MHR Restorations and Overhauls

Are you joking look at the extra cost involved in transporting three coaches to the MHR. If three manusell coaches were hired in for the gala would they bring in any extra revenue? From memory when the class 127 unit (3 car) was transported from the South Devon Railway to the MHR the transporting cost was about 6k. A nice idea but I can't see the commercial benefit from hiring in a set of manusell coaches?

 

Agreed.

I take it that the lack of updates to the loco shed/wagon and carriage blogs are linked to the email problems the railway has been experiencing recently, as contributors cant get their messages through to the web team?

 

Well, they took the SVR teak set to the NYMR's Gresley 100 gala a few years ago. If you could fill in a few photo charters with the stock it might become economically feasible. I wouldn't discount it utterly.

 

Surely you don't mean the ENTIRE set do you? I don't recall any word of other Gresley coaches being brought in.

 

Why yes I do! As I recall it was all or most of the ones operating on the SVR at that time - 5 or 6?

 

I guess realistically the cost of potentially hiring in the Bluebell's Maunsell carriages will be way too expensive, that's providing the Bluebell would even be prepared to let them visit of course, and I'm really looking forward to this event but it would be such a shame not to have any appropriate matching carriages to go with the Southern liveried locos.

 

Blimey...! That must have been quite a job. How did they get them there though, I presume by road? Come to think of it, how on earth did they persuade the SVR to temporary part with their Gresley jewels, or pay for the transportation costs for that matter? Questions, questions...

 

For the NYMR Gresley 100 gala, the following coaches visited:

From the SVR
Gresley 643
Gresley 24068
Gresley 24105
Gresley 43600
Gresley 43612

From the Bo'ness and kinneil
Thompson 13803
Thompson 80417

From the Bluebell
GNR Directors Saloon 43909

 

The Gresley 100 Gala was funded by an HLF grant, it would not have been financially viable otherwise. Orginally it had been intended to bring in more LNER locos to run with them as well but they fell by the wayside for various reasons. It's a shame that the recent Barrow Hill event didn't have more LNER coaches to go with the locos.

 

I quite agree. It would be a shame to have all these southern locos, and nothing but BR Mk1s to run behind them. I can't see it happening either though, as it would be too expensive. There still seems to be the general opinion that the visiting public are only interested in the steam locos, so railways think nothing of spending thousands bringing visiting locos in, but it's not thought worth bringing in visiting coaches.

The Mid Hants used to have quite a few Maunsell coaches. It's a shame that they were all sold off or scrapped, as now that the Mid Hants have a carriage workshop, they could have had a set of Maunsell coaches of their own.

I seem to remember that 3 Maunsell coaches from the Bluebell did once visit the Mid Hants. I think it was for a film set in the second world war. Obviously the Mid Hants Mk1s weren't suitable for this era, so the film maker brought in the Bluebell coaches and used them with S15 506.

 

The Maunsell coaches were for 'The Cazalet Chronicles' You can still access the link on the Mid Hants web site
Watercress Line Website Archive

Film makers are often not that worried about such period details.

 

The other up side to this gala is that five S15s will be together for the first time since BR days/Barry scrap yard. I know only two will be in serviceable condition.

Looking around Ropley today 31806 was being made ready for her move to Didcot this coming Monday and 34007 was having her smoke deflectors and cladding removed so her steam pipes can be swapped over.

 

A quick request (perhaps slightly off thread) - the MHR Website loco roster only covers the weekends at the moment. Does anyone know what is going to be working the midweek services next week? (8th-10th May).

 

The lack of Ropley Wednesday Gang loco blogs has been due to a combination of problems, including the email one and unavoidable absences at Alresford.

These blogs are reviewed by the railways management before they are posted on the web site. I'm sure you will all understand that there are some commercial sensitivities and H&S considerations that need care. Don't misinterpret as censorship - its done with a very light touch and we do get feedback if we inadvertently stray into difficult areas.

Dave and I are continuing to produce the Ropley blogs and are assured that they will appear in due course.

 

I'd hazard a guess that 8th-10th May services will be 45379 and 850.

The U and 92212 are away and 34007 is in the wheeldrop shed for some valve & piston work and replacing the exhaust steam pipes.

 

Thank you for this. Most helpful.

 

Thanks for clearing that up Colin, I did wonder if something was amiss!!!

And, typically just like waiting for a bus - you wait ages for a blog to come along and eight (?) turn up together Lol!!!

Keep the blogs coming as I (for one) enjoy keeping up to date with whats going on ( not just the loco's, but all dept's as well)from reading them.

 

This coming midweek service is a low season timetable and is only a one service train timetable. I'm led to believe 30850 Lord Nelson will be in service to cover the mid week roster.

 

Just as a footnote to the comments about the LNER teak coaches transported from the SVR to the NYMR, as far as I recall a set of BR MK1's were also moved to the SVR from the NYMR for service use while the teaks were away.

As mentioned, Heritage Lottery money involved, and all these movements I am sure were by road.

Unlikely to have been viable without the external funding.

 

Whilst at the K&ESR's gala this morning a chap that had be down the Bluebell last week told me that he'd heard that they aren't expecting no.847 to be completed until around October time so the Mid-Hants can forget about having the S15. Will the organisers try and get the U class no.1638 as a replacement loco IF as expected no.847 isn't overhauled in time for the Maunsell Gala?

Cheers