I was at school near the Ardingly branch, and I've walked its trackbed many times to Horstead Keynes through the tunnel, and even the branch itself the opposite way past Rivers Farm up to Copyhold Junction (including one time when I got a ride in a class 33 bringing the ARC empties back to the main line!). It's amazing to think the rails were lifted only one year before I started school there, and we used to find plenty of insulators and sometimes even a few detonators in the old platelayers' huts. The short viaduct just west of HK had been demolished by the time I started exploring the area, but the tunnel was almost completely dry except for the drain pits full of water that I almost fell into one time. There was also no vegetation covering the trackbed then, making for easy progress. Good times!

In my 45 years train driving I used to see a lot of odd white tiles set into walls as a marker to see if any movement in the brickwork subsidence etc would crack the tile making it easy to spot. Tile could often be seen bridging old cracks or repaired areas. I have one in my workshop wall as a little bit of subsidence and I want to know if it’s stopped or not.

“I love my brick!” - Father Jack Hackett.

HI Paul and Rebecca. Just a quick contact to say thanks so much to you both for all your hard (but hopefully enjoyable and rewarding) work in researching, walking, editing, producing and uploading your truly excellent vids over the past year. They have been appreciated more than you possibly may realise, especially throughout these past wretched months when many of us have been, for various reasons, even less able to venture forth than we might otherwise do. Have a wonderful Christmas - and a happy, healthy 2021 to you and all your happy subscribers. Love and best wishes. Peter A :) :) :)

We love watching you stumble over brambles! So nice seeing kids take an interest in History. I remember traipsing thru US Revolutionary War areas with my Dad looking for cannonballs & tombstones. Thanks for the video!

Your in my back garden again.! The bluebell do own most of the track bed except the cement works bit (and station) and track up to Haywards Heath which as you know is still used. Indeed the BB do own a bridge to cross the missing viaduct - thinking ahead long term!

As a volunteer on the Bluebell Railway. I was very interested in watching this. I drive past Ardingly Station every time I drive to work but have never seen where the old line/tunnel used to be. Thank you for sharing

Awesome. So glad you got to Lywood tunnel! Such an impressive portal. I remember scrambling down the side of the cutting looking for it a few years ago just as the sun was going down. Half way down the cutting I suddenly noticed this HUGE tunnel about 5 metres to my left hand side that I'd been climbing down the side of. Never even noticed it and then suddenly it was there, dwarfing me in its massive opening. Nearly fell over such was my surprise, actually spooked me a bit if I''m honest. Great tunnel, great brickwork, hope the bluebell get it going again.

It's going to take some money to reopen it good luck to Bluebell.

Really enjoyed this video. Beautiful tunnel. They have so much character.

Rebecca & Paul, how about an interview with the Bluebell management and volunteers on the timeline and cost of restoring the Ardingly Branch.

Close to me first walked that back in the 1980's when you could go through the tunnel been back a few times as my son lives close by to Chris!. I really hope the Bluebell do get to reopen it one day, Thanks to you all have a great Christmas.

Nice to see you managed to visit the Ardingly Branch line. :) It would be very nice if the Bluebell manage to restore it which would be very nice indeed. :)

White bricks, possibly foundation marks to indicate correct rail height? Often seen platform supports, look like graphic equaliser sliders.

Very interesting as always! I've ridded the Western section of the Ardingly Branch on railtour with Hastings 1001 back in 2016. Interesting to see the rest of the line. It will be great when the Bluebell reopens the branch!

I hope the line will be reopend eventually by The Bluebell. Great video, very factual, wonderful tunnel and bridges. and thanks to Chris for his help.

Great! In general up lines to London , down lines away from London, not always though.

Yes!! I squealed like a little girl when I realised where you were. I grew up here. The feels. Thank you for including Bluebell on your channel.

The re-opening IS on the Bluebell Agenda and the replacement sections of bridge are ready to replace the initial breach which was Sherriff Mill Viaduct - just outside Horsted Keynes Station - that beautiful Victorian three-Platform Station which the Bluebell consider their "Jewel in the Crown" - and how right they are. It will be wonderful when Horsted Keynes becomes a Junction again!

