March
28th 2013 was a significant day in the history of the Bluebell
Railway. Following the completion and opening of the £12 million
extension from Kingscote to East Grinstead, the railway received its
first ‘through train’ from London to Sheffield Park since 1963. This
DVD is a cab ride filmed on board that first historic train, which
was operated by GB?Railfreight who provided newly re-painted 66739
for the occasion.
Immediately after setting off with ‘The Blue Belle’ charter train
from London Victoria, the Class 66 first has to tackle the short
sharp 1 in 62 climb to cross the River?Thames. Then comes the
complex rail network and a series of junctions as the train heads
through the south London suburbs of Brixton, Herne Hill, Tulse Hill
and Crystal Palace to Norwood Junction. At South Croydon Junction it
diverges onto the Oxted branch to travel through the steeply graded
Caterham Valley, through the Surrey towns of Sanderstead, Woldingham
and Hurst Green. After passing through Lingfield and Dormans the
train reaches East Grinstead, where it proceeds over the short
connection linking the national rail network to the 11-mile long
Bluebell Railway. The impressive Imberhorne viaduct is followed by
the restored Imberhorne cutting, which for several decades had been
a landfill site! Then come the delightful stations at Kingscote and
Horsted Keynes. At Sheffield Park a large crowd is waiting to greet
the arrival of the first train from London via East Grinstead in 55
years. The naming ceremony of 66739 at Horsted Keynes completes a
historic occasion for the railway.
Although this cab ride is not billed as a Wired for Sound programme,
the audio of the Class 66 at full power - with a trailing load of
twelve coaches and two dead Class 73s - is quite impressive! This
Locomaster DVD – issued in 2021 - is a digitally re-mastered version
of the programme that was originally only available from the
Bluebell Railway.
