MHR Restorations and Overhauls

LN850 does seem to be posting some contentious comments but I would be disappointed if he stopped posting. He is generally doing a good job of keeping the Forum informed of what is going on at the MHR. He just needs to pause and reflect on what he posts before hitting the send button.

 

Agreed, but I also think he needs to get out and about more to see what others have done!

 

I wouldnt say that there is much difference now between the standard of restoration that gets carried out at the other sites, in past times how ever i have to say that there was some really shocking work done, i can remember when Dame vera lyn came to the MHR after being bought by cliff brown for accessment before it went to the NYMR no way should that have ran anwhere in the condition that was then in and if my memory serves me well we had some right doggy engines that came on loan for galas from other railways a castle, that had tried to put its own fire out so bad were the leaks, and they just got worse during the day that we had to fail it and use the S160 that by our own standards was worse than useless but the fireman when i handed it over was glad to get it, a jubilie that was so off beat that even with a driver who knew them in br days, he couldnt make it go i used to think that 34105 was hard work but i spent one day on 5593 we called it coal hopper because you shovelled like billy oh and got nowhere , 922203 with most of its superheaters blocked off


I would point out that 2/3 of those engines came from a steam centre rather than an operating railway, whilst the third was, at the time, based on a railway where it saw relatively lttle use, or if it did run ran with 2-3 coach trains on a very short line - hardly representative examples! On the other hand, I've been told that when 35005 was nearing the end of its ticket the only gauge working on it was the pressure gauge! I don't suppose that's representative either but it does show that no-one's perfect!

 

true, but i was pointing out that at that time different railways had different standards of restoration, clun castle should not have been sent, not in that condition , at that time i think 5593 was based at the great central at least that where she was next time i saw her when clive brown purchased his wd 2 10 0 he was told it had been fully restored, when all that had done was to do just enough boiler work to get a ticket and as regards 92203 , we had to make up a set of superheaters before we could make it into a decent engine , im not knocking any railway, but i would bet that there are many instances of other railways getting engines for galas, where the drivers and firemen have looked and thought, how on earth did that get a ticket? or when did that last see shops?

 

Why didn't a rep from the Mid Hants loco dep't check these locos out before they arrived at the railway?

 

Sorry about the comment earlier. I think you have misunderstood what i said.

61624 you are right about 35005 being in rubbish conditions before it left service, you needed 4 people minimum on the footplate to make it work. But that was because it had had 14 years service, and we werent going to give it heavy repairs just before an overhaul.

 

Oh my god LN850 just stop writing such groundless dribble!!!!!!
WHO are you to comment on ESR restorations being rushed! Have you not seen the extensive work they are doing on their 56xx tank.
You really really ought to wind your neck in because you are dragging the MHR down with your childish, groundless and stupid comments.
GROW UP AND SHUT UP

I will now edit my post because LN850 has now withdrawn his groundless comments about the ESR although it is still surprising that he has left his comments about 35005. That engine sounded in a pretty dangerous state if it required 4 people to operate it safely!

 

Oh no you didn't! 2 man crew on it the night before it was withdrawn on a RAT, no problems. The MHR don't carry 4 man crews any more, not for some time. It's driver, fireman & cleaner but you do not always get a cleaner. It's a maximum limit of 4 people on the footplate. 35005 was, not surprisingly, tired when withdrawn.

 

I think he's new to MHR. Maybe someone could print off his drivel and leave in the messroom for 'management' to read? From a look at his profile, he's aroused the curiousity of a JB.? Whilst there is a lot of interesting stuff being posted, I'm not sure they'd be so happy with a lot of that being in the public domain.

 

...but you didn't edit your post...and if you did, then wow, would like to know what the previous edit was as all that clearly references all the ESR stuff.

BTW, do you volunteer on the ESR???

 

It wasn't long ago the LN was asking who to speak to about volunteering on the Mid Hants........................................

someone has probably hacked their account again.

 

No i dont volunteer at the ESR. I did however note that LN850 said that ESR restorations are rushed. He has since removed that comment after i wrote back to it.
I like the MHR and wish them well in everything they do. I know that LN850 sometimes has his blinkers on!

 

You are correct about the blinkers Healthcare.

To be fair he is basically a good lad and very hard working and enthusiastic, however as someone has already stated he needs to think carefully before pressing that send button.

Regards
Chris

 

LN850 a bit of advice from me Ive learnt the hard way . you may not like what other railways do or what engineering departments are doing you may think the MHR is superior in engineering standards but discussing that point of view wont get you very far in the preservation movement there is a time and a place but unfortunately making posts like that are not doing you any favours and also What qualifies you to make such a statement?

 

Ah thats a shame, I was hoping to talk to someone about volunteering there in the not too distant furutre! Seeing the 56XX t'other day, I think ESR restorations are anything but rushed, very thorough and patient! Besides, if they were rushed, we'd have an E1 by now!

 

I apologies for the comments made, and dont lower your opinions of the MHR over it. They are my personal opinions. So take out any problems you have with what is said with me, not MHR.

spindizzy tour comment about my account being hacked is uncalled for. That was a genuine case of being hacked.

 

Hi everyone,

It seems there is a lot of interest in what’s going on at Ropley. So I’ve posted a few photos from today.

 

inflammatory comments about Tangmere and the people that maintain it, inflammatory comments about the standard of work at other heritage centres, I think one should engage brain before ones fingers.

 

Many thanks for the photos of 31806.

I'll be watching out here for when she gets back in service. So progress reports will be very welcome indeed.

Last run I had behind her was on 8th December 1963. 11.36 Redhill-Guildford. Good run until Chilworth, where we were held for 13 minutes because of operational problems caused by dense fog!

Thanks again for the photos.