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Mid Hants Railway Operational Matters

Discussion in 'Heritage Railways & Centres in the UK' started by NightRail, Jan 11, 2017.

  1. mdewell

    mdewell Well-Known Member Friend

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    There is also the 'risk verses reward' assesment to be factored in. If the reward is insignificant, then why take the risk (no matter how small), whereas something with significant reward (publicity, financial etc) may be worth whatever risk is involved.
    (NOTE: This is intended as a general comment and not necessarily about the MHR walk of which I have no knowledge beyond what I have read on here).
     
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  2. LC2

    LC2 Member

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    Presumably you have experience in the area of risk assessments etc. You certainly are coming across in that way. Cool...
    If so, why not make an offer of help in this area to the railway?
    As you say, the AGM is nearly upon us, that might be a great opportunity to have an initial first chat with the board about it.
    That's the beauty of volunteer organisations. If there is a gap and someone has the experience to help fill it and offers to help, then that offer will likely be taken up if it's practical.
     
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  3. 21B

    21B Part of the furniture

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    You misunderstood me. I dont like having to disappoint people, but I am quite happy with the decision and I stand by it. I have tried to outline the thinking without going into some things which I am not prepared to share here. The guidance from our regulator is a factor in the decision too. As for setting a precedent, I think there is only one other line still doing this type of event.

    I will not comment further here. If you want to discuss this with members of the board the AGM would be a proper time to do this when we can go into more detail.

    Sent from my SM-A405FN using Tapatalk
     
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  4. 21B

    21B Part of the furniture

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    The south side girder is longer than the north side by some margin. Does that help?

    Sent from my SM-A405FN using Tapatalk
     
  5. Footbridge

    Footbridge Member

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    Re. Butts bridge, whilst acknowledging the frustration of both MHR supporters and local residents over the timescales, the problems are looking to be solved in a professional way and by this time next year will be practically forgotton.

    Vehicle traffic flow will be better then ever before, train passengers will hardly notice any difference, the bridge will last a considerable number of years and will be free of damage from lorry strikes and still have the capacity for a double track if required in the future.

    One has only to look at the photo gallery on the bridge site to realise the massive changes and challanges that have been overcome.

    https://www.buttsbridgeroadworks.co.uk/recent-work
     
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  6. 73129

    73129 Part of the furniture

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    I see today a new set of farm looking gates have been installed at the end of Ropley loco yard. 246F2E66-ABE1-4FF7-80A6-4C02511109DC.jpeg
     
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  7. Ploughman

    Ploughman Part of the furniture

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    What has happened to all the Mid Hants various Blogs?
    Only a few seem to survive.
     
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  8. Swan Age

    Swan Age Member

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    Agreed. I used to love reading the blogs from the Wednesday gang, 75079 group ect. Hasn't even been an update recently on 35005.

    I'm sure there must be progress to report.

    I understand that these blogs are written by volunteers, but surely a once a month update is not too much to ask.

    On the plus side the excellant progress on conserving 80150 and 34058 is regularly documented by Martin Orford and put up by Richard Bryan on the Friends of 80150 Facebook group.
     
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  9. acourtrail

    acourtrail New Member

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    Nice to see the Butts Bridge project coming on (I live in Somerset - so don't get up to Alton that often to see the work progressing). Nearly ready for trains by the looks of things.
     
  10. DragonHandler

    DragonHandler Well-Known Member

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    Does anyone know what happened to 76017 this afternoon?
    My friend and I arrived at Ropley on the 12:55 from Medstead and were waiting to see 76017 depart with the 12:53 from Ropley while we waited for the 9F.
    But 76017 didn't move off and after a while we could see people on the footplate wielding spanners. Not long afterwards the signalman retrieved the token from 76017.
    When 506 arrived at about 13:20 with the freight train it stopped then shunted the freight into the yard it then hauled 76017 into the yard before returning to take over 76017's train. 506 waited for the 9F to arrive from Medstead before setting off to Medstead.
     
  11. 1729

    1729 New Member

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    From what I heard on the day 76017 had a issue where the brakes wouldn't release on the loco. Bit of a delay because of that but she was replaced by the S15 and the 47 came out to cover and later the delay had almost been reduced to nothing in the timetable
     
  12. DragonHandler

    DragonHandler Well-Known Member

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    Thank you.
     
  13. Hampshire Unit

    Hampshire Unit Well-Known Member Friend

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    76017 was fixed by close of play yesterday and ran all day today!

    A shot from yesterday morning....


    [​IMG]76017 near Wanders Curve by Stephen Morley, on Flickr
     
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  14. John Petley

    John Petley Part of the furniture

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    I agree with your comment (highlighted). When 45379 was acquired, I doubt if anyone expected that 73096 would return to the line but I guess that during its ten years of operation. I'm not the only person to have developed quite a soft spot for the Black Five and very much hope it will return to steam again one day.

    Out of interest, can someone tell me how many how many locos are entirely or partly owned by the MHRPS? I tried working this out from the "steam locomotives" page of the website, but the info appears to be a bit out of date. I think I'm correct in saying that 35005, 41312, 45379, 73096, 75079 and 80150 belong to the MHRPS and it is the majority shareholder in 34007, but are there any others? What of 34058, for example?
     
