MHR - Undercover?

Are there any plans to get more of the operational locos and rolling stock undercover at the Mid-Hants? While the new paint shop and boiler shop are an excellent relatively recent addition, everything else is out in the open. Anyone know anything?

 

In the late nineties there was an appeal launched to build a running shed to house most of the locomotives. People donated money and a shed was build, but it then became the boiler shop rather than a running shed. Makes me wonder what the people who donated money thought!

Not aware of any other plans though.

 

Actually, the running shed was acquired from Plenty Engineering of Newbury by way of a donation I believe.

I know an appeal was launched to help pay for it to be constructed and fitted out but it was only partly successful as it coincided with a turbulent period in MHR history and thus the original scheme as proposed was not completed.

When David Snow took over the reins the scheme was amended to become the C&W/boiler works we have today, utilising the part constructed running shed, re-clad, re-roofed and extended to incorporate a boiler workshop.

The former running shed framework was all that was kept to form the basis of the new C&W shop.

However when the disastrous fire took hold in the C&W shop, all this section was completely destroyed and thus had to be completely rebuilt with new framework ect, so nothing remains of the old Plenty building at all.

As far as building more undercover accommodation for stock and locomotives is concerned, two factors come into play. Space and Finance.

Im sure the MHR would love to have such a facility as the SVR carriage shed to keep everything dry, but where would they build it?

Also in these current uncertain, economic times where would the money come from for such a huge capital project?

 

Are you sure about that Stephen? As far as I know the Ropley Boiler shop was built around 5 years ago after tireless work by David Snow to secure a lottery grant. the shed was then built and of course it burnt down shortly afterwards and had to be built all over again, but it was still a boiler shop - always was and still is now.
A running shed would be a great asset though not sure where it could go, unless it bridges the gap between the "old" workshops and the boiler /C&W sheds. The railway does not posess any more land where it would be safe to store running locos unattended.

 

As I see it, the cutting south of Alresford would be perfect. Built in the trees, it could be kept below tree height yet still be big enough to hold the stock. I presume that before anything could be done, the stored "stuff" down that end would either have to be completed or disposed of as there is no other space to hold it. The one thing the MHR doesn't have going for it is land available for railway development. If it had, we may have seen the turntable utilised instead of swapped out.

 

Chris a few years ago the railway sold some of its residual land beyond Alresford - (I think to Perins school). I was against this at the time because my belief remains that the route trackbed is priceless no matter what the immediate chances of utilising it are. Does this mean that the headshunt is now too short and too narrow to be of any use as covered storage?
(A propos of nothing the rest of the route beyond this still remains clear nearly all the way to the M3)

 

Domeyhead. I am afraid that I am no surveyor , nor am I an engineer so I will leave it to others more qualified to answer that one.

Talking privately with "old chap", with hindsight it is a shame that the site of Itchen Abbas was not used as a base rather than Alresford, much more space there I gather at the time.

Maybe it is time that someone did a full survey of the route ro see exactly what is there and what we own and need to buy IMHO? Perhaps a full photographic survey would be a start, someone sponsored by the Mid-Hants LTD with their full approval then publish the piccies.

Just a thought?

Best regards
Chris

 

Chris you have just given me a project! (Watch this space.........)

 

What about the land where the "Manor" used to stand? behind and to the side of it the railway owned land goes back some way, if cleared right back there might be enough land to build a storage shed,it would mean removing the concrete stops, and extending the line across the station forecourt, its a pity the MHR sold the turntable i could just envisage a semi roundhouse there with access from the turntable might need to purchase some of the field at the back to give car parking space for staff

 

I like that idea Martin. Now that public access can be gained via the new Harry Potter Bridge it would be feasible, and of course all corresponding public access round the side of the workshop would have to be permanently removed. I guess a new siding would have to run alongside the workshop where the access road runs today, and it would need to be a tramway to allow coal deliveries etc to continue, but like you say, you could get three or even four roads under cover (But Could the railway keep the access to the main line clear at all times? It's tricky enough even today - with megashunts often required.