Chris may say stuff for anoraks, but if someone doesn't record the details of the small things, then it quickly gets lost, e.g glazed white bricks. Great video as always, may I wish you both a very merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year?

Great video and great to see Chris from Dumpman films involved again. He is the epitome of 'cool'. A link from one of his emails got me into your videos a few weeks back and I'm glad to say I'm hooked.

Just found your channel guys great viewing , i am watching from Thailand UK expat great job 😁😁👍👍

Thank you for another great exploration and for info from Chris and Emily. History is all around us, but the Bluebell might one day bring it back to life

My Brother is a track worker on the Bluebell Railway. Most of the work going on at the moment is on the main line (essential maintenance). He has "toured" the Ardingly Branch with his colleagues; in particular where the viaduct (bridge) needs replacing as well, of course, the tunnel which is in good condition but will still need some work doing. There is a long way to go before the branch will be back in business, not helped by all the problems in 2020 that has also affected the Bluebell Volunteers.

hey paul and rebecca and guests ofc , really enjoyed this one , thank you and well done , have a merry christmas or as good a one as you can and lets hope we get a better 2021 , :)

Nice video. 'Up and down' - Up always refers to London - In the SE of England the up-line is London/north bound. White brick is engineering marker - to show up cracks or movement. There is another unfinished branch-line to Lindfield just a few miles further south of where you were. This would have had a tunnel - they dug the approach cuttings. It departs from the Brighton mainline at more or less the same place (they cross each other) as the Ardingly branch (which curves off north-east), but this line forks off in a curve to the south-east. Look at the 1:25K OS to see it clearly.

Another blast from the past walk! A lot of good came out of the 60s, but sadly not for the railways. Happy festivities guys 🥳🎈

That was a gem. Shame the tunnel wasn't open but it certainly is a stunner!

Lovely video. I walked Lywood tunnel before it was fenced off. Thanks so much for all your videos - hope you both have a marvellous Christmas and New Year.

The UP line is the one that goes to London, the DOWN line is the one that travels away from London, you also get markers at the side of the track telling you how far away you are from the Capital, the mileage markers are on the Motorways as well

Thinking about those glazed white bricks; perhaps they were gauges for the track bed height, i.e. The maximum height of the track to keep within the loading gauge?

Fabulous footage. Colours stunning. Loved the bridges and tunnel. First time anyone has pointed out a white brick before.be interesting to find out What they are for. Thanks again for sharing.

Loved every minute of it. Thank you Rebecca and Paul.

Wow that was fabulous. Just love the bridges, big or small doesn’t matter. Merry Christmas and please stay safe and take care

Merry Christmas to you both and yours from Down Under. (Melbourne Australia) Take care and be safe with all the new COVID madness in your country. Looking forward to more of your excellent productions next year,bloody fantastic, Cheers,Mark

message for Chris... incidentally saw you with Vobes and nice to see you again, The GLAZED BRICKS wonder if as a Train Driver at night in pitch dark with the reflection of light out front of train the glazed brick would create a reflective white line across entrances so they new when entering a tunnel? Malcolm Challoner in Perth WA

When deteriorating brickwork or concrete is showing signs of cracking or movement, a small area is hacked out across the suspect area, and a hard tie, usually hard mortar, is cemented in to place and the date recorded. Any further movement will break the brittle tie and indicate the rate of movement. The white bricks may be a similar thing.

Great video. Watched Martin Zero live Stream with you both. It was only when Rebecca mentioned that the new video was up did I know about it, no notification! Merry Christmas to you both.

Enthralling, mellifluous, soothing and muddy! 👌😂

Quality T-shirt from Chris there, also another great vlog during my lunchtime (well here in the US anyway) thanks guys

Good to see you round my way after the Ouse Valley video. The section between Horsted Keynes and Ardingly (and between Horsted Keynes and East Grinstead) was actually demolished by using a couple of steam locos from the Bluebell, as the contractors diesel loco broke down. One of the Bluebell locos got stranded at East Grinstead and had to be returned to the railway by road. The money brought in from the hire went towards helping them buy the Sheffield Park to Horsted Keynes section of the line.

