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Mid Hants Railway Operational Matters

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

  1. goldfish

    goldfish Nat Pres stalwart

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    They'd make an interesting garden seat, with a cushion of some kind. Even a bit of suspension for your heavier guests…
     
  2. Dunfanaghy Road

    Dunfanaghy Road Well-Known Member

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    That is a bullet that must be bitten. Once you run through your stock of cast-offs (assuming that they are the correct model) you have a red-card wagon (or wagons). Then what?
    Pat
     
  3. 73129

    73129 Part of the furniture

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    What’s the going rate for a second hand on these days. There must be a fair few unwanted buffers around different preserved railways.
     
  4. flying scotsman123

    flying scotsman123 Resident of Nat Pres

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    As a general point if anyone wants some nice working oleos and has some GWR buffers spare we'd be very interested in doing swapsies :)
     
  5. alexl102

    alexl102 Member

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    WCRC used to base 34067 at Southall for a season didn't they? Although that appears to now be earmarked as the Northern Belle engine. Haven't seen much of 35018 recently - am I imagining that?
    Having two southern-based SR locos in the U-Boat and 34007 will be good - hopefully we'll see them work together.
     
  6. WesternRegionHampshireman

    WesternRegionHampshireman Well-Known Member

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    Well, considering that certain event of the spring variation is not too far round the corner, I wonder if, like your gala, they are going to have three different timetables for three different days.

    If they are looking for a big pleaser to carry out such intensive duties, there is a certain Scottish 0-6-0 that will be in the South East for a while, opportunity knocks! (Should it be allowed to visit).
     
  7. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    A basic question borne out of knowing the line pretty well but not knowing what the Railway's priorities are currently.

    With the S&DRT locos now on site plus rolling stock to come in due course - two carriages to restore plus the six wheeled First? - isn't storage an emerging issue?

    I ask because the MHR seems to have quite a lot of its rolling stock out in the open when actually decent undercover accommodation would be pretty useful especially for any coaches that need protection from the elements.

    Is any clear-out of stock planned to create space for something substantial under cover?
     
  8. 61624

    61624 Part of the furniture

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    Wasn't some land acquired years ago at Alton to allow a carriage shed to be built alongside the runround loop? Could space be made in the hidden area of the Alresford cutting to accommodate the ex-Washford building?
     
  9. Dunfanaghy Road

    Dunfanaghy Road Well-Known Member

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    Short answer - No.
    Alton Station is held on a lease from NR. The only 'sideways' expansion was when we laid in the carriage siding next to the loop. Earthworks were unchanged.
    Pat
     
  10. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    I think it's fair to say though that the MHR is tight for space. Ropley looks full with locos and wider maintenance so anywhere to provide cover for rolling stock seems like a priority to me. All lines have a linear scrapyard somewhere but in the case of the MHR, aside from the visual impact of such areas, it is space that could possibly be put to a better use.

    This is not meant to be a criticism but just a comment about the situation as it is. It's just a pity that the land beyond Alresford was sold off.
     
  11. Greenway

    Greenway Part of the furniture

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    Maybe with the Washford now apparently sorted there will be a home for the former buildings at the MHR?
     
  12. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    That’s what the discussion is about: the question isn’t the buildings, but the physical space to put them on.

    Tom
     
  13. martin1656

    martin1656 Nat Pres stalwart Friend

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    How about next to the goods shed at Alresford, if theres enough room, to fit in a building there, as part of the museum building, and a lean to structure at Ropley beyond the bridge, to store the vintage coaches under cover, if dug in to the bank with blocks, the shed would only need to cover three sides, it would provide some covered accommodation ?
     
  14. Martin Perry

    Martin Perry Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator Friend

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    I thought that Butts Junction was going to be the place or is that option now lost?
     
  15. LC2

    LC2 Member

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    Do you mean in the carpark Martin, or over the short siding that I believe is intended to house a couple of the S&D vehicles.
    Neither work really do they.

    I think Ropley is already dug out to the boundary now.

    Butts has the concerns over security.
     
  16. martin1656

    martin1656 Nat Pres stalwart Friend

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    No, Butts is an possibility, except that its too remote, to be secure, and what possible use would it be, unless the plan is to have a small halt to serve it, and have a shuttle using the Meon siding The only workable option i can think of is to have an extension onto the goods building at Alresford with an canopy covering the platform extension, so its under cover, to act as the museum building, and to rework the rest of the shed into a one road shed, and block the land side with blocks, and build a single road storage shed over the first siding, so that way there is some covered accommodation.
     
  17. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    It strikes me that Butts is nowhere and logic suggests you go for a location with some existing infrastructure. But as I know nothing about the thinking of the MHR I'll shut up except to say that, irrespective of all the chatter about which loco will next be ready and when, getting a grip on the passenger rolling stock and where it is securely housed should be top of the 'to do' list for the MHR.
     
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  18. 30854

    30854 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Following posts last night, I opened Google Earth. Result .... I agree with the above. You'd be looking at an impractical location, too remote from the operating railway for convenient operation and needing even more expensive security measures.
     
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  19. 73129

    73129 Part of the furniture

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    Great to see the first of this years YouTube videos has been released. This video has an update on what’s happening at Ropley plus an interview with Mark from the Urie group.

     
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  20. Matt37401

    Matt37401 Nat Pres stalwart

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    I viewed it earlier, I’ve no connections to the Mid Hants, but I really enjoy the content Will and the team put up, it’s very enjoyable.
    Other railways could really do with taking note.
     

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