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{{Short description|Heritage railway in England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2015}}
{{more citations needed|date=November 2024}}
{{Heritage Railway
 |name           = Bluebell Railway
 |image_name     = British Railways Class Standard Four No 80151 Horsted Keynes 1.jpg
 |image_width    = 
 |caption        = British Railways Standard Class 4 No. 80151 and its train are seen at Horsted Keynes
 |locale         =
 |map            =
 |mapsize        = 
 |terminus       = [[East Grinstead]]
 |linename       = 
 |builtby        = [[London, Brighton and South Coast Railway]]
 |originalgauge  = {{Track gauge|uksg|allk=on}}
 |originalelec   =
 |preservedgauge = {{Track gauge|uksg|allk=on}}
 |preservedrack  =
 |preservedelec  =
 |era            =
 |owned          = 
 |operator       = Bluebell Railway Preservation Society
 |stations       = 4
 |length         = {{convert|11|mi|km|1|abbr=on}}
 |originalopen   = 1 August 1882
 |closed         = 17 March 1958
 |stageyears     = 1960
 |stage          = Re-opens to the public between Sheffield Park and Bluebell Halt
 |years          = 1962
 |events         = Extension opens from Bluebell Halt to Horsted Keynes
 |years1         = 1994
 |events1        = Extension to Kingscote re-opened
 |years2         = 2013
 |events2        = Extension to East Grinstead re-opened
 |headquarters   = [[Sheffield Park railway station|Sheffield Park station]]
}}
{{Bluebell Railway}}

The '''Bluebell Railway''' is an {{convert|11|mi|km|1|adj=on}} [[heritage railway|heritage line]] in [[West Sussex]] in [[England]]. It is managed by the Bluebell Railway Preservation Society.<ref name="Welch" /> It uses [[steam train]]s which operate between {{stnlnk|Sheffield Park}} and {{stnlnk|East Grinstead}}, with intermediate stations at {{stnlnk|Horsted Keynes}} and {{stnlnk|Kingscote}}.

It is the first preserved [[standard gauge]] steam-operated passenger railway in the world to operate a public service.<!--the Strasburg Rail Road's excursion service began on January 4, 1959--><ref name=Welch/> The society ran its first train on 7 August 1960, less than three years after the line from [[East Grinstead]] to [[Lewes]] had been closed by [[British Railways]].<ref name=Welch/>

On 23 March 2013, the Bluebell Railway started to run through to its new {{stnlnk|East Grinstead}} terminus station.<ref name=BBC21853230>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-21853230|title=Sussex sees first steam train on extended Bluebell Railway|work=BBC News|date=23 March 2013|access-date=23 March 2013}}</ref> At East Grinstead there is a connection to the national rail network, the first connection of the Bluebell Railway to the national network in 50 years, since the Horsted Keynes – {{stnlnk|Haywards Heath}} line closed in 1963.

Today the railway is managed and run largely by volunteers. Having preserved a number of steam locomotives even before steam stopped running on British mainline railways in 1968, today it has over 30 steam locomotives, the 2nd largest collection in the UK after the [[National Railway Museum]].<ref name=Welch/> The Bluebell also has almost 150 carriages and wagons, most of them pre-1939.<ref name=Welch/>

== History{{anchor|Lewes and East Grinstead Railway Act 1877}} ==
{{Infobox UK legislation
| short_title           = Lewes and East Grinstead Railway Act 1877
| type                  = Act
| parliament            = Parliament of the United Kingdom
| long_title            = An Act for incorporating the Lewes and East Grinstead Railway Company; and for other purposes.
| year                  = 1877
| citation              = [[40 & 41 Vict.]] c. ccxviii
| introduced_commons    = 
| introduced_lords      = 
| territorial_extent    = 
| royal_assent          = 10 August 1877
| commencement          = 
| expiry_date           = 
| repeal_date           = 
| amends                = 
| replaces              = 
| amendments            = 
| repealing_legislation = 
| related_legislation   = 
| status                = 
| legislation_history   = 
| theyworkforyou        = 
| millbankhansard       = 
| original_text         = https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukla/Vict/40-41/218/pdfs/ukla_18770218_en.pdf
| revised_text          = 
| use_new_UK-LEG        = 
| UK-LEG_title          = 
| collapsed             = yes
}}
In 1877, an [[act of Parliament]] authorised construction of the '''Lewes and East Grinstead Railway''' ('''L&EGR''').<ref name=awdry>{{Awdry-RailCo}}, pp 189-190.</ref> The line was sponsored by local landowners, including the [[Henry Holroyd, 3rd Earl of Sheffield|Earl of Sheffield]]. A year later another act enabled the [[London, Brighton and South Coast Railway]] Company (LB&SCR), chaired by [[Samuel Laing (science writer)|Samuel Laing]], to acquire and operate the line.<ref name=awdry/><ref name=Turner3/>