  15. green five

    green five Resident of Nat Pres

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    This website says that 34058 was donated to the MHRPS by the owner who had started the restoration at the Avon Valley Railway:
    https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwiFj8jCqa3lAhUWSBUIHSu6CPUQFjACegQIBhAB&url=https://preservedbritishsteamlocomotives.com/34058-sir-frederick-pile-sr-21c158-br-sc1c158-br-34058/&usg=AOvVaw3bATTEg1D9Bloiw3p0hImm

    The MHR website loco pages seem to be a bit out of date though as they still have 34058, 41312 & 73096 listed as being privately owned.
     
    Last edited: Oct 21, 2019
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  16. OldChap

    OldChap Member

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    I believe that 34058 was 100% donated the the MHRPS, 76% of the shares of the company that owns 34007 are held by the MHRPS and 26% of the shares of 34105 are held by the MHRPS also.

    41312 and 73096 are not 'technically' owned as yet because of outstanding loans on these machines (if the loans were defaulted on they could be repossessed etc)
     
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  17. John Petley

    John Petley Part of the furniture

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    Thank you, Gentlemen, for the clarification.
     
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  18. 73129

    73129 Part of the furniture

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    Nice photo Steve. 76017 looks great on a small rake of wagons.
     
  19. Duty Druid

    Duty Druid Resident of Nat Pres

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    Hmmm..... :Shifty:

    As creatures start to look to hibernate, it would seem somebody has prodded my Ropley Spy in to life........ :Saywhat:

    The words & pics below are his, not mine - but I don't buy the guff that he's been busy, he's had more holidays than the Queen of late! o_O

    It’s twaddle time! Thought I would give an update on what’s been going on with 499, hopefully I can also answer some of the comments and debates I have seen over recent weeks. Firstly though, let me apologise for the lack of updates both here and on the MHR website; nothing deliberate, just that I have an awful lot going on at the moment and simply haven’t had time.


    How about the boiler situation first. Boiler 451, originally from Sir Lamorak, is the one which arrived from Barry on 506 and was deemed beyond repair at that time with cracks in the copper crown. Boiler 799, (Sir Ironside), was bought from Woodhams ex 30825 and restored for use on 506 when it returned to steam in 1987. Once that boiler had to be withdrawn for overhaul it was swapped with 755, ex The Red Knight, which had arrived from Barry on 499 and thus allowed 506 to run in preservation for 14 years into 2001. The current situation is 755 is running around on 506, work has begun on 799 and 451 remains laid up due to the crown problem; it is highly likely that we will look to replace the crown once 499 is in traffic:


    1. Because we want to have the third boiler ready once a loco comes out of service and
    2. Because if we have nothing to do at weekends we’re all going to end up receiving lessons in hoovering, cleaning etc!!!

    "For those of you who do visit Ropley, boiler 451 is that nearest the yard, currently sporting a stovepipe chimney for safe storage. 799 is the one nearest the field; current work is removing approx. 250 firebox stays (should be completed in the next few weeks), preparing the life expired smokebox for removal and cleaning inside the barrel for inspection of the throat plate and removal of the palm stays.


    Now to the tenders, I think a number of you have got this sussed. The chassis which was acquired from Eastleigh works under a Hampshire unit test van (no. 3208) was stripped of all the gubbins, fitted with a 5,000 gal tank manufactured by Plentys of Newbury and completed, ostensibly for 499. However, we raised concerns about the condition of 506’s own tender frames so have lent it the ‘new’ one; its original tender is currently laid up in Ropley ‘top yard’. If we are to eventually couple this tender to 499 we clearly need to do something for 506. To that end, the chassis remains from 30825 (no. 3223) have been brought to Ropley in readiness for work to commence. There are 2 sections approx. 50:50, one is what could be salvaged from the original, the other is a new section which the team began many years ago. Plans at the time were to bolt the pieces of this new section together, but obviously our abilities have changed and we are now champing at the bit to rivet it all once it’s been stripped down and cleaned. If you want to have a ‘nose, the pieces are in Ropley car park to the right of the skips and behind the std’s tender wheelsets…..please stay safe and don’t go beyond those wheelsets.


    Up on the frames, things have been moving a lot quicker than we planned since 506’s return. Cylinder draincock flanges are virtually complete for both blocks. The L/H block is on the loco, held up with dowels and accommodation bolts…..the R/H block is almost ready for fitting although we won’t actually be undertaking the lift for a while yet. All the fitted bolts for the blocks are now on site so we can soon look forward to a number of months of delicate work with a damn great sledge hammer! The new buffer beam has been on the loco for drilling, taken back down and all holes countersunk. A section of shaped angle which holds the outer edge of the front platform has been salvaged and new side angles made and drilled. The frames have been drilled ready for riveting these angles and a new platform cut…the old was far too wasted. The curved angles which support the running plate sections ahead of the cylinder blocks have been salvaged and are currently being cleaned and repaired."

    499 front end.jpg

    499's LH cylinder block is on......we will never be taking this off again!.jpg

    Tender chassis 3223.jpg
     
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  20. NightRail

    NightRail New Member

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    On Saturday 26th October, 50027 "Lion" was started up for the first time since 2nd June 2018. Congratulations to Andy Fuller and all those who helped to carry out, what was, a pretty extensive job, in often trying conditions. Further checking and testing will be required before the loco can move under its own power. I look forward to seeing it back working trains again, as shown here on its last day in traffic last year.
    DT5810.jpg
     
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