Brighton Atlantic ‘Beachy Head’ and reconstructed Pullman Car 54 (which includes modifications for wheelchair access for the first time on any British Pullman), and to all the donors and supporters who made these achievements possible.
The Atlantic won the Steam Railway Readers Award (right) and the Steam Locomotive Award (below left).
Car 54 took the Morgan Award for Rolling Stock Preservation (below right).
Photos (showing BRPS Chairman Roy Watts collecting each of the awards) with thanks to the HRA. Beachy Head ready to leave Sheffield Park (Peter Edwards, 15 September 2024), Pullman Car 54 freshly painted (Richard Salmon, 3 January 2024).
‘Austerity’ 68067 announced as second guest locomotive at our 2025 Branch Line Gala
Posted: 7th February 2025
Branch Line Gala plans being finalised
We extend our thanks to the Roger Hibbert Loco Collection and The Great Central Railway for making No. 68067’s participation possible. The gala timetable is currently being finalised and will be released soon.
See more details and ticket sales for this gala, here.
Visitors announced for Giants of Steam 2025
Posted: 31st January 2025
17-19 October - Giants of Steam - Note change of date
17-19 October – Giants of Steam – Note change of date
Get ready for an unforgettable celebration of steam at Giants of Steam 2025! This incredible event will shine a spotlight on the new chapter of railway preservation, highlighting impressive new-build steam locomotives.
The Bluebell Railway is delighted to announce that 60163 Tornado, 6880 Betton Grange and 2999 Lady of Legend will be our guest locomotives for this year’s gala, running alongside our very own newly built locomotive, 32424 Beachy Head. We must thank the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust, The Betton Grange Society & The Great Western Society, Didcot, for allowing these engines to take part in our gala in October.
This event is aiming to be the biggest gathering of newly built standard gauge steam locomotives so far in preservation. An event not to be missed!
Giants of Steam 2025 marks an important event on the calendar not only for The Bluebell Railway but also for Railway 200, a celebration of 200 years of railway history. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to witness these awe-inspiring locomotives in action, celebrating the past, present, and future of steam.
Further information, timetables and tickets will be issued in due course. Don’t forget to mark the date in your diaries for the new date of OCTOBER 17-19.
Make sure you sign up for our weekly newsletter and keep an eye on our social media for any further updates on this exciting gala.
January 2025 edition of Bluebell Times
Posted: 11th January 2025
The January 2025 edition of Bluebell Times, issued yesterday, features:– Beachy Head and Car 54 both nominated for prestigious Heritage Railway Association Awards – and you still have time to vote for either in the Steam Railway Award
– Tree on the line – All in a day’s work for the Railway’s staff tackling a winter of storms
– Ivatt 2MT 41313 announced as first visitor for Branch Line Weekend
– Join the 500+ Club and help keep Sir Archibald Sinclair in prime condition
– Make 2025 the year you start volunteering – we have a range of opportunities across the Railway
Round up from 1st January
Posted: 9th January 2025
- Â View Keith Duke’s photos from 1 January.
- Â With the track relaying in the tunnel having started on Monday this week, we are next open to the public over the February half term, when we also have ice skating with Bluebell on Ice, from 15 to 23 February.
- Â Our contribution to Railway 200 Global Whistle-Up made a news feature on RTBF (Belgian TV) about the start of the Railway 2000 celebrations – it featured the Bluebell in some detail!
- Â Two of Peter Edwards’ photos from the wet 1 January are below. His first photo shows Stroudley “Terrier” 72 ‘Fenchurch’ which was running shuttles with the LNWR Observation Car from Horsted Keynes up to the portal of the tunnel. The second shows SECR O1 No. 65 with its goods train, which ran between passenger services between Sheffield Park and Horsted Keynes. In spite of the weather, visitor numbers were good.
First visiting locomotive for Branch Line Gala announced
Posted: 9th January 2025
We are delighted to announce that Ivatt Tank No. 41313 is our first visiting locomotive, from our friends at the Isle Of Wight Steam Railway, for our 2025 Branch Line Gala, 14-16 March!
