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Mid Hants Railway Operational Matters

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

  1. Hampshire Unit

    Hampshire Unit Well-Known Member Friend

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    Steam Illuminations service last night

    [​IMG]506 on Steam Illuminations from Bighton Lane by Stephen Morley, on Flickr
     
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  2. 73129

    73129 Part of the furniture

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    Last edited: Nov 27, 2022
  3. ruddingtonrsh56

    ruddingtonrsh56 Member

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    It's still good practice to do a gauging run regardless of whether similar locos have been successful - you never know whether for one reason or another one loco might have a little extra width that makes the difference. Plus as these locos will pivot in different places when going round curves due to differing lengths and positions of fixed wheel bases, and (if memory serves me correctly) Alton and Alresford both have curves on their platforms, that needs to be taken into account
     
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  4. johnofwessex

    johnofwessex Resident of Nat Pres

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    I dont know if this applies at any locations on the MHR but points next to platforms are one area where only taking the loco to the location will tell you if it will fit (or not!)

    There was a photo of a King as Shrewsbury inching forward taken in the last few years as they didnt know if it would hit the platform as it went over the points
     
  5. WesternRegionHampshireman

    WesternRegionHampshireman Well-Known Member

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    Both are good valid points.
    I, on the other hand, was waiting for the "We'll have to bubblewrap the platform, it's a Western engine" snipe.
    It seems the old rivalries still exist in some peoples eyes.
     
  6. Duty Druid

    Duty Druid Resident of Nat Pres

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    And so, dear reader, as another Saturday dawned atop the hill, three liked minded souls gathered to continue the battle with LMS van M517317.....

    After last weeks cock up, we eased ourselves into the day by tackling the London end floor planks that sit over the gusset plates mob handed, to bring them into line with the country end ones..... the job itself was straight forward, but the original piece of angle iron decided to give us poblems one way or another - so much so, it was eventually that it is no longer fit for purpose, so new will have to be fitted!

    Once that job was done, it was time to move onto the door runners........

    One of the problems we had last week was trying to work out levels, as the sidings are on a downward gradient, and even though we were marking out against the van, it plays with your mind, so I dug out a couple of builders levels with angle finder from home - these proved more than useful during the day! :)

    So, once the three missing lower door runners had been located, we lined all four up & guess what - all four were different in some way, so at least now we know what were dealing with.....

    After last weeks headache, for a change, I drew the easier straw, by having to clean up the main door runner to assess what state it is in...... :) which basically meant taking it back to bare metal & the only way was an angle grinder with wire brush attachment.

    The other two therefore had the task of trial fitting the north side lower door runners...... thankfully with all four door runners in play, last weeks percieved cock up actually played into their hands, and the holes only needed minor adjustment to take the the door runners - but the latest headache now comes from now having to adapt floor planks where the bolts will sit to allow air flow and access......

    By the end of the day, the top of the main door runner had been taken back to bare metal, along with about half the underside, and the two north side lower runners had been trial fitted.

    Next week looks like being fun........

    Pics of last nights steamy lighty trains.......

    https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/52527460248/in/dateposted-public/

    https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/52527387840/in/dateposted-public/

    The top door runner almost completely back to bare metal..... given the amount of rust behind it, its in remarkably good condtion!

    20221126_151815.jpg

    The lower runners in position, and level to the van & not the ground!

    20221126_151749.jpg
     
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  7. torgormaig

    torgormaig Part of the furniture Friend

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    That is why steam locomotives operating on Network Rail are prohibited from using crossovers situated between platforms. I bet there are plenty on here who didn't know that minor detail:).

    Peter
     
  8. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    I for one didn’t. (Though I was more surprised that Network Rail actually had any crossovers - I thought all pointwork had been ruthlessly expunged …

    Tom
     
  9. Steve

    Steve Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    It’s a new one on me, as well. Does this only refer to crossovers or anywhere where there is a turnout adjacent to a platform face, not necessarily a crossover. I can think of various locations where such exist And my knowledge of today’s network is quite basic.
     
  10. fenman35

    fenman35 New Member

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    What about Cambridge p'forms 1 & 4
     
  11. torgormaig

    torgormaig Part of the furniture Friend

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    The wording that appears on the STNs for all steam movements, along with any other restrictions pertanent to the locos involved states "Steam Locomotives must not use crossovers between platforms".
    There is no mention of single turnouts - if there was a problem with these at a particular location there would be a prohibit on that particular line. The ruleing dos not apply to locations such as Cambridge where the turnouts are not between platforms in the sense intended here. The only location that I can think of where steam does very occasionally use such a crossover is at Morpeth, for access to the Blythe and Tyne route. Here special authority would be given for a specific loco to use the crossover along with the relevant goods line authority to run a passenger train over the line. It is not a ruleing that I have ever known to cause a problem, which is why it is little known about among the enthusiats fraternity, but it is there on every steam STN (Special traffic Notice).

    Peter
     
  12. RichardMoreton

    RichardMoreton New Member

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    41312 has arrived at Buckfastleigh ...

    Screenshot (85).png
     
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  13. ruddingtonrsh56

    ruddingtonrsh56 Member

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    Apologies if I missed something - is this for repairs or running or both?
     
  14. Ben Jenden

    Ben Jenden Member

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    Running
     
  15. Alan Kebby

    Alan Kebby Well-Known Member

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    With the recent events I’m surprised the MHR can afford to spare 41312. I suppose the logic is it’s too small for the steam lights and Santa trains, which is all that’s running at the moment?
     
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  16. Fireline

    Fireline Well-Known Member

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    If it's going to be sitting cold in the yard, might as well go and earn you some money somewhere else....
     
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  17. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    Provided it is “going to be sitting cold in a yard” of course. If you are tight for motive power, often you would be juggling maintenance around nominal downtime - for example plan various light maintenance jobs (and stuff like annual boiler exam) for your smaller locos over the winter do they are ready for your shoulder period trains in the spring; meantime your bigger locos do the heavy Christmas trains but then get their light maintenance in the spring so they are ready for the peak summer services etc.

    I’m sure the MHR know what they are doing of course; just making a general point that frequently just because a loco isn’t being used in traffic doesn’t automatically mean it is available for use elsewhere.

    Tom
     
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  18. Hurricane

    Hurricane Member

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    I think the focus is on overhauling Dave (Thomas) in time for earning income next season.
     
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  19. Nantyglo

    Nantyglo New Member

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    :)
    If you look carefully at the photo above you may just be able to see a very long piece of elastic. The other end is firmly attached to the buffer stops at Ropley:)
     
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  20. Steve B

    Steve B Well-Known Member

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    If that's the case then all that stored energy will probably catapult it beyond Ropley, and it'll end up on the Bluebell.:)
     
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