Dec 20, 2015. The Bluebell Railway steams through the Sussex countryside, Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter.

This compilation is of nearly all new, unpublished material, with the majority filmed in the second half of 2015 and featuring:

  • P Class 0-6-0T No. 323 scurrying up to Sharpethorne tunnel with the observation Saloon.
  • H Class 0-4-4T No. 263 hurrying a two coach train towards West Hoathly whilst a hawk soars overhead
  • U class 2-6-0 1638 above the Spring Primroses, slows before entering Horsted Keynes station, startling another hawk from its perch on a fence post
  • H Class No. 263 on the same stretch of track on a warm sunny day with the Birdcage brake coach leading a train of vintage stock
  • S15 Class 4-6-0 847 leaves Sheffield Park on a blustery late summer’s day with its train for Horsted Keynes and East Grinstead.

On a cold and windy Autumn day C Class 0-6-0 592 runs down the bank past Horsted Place farm with the immaculate LSWR brake coach leading. Then a fox runs across the fields of sheep just before Q Class 0-6-0 30541 hammers up the bank in the opposite direction, notice the smoke ring at 5:12..
C Class No. 592 pounds along towards Horsted Keynes on another windy autumn day
5MT 4-6-0 73082 ‘Camelot’ runs up Freshfield Bank with the ‘Golden Arrow’ Pullman dining train

There follows a number of Santa specials dawdling up towards Horsted Keynes past Nobles Farm, over Keysford Lane and past Weir Wood, to fit the special timetable – giving enough time for Santa’s little helpers to hand out the mince pies to all passengers no doubt – Lovely to see the engines as if in slow motion as they work their way past. They are interspersed with perhaps my favourite shot of C class 592 romping up past Nobles Farm with an ECS (Empty Coaching Stock) train. One Santa Special past Weir Wood is double headed with H class 263 and Q class 30541. 263 is seen later accelerating a vintage stock ECS up out of Horsted Keynes to East Grinstead. Pheasants, one who sounds like it has hiccups behind the camera and a rabbit join in.

Finally S15 847 crosses the low bridge into Horsted Keynes.

© Nick Dearden 2015