Mid Hants Railway Operational Matters

LMS inspecton saloon 45045 left the headshunt at Alresford yesterday heading for Ropley where it is to be assessed with a potential view to returning to service. Unfortunately a leaky roof means there is a lot of water damage to the interior, but it was mechanically sound enough for the journey. Seen here leaving Alresford

Saloon departing Alresford by Stephen Morley, on Flickr

 

Has anything further been said about 850 being overhauled yet?

 

Blimey, who'd have thunk folks actually read my ramblings, let alone worry about if Lil' Ol' Me is still alive & kicking...... Thank you @Ploughman for your concerns, big Ol' Me is still going...... the fact I've been quiet of late, is simple..... with Bert & his mate choosing Saturdays to blow into town, it didn't make much sense to venture up the yard!

On that note, we hadn't planned to be atop the hill yesterday either....... but some last minute exchanges on Friday led to a small working party...... I'd already planned to go up as I needed supplies from the bakers & I'd already agreed to go hunting steam in the night with @Hampshire Unit.........

To that end, two of us met up & after breakfast was consumed, it was a case of venturing down the yard and seeing what was what after setting up heaters to warm up the CCT and the new south side door of LMS van M517317....... whilst things were warming up, it was a case of producing roof hoops..... we need two externally and two internally.... if readers care to remember, we'd recently spent considerable time working out just how we were going to produce the things..... as it happens, all that head scratching and trials paid off, and by the end of the day, four roof hoops were all but produced - they will need fettling and the inside of the new door was given a coat of gloss - we also took the time to work out just how we're going to get the damn thing out of there in the new year.........

As it stands, we're not planning any more working parties atop the hill this year, but knowing how we operate, never say never......... there's talk of jolly nest weekend though....

So, after finishing atop the hill, it was off to see me hunting partner, via Ropley to see what was going on....... bumped into @21B - was good to see you, and thanks for the sound track from 34072 as she blasted past us at Ropley outer home last night - it was almost as if you were playing to the camera........... the noise was something else!!!

So, some pics from yesterday.......

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/54205932029/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/54206105225/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/54204793367/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/54206105435/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/54205929008/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/54205929898/in/dateposted-public/

Four new roof hoops produced for LMS van M517317, which will still need fettling...... not bad for a days work!

 

Always good to see you too @Duty Druid. As you know I am generally a bit of a sceptic where Mr Bulleids locos are concerned, especially the pre-Jarvis ones. However, 257 is lovely, very “on beat” and as a result effortless.

 

Yesterday up the Downs was one of having a bit of fun, aka, a jolly - makes a change on occasion not to be trying to tame troublesome trucks!!

So, Muggin's 'Ere found himself in the bakers at Alresford earlier than planned, which meant that I got to see folks I haven't seen for quite a while and have a catch up, and also to see Dave handling the Satan's.

Then a bit later, it was time for a trip on the steamy lighty train, something that seems to be becominging a bit of a tradition for a few of us, with a trip in a BY van C, it's second only to a trip on the freight in a brake van, and also meant we didn't have to put up with crappy Xmas songs - there's only so many times in a month you can hear that crud!!

Still, an excellent round trip behind 506 was had, even with a fireman on driver training, who drove her with confidence, and the romp up the bank from Alresford to Medstead produced a brilliant sound track - Beefy, I doff my cap to you mate!! Sorry I didn't get to see you after we got back, as we just wanted to get home and make friends with beer........

It is very doubtful that we'll be taming troublesome trucks atop the hill next weekend, so I suppose all that remains, dear reader, is to wish you a restive festive season, and to also say thank you for even bothering to read my ramblings.........

So, to finish, a few pic's from yesterday.......

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/54220529148/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/54220530043/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/54220305376/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/54219392042/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/54219403582/in/dateposted-public/

 

Does the Mid Hants's insurance cover joint operations with Old Nick?

 

Well, they do say that diversification is key these days...

 

whilst acts of God were excluded, I can’t recall if Acts of the devil were, so I suppose you could argue working with Lucifer was OK, whilst acting with God wasn’t. I always thought insurance companies were a bit odd.

