Saturday was a Father & Son day out to Bluebell Railway for the Road Meets Rail event.  Michael wasn’t volunteering, so we took the opportunity to ride the trains.  Getting to the terminus at East Grinstead is very simple – a 400 bus at the end of the road goes directly, if rather slowly there.

I was hoping to get a ride behind the new build Brighton Atlantic, but this had been lent to another heritage railway.  However the substitute was most acceptable – a BR 2-6-4T.  My second OO gauge loco was the Hornby-Dublo version, and it’s always been a favourite.

We took the train to Horsted Keynes, in a 1922 SECR non-corridor coach, and alighted there to visit the road steam event in a field behind the station.  Photos from here follow next time.  We also got a fantastic view of the Battle of Britain class, Sir Archibald Sinclair, leaving the station. 

By the time we had gone around the road steam event, and returned to the station, Archie had returned, so we caught the train to Sheffield Park.

Also running between passenger trains was a goods train headed by the SECR 0-6-0 O1 class.  We waited in the loop for the goods train at Kingscote, then it left Sheffield Park whilst we were there.  At the end of the train was another favourite – a Southern bogie brake van – a smoother ride for the guard than the 4-wheeled version.

Parked at Horsted Keynes was this well restored Southern Railway elephant van.  For some reason it seems bigger than the standard Southern utility vans on either side!

Archie was waiting for the goods train to clear the platform and run round, so we popped into the museum, just emerging in time to see the engine pass by.  We wondered whether to visit the engine shed, but I wanted a run behind the BoB, so we took the next train back to East Grinstead.

We considered having another round trip on the railway, but time was getting on, so we went and waited for the bus home.  Michael dropped off in Horley, and I continued back to Redhill.  An excellent day out (and more to come next time!)