Mid Hants Railway Operational Matters

Yes sounds like could well be useful as a feeder service, getting passengers where they want to be and giving them a longer day out - rather than being an attraction in itself.

 

Agree with the comments above. The sprinter is a useful asset when it is not worth steaming up a second loco. But would be happy to see it used less often once the Thumper is back in action. Unfortunately that looks to be some time away because of the body work needed.

 

It is some way off because a lot of money needs to be found. Even then it will be an historic item and need a degree of cosseting. The 150 is currently and will for a while be a darn sight easier to get spares for too.

 

I was very pleased to see this on Mid Hants Buesky feed:


We are pleased to share that our Class 150 'Sprinter' Unit will celebrate its first day in service on The Watercress Line on the 15th of February!✨
Book your ticket to our Magic of Locomotion event to join us on this historic day.

Looking forward to a good day’s sprinting, hopefully the first of many!

 

Looking on the MHR website today I see South Western Railway’s Wes and Sandy toys are available to buy.

https://watercressline.co.uk/wes-and-sandy/

 

That's quite cute and very funny.
A couple of weeks back I went out to do a few last miles on the remaining Class 455s.
We picked up a couple of pigeons at Waterloo. One jumped off at Clapham, the other stayed on until Wimbledon.

 

The Railway 200 Inspiration train arrives on the evening of 18th February coming directly from Swanage:

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U77571/2026-02-18/detailed

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Looks like from the Timetable the service trains are going to pass at Medstead as the Inspiration train is at Ropley.

 

Well, Dear Reader, for once on a Sunday night the forum seems to be working!

So, Muggin's 'Ere will chance his arm and bring you up to date with what's been happening atop the hill these last few weeks......

Since the SR container landed in the yard, we've been busy clearing out the workshop PMV, a task that has at times seemed never ending - the Chippies CCT has been filled with tools and the SR container with pretty much everything else that's needed from time to time, a lot of crud has been either skipped or burnt.

There was no point in being sentimental over stuff that has just clogged the van for years in the vain hope that it one day be used!

Yesterday culminated in the van finally being cleared, including moving the pillar drill that is way too heavy to lift by muscle power alone, we could've split into parts, but would we have been able to reassemble it and get it working again?..... Probably not, so thankfully we have an engine hoist that comes in useful for removing and fitting buffers, this was employed to lift the drill off it's base, we just about had enough clearance to do this and given a large chunk of the floor had been lifted last week, we were able, after some maneuvering to drop the drill between the frames.

Once that was done, the 'fun' of lifting the remaining boards began..... law of sod decreed that there were more bolts holding the country end sections down than the London end ones, which explains why it took more effort to prise the damn things apart, but eventually they gave up and bu the end of play the entire floor had been lifted!

Next week, we'll be making a proper assessment of the frames and working out what repairs are going to be needed and where.

The pillar drill swinging in the breeze in transit to it's temporary home.....



The PMV floor well and truly up.

 

41312 has been unveiled in her new livery:



Pictures from Facebook.

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Technically from Corfe I suspect as that is where it is due to be parked according to the Swanage website. Not that it makes any difference at your end.

 

Does anyone know which steam loco is out this coming weekend?

 

41312 has been confirmed on Facebook to be out this Saturday.

 

Thanks, I'll be there Sunday. I imagine it'll be the same?

 

I am certain 41312 will be out running. However it might be on Belle duties Sunday. There's 3 locos out on Sunday, There is I believe a prebooked Wessex Belle which is steam hauled, in addition to the 150 and another steam loco out on regular services.

 

Many thanks for this update! Do you happen to know whether the Sprinter likely to be out on Saturday?

 

It's not. First official running day is on Sunday.

 

Thanks!

 

That's good news, an extra train to spot then!

 

I'm told that 35005 is the second loco on Saturday, working the Alresford diagram.