MHR Restorations and Overhauls

Although she wasn't quite the last steam locomotive to run on the Lymington branch. 41312 ran the last revenue earning service on the 2nd April 1967 however a week later on the 9th of April as part of the L.C.G.B's Hampshire branch line tour 80151 ran on the branch with Ivatt No. 41320 at the rear. 41320 of course took the train back to Brockenhurst with 80151 on the rear making the Bluebell based machine the last steam locomotive to run on the branch! (unless of course another tour ran but I haven't heard of one).

 

Which is why I am always against the sometimes strident calls to break up seeming no-hope vehicles: when they are gone they are gone, and you never know what developments (in skills, capacity etc) may lie ahead.

Out of interest, how many ex-LSWR carriages are there on the MHR?

Tom

 

I'm not sure exactly what their policy is on engines, etc but for stations they very definitely and deliberately cover a larger range, per the long-term plan document, viz. "presentation of the infrastructure and built environment from the 1880s at the south, to the mid 1960s at the north of the line" (with Kingscote being mid-50's and E. Grinstead being early 60's).

Noel

 

Bugger all after the Ropley fire when RT was destroyed, but if the stock list is up to date then this one - 1353 LSWR BTK Ironclad Olive EH 1923 DS70016 though I haven't a clue where it is!

 

Is one of them still sheeted over in the headshunt at Alresford? I will have to wander down there again next time I have a spare hour (not very often these days)
Regarding Mid Hants restorations, S15 499 will be outshopped with Urie cab and stovepipe chimney.

 

The BTK could well be Steve, though I've not been down there for a while - Last time I was Rog the dodge was working on his Peak!

As for 499, I know and in pre grouping livery too I believe! - looking forward to that!

 

According to the latest information. Bulleid brake 4211 is well on the way to be completed and back in service. The next Bulleid coach to be overhaul will be the ex Bournemouth bulleid coach 1456 on long term hire from the Bluebell which is in the carriage shop at Ropley. There is another Bulleid brake S4367 which is also go be overhaul and become part of the heritage rake.

 

All that along with the milk tank, which is now in service, and eventually the B Y Van C, which we (the wagon group) would like to see, and the Ivatt 2 - which I'm lead to believe is what the MHR is looking forward to as well! though the B Y will hopefully, fingers crossed will be ready when the second Bulleid is ready.......

Photo charter anyone?.....

 

I'm sure Matt Allen and his merry men will have a charter with a Bulleid rake and the milk tank in the future. I wonder if the Bulleid heritage rake will be painted in blood and custard?

 

Very true

Bulleid 5761 used to be at the Mid Hants, now at Swanage and recently restored to service.
Bulleid 2850 also used to be there, but sadly scrapped in the 1980s.
Maunsells 6697 and 1323 left the Mid Hants about ten years ago, now both at Swanage
Maunsells 4449 and 6601 were both scrapped at some point
LSWR restaurant cars 70 and 76 left in the early nineties for Pontypool
Maunsell 3719 I think went to Swanage
LSWR Ironclad 3187 sold to Mangapps in the 1980s

Certainly the basis for an interesting vintage train there.

Sadly for many years the management of the Mid Hants were very anti anything that wasn't BR Mk1 or Mk2, and couldn't be put straight into service. They saw these older coaches as eyesores taking up valuable siding space. So they were quick to dispose of any they owned, and made life very difficult for the owners of any that were privately owned.

The fact that 4211, 4367 and (until recently) 7851 are still there is only down to a small group of volunteers, and their constant battles with the management of the railway to keep them there.

Thankfully things have changed, with the carriage workshop, and the train of Bulleid carriages being restored.

Unfortunately the damage has been done, and out of this once large collection they are only going to end up with one three coach train (one coach of which is only on loan to them)

 

As an enthusiast whose favourite pre-1948 company is the Southern, I must say how appreciative I am that the different former SR lines are so different in character, portraying different parts of the SR/BR(S) and in some cases portraying different periods. If you think "Mid Hants", the first picture that comes to mind is probably a Bulleid Pacific hauling a rake of mark 1 coaches. Think "Bluebell" and while 34059 could offer you something similar in a year's time, you are more likely to picture a pre-grouping engine hauling a rake of non-corrodor coaches or perhaps a BR4 2-6-4T with some Bulleid stock in tow.

I remember my first visit to the Mid Hants, in about 1980, I think. Having been familiar with the Bluebell since I was a small child, what struck me was that there were points of similarity but also very big differences in the feel of the two lines. I was glad that I could now enjoy another very different "Southern" experience - an LSWR secondary line in Hampshire as well as an LBSCR branch line in Sussex. However, let's not forget that these two lines are not the only "Southern" experiences on offer. What a superb job the Isle of Wight Steam Railway has done in recreating the unique atmosphere of the island's railway network; likewise the Swanage Railway. An ex-LSWR line like the Mid Hants and also a user of Bulleid Pacifics, but the two lines have a complete ly different feel. Neither line boasts as large a colection of locos as the Bluebell or the Mid Hants, but so what?

One could also mention the Kent & East Sussex Railway, which was never part of the Southern Railway but did become part of BR(S) and used ex-SR motive power. Another most attractive line with its own individual character, quite different from the Bluebell in spite of only being about 30 miles away and having Terriers, 'P' Class and USA tanks in common (and GWR 56xxs at the moment too!) The Spa Valley is a relative latecomer. and its star engine in recent years has been an ex-LMS tank engine. It hasn't had the advantages that the Bluebell enjoyed in being able to pick up ex-SR locos and carriages direct from BR, but in my opinion, it's a pleasant and very friendly line. Which line is the best? I wouldn't like to say, especially as I am a member of more than one of these lines! I'm just grateful to be able to enjoy them all.

 

Well, at least per your list, only three were out-right scrapped; the rest all seem to have gone elsewhere.

Noel

 

If anyone was looking for another coach to loan is this one I've always considered to be in a odd location - in the custody of the Vintage Carriage Trust at Ingrow currently, but I don't know much of the story behind it - however does seem entirely appropriate for the Mid Hants

http://www.vintagecarriagestrust.org/Bulleid.htm

 

and at least one of those scraped was because of accident damage caused by a runaway Mk1 from Ropley which was stopped by a headshunt full of stock at Alresford. They were damn lucky not to have killed someone that day.

 

Any idea what's likely to be working this weekend? Thanks.

 

They were very lucky indeed, that was i think before i joined, but we did hear all about it, had something like that happened today they would probally have the Rail inspecturate all over them,
i decided to remove the other part of the post because it whilst a very sad point in the history of the MHR, it's not really relivent to this post.

 

Considering they also have an SECR-designed (but Southern-built) matchboard carriage No. S 3554 S and No. 34092 'City of Wells' up there as well, then its not quite the sore thumb one would think it is. As a matter of fact, 34092 is in the correct livery to haul both. I understand that the Bulleid Open Third was transferred to the Eastern Region in 1965, and was painted in BR maroon, and is possibly the only surviving Bulleid carriage that can accurately carry this livery. I doubt it will, somehow...

 

Given that the VCT carriages are well restored and looked after, surely it makes more sense to look at vehicles that are currently unrestored, rather than thinking about repatriating a Bulleid from 'oop north'. (A general reproach to all of us, by the way, not a specific comment about the MHR!)

Tom

 

Could be a good swap for that LNWR Saloon advertised for sale at the BB a few times