{"id":17843,"date":"2017-06-27T13:19:39","date_gmt":"2017-06-27T12:19:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/?p=17843"},"modified":"2017-06-27T13:19:39","modified_gmt":"2017-06-27T12:19:39","slug":"in-photos-a-trip-along-the-bluebell-steam-railway-from-east-grinstead-to-sheffield-park-sussex-england","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/in-photos-a-trip-along-the-bluebell-steam-railway-from-east-grinstead-to-sheffield-park-sussex-england\/","title":{"rendered":"In photos: a trip along the Bluebell steam railway from East Grinstead to Sheffield Park, Sussex, England"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/bluebell-railway-photos-01.jpg\" alt=\"In photos: a trip along the Bluebell steam railway from East Grinstead to Sheffield Park, Sussex, England\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s been some time since I took a trip along the Bluebell Railway, and this time I got the opportunity to ride the long awaited extension from their new East Grinstead terminus station.<\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/bluebell-railway-photos-02.jpg\" alt=\"In photos: a trip along the Bluebell steam railway from East Grinstead to Sheffield Park, Sussex, England\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The Bluebell Railway runs for 11\u00a0miles (17.7\u00a0km)\u00a0along the border between East and West Sussex, and became the\u00a0first preserved standard gauge steam-operated passenger railway in the world to operate a public service when it opened\u00a0on 7 August 1960.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/bluebell-railway-photos-03.jpg\" alt=\"In photos: a trip along the Bluebell steam railway from East Grinstead to Sheffield Park, Sussex, England\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The new East Grinstead terminus station opened \u00a0on 23 March 2013, finally giving the the Bluebell Railway a connection to the national network after 50 years.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/bluebell-railway-photos-04.jpg\" alt=\"In photos: a trip along the Bluebell steam railway from East Grinstead to Sheffield Park, Sussex, England\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Steam trains now operate a daily service between Sheffield Park and East Grinstead, with intermediate stations at Horsted Keynes &amp; Kingscote. The railway is managed and run largely by volunteers.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/bluebell-railway-photos-05.jpg\" alt=\"In photos: a trip along the Bluebell steam railway from East Grinstead to Sheffield Park, Sussex, England\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Having preserved a number of steam locomotives before steam services had ended on the British mainline railways in 1968, the railway possesses over 30 steam locomotives &#8211; the largest collection in the UK after the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/steam-locos-memorabilia-a-stuffed-dog-and-much-more-at-the-wonderful-railway-museum-in-york\/\">National Railway Museum in York<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Above can be seen Kingscote station, the first stop after East Grinstead.<\/p>\n<p>Built in 1882 by the London Brighton and South Coast Railway, the Bluebell Railway has restored this station to the British Railways period \u2013 mid 1950s.<\/p>\n<p>The station was known as being one of the quietest stations on the Brighton network, only serving a few local houses with the closest village of Turners Hill about three miles away.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/bluebell-railway-photos-06.jpg\" alt=\"In photos: a trip along the Bluebell steam railway from East Grinstead to Sheffield Park, Sussex, England\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/bluebell-railway-photos-07.jpg\" alt=\"In photos: a trip along the Bluebell steam railway from East Grinstead to Sheffield Park, Sussex, England\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/bluebell-railway-photos-08.jpg\" alt=\"In photos: a trip along the Bluebell steam railway from East Grinstead to Sheffield Park, Sussex, England\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The Bluebell Railway has an immense collection of almost 150 preserved carriages and wagons, most of them pre-1939.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/bluebell-railway-photos-09.jpg\" alt=\"In photos: a trip along the Bluebell steam railway from East Grinstead to Sheffield Park, Sussex, England\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/bluebell-railway-photos-10.jpg\" alt=\"In photos: a trip along the Bluebell steam railway from East Grinstead to Sheffield Park, Sussex, England\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Entering the 731 yard (668m) Sharpthorne Tunnel, the longest train tunnel on a UK preserved line.<\/p>\n<p>The once-substantial <a href=\"http:\/\/www.disused-stations.org.uk\/w\/west_hoathly\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">West Hoathly station<\/a> used to be situated close to the tunnel entrance.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/bluebell-railway-photos-11.jpg\" alt=\"In photos: a trip along the Bluebell steam railway from East Grinstead to Sheffield Park, Sussex, England\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Speeding through the tunnel.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/bluebell-railway-photos-12.jpg\" alt=\"In photos: a trip along the Bluebell steam railway from East Grinstead to Sheffield Park, Sussex, England\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>0-6-0 BR diesel shunter outside Horsted Keynes station.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/bluebell-railway-photos-13.jpg\" alt=\"In photos: a trip along the Bluebell steam railway from East Grinstead to Sheffield Park, Sussex, England\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Restored to the Southern Railway period of the mid 1920s,\u00a0Horsted Keynes is packed full of period detail and has appeared in countless films and TV dramas (most recently as \u201cDownton\u201d in the popular Downton Abbey series).