MHR Restorations and Overhauls

I was not very keen on the N being painted red. The only survivor of her class and she was turned out as James the red engine It wasn't so bad with the U boats as there are several of them.

 

After 31625 became james, we used to try to bribe Frank to send her out on the front of the ECS Cathederal express workings in the place of the diesel after all she did still have a mainline certificate then, now that would have got the purists up in arms

 

Doesn't matter now - that's all in the past! If the railway was required to have a red engine, and the owner agreed, then so what, and Martin had "fun" continually painting it, but at least it was returned to black soon after!

Anyway, its either gone, or going very soon - I should be down on Saturday to put a shift in, so will pop into the yard first thing to have a shufty!

One things for sure. the head shunt is going to seem rather empty soon....................... I wonder if Sir Fred the Std 4 tank will be moved there before the saplings in the head shunt at Alresford claim them as their own!

As for 73096........................................ the silence is deafening.................................. I wonder if the rumours will prove to be true................

 

Which rumours? the ones about it being rebuilt as a 5AT?

 

Maybe the MHR could paint 30925 Cheltenham in to a nice blue colour and put number two on the tender. Then we could have Edward.

 

Do that and you will have Adrian on you like a ton of bricks, then you would have to repaint it black as 30925

 

Nice one Cyril!!

 

Ah thanks, that's right. Quality of his work was right up there with the best IMHO.

 

Silence is deafening about 73096 eh?
Oh well, never mind!

 

It is always possible that the silence might be because no one knows the answer.....yet. No doubt all will be clear in time.

 

Rumours? What you mean the ones about the billionaire enthusiast who has bought his own island to turn it into Sodor? 73096 is going to be Henry with a face permanently on the front.
He is also after a 9F to paint beige and call it Murdoch

 

What in hell's teeth is that? Since when did the railway stories feature a 9F, named or otherwise? Not in my copies of the books.

Harumph ... etc etc

Tom

 

Don't you watch Thomas the Tank on Milkshake, Tom?

 

You haven't been taking your pills have you?.........................................or have you?...................................

 

Milkshake?

I try to avoid anything TtTE on TV or the new books on the grounds of being un-railwaylike. The original 26 represent the canon to me, and everything else is apocrypha...

Tom

 

Notice that on the Wednesday gang shed report for last week, that the tender for 34105 is now missing it's side sheets. If my memory is correct this was the tender tank that was one of 3 different tender bodies built by Plenty of Newbury for the MHR. Towards the end of 34105's last period in service this tank seemed to be splitting after only a few years service, so I presume that other than it being corroded there are structural problems that are being corrected, is this the case?

I am interested as at the time that the tanks were being manufactured I remember an article appearing in a monthly rag that stated they were built of high grade slightly thicker spec steel to give a long service life. Perhaps this brought it's own problems?

 

Oh you've missed a lot.. there's a character called Stafford, which is a potting shed on wheels.. a lot like that North Staffs Electric at the NRM.. then there;s a Japanese Mikado called Hiro, a GWR 14xx, a Std 4MT, even Stephenson's Rocket has made it into Thomas..

 

he's been taking something all right
yes in the tv sierries i believe there was an 9f and a pink USA called rosie i did say to my friends at Rolvendon that we should turn 65 into Rosie with a suitable whistle also, the answer was not printable on here

 

Not forgetting the A4.

 

Strewth ... next you'll be telling me there's a Stirling single with a winning smile and a lilting Scottish accent ...

Tom