The branch line had six stations, but only Barcombe was within walking distance of a village. Chailey parish had two stations, one at {{stnlnk|Sheffield Park}} and the other at {{stnlnk|Newick and Chailey}}. It was customary for a rural line supported by a company or individuals to have stations close to the residences of its sponsors.<ref name=Turner3/> Thus Sheffield Park station was built for the Earl of Sheffield, and Newick and Chailey for Newick Park and Reedens, the homes of two other sponsors.<ref name=Turner3/> The other stations were at {{stnlnk|Kingscote}}, {{stnlnk|West Hoathly}} and {{stnlnk|Horsted Keynes}}. A branch ran from a junction at Horsted Keynes to {{stnlnk|Ardingly}} and {{stnlnk|Haywards Heath}} on the LB&SCR main line.<ref name=Turner3/>

The 1877 and 1878 acts included a clause that:<ref name=awdry/><ref name=Turner3/>

{{boxquote|Four passenger trains each way daily to run on this line, with through connections at East Grinstead to London and to stop at Sheffield Bridges, Newick and West Hoathly}}

This imposed a legal requirement to provide a service, and the only way to remove this obligation was to pass another act.

Designed under instructions from LB&SCR Chief Engineer [[Frederick Banister]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Frederick_Dale_Banister|title=Federick Dale Banister|publisher=GracesGuide.co.uk|access-date=10 February 2013}}</ref> the line was constructed to take double track. However, only the section between East Grinstead and Horsted Keynes (and thence to Haywards Heath via Ardingly) was laid as such; south of the junction at Horsted Keynes the line was single track with passing loops at stations. The line was opened in 1882.<ref name=Turner3>{{cite book|author=Turner, John Howard|year=1979|title=The London Brighton and South Coast Railway 3 Completion and Maturity|publisher=Batsford|isbn=0713413891}}</ref>

Goods traffic on the line consisted of local produce; milk: farm products and coal, and timber to and from Albert Turner & Son, a sawmill. The only time Sheffield Park received a substantial number of passengers was when [[Henry Holroyd, 3rd Earl of Sheffield|Lord Sheffield]] entertained the Australian cricket team, with a match between them and Lord Sheffield's own team.

===Accident===
On 31 July 1943, newlyweds Ronald Knapp and Winifred Standing were killed when they were pulled under a train from Lewes to East Grinstead.<ref>[https://archive.today/20120913074536/http://www.thisissussex.co.uk/news/Newly-weds-buried-week-wedding-day/article-2723768-detail/article.html Article on local news website]</ref> The couple walked along the railway on a dark rainy night. When the train got to Horsted Keynes, the guard found a raincoat covered with blood on the engine. Another coat was found near two bodies in the middle of the tracks. The ganger who found them told the inquest the couple must have been walking with their backs to the train.

"There was a very heavy squall at the time and the couple would probably have not heard a thing," he said. The coroner said Ronald and Winifred were trespassing and no blame could be attached to any railway worker. Little more than a week after they were married, the couple's funeral was at [[St Giles' Church, Horsted Keynes]], where they are buried together in a grave marked by a War Graves Commission headstone.<ref>{{cite web|title=Casualty details: Knapp, Ronald|url=http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2723438/KNAPP,%20RONALD|publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission|access-date=30 August 2017}}</ref>

===Closure===
In 1954, long before the [[Beeching Axe]], the branch line committee of British Railways proposed closing the line from [[East Grinstead]] to Culver Junction near [[Lewes]].<ref name=Holland/> This was challenged by local residents, but closure was agreed in February 1955 for 15 June 1955, although the line was closed down on 29 May 1956 due to a rail strike.<ref name=awdry/> An acrimonious battle between British Railways and the users of the Bluebell Line then ensued, and lasted three years.<ref name=Holland>{{cite book|title=Dr Beeching's Axe 50 Years On: Memories of Britain's Lost Railways |author=Julian Holland|publisher=David & Charles|date=22 Feb 2013|isbn=978-1446302675}}</ref>

