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Mid Hants Railway Operational Matters

Discussion in 'Heritage Railways & Centres in the UK' started by NightRail, Jan 11, 2017.

  1. Dunfanaghy Road

    Dunfanaghy Road Well-Known Member

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    In these disturbed times the Ropley Spy has had to resort to my 'Dead letter Box'!
    "In case you've forgotten, today is exactly 100 years since 499 was first released to traffic by Eastleigh works. As custodians of Robert Urie's legacy we have a responsibility to return 499 to steam once again and that we WILL do. Grinders, drills, welders, rivet guns and very large hammers are all at the ready for when lock-down is eased."
    499 as built for the LSWR in 1920.jpg Robert Urie Hatch End 1924.jpg
    1st picture is 499 when new at Nine Elms Loco. 2nd picture shows R.W. Urie at Hatch End in 1924.
     
  2. NightRail

    NightRail New Member

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    At 08:25 on Saturday 20th July 1985, class 202 Hastings DEMU No 1013, left platform 7 at London Bridge with the "Hampshire Hog" railtour, running as 1Z48. The tour was organised by the Southern Electric Group and the Railway Correspondence & Travel Society. As well as the Mid-Hants Railway, it visited several rare freight only lines in Hampshire. The ticket price was £18:95 and this is believed to be the first through working onto the Mid-Hants since re-opening of the line back to Alton, unless anyone knows different. 2020-05-05-0010-Edit-Edit-Edit.jpg 2020-05-05-0011-Edit-Edit-Edit.jpg 2020-05-05-0012-Edit-Edit-Edit.jpg
     
  3. 1729

    1729 New Member

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    Looking forward to 499 steaming in the future, what will be interesting is you have 2 locos of identical design, bar the drafting arrangement, think the blast pipe is identical. But be interesting to see how the large stovepipe chimney and small stovepipe compares to the chimney on 506.
     
  4. 73129

    73129 Part of the furniture

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    Wouldn’t mind seeing 205025 back in to BR blue with full yellow ends.
     
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  5. acourtrail

    acourtrail New Member

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    That's how I like to see class 20s:):)
     
  6. NightRail

    NightRail New Member

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    22nd of October 2011 saw another celebrity visitor to the Mid-Hants Railway.
    RN1265_DxO-Edit.jpg 60163 "Tornado" waits time at Ropley with the ECS for the Real Ale Train.
     
  7. LC2

    LC2 Member

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    green five, Johnme101 and Nick C like this.
  8. 73129

    73129 Part of the furniture

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    With the evening now staying lighter in these coming weeks. It’s areal shame the RAT and Belle isn’t running at this time of year. A few photos of late afternoon/evening workings.

    D1299C5D-14DE-46DD-BDE0-A90603CDCAC0.jpeg
    C14A8838-EB6C-499E-9732-DEEA1D9C5A4E.jpeg

    85AA7887-0778-4689-8C7E-4B9434E7A028.jpeg
    7721ACC4-4760-483C-9E15-725BC9441673.jpeg
     
    Last edited: May 17, 2020
  9. Duty Druid

    Duty Druid Resident of Nat Pres

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  10. johnofwessex

    johnofwessex Resident of Nat Pres

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    Norman, who was the rep on my allotment site used to live in one of the houses on the top of the hill, turn to the left and you could see my first house
     
  11. gricerdon

    gricerdon Well-Known Member

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    Changing the subject the Sunday Telegraph reported that the MHR are running the Class 47 over the full length of the line to test all is ok. Good photo of driver climbing into the csb
     
  12. Steamage

    Steamage Part of the furniture

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    In similar vein...
     
  13. Hampshire Unit

    Hampshire Unit Well-Known Member Friend

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    The 47 is out several times a week, checking that the line is OK, (all still there, no blockages etc). Yesterday, the crew re-secured a tarp over a coach in the Alresford headshunt....they have also removed lineside trees that have fallen into gardens etc...all done with non-furloughed staff.
     
