Mid Hants Railway Operational Matters

It is indeed

 

The team did well last year with the fully controlled lights which set new standards.

good video on riveting.
Is there a reason why a new refurbished wagon (rather than the wagon used last year?) is needed for the lights train generators.

 

A picture from Alresford today

Late Summer Lunchtime at Alresford by Stephen Morley, on Flickr

 

Timetable for the weekend now on the website.

Anyone have any ideas what is likely to be running?

Andrew

 

7F 53808, std4 76017 and D8059 or D 8188

The Wanderer will be diesel hauled Saturday and Monday. The Austen Adventurer and Countryman will share 76017 and D8059 on Sunday.

 

A nice steady day atop the hill yesterday, with numbers depleted due to the bank holiday, between three of us we continued to tick off the small niggly jobs, that if we don't do them now, they could bite us at some point in the future, and we don't want that!

One of the main jobs outstanding, waa to finally get the cladding on to frame #4 and seal it & the cladding on door#3.... even though all the cladding was cut to size once each frame was made, we've found that what should be a simple job, isn't, as since the frames have been hung, the cladding no longer drops into place, but needs fettling!! Something that takes time to get right, so that turned out to be an all day job.

Another one on the list was to remedy the cracking paint on the front face of the doorskin on door#3, its something we've been aware of for a few weeks, so it was out with the palm sander & plenty of 40 grit, as it urned out that every time you thought you'd sorted out all areas of cracked paint, more appeared, so it was more or less back to bare metal by the time all the affectd areas were sorted out..... its the original doorskin, and we've always known of a small patch where the steel was wasted, and now was the time to sort that out, along with what was left of the screw holes that were left after we had to trim the skin to fit -so it was out with the 'magic' putty to sort things out - that stuff is an absolute Godsend, as it has saved us a lot of time & agro!

Once it had gone off, it was sanded flat & you'd never know there were once holes, and then the whole skin red oxided before two coats of undercoat were applied!

Something else we had to deal with, was doors #1&2 not closing flush, as the shootbolt was not goig home properly - the 'fun' was working out exactly why, how & where.... we knew that one one the undersides of the frames needed shaving, so this was attended to, but the 'close' was still not as it should be, so it was a case of working out why & how.... after a fair amount of opening closing, one or both doors, we worked out that rust from neglect had slightly forced the frame to bow outwards, so after some trial & error it was out with the cold chisel & hammer & plane to sort out both meeting faces....... this proved to be the right solution, as the doors now close snuggly & the shootbolt travels home with ease!

The final job on the list was to tidy up the roof, as too many pesky flying things had met their end on it the other week, so it was a case of getting rid of them & giving the affected areas a lick of paint.

All in all, not bad days work for three blokes going at a nice steady pace in between the passing trains, plus its a few more of those pesky little jobs ticked off the list, edging us ever closer to completing what was until a few years ago, a basket case!!!

A few pics of yesterdays motive power.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/51410156191/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/51410423138/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/51410916359/in/dateposted-public/

Door #3 sanded back, holes dealt with & into red oxide - spot the hole...... not!


Same door at the end of the day up to 2nd undercoat, so ready for a coat of 50'50 next time.



Doors #3&4 finally clad, so next ime, they can be undercoated.


The roof sorted out. (not my pic)

 

D8188 was out and about today....

Diesel Country(man) by Stephen Morley, on Flickr

 

Warm on the Footplate today!

 

Thank your lucky stars it wasn't an spam can, an unrebuilds cab can be a very hot working place indeed

 

A rather breezy day greeted the two souls who dared to turn up yesterday.....

Not ideal for painting, but that was what was on the menu for the day!!

After a brew & finalising a plan, they set to....

One was charged with finishing off all the door cladding & getting them up to 2nd undercoat by the end of the day......

The other, no prizes for guessing who..... drew the short straw...... 1st job was to get both door reveals into 50/50 as well as the door skins on doors #3&4, following that, next was to get the bodyside up to 2nd gloss....... also tackled was getting the buffers & couplings into 2nd gloss, along with getting the solebar & headstocks into 1st gloss, it turned out a little lighter than was wanted, as too much of the lighter gloss slipped into the black its not a bother as this can be rectified next time!

Sadly some of the bodysides will need to be re-done as on inspection at the end of the day, you could easily see the dust carried by the wind stuck to them!

Still, by the end of the day, we'd achieved what we set out to do even if some bits need to be done again, so one more small step in getting this former wreck back into traffic!

All this achieved whilst waving at trains with lots of happy passengers on them, and for a change we had two named trains out & about..... The 'Red Dragon' & the 'Pines Express'

A pic of each.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/51426347726/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/51427109594/in/dateposted-public/

Doors 3&4 into 50/50.


The cladding on doors 3&4 upto 2nd undercoat, so ready for 1st gloss next time.


Bodysides up to 2nd gloss & solebar & headstocks up to 1st gloss.

 

So not long to go before its ready for sign writing i happen to know where i can get hold of a black 4x4, unmarked, comes with " certain non standard equipment " such as blue light, siren etc As long as i get it back by hand over they won't miss it.

 

I don't think poor old Alex, @flying scotsman123 , would appreciate being pressganged, though we have seriously considered it!!!!

Though he is more than welcome to visit us at any time.

 

If I wasn't so busy with our own fleet I'd also be tempted, no unmarked black 4x4s necessary!

 

Anyone know what is rostered for the coming weekend? We will visit if 53808 is working

 

Been there! Done that! Got a very sweaty Tee Shirt too!

 

Meat Van restoration update; nothing extreme, but the rubbing back and red oxiding are complete. Two layers of undercoat have been applied and await the first application of Crimson. The frames and running gear have started to be painted black too.

Some new felt for the roof is required, and I'm hoping to make up the brackets and pipework for the braking system over the winter. The brake cylinder will also be coming off for overhaul at some point too.

 

I know diesel wise it's a class 20, I'm sure someone will have the steam gen in due course

 

This weekend is the three train service that is on the website. The Wanderer hauled by class 20. 76017 and 53808 the others

 

Ok thanks

Don

 

What about Sunday though