Shortly after closure, Margery Bessemer of Chailey discovered in the 1877 and 1878 acts the clause relating to the "Statutory Line", and demanded British Railways reinstate services. On 7 August 1956, British Railways reopened the line,<ref name=Holland/> with trains stopping at stations mentioned in the acts. British Railways took the case to the House of Commons in 1957, resulting in a public inquiry.<ref name=awdry/><ref name=Holland/> British Railways were censured, but later the Transport Commission persuaded Parliament to repeal the special section of the act. By this means the line was finally closed down on 17 March 1958.<ref name=awdry/><ref name=Holland/>

==Preservation==
[[File:Bluebell Railway (26143350804).jpg|thumb|right|Bluebell Railway [[SECR P class]] ''Bluebell'' 323]]
On 15 March 1959, a group that included the future president of the society, [[Bernard Holden]], met in Ardingly and formed the ''Lewes & East Grinstead Railway Preservation Society''. The society elected John Leroy as the first chairman, and £940 was raised in donations to start the society. On a vote at the meeting, the society changed its name to the '''Bluebell Railway Preservation Society'''.<ref name=Welch>{{cite book|title=The Bluebell Railway: Five Decades of Achievement|author=Michael Welch|publisher=Capital Transport Publishing|date=31 May 2010|isbn=978-1854143365}}</ref>

The society's initial aim was to reopen the whole line from East Grinstead to Culver Junction as a commercial service, using a two-car [[Diesel multiple unit|DMU]].<ref name=Welch/> The plans came to nothing: the society failed to buy the whole line, and most local residents were not interested.<ref name=Welch/> The committee then recommended that the stretch of track between [[Sheffield Park Garden|Sheffield Park]] and Horsted Keynes could be run as a tourist attraction, with vintage locomotives and stock operated by unpaid volunteer staff.<ref name=Welch/>

===Sheffield Park to Horsted Keynes===
[[File:Bluebell Railway - geograph.org.uk - 435324.jpg|thumb|Bluebell Railway [[LB&SCR A1 class|A1]] ''Fenchurch'' taking on water at [[Sheffield Park railway station|Sheffield Park Station]].]]As B.R. still ran an electrified line from Horsted Keynes to Ardingly,<ref name=Holland/> the society leased a stretch of track from BR just south of this.<ref name=Holland/> In 1960, the interim line was opened, running from Sheffield Park to Bluebell Halt, {{convert|100|yard}} south of [[Horsted Keynes]]. In 1962, the society extended services to Horsted Keynes. Also in 1962, a halt was opened at Holywell (Waterworks). However, this was closed the following year. B.R. withdrew passenger services from Horsted Keynes to Haywards Heath in 1963; and with complete closure of the line north of Horsted Keynes, the Bluebell Line was severed from the British Rail system.

===Horsted Keynes to Kingscote===
In 1974, the society purchased the [[Freehold (law)|freehold]] of the demolished [[West Hoathly railway station|West Hoathly station]], allowing the first steps to be taken towards an extension northwards towards [[East Grinstead railway station|East Grinstead station]]. It then purchased the freehold of the site of [[Kingscote railway station|Kingscote station]] in January 1985.<ref name=BBExtn/> These efforts culminated in a [[public inquiry]], with the Secretaries of State for the [[Secretary of State for the Environment|Environment]] and [[Secretary of State for Transport|Transport]] giving [[planning permission]] and a [[Light Railway Order]] for an extension to East Grinstead in 1985.<ref name=BBExtn>{{cite web|url=http://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/extend.html|title=Bluebell Railway Extension|publisher=Bluebell-Railway.co.uk|access-date=10 February 2013}}</ref>

The Bluebell Railway Preservation Society completed the extension from Horsted Keynes to Kingscote in April 1994,<ref name=BBExtn/> re-laying track through Sharpthorne Tunnel, which at {{convert|731|yd|m|0|disp=or}} is the longest on a UK heritage railway. At the north end of Sharpthorne Tunnel, the line passes through the site of the former West Hoathly railway station. It was demolished in 1967, but remains of the platforms and goods dock are still visible.