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  14. 73129

    73129 Part of the furniture

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    Nice video from the upside of the line. Another great place to take afternoon and early evening photos/video from a no railway trespassing area was Brickiln lane (motorbike field) before the trees obscured the line. Maybe one day someone will clear the line side at that location and once again allowing photographers the chance to take photos from Bricklin lane.
     
  15. derby2

    derby2 New Member

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  16. NightRail

    NightRail New Member

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    That's not a very nice place to work, from memory, there's a ditch there somewhere.
     
  17. Duty Druid

    Duty Druid Resident of Nat Pres

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  18. Duty Druid

    Duty Druid Resident of Nat Pres

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    The things I do for folk......... :rolleyes:

    But in this case, gladly! :)

    I've been asked by those higher up the pay grade than me if I'd post the following & I do so unashamedly, as its written with their heart on their sleeve.

    THE WATERCRESS LINE

    ONE FAMILY; ONE STORY

    Dear all

    For those of you who don't know me, I have the privilege of being Chairman of the Urie Locomotive Society, often found at Ropley as part of the ULS engineering team and always chasing for new members and donations to get our projects done. Those who do know me will be well aware that I am

    a born optimist, enjoy a challenge and never give up until I have achieved my objectives.

    Clearly my passion is the ULS, but where exactly are the boundaries? Should my efforts be purely focused at all times on our Society and its assets? There is an argument to say that is exactly the space I need to be in, but then how do you define 'that space'? In truth I need to look to our supporters as well as members, future overhauls as well as current restorations and I need to consider the land our assets are sitting on as well as the assets themselves; I absolutely need to consider our home. They say home is where the heart is and my heart, our heart, is at the Watercress Line; this is our home and this is where the ULS belongs. So, if the railway is our home, what does that make all of us?? Railway enthusiasts, stakeholders in a heritage railway, of course we are those things, but we are also something far, far greater, we are a family ....... We are The Watercress Line family.

    The Coronavirus pandemic is something the like of which none of us have ever seen before; it's a once in-a-hundred-years' event and something millions would not expect to experience in their lifetime. The effects have been devastating; the tragic loss of life, the huge impact on families who have lost loved ones and the damage to the economy are simply frightening. The world is a very strange place in these unprecedented times of restriction and furlough but there will come a day when we will move away from all of this and our lives can begin to return to normal, but let's not pretend, it will be a very new kind of normal. For many of us, I suspect the social distancing we have embraced over these last 8 weeks or so will be maintained; it's almost become a comfort factor. Whilst we all wish the clock could be turned back and Coronavirus condemned to some bad dream, sickeningly this isn't the case; we have to live with it and we hope to live through it. So when the great day comes that the green light is given to reopening heritage railways, will there be a railway to reopen ... you bet your sweet **** there will!

    Before lock-down, the Watercress Line had 2 significant inflows of funds: compensation following the closure of Butts bridge and the hugely successful visit of Flying Scotsman. By early March a plan had been drawn up for a host of capital projects to be undertaken. Some were necessary repairs/renewals, some represented improvements to the infrastructure, some were continued overhauls and restorations of rolling stock and motive power; all had a cost and that cost was to be borne out of the exceptional income mentioned above. Temporary closure of the railway has dictated these funds be diverted toward supporting the operating costs which, even without trains running, are not insignificant. Frustrating it may be that these funds are having to be utilised in this way, but we must be grateful they are there; they are precisely why the health of the railway is not terminal. With the well-publicised costs of maintaining the railway even in a lock-down state running at circa £75,000pm, those reserves are being nibbled away. The call I'm making now is not about saving the railway, it WILL survive and we will all be back. This call is about protecting the assets, the infrastructure, the family treasures. It's also about enabling the railway to prepare for life in the new normal. When our paying public come back to see us, what will they expect? Well-kept stations, welcoming staff, clean coaches, gleaming locomotives are all part of the visitor experience but now we must add something new. Whatever we offer, from train journeys to guided tours, dining trains to special events, we will absolutely need to make certain everyone feels safe, secure and protected, not just from insect bites and trip hazards but from Coronavirus. I said earlier that social distancing has become a comfort zone for many of us and we must all embrace that at the railway. Some things could be as simple as a piece

    of tape or a sign, others could involve more significant changes, whatever is required there is one thing we can be sure of... there will be a cost.

