In Pictures: Bluebell Railway Giants of Steam gala 2018
People from all over the country came to the Bluebell Railway last weekend for the annual Giants of Steam gala, featuring visiting steam locomotive 60009 A4 Union of South Africa – a chance to see the popular locomotive before it’s owner retires it into a museum next year.
Most locomotives, and the weather, behaved themselves throughout the event, with a couple of engines playing up on the Sunday.
Locomotives which were in action throughout the weekend were:
- Visiting locomotive 60009 Union of South Africa
- 73082 Camelot Standard 5, which recently made a rare trip to West Somerset on the mainline
- Q Class 30541 working a goods train and brakevan rides
- S15 Class 847
- O1 Class number 65
Below can be found some photographs from the event.
Built 1937 at Doncaster, visiting locomotive Gresley’s A4 60009 Union of South Africa passes the former West Hoathly station, exiting the Sharpthorne Tunnel, a popular place for photographs.
Resident locomotive Standard 5 class 73082 Camelot exits Sharpthorne Tunnel, working a Sheffield Park to East Grinstead service.
Resident Maunsell S15 Class 847 departs Horsted Keynes southbound working an East Grinstead to Sheffield Park service.
Union of South Africa 60009 approaches Horsted Keynes railway station, working a fast service from Sheffield Park to East Grinstead, calling at East Grinstead only.
Resident steam locomotive Q Class 30541 departs Horsted Keynes with a goods train consisting of a crane, dairy and brake van.
Union of South Africa 60009 approaches Horsted Keynes railway station tender first working East Grinstead to Sheffield Park fast service at Giants of Steam 2018.
S15 Maunsell 847 powers out of Horsted Keynes with plenty of thick smoke, working Sheffield Park to East Grinstead.
73082 Camelot Standard 5 locomotive arrives into Horsted Keynes tender first.
You can watch a video from all of the above scenes below.