This years annual Branch Line event
heralded the return of the Southern Railway U-class No.1638. The
locomotive, which last ran 42 years ago, was hauling a set of matching coaches.
1638 returns having undergone a major restoration from scrap yard condition by
volunteers and staff of the Bluebell Railway and the Maunsell Locomotive
Society.
With guest locomotive, Ivatt Class 2 Tank
No.41312, returning to the Mid Hants Railway at the end of the month it was
renumbered as classmate No.41284 for the weekend and paired with the Metropolitan coaches to re-enact the
final steam hauled service over the Metropolitan Line in 1961.
Four other Bluebell locomotives Stepney No.55,
Earl of Berkley, No. 9017, Normandy
No96 and O1 Class No.65 also ran over the weekend. Normandy was
assigned to
shunting goods wagons at Horsted Keynes Station. The weekend began on Saturday with early
morning goods train.
Despite the cloudy mornings and very cold
strong winds with sleet showers thrown in for good measure all was forgotten
when the glorious winter sun shone in the afternoons.
Coaching Stock used over the weekend was:
Set A: SR Maunsell-liveried: 6686-1309-7598-1098-971-404
Set B: BR Side-corridor stock: 35448-16210-25728-25769
Set C: Bulleid stock, plus FO and Milk Tanker 2515-3042-1482-4279-4430
Set D: Metropolitan Railway carriages - Victorian varnished teak.
