MHR Restorations and Overhauls

The QMB will be running in the freight this weekend (3 round trips)

No idea which end it will be on, or what is in the consist, and the freight will be open for folks to ride on one way, for a small donation of £5 - its well worth the £5 for a unique experience & way to see the line.

I believe the rostered loco's for the freight are 92212 Sat & 45379 Sun.

 

Timetable for this weekend.

http://www.watercressline.co.uk/shopimages/Summer Fayre with freight 2016 FREIGHT.pdf

 

Last passenger train from Alton 1500?

Seems they have forgotten the 1600 Alton-Alresford?

 

Great news that management have cottoned onto the opportunity to sell tickets on the goods. Some other lines have been doing it for several years. Hope it does well over the weekend.

 

Two photos from today's freight train.

 

Will they be doing this on every occasion the Freight train is out? I had to miss it this weekend as I am busy but would be very keen to travel on it in the future.

 

Management haven't "cottoned on" - its something we've been pushing for for ages, but various hurdles have had to be overcome first!

Honest answer is, I don't know, but would assume it would become a regular occurrence, though the freight doesn't get many outings except for the gala's & charters - and I can't see them offering it during a gala for obvious reasons.

Some more advanced publicity next time might well help as well, though this time round, the short notice was only because we only finished the QMB this week & it had to pass a vac test!

It will be interesting to see just how worthwhile an exercise it was, given most folks on a hot summers weekend would more likely head for the coast!

 

Imagine my suprise turing up at Ropley expecting to see the RAT stock in the up platform (or perhaps an empty station), only to see this in the down. (Not up to the quality of other shots on here.)

LMS Black 5 45379 - Goods Train by Tim White, on Flickr

76017 was hiding in the wheeldrop, mostly hidden from view, but what was visible looked very shiny

 

76017 looks lovely. Wasn't expecting the early crest. How long before we get a gathering with 76079 and 76084

 

Okay, I will keep an eye out for the next occasion. Hopefully there will be more advance info next time.

Sent from my D6603 using Tapatalk

 

How are the legal requirements for automatic continuous braking on passenger services met in these trains?

PH

 

Thank you for publicising the goods train. I was planning to be passing through the area and made sure I left a bit earlier in order to see it run through Medstead. The train itself looks really impressive and is a great credit to the wagon restoration team. What's more, you could hear 45379 for some distance slogging up the 1 in 60 with its heavy load. It made a great sound approaching and then a great sight running through the station.

I think that those who paid £5 for the ride in the brake van seemed to be enjoying themselves, judging by the smiles on several faces as the train went past! If rides will be on offer for future similar occasions, please could someone give it a plug on this forum? I for one would certainly be interested.

 

One of my favourite memories of the Watercress line is standing on an empty Medstead platform in the drizel, the only signs of life being a coil of smoke from the signal box chimney, and hearing the Black 5 depart Ropley and hearing it all the way to right in front of me. Heaven.

 

yes she makes a lovely noise it's true...I did similar the other week

 

This reply shouldn't be treated as coming from any authority, because I'm not, but whenever I've seen it out the MHR demonstration freight has comprised all vacuum fitted wagons, possibly with the odd through-piped interloper. I'm sure for these purposes they could readily put out a fully fitted set, which when using a Queen Mary brake is of course entirely appropriate.

 

Black 5 head code in the picture above is for unfitted freight/mineral/ballast train?

 

Thanks. That would explain. (but see post 3836 from Nexuas)

Paul H

 

Could be Southern Region code No. 8

 

It is a disappointing fact that by and large most of the demonstration freights now running arefitted or piped, and consist largely of box vans or flats. The MHR freight does have the added interest of some containers but is largely devoid of open or mineral wagons, as are so many others. If it isn't too late it would be good to see the balance restored and more opens restored, preferably unfitted examples!

 

Well the legal requirement no longer exists as such - discussed elsewhere at length earlier in the year. Anyway the train was 18 vehicles, 254 tons tare, 4 through piped and 14 fitted including the two brake vans, so whilst I cant say the braking characteristic was like a passenger train, safety was assured. As an aside I have worked 200 tons unfitted in the past (not with passengers though) and it is not for the faint hearted on 1:60.