The Ultimate Full Footplate Driving Experience 2023

The Ultimate Full Footplate Driving Experience at the Bluebell Railway.

The ultimate footplate experience day for any railway enthusiast or lover of steam is now available at The Bluebell Railway.

You can now take part in a very special Footplate Taster Day where you are in control of one of our larger locomotives and your very own train!

Your day starts at 7 am and you join your crew and help prepare your locomotive for the day at Sheffield Park Shed. Savouring the sights, sounds and smells of a working steam shed, here you’ll get the chance to be introduced to your Bluebell engine crew and locomotive and be alongside the other crews and engines running that day before you head out onto The Bluebell Railway later that morning. You’ll also get your chance to sample an experience very few people are lucky enough to have experienced before, a behind-the-scenes look into how you prepare an engine and how it's achieved. You will be part of that whole experience with this Ultimate Footplate Taster Day!

After starting in the shed, you head into The Bessemer Arms for a Full English Breakfast at Sheffield Park at 9 am. (Extra guests are welcome, catering requirements can be booked in advance, and an additional fee is required for guest catering.)

After this, you then re-join your engine in the shed, and after coupling up with your allocated coaches, you’ll then take the train up the whole length of The Bluebell Railway to East Grinstead. This will depart from Sheffield Park at 11:05. You'll be in charge of your very own train, something that your guests (who can join you on this very special day) can enjoy as well, as they travel on the train you will be in control of.

You will have two return journeys between Sheffield Park & East Grinstead (broken up by a lunch break) During this experience, you will share it with another three participants and enjoy their Ultimate Footplate Taster Day alongside them on the footplate. During this, you’ll have the chance to take turns both driving and firing the locomotive throughout the day.

Lunch will be served once again at Sheffield Park around 1:30 pm and your day will finish off at 4:30 pm

This special experience is a real must for anyone who’s always wanted to be an engine driver or wanted their chance to join the footplate crew!

The price for this exclusive experience is £1295.00 per person. Up To 10 Guests are allowed to join your special experience and ride on the train you will be driving and firing!

Don’t miss out on this chance of a lifetime where dreams can come true at The Bluebell Railway.

 

Schedule for Footplate Driving Experiences 2023

 

The course is designed for 4 Candidates.

 

7:00am:  Arrive. Sign on. Introduction to the crew. Safety briefing. Help with locomotive preparation.

9:00am:  Crew, guard and participants to the Bessemer Arms for breakfast.

10:00am:  Candidates 1 & 2 rejoin the locomotive, shunt to the carriage shed and couple to Set.

                  Candidates 3 & 4 work with the guard to prepare the train.

 

10:30am:  Train shunted to Sheffield Park Platform 2 and run round.

 

11:05am departure:  Candidate 1 drives from Sheffield Park to Horsted Keynes

                                   Candidate 2 fires from Sheffield Park to Horsted Keynes

                                   Candidates 3&4 ride in the train

 

11:25am at HK:        Candidate 1 fires from Horsted Keynes to East Grinstead

                                    Candidate 2 drives from Horsted Keynes to Kingscote

                                    Candidate 3&4 ride on the train

 

12:25pm at EG:       Candidate 1 drives from East Grinstead to Horsted Keynes

                                    Candidate 2 fires from East Grinstead to Horsted Keynes

                                    Candidate 3&4 ride on the train

 

1:00pm at HK:         Candidate 1 fires from Horsted Keynes to Sheffield Park

                                    Candidate 2 drives from Horsted Keynes to Sheffield Park

                                    Candidate 3&4 ride on the train

 

1:25pm at SP:            All candidates and crew to the Bessemer Arms to lunch

 

2:15pm at SP:          Candidates 3&4 to go to the engines with the crew, run round and take water.

 

2:35pm at SP:         Candidate 3 drives from Sheffield Park to Horsted Keynes

                                   Candidate 4 fires from Sheffield Park to Horsted Keynes

                                   Candidates 1&2 ride in the train

 

3:00pm at HK:        Candidate 3 fires from Horsted Keynes to East Grinstead

                                   Candidate 4 drives from Horsted Keynes to Kingscote

                                   Candidate 1&2 ride on the train

 

3:50pm at EG:          Candidate 3 drives from East Grinstead to Horsted Keynes

                                    Candidate 4 fires from East Grinstead to Horsted Keynes

                                    Candidate 1&2 ride on the train

 

4:15pm at HK:          Candidate 3 fires from Horsted Keynes to Sheffield Park

                                    Candidate 4 drives from Horsted Keynes to Sheffield Park

                                    Candidate 1&2 ride on the train

 

4:30pm at SP:   Get all candidates together for a debrief. Crew and guard put the train in the carriage shed and Engine in shed.

 

 

 Participants must:

• Be at least 18.
• Be reasonably fit and in good health - able to ascend and descend a ladder unassisted.
• Wear suitable protective clothing, which covers arms and legs at all times. Clothing that may easily melt or catch fire if it comes into contact with hot surfaces/material is not suitable (e.g. polyester/nylon). Gloves are also advisable.
• Wear sturdy footwear.
• Not attend the experience under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
• Read the Medical Brief and meet the standards required in the Medical Self-Assessment Questionnaire before being allowed to take part.

Please note:

• Participants will be required to complete a Medical Self-Assessment Questionnaire prior to taking part.
• Bluebell Railway reserves the right to cancel bookings where the participant fails to meet the required health standards.
• Bluebell Railway reserves the right to reschedule or cancel a driving experience if the minimum number of participants booked for a specific day is not reached, or for any other reason.
• The locomotive used for this experience may vary subject to availability