Bluebell and Primrose

    Bluebell and Primrose   Bluebell and Primrose are tank engine twins who live on the Bluebell Railway. According to Stepney, they had no names at first so their Controller gave them names. He says it made them over-confident, but they still work hard.
 * Built: 1909-1910
 * Builder: Ashford Works
 * Configuration: 0-6-0T
 * Numbers: 27 & 323

At present, Bluebell is undergoing an overhaul with completion planned for August 2010, whilst Primrose is out of service awaiting an overhaul.

Livery
Primrose is painted dark green with red and yellow lining and "SE&CR" written on her tanks. Bluebell was painted blue with white lining with a red nameplate with her name in gold when she was first acquired by the Bluebell Railway. In 1998 she was repainted in the livery she carried in World War I.

Basis
Bluebell and Primrose are based upon the SE&CR P Class built in 1909-1910 for lightweight passenger trains and later used for shunting.

Appearances
Bluebell and Primrose were only mentioned by Stepney in Stepney the "Bluebell" Engine.

Merchandising

 * ERTL model (Bluebell only; discontinued)

Trivia

 * Although in the the illustrations Bluebell is shown in SE&CR pre-World War I livery she was actually painted blue from 1961 to 1998. (Stepney the "Bluebell" Engine being written in 1963.)
 * Bluebell's ERTL model was in fact Thomas' model merely repainted and with a different smokebox. She was originally going to have her own model.
 * Following the completion of the third P class tank engine No. 178 Pioneer II, Bluebell's fast-track overhaul has started with a rebuilt coal bunker, reprofiled wheels, and a new front tubeplate. Despite the fact that she is due to be completed by August 2010, certain major components of Bluebell still require overhaul including her boiler, axlesboxes, and springs.