The Brighton Belle project

[4-COR 3142]

Went up to Barrow Hill the weekend before last for the appearance of the two A4s before they leave the country.
It was my first visit since the Southern weekend early last year and I was also looking forward to see how things had progressed with the Belle since then.

I was really surprised to find the shed which contained Hazel last spring shut. There was also no mention of the project anywhere around Barrow Hill and one of the two 4-VOPs -3918 - was also on site still complete.

Having looked at the Belles website there appears to have been no real progress in the last year with just a couple of new articles, the last in July.

As with a number of projects the whole thing seems to a bit of a secret society - you can subscribe to a newsletter to find out what's going on - but as nothing does seem to be going on I'm less inclined to do so. Can anyone on here enlighten me?

 

[Chris125]

There are updates in most editions of the 'Pullman & CIWL news'- the latest one is in the february edition if you're interested.

Chris

 

[4-COR 3142]

There are updates in most editions of the 'Pullman & CIWL news'- the latest one is in the february edition if you're interested.

Chris

Hello Chris,

Many thanks for the link, I spent my lunch hour going through the last couple of years entries.
As you say there are updates in most editions but its difficult to gauge what progress is actually being made. The two cars that had already received the fairly exstensive surgery to fit CIG bogies and brace the chassis prior to the 'Southern weekend' at Barrow Hill last spring are still the only ones seemingly being worked on.
Car 91 - one of the Motor Brakes - has had some work towards the changes to allow a disabled toilet to be incorporated. But at present this seems to be just the extra window being cut out and fitted.
As for Car 85 the latest mention in a report intimates the work is still to be done, any internal photos of either coach do not seem to show much movement.

I have actually subscribed to the newsletters on the Belle's website in the hope of learning something.
However I don't think the site itself and how rarely its updated is helping the project - there have been two changes since the 'Southern' weekend and one of those was publicising a book.
Also to have no representation on site at all during one of Barrow Hill's biggest events of the year was at best - I think - a bad decision, at worst it could be sending out a message that the project has stopped altogether.

Hopefully I'm wrong, but if someone with a genuine love of anything three rail - NOT made by Hornby Dublo - really struggles to find out what's going on how are they going attract interest from a casual browser?

 

[Chris125]

I think it's actually quite a refreshing approach, they appear to have the money thanks to high profile supporters so they are quietly getting on with it - I'm sure there'll be more updates when the progress becomes more obvious as until recently they've mainly been designing and prototyping the underframe modifications and getting these approved.

Chris

 

[Chris125]

The Brighton Belle website does now have an update on progress.

Chris

 

[Electrostar]

Nice to see an update. I donated a couple of years ago but never received so much as an
automated thank you by email. I began to suspect I donated to a fake website.

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

The Brighton Belle website does now have an update on progress.

Chris

Yes they just sent me an email news letter as I am on their data base updating their progress.