 

public access could be via the bridge then a fenced foot path, clear of the running line down into the yard , the public dont need to be near the machine shop, you could actually if putting a road in down the coal road have an covered single engine shed for deep cleaning etc and a semi roundhouse next to it with the access being from the wheel drop road, ideal for keeping NRM owned locos under cover and visiting locos, of course it needs a turntable to access the roads but what an addition it would make, only dreaming of course it would make galas fun, guess what way round an engine is today and evening photo shots

 

From memory you can't use the access road along side the workshop because the land isn't stable enough to take the weight of a loco. You would need to put in a large retaining wall next to the the adjacent field. Also what would happen to all the sea containers that are used for storage and the staff car park? I would think the best places to put a carriage shed/running shed would be to extend the head shunt towards Ropley down home signal and cut the bank back to allow more room to fit a thin but long shed with each end of the shed having a connection to the running line?

 

That's true, though it would mean disturbing the grave of Sooty the Railway dog (who I remember well). He was Richard Heather's dog and was a familiar sight round the line back in the early eighties when 34105 and 31625 were first being restored (and so was 35018 and it's still in bits! ). You can still see his gravestone on the bank beyond the headshunt.
Ah progress.........

 

Sooty's grave is after the Ropley down home Signal. So it wouldn't need disturbing. I would think there would be plenty of room between the down home signal a the road bridge at Ropley.

 

You can't build a shed where the Manor used to be because it is all made up land and wouldn't take the weight without a lot of work. It would also have a wicked gradient down to it from the yard (we did measure it, but I forget how bad it was, but let me put it this way I wouldn't go down there in the wet out of choice). The land is also not that wide and we don't own the field beyond.

The carriage sidings at Alresford could be roofed but we'd probably loose a bit of siding space in the process which could be an issue. Also access for fire fighting would be very difficult which would need thinking through. Beyond them is the playing field, and beyond that someone is building houses on the trackbed. Selling the land that became the playing fields was unfortunate, and we'd love to have it back. I gather at the time it was sell or declare bankruptcy (back in the 80s) so probably the right decision though.

Butts is theoretically possible, but has several operational problems and local objection would be stiff.

North of Bighton bridge towards the down outer home at Ropley would be possible, but there is a lot of chalk to shift, especially if the gradient is taken out of the sidings. Probably the most viable option though.

There are a couple of other possibilities which are less viable because they involve land that the railway doesn't possess which throws up two issues....buying it, and getting permission for the change of use. Cost is not necessarily the problem, but willingness to sell probably is and change of use is not guaranteed.

As reported in the AGM last year...long term covered storage is a strategic aim of the railway. it is why 35005 went away for storage.

 

Good points. Security is also a consideration--break-ins and graffiti attacks are not unknown at Alresford. Ropley seems like a better bet from that point of view. Not sure about planning issues, if it is on railway land and is a purely operational development (as opposed to holiday homes) I presume that permission would not be a problem?

 

Thank you Simon, a good and practical post.

Have any thoughts tuned to lottery funding for this worthwhile project?

Best regards
Chris:

 

Yes I know everything is a whole lot smaller but narrow gauge lines are infinitely ahead of most standard gauge ones in this respect as in so many others.

P.H.

 

Given the evident issues with finding space on the railway, are there any possibilities of building undercover storage remote from the railway? I know it would be operationally more difficult, but maybe it is the only option to find suitable and sufficient space? Would at least get vehicles which are currently a long way from even having a start made on their restoration under cover (to stop deterioration). I know it is a slightly different situation but, for example, the Swanage / SLL set up at Herston shows that logistically it is possible to manage a facility remote from the railway it serves: if the facility was purely storage, rather than an active restoration base, it would be simpler as the number of moves in / out could be minimised.

Tom