Mid Hants Railway Operational Matters

I think my Druid friend is on about a certain 37/9...

 

Hello all, trying to suss out timings for Santa trains for a visit one weekend, not planning to travel on trains. The timetable on the Watercress Line doesn't make it easy as it only shows trains where tickets remain. Any ideas where there may be a 'full' TT please?

 

Andy unless someone from MHR is happy to upload a WTT I do not think you will find one. I normally work it out on an excel sheet. Assuming it as per previous years two trains one Alresford-Medstead and the other Alton to Ropley. Hence the only part of the line you get both is Medstead to Ropley. First ex Alresford train last year had diesel banker when I visited, but removed for all other trips.
I work on
15 minutes Alton to MFM
10 minutes MFM to Ropley & vice versa
10 minutes Alresford to Ropley

Water stop at Ropley of say 5-10 minutes on ex Alresford trains.

Not sure what will be in use though, dropped into Ropley last Friday to get a shot of 73096 and most locos looked out of use. 76017 was being worked on and I think in light steam & now seems to face Alresford. Photography on the climb to Medstead from Alton is now of course almost impossible due to vegetation.

 

Hello Gladiator many thanks for this info. Should be able to work out some idea of timings based on your info. Just noted a main line special due into Alton 1330 on Saturday as well with B5 45212 in charge. If weather holds may be worth a trip over!

 

it can't be very often that a preserved railway plays host to two visiting sequentially numbered members of a class of diesel, but last night at Ropley there was 47 580 hauling the return leg of the Steam Dreams Cathedral's Express Alresford to Southend


BR Class 47 Class 47 - 47 580 by Tim White, on Flickr

and 47 579 on shed looking rather resplendent in it's Large Logo livery.

BR Class 47 - 47 579 by Tim White, on Flickr

The other visitor on shed at Ropley was one of Ian Riley's black 5s, 45212 which had hauled the Charter from Southend to Alton before Cheltenham took over for the final section over the Alps. Here we have a couple of different views of two generations of '5', 45212 facing 73096.

British Railways Standard 5 - 73096 and Black 5 - 45212 by Tim White, on Flickr


British Railways Standard 5 - 73096 and Black 5 - 45212 by Tim White, on Flickr

 

My take on things yesterday,

925

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/27033982329/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/38779340112/

76017

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/38779326252/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/38093682544/

5's

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/23945130107/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/24937457428/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/38809499871/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/27033896219/

Oh, and a Duff......

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/38779317012/

 

Just wondering if 45231, which arrived at Southall at the weekend, will arrive before 45212 departs? Quite a lot of class 5s...

 

Unlikely, though that was the original plan!

 

45212 on her way back from turning just after 13.00 near Aldershot. She wasn't hanging about either:

Sent from my D6603 using Tapatalk

 

According to RTT, 43212 arrived back at Alton 13:31
Stock being cleaned at Alresford as still had empty bottles and dirty plates/cups on tables this morning! 47580 ticking over at the bottom of my garden (for ETH purposes?)

 

Will the MHR be providing a steam locomotive to haul the train up to Alton? I'm wondering if it's worth getting out of bed earlier for a shot of it on the Mid Hants bit...

James

 

45212 is lodging at Ropley ATM, so I assume she'll do the honours

 

I love the pictures of the Black 5 and the Std 5 facing each other.

Saturday was another sleepy off season day! Just 3 Alresford to Medstead return trips for 76017 assisted by 33202, oh and the Belle and the RAT out in the evening and the special from Southend.

Saturday involved 6 steam crews and 3 diesel crews. The arrival of the special and 45212 meant that around 5pm there were 3 steam and 3 diesel locomotives operating around the station and yard at Ropley. The 03 moved some stuff around the yard to clear space for the support coach and the black 5. Cheltenham delivered the support coach from Alresford and then went to the pit to get ready for the evening RAT. The 33 was needed first thing in the morning to shunt the RAT and Belle sets away (which 08377 had got out at Alresford after putting the Santa set away). The 50 was required to assist the RAT and fetch the set from Alresford. A great team effort by everyone meant that the special departed without adding to the 2 hour inbound delay, and the MHR services all ran too. No mean feat given the tight nature of the site.

 

Not to mention that 33202 was blocking Platform 1 at Ropley whilst waiting confirmation that the special had got "over the Alps"
47580 returned to Alresford Sunday evening and has sat at the head of the WCR stock all day today whilst the coaches were serviced

 

Of course it is. For some reason, I thought it returned to southall... even though I’d seen it in Ropley yard on Saturday night!

I blame the long day at work...!

James

 

Don't know if it is a typo but the Steam Dreams website says that the MHR are providing a service from Alresford to Alton. Passengers then have to change to the Railtour at Alton. I hope that the folks boarding at Alresford have plenty of matches to keep their eyes open. It will be a late arrival back there

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According to the MHR web site 45321 is staying for the Spring gala and will be double heading with 45379 to recreate Fifteen Guinea Specia. This means 45321 will be facing out of Alresford.

https://www.watercressline.co.uk/product.php/21/pre-spring-steam-gala

 

Here's an interesting poser for someone - will this be the first time that a train advertised as recreation of the "Fifteen Guinea Special" has used a Black Five which was withdrawn before August 1968? I have no idea of the answer, but as a starter for anyone who wants to do some research, only five of the 14 Black Fives to have steamed in preservation didn't last until the end (44767, (4)5000, 45337, 45379 and 45428), although I understand that 44932 (not withdrawn from Rose Grove until the end of steam) didn't have a particularly active 1968.

 

Shouldn't that be 45231?

 

Can I also add another question. What’s the largest gathering of Black Fives since the end of BR steam and which preserved railway did it happen at and when?

Thanks