The 5BEL Trust will once again be exhibiting at the amazing Brighton Modelword Exhibition, supported by our friends from the world-famous Brighton Toy & Model Museum. Brighton Modelworld runs from 24 - 26 February. In it's 34th year, this will be the biggest Modelworld Exhibition ever, with some 150 stands. With our engineering team hard at it, we can't spare ther won't be a Brighton Belle car stopping the traffic on the seafront this year! Instead, the star this time will undoubtedly be the steam locomotive “Brighton Locomotive Works”, which returns to Brighton for the first time in 50 years. We are located on Stand 37 - right in the foyer of the Brighton Centre, so hard to miss us! Do drop by for a chat. Click on the image to see some of the activity in just one of the exhibition halls. For opening times and ticket prices, visit the Brighton Modelworld website.

The complex engineering work to enable the Motor Thirds to run on Mk VI bogies has begun. The work requires the replacement of a section of underframe at each end with a modified section from a 4-CIG - the replacement section can be seen at the left of the car. Updating the bogies is a requirement for mainline running; it also follows Southern practice - the 1932 bogies were replaced by then modern examples in 1955. Click on the image to see Car 88 in the dedicated Brighton Bell Shed at Barrow Hill.

The Brighton Belle was the star attraction at Model Rail Live Exhibition. More than six thousand enthusiasts were able to inspected the initial engineering work on Car 91 in our dedicated retsoration shed. A significant number also enjoyed a prolongued stay in the unrestored interior of Car 88, in use as a relaxation area away from the bustle of the exhibition.

Click on the four arrows icon to see the action in full screen mode

The Brighton Belle will be the star of this year's Model Rail Live Exhibition, along with A1 Tornado! For anyone who loves railway modelling and model layouts, this will be a not-to-miss weekend. Apart from the train rides and demonstrations, Hornby will be launching the pre-production Brighton Belle train set.

Model Rail Live is at the Barrow Hill Roundhouse on 17 and 18 September - for full details click here or phone 0844 5811383. Special shuttle trains will run from Chesterfield Station to Barrow Hill six times a day. with a free bus service operating every half hour, starting at 9.20 am.

So, a great family day out and a chance to see in the flesh, progress with the restoration of Motor Cars 88 and 91. A Model rail Live exclusive is the chance to talk to the restoration team. Hope to see you there!

Click on the image to see the promotional leaflet.

The Brighton Belle was given a major overhaul at the Pullman Works, Preston Park, in 1955. Her bogies were replaced with the more modern B1 items, the interior re-furbished and the external coachwork was repainted.

As part of the remedial work on the steel body of Car 85 currently underway at Derby, her paintwork was cut back in the centre of the coach, revealing the 1932 hand-painted car number. This is the first time that this larger coach number has been seen for fifty six years.

Click on the image to compare the numbering from 1932 and 1955.

Trailer Pullman Third Car 87 was moved by road from the Keith & Dufftown Railway to Southall in March. She will be held in store until a slot becomes available for her to be moved to Derby for initial coach restoration.

Here's an excellent two part video of Car 87 being shunted into position at the Keith & Dufftown, following the arrival of Anglia liveried MK 2F 6053 which had arrived from it's five year storage at MoD Kineton. It had been withdrawn from mainline service with operator 'One' (National Express East Anglia) in 2006. In the second video we see Car 87 mounted on a low loader for the long journey south.

Click on the four arrows icon to see the action in full screen mode.

In this series of images we see the complexities of manoeuvring a low loader carrying a vehicle that is 21 m (69 ft) in length, 3.9 m (12 ft 9") tall and 2.7 m (9 ft) wide....and weighing around 50 tonnes without its motors in place! Specialist hauliers Allelys make this series of complex steps to turn the low loader around in the rush hour look easy - as usual! - as they deliver Car 88 to the Brighton sea front, turn it around then set it down outside the Brighton Centre.

Car 88 was literally a traffic stopper for her four days 'back in town' and thousands of visitors paid homage to her return.

Click on the first image below to follow the series of complex manoeuvres (images by Les Chatfield).

The last Brighton Belle train in service left London Victoria at 10.30 pm on the evening of 30 April, 1972. At the controls was driver Don Hitchings.

The 5BEL Trust was delighted to be able to re-unite Don with his cab recently and the event was broadcast as a major news piece by BBC News. It was clearly an emotional moment for Don, now a very fit 74 year old. His first and last question - "When can I drive her again?"

Click on the image to see a picture of Don Hitchings back in the cab again.