Bluebell Railway: Deltic Diesels (inc. ALYCIDON using both engines)

[@OlafProt]

13:45 is epic. I wonder do the houses above the tunnel rattle a bit with a Deltic going under them! I grew up in Surrey, so the Bluebell was the go-to Heritage line when i was a kid in the 70s. I miss that part of England quite a lot as I get older (I've been in Belfast 20+ years) so its lovely to see these shots!

[@brianwhittington5086]

Back in the 70s on the ECML, we used to see these beasts on platform, or thundering through Doncaster Station on a non-stop express every day. You could often see a couple in reserve too, along with other loco's stabled outside the adjacent Doncaster Engineering Loco Works. They certainly made the station and platforms shake doing either task. We were headed by a Deltic many times on trips to York, Hull, or other ECML stations, even rode in the cab on a few occasions when it was a driver we knew. You could hear that unique Deltic engine drone long before it came into sight, a noise you never forget once heard. You really felt the vibration when stood alongside one as it revved up to pull away. Occasionally, you would see the Deltic's do their party trick of shooting flames out of the roof exhaust ports. Apparently, it's caused by unburnt fuel oil getting ignited after standing on tick-over, and then revved for take-off with a heavy train. They had 2 engines, each with 18 cylinders arranged in banks of 6 in a triangle layout where 6 pistons were arranged in pairs so the piston crowns opposed each other to form a combustion chamber. The engines were originally designed during the late 1940s for one engine to power the Royal Navy's fast gunboats. The fascinating story of how Napier, part of English Electric, developed the Deltic engine after WW2, and a smaller version that went into other BR loco's is on KZbin if you search Napier Deltic Engines.

[@GaryNumeroUno]

Legend has it that the smoke is still drifting out of that tunnel!

[@timmungenast]

These locos seem to have the same strange lovely upper harmonics as an old radial-engined aircraft. Magic, it is. I am very glad they saved some from oblivion so we could continue to enjoy the mechanical music. Thanks for this!

[@ClassicReborn]

Indeed, many people enjoy the Deltic sound

[@mspenrice]

Probably for rather similar reasons - multiple of three pistons (well, six in fact, but only one cylinder per two pistons because of the funky "headless" inverted-boxer/side ported design, with each pair running in phase) in a somewhat radial arrangement. And each D-bank, and each pair within a D, being slightly out of phase with the next in order to run smoother. Makes for a lot of sounds that are entirely unfamiliar to anyone used to typical inline, V, or even plain boxer engines.

[@thebrummierailenthusiasts5329]

that is one of my favourites because they way they give them full power whilst accelerating through tunnels like this one mate

[@thebrummierailenthusiasts5329]

more importantly great commentary from you mate I really enjoyed it

[@madmax2069]

love the sound of a two stroke diesel

[@thebrummierailenthusiasts5329]

News has emerged that deltic 22 is back this year and now it’s part of the intercity charter duty

[@howlingemds9548]

Those Deltics make a pleasingly tremendous noise.

[@thebrummierailenthusiasts5329]

Oh I love the sound of the deltics they are always my favourite I would love to hear the noise especially in the tunnel

[@washy1965]

EXCELLENT VIDEO ❤❤❤❤❤❤ IT. WHAT A BEAUTIFUL SOUND👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@chrishampshire2012]

Lovely atmospheric film, thanks for adding this.

[@thebrummierailenthusiasts5329]

Looks like the cow hasn’t even moved since the diesel shunter got passed through this area

[@tallyhochaps3216]

Very nicely filmed and edited! My mate had no idea he was in this at 04:08! The Friday was the best!

[@ClassicReborn]

Thank you and please thank your mate for his cameo role in the video, those two were having a good old chinwag!

[@kiwitrainguy]

Of course you saved the best for last at 13.08. It's always good to get a shot looking right through a tunnel to see the train entering as well as leaving. That diesel smoke was amazing - gas masks on everyone!

[@ClassicReborn]

Yes the best is last but I promise the video is in chronological order. The twelve car train was the last one scheduled. You're right about the smoke, I think fumes might be a more appropriate word. Dirty Diesels!

[@mspenrice]

Yeah, that white haze shows that they're running quite clean - 2 stroke diesels require forced induction to run in the first place, so when only under light load will be pushing through more than enough air to ensure absolutely complete combustion of the injected fuel and very little actual soot or smoke... quite a bit of it will just be steam in fact. It's probably producing less particulates than a typical car (or least, less than a bus), even without a hint of a DPF or Adblue.

[@DaveInBridport]

Such a distinctive sound!

[@mikesullivan8352]

Great video and truly awesome sound , liked the comments about filming the curve for the viewer .