2010 marked the Bluebell's 50th anniversary of running trains.<ref name=Welch/><ref name=BBC8687797/> To mark the event, the railway held a gala over 6–8 August 2010 with all available home engines and two visitor engines.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/events/50th.html|title=Bluebell Railway - 50th Anniversary Events|website=www.bluebell-railway.co.uk}}</ref> Some of the society's founder members gathered at Horsted Keynes to mark the arrival of a commemorative [[LB&SCR A1X class 55 Stepney|LB&SCR A1X class No. 55 ''Stepney'']]-hauled steam train. The entourage then travelled towards Sheffield Park.<ref name=BBC8687797>{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/sussex/8687797.stm|title=Bluebell Railway in Sussex celebrates 50th anniversary |work=BBC News|date=17 May 2010|access-date=12 February 2013}}</ref>

===Kingscote to East Grinstead via Imberhorne===
[[File:Excavating Imberhorne cutting.jpg|thumb|This cutting between Kingscote and East Grinstead had been used as a rubbish tip, and the waste material had to be cleared before the line could be reopened. The track northeast of this point was relaid to allow the waste to be removed by rail.]]
From its inception, the society had always planned to work northwards towards East Grinstead, where the line would connect with the national network. BR donated [[Imberhorne Viaduct]] to the railway in 1992, but the purchase of the final pieces of the by then privately owned track bed north to East Grinstead was only completed in 2003,<ref name=Welch/> allowing physical civil engineering activity to be undertaken from that year.<ref name=BBExtn/>

A major problem was the former [[landfill]] site in the {{convert|30|ft|m|1|adj=mid|-deep}} cutting just south of Imberhorne Viaduct. It had been filled with domestic waste by East Grinstead Town Council in the 1960s and 1970s, but tests undertaken by contractors working for both the society and the borough council found the {{convert|96000|m3}} of waste within the {{convert|500|m|ft|adj=mid|-long}} cutting were not toxic.<ref name=BBC7747542/>

The excavated [[clay]]-cap covering the landfill site was taken south by rail, to fill the site of a removed viaduct and embankment on the old [[Ardingly]] spur. In January 2008 agreement was given to start clearing foliage on the section of the tip between Imberhorne Lane and Hill Place bridges. In a public launch event, [[BBC News|BBC news]]<nowiki/>reader [[Nicholas Owen (journalist)|Nicholas Owen]]—a local resident and society volunteer—started removal of the actual waste on 25 November 2008.<ref name=BBC7747542>{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/sussex/7747542.stm|title=Rubbish cleared for steam trains|work=BBC News|date=25 November 2008|access-date=12 February 2013}}</ref>

Initially rubbish was removed from the site by lorry, but, due to the substantial volume and cost of about £45/tonne, in 2009 a trial removal of spoil by rail was carried out by [[DB Schenker Rail (UK)]]. At £25,000 per train and now undertaken by [[GB Railfreight]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lewes.co.uk/Magazine.aspx?id=25|title=Bluebell Railway East Grinstead Extension|author=Gemma Fennings|work=The Lewes Magazine|date=24 November 2011|access-date=12 February 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121007035432/http://lewes.co.uk/Magazine.aspx?id=25 |archive-date=7 October 2012}}</ref> this practice continued periodically as funds became available. However, an increase in the landfill tax was announced in 2008, and this was due to take effect from April 2012. It would increase the cost of removal from £25/tonne to £90/tonne. So the society formed an appeal to complete the removal of the landfill waste by the end of March 2012.<ref name=BBC13608094/> With the receiving site changed to [[Appleford]], [[Oxfordshire]]<ref name=BBNLNov11>{{cite web|url=http://www.bluebell-railway-museum.co.uk/archive/newsletter/001/newsletter.htm|title=Update: NEP Imberhorne Tip Waste by Rail|publisher=Bluebell Railway Society|date=24 November 2011|access-date=12 February 2013}}</ref> and thanks to the "tenner for the tip" appeal, the cash target was met and the rubbish was removed by rail in time.<ref name=BBC13608094>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-13608094|title=Bluebell Railway races to clear rubbish from cutting|work=BBC News|date=31 May 2011|access-date=12 February 2013}}</ref>