I remember a friend picking up an LNWR insulator on the former Watford High Street- Rickmansworth Church Street branch.

A line worth looking at is the dissused inland line running west from Tiverton junction, there was talk about re opening it when the line got washed out at Dawlish.

I have enjoyed all your videos this year always a thumbs up from me. Merry Christmas to both of you and happy new year!

That tunnel entrance is gorgeous!!!

That's the fun of seeing your videos , you 2 struggling through undergrowth , when once upon a time it could be traversed in 10 minutes or so by train !! clackerty clack, clackerty clack 😆

Thank you for another great video.. and thank you for a great year of content. Hope you both have a Fabulous Christmas and safe New Year.. Mark in Canada

I honestly thought it was a Scotland video at first, but it was a lovely video.

Good one, keep exploring (when you can, obviously).

I wondered about the glazed white bricks after spotting one near the southern portal of the Argos Hill tunnel on the Cuckoo line. Don't think it is anything to do with electrification as the Cuckoo line was never electrified. I thought it might be to do with a maximum rail hight level for tunnel clearance.

We used to glue a piece of glass over a crack in brickwork and subsidence and if it broke you knew by matching the broken ends you could see how much movement was occurring, this seems to be another means of recording movement

Great video, loved that tunnel entrance 🤩👌🏼🧱👍🏼. Happy Christmas guys 🎄🎄🎄

They always put nice entrances on their tunnels cool video guys

The photo illustrating the last loco to use the line before the viaduct was demolished shows two of the Isle of Wight Railway's locomotives. The locomotive in question was actually 'Fenchurch" www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/pics/fenchurch.html

Another great video from my favourite explorers. Yet another line that shouldn't have been closed, if only the govt of the day had some foresight! Wishing you all a happy christmas (whats left of it after todays announcement!) And a Happy new year to all . Michael Hendren.

Here's my 2p worth ref ceramic tile/brick....imagine walking the line at night, dark, cloudy maybe wet & you have only a candle lit lantern to guide your way....well those bright ceramic tiles/bricks would show up & indicate the start/end of a structure?

White tiles are often used to detect further movement in brickwork. Usually placed over existing cracks because even a small amount of movement would cause a ceramic tile to crack and indicate a problem. In this case it might be as others have said to indicate rail height or cant. If the rail dipped on one side it may cause the rolling stock to hit the wall... Just a thought

Hi Good video as usual muddy though lol. look forward to next year's jaunts...merry Christmas 🤶 😀..

Great little ramble over a mid Sussex lost, but soon to be reborn railway.

Good video, Not sure about the glazed white bricks at the bottom of the bridge. Possibly some sort of marker, maybe to indicate any future subsidence possibly of the bridge or track??...🎅👍👍

As always a great video. Merry Christmas Rebecca, Paul and fellow subscribers. From Australia.

‘Up’ usually means the line going towards ‘the big centre’, e.g. London, and the ‘Down’ is usually the line coming away from the same. Likewise ‘Platform 1’ is often the ‘up’ platform

Interesting video again guys. Happy Christmas and New Year from us down in Devon.

be interesting to see this extension come back to life

Excellent video again Happy Christmas to you both from East Sussex

The legendary DUMPMAN!!! MOTORHEAD FANATIC

I do like a mystery brick

I heard that the Bluebell Railway hope to run trains to Haywards Heath via the Ardingly branch - that would be great but at the moment all of the Heritage lines are struggling due to the infernal virus so projects like this may take a long while to happen

Be careful you don't want to fall into any deep "O'les" in the ground! Love how the Brit's drop their H's! Beautiful brick archway, thanks for sharing this with us on the other side of the pond. Cheers from Maryland, have a happy Christmas and a blessed new year!

