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Mid Hants Railway Operational Matters

Discussion in 'Heritage Railways & Centres in the UK' started by NightRail, Jan 11, 2017.

  1. Duty Druid

    Duty Druid Resident of Nat Pres

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    By 'Eck, it were a tad on the warm side atop the hill yesterday!

    So much so, that as the day got hotter, the work rate slowed down and the drinks breaks increased as there's no escape from the sun.

    Still, that didn't stop the six hardy souls who gathered making progress with steel Highfit B481682 & LMS van M517317........ two of the lads worked on the Highfit, flattening back the north side body panels before getting them into red oxide, a task that took them the day to do.

    On the LMS van, one of the lads went underneath to carry on glossing the underside, a task that would keep him in the shade all day, me mucker made a start on final fitting the south side London end south side external cladding, a slow process that again involved reaming existing holes, annnnd drilling new ones - just when we thought we'd drilled most of the holes we need to........ also the longitudinal beam was bolted back into place...... which required the roof to be jacked up further on the acrows as the bolt holes didn't line up.......

    That left Muggin's 'Ere & me Oppo....... after helping out her and there, we took a trip down to Ropley to meet the ULS lads who are transferring stuff from a battered ISO container into a new one, and were having a clear out at the same time......... they've wagon related stuff that was liberated from Swindon donkeys ago, they thought would be of use to us....... we came back with the boot of an estate full of stuff, and there's probaly more to come........ Thanks Lads!!

    So, despite the heat, we had what can only be described as a productive day!

    Didn't bother picking up the camera, so here's a few more from the recent charter with 45690 and the gala........

    https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/53715999185/in/dateposted-public/

    https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/53715998780/in/dateposted-public/

    https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/53715565886/in/dateposted-public/

    https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/53715903599/in/dateposted-public/

    https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/53707035502/in/dateposted-public/

    https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/53708276159/in/dateposted-public/

    https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/53708276629/in/dateposted-public/

    The steel highfit, north side panels now into red oxide.

    20240511_145344.jpg
    The longitudinal beam bolted back into place.

    20240511_145226.jpg

    The south side London end external cladding going back on.

    20240511_145240.jpg

    The bootful of goodies donated to us by the ULS Lads.

    20240511_132531.jpg
     
    big.stu, Johnme101, Nick C and 2 others like this.
  2. gricerdon

    gricerdon Well-Known Member

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    Anybody know what is rostered for this Saturday?

    Thanks
     
  3. 34002salisbury

    34002salisbury New Member

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    Can't speak for the steam, but should be a Class 20 on the Alton diagram. My money would be on D8059. Watercress Festival shuttle on Sunday should be T&T 20s

    Was supposed to be 47579 but that's since been stopped.
     
  4. MellishR

    MellishR Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    Not exactly like-for-like.
     
  5. Dunfanaghy Road

    Dunfanaghy Road Well-Known Member

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    Spam Cans - overrated;
    Cl2 Ivatts - Pocket Rockets. (Good for 5 on up our banks (dry rail, obvs.).
    Pat
     
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  6. martin1656

    martin1656 Nat Pres stalwart Friend

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    Pat, i think your profile has been hatched , I had to read it twice expecting to see Paul's name at the end of it. ;)
     
  7. green five

    green five Resident of Nat Pres

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    Watercress Line roster has been updated:
    Saturday: 34070 on Alresford set, Class 20 on the Alton set.
    Sunday: 41312 on the Alton set, Class 20's on Watercress festival shuttles between Ropley and Alresford.

    Edited with a correction for the Sunday services.

    Sent from my XQ-BT52 using Tapatalk
     
    Last edited: May 17, 2024
    The Gricing Owl likes this.
  8. AaronT

    AaronT Member

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    There is no Alresford set on Sunday. I imagine both 20s are on the shuttles.
     
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  9. Ben Jenden

    Ben Jenden Well-Known Member

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    I believe this is the final working of 34070 at the MHR this Saturday. Leaves for Swanage next week
     
  10. green five

    green five Resident of Nat Pres

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    Quite right. Just looked at the special timetable for Sunday and there is only one train running between Alton and Ropley.