Tickets, further guest announcements and timetables will be available shortly.
30 Years of Bluebell on the Web
Posted: 1st January 2025
2025 marks the 30th Anniversary of the first web pages about the Bluebell Railway
As we enter the Bluebell Railway’s 65th Anniversary year, 30 years ago the Bluebell’s first tentative steps were made towards use of the Internet.
Prepared by Richard Salmon, and hosted by Mark Dewell (who was to become the Heritage Railway Association’s first Internet Officer) on his UK Heritage Railways web site, the Bluebell led the way in providing more than just the forthcoming year’s timetable. Those first pages have been re-created here from what survived in an archive. In addition to the timetable and dates of operation, the pages provided details of how to get to the Bluebell, BRPS membership, a section about the Rolling Stock, Special events, and the ever-popular Santa Specials and Golden Arrow Pullman Dining services.
Later that year a rudimentary email-based “News from the Bluebell” service was started as well. The following year more web pages were provided, and in 1997 we opened our own web site, again edited by Richard Salmon, and hosted by Lewis Nodes.
This very “What’s New” page is the successor of what’s now one of the three longest running, continuously updated web logs (the origin of the Blog) on the entire Internet, and that entire log from 1997 to date is still available.
The Railway 200 Global Whistle-Up & more from the visit of 60007
Posted: 30th December 2024
The Sir Nigel Gresley Locomotive Trust held their Members’ Day the weekend after our Giants of Steam Gala, and this video from Harnetty Railways covers the event.
Maxim Gamble also captured this photo of 60007 on the same day, 18 October 2024.
As part of the celebrations in 2025 of 200 years of train travel, we kick off at midday on 1 January by joining in The Railway 200 Global Whistle-Up, the first event in the Bluebell’s participation in Railway 200.
If our timetable for our New Years Day Steam Up is running to plan, then ‘Camelot’ and ‘Fenchurch’ will be at Horsted Keynes at noon, ‘Sir Archibald Sinclair’ will be at Sheffield Park, and the SECR O1 will be en route to Horsted Keynes with a goods train.
In addition, the Southern Electric Traction Group, who look after the Bluebell-owned 4VEP unit 3417 ‘Gordon Pettitt’ at Strawberry Hill Depot, plan to open the shutters there and sound the unit’s horn at noon too.
Update on the overhaul of Maunsell Q-class locomotive No.541
Posted: 30th December 2024
Work over the last four months, taking place over three locations, to bring the sole-surviving Southern Q-class back into service on the Bluebell
September 2024
Leaky Finders have completed copper welding on the inner firebox, enabling them to move on to re-assembling the steel outer firebox. On the locomotive’s frameswork has concentrated on the horn blocks, which having been removed, are all now machined, and starting to be refitted. The new rear dragbox is almost complete.
The 4253 Group continue making progress with the rear half of the new tender tank and a new (second) access hatch (from the front half of the coal space).
The photo (from Leaky Finders) shows the new rear drag-box of the locomotive, inverted.
Read/download the full September report (pdf) here.
October 2024
Leaky Finders now have the outer wrapper welded in place and the smoke and flue tubes ordered. All the rivets on the running plate angles are done, along with re-riveting the rear frame stretcher and boiler mounting bracket. Both frame stretchers adjacent to the driving axle have been removed, cleaned and re-attached. The new rear dragbox has been riveted in place. The new horn block wedges, slippers and associated nuts/bolts have been machined and all axle boxes undergoing crack testing.
The 4253 Group at Rolvenden are welding in the two rear half sides of the tender tank, onto the previously fabricated inner frame – see photo. The original sand boxes are back up on the front of the tender tank, and the steps and lamp irons from the back of the old tank have been rivetted onto the new platework.
Back at Sheffield Park the corroded front dragbox of the tender and a short wasted length of the inner frames have been removed. The front section of the outer frames had been needle gunned back to bare metal. Fred Bailey is preparing drawings for new rear and front dragboxes. The stripping and repainting of the loco and tender brake rigging is in hand.
The tender wheelsets have returned from tyre turning at the South Devon Railway.