In autumn 2008 work started on site clearance at East Grinstead for construction of the new station about {{convert|100|yd|m|0}} south of the national rail station.<ref name=Welch/> At the railway's 50th anniversary celebration weekend in 2010, East Sussex resident [[Vera Lynn|Dame Vera Lynn]] launched a £3.8 million appeal; the greater part of this amount would be put towards reconnecting the line to East Grinstead.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/sussex/8189165.stm|title=Dame Vera launches railway appeal|work=BBC News|date=17 May 2010|access-date=12 February 2013}}</ref> [[Mid Sussex District Council]] responded with a one-off donation of £50,000 towards the reconnection.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/sussex/8758214.stm|title=Steam railway in Mid Sussex receives cash boost|work=BBC News|date=24 June 2010|access-date=12 February 2013}}</ref>

On 7 March 2013, the last section of track was formally joined using a white fishplate, with the honour of tightening the four bolts being given to Barbara Watkins, a long-standing Bluebell Railway volunteer.<ref>{{cite web|title=15 March 2013: The Line Is Joined!|url=http://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/ext/extprog.html#15mar13|publisher=Bluebell Railway|access-date=2013-03-21}}</ref> The extension to East Grinstead was officially opened on Saturday 23 March, with a two-week opening festival starting that day.<ref>{{cite web|title=East Grinstead Festival |url=http://www.bluebell-railway.com/east-grinstead-festival/ |publisher=Bluebell Railway |access-date=2013-03-21 }}{{dead link|date=June 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

===West: Horsted Keynes to Haywards Heath via Ardingly===
[[File:3724smallRSBR.JPG|thumb|left|150px|The Ardingly spur, just south of {{stnlnk|Horsted Keynes}}]]
[[File:Former Ardingly Branch Line - geograph.org.uk - 859564.jpg|thumb|left|150px|The trackbed just east of the [[Hanson plc|Hanson Aggregates]] depot, {{stnlnk|Ardingly}}]]
Originally built as a double-track line,<ref name=Turner3/> it was [[Third rail|electrified]] in the 1930s, with [[SR Class 2NOL|2-NOL]] units used for the [[Seaford railway station, East Sussex|Seaford]]-Horsted Keynes service. The line between Horsted Keynes and Ardingly was operated as single-track in its final years, with [[British Rail Class 401|2-BIL/Class 401]] and [[British Rail Class 402|2-HAL/Class 402]] units. The second track was left in place and used for carriage storage, most notably the new Kent Coast electric stock prior to its introduction and later the steam-hauled stock that it replaced.<ref name=BBExtn/>

After the line's closure in 1963, the trackbed was purchased in its entirety by a member of the local gentry. In the 1990s the society bought the abandoned trackbed west between Horsted Keynes and Ardingly from his estate. This included up to the [[Hanson plc|Hanson Aggregates]] depot built on the former [[Ardingly railway station]] site.<ref name=Welch/><ref name=BBExtn/>

The society plans to reconnect the line with [[Network Rail]] at Copyhold Junction, to allow access to the [[Brighton Main Line|London to Brighton Main Line]].<ref name=Welch/><ref>{{cite web|access-date=2022-12-28|title=Bluebell Railway ready to advance 'through' railway|url=https://www.railmagazine.com/news/network/2022/09/16/bluebell-railway-ready-to-advance-through-railway|website=www.railmagazine.com}}</ref> Stations could either be located at Copyhold or Haywards Heath. There is a proposal that the line could be restored as [[third rail]] electrified, allowing operation of the society's electric stock.<ref name=BBExtn/>

While the {{convert|218|yard|adj=on}} Lywood Tunnel remains in good condition, there are two major areas of work that would be required to re-open the line, these being the replacement of a short girder-bridge span bridge and the {{convert|117|yard|adj=on}} Sheriff Mill Viaduct, which was demolished in 1969. The removed clay-cap from Imberhorne cutting has been deposited on the banks of the former Sheriff Mill viaduct to allow later bridging of the gap.<ref name=BBExtn/> Also in 2013, the former [[Tewkesbury and Malvern Railway]] bridge that crossed over the [[M50 motorway (Great Britain)|M50 motorway]] was donated to the railway for eventual installation in the replacement bridge.

