MHR Restorations and Overhauls

@73129 Any news as to how 75079 is getting on? its been a while so there must have been 'some' progress!.......................

As far as the wagon group is concerned - the BY van (C) ticks along, ever closer to completion, and the QMB is progressing on various fronts in preparation for the sand boxes to be installed, and maintenance of various vehicles continues apace, weather permitting. And for anyone who hasn't read the release on the website, the cattle van will make its debut in the freight rake at the members & shareholders weekend.

Oh, and the PWay are more than happy with the make over of their Atlas crane into green! or should that be .................

 

What happened on the line today saw this on the twitter feed this afternoon "Unfortunately an obstruction caused by the very heavy rainfall has disrupted our services this afternoon. The problem is being dealt with as quickly as possible and we apologise for any inconvenience caused."

 

Probably a tree down......... at a guess - its happened in the past.

 

That's what I thought as well. Was very wet and windy earlier

 

I heard the trains running late when I was at home in between shifts. We had torrential rain, lots of flooding (Alresford, Cheriton, Wnchester) so could actually have been a chalk fall! But probably a tree.

 

At an educated guess - the last time a tree came down, that I know of, was Hampshire Hunt - fell bank to bank at smoke box height! Chainsaw Charlie wasn't a round, so a 37 with 4 rangers & two bow saws aboard were summoned took em 2 hrs! - so reckon it could well be the same location.......... a chalk fall would be more serious........

 

Have they all gone to sleep at Ropley MPD or Alresford offices? Lol. It seems that last week's Wednesday blog has gone AWOL as it certainly hasn't appeared on the railways website.

I would have thought a major milestone(steam test of boiler) in the Ivatt restoration must be soon if there is any chance of it making the Autumn gala.

 

Nor have the all important wagon group blogs........ Hence my brief update at the top of the page.

Its that time of year where they're all on their hols, and those in charge can do the social media, but not the blogs it seems...... so next week (excuse the pun) you can expect a deluge of them!.......

 

Anybody got a Scooby what happened to Wadebridge on the M3 today on its way to the NNR?........... tractor unit failure?.................... something fall off?.................... whatever's happened, she is apparently back at the MHR....

 

Thanks for that.

 

Reading between the lines of the North Norfolk statement, it doesn't seem to put the MHR in a good light, however I'm sure there are valid reasons 34007 didn't embark on its journey north earlier in the week.

 

I think your being a bit unfair. From memory 34007 was sent to Alresford last week for the move to NNR. There could be a number of reasons why 34007 wasn't collected from Alresford.

 

I disagree.......... the NNR would have been told if there was a problem with 34007, and they would have had the right to cancel there and then...... they didn't!

So obviously lack of available transport......... again their call...........

But who would have forecast the nightmare that unfolded today?............... nobody!

In the end both loose out - NNR doesn't get the star of their S&D gala, and the MHR looses out on hire & steaming fees that would go towards its impending overhaul!

 

I didn't mean to imply any blame on the part of the MHR. It is just the manner in which the North Norfolk statement reads as exonerating themselves and the haulier of blame and the implication that somehow a delay occurred in the despatch of 34007 north at the MHR end. To my mind any haulier taking a large loco 230 odd miles by road for a weekend steam gala, should have picked the loco up by the preceding Tuesday latest, so as to have allowed adequate time to prepare the loco pre event and take into account any delays that could have occurred on route, such has happened today.

 

Thank gawd for that - as @73129 said 34007 was ready to move last week, which is exactly what you'd expect!

Soooo given that she would not have reached Norfolk until late tomorrow, suggests the haulier didn't have any spare bodies to crew the tractor unit.....................

And yes, the tone of the NNR statement does (unfairly) point the finger of blame at the MHR, when it clearly is not - but you have to read between the lines........... dread to think what the armchair warriors are spouting on face ache & tw@tter right now..........

 

Unfortunately it's seems unfairly that the North Norfolk are coping some flack on Face Ache. Several potential visitors at the weekend are saying that they will no longer attend just for the visit of 92214 which is a shame, as I am sure it will still be a good event with the two 9F's.

 

Just to add, according to the local paper. The M3 was partially blocked on Wednesday due to a Challenger 2 battle tank being parked on the hard shoulder because the transporter had a punctured tyre.

http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/13641170.PICTURES__Motorway_blocked_by_TANK/

 

Bet they're not banging on about 45337 taking part due to having leaking tubes........................ and the line up they've got is still well worth going for!

Bloody armchair @ss holes..........

 

Getting back to MHR restoration, how's 75079 coming on? I haven't seen a progress report on this loco for ages.