Mid Hants Railway Operational Matters

4247 is provisionally marked to be operating services from Wednesday onwards - subject to the usual of course.

 

Looking at the grand plan from May, 41312 is shown as stored 2027-2028, overhaul 2029-2031, to traffic 2032.
Pat

 

Thanks for the info. I might have to pay a visit as I am on holiday this week.

 

I seem to recall that 45379 was suffering late in its previous operational stint with a frame crack- wonder if it will need more major work this time round to enable another 10 years operating.

 

Re - 35005 and 34007 have been deemed too large
for regular services.

I wonder how well that comment regarding 35005 fits with the UK Lotto funding conditions for its fairly recent major and expensive overhaul?

I ask as I cannot recall what the plans for CanPac were following the overhaul - but I think a main line return was ruled out at some stage?

Bryan

 

I remember going to a talk at the Mid Hants many years ago, possibly a decade or so ago, about Can Pac's restoration. I asked a question about possible mainline running and I was told that as well as expense there was not much point as Clan Line seemed to fill that part of the market.

 

There seems to be a misinterpretation that "too large for normal services" means "we don't want it". What the article is meant to highlight is getting a balance between locos with "star" power to interest Joe Public, and the economical ones better suited to your day-to-day operation and not break the bank. There's no denying CanPac is an expensive loco to run in terms of coal consumption and not one you'd choose to fire up every day if it can be avoided, but it does have an interesting story behind it which played heavily into it's launch event.

 

Yes indeed, as I may have mentiond to you when we have met at various heritage lines, I was one of the four who was asked to time the very, very unofficial 105 mph run. And I am still in regular touch with Dave Wilson who was the fireman that night.

And not to forget (I never will) the amazing driver 'Sootie' Saunders and Dave Wilson 17.30 Waterloo run on 7 June 1965, only a few weeks after the 15 May epic. A full 12 car load of 435t gross, and my fastest ever start from Waterloo with anythng like that load - 14 mins 16 secs to pass Surbiton at 78 mph, up to 83 mph at Esher and then a dead stand for signals just before Hersham. At which Dave asked Sootie if they could try and accelerate that heavy train all the way to the summit at MP 31. In the short distance to the small 'dip'at Byfleet Junction the speed had risen from 0 mph at the signal stop to an astonishing 74 mph. Thus onto the climb to MP 31 with 76 mph through Woking, and just over 78 mph around Brookwood, where the acceleration ended - I suspect the limit of steam raising by a Bulleid boiler was close to having been reached on whatever coal Nine Elms had at the time. But it was still an amazing 75 mph over the MP 31 summit. And then into the low 80s before a signal check outside Basingstoke.

So yes, some very interesting stories behind 35005!

Bryan

 

......but none of that related in the previous post really gets to terms with the fact that it is an extravagant loco for day to day services on 5 coach trains on the MHR, where 41312 is adequate for most services. My advice would be to enjoy it while you can, because it's hard to see the justification for overhauling it for continued use there once its ticket has run out. Arguably, it was a panic buy in the wake of the loss of the Bunch fleet, and the money would have been better spent on something better suited to the line, if only they had waited for something more suited to come up. It is hard to see the real need for 34007 now, but it looks as though that will mostly depart for the main line.

 

I was answering the point made by @Wagoniester about it having an interesting story behind it. Stories in fact as 'that related in the previous post' points out. A truly historic British Steam Locomotive - of a kind that don't usually get the words 'panic buy' used about them in any context.

Bryan

 

I can think of a lot worse things to buy in a panic than Can Pac.................

 

I doubt very much whether the MHR bought it because of it's "historic" past. In the wake of the departure of the Bunch-owned locos, and the lack of clarity over the ownership of some others that remained, there was an urgent need to replace them and 35005 was an ex-SR engine that they were able to secure. I might be wrong, but I don't think the thinking ran much deeper than that!

 

If I wanted to read up on the end of Southern Steam how good is this book?

https://strathwood.co.uk/products/5...nction?_pos=3&_psq=1967&_psid=ac8a77630&_ss=e

 

For £14.95 you can find out.

 

No idea on the one you linked.
Guess it depends on the type of book you want, just photographs or more detail.
But I frequently reference Southern Steam Sunset by John H Bird and The Twight of Southern Steam by Don Benn for details about the end of steam on the Southern.

 

Although I get the point that a Merchant Navy is a very large loco for operating 5 coach trains, it remains the case that the cheapest loco to operate is the one you have available right now. In other words - 35005 may burn a lot of coal, but the overhaul cost is sunk. If you have to hire in a smaller loco at £800 per day in order to save £400 in coal, it is a false economy, even if your coal bill goes down!

So up to the end of the current ticket, surely it makes sense to continue to use the loco and recover the money spent on overhaul? What happens after that is a different question, though even there, you have the question that if the first overhaul was very thorough (particularly the boiler) then hopefully the follow-on would be fairly minor in nature, which might still make it an attractive target to overhaul.

I guess the point is - if you reserve a loco for high days and holidays, it is an expensive luxury because it represents an overhaul that you didn't strictly need to do. And if you have already carried out the overhaul - better to get the value out of it, in my view. That doesn't preclude trying to have a future strategy that is based around more economical motive power.

Tom

 

I think having one Bulleid Pacific is not a bad shout. For example:

• Lower fire risk as it doesn't have to work so hard
• Good fun for galas
• Something exciting to hire out to other railways
• Can haul longer trains if there became a need to (e.g. 8 coach runs at galas, or, say, a 7 coach Santa train etc)
• Important part of the story of Southern Steam.

There is definitely plenty for it to do.

I encourage others to add to my list as I'm sure I've forgotten things.

Having a railway full of Bulleids would, however, be a less-good idea.

 

CanPac has definitely been a great asset for the railway since returning from her lengthy overhaul. She was thrown in at the deep end so to speak when 30506 developed a boiler problem and was out of action for some time. 35005 was the main motive power for the majority of services during this time. She was also the only steam loco that could be used in the hot conditions. As you say above she was no doubt a cheaper option than hiring in a smaller loco to cover the services.
I always feel it is a bit of treat to witness CanPac in action on the railway as she could well have been sitting in the sidings for many, many years if the lottery funding application had not been successful.