The up and downs of railway life In general terms the up and down lines on a railway can be thought of "UP to London, DOWN to the country". Confusingly you travel down to Scotland. In general you travel up to the capital, or the furthest point on a branch so travel UP to the start.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

The music was really nice is today's episode

Black bricks were often inserted in to bridge abutments to commemorate lives lost in construction.

I have walked different parts of the Ardingly branch line but didn't actually walk through the tunnel. So looking forward to the day I can get a steam special from Brighton to London Bridge via Haywards Heath and Horstead Keynes. Recreating a service that once ran. I suspose it would be too much for them to stop at all the stations as they once did. Failing that a trip to East Grinstead for a bit of shopping wouldn't go a miss. I don't drive, so it would be perfect.

Keep up the great videos 🙂👍

and very nice too. thank you

Looking forward to spring 2021

Glad to see lemmy’s spirit live on in the mighty Dumpman😃 just as a piece of useless information, the tunnel mouth was used for some of the external film shots in the Hollywood zombie movie Overlord.

Glad your equine friends found you

Nice one again guys

Merry Christmas and a happy new year

are the white ceramic bricks/tiles to do with "Cant level" of the track??

Ye gads, I'm of that age to remember the rather fine red-brick Sheriff Mill viaduct; it was a great shame that it was demolished.

I am curious about the white bricks as well, and it got me wondering if they appear to be, in any way, reflective at all?

It's the white brick in the family !!!!

I am prepared to be shot down in flames over this but I think (albeit rarely) that the white ceramic tiles are used by the track crews as a reference gauge for maintaining the level of the track bed in relation to the physical shape of the tunnel etc. I maybe wrong but seem to recall in my dim and distant past hearing people mention this. Merry Christmas and a happy new year everyone

So they are planning to reopen this line then? Well that's good if they are, branch and loop lines are kinda needed these days with all the road traffic congestion going on!

Where I am tunnels have markers on them, not tooo dissimilar to those white bricks. The ones I know of are used for gaging the water depth in a tunnel during heavy rain. Water in a tunnel can be an issue because as the train pushes forward it's hard for the water to escape. Not sure if those white bricks could be used for the same?

Nice one.Happy Christmas and New Year in advance.

I need a day out with you guys, love the vids

Right !!! now we know the white brick is the hight of the rail ! if the rail is higher than the brick some trains may not have enough clearance above (information from Russ Hiubner driver for the bluebell railway)

My guess on the white tiles is that the showed fouling points (areas where the lines are closer together and there is a potential to hit another train on the adjacent track. It was said that this was a double line and it's possible that the lines were moved closer together to accomodate the OHLE infrastructure. If this was the case, I'd suspect the sleepers to have been painted white as well. So it could have been due to electrification and the need to adjust the 2 lines due to the tunnel having not as easily widened.

I swear that what you are calling a 'white brick' looks like a piece of glazed ceramic tile that was put in at a later date. The brick or tile was cut into the original brickwork as it does not lineup with the courses of red bricks. I think that it is tile because on the right side it has a small broken off piece and it is duller where it is broken off. Plus it gives the impression of not being very thick, might be just the camera angle. It is a very interesting mystery indeed!

Thank you for another great video, and another tunnel! I’m scratching my head over the white ceramic things. They are made of ceramic for a good reason, normally electrical insulation or to snap easily. Question - were they thin and bolted to the face of the bricks or were they set into the wall?

I Thinks it’s partly been commented below. its possibly a datum mark for when the line was electrified, so as the have the correct clearance above the train and they had to lower the track to electrify.

I would surmise the white bricks are so you can see the edges of the tunnel easier at night? Good old health and Safety.

Chris is wearing a Motorhead T Shirt ... top lad

It looks like a glazed engineering brick that has been reused , possibly from a posh house or public toilet. Engineering bricks were extra hard and formed a damp proof course in houses back in the day.

Good video 🚂

Hi chris and rebecca i like your u tube channel .you where on about the white bricks in the wall of the brigde and tunnel i could be to show people with no lights in the dark they where comming out of the tunnel or brigde