The Bluebell Railway has announced that it is to be welcoming a new diesel to Sheffield Park.
BRCW Type 3 (class 33) No.D6570 (33052) 'Ashford' is being purchased by the same group which owns the Bluebell-based class 09 shunter No.D4106 and will shortly be moving from the K&ESR to Sheffield Park. The loco is not ready to enter service straight away, but has been acquired so that there is a main line diesel locomotive at the railway which is suitable to operate passenger services as required, in the event of steam locomotive failure or a steam ban in hot weather for example. It is also a Southern Region diesel locomotive type and is therefore the class which is more appropriate to the line than any other (although the Lewes-East Grinstead line was closed to BR before the Type 3s were introduced!)
The press release has stressed that the Bluebell Railway is still a predominantly steam railway, with the Type 3 being intended to only be used for passenger trains in emergencies and maybe diesel galas.
https://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/b...ts_29jun21.pdf
https://www.bluebell-railway.com/brps/whats_new/
Tony