Mid Hants Railway Operational Matters

End of today’s shift. Ropley this evening.

 

Didn't go up the yard yesterday, due to the need to stare at the back of my eyelids for as long as possible!

Normal service should be resumed next week......

In the meantime, a few more from the Nikon shoots & running day.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/55161805018/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/55161640856/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/55161641206/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/55161889254/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/55161890154/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/55158827578/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/55158911804/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/55158827708/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/55159050275/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/55158912414/in/dateposted-public/

 

Some shots from Saturday’s visit to the railway.



2026-03-21 30506 URIE S15 4-6-0 NORTH STREET MHR 099 by KING COBRA 92, on Flickr



2026-03-21 30506 URIE S15 4-6-0 NORTHSIDE LANE XING 173 by KING COBRA 92, on Flickr



2026-03-21 60103 GRESLEY A3 4-6-2 ROOKWOOD LANE MHR 043 by KING COBRA 92, on Flickr



2026-03-21 60103 GRESLEY A3 4-6-2 NORTH STREET 126 by KING COBRA 92, on Flickr



2026-03-21 60103 GRESLEY A3 4-6-2 NORTH STREET 135 by KING COBRA 92, on Flickr



2026-03-21 60103 GRESLEY A3 4-6-2 NORTHSIDE LANE XING MHR 160 by KING COBRA 92, on Flickr

 

By Eck. it were perishing atop the hill yesterday, with a Northerly with a severe bite blowing through - bringing the sun, the rain, the hail & briefly the snow!!!

Still, that didn't stop the masses gathered from cracking on with things.....

Three, who are modellers, were charged with fault finding on the layout in the model rail PMV, as task that had them in relative warmth!

The rest of us carried on the rescue mission that is the workshop PMV with more derusting & red oxiding of the frames, along with the start of welding in patches where the corrosion is severe.

Muggin's 'Ere, late morning to a ride on the company transport down to Ropley, as he had a duty to perform, namely signing a retirement card for someone who's been a big part of the railway for eon's - enjoy your retirement Mrs B!

Upon returning atop the hill, again on the Sprinter...... His Mucker was summoned to assist with the task of measuring things again, as since the last time, various things had been bugging......

It proved to be a worthwhile exercise, even with collectively frozen brains & fingers, as somethings we thought possible the first time, this time around are proven to be not so - cue much discussion, head scratching & more measuring!!

It would appear that we now have a good idea of how we need to approach replacing the cladding........ time will tell.

Didn't take a singe image, as I was too busy trying to keep warm, so you'll have to do with a few more from the Nikon shoots......

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/55174198462/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/55175488760/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/55175491575/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/55175262033/in/dateposted-public/

 

To whoever at the Watercress came up with the idea of putting free child vouchers inside leaflets- what a genius idea!

They have a stack of leaflets at my local SWR station and was planning on taking my two children to the Watercress at some point.

I'm yet to see Canadian Pacific back in steam and I'm also keen to see the 150 in action. Does anybody know if there are any regular running days when both are in action on the same day?

 

The 150 will be running Sunday and Monday of Easter weekend, then most midweek running days for the next couple of months unless there's an event on.

I think CP is likely to be out next weekend as well, but don't know for certain.

 

Hello. The WL website loco roster has recently been updated as below:

class 150 'sprinter' unit - 150231
1 – 2 & 5 – 10 April

Alton

30506 S15

1-2 April

Alresford


35005 Canadian Pacific
3 – 10 April

Alresford

41312 LMS IVATT
3 – 4 April

Alton

 

Ivatt and CP for today’s Relief turn. Can’t ask for better

 

A 100% Bullied day today

 

Blessed are the wagon bashers! with apologies to M Python......

It were a good day, dear reader, atop the hill on Friday - yep, you read that right, Friday! Muggin's 'Ere had decided that three lies in's in a row would make a nice change to the usual one.

There were seven like minded nutters in attendance, three were charged with fault fixing on the layout in the model rail PMV & by the of the day, the faults had been fixed, and the layout tested to the satisfaction that it is good to go for the gala at the en of the month.

That left the rest of us to concentrate on bringing the workshop PMV back from the dead, so more derusting and red oxiding was the order of the day...... not everyone's favourite job!

But by the end of the day the frames were pretty much done, bar a few places that need someone smaller and more agile to reach.

A start was also made in getting the frames into first undercoat.

Muggin's didn't manage to pick the camera up, probably due to paint issues - it's not fun painting upside down & the damn stuff seems to then get everywhere!!!

So, a few more from Scotsman's visit........

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/55189244840/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/55189246615/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/55187960117/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/55189094674/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/55188996443/in/dateposted-public/

The frames now in red oxide.



A start made on undercoating, as the country end frames were being finished off....

 

Reading the latest SLL bulletin, it is mentioned that the proposed tender swap with 34007 has been revived because there is a new plan for the loco to 'go mainline'.
https://southern-locomotives.co.uk/News/news.html in the section for 34072 latest news.

 

I think the plan is eventually for 34007 to go mainline. I doubt it'll happen straight away, it's too needed on the Mid Hants. With 41312 going out of ticket this year that only leaves 35005 & 30506, with no loco in reserve in case one fails. I would expect maybe two-three years into it's next ticket it'll go mainline once other locos have returned to traffic.

This is all me guessing, I do not know the official answer.

 

What more can you ask for two Bulleids working on the MHR again.

 

3?

 

Is 34007 owned by that Swiss? guy, Alex Chromeni (or similar)?

 

Think he has underwritten the overhaul to a significant extent. Also a Director of R&S (E) Ltd, Bury, where the loco is being overhauled.
He's German, but lives in Switzerland, heir to a fortune made from chocolate ....
"34007 is owned by Wadebridge (34007) Locomotive Ltd., in which the Watercress Line Heritage Railway Trust holds a majority share. Wadebridge Ltd. chair, Stephen Evans, has said that he ‘is absolutely delighted that Wadebridge is being given a fast-track overhaul. This has been made possible by the locomotive’s extraordinarily generous Swiss benefactor, Alex Choremi"
http://34007wadebridge.uk/news.html

 

I think the MHR owns something like a 75% stake in the loco, with the original owning group owning the remaining 25%. I think the Swiss individual has just provided funds for the overhaul.

 

Thanks. He does like to splash the cash. Seen him on the Jacobite amongst other places.

 

Yes, he used to be a professional driver on Swiss railways I think. Every time a loco new to ELR came in the 90s he'd hire it for a day of fxp.
He seems to have a thing for original Bulleids particularly but MN9 is progressing again too