I was privileged to be invited to the Bluebell Railway diamond anniversary event on 16 March when they commemorated the 60th anniversary of the closure of the ‘Bluebell Line’ and marked the last service from East Grinstead to Lewes. The event began with a greeting by a jazz band at Sheffield Park, a beautifully restored station with many interesting features not least the museum, where one could spend hours learning about the history of the railways and of course Southern’s contribution to travel (did you know they used to have steam boats as part of their fleet?) We traveled to East Grinstead and then back to Sheffield Park, along the journey Bluebell volunteers were engaging with passengers telling them historic facts and pointing out various landmarks which made the trip even more enjoyable.
It was a fantastically organised event made even better by the glorious weather.
Photo: Martin Lawrence
