Some say there are two ways of doing things: the Great Western way and the wrong way – and it was thanks to the former that the Bluebell Railway’s May 10-12 branch line weekend was deemed a roaring success as two once-rival regions crossed over foraweekend of glorious sunshine and steam in Sussex.
The invasion from the Great Western counties drew on the strong working relations between the Bluebell and the Severn Valley railways. Less than a month beforehand, LBSCR A1 ‘Terrier’ No. 72 went on its travels from the south to Shropshire for the SVR’s own spring steam gala, as highlighted last issue, where, for many, it stole the show working shuttles between Bridgnorth and Hampton Loade that included tackling the grades of Eardington Bank. Shortly after returning home, it was followed by two of that line’s resident locomotives.