<\/p>\n<p>It was originally a junction station with a line branching off to Haywards Heath via Ardingly.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/bluebell-railway-photos-14.jpg\" alt=\"In photos: a trip along the Bluebell steam railway from East Grinstead to Sheffield Park, Sussex, England\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Signal box and semaphore signals.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/bluebell-railway-photos-15.jpg\" alt=\"In photos: a trip along the Bluebell steam railway from East Grinstead to Sheffield Park, Sussex, England\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/bluebell-railway-photos-16.jpg\" alt=\"In photos: a trip along the Bluebell steam railway from East Grinstead to Sheffield Park, Sussex, England\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Sleeping car waiting attention.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/bluebell-railway-photos-17.jpg\" alt=\"In photos: a trip along the Bluebell steam railway from East Grinstead to Sheffield Park, Sussex, England\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/bluebell-railway-photos-18.jpg\" alt=\"In photos: a trip along the Bluebell steam railway from East Grinstead to Sheffield Park, Sussex, England\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Arriving at the southern terminus at Sheffield Park.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/bluebell-railway-photos-19.jpg\" alt=\"In photos: a trip along the Bluebell steam railway from East Grinstead to Sheffield Park, Sussex, England\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/bluebell-railway-photos-20.jpg\" alt=\"In photos: a trip along the Bluebell steam railway from East Grinstead to Sheffield Park, Sussex, England\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The locomotive &#8216;runs around&#8217; the train ready for the return trip.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/bluebell-railway-photos-21.jpg\" alt=\"In photos: a trip along the Bluebell steam railway from East Grinstead to Sheffield Park, Sussex, England\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Built in\u00a01882 by the London Brighton and South Coast Railway,\u00a0the Bluebell Railway has restored Sheffield Park in the style of the Brighton era in the 1880s.<\/p>\n<p>The Railway explains the name:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>The station was really built to serve Lord Sheffield who owned the large house and estate about a mile away. Lord Sheffield was a great supporter of Cricket and the \u201cSheffield Shield\u201d is still played for today in Australia.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/bluebell-railway-photos-31.jpg\" alt=\"In photos: a trip along the Bluebell steam railway from East Grinstead to Sheffield Park, Sussex, England\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/bluebell-railway-photos-22.jpg\" alt=\"In photos: a trip along the Bluebell steam railway from East Grinstead to Sheffield Park, Sussex, England\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>There&#8217;s an interesting collection of locomotives and carriages stationed at Sheffield Park.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/bluebell-railway-photos-23.jpg\" alt=\"In photos: a trip along the Bluebell steam railway from East Grinstead to Sheffield Park, Sussex, England\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/bluebell-railway-photos-24.jpg\" alt=\"In photos: a trip along the Bluebell steam railway from East Grinstead to Sheffield Park, Sussex, England\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/bluebell-railway-photos-25.jpg\" alt=\"In photos: a trip along the Bluebell steam railway from East Grinstead to Sheffield Park, Sussex, England\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/bluebell-railway-photos-26.jpg\" alt=\"In photos: a trip along the Bluebell steam railway from East Grinstead to Sheffield Park, Sussex, England\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/bluebell-railway-photos-27.jpg\" alt=\"In photos: a trip along the Bluebell steam railway from East Grinstead to Sheffield Park, Sussex, England\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/bluebell-railway-photos-28.jpg\" alt=\"In photos: a trip along the Bluebell steam railway from East Grinstead to Sheffield Park, Sussex, England\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/bluebell-railway-photos-29.jpg\" alt=\"In photos: a trip along the Bluebell steam railway from East Grinstead to Sheffield Park, Sussex, England\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/bluebell-railway-photos-30.jpg\" alt=\"In photos: a trip along the Bluebell steam railway from East Grinstead to Sheffield Park, Sussex, England\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/bluebell-railway-photos-32.jpg\" alt=\"In photos: a trip along the Bluebell steam railway from East Grinstead to Sheffield Park, Sussex, England\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Ticket office at Sheffield Park.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/bluebell-railway-photos-33.jpg\" alt=\"In photos: a trip along the Bluebell steam railway from East Grinstead to Sheffield Park, Sussex, England\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/bluebell-railway-photos-34.jpg\" alt=\"In photos: a trip along the Bluebell steam railway from East Grinstead to Sheffield Park, Sussex, England\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Preparing for the trip back to East Grinstead.