Mid Hants Railway Operational Matters

Random question: Anyone know what happened to Bulleid brake 4211?
I don't see it used anymore.

 

Found it! In the works for a new roof

 

Knew I had taken a picture

 

There's been quite a lot in the recent YouTube videos about it - basically a lot of the timber beam that runs along the top of the sides needed replacing, they've shown how the new parts have been machined to match in the carpentry shop.

 

Yesterday was mainly spent linesiding in the company of @Hampshire Unit, but I paid a visit to the yard late on as a few of the lads did put a shift in atop the hill yesterday, with more progress on LMS van M517317........ they had a day of niggly progress in terms of sorting out the missing fillets at the top of the north side cladding, along with securing the planks with more bolt holes, and sorting out the planks on the country end. All stuff that needs to be done, and yesterday was the day to do it.

Sooooo.........

some picks from the lineside of yesterdays steamy action!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/53242094402/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/53243333839/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/53243263518/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/53242095087/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/53242094542/in/dateposted-public/

 

When I arrived home yesterday evening after attending the Autumn Gala I found the latest issue of Trackside magazine waiting for me.
There is a report about the future of 30925 Cheltenham. It reports that she will be leaving the Watercress Line as there is no room for her in the current overhaul queue. The NRM want her overhauled sooner rather than later. She may be heading for Barrow Hill for display under cover until a suitable overhaul offer arrives.


Sent from my XQ-BT52 using Tapatalk

 

Sad to hear but understandable! Hopefully Lord Nelson is started sooner than later

 

Is that any nearer the top of the queue ? As i see it, 850 would be better being sent away also, that would enable the MHR to get cracking with an engine it owns, such as the std 5 could the black 5 be swopped for either 925, or 850, at Margate, that way with one engine at barrow hill one in Margate, both are undercover, the boiler shop can then use the space to get the next boiler in, such as fred's and then once can pacs is done, lift the boiler off 96, get that in to dry out and inspect,

 

I couldn't tell you where 850 has a spot in the queue, I am sure someone knows better than me. MHR have both 35005 & 75079 to come out soon which are owned by the MHRPS so I wouldn't say they have to worry too much about cracking on with an engine of their own but it would be great to finally see the Std 5 go in to the workshop!

 

I thought 80150 was going in after 75079

 

Looking at the 80150 FB page there no mention of that. Seems the short term plan is to continue the conservation and parts gathering.

Considering the work to rectify that 'patch' I think the MHR management would wait until rest of the missing parts were found I would have thought .

 

I would be very surprised if that was the case 80150, as useful as it would be, is i would think would be quite far down the overhaul list because of the need to raise funds and replace missing parts,
Every engine will need to have funds raised towards its overhaul, and each overhaul gets more expensive, each time, The motive power department will have a good idea of which engines are going to be the quickest to turn round, the Standard 5, was in good mechanical order when it was withdrawn, but then spent quite a time stored at Southall, but if the bottom end is still good, or reasonable, and the boiler isnt too bad, it might be possible for a a fast turn round, if just enough is done to get a new ten year ticket, with an intermediate overhaul at the 5 year point,

 

Some interesting decisions there! I'd have thought the the Schools would be a far better engine for the MidHants than the Nelson - smaller, less to maintain, generally more economical, so I wouldn't be surprised to see both go but from an overhaul point of view both are complete with no parts to make, so should be quicker and cheaper to do - and if a long enough running agreement for the NRM engines could be secured, why use up the residual life in your own engines, when you could be using up that in someone else's?

 

All good questions. You have to remember though that NRM engines can only be lent out in 5yr increments. This means hosts take a risk (albeit a low one) that the locos will move before the 10yrs.

There is also the issue of covered storage for 925. There isn’t any.

But with three Bullied pacifics now on the way plus 75079 and 30499 to follow and 45379 which is also complete perhaps the powers that be feel that 925 and 850 are surplus to requirements. Or that the timing is so long and the money so tight after that little lot (it will be if ever the 3 pacifics are operating together) that it will be 20years before the NRM engines get a look in. Who knows. ‍♀️

 

"Can" or "are"? Presumably the 5 year loans are a matter of policy, and could be changed?

 

Is there any reason why an inexpensive form of temporary building couldn't be erected in the siding in the cutting beyond Arlesford Station, where 801 mn50 used to lurk, to provide covered storage space? The two NRM locos aren't the only ones that could benefit from that.

 

Apart from the fact that it wouldn’t be inexpensive, no. The railway is well aware of the need to keep more things undercover, but the availability of land and the various gradients will make any solution expensive.

 

Science Museum policy. Not I think easy to change.

 

Last day for the 7F confirmed to be November 4.

 

Don't you believe it - it changes all the time. As for this idea of a 5 year loan policy, it is something that I'd not heard of until now. As far as I know the terms of each loan is based on its merit and that alone.

Peter