Mid Hants Railway Operational Matters

Given the ongoing efforts to work through the hauled Mk1 fleet (which has to take priority) space in the carriage shed might be at a premium for a while yet. The DEMU will be a biggish job….the number of doors ensures that, and you have to be able to deal with both vehicles close together. There is no point doing one and it sitting unused for years waiting for the other half to be done.

 

That is good to hear, thanks.

 

My question was more about the fundraising side of it rather than the logistics of the actual overhaul as they could be building up a pot ready for when the work can actually take place.

 

What makes you think “they” aren’t? All help and donations welcome I am sure though.

 

Because there were public talks of setting up fundraising for it with the Watercress line trust and nothing has been said since April 2023. Read the last paragraph below...


There may well be behind the scenes funding but no public funding as far as I am aware

 

I'm sure the MHR would welcome your assistance

 

Nothing to do with me just wish to donate

 

Then send your donation to the Watercress Line Heritage Trust with a letter telling them what the money is for.

 

Do you not agree a direct fundraising link would be more beneficial to the public?

 

For some reason I didn’t like the Swanage Railway direct link so I sent them a cheque which they acknowledged

 

The easiest way to donate is to just buy a travel ticket online. Money goes straight to the railway then.

 

Donations are better as they can be gift aided

 

I agree. But buying a ticket is often quicker and simpler.

 

I am talking about supporting a certain locomotive/trust you wish to support rather than the railway. I buy tickets for the railway multiple times a year.

 

"Older than I used to be, younger than I'm gonna be, fewer things puzzle me than when I was young......" The Rainmakers.

So, dear reader, riddle me this...... as Muggin's 'ere and two muckers had another go at playing 'Pickfords' in LMS van M517317 atop the hill yesterday before we could try and solve the puzzle that was the mixed up floor planks of the two end sections, and given that we'd fettled them when first laid........ so how on earth did we end up having to fettle them again?........ No wonder it took us all day to solve the puzzle!!!

They ain't called Troublesome Trucks for nowt!!!!

Elsewhere, with five other hardy souls in attendance atop the hill, more inroads were made by two lads in getting the internal cladding planks for the the LMS van into undercoat, another made a start on getting the south side door runner back to bare, and the southside longitudinal was into primer - but only after we'd extracted it from the van as we played at being 'Pickfords'.......

Plus, the overhaul of the brake rigging on the meat van continued.

The south side door runner being taken back to bare.



More internal cladding planks, plus dividers going into undercoat.



The brake rigging for the north side of the meat van progressing.



The floor planks inside M517317 now finally laid as they should be!

 

Update posted to the 1125 Facebook group by RB.
It’s quite long to c&p it here but I will if anyone wants to see it who isn’t on there I will.

 

Not a great fan of painted brake blocks, TBH.
The road van now at Medstead was once owned by Chris and Pat Bitton. Chris rode in it when it was the brake van on the move of wagons from Longmoor to Cranmore, and said that he wished that they hadn't painted the blocks - the smell when they got hot was 'orrible!
pat

 

You mean the private Thumper 1125 group?.
But Richard Bentley's post comes up as public.
Does seem a battle against the elements to keep the DEMU's bodywork good.
He mentions getting some parts from a trailer unit going to scrap. Although several "Thumper" units survived, looks like they are all starting to deteriorate if not under cover, so not a problem just at the MHR.

 

Without checking I thought it was a public group?
I was I’m sure and I don’t recall any notification saying the mods had changed it.

Anyway, ageeed. It’s a battle against the elements for pretty much all rolling stock in the line. very little gets under cover storage so we’re all fighting a losing battle, especially in The winter months.

 

Sorry yes it is a public group and you only need to join to get notifications of new posts, or to show support for 1125.
There is a lot of info and pictures of the Hampshire unit on it, so has been good to take a look.
Last Feb Richard did setup a page to take donations for 1125.