The Blue Belle DEMU Railtour
As someone who for the past 3 decades has loved steam, I have one friend who is as passionate about his diesel and electric locos/units as I am steam locos. Back in 2022, he convinced me to do a railtour to Worcestershire behind the Hastings Unit. From that tour on 1001, I have always had a soft spot for the Hastings DEMU.
Class 201 “Thumper” No1001 passes Frant station in August 2024 with a railtour to Derby.
Camera Settings: ISO: 640, Aperture: f7.1, Shutter Speed: 1/500th focal length: 67mm
Fast forward a few years and with two shoots of the Hastings DEMU done, one in August last year, before the Spa Valley Railways Diesel gala and the other on a rather damp and dreary winter day in January. We come to the Hastings Unit's long rumoured trip to the Bluebell Railway.
With confirmation of the railtour called “The Blue Belle DEMU” for May 17 and continual glances at the weather, alongside talks with my “Weather Gents” it looked like sun, clouds and a chance of some nice steam (for the steam locos running that day on the Bluebell Railway)
I decided on a vague plan to go lineside with my lineside pass and photograph at a spot that I increasingly enjoy, especially for locos that face towards Sheffield Park station. However, before that, I had to pick up my hi-viz and my first companion for the day Rob from robdoestrains. After that it was a quick rush across the countryside avoiding cyclists, horses and other cars through narrow roads before realising that I couldn’t get to Tremains, before Camelot arrived. With a quick decision to pull into Freshfield Bank, we watched as 73082 “Camelot” with its gorgeous chime whistle and powerful Standard 5 bark climbed Freshfield Bank with the first service of the day.
No73082 Standard 5 “Camelot” climbs Freshfield Bank with the 1030hrs service from Sheffield Park to East Grinstead.
Camera settings: ISO: 250, Aperture: f8, Shutter Speed: 1/500th, Focal Length: 67mm
With Camelot photographed and having now met up with our next companion 72b photography we drove round to Tremains for the first of the Hastings Units photo opportunities. With clouds above Tremains, we were constantly scanning the sky and hoping our first shot wouldn’t be ruined by a pesky cloud covering the sun. However, as the minutes ticked by and with news of the Hastings unit a few minutes down, we heard a low rumbling from behind the trees, followed by a horn as the unit signalled a warning for anyone on the crossing.
Class 201 “Thumper” No1013 “Tunbridge Wells” passes Tremains crossings with the 1120hrs from East Grinstead to Sheffield Park
Camera settings: ISO 200, Aperture: f8, Shutter speed: 1/500th, Focal Length: 41mm
So did the sun stay out?! Well have a review of the shot above, but I was pretty pleased with the outcome of the first of two shots with the Hastings Unit. With the first shot in the bag, it was time to have a relax and enjoy some chat with my two fellow “carrots” (a nickname for hi-viz photographers I seem to enjoy, that I picked up from another photographer). With new build “Beachy Head” up after the DEMU, it was decided to stay and just casually watch the H2 Atlantic run past, as usual with us photographers, we ended up with all our cameras out.
A few weeks ago, I had miserably failed with my new camera to achieve good focus on a Camelot service train whilst shooting at Lindfield Wood. Therefore, we started the trek north, the trackside a month a go was easily manageable but by now the summer foliage has started to come out with a vengeance. A good trek through Ferns, Stinging Nettles and other foliage and we arrived at Lindfield Wood. Within 15 minutes and the familiar sound of Camelot’s chime whistle reverberated around the Sussex countryside. A tricky video to achieve this as you have to pan, zoom out and take a hand off the camera to acknowledge the loco crew as well. But overall, I believe a good first attempt and one that can be refined as the months go past.
South East and Chatham Railways (SECR) O1 Class No65 passes “Broken Bridge” with a lunchtime Wealden Ramblers afternoon tea service.
Camera settings: ISO 250, Aperture: f7.1, Shutter: 1/500th Focal Length: 70mm
Unfortunately we now had to lose one of our “carrots” to his family but 72b and myself trekked to “Broken Bridge” and met up with another photographer. I have to say we all had a good chat about locos and the past, present and future of the Bluebell Railway. The highlight definitely being a chat about one of my favourite locos, No9017 “Earl of Berkeley” currently housed at the Vale of Rheidol Railway. Although it was scary to learn that when I was recounting my stories of Dukedog, 72b went that was when I was born, scary how the years just fly by!
In this spot we got a few more pictures using the broken bridge as a feature for the locomotives. The locos in question being South East Chatham Railway (SECR) 0-6-0 O1 Class No.65 and new build London Brighton South Coast Railways (LBSCR) H2 Class 4-4-2 No32424 “Beachy Head”, both fantastic locos that show off SECR and LBSCR design work of the 1890s and the 1910s respectively.
With Beachy Head and the O1 photographed, it was now time to walk back along the line and back to the car to hand in the hi-viz at Sheffield Park. With the hi-viz handed back, it was a quick drive up to Horsted Keynes for the final two shots of the day. The first was to be if I could beat Camelot to one of my favourite spots that I call “Stumpy” (after a tree stump that is lovely for sitting down on or putting your bag against). Well newsflash, I got myself to the spot for Camelot, but really I wanted to make sure everything was set up for the return run of the Hastings Unit.
Re-joined by 72b photograph, we awaited the Hastings Unit with the excellent viewpoint looking towards the curve out of Horsted Keynes towards Horsted House Farm. Check out the Instagram reel below for the run along Horsted Keynes Pathway. With the roar of the Hasting Unit fading into the distance we packed up and started the walk back to the car. Overall a very enjoyable and a day that seemed to pass in a few seconds. Hopefully it won’t be too long till Bluebell’s own Thumper is roaring up the line.
Thank you for reading the first Sharpthorne Steam blog post, please stay tuned for more in the future.
