Watercress Line Autumn Steam Gala 3rd to 5th October 2025

Many thanks for your further report and photos. If you are there again today I'd very much like to hear and see about your day please as I won't do the return journey three days in a row. It's 75 miles each way and Friday, as expected was the M25 usual 06.00 M25, plus the usual Friday afternoon M25 on my return. Yesterday saw totally unchecked runs in both direction; 80 minutes for the 75 miles down and 79 minutes return. Speed control set so I was running fractionally under the signed speed limits. Clear runs both ways on one day - a unique experience! But a combination of the expected usual Sunday pm M25, plus that incredible Four Marks bakers being shut on a Sunday (so no further supply of granary rolls to bring home and freeze), has turned me into an armchair gricer today.

And I would mention that of course I make very good use of the tea bar at Medstead when it is open for special events.

As for the last train of the day ex Alton. I hadn't realised it would be top and tailed until it arrived at Medstead. Great joy! I hadn't been able to decide between trying the meet shot with 30506 from the up platform so I could get both pacifics in as the S15 approached head on, or use the footbridge and accept I'd only get one pacific plus just the tender of the other one in shot with 30506 arriving. With just 34059 at the front of the train the decision was made for me. Back to the footbridge and all of 34059 plus part of its train, and 30506 arriving with its passenger train also visible. To me that is my shot of the event. Which, as I now have the regulator in the roof and cut off at full babble mode, is a prompt to thank the group who do so well with 30506, to run it is as 30506 and close to 1960s condition. And for whoever in the Mid-Hants made the late timetable change to run the full length goods train both ways with the S15, which meant chimney first uphill on the double track section approaching Medstead, very many thanks are due.

I booked on both the 30506 goods train charters as a matter of principle after the change to it becoming 30506. But with the charters not expected to get up to Medstead and this getting old nonsense making the prospect of climbing in and out of a brake van quite daunting, I stood back from the first one, and may well do the same for the second one. Although I will check if there is the possibility of a low light shot of it hauling the full goods train consist away from Ropley that I can take from the road bridge.

Regulator now shut and cut off back from full babble mode.

Bryan

 

An enjoyable day yesterday despite the occasional heavy showers. It seemed busy but not stupidly so; I had a ride behind 13 different trains and managed to find a seat on all of them. Thanks to all for putting on a good show. A few of my pics from the day.

SNG at Medstead and Four Marks


Sir Archibald Sinclair at Medstead and Four Marks


Kilmersdon doing footplate rides at Ropey


30506 leaving Ropley with the freight


CanPac departing Ropley with steam to spare


41312 running round at Ropley

 

Our first visit since May 2023 for various reasons, and we had a great day yesterday despite Storm Amy - 50mph winds and long spells of heavy rain made for a challenging day filming! We chased 34059 lineside first thing at Bishop's Sutton then Horse Lane, before leaving the car at Medstead and taking train to Ropley. Very enjoyable ride on the miniature railway and its always great to watch the non-stop trains power through Ropley. We then took 35005 to Alresford to have a round trip back behind 60007 which was very enjoyable, finishing the day watching the 34059 & 35005 double header head east from Medstead. Video below, photos to follow...

 

Had a 'fun' day ballast yomping in quite challenging conditions with @Hampshire Unit!

To say it was windy was an understatement & yes, at times the rain was biblical and horizontal, combined with the wind........ from what I gathered yesterday, rail head conditions were rather challenging, thus the timetable slipped, and @The Gricing Owl, it's Muggin's 'Ere that posts about the exploits of the Saturday gang of the Wagon Group atop the hill!

It was good to see all the trains well filled & despite the challenging conditions, the crews all seemed to be enjoying themselves & putting on a show.

A few pics from yesterday......

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/54833714029/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/54833714374/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/54833806090/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/54833806510/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/54833732348/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/54833807240/in/dateposted-public/

 

Nice to see Archie yesterday

"Sir Archibald Sinclair" near Bishops Sutton by Stephen Morley, on Flickr

 

One of the almost ignored sites of the weekend was Kilmeston moving 850 from display to the wheel drop shed this evening.
(Apologies for the quality, taken using a cheap Motorola phone.)

Thanks to everyone who made purchases from society sales stands, every little helps - particularly when considering boiler repairs.