===South: Sheffield Park to Lewes===
[[File:Bluebell Railway, Looking South from Sheffield Park.jpg|thumb|Looking south towards the former line to [[Newick]] and [[Chailey]] and to [[Lewes]], from [[Sheffield Park Garden|Sheffield Park]]]] 
By the late Victorian era, [[Lewes railway station|Lewes station]] was the convergence point of three lines from the East Sussex coast and three lines to the north all of which reached [[London]] via [[Croydon]].<ref name=Turner3/> Today, Lewes has a line to the north which joins the Brighton main Line at [[Burgess Hill]] and from there on to Gatwick Airport, East Croydon and London, a line west towards Brighton, a line south to Newhaven and Seaford, and a line east to Eastbourne, Hastings and Ashford.

Originally the Bluebell Line was the straightest and quickest route from Lewes to London.<ref name=Turner3/> The Bluebell Railway ran directly south from Sheffield Park to Culver Junction (at Culver Farm just south of [[Barcombe Mills]]), with intermediate stations at {{stnlnk|Newick and Chailey}} and {{stnlnk|Barcombe}}.<ref name=Turner3/> At Culver Junction it joined the 1858 [[Wealden Line]] (part of which is now restored as the nearby Heritage [[Lavender Line]]), thereby gaining access to Lewes.<ref name=Turner3/> The section from East Grinstead to Culver Junction was closed in 1958, and the Lewes to Uckfield line in 1969 by British Railways.

Bluebell supporters and committee members have expressed interest in re-building the line south by three more stations to Lewes.<ref name=Welch/> However, a substantial number of large civil engineering obstacles and intrusions onto the former track-bed make this a difficult project to envisage the completion of.<ref name=Welch/> For execution, the project would require:<ref name=BBExtn/>
*The bridging of the raised, widened and re-aligned [[A275 road]] immediately south of Sheffield Park
*The re-excavation of waste-infill under the former road bridges just south of Sheffield Park and Barcombe stations
*The in-filling since of the cutting and former route under the [[A272 road]]
*The re-excavation of waste-infill at the former {{stnlnk|Newick and Chailey}}, which includes industrial waste producing large amounts of [[methane gas]] discharges<ref name=BBExtn/>
*The fact that a large [[private residence|private]] [[housing estate]] has been built on and surrounding the former Newick and Chailey site
The remaining undeveloped line from Lewes to Sheffield Park has been safeguarded as a bridleway and footpath.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.lewes.gov.uk/coun/planning/lewes_local_plan/written/written_frame.htm?cpt9.htm&re6|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110614015638/http://www.lewes.gov.uk/coun/planning/lewes_local_plan/written/written_frame.htm?cpt9.htm&re6|title=Lewes District Council Local Plan, Chapter 9, paragraph 9.19|archivedate=14 June 2011}}</ref>

== Stations ==
[[File:17I02I2018 BLUEBELL RAILWAY Sulky Service A1.jpg|thumb|[[Sheffield Park railway station|Sheffield Park station]]]]
[[File:Bluebell Railway - Horsted Keynes station.jpg|thumb|[[Horsted Keynes railway station|Horsted Keynes station]]]]
[[File:Kingscote Station and 473 Bus.jpg|thumb|[[Kingscote railway station|Kingscote station]] with AEC Routemaster bus on Route 473 East Grinstead – Kingscote service]]
The various stations have been restored to show different periods of the railway's life:
*Sheffield Park has been restored to a [[Victorian era|Victorian]] ambience, as it would have appeared during the time of the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway (up to 1922)
*Horsted Keynes emulates the Southern Railway from 1923 to 1947
*West Hoathly (if built) will emulate the British Railways of the late 1940s
*Kingscote echoes the British Railways of the 1950s
* East Grinstead is an amalgam of British Railways of the 1950s and 1960s

=== Heritage railway ===
;East Grinstead to Sheffield Park
*[[East Grinstead railway station#Bluebell Railway|East Grinstead]]
*{{stnlnk|Kingscote}}
*{{stnlnk|West Hoathly}} (closed)
*{{stnlnk|Horsted Keynes}}
* Bluebell Halt (closed)
* Holywell (Waterworks) (closed)
* Freshfield Halt (closed)
* Ketches Halt (closed)
*{{stnlnk|Sheffield Park}}
;Horsted Keynes to Ardingly (proposed)
*{{stnlnk|Horsted Keynes}}
*{{stnlnk|Ardingly}} (proposed)

=== Original stations ===
;Lewes to East Grinstead (Low Level)
*{{stnlnk|East Grinstead}}
*Kingscote
*West Hoathly
*Horsted Keynes
*Sheffield Park
*Newick and Chailey
*Barcombe
*Lewes

