Mid Hants Railway Operational Matters

So it must be :
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Great news! Would take a 57xx over 64xx any day. Now it's powerful enough for full line trains and Ivatt can go on the shuttle.

 

Ivatt is yard pilot at Ropley.

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Yes I will be going. After 57 years working in transport I suppose I should know that things often go wrong but half the battle is keeping people informed. In previous posts I have explained how I have supported the railway so I think that I am entitled to criticise when they get the public facing side wrong. I hope it all goes well for them this weekend and will now withdraw from further comment.

 

I doubt they will revamp the timetable at this stage but if anything goes wrong with any of the "full line" locos it could be a substitute I suppose.

 

A fair summary.

There is never a good time to make these sort of changes. If it were only the website that would be possible during the winter I suppose, but the timing of a change of booking system, online ticketing and seat allocation systems has to be done when there are few if any forward bookings and that meant it had to start in March.

At present we do not yet have the new website only an interim solution. It wasn't possible to go straight from the old website to the new solution and the way the old site was configured wasn't compatible with the booking system.

The main issue right now is having a very limited number of things that can fit on the interim website. We are constrained severely on content for a few weeks and we cannot edit most of what is there ourselves as this is a stripped out temporary solution. Looking forward to the new website.

The point of having the Ivatt in steam is in case it might be needed. If it is you may yet see our Hunslet in action in its new livery as a stand in for the Ivatt....or you may not. I hope not really.

Bookings for the weekend are good but there is more capacity on the trains than in October, so there is plenty of room. Like October this weekend will have a fairly exclusive feel. At the moment Monday is the quieter day for anyone that wants extra exclusivity.

Tickets available on the day at Ropley only to avoid crowding the termini.

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Nice to see 4612 again (last saw it in August 2016). Ticket all been booked for Saturday. Out of curiosity what time is Ropley site/yard due to shut for the public? Hoping to possibly get yard shots of the visitors and the home fleet.

 

Leave before the last member of staff otherwise you'll be locked in.

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I think this a really nice calm and measured response to those who have shall we say been a bit eager to shoot from the lip? As someone who’s also looking to reopen in a few weeks time albeit in a slightly different industry (and also constantly receiving ‘advice’ from those who know best) I wish you all the best for your event. I really hope this goes well for you.

 

Why not apologise in your column?

 

Better still. Go, have a great time and reflect on prior concerns, and then write a column praising the railway and encourage people (and especially those with concerns about covid) to go and visit the MHR.

 

For someone that can see the timetable will the great western engines be doing a double header or a double ender on the same train

 

It was posted on here a couple of days ago, so you can view it yourself for details (I guess swapping the old duck for the new one).
Short answer -It doesn't look like it.

 

76017 and 506 will be top and tailing early and later during each day. But no double headers across the weekend.

 

Thanks much appreciated wasn't planning to stay late late

 

Maybe. I will see how it goes this weekend

 

Or locked up for tresspass, if your going to be locked in, can you please prep the engines for tomorrow, whilst your at it