‘Radial’ in BR black – first pictures

Lyme Regis celebrity repainted ahead of starring role in eight-locomotive pre-Grouping spectacular.

Aone-off cavalcade of four LSWR engines will be the highlight of the Bluebell Railway’s ‘Branch Line Weekend’ – starring its cosmetically restored Adams ‘Radial’, fresh from the paintshop.

As revealed last issue, the 4-4-2T has been returned to its latter-day Lyme Regis branch condition as British Railways lined black No. 30583. Its first repaint from LSWR green since 1983 has been sponsored by the Bluebell, Steam Railway and Heritage Painting.

On the first day of the March 15-17 gala, the out-of-ticket Adams ‘Radial’ will be coupled to three other LSWR veterans – visiting National Collection Beattie well tank No. 30587, Adams ‘O2’ No. W24 Calbourne (making only its second visit to the mainland from the Isle of Wight since 1925) and nominally static display Adams ‘B4’ No. 30096 (nee No. 96 Normandy) for an afternoon run between Sheffield Park and Horsted Keynes. There, the four pre-Grouping engines will be displayed alongside each other at the north end of the station for a once-in-a-lifetime photo opportunity.

The ‘Radial’ and ‘B4’ dock tank will spend the Friday morning on display at Sheffield Park and the rest of the weekend on show at Horsted Keynes, where visitors will be able to inspect their newly applied BR liveries (permanent and temporary, respectively) up close.

Meanwhile, Nos. 30587 and W24 will share timetabled duties with four SECR locomotives – ‘P’ 0-6-0Ts Nos. 178 and 323 ‘Bluebell’, ‘H’ 0-4-4T No. 263 and ‘O1’ 0-6-0 No. 65 – plus Southern Railway Maunsell ‘Q’ 0-6-0 No. 30541.

There will be frequent changes of motive power on the Saturday and Sunday at Horsted Keynes, where spare engines will be used on brake van rides.

Because the Bluebell’s stock is vacuum fitted, the air braked ‘O2’ will be used as a pilot engine with the Beattie and fellow 0-4-4T No. 263 throughout the event.

●● Fares and full timetable information can be found at www.bluebell-railway.com

●● For more on the ‘Radial’, see pages 72-78.

ALL: NICK BRODRICK/SR The February 14 team who helped stage the front cover photo-shoot, from left to right: Bluebell Operations Manager Chris Knibbs, shunter Malcolm Pocknell, 09 diesel driver Andy Kelly and secondman (posing as fireman) Steve Lofting.Adams ‘Radial’ No. 30583 takes in the afternoon sunshine of Valentine’s Day, posed with a Bulleid brake coach – redolent of the Lyme Regis branch in the late 1950s.