== Rolling stock ==
{{Main|Rolling stock of the Bluebell Railway}}
[[File:Sheffield Park engine shed Bluebell Railway - geograph.org.uk - 978187.jpg|thumb|right|The new locomotive shed at [[Sheffield Park railway station|Sheffield Park]]]]
The Bluebell Railway preserved a number of steam locomotives before the cessation of steam service on British mainline railways in 1968. Today it has the largest collection—over 30—of steam locomotives in the UK after the National Railway Museum (NRM). The society also has a collection of almost 150 carriages and wagons, most of them pre-war.{{citation needed|date=October 2025}}

[[File:30424 Beachy Head.jpg|left|thumb|The newly completed locomotive passing through Horsted Keynes on its second day in public service, 23 August 2024]]
On 29 October 2000 the Bluebell Railway announced its intention to reconstruct a replica of SR/BR period [[LB&SCR H2 class]] [[4-4-2 (locomotive)|Atlantic]] ''Beachy Head''. By then, many surviving locomotive parts had been assembled including an ex-[[GNR Class C1 (large boiler)|GNR 'Atlantic']] boiler, and an ex-[[LB&SCR B4 class]] tender chassis.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/locos/atlantic/|title=Bluebell Railway Atlantic Group|website=www.bluebell-railway.co.uk}}</ref> The boiler was tested around August 2018. The locomotive rolled out and was coupled to its tender on 5 March 2024, to begin commissioning work prior to entering service,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.facebook.com/bluebellrailway/posts/pfbid08mUwCCfBnmxr2bcjNkTAgEB1tSyNQMfkxc6fMqsyUUJqGovmJVbEb24T2cLW2b8Jl |title='Beachy Head' Emerges! |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=March 6, 2024 |website=facebook.com |publisher=Bluebell Railway |access-date=March 6, 2024}}</ref> which it did on 18 August 2024.<ref name=Inservice>{{cite web |url=https://www.bluebell-railway.com/heritage-locomotives/lbscr-class-h2-no-32424-beachy-head/ |title=LBSCR Class H2 No. 32424 'Beachy Head' |publisher=Bluebell Railway |accessdate=23 August 2024}}</ref>

In April 2008, the [[Heritage Lottery Fund]] provided a £2.8M grant towards new buildings next to {{stnlnk|Sheffield Park}}, to provide weatherproof shelter for up to 17 carriages. The funds were also used to: create a museum and interpretation area; create new facilities for locomotive crews; create a rainwater catchment system from the roof of the carriage building, which is then processed and used to fill the steam engines' boilers; restore the railway's historic platform buildings.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/sussex/7332471.stm|title=Steam railway awarded £2.8m grant|agency=BBC News|date=5 April 2008|access-date=12 February 2013}}</ref>

==Twinning==
The Bluebell Railway is twinned with the [[Museumstoomtram Hoorn - Medemblik|Museumstoomtram Hoorn – Medemblik]], which links [[Hoorn]] and [[Medemblik]], [[North Holland]], the [[Netherlands]].<ref name=Link>{{cite web |url=http://www.museumstoomtram.nl/en |title=The most thrilling journey through time by steamtram and boat! |publisher=Museumstoomtram Hoorn-Medemblik |access-date=16 March 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130317064032/http://www.museumstoomtram.nl/en |archive-date=17 March 2013 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

== References ==

{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite magazine|title=Bluebell links with main line at East Grinstead|first=Cliff|last=Thomas|magazine=The Railway Magazine|page=6|issue=1345|volume=159|date=May 2013|location=Horncastle|publisher=Mortons Media Group|issn=0033-8923|oclc=750645684}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Bluebell Railway}}
{{Wikivoyage}}
* {{Official website|https://www.bluebell-railway.com/}}
* [https://www.bluebell-railway.com/brps/ Bluebell Railway Preservation Society]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20081214115504/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,891742,00.html "Miss Bessemer's Crusade"]. ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]''. 20 August 1956.
* [https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00101lk "Miss Bessemer Saves The Train" (Radio 4 drama)]

{{Heritage railways in England}}
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[[Category:Bluebell Railway| ]]
[[Category:Heritage railways in East Sussex]]
[[Category:Heritage railways in West Sussex]]
[[Category:Mid Sussex District]]
[[Category:Standard gauge railways in England]]
[[Category:London, Brighton and South Coast Railway]]