Does the Bluebell have a “no diesel” policy?
Not as such, but being the only heritage railway in the country without one has marked us out as unique. We have in the past been able to undertake all our shunting using steam engines, and don’t actually have enough space to accommodate or service main-line diesels. Since the family visitor comes to see steam, and the scene we re-create is from 1880 to 1955, diesels wouldn’t fit in very well in any case. The “policy” is that the Society will consider any request to bring in any item of rolling stock (be it a loco of any type, a wagon or a carriage) on its individual merits, taking into account its potential usefulness to the railway, how it will be maintained, and how it fits into our collection. For the removal of spoil from the Imberhorne Cutting on the East Grinstead extension we have needed to run daily spoil trains, and, whilst during 2005 we were able to hire in an additional steam locomotive to undertake the work, the lack of a suitable locomotive available for 2006-7 meant tha
