Sheffield Park to Horsted Keynes
There are five collections covering the operational part of the line: (a) Sheffield Park Station; (b) the line from Sheffield Park to Horsted Keynes; (c) Horsted Keynes Station; (d) the line from Horsted Keynes to Kingscote and (e) Kingscote Station.
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).
Photos relating to the Bluebell Railway's Northern Extension to East Grinstead are in several separate collections within the Photographic Tours index.
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One of those shots where you are in the right place at the right time. The Sheffield Park Inner Home bracket signal is pictured as a military helicopter passes by. It is not that unusual to find helicopters overflying Sheffield Park. 14.04.2011 0727 (For those in doubt this is not photo editing trickery).
The renewal of the Inner Home bracket signal in progress. Whilst the signal was being reconstructed temporary colour light signals were installed to replace it. An outgoing train is waiting in Platform 2, whilst the left hand signal shows a clear road into Platform 1 for an incoming southbound service. Between the two colour light signals are "Calling on" ground signals, that permit entry into an occupied platform. For example, these would be used when a locomotive was running round stock that had been left in the platform. 25.06.2017 17427
The newly refurbished inner Home bracket signal at Sheffield Park, viewed from the rear. the "Calling On" arm is "Off" to allow the locomotive to run round on to stock waiting in Platform 1. the locomotive only needs to shunt beyond the signal to undertake this move, but in the distance the Advance Starter protects the remainder of the line. This allows an incoming train to proceed up to the Outer Home (at Ketches Halt) whilst shunting is in progress at the station. 18.05.2018 16502
Unfortunately the very impressive tall post of the Sheffield Park Advance Starter suffered from rot, and in 2018 it was reduced to a more "normal height. It is always a shame to lose such features, but the cost of a new post would have been prohibitive, even assuming one could be sourced. 18.05.2018 18299
Ketches Bridge used to stand between the Advance Starting signal and Ketches Halt, but was blown up (demolished) many years ago. The route of an old permissive path can still be seen either side of the site, although the path is now abandoned and becoming somewhat overgrown. 9017 passes the hump in the embankment marking the site of the bridge. 25.03.2007