Book Your Ticket, or Xmas Gift, A Ride on the Bluebell Railway or watch the video

The magic of the gleaming steam train, climb aboard. The station master in his peaked black cap blows his whistle. Puff puff, chuff chuff. Wave goodbye. Diddle-ee-dum, on the rails. Look out of the window and watch the passing scenery. Brace yourself for the steep descent. Where is it? Sussex. Southern England. The warm south. Warm but wet sometimes, which is a good thing because it makes the scenery green. Is it the bluebells in springtime which give their name to the Bluebell Railway?

Photograph from Wiki Commons.

Bluebell Railway Train Rides
The steam train service goes to and from East Grinstead in Sussex. In winter they run Santa special and reindeer journeys.
You may have seen the trains in films such as The Railway Children, The Wind in the Willows and 101 Dalmations.
The trains also appear in a book by Rev Awdry.

The Society running the line has 30 locomotives. The service is run by volunteers.

The Museum
See the museum at Sheffield Park Station.
www.bluebell-railway.co.uk
Armchair travellers can watch the train chuffing along on a YouTube video.

Planning Your Trip
You can book dinner on the train as a birthday treat or Xmas gift. Reviews on Tripadvisor
You can get a discount by booking well in advance for an all day ticket.

The Gardens
You could combine a railway trip with a visit to Sheffield Park and Garden, nearby with a connecting bus. The Sheffield Park and Garden is a National Trust property which will be open all year except Xmas Day. More details from
National Trust website at www.nationaltrust.org.uk/sheffield-park-and-garden - See more at: http://www.bluebell-railway.com/national-trust-garden-sheffield-park/#sthash.rNpzZ1Cc.dpuf


Prices are quite high.
But some dates are already fully booked.
New Year's Eve is £150. That includes mulled wine and canapés on arrival as well as dinner and coffee and petits fours.
More on the Bluebell Railway and the Bluebell Vineyard in a previous post.

Bluebell railway steam train to ride and Bluebell wines to taste and buy

The bluebell wine company is near the bluebell railway. A great afternoon out for any group, such as a women's institute. Visit the winery. Have a vineyard tour and tasting. Maybe buy a souvenir bottle -or case. Then take the bluebell railway.

Watch out for expansion of the opportunities at the Bluebell Vineyard. I met Lucy. She says they are planning to expand the facilities, building a cafe. Maybe a few souvenirs such as aprons. Yes, she has been to the biggest winery tourist attraction I've seen in Britain, Denbies, and the company she works for plans to follow the great example set by Denbies.

The great place to visit down the road from the Bluebell winery is a cafe in an antique furniture emporium with an elephant outside.

This is Lucy from the winery. You can see the big B for Bluebell on the wine bottle label. On their stand at a wine fair, she and another member of staff showed me and allowed me to taste three types of sparkling wine which they make. Apparently most people like the classic sparkling wine which is a blend of chardonnay and pinot noir. 

To my surprise I liked both versions of the one grape variety. I liked the 'biscuity' sparkling wine made from white Chardonnay grapes. But I also liked the other version. I like wines with a distinctive aroma and flavour.

If you want to book a vineyard tour or tasting for a group, here are their details:

Address Bluebell Vineyard Estates Glenmore Farm Sliders Lane Furners Green East Sussex TN22 3RU England Email: wineinfo@bluebellvineyard.co.uk http://www.bluebellvineyard.co.uk/ The Bluebell Railway is a steam train service. They run Santa specials. www.bluebell-railway.co.uk More on the railway in a later post.

Telephone 01825 791 561 Mobile 07785 333 417