Mid Hants Railway Operational Matters

Which rather supposes that (1) another loco is actually available and (2) that the event budget can cope with an unexpected hire / transport cost.

Tom

 

There might be some locos around the country that currently don't have any booked work. A certain 4MT Mogul at Southall perhaps...

 

Ref 53808.

Interesting statement "Sad news indeed if she has been withdrawn from service early." Not sure about the early bit.

It's quite amazing that 88 has lasted as long as it has in service, the last mechanical overhaul having been completed in 2005. Since then it has run mostly continuously without major mechanical attention, work having been on a routine running repairs basis only.

• At the end of 2008 the complete locomotive moved to Stratford to have it's tyres turned following the WSR rail grinding problems, which had a dramatic effect on tyre flange wear at approx 1mm loss of flange thickness per 1,000 miles.
• Over the winter of 2012/3 the complete locomotive went to LNWR Crewe to have all the smoke and flue tubes replaced along with a new set of superheater elements. At this time a full internal survey of the boiler shell was undertaken to enable the boiler internally to start a new 7 to 10 year examination period.
• At the beginning of 2015 it was withdrawn from service to lift the boiler to undertake a full external survey of the boiler to enable the boiler externally to start a new 7 to 10 year examination after some external boiler work, the tubes were not changed. At this time the frames were lifted by about 12" to enable the axle box crowns to be examined and the pads cleaned. Hardly any mechanical work was considered necessary as the locomotive had only run 93,359 miles since 2005 and most items were well within wear allowances. The rods were left on for this operation. I remember that two axle box crowns were taken out to re-metal as the white metal was cracked around the lubrication slots. (The axle box crowns are removable, similar to a carriage.)
• At the beginning of 2016 it was back in service for the March S&D gala.
• From 2016 to the end of 2019 it ran in service to be stopped for a valve rebore and replacement valve rings.
• In the spring/summer of 2020 during COVID the valve work was completed and the locomotive reassembled to move to the MHR.
• I do not know the exact mileage at the date of departure but it was around 125,000 miles.

Since it has been on the MHR and running in 2020, 2021 and 2022 it must have added 10 to 20 thousand miles giving a grand total of perhaps 140,000 miles, that's good for a 1920's Derby engine, plus the tubes are now in their 11th year of operation. Not bad for an old mineral engine, time for a rest I think!

Some may ask why the staggered boiler inspection dates. This is because the WSR with the S&D Trust ensured that there was always a 10 yearly S&D gala on the anniversary of the closure of the S&D, 1996, 2006 and 2016 for which 88 had to run. The 2016 6 day gala being the best of all, and will never be beaten for locomotive appearances, both S&D 7F's, 1 original and 1 rebuilt Bullieds, 9F, Std tank, LMS 4F, Stanier 8F and Kilmersdon. Nearly every combination of double heading was run and 7 of the locomotives had S&D connections. See http://www.wsr.org.uk/picturepages.htm - Special events 2016 - March 5 to 13.

Andy.

 

Not sure that there is much available to hire at the moment.
Could be tricky for the rest of the 2023 season as well with 41312 & 506 being the only steam available for full line services.

Sent from my XQ-BT52 using Tapatalk

 

Well, they could always top & tail using the Class 20 and Kilmersdon, letting the diesel do 95% of the work….

Seriously, unless something really major has broken, I have little doubt that every effort will be made to get 53808 patched up and back in service asap, as they did fairly recently when a superheater tube failed.

 

As was done recently, although Kilmersdon was "providing steam heat"
Kilmersdon rushing past by Stephen Morley, on Flickr

 

And 3871 of course

3871 on All Hallows Eve by Stephen Morley, on Flickr

 

Well I never. Many a true word spoken in jest! Are you sure she wasn’t pushing just a little bit?

 

No, no none of that sort of thing

 

Even if it wanted to, could the MHR afford to hire in another engine ? , and is there any available that's going to be suitable, short term, yes your going to be looking at 1 steam, 1 diesel most likily, with the countryman, doubling up as the Alresford service, as long as the engine can take 6 ,or 7 coaches, so your only really looking at 506, but how did the previous management not fore see this situation, Swanage, had to be stopped, because of potential problems, which were known, or suspected even then,should it's restoration have put on hold before work started so the ownership could be confirmed. and in the meantime, overhaul 73096, at least that was owned by the trust, possibly alongside 75079 as the team working on one, would be able to jump onto the other, if work slowed up,

 

No one expected the <strike>Spanish Inquisition</strike> 76017 to be moved away (with no notice).

 

I believe there is a standard 4 at Southall not doing much at the moment?

 

There's another one at the Mid Norfolk too, by the sounds of it.

 

How about 2999 again? It did a good job last Christmas. I know it's not available for the gala as it's going to be on the West Somerset but could it be available after that? They really need to hire in something long term, a bit like the Bluebell have done with the Hall.

 

Are you thinking of 76084 at the North Norfolk Railway?

 

I'm sure he is referring to 80078

 

Forgot about that one-thanks!

 

I mean a bit jumping to conclusion's that the 7f is gonna be unavailable, she's currently under repair, but no need to jump to the worse case scenario before hand.

Also as for just "overhaul 73096 quickly"
That assumes shes in a good state and as people who where around the engine at the end of her ticket, she was quite worn by then

 

I

73096 is owned by the company.
Stopping Swanage’s overhaul was unavoidable.
There was and is no capacity to start another overhaul until 75079 or 35005 are complete. The former has made a lot of progress quite quickly of late. The latter awaits the completion of the very complicated boiler overhaul.
34007 and 34058 are now under overhaul too.
I conclude this unfortunate situation which is the net result of a change in ownership of 76017, is sad, but short term.

 

499 isn’t hugely far off completion either is it? Ok it won’t help the current short term crisis, but in the medium term it’s another loco that will help build the fleet up to a comfortable position.