MHR Autumn Gala 23rd - 25th October 2015 - LMS theme

It will be uncoupled from the RAT in the loop outside Alton, coupled up to the freight and depart. The RAT will hauled into Alton by another loco.

 

Why do they always have to have exactly the same loco workings for all three days ?

The timetable can be the same, but after the Friday as is, why can't they - for example - taking the LMSR engines - swap places in the diagrams for 46521 and 13065 for Saturday, and then for Sunday compared again to Friday say swap 46521 with 45379.

You'd be surprised how a subtle change like that drastically alters travel and photo oppurtunities.

Swanage railway seldom has the same locos on the same workings for consecutive days, yet MHR always seems never to, at least for the events I look at / plan for / go to.

--
Nick

 

This is a new feature at MHR galas, where they keep the same roster over the entire weekend. IIRC, they had a different roster on all three days of the spring and autumn galas last year.

James

 

Just to remind folks..........

Come rain or shine, we,the Wagon Group will have our sales stand at Medstead for all three days, selling all sorts of interesting railway related items, including the much sort after Wagon Group Mug, and I believe we have a few of the limited edition "SCATS" van available as well.

We will, as ever be conducting yard tours throughout all three days, where you will be able to see, up close & personal, the progress we a making on various vehicles, including the Queen Mary Brake Van - and if you time it right, you'll get a photo opportunity not normally afforded to folks. Although the tours are free, if you enjoy yourselves, a donation to our "fighting fund" to maintain these vehicles, no matter how large or small, would be most welcome!

So, whatever the weather, please do come and see us, and we hope you all enjoy the gala.

 

To add to what DD has said, I should also point out that the gala is probably the best opportunity for a while to see the fruits of the wagon groups work! As there will be a freight set and van set in action over the gala. These sets are at points as big as the run round loops will allow the railway to run!

 

Looks an interesting Gala, but something I have never quite been able to understand is the limited hours the Gala's here tend to run with.
i.e. first train 09.30 and by 5.30 its all complete, There are a number of other lines where they start earlier and run (some substantially) later.

Are there some operating restrictions on the line??

 

The T9 is currently out of action and hasn't left the yard at Ropley. 925 currently taking over her duties. Don't know what the problem is with the T9.

 

From what I heard the tender only arrived at Ropley first thing this morning.

 

Sounds like this was the reason. Pleased to say T9 is now in service.

 

Yep, the T9 was tender-less in the yard first thing, and the tender arrived from Alresford with 08377 just before services began. Cheltenham covered the T9's scheduled freight run, then 30120 dropped onto the back of the returning local with 46521 at lunchtime and then went onto its booked duties.

I think that was the best Mid-Hants gala I've been to yet*. I didn't have a single disappointing run, everything was efficient, station staff were helpful and not officious, and the timetable had a bit of everything. The only flaws with it were my own - not being able to stay beyond 3pm due to work, and most of my photos being a bit rubbish. Just looking at the timetable now and planning what I would've done if I could've stayed till the end and yeah, it would've been an even better day... Though actually it probably needed a two-day visit to really do it justice.

If you're wavering about going tomorrow or Sunday, go for it, well worth it and quite a challenging benchmark for the Mid-Hants to top next year.

(* For the sake of disclosure, I'm comparing it to 21st anniversary of closure gala in Feb 1993, April 1993 diesel gala, 2013/14 diesel galas, 2013/14 autumn steam galas - that's my personal Mid-Hants gala 'discography')

 

Great to see almost all the trains were full. Friday seems to be a very popular day for a gala. Didn't see to many empty seats apart from the late afternoon services.

 

Will be at Medstead tomorrow, how long are the yard tours likely to take?

 

Enjoy your tour.

The time it takes can vary, depending on how many there are, and of course questions being asked, etc, etc................

I would allow about 30 minutes........

 

A great day today.
First up a big thank you to the folks of Ropley MPD for getting the T9 up and running in a relatively short amount of time after her tender arrived. There were a lot of people asking after her and her trains were very well filled. We travelled on her first local round trip of the day and the crew certainly had her demonstrating her Greyhound abilities. A cracking run up the bank in both directions. For me she was the star of the event.
We are back again tomorrow hoping to get a run or two behind the Crab as we missed out on this today and hopefully a trip with the A4 and definitely another trip with the T9.

 

Does that include a visit to Medstead, a browse of the goodies on the wagon groups stand, and a yard tour?................. .......

In other news, I've not long seen a pic of 4464 at Alresford with two brake vans & no 45 ton crane in between........ problem?....

 

Just doing a bit of shunting!

The a4 took a brake van off the freight set and onto the crane so had to put it back at the end of the day.

 

a shame there was no programme/brochure due to a printers error i believe

 

Fair do's!

You about tomorrow - if so where or on what?........

 

A good day down at the Mid-Hants - a couple of photos from a rather murky day.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/davestubbings/

 

Delivered to Alresford at 11pm last night and then run up to Ropley about 08:30. My plan to get up early and go to Ropley was scuppered by my on laziness. Everything ran pretty much on time today, I missed the T9 in the morning as I was't expecting it to run so soon! Although it was in light steam last night, sans tender. Did catch the last trip up to Alton though......
Greyhound in Autumn by Arle Images, on Flickr