Sixty years of Bluebell memories
Bluebell Railway carriage and wagon department volunteer Keith Leppard has produced a second and expanded volume of his Bluebell Railway Recollections to mark the ground-breaking Sussex heritage line’s 60th anniversary.
Bluebell Railway carriage and wagon department volunteer Keith Leppard has produced a second and expanded volume of his Bluebell Railway Recollections to mark the ground-breaking Sussex heritage line’s 60th anniversary.
The Bluebell Railway is like a time capsule: a visit is a step back to a bygone era, with the sights, sounds and smells of steam amid the tranquillity of rural Sussex, making it a truly special experience.
I discovered the railway in 1970 when, along with some school friends, I cycled the 20 miles from home to see what was happening there. I began volunteering in the embryonic carriage and wagon department at Horsted Keynes, and it quickly became a favourite place for me.
That is why I was so pleased to be able to write Bluebell Railway Recollections, to capture and pass on the atmosphere of the line and the pleasure of being there.
The book tells the story of a visit to the railway in pictures and captions, with several stories melded into one. First, there is the story of the railway’s development from its beginnings in 1960 to its 60th anniversary, growing from a small operation with just two locomotives and two carriages to operating an 11-mile route with four stations today.
Then there’s the story of its unique collection of steam locomotives and rolling stock built up over those years, with items dating from the 1870s to the 1960s working on passenger and good trains along the route.
Lastly, there’s the story of a journey along the line, during which passengers experience the climb from the meadows of the Ouse valley at Sheffield Park through deep valleys and a 731-yard tunnel to the Wealden plateau, before crossing Imberhorne Viaduct into the market town of East Grinstead to connect with the main line.
An illustrated map lets you pick out the landmarks to be seen on the trip. Along the way, the book dips into railway’s exhibits
“I was so pleased to be able to write Bluebell Railway Recollections, to capture and pass on the atmosphere of the line and the pleasure
of being there.”
and attractions, such as SteamWorks and the Museum at Sheffield Park, as well as going behind the scenes.
You can see how heavy repairs to locomotives are done, the reconstruction of 19th-century carriages, track repairs, signalling and platform operations, and not forgetting how the railway was rebuilt in stages north from Horsted Keynes over the past 40 years.
I wrote the first edition of Bluebell Railway Recollections to celebrate the line’s return to East Grinstead in 2013, the final stage in its march northwards. This new edition has 33% more pages and now includes full coverage of the line north from Kingscote to East Grinstead, as well as expanded coverage around each station and of the locomotives which have been in use in recent years.
The 60th anniversary came in August 2020, but although some trains did run to mark that special day, the Covid-19 pandemic meant that few of the planned celebrations could happen. This year, along with all other UK steam railways, the railway is looking forward to better times and is planning many exciting events, including a big 60+1 celebration in August, Giants Of Steam in the autumn, and SteamLights and Santa Specials in the winter, plus the return of its regular services and ever-popular Pullman dining trains as soon as permitted.
I hope you can get to Sussex to enjoy the sights and sounds of the Bluebell this year, in which case my book could be a lasting reminder of your visit. And if you cannot be there in person in 2021, then I hope the volume will be some compensation for what you are missing.
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