Sheffield Park Station
There are four collections covering the stations: (a) Sheffield Park Station; (b) Horsted Keynes Station; (c) Kingscote Station; and (d) Bluebell Railway's East Grinstead Station (including the construction).
Signal boxes have separate collections: (a) Sheffield Park Signal Box; (b) Horsted Keynes Signal Box; and (c) Kingscote Signal Box (including the old southern box).
Two collections show lineside views: (a) the line from Sheffield Park to Horsted Keynes; and (b) the line from Horsted Keynes to Kingscote.
Five galleries show the construction of the Northern Extension to East Grinstead: (a) Track improvements north of Kingscote; (b) Vowels Lane Bridge to Imberhorne Lane Bridge; (c) Imberhone Lane Tip; (d) Hill Place Farm Bridge to Hill Place Viaduct; and (e) Hill Place Viaduct (sometimes called Imberhorne Viaduct).
Please note that the vast majority of the Northern Extension pictures were taken on private land with permission. Where necessary lookout protection was provided or a possession was taken. No matter what their status no pedestrian may enter the section of restricted clearance adjacent to Turners Hill Bridge without specific authority and appropriate protection.
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September 2011 and new points have been laid down to form a turn out from the locomotive shed into the headshunt (behind the camera). Another point leads from the headshunt towards the wash out pit, but the track connecting the two has yet to be installed. 24.09.2011 2881
Four months later and track is in position with plant standing on it. 21.01.2012 3452
March 2012 and the work on the track is finished. 10.03.2012 3814
February 2011, and work is in progress to construct the new wash out pit, with shuttering in place. Having regard to the time of year this proved to be a somewhat muddy undertaking. 12.02.2011 5895
I am not entirely sure that the Health and Safety signage met modern standards, but given the many ghosts that inhabited the old Loco Lobby the sign is probably technically correct... 12.02.2011 5896
If anything the situation down in the staff car park was even more muddy, as the contractors played a game called "Hunt the services". The necessary pipes and cables were eventually installed and the area now looks like a car park again. 24.02.2011 6022
By March 2011 concrete had been poured, and something that could be recognised as a wash out pit began to appear. There was the added advantage of some hard standing to walk on. 09.03.2011 6145
It took some time to get the track levels right and to install the pipes and services but in March 2012 rails had been fitted and the area was nearly ready for use. This view looks south. 10.03.2012 3800
The reverse of the previous view, looking north on the same day. 10.03.2012 3809
On 25.03.2012 9017 became the first locomotive to venture on to the wash out pit track. By then the necessary hazard markings had been laid around the pit. The whole construction of the wash out pit has a separate large gallery in the Heritage Lottery Projects section of the main Bluebell Railway index. 4125
Directly adjacent to the wash out pit is the area where the coal is stored. Recently the railway has been using coal from the UK and Russia, although some batches of the latter have proved to generate rather black smoke. 23.06.2018 18685
Sheffield Park workshops prior to the start of construction work on the Above Workshop Facility (AWF). 10.12.2011 3320
Sheffield Park workshops, viewed from the car park, prior to the start of construction work. 17.03.2011 6490
Just over a year later, and work has started to erect the Above Workshop Facility (AWF). 03.04.2012 4178
A large crane had taken over the majority of the top car park and was hoisting steel into position. 03.04.2012 4201
The steel sections, ready for installation. In the background the front of the administration and catering block is in view. 03.04.2012 4210
Installation of steel superstructure takes place very quickly, and this is the framework three days later. 06.04.2012 4364
The following month the roof was in place, and some of the ground works were in progress at the rear of the building. 12.05.2012 4724
A view of the AWF building in May 2012, looking south from the top car park. It can be seen that the contractors were making significant progress. 12.05.2012 4711
The following month cladding was on the building and some doors and windows had been fitted, making the external structure virtually complete. Internal fitting out would take many years, owing to a lack of financial resources to allocate to this work. The Friends of Sheffield Park eventually offered significant assistance. 16.06.2012 8133
A side view of the AWF, in virtually complete condition 16.06.2012 5025
The northern end of the AWF, viewed from the top car park. The whole construction of the Above Workshop Facility has a separate large gallery in the Heritage Lottery Projects section of the main Bluebell Railway index.16.06.2012 5027
In 2016 a memorial clock was added to the building in memory of the late Phil Stoneman, a volunteer held in high regard. 16.04.2016 12792
In 2016 a memorial clock was added to the building in memory of the late Phil Stoneman, a volunteer held in high regard. 16.04.2016 12797