Class 73 No. E6040 Thrash! Named The Bluebell Railway Seen at The Bluebell Railways NSE 40th Gala

British Rail Class 73/1 Electro-Diesel No. E6040 / 73133 (The Bluebell Railway)
Constructed by English Electric at the Vulcan Foundry in Newton-le-Willows, Lancashire in March 1966 (works number EE/VF 3629/E382, delivered to British Railways Southern Region as E6040 and renumbered 73133 under TOPS in 1974), E6040 is a 60-year-old Bo-Bo bi-mode electro-diesel locomotive permanently resident and preserved on the Bluebell Railway. Designed to operate across both electrified and non-electrified routes, the 78-tonne machine produces 1,600 hp (1,193 kW) when collecting power via 650/750 V DC third-rail shoe gear, and 600 hp (447 kW) in autonomous diesel mode powered by its onboard English Electric 4SRKT Mk II 4-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine driving English Electric EE529 traction motors. Delivering a maximum starting tractive effort of 42,000 lbf (187 kN) and an operational top speed of 90 mph (145 km/h), the locomotive is immaculately turned out in authentic 1960s British Rail Rail Blue livery with period small yellow warning panels, original pre-TOPS numbering E6040, and cast bodyside nameplates reading The Bluebell Railway accompanied by the railway's official coat of arms.

Vintage 5-Car Southern Region Coaching Rake: Horsted Keynes to Sheffield Park
The locomotive hauls an extraordinary five-coach heritage rake of preserved Southern stock finished in British Railways Southern Region Green livery with period lining and numbering on a scheduled evening passenger service heading to Sheffield Park station. Marshalled in the train is carriage 6686, a 1935-built Southern Railway Maunsell Corridor Brake Composite (BCK) constructed at Eastleigh Works featuring flush-panel sides and large picture windows; carriage 1336, a 1933 Southern Railway Maunsell Droplight Open Third (SO) dining saloon built at Eastleigh Works with distinctive drop-sash windows; carriage S1482S, a 1950 Bulleid-designed Open Third (SO/TSO) built under British Railways with an underframe from Lancing and body from Eastleigh Works; carriage S5768S, a 1947 Southern Railway Bulleid Corridor Composite (CK) built at Lancing and Eastleigh just prior to nationalisation; and carriage S25728, a 1961 British Railways Standard Mark 1 Corridor Second (SK) built at Derby Litchurch Lane Works to Diagram 146, later refurbished for Network SouthEast commuter service and now meticulously restored to Southern green. Together, these five historic vehicles form a magnificent and unique representation of Southern coach building across three distinct eras.

Thrashing Out of Horsted Keynes Station Towards Sheffield Park
Captured in 8K 16:9 widescreen departing Horsted Keynes station at 18:11 heading south to Sheffield Park station on the final evening of the Network SouthEast 40th Anniversary Diesel Gala on Sunday, 6th of September 2026, Class 73 No. E6040 puts on a sensational performance. Working entirely on its auxiliary 600 hp English Electric diesel engine with no third rail available, the locomotive notches up to full power and digs into the load. The distinctive four-cylinder thumper engine produces heavy diesel thrash, making plenty of noise and echoing through the station environs as the train thunders away towards Sheffield Park in the warm late-summer evening glow. Finished in its pristine BR Rail Blue and small yellow ends, this beautifully liveried Class 73 paired with the Southern green rake makes for an exceptionally elegant and memorable sight.

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