The Bluebell Railway in East Sussex was Britain’s (and indeed the world’s) first standard gauge steam-operated preserved railway, and since it opened as a heritage operation in 1960 the line has gone from strength to strength, operating over a short section between Sheffield Park and Horsted Keynes until the Kingscote extension opened in the 1990s and finally reaching East Grinstead in 2013.
Unlike many other heritage railways, the Bluebell has for many years operated almost all year, hence the title “A Line for All Seasons”. The book contains a fascinating collection of photos taken over the years from the early days of heritage operation in the 1960s to the 2010s. As well as steam-hauled trains, other photos include EMUs on the Haywards Heath–Horsted Keynes line before its closure in 1963, locos on shed, and interiors of signal boxes and Pullman coaches. There are also copies of tickets and publicity material from the early days of the line’s operation as a preserved railway.
The Bluebell Railway: A Line for All Seasons provides a fascinating look back at the operation of a heritage railway throughout the year. Hardback. 112 pages.