Fire at Mid Hants

It does not Andrew:

Phase three is going ahead as planned.

Regards
Chris

 

Ah, thats a relief.

 

A little bit more from the Mid-Hants website. Doesn't look good for the LSWR dining car.

http://www.watercressline.co.uk/News/Building/View/232

 

Wrong!

The dining car project is very much alive as I had a request for an empty 4 wheel van to store the metal parts in.

The under frame is restorable , and a new body will be built on it. OK so it is a replica, but better to be a replica than no dining car at all although no time scale as yet.

Just thought everyone would like to know, sorry I cannot say more at this stage.

Best regards
Chris:

 

It's just the way it is worded in the article.

 

Yes, that is very good news. Hope it goes well
(we did something similar, but the arson damage was not as extensive, with B-49 from the Bowes Railway).

 

I thought that to buseng, still glad to put the record straight.

Regards
Chris:

 

Although it is a great shame that the original coach has gone, it is really good news that a re-build project will happen. Look forward to seeing it, do you have a project plan you would like to share or is it too early?

Regards

 

Too early at the moment David as I understand that the two Bulleid SOBT thirds will be restored first.

Regards
Chris

 

No problem.

 

It makes sense to finish existing projects before starting a new one! The Bulleids will be a good addition to the MHR's coaching stock by adding variety.

Hope you are well,

Regards

 

Can anyone say just how bad the damage was to the boiler shop, as distinct from the carriage shop? The article on the Mid-hants website says: "...the recently gutted boiler shop".... but I thought that part of the building had mainly smoke damage, rather than actual fire damage?

Good news that things are happening on site now.


46118

 

According to the latest SR mag received today, they hope to have the boiler shop back in action within 3-4 months. Also says the fire was discovered 20 minutes after work finished in the workshop for the day.

 

It is interesting that the insurers will apparently pay for a new body for the SWR coach. When the LNERCA had an open third destroyed by fire at Carnforth we looked at rebuilding it but when we costed it out (ca. £100,000) the insurers got cold feet. Of course that was in teak, but I don't think the extra cost of the wood was that great.

 

It could depend on the type of cover in each case. If the LNER teak coach was insured for its present value at the time, rather than its "replacement" value, then the Insurers would have paid at the most, the cost of sourcing a similar vehicle in the market, rather than the £100,000 rebuilding cost.

 

Fortunately the rest of the nearly completed locomotive was in the loco shed / workshops next to the wheeldrop at the time of the fire!

 

Perhaps the fact that the LSWR dining car is unique has something to do with it?

Regards
Chris:

 

The boilers trapped in the boiler shop are from 30506 and 76017.

31806's boiler is fitted to the locomotive. The biggest holdup regarding this loco will be the tender.

 

Re the spare tender chassis and top in Ropley headshunt that Lee showed a picture of recently . I have somewhere a picture of this particular tender when it arrived at Rolpey .If I remember it was from BR not Barry Island . Neville Hill Leeds seems to ring a bell when I can find the picture (its a print) i will enlighten us all .
Its certainly a Fowler Chassis as it came to the line complete with top and coal rails . And the new top is one of the ex Plentys of Newbury tops made at the same time as the top for 31874s replacement this particular one is a 4000 gallon style tank. Obviously completely wrong on this chassis.
Work stripping the Carrage shed has continued at a pace at Ropley all is being revealed.The area stinks of burnt plastic.
David .