Mid Hants Railway Operational Matters

As referenced in a post above - 563 had its bogie run out for repairs. A couple of views of an Adams bogie (the real deal in this case!).
Pat

 

There was rather a lot of smoke going past the window yesterday, so much that it caused a few of the festival passengers to comment "I thought we were behind a Diesel, not a steam loco?".

 

I see from a post on Facebook today that the S15 will be returning to traffic after her boiler work in her BR guise of 30506 with a lion and wheel logo on the tender.

Sent from my XQ-BT52 using Tapatalk

 

I can think of one little owl, who will be flapping its wings in joy, and soon taking flight camera in its beak to record 30506 ,

 

Yeehaa. What incredible news to wake up to!

Wings have flapped so much I've just taken off.

I've already got photos of 30507 and 30508 in the 1960s, ok shots, and with 30506 I'll have a hat trick of S15s.

Bryan

 

PS Guys, can you send me a link to the FB page where this incredible news is reported please.

Many thanks,

Bryan

 

I’ve seen it on the Ropley MPD page - not public so you’ll need to join if not already a member. Link below to the specific post of 30506.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/193fRocuXU/?mibextid=wwXIfr

 

Makes sense as it was always the plan on the return of 499 but now is an ideal time to undertake it!

 

From memory 30506 has never had the lion and wheel logo on its tender in preservation

 

That's correct 30506 previously carried the later "Ferret and Dartboard" logo.

 

And then there were Three........ (with apologies to Genesis! )

After last weeks reasonable turnout atop the hill, it would seem most cried off from taming the troublesome trucks atop the hill, using a bank holiday as an excuse........

So it was just Muggin's 'Ere, Me Oppo & Matey...... first job was to change a brake block on one of the box vans, but to do that we had to locate it........ turns out it was right down the end of Bennett's!

Thankfully, its downhill, as Muggin's somehow drew the short straw in having to lump the damn thing down to the van....... anyway, for a change the old brake block came out easier that expected, but the new one didn't want to go in its place without a fight, but eventually it did & the rigging was adjusted accordingly to ensure that both blocks on that side engaged at the same time.

The rest of the day was spent cutting the new floor timbers for the steel highfit....... you'd think that it would be straight forward, but with these batterd old vehicles, it proved to be anything but & given that the planks have to be slotted in via two recesses in the C section on one side & then slid along into position, it soon became apparent that planks would have to be fettled as we went along!

But, by the end of play, all planks had been trial fitted, but we know that there's going to be a fair amount of fettling to be done before they're in position permanently!

Didn't bother to pick up the camera, it was 'only' the Ivatt in full dull & it's not like I haven't any pics of it atop the hill....... but it good the see the trains full of happy families enjoying the Thomas event!

So, a final few pics from the charter......

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/54543347202/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/54544229686/in/photostream/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/54544569170/in/photostream/

The new floor trail fitted to the steel highfit.

 

That floor is a very tidy job

 

How long does a floor like that last?
We've got fed up with floors (even with pressure impregnated timber) rotting through in 10-15 years on the Bluebell, so are now spending the money (all raised through our fundraising) on more durable hardwood timbers.

 

563 departed Ropley yesterday for loading onto a lorry today.

 

Tender and loco now sitting on low loaders in the car park at Alresford

 

A shame 506 is being repainted as I believe that means there is now only one operational steam locomotive in southern England (other than on the Isle of Wight) now carrying Southern Railway livery in amy form, that being 2678 on the K&ESR.

The oppressive yoke of boring old BR black claims another victim.

 

It's in plain black anyway! It's not a massive change. It's still plain, boring, unlined black, but they've swapped a large colourful logo on the tender for another one. If it was 563, 672, 263, etc having a full repainted into plain black I could understand the anger. But it's not.

 

Actually, anyone who is a fan of S15s in pre-nationalisation liveries have done very well. Not only has 506 run in both olive green and Southern wartime black during its preservation career, but to my knowledge, I don't think that any of the other S15s to have steamed in preservation (825, 828, 841 and 847) have ever run in anything but SR livery*. I think the plan for the Mid Hants-based locos was for 499 to appear in as-built condition in LSWR livery, 828 to run in Southern green and (30)506 to represent the final chapter of the S15 story and run in BR livery. This makes sense as I think I'm right in saying that the Urie S15s were the last pre-grouping 4-6-0s in service on BR.

*Correction: 30841 ran in non-authentic BR passenger green for a while, albeit some time ago. Thanks to @26D_M for pointing out my error

 

Yes re the fact that the actual change is not a great deal. Except that it will, hopefully, look even closer to how I remember them and photographed them in the 1960s. That is what drives my desire to see locos sometimes returned to that condition.

And with 30499 on the way it should hopefully, for those who like pre BR livery & numbers, be joined before too long by a member of the class looking as some here like them to look.

All being well, 30506 as it sounds like it is going to look will increase my visits to the Mid Hants.

Bryan

 

506 is in the shop for repair, and for as short a time as possible. The paint was tired, particularly over the top of the firebox, so a quick(ish) refresh of the black was the only sensible course to take. As to the ID and tender logo - what the hell, a change is as good as a rest.
Pat