    During the latter part of 2019/early 2020 the new Boards had been steadfastly working to put the Watercress Line on a path to growth and success, a path from which the whole family would benefit.

    Covid19 has seemingly changed those plans........... but does that have to be the case? NO IT DOESN'T! We are the Watercress Line family, we are powerful, we are strong, we are determined and by working together we CAN change the tide. In the land of Urie we have a dogged determination and if anyone ever dares say 'you'll never do that it's like a red rag to a bull, we will find a way! The railway can be the same. We have a Board and management team bringing new energy to the railway, we have paid staff and volunteers working with a smile on their faces and a willingness and desire to 'get stuck in'. 2 months ago I could sense real drive and enthusiasm around the railway as we set about the next chapter in our story. It doesn't need to stop, it mustn't stop, it won't stop - we will not be beaten by any evil virus.

    So now to the crux and yes, it is about money. Will you please join me in a virtual club, 'The Watercress Line – Club of 2020'? Membership fees are down to the individual, simply a monthly payment of whatever amount you feel comfortable with for the remaining 8 months of this year. There are no gimmicky rewards attached to WCL-C2020, no mugs or t-shirts, no free drinks or meals, just a target to raise £75,000 in each of those months - that's an average of £15 per month per head for every member, shareholder, staffer and volunteer. I fully appreciate some may not wish or be able to give, some may contribute a few quid, others greater than the average. It matters not what we do individually, what matters is that the family pulls together.

    The Watercress Line has one hell of a story to tell. Chapter 1 was written when the railway first opened in October 1865 and numerous chapters have been penned since. For many of us the most significant chapter in our lifetimes was written in April 1977 with the reopening to fare paying passengers of the stretch of line from Alresford to Ropley. The next chapter will be equally as important but it isn't written yet, so this is our chance. Whether you are a member of staff, volunteer, supporter, owning group, Board member/Trustee, visitor, supplier or other stake-holder of The Watercress Line, this is our opportunity to write that piece of future history, this is the time to show our strength. We are an incredible bunch of people, we can work miracles and with resilience and resolve we can do the impossible - it might just take a while longer! Let's do this, let's give the Board the funding they need to ensure the investment, protection and growth continues and let's show the world what can really be done when a family pulls together. I'm up for it, I know others who are, will you join us for the ride? We have a story to tell and boy are we going to tell it in style.

    One last promise, if we can pull this off, 2021 will see the party of all parties at Ropley .... and the drinks will be on me!

    Thank you for reading this, stay safe everyone and I look forward to seeing many of you some time soon, back once again at home....on The Watercress Line.

    Best wishes

    Mark Pedley

    Chairman ULS, and part of The Watercress Line family

    Please use the details below to set up your standing order:

    Sort Code - 20-97-01 Account - 70551899 Mid Hants Railway Preservation Society Limited Quote WCLC2020 in the reference box Gift aid can add 25p to every £1 you donate. If you are a UK taxpayer and have not already submitted a valid gift aid form, a blank can be found on the Watercress Line website at:

    https://preservation.watercressline.co.uk/assets/ugc/docs/Charity Gift Aid Declaration form.pdf

    Please print and complete the form then send to the address given.

    If you prefer, regular payments can be made through Virgin Money, just follow the link:

    https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/charity web/charity/finalCharityHomepage.action?uniqueVmgCharityUrl=watercressline
     
    Last edited: May 25, 2020
    sem34090, green five, Shaggy and 3 others like this.
  19. Footbridge

    Footbridge Member

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    Is there a breakdown of the £75,000 per month during lockdown? It seems a lot to my simple mind, please no nasty comments I just need to know where my donation will be going.
     
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  20. johnofwessex

    johnofwessex Resident of Nat Pres

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    Presumably though with '10 year' overhauls coming in at £250000 and upwards each 'in ticket' loco is costing £2000 pcm then there is rates, the 'fixed' maintenance costs - vegetation control, buildings etc. I dont know if there are any lease/finance costs. Insurance?
     

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