[@johngibson4641]

Great video there fella's ,, I have to ask but what is on the top of the rear of the carriages .. are they cables or pipes or grab rails ??? i have noticed that some have them and some dont so if anyone know what they are can you let me know. Cheers from John in Australia.

[@likklej8]

I’d forgotten how noisy and smoky Deltics were. Great to see Maunsell coaches though. Great vid thanks.

[@johnbrown9092]

Excellent video of classic locos.

[@steveluckhurst2350]

I seem to recall Bernard Holden saying years ago that the Bluebell would be forever steam only! I

[@BazilRat]

There's just something special about that Deltic's sound, isn't there?

[@444mrjimmy]

the deltic with both engines running sounds demonic, that's the first time I've heard one with both engines running and it's amazing

[@444mrjimmy]

@Michael Laing same thing happens when a detroit diesel olted to a generator starts up you think its gonna run away and burst into flames

[@marshallman7608]

God I'm getting old! I was on the footplate in BR days and remember them in service!

[@MikesMovies]

There is just no other look or sound, iconic locos, wish I could have made this event! Great video. would there be a chance of using some of the audio to go with a model rail video I am planning please?

[@ClassicReborn]

Thanks Mike, yes you can use the audio with pleasure.

[@MikesMovies]

@@ClassicReborn Many thanks, most kind :)

[@mirvids5036]

Some nice footage there. Shame they never really get up to any sort of speed but hey ho. Apart from the two early scrapees, I was lucky enough to be hauled by all of the fleet between King's Cross and York, some to Newcastle and a few up to Edinburgh. Great times long gone. For the record, its pronounced "Horsted Kaynes". Sussex twang an' all that !

[@306champion]

I'd love to see and hear it in person but I'm in the wrong hemisphere. I'd also love to see inside the carriages the Brits had to offer. The old girl looks to be in need of a set of rings though. Thankyou.

[@chatty1chatty1NickD]

Well done, you managed to capture one of them using both of its engines (coming out of Sharpethorn tunnel). Nick.

[@ClassicReborn]

Thank you Nick, I really appreciate your comment. Dave

[@Auraxium]

11:20 for the best clip

[@rockysharpe1995]

beautiful

[@Flaaaaanders]

Many of the tractors are named after regiments, does the regiment sponsor the upkeep or was that a tradition to name the deltic locomotive after a regiment? Love the sound Whoa! The geezer at 8;40 - is that Sam from Trailer Park Boys? Uncanny resemblance you gotta be brothers

[@steveluckhurst2350]

Tractors?

[@Flaaaaanders]

Steve luckhurst Are diesel locomotives no longer tractor engines? Not trying to be a dick. Love the deltic

[@steveluckhurst2350]

@@Flaaaaanders not sure what you mean!

[@Crewecabking]

Was one of them D9009 by any chance

[@thebrummierailenthusiasts5329]

In the blue livery with alycidon name on the side of the engine that’s d9009

[@thebrummierailenthusiasts5329]

That the loco you are looking for at 03:19

[@rovercoupe7104]

Are the piston rings worn? M.

[@ClassicReborn]

The Deltic engines are 2-stroke, like on many motorcycles, part of the process includes burning oil hence the smoke.

[@rovercoupe7104]

Thank you. M.

[@johnmacleod4481]

Absolutely magnificent in size detail besty noise of engine design.

[@ClassicReborn]

A great sound.

[@railwayman6901]

I agree a great sound.

[@DelticSPproductions]

Hi great video i am going down there tomorrow and i was wonder where the locations are that you filmed at?

[@ClassicReborn]

Deltic SP sorry I've not replied in time. Its been a busy weekend for me. For future reference, the locations used in this video are, a disused bridge (public footpath) off Turners Hill Road near East Grinstead....Also Horsted Keynes station plus take the path that leads north from HK Station (it crosses the line by bridge) keep following northwards and eventually the path is lineside....Then the shots of the tunnel are from the former(demolished) West Hoathly Station foot crossing...And my favourite Freshfield bank which is private lane but has a Public footpath. I recommend studying the map because most of this is difficult to find. Hope you've had a good day, I'll be looking out for your video.

[@pickles501]

Nice Video!

[@watchyMCFCwatchy]

More smoke than a steam engine.

[@peterbustin2683]

9:40 hear it ? I can smell the bastard's filthy fumes and lazy greedy drivers from here !

[@ClassicReborn]

😂😂

[@dengudomlige8644]

If my fellow (?) Swede, Greta Thunberg haden´t already stopped growing, she would if she watched this... Wonderful!

[@CRISIS550166]

1/10. Appallingly bad.