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The Bluebell Railway

Enjoy a delightful Vintage Sunday at the Bluebell Railway - packed with steam locomotives, including the Rocket, Johnny 'Animal Magic' Morris and the inevitable Morris Dancers

Amateur film 1984 13 mins

From the collection of:

Logo for Screen Archive South East

Overview

We begin with various steam locomotives on parade at Sheffield Park station. Later a reconstruction of Stephenson's Rocket hauling a single open carriage arrives and departs. As it proceeds down the line we get a great view of the footplate. After more trains and locomotives pass by we see the event's guest star, Johnny 'Animal Magic' Morris. He is surrounded by autograph-hunting children after which the Morris Men start dancing. The film ends with more steam train action.

The Bluebell Railway is one of the world's earliest preserved standard gauge steam-operated passenger railways, operating its first train on the 7th August 1960. It runs for eleven miles from Sheffield Park station north to East Grinstead where it connects to the national mainline network. Run largely by volunteers the railway possesses over thirty preserved steam locomotives as well as over one-hundred and fifty carriages and wagons, mostly of pre-war vintage. The Bluebell Railway also has several workshops where locomotives are maintained and serviced, numerous visitor centres along the line and a recently opened museum.