    Sent from my XQ-BT52 using Tapatalk
     
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  11. Stinch

    Stinch New Member

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    FINAL day for 34070 will be Sunday. Ivatt is not out that day.
     
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  12. The Gricing Owl

    The Gricing Owl Member

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    But that is a change from the only just updated Watercress line website loco roster, that shows 34070 as only working on Saturday and 41312 only working on Sunday.

    Does anyone know if the roster has in fact just changed- again - and if 34070 is now scheduled to work all of the Alton-Ropley trains on Sunday please?
     
  13. free2grice

    free2grice Part of the furniture Friend

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    Yes, the roster has been updated again. <BJ>

    News from the Watercress Railway.

    ''Come along tomorrow (Saturday) to ride behind 34070 'Manston' and Class 20 D8059 between Alresford and Alton. On Sunday 'Manston' will take on the Alton set while we have two class 20 Diesels on the Alresford train.
    This weekend will be the last opportunity to ride behind Manston, before she returns home to our friends at the Swanage Railway.
    View the timetable here: https://buff.ly/35j8az9
    https://buff.ly/49J3gHA''
     
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  14. Stinch

    Stinch New Member

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    Manston is out Sunday instead of the Ivatt and will be working the Alton set.
     
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  15. gricerdon

    gricerdon Well-Known Member

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    Hi Stinch. Will you be driving 34070?
     
  16. Stinch

    Stinch New Member

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    Don. I’m driving her from 1308 until disposal. Stinch
     
  17. gricerdon

    gricerdon Well-Known Member

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    Ok thanks. I can’t make it but brother Bryan hopes to be there. All the best. Don
     
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  18. Dunfanaghy Road

    Dunfanaghy Road Well-Known Member

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    Had a productive weekend at Urie Society Towers.
    Firstly, cleared and cleaned the floor of Tender 3223. Holy cow, does it look big, or what! 20240518_153637.jpg
    Secondly, a trial fit of the feedwater sump. Not fitted over the trailing bogie (as built) but over the leading bogie, to reduce the faff of running 2 feed through and over any more bogie bits than necessary. 20240519_150927.jpg
    "And so the good work prospers". Josef Hašek 'The Good Soldier Schwejk'
    Pat
     
  19. The Gricing Owl

    The Gricing Owl Member

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    Brother Bryan made it to the Mid Hants! And had an enjoyable time focussing totally on 34070 in that wonderful weathered condition.

    My visit was purely because of the posts made here yesterday afternoon by those involved/in-the know about the Mid-Hants, who so kindly provided an update on an already once up dated loco roster.

    Thank you guys one and all, and as I always do at heritage lines, I did buy a day rover ticket even though I didn't travel- so your helpful posts did get a rather modest return fo the Mid-Hants!

    Some very low- res rough edits below- the last one is Stinch (Nat Pres member) bringing 34070 into Medstead on the 14.15 from Alton. Didn't get a chance to say hello, but I did manage a wave as you passed me.

    Bryan B

    004-34070-09.45-Alton-at-Windmill-Bridge-19May-2024.jpg

    005-34070-09.45-Alton-at-Ropley-19May-2024.jpg


    006-34072-11.15-Alton-arr-Medstead-19May-2024.jpg

    007-34070-14.15-Alton-arr-Medstead-19May-2024.jpg
     
  20. green five

    green five Resident of Nat Pres

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    I visited today with my Dad and sister to go to the Watercress Festival in Alresford for the first time. Blimey! I didn't realise how many people actually attend this event. The top and tail Class 20 shuttles between Ropley and Alresford were very busy all day. Diesel folk would have loved the shuttles as there was a fair bit of thrash from both of the 20's!
    The streets in Alresford were absolutely rammed with people.
    We had very nice pork, watercress and ale sausage baps in the West country buffet which was also doing very well today.
    We arrived back at Ropley just in time to see the final run of 34070 over the MHR before she goes back to Swanage. A few low res shots below along with one of 41312 having a well earned rest in the yard:
    DSC00345.jpg
    DSC00351.jpg DSC00355-1.jpg DSC00358.jpg
    DSC00359.jpg

    Sent from my XQ-BT52 using Tapatalk
     
    Last edited: May 20, 2024

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