please empty your brain below
"list of Things I Can't believe I Haven't Done Yet" ...think many people have a list like that. Some may give a different name..."bucket list" perhaps. Thing with these lists is it does trouble one so wondering if one will do everything on it. And of course there are the constant additions. Some things will be easy to do, others may indeed be almost but not totally impossible. Does one benefit from having a list or would one be better off doing things on a more ad-hoc basis? Plus goes without saying that certain things one may wish to do more than once. As for me...well, watch the sunrise: tick.

E | 05.05.14 - 5:25 a.m. | #

The Bluebell is on my list too DG and reading your blog over the last couple of days has given me the impetus to finally sort it out. Thank you.

THC | 05.05.14 - 6:26 a.m. | #

£16.50 quite expensive, seems pretty good value to me for an entire days entertainment. I always compare entrance prices to the cost of a Division Two football match which is an average of about £18 for one and half hours of "entertainment". With a trip on thr Bluebell you know what your getting a football match you don't!

The first time I went on the Bluebell was in the 70's I caught the bus from EG. Last year I went to Newhaven Fort by train / bus from London Bridge via the Bluebell and Haywards Heath.

Graham | 05.05.14 - 8:13 a.m. | #

As I can see from Google Street View, even the road signs outside Horsted Keynes station look 1920s.
http://goo.gl/maps/4jb9D

Greg | 05.05.14 - 8:50 a.m. | #

We visited the Bluebell Line quite often when I was a child living in Haywards Heath, in the days when it only ran between Horsted Keynes and Sheffield Park. In more recent years I've taken steam fans from the US and Greece for a day out. It's got a really nice feel about it and last time even I was getting nostalgic about the carriages I remembered from my childhood. Floors no longer black with ground in cigarette ash though, which is my abiding memory of toddler rail travel.

Sarah | Homepage | 05.05.14 - 9:05 a.m. | #

There have been three film adaptations of The railway Children, in 1968 (BBC), 1970 (cinema version - the best known one) and 2000 (ITV). It was only the third one which was filmed on the Bluebell: the other two were done on the Worth Valley line in Yorkshire.
Jenny Agutter appeared in all three, as Bobbie in the first two and her mother in the last.

timbo | 05.05.14 - 10:24 a.m. | #

Nothing to do with the Bluebell, DG, but you'll pleased to hear the Olympic Park was packed yesterday. So many people of all ages out enjoying themselves. The place was spotless with visitors here obviously keen to keep the park litter free. People were enjoying the grass, the loungers, the swing seats etc but everyone appeared to respect the wild grass and so on. It was wonderful to see.

Offtopic Anon | 05.05.14 - 10:45 a.m. | #

I didn't really need any more convincing after yesterdays post, but I'm definitely going to have to visit now!

CornishCockney | 05.05.14 - 10:58 a.m. | #

I have decided that the next time I have a trip to the UK. I again will visit the Bluebell Line.

Micheal | 05.05.14 - 11:34 a.m. | #

My annual trip to the UK is coming up in May/June. Based on what I previously had read on your blog, I have included in my plans a day trip by train out of London to East Grinstead. How timely this post is for me.
As I learned when researching for my travel plans, it is useful to check the timetable on the BBR website because some days have a limited number of journeys.
Thanks, dg.

| 05.05.14 - 4:54 p.m. | #

I have happy childhood memories of the Bluebell Line and I'm 57!

Having relatives on the south coast, I've driven by it many a time.

I must actually go back on it again.

Chris | 05.05.14 - 6:02 p.m. | #

The £16.50 journey price is only £1.50 more than the original £15 for the late but not lamented Great British Music Experience at the O2/Dome mentioned by dg on Friday. I know which will survive longer and be more popular.

kissenme | 05.05.14 - 7:57 p.m. | #

The line was actually closed twice, in 1955 and again in 1958. The first closure was found to be illegal because the Act of Parliament that allowed it to be built placed a statutory obligation (not just permission, as was normal) to run a service of four trains a day, and it couldn't be closed without another Act of Parliament to repeal the first

timbo | 05.05.14 - 7:59 p.m. | #











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