The photo shows the inside of rear end of the new tender tank (4253 Group).
Read/download the full October report (pdf) here.
November 2024
Down in Devon, Leaky Finders have completed reaming 2/3 of the firebox stay holes. Once the final inner firebox repairs have been completed, the new firehole ring can be fitted. On the chassis, the horn faces and wedges have received new steel plates, the axle boxes have received Magnetic Particle Inspection, and welding repairs. The riveting of frame stretchers, angles and bracketry is pretty much finished.
The replacement tender tank being made by the 4253 Group, as of the end of October, is roughly 70% complete. The rear section of the tank is fabricated and ready for fitting. The original tank-top edge beading has been repaired.
At Sheffield Park, workshop staff and volunteers have the front dragbox fabricated and bolted in place ready for riveting onto the tender frames. Maunsell Locomotive Society volunteers have continued to clean and paint the brake rigging, prior to it being re-bushed. The outside of the tender frames have been de- greased.
The photos (thanks to Leaky Finders) show the firebox side sheets being drilled and reamed ready for fitting the stays, and the new dragbox being riveted in place on the loco frames.
Read/download the full November report (pdf) here.
December 2024
As of the end of November, the main structure of the tender tank is now complete over at Rolvenden, with the top of the water space and coal space having been welded into place. The front of the tank including the tool lockers and shovelling plate are finished and painted in primer. The repaired original beading has been rivetted in place on the top of the tender tank. The tool box doors have been re-hung to give a better fit.
At Sheffield Park, the rear dragbox has been rivetted into place. Other repairs to the tender chassis are also progressing well.
The photo (by Melvyn Frohnsdorff) shows the new rear drag box fabrication rivetted in place in the tender frames.
Read/download the full December report (pdf) here.
THE Q NEEDS YOU!
The Maunsell Locomotive Society has agreed to try and raise £40,000 towards the cost of overhauling the tender and providing a new tender tank. The Q is an ideal size and economical loco for Bluebell operations. It fits in well with the ‘Southern’ image, and it did actually operate in the vicinity.
Online payments to the appeal can be made by clicking either of the DONATE buttons here and then selecting “Q 541 Overhaul” in the drop-down box.
Report on Giants of Steam, October 2024
Posted: 27th December 2024
Giants of Steam Gala, 11-13 October 2024
Our busiest gala for some years saw the crowds flock to see five large locos on an intensive timetable, with plenty that was new, in spite of just having one main visitor, Gresley A4 Pacific 60007 ‘Sir Nigel Gresley’.
Rob Howard’s three photos here show the visitor, and BR Class 5 73082 ‘Camelot’ on Friday 11 October.
As always in this What’s New/Blog, click on the photos to see an enlargement.
6989 ‘Wightwick Hall’, a “visiting” locomotive which has now been with us for over two years, was still popular with the crowds at Horsted Keynes, as seen in Julian Clark’s photo on the Saturday of Giants of Steam. 
The Great Northern Directors’ Saloon, in LNER livery, made it back into service after extended maintenance earlier in the year, to run at Giants of Steam behind ‘Sir Nigel Gresley’. Photo by Jemima White, 11 October.
YouTube videos from Giants of Steam, from:
- Â SatNavDan,
- Â BasicTrainContent,
- Â Chailey Stowe,
- Â E-an-e,
- Â Toby’s Trains,
- Â TheModster,
- Â FrontLineSteam,
- Â Pico Railway Videos,
- Â TheSoutherner,
- Â Sharpthorne Steam, and
- Â Rob Howard.
Nick Gilliam’s photo shows 32424 ‘Beachy Head’ topping Freshfield Bank with the 2.15 service from Sheffield Park (formed of eight Victorian and Edwardian carriages) on the Friday. 
This was the first gala appearance for our new-build Atlantic, ‘Beachy Head’. David Cable’s photo shows it approaching Horsted Keynes on Friday 11 October. 
Peter Hollands’ photo from the Friday shows 73082 ‘Camelot’ and 34059 ‘Sir Archibald Sinclair’ on Freshfield Bank. It was the latter’s first gala appearance since completion of its recent overhaul.