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/bluebell-railway-photos-35.jpg\" alt=\"In photos: a trip along the Bluebell steam railway from East Grinstead to Sheffield Park, Sussex, England\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/bluebell-railway-photos-36.jpg\" alt=\"In photos: a trip along the Bluebell steam railway from East Grinstead to Sheffield Park, Sussex, England\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/bluebell-railway-photos-37.jpg\" alt=\"In photos: a trip along the Bluebell steam railway from East Grinstead to Sheffield Park, Sussex, England\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Platelayers&#8217; hut.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/bluebell-railway-photos-38.jpg\" alt=\"In photos: a trip along the Bluebell steam railway from East Grinstead to Sheffield Park, Sussex, England\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/bluebell-railway-photos-39.jpg\" alt=\"In photos: a trip along the Bluebell steam railway from East Grinstead to Sheffield Park, Sussex, England\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Returning to Horsted Keynes.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/bluebell-railway-photos-40.jpg\" alt=\"In photos: a trip along the Bluebell steam railway from East Grinstead to Sheffield Park, Sussex, England\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/bluebell-railway-photos-41.jpg\" alt=\"In photos: a trip along the Bluebell steam railway from East Grinstead to Sheffield Park, Sussex, England\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/bluebell-railway-photos-42.jpg\" alt=\"In photos: a trip along the Bluebell steam railway from East Grinstead to Sheffield Park, Sussex, England\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Railway cottages.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/bluebell-railway-photos-43.jpg\" alt=\"In photos: a trip along the Bluebell steam railway from East Grinstead to Sheffield Park, Sussex, England\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/bluebell-railway-photos-44.jpg\" alt=\"In photos: a trip along the Bluebell steam railway from East Grinstead to Sheffield Park, Sussex, England\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Past Kingscote.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/bluebell-railway-photos-45.jpg\" alt=\"In photos: a trip along the Bluebell steam railway from East Grinstead to Sheffield Park, Sussex, England\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/bluebell-railway-photos-46.jpg\" alt=\"In photos: a trip along the Bluebell steam railway from East Grinstead to Sheffield Park, Sussex, England\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/bluebell-railway-photos-47.jpg\" alt=\"In photos: a trip along the Bluebell steam railway from East Grinstead to Sheffield Park, Sussex, England\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/bluebell-railway-photos-48.jpg\" alt=\"In photos: a trip along the Bluebell steam railway from East Grinstead to Sheffield Park, Sussex, England\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/bluebell-railway-photos-49.jpg\" alt=\"In photos: a trip along the Bluebell steam railway from East Grinstead to Sheffield Park, Sussex, England\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/bluebell-railway-photos-50.jpg\" alt=\"In photos: a trip along the Bluebell steam railway from East Grinstead to Sheffield Park, Sussex, England\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Arriving at East Grinstead.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/bluebell-railway-photos-51.jpg\" alt=\"In photos: a trip along the Bluebell steam railway from East Grinstead to Sheffield Park, Sussex, England\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>More photos here: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.urban75.org\/railway\/bluebell-steam-railway-sussex.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Bluebell Railway photo feature.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>The Bluebell Railway, Sheffield Park Station, East Sussex, TN22 3QL<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.bluebell-railway.com\/whats-on\/all-events\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">What&#8217;s on<\/a> &#8211;\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.bluebell-railway.com\/visiting-the-railway\/how-to-get-here\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">How to get there.<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.net\/forums\/threads\/bluebell-railway-extension-to-east-grinstead-opens-on-23-march.306270\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Chat about the Bluebell Railway here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It&#8217;s been some time since I took a trip along the Bluebell Railway, and this time I got the opportunity to ride the long awaited extension from their new East &hellip; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":17858,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[456,17,193,90],"tags":[1697,624,1698,870,1200,1602,217],"class_list":["post-17843","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-photos","category-places","category-railways","tag-bluebell-railway","tag-england","tag-preserved-line","tag-railway","tag-railways","tag-steam","tag-sussex"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/bluebell-railway-photos-01.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pQI7P-4DN","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17843","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17843"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17843\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17860,"href":"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17843\/revisions\/17860"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17858"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17843"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17843"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17843"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}