 

If you've ever watched "The Man Who Sued God", you'll find it easy to believe that the insurance companies aligned with Lucifer...

 

Yesterday was a case of saving my sanity by getting out of the house for the first time in a week!!

Volunteering wasn't on the cards, but getting a steam fix was.

So it was a case of once again heading for the bakers in Alresford, and thence to Ropley to see what was occuring...... and catching up with folks I haven't seen in ages, except for passing Medstead up yard on the footplate!

Once the 20's had left on the route proving run, Medstead was where I headed, again ctaching up with folks I hadn't seen in ages, only to find it engulfed in fog...... which added to making photography more interesting.

Oh, BTW @MellishR ....... trains at Xmas having anything to do Santa, are reffered to as Satan's, due to the amount of little devils they contain......

So, some pics from my need of a steam fix to save my sanity in the hinterland that is the space betwixt Xmas and New Year!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/54234267105/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/54234093353/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/54234266900/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/54233862936/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/54234094673/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/54233863001/in/dateposted-public/

 

Thank you. Just so long as they are little ones you're probably OK.

 

Great news, Mike Hoskin of Turkish 8F fame tried to buy that in 1988 ish? I was there on different business.

 

Does anyone one know when 34072 is due to leave for Swanage please?

And are there any plans to run it on normal service trains again at the Mid Hants before it leaves?

Thanks in advance,

Bryan

 

This came from the last set of notes sent to SLL shareholders

"It's currently on the Mid-Hants and extremely busy owing to a lack of motive power on the Railway. It will be returning to Swanage at the end of March, which should coincide with the return to traffic of Canadian Pacific on the MHR. It's popular with crews and passengers alike."

Something will have to pull the half term services in February so it is 50/50 that 34072 will be on those.

 

The MHR seems confident Canadian Pacific will be ready.
https://watercressline.co.uk/canadian-pacific/
"We are delighted to announce the launch of this magnificent locomotive will be on 19th -23rd March 2025"

 

Many thanks for that. I'll keep a watch on how the Feb half-term trains run. If they are as per normal service (ie no added headboards etc for the half-term event) I'll aim for some visits that week if 257 Squadron is working. And, I am most certainly not against the SR heritage lines' special events aimed at the younger market that look to be vital and excellent money earners. I just like to visit when services are more normal looking - all part of my 'BR lined black is best' approach - with Bulleids not black, but as they were in the 1960s!

Or maybe mid to end of March could be ok.

And in any case I'm booked on the first normal service train of 35005 along with big brother @gricerdon on 21 March, and maybe 34072 will be also be out that day.

Can Pac is a special loco to us both as we were half of the small group of timers asked to be on the train to time the very unofficial 15 May 1965 run on the 21.20 Waterloo. When not only did the footplate crew of Gordon Hooper, Dave Wilson and Tech inspector Brian Smith get Can Pac up to 105 mph approaching Winchester Junction, but they also set the fastest ever known steam start to stop time Waterloo-Basingstoke.

Somewhere the Mid-Hants have pdf or similar copy of the presention folder I gave Gordon Hooper at a Bluebell Nine Elms re-union event in, I think 2008.

Bryan - Nunquam satis Bulleids - B

 

If 257 squadron is rostered on that same weekend, it will most likely be a first and last time, for both, first time for 35005, and last time running on the MHR for 34072 assuming it's still around then, and hasn't returned to Swanage, that might draw in more support, especially if it's an all Bulleid weekend. with 506 on a freight diagram, or 41312,

 

That's what I took from the SLL news, that it would operate alongside 35005 for its return. Hopefully that is the case. Throwing a freight diagram in too would make for an even better event! Hopefully the MHR are thinking of doing something similar.

 

The roster suggests that the two will work alongside each other for the 35005 return. No doubt an event many will enjoy.

 

Just to divert all the Bulleid talk, here is a small tank loco leaving Alresford with a steam illuminations service this evening. A useful engine really! There were two class 20's on the back of the train though. The wreath is to mark the passong of Brit Allcroft recently, not that 3781 has anything to do with all that Sodor-based motive power. Not at all. Honestly.

3781 Hauls the Steam Illuminations train by Stephen Morley, on Flickr