MHR Spring Steam Gala 2015: 13th - 15th February

Storming???? It's been damp.

 

Who me?....... well, yes about the suspect festive attire - there should be a law against that, never mind the hat lol!

As for your motive power, my crystal ball reckons something big & steamy........

 

Who knows what the weather will be like in 2 weeks.........

 

Now the time table is out. Just need the loco roster. Don't see to much of an issue with the last service leaving Alresford at 4.30. The light starts to fade around five o'clock.

 

Exactly, no running in the dark!
Popped into Ropley on the way back from doing some lineside clearance at Rookwood Lane, four engines in steam, 45379, 925, 850 and No 1

 

Sunset Ropley:
13th: 17:16
14th: 17:18
15th: 17:20
So there will be a little low light running. I bet it's cold...
No:1 - Maybe the 8th loco for the gala?

 

Only if you paint it black.........

 

It was freezing up t Rookwood this morning, a real biting wind, and still few bits of snow in the cutting coming out of Ropley. Re Thomas, we have had James (31625) on the Belle a few times back in the day, in fact he pulled the Belle when I had my 40th birthday on there!
Any news on the 9F is it fixed now?? Has been sat in the headshunt at Ropley for a while....

 

Never say never... The GCR's Red 8F looked okay in poster paint weathered black this weekend (even if you sould make out streaks of red where it was beginning to wash off).

 

The latest issue of The Railway Magazine arrived today and it reports that 4464 will run 25 times this year on the MHR. So does the Gala count as one or three times I wonder? Don't know how they clarify the "times" it runs.

 

Alas my employers engineering work that weekend means that I'll be down on the Saturday if I make it at all, I may be at an event on the Chemin de Fer de la Baie de Somme if I can confirm it's happening.

 

No 1 will be away...KESR I think.

 

Aww, that's a shame, I was SO looking forward to No.1 double heading with Bittern................. NOT!!

Seriously though, at least its earning its keep.

Also, are the repairs to Wadebridge & the 9f complete? Or is it a case of crossed fingers?.....

 

I know. Not having No1 just ruins the whole weekend.

The critical part for Wadebridge was collected this afternoon and will be delivered to Ropley in the morning, provided I don't get snowed in!

 

Good news, only time I saw Wadebridge was at the CVR when her firebars fell apart or something... That and a signalling failiure resulted in my putting the timetable in the bin - it was useless!

 

So now that you've dug yourself out of a 10' snow drift, bypassed umpteen angry penguins & Polar Bears, used rack & pinion to get up station hill, has it been delivered & installed?......

 

Is there any more news on the loco's requiring attention?
Has 70000 been cured of her "wobbly wheels"? I know she had to be tested to see if there were vibrations coming from her other driving wheel sets.
Has the vital part for 34007 made it to Ropley? I hope so as I am hoping to get a few trips in behind her.
Is the 9F fighting fit again after her boiler problems? Not much revealed on the MHR Shed blog.

 

Let's hope they keep stum. It'll make it more of a suprise on Friday morning at 08:45 at Ropley.

 

At the risk of upsetting LC2, but guessing that most will want to know....70000 went for a trundle yesterday afternoon and all was well. It will need some more runs this coming week to be certain, but all seems well. 34007 is back together and outside ready to be warmed on Monday, boiler inspector on Wednesday. Work on the 9F continues. So there you are.....you still don't know what will be running on Friday

 

I saw that Britannia was in the headshunt at Ropley, hissing nicely, so guessed it had moved under its own steam. Wadebridge was outside the wheeldrop and the 9F looked a bit forlorn on one of the other roads. Fingers crossed for 92212 on Friday