Mid Hants Railway Operational Matters

Thomas, with red glowing eyes, blood dripping from his fangs, crewed by two zombies, and the guard, sleeping in his coffin, awaiting dusk, Special halloween Thomas, come meet us,, if you dare

 

This weeks YouTube video is available to watch.

 

A couple of shots from a dreary damp Alresford today.
One or two passengers waiting for the next Up

Alresford Station During the Watercress Festival by Tim White, on Flickr

Which was hauled into Alresford by 47 579 - James Nightall

47 579 - James Nightall at Alresford by Tim White, on Flickr

 

Really like that B & W image. Not sure what train they were waiting for but there does appear to be just under 40 people in that view, not sure what would be classed as a break even load, but I suspect its more than two thirds of a Mk 1. I suspect here were more in the buffet as well. However on the basis the weather looked the same as here in Swanage, i.e.wet, maybe better than it might have been.

 

Those on the platform are just the ones who didn't have the sense to stay under cover!

 

It were a tad on the fresh side when six hardy souls of the Saturday gathered atop the hill yesterday morning......

After the usual brew and catch up, it was time to progress things with LMS van M517317......

One of our number was tasked with sanding back as many of the removed timbers as he could - there's alot of paint on the external timbers to get through, so he was occupied with that for the whole day!

The rest of us set to removing the buffers, so that we could gain access to the corner pockets, and see what was what with them & get them sorted...... as ever with this van, nothing is ever easy, as some put up a fight!

Once they were out, it was time to clean up the shanks of rust along with headstocks..... the shanks were easy, the headstocks not so, but after taking a leaf out of Heath Robinsons book, a solution was found & the problem solved!

After that, most of us took a trip down to Ropley for some training with oxy-propane with our friends in the Urie group........ my Ropley Spy has been slowly reeling in the Saturday gang into joining the ULS so those who he handn't met before, were forewarned and advised to have crip £20 note in their wallets!

Upon arrival, and true to form, after hearing voices my Ropley Spy duly appeared armed with membership forms and relieved the contents of a few wallets!! I even gave him my subs for next year, month early! Plus he was also pleased to also recieve a replacement pot of red oxide for the one he'd kindly given us last week to dig us out of a hole.

After that, it was time for training on the use of propane - the end result being that the training was successful, with everyone being passed as competant in its use.

Now all we need are the cylinders & kit atop the hill - but that's a headache for another day.

Once back up atop the hill, lunch was taken, it was time to resume things on the LMS van...... by which time it was more than a tad warm and the inside of the van was becoming akin to an oven despite having one side removed!

Bits of the country end corrugation needed patch repairs, so some steel tube wa cut in half, beaten to shape, and then welded in place.

On the corrugation wrap round, a corroded section was cut out ready to have a new section welded in place - also a diagonal strap that braced against the upright for the northside door was rewelded, as the previous weld had failed at some point in the past - the damn thing doesn't move now!

On the underframe the corner pockets were found to be in good nick, so were derusted & primed, along with various bits on the outer 2/3rd's which leaves just the centre 1/3rd to do before moving under the van.

After the last up train had gone past the yard, we knew it was time to pack up, have a final brew & head home.

Some of the days goings on.....

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/52074871693/in/dateposted-public/

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First of the buffers & dampers out.



Not a sight you see every day - looking down the headstock towards the keep.



Patch repair to the country end corruagtion - somewhat distorted by the phones camera.


Section of the wrap round cut out ready to recieve new steel.



London end chasis finally into red oxide, ready for undercoat next time round.

 

Special service today. Park and ride from Ropley to Alresford for the Watercress Festival. Service trains ran Ropley to Alton. First Down from Alton had a good few who changed trains at Ropley to get to the Festival.
Pat

 

This Saturday's Barn Owl service is now diesel hauled (20188)

Sadly otherwise engaged or else I'd be there in a heartbeat!

 

A shot of Cheltenham on one of the Vintage Vehicle event service trains today.
The other loco in steam was the 7F. I believe the Steam Crane may have had someone using/working on it.

In the background we can see 41312, Dave and a large percentage of Percymersdon.


Southern Railways Schools Class 30925 - Cheltenham by Tim White, on Flickr

 

Pretty much a full house atop the hill yesterday morning!

Anticipation was in the air, as for once it was not be a day of all work and no play........

After the usual brew and catch up, we started to tackle more jobs on LMS van M517317, namely prepping more parts that have been removed, plus finally managing to derust and prine the remaining areas on the country end 3rd of the chassis, undercoating the London end corrugation and chassis, plus fashioning the replacement piece of steel from the old GPV van door that we kept hold of just in case, for the wrap round that was cut out last week.

Then before we knew it, the morning had gone and it was time to lock up & get changed, as we were off on a jolly!

So off to Ropley we went on the Company transport to go and spend the afternoon enjoying the the vintage vehicles on display and also bumpig into and catching up with folks, not seen in a long time, plus playing the game of trying to hide from my Ropley Spy...... which went well until we took a break at the T Junction, only for him to hove into view...... after exchanging the usual pleasantries and he'd ascertained that most present were signed up members of the ULS, he spied one our number who wasn't..... cue his sales patter.... which had all of us in stitches, as the person he was convincing it would be in his best interest that he become a ULS member is pretty much deaf, and I hadn't the heart to tell him, plus I was laughing too much listening to the patter!!!! Sorry Mate, I know you'll get me back, but matey now has a membership form to fill in.......

After that it was time to wander down to the yard, and watch shunting with a difference, namely steam crane DS58 doing the honours, as its a self propelling crane, and none of us had actually seen it move under its own steam........

Then, before we knew it it was time to catch the last train back up the hill and head home, after a throughly enjoyable afternoon.

Hopefully next years event will be bigger and better!

So some pics from Ropley.

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New section of steel welded in to place on the wrap round.


London end corrugation & Chassis up to first undercoat. The patch in oxide needs some attention, so that will be addressed next time.

 

First visitors for the Diesel Gala Announced, two Motor Luggage Vans from the EPB Group, S68001 (9001) and 9002

https://watercressline.co.uk/diesel-gala-news-first-visitor-announced/

A unusual Visitor, but a interesting one, though I personally don't expect much running on the battery's

 

They say rides behind and in the MLVs will be available, so will be interesting to see what the plans are for them - loco-hauled dead stock or part of something yet to be announced?

Celebrating "85 years of electrification to Alton" would imply there is more to come for that theme, but that is purely my interpretation.

 

Hmm. Sounds like an EMU could be on the cards. Is one of the 3CEP sets operational? I know one was heading somewhere else. That or the VEP.

 

Someone mentioned on the Facebook announcement of the MLV's that the EPB group site home page says "5759 and the MLVs are looking forward to a special summer visit" - although that would still need to be loco hauled?

 

MLVs can run on batteries. I know the Eden Valley ones had their batteries upgraded. I do see at least one of the EPB Group ones has a vacuum pipe.

 

3417 is still being worked on at Strawberry Hill.

 

I've heard they're hiring in a Class 91 and a class 373 set...

 

Finally completing the electrification on from Alton after all these years?

 

Does anyone know why electrification stopped at Alton & didnt go on to Winchester?