Photo Galleries covering Giants of Steam, from:
- Â Brian Dandridge,
- Â Keith Duke,
- Â Jemima White, and
- Â John Sandys – Friday, and Saturday.
David Cable’s photo shows ‘Sir Nigel Gresley’ at the top of Freshfield Bank on the Friday. One feature of the gala was that all five locos were named locomotives. 
David Cable’s photo shows ‘Sir Nigel Gresley’ approaching Horsted Keynes on Friday 11 October. 
‘Sir Nigel Gresley’ with the 1.30pm service from Sheffield Park, tops Freshfield Bank in this photo from Nick Gilliam from the Friday of Giants.
BR Standard 2MT 84030 Project – November Newsletter
Posted: 27th December 2024
The latest (November 2024) newsletter is now available. If you missed the July issue, that’s also available.
The end is in sight for the work on the bunker. All the external welding and quite a bit of the internal welding is now complete.
Other areas the team have been concentrating on are the access steps at the front, the cab and rear of the engine.
The photo shows the trial fitting of the bunker steps.
Services over the coming weeks
Posted: 26th December 2024
- Â Over the coming few days we have our first ordinary public trains since last half term. From Saturday through to New Year’s Eve we are running from Sheffield Park to Horsted Keynes, as the tunnel is currently closed for its rail to be replaced.
Then we have our New Years Day Steam Up, with four locomotives in steam, with some services running North of Horsted Keynes up to the tunnel mouth. Access by public transport is available via Metrobus Service 270 from East Grinstead and Haywards Heath.
Public services then resume for the February Half Term where, alongside our ‘Kids for s Quid’ special offer, we also have ice skating with Bluebell on Ice between 15 and 23 February.
- Â David Cable’s photo shows ‘Beachy Head’ at Horsted Keynes on a Jon Bowers’ photo charter on 18 November. The newly built Brighton Atlantic locomotive is currently receiving maintenance work, which is mainly dealing with minor teething issues discovered during its highly successful Summer and Autumn in service.
   -  We have had a very good Santa Special and SteamLights season, with just a few compartments available for some of the remaining Santa’s SteamLights services (28-30 December).
The first photo below from Nick Gilliam shows 80151 leaving Horsted Keynes with the 6pm SteamLights service to Sheffield Park on 29 November. The second, from David Lilley, shows ‘Camelot’ with a Santa Special service on 8 December.
Bluebell Railway Event Dates for 2025
Posted: 26th December 2024
We now have the main Special Event dates for 2025, with just a few more still to be announced.
These are:
- Â 1 January – New Years Day Steam Up
- Â 14-16 March – Branch Line Gala
- Â 2 June to 2 July – Railway 200 (Education Phase)
- Â 28-29 June – Model Railway Weekend
- Â 19-20 July – Southern at War ‘VE Day 80’
- Â Late July to early September – Railway 200 (Celebration Phase)
- Â 8-10 August – 65th Anniversary Gala
- Â 16-17 August – Music Festival
- Â 5-7 September – Diesel Gala
- Â 19-21 September – Beer Festival
- Â 17-19 October – Giants of Steam – Note change of date
We are now taking bookings both for special Catering services, and Footplate Experience opportunities, for 2025 – full details here.
Other news, archives & helpful links
Contributions to our What's New Blog & other pages
For submissions of photos for use in What’s New and other pages, please email both the following:
- What’s New page editor:Â richard.salmon@bluebell-railway.com
- PR team:Â pr@ bluebell-railway.com
Please note by sending photographs or other material to these email addresses, you confirm both that you have the rights to publication of the material, and that you give us permission to publish it on this website, on social media and in other Bluebell Railway publicity. Copyright remains with you, and we will credit your contributions.
For comments about the BRPS website pages please email:
- Richard Salmon: richard.salmon@bluebell-railway.com
If you are suggesting a correction or alteration to an existing web page, it would help us enormously if you could please include the address of the page in question in your message.
For General Enquiries please contact us here.