Cheers, Neil

 

I decided not to address you as 'Muggins atop the hill' as one thought that was rather less than was appropriate after seeing that lovely rake of wagons behind 30506.

Bryan

 

We are now home and exhausted after three excellent days at this superb gala. We stayed right until the end to see the locos all returning to Ropley and soaked up the wonderful atmosphere. It was worth waiting to capture this image below of 30506 leading 60007 back to Ropley MPD for disposal.

I might write a longer report later tonight for The gricing owl if I can stay awake!

If I don't manage to write anything tonight I will just add a big thank you now from me, my Dad and my sister to all involved with the Gala. You should all be proud of staging a brilliant event particularly in the challenging conditions of Friday and Saturday.


Sent from my XQ-BT52 using Tapatalk

 

A challenging couple of days on the lineside filming in the elements the weather provided but the railway still put on a good show as always!

 

Thank you kindly. Two 17 hour days were my limit, you did superbly to cover the whole gala. But I did glance longingly at the clock at 12.44 yesterday when 30506 was maybe climbing towards Medstead and Four Marks station on the goods train.

Bryan - now if the Four Marks bakers had been open on the Sunday . . . . . . . . . . . - B

 

My first visit too for quite a while and yes - Saturday was a real mixed bag - quite big patches of blue sky which could disappear all too quickly, being replaced by somewhat squally showers. I opted for photography AM and travelling PM. Managed a couple of decent pictures, but the big disappointment for myself and about 15 others was when the sun came out barely five seconds after 60007 passed the usual gallery at Northside Lane crossing. Still, my first enounter with 35005 since her return to service was somewhat more successful, although it was rather a close shave with the sun. My next encounter took place a couple of hours later as a passenger in one of the two superbly restored Bulleid coaches and I must say, I have never travelled in quite such a crowded train on a heritage line! Standing room only was the order of the day.

A few other things which I appreciated and enjoyed which others haven't commented on: -

• The non-stop Alresford-Medstead run with 34059. Although we were not going very fast at all, passing through Ropley without stopping was a first for me and far more exhilarating than one might have expected
• The use of the "430" duty number on one disc on the front of 34059 - as per its run in 1966 (Plus the same headcode) - a really nice touch
• 75079's new tender looks superb - can't wait to see the engine in steam
• My first run behind 60007 since 1980. On that particular occasion, she was running as 4498 and what a day that was! Double-headed 76s over Woodhead, 40083 from Rotherwood Yard to Leeds, the Midland Compound and Green Arrow double heading from Leeds to Carnforth and then "Gresley" back to Manchaster via Hellifield and Blackburn, touching 72mph after Bolton at a time when steam specaisl were officially limited to 60mph - and the cost for me as a young person for all this ? £5!

A big thanks to the Mid Hants for a great day plus, of course, the Bluebell and the SNGLT for the use of their engines. Overall, a great day

 

Great image of the S15.

 

Some photos from Saturday, somehow given the conditions generally managing to luck into the best of the weather every time, probably due to get soaked all weekend next up at the Bluebell to balance things out.
https://www.flickr.com/gp/alts1985/bP75a33QH6

 

Well that was quite an eventful weekend of weather! As if doing battle with the Alps wasn't bad enough.

Some photos and video (what I've been able to salvage) from the event now up.

https://railwaygalleries.smugmug.com/MidHants/Autumn-Steam-Gala-October-2025

 

I went on Sunday with my dad, found it enjoyable and clearly well supported, plenty of people out. The collection of engines was definitely to our tastes, and all superbly presented. 60007 was definitely drawing the closest (and sometimes most irritating) platform end following wherever it went, but 34059 was also a credit to the Bluebell. 35005 looked beautiful, but it’s the first time I've seen it running since overhaul and we thought it sounded distinctly off beat, like the valve setting in one cylinder was out.

Despite a couple of delays, the timetable seemed to hold up pretty well and didn't have obvious gaps; I was slightly surprised when I realised that essentially no trains were passing at Alton.

The through trains with 30506 and 34059 running at pretty much line speed up through the down platform at Ropley were a good feature, really gave an impression of up-close power that you just don't normally get in stations.

We came back to Alton with the two Bulleids, which definitely felt gratuitous, but they made a fine sight together.

Nice work all round from the railway and guests to make it happen.