MHR Restorations and Overhauls

On the subject of forgotten locomotives... what's the status with 34058? I assume 'in store' is the answer but one must assume that (as the previous owner) built so many parts, including a reproduction Bulleid tender it would be a good candidate for attention?

 

afaik 34058 is sitting next to 80150 in the headshunt at Alresford - and also suffering from the incursion of nature.

 

Something like the picture above maybe?

 

Not a diesel, as I expect you know! But diesels and four/six wheelers overlapped considerably in Ireland.
I have always enjoyed this photo description from the ColourRail catalogue:
"IR329c CIE G2 2-4-0 663 at Claremorris with the Ballinrobe branch train, two six-wheelers from the Early Carboniferous period Jun-53 JJ"

 

for the uninitiated, that's Bulleid's turf burner on the Inchicore test train.

There's a lovely story of the crew of a failed diesel (also on test) sitting in a siding pretending nothing was wrong so that they wouldn't get rescued by CC1

 

There was some very spirited driving of 45379 last night on the final Christmas Dining train. Comparable to the Pines Express at the Autumn Gala. What an impressive departure from both Alresford and Ropley on the second round trip.
Thanks to everyone on the Dining train for another great evening.

I also picked up next year's Timetable/leaflet and found that it doesn't actually have any timetables or a calendar of operating days in it! Whose idea was it to get rid of these?

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There are (will be?) two leaflets for 2017.
The marketing promo one that I guess you've picked up - the aim being to have the effect of attracting customers to the railway - You need a leaflet with impact when it's competing with many other leaflets that potential customers have picked up from a leaflet rack, stuffing it full of information such as timetables can reduce impact by over-complicating it.
An info leaflet handed to everyone who buys a ticket with the more detailed info (such as timetables).

In these days of widely available internet access, I can understand where they are coming from, the timetables and dates are available on the website, and can be amended quickly and easily in the event that there are unforeseen circumstances.

Personally, I'll miss having the leaflet with the info on it, but then again, when I want to know what's running, I look on my computer or phone, rather than searching for the leaflet, so as long as I pick up the timetable on the door, really, it makes no difference.

 

From the staff section of the MHR website:
"The primary objective of this leaflet is to encourage people to come and visit the railway. It is placed in leaflet racks in libraries, hotels, service stations, play centres and other similar venues. It is mainly picked up by parents, grandparents and tourists and has therefore been designed with these visitors in mind.

We know that people are not looking to read realms of information when they pick up leaflets. They want to be shown, in a snapshot, what the railway has to offer, why they should come and where to look for more information. The leaflet is a signpost to direct potential visitors to our website to find out more (88% of adults in the UK are internet users).

We’ve tried to make it colourful, with lots of great images and easily digestible information about a perfect day out at the railway. We’ve removed the text heavy pages and replaced these with quotes and bullet point information. We’ve added an illustrative map of the line with annotations of what there is to see and do.

One of the biggest differences this year is removing the timetabling information. We know that on average people pick up roughly 6 leaflets at one time, and look at each leaflet for less than 1 minute. Therefore we have less than a minute to entice a visitor to find out more about the Watercress Line. It is essential that this leaflet isn’t over complicated and information is presented in a clear and engaging way. This leaflet is seen as a window into the Watercress Line and a signpost to direct them to find out more. Readers are directed onto our website to view the full timetable and running time.

Please remember there are 2 distinct leaflets with 2 different objectives...

Generic acquisition leaflet (the 'new' leaflet) - the objective of this leaflet is as above).

Daysheet - this leaflet is handed to everyone who buys a ticket at the station - the objective of this leaflet is to guide someone through their day at the railway. And will always include the timetable and running times as well as information as to what is on at each station. "
Picture of black 5 leaving Alresford last night. I didn't watch the second departure, but certainly could hear it!
Christmas steam by Arle Images, on Flickr

I am also now officially a "Friend of 80150" and hope to help out in due course. (If I climb over my garden fence, it is no more than 2 minutes walk to 80150's current location)

 

Thanks for this excellent explanation about the leaflets.
I don't feel so worried now that the MHR might be getting loads of complaints about a lack of train time information next year.

Lovely shot of the Black Five. I did see a solitary figure on the Platform at Alresford taking pictures. I was with my parents and sister in the first carriage behind 45379. The performance from the Black Five was very impressive last night.


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Sorry to be a bit censorious but you really should be a bit careful about posting comments of this kind. All sorts of people could get into trouble from the loco. crew to the railway itself.

Paul H

 

Post now amended. Sorry, I got a bit carried away there.
It might be a good idea to get rid of my quote in your post.

 

Perhaps there needs to be a "Friends of 34058" formed as well.

 

Sounds like a great idea.

 

I'm sure if someone came up with the money to cast new driving wheels and replace the boiler, and sub-contract the overhaul, a deal could be done for use elsewhere! Otherwise we'll just wait for it to reach the top of the Bluebell's overhaul queue.

 

Acutally a standard Terrier's TE is only 7,650 - Fenchurch is higher, because its cylinders were bored out larger for shunting - downside being that it uses steam faster. Water capacity is a big issue, and the use of steam for heating and vac brake is also significant on such a small loco. Air-brake uses less steam than Vac, so IoW terriers have an advantage there!

 

Like so many things in life it's not so simple. The original cylinders were 13 inch in diameter. Later on, perhaps starting in Stroudley's lifetime, they were fitted with 14 inch ones. When D.E. Marsh started to use them for motor trains, the diameter was reduced to 12". I think (possibly wrongly) that Stepney has the 12" variety.

Keep an A1x in good nick and it is surprising what it will do.

PH

 

They are indeed 12" on Stepney, and 14" on Fenchurch, which is quite a significant difference in proportion, given that the TE scales with the square of the diameter. I think most of the other preserved Terriers have the standard nominal 13" cylinders.

I think for a loco to have to work on, day-in, day-out, I'd choose a P class over a Terrier - a considerably underrated design not well treated by history but which in practical terms is in my view a much better loco to work on.

Tom

 

Both the I.O.W. pair have, I think, 14 inch cylinders and have had new boilers. On occasion they do work day in and day out heading a true "museum railway" train with no vehicle younger than 1898. Oddly enough the coal consumption is very similar to a 2MT which demonstrates the progress made in eighty years of design.

Paul H

 

it says a lot that the newest item of IOW railway rolling stock happens to be a preserved engine on the IOWSR . and i can't see that changing to soon, now getting back to the MHR, so what is likily to be the next engine returned to traffic, i would imagine it will be 506, followed by either 75078, or 34105 depending on far the standard 4 is along if the bottom end is nearly there, and its mainly boiler work, it may even beat Swanage