This probably doesn’t sound very familiar as a location, but is the HQ for the Bluebell Railway. My route from Tenterden included more places from my past, including Lamberhurst (now has a bypass !!), Heathfield, Wadhurst and Uckfield.
It was on this leg of my travels that I first noticed shedloads of cars queuing up at village petrol stations…. I later found out about the “so called” petrol shortage and the apparent ensuing chaos. Ho hum.
The Bluebell Railway is one of the more established hertitage railways and appears to be run on quite commercial principles. It was one of the first preserved heritage lines in the country, resulting in one of the finest collections of vintage steam locomotives and carriages – many of which were preserved straight out of service from British Railways.
It started running train services in August 1960 and now runs steam trains between Sheffield Park, north to East Grinstead, stopping at Horstead Keynes and Kingscote. The four stations are preserved in different periods of history including Victorian, 1930s and 1950s, with the staff dressed appropriately for each period.
For some reason, I have always associated the Bluebell with the Bulleid class of loco’s. I like these because I so remember being on a train being hauled by one of those beasts, when I went to a Scout camp in Bridport . The platform at Bridport was on a curve and you virtually fell out of the carriage. How do you remember these sorts of things ???????
There is a static one at the station, awaiting the money for restoration ( above), but below is the real thing under steam! Brilliant.
Our loco for the trip was a beautifully preserved “O” class locomotive. It received a rebuild to class “O1” in 1908, and ran on until finally withdrawn in 1961. . This type of loco was one of the commonest locomotive in this country, with this particular one done out in the livery of the old South Eastern and Chatham Railway. Absolutely immaculately turned out, a credit to the railway.
Please note ( YET AGAIN !!!!) the very blue sky…….
At East Grinstead the Bluebell butts straight onto the national rail network on essentially adjacent platforms, so it’s dead easy to get to by train.
Now on to my last campsite for the trip.
Based on a recommendation from a friend ( thanks Adele) I ended up at somewhere called Wowo campsite. I’d decided to stay there primarily because it was very, very close to the Bluebell Railway station at Sheffield Park. On the face of it, it looked a bit too “eco” for me. I was a bit trepidacious, I will admit, but it turned out OK. I thought it might be a bit “all bran with every meal and composting toilets”….. But no, it was fine. It’s all part of a big farm/estate, with multiple fields with various sorts of occupancy, with a brook running through the middle.
Definitely a different kind of campsite from my previous experiences. There are firepits on each location , etc, make it ideal for families, especially if there are several families together. The shop had organic everything and you could buy logs, firelighters, kindling, etc for your firepit.
Also there are bell tents, tulip tents and yurts. It was obviously very active being the weekend. Would think it was bedlam during high season though !!!!!! – in the nicest possible way !!!! One bonus feature was the daily arrival of various food vans each evening ( F +C, curry, pizza….) and there was always an Indiam themed breakfast offering. I guess you could probably survive without doing ANY cooking. All said, I’d go there again, definitely.
So that’s the end of the trains – well almost…….. Tomorrow I go to Bexhill to see some old friends