MHR Restorations and Overhauls

Ah. Knew someone would know.
The U was on the Belle last night.

 

Here are 67 photos taken during the spring gala of visiting locos and the home fleet - 21 locos in all. For convenience the photos are in loco number order. Special thanks to the MHR volunteer who took me to see 34051:

http://andrewstransport.smugmug.com...-2014/37771125_dkMMCt#!i=3128441067&k=8JGxfD2

Cheers

Andrew N

 

Thanks for taking the time putting the photos on the forum .Some interseting pictures especially of the locos under restoration or stored.

 

> 34102
I think on the whole its easier to collect WR cabsides than SR ones...

 

I think the cabsides may have been a bit of a red herring, they are actually from 34105 Swanage which ran as 34102 shortly before her ticket ran out last time (see attached pic). As your photos show the refurbished cab for Swanage I am sure you can put two and two together

You arent the first to think the cabsides survived, although I doubt they would be left there if they were real!! Think of their value!

 

Turns out the precedent for a MHR loco pretending to be 34051 Winston Churchill as can be seen by the attached picture.

 

34105 I believe.

 

I have a couple of shots of the imposter as well:

 

No technically restoration but the stripping down and inspection of Canadian Pacific is going well and the latest news can be found here.
Simon’s journey into the world of Volunteering – Entry 7

 

Last time I saw 35018 at the Mid Hants she looked like 35005 in the pic above.....and had done for about 10 years! As far as I know she still does today too. Did it move from Portland or is it still down there?

 

Yes, '18 left Portland a little while ago. Can't recall whether she went to Riley's or West Coast. Search the Steam Traction forum - there are various reports from the time.

 

She went to Carnforth. There was a picture of the boiler removed from the frames, stored outside with a coat of Aluminium protective paint, that appeared online a couple of months ago, but it was swiftly taken down!

 

2012 pic of 35018 at Carnforth here. Needless to say, I have not seen it since.

http://andrewstransport.smugmug.com...-2012/20902870_H4wr6R#!i=2013751551&k=LKSmwh5

Cheers

Andrew N

 

Anyone know if 34016 has left Alresford yet, or is it still awaiting collection?

 

I'm going to be a bit conspiratorial here. If JB had the funds to hand he would have bought out his co owners and restored 35018 a long long time ago. Instead it has languished in bits longer than it ran in service. It no longer has appeal at the MHR now that 35005 is there, but a big pacific has charisma and would be an asset for any railway familiar with Bulleids. Supposing someone at the Mid Hants offered ready cash to buy one of his trio of superb little Maunsell moguls and keep it at the MHR, enabling him to finish off 35018. Would he be tempted? A win-win as they say?

 

Can he sell?.................... I thought his loco's were in some kind of trust, or they were "gifted" to his children?..................... so if they are, then technically he cant, can he?.....

 

Mr Bunch is a businessman, provided the "wrong" people at the MHR don't talk to him, my own view is that he would give some serious consideration to a deal to keep at least one of his engines at the Mid Hants. I would stress this is just my own opinion, I don't have any insider info.

Re Bodmin, not sure if it is still in the sidings at Alresford, there was a lot of shunting starting at 06:40 this morning when I was letting my chickens out. Didn't see any lorries come or go today, but there are cones out by the cattle dock (currently occupied by the model railway van and green 37)

 

Given the lineside gossip at the gala, who knows!

As they say, "time will tell"............................ And "IF" one does, it'll be on the MHR's terms not his!

 

Idont think he would sell, certainly not to the MHRPS, and to be honest,no one knows for sure what engine is owned by whome, he might not even own 35018, years ago, he did say that the u and n,were in trust to his children, but that might have been just a way to prevent them being siezed had he ever got into financial trouble, i have the feeling that most of his engines were purchased either with others, or by having to take out loans to pay for them, after all, he has sold engines before, or sold shares in his engines to fund new purchases

 

If that does end up being the case, then its a question on what his son wants to do, for all we know, there might not be any problems between James Bunch and the MHR, whilst the engines will leave, i would not bet against 31806 returning for a gala in the future.