MHR Pre-Spring Gala, S & D theme: 17-19th February 2017

The best offings from today's full dull.......

92212

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/32997950965/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/32153015854/

41312

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/32997955465/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/32842698562/

76017

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/32616033110/

 

No time to do any processing yet, apart from this one, from Saturday morning.

 

A selection of my photos from Saturday can be found at http://paulsimpson.zenfolio.com/p182309168.

 

It's difficult to fit in the best of the the action into a ten minute video, especially on a gala. A ten minute video IMO wouldn't do the railway/event any justice.

 

From the images and movies posted, overall looks like a successful gala. Trains were comfortably full on Friday and mild weather seemed to bring out a goodly crowd. Hopefully this was replicated on Saturday and Sunday?
The timetable seemed to work well (although I missed the usual 'early' departure from Ropley to Alton!) and thanks to all of the people at The Watercress for making this a good event.

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/jumbojet1/albums/72157680559223325

 

My offerings from all three days at the Gala. A brilliant event, most trains seemed to be relatively full over the weekend. Brake van trips were well patronised and the steam crane demonstration was very interesting!

Enjoy!

 

Also a thank you to all those who purchased from Eastleigh RPS (828), the Urie S15 group, The Unknown Warrior (45551) and Mid Hants 80150 support group. Thanks to the Mid Hants for making the room available for us in Ropley Works.
Every penny helps returning locos to steam or steaming for the first time.

Cheers, Neil (ERPS)

 

Here I am purchasing tee shirt no 1 from Neil Orford of Friends of 80150 (thanks to Julian Clark for the photo)

 

Good to hear a 'home fleet' Gala seems to have been a success - I suspect the Mid-Hants could be very pleased with the numbers side, which could perhaps be a better 'bottom line' than a Gala with guests.

If that is the case, food for thought for many railways - and passengers, I suspect.

Steven

 

Short video from Sunday, photos to follow...

 

Here's a few from me, covering all three days.

 

I can second that, having never been to the watercress line before, the gala was a nice event to attend as a first visit to the line, a busy timetable for plenty of movements to see, and to see all the Mid hant's home fleet in steam, I would happily visit a railway that was holding a home fleet gala, because personally if you have visitors you tend to concentrate on the visitors rather than the rest.

 

A few of us volunteers were discussing that- it is easy for us "locals" or "insiders" to think that a home fleet gala is a bit boring, but looking at it from the view point of those less familiar with the line who don't visit frequently, the recent gala provided 1) A good mixture of locos form the 2mt 2-6-2T to the 9f 2-10-o: 2)A decent length day with earlier and later than normal services: 3) Freight demonstrations train, with opportunity to ride in brake van 4) Steam crane demonstrations - not something you see every day (although I see it more often than many given my proximity to the line!) 5) Workshop open/tours 6) Real Ale bar:7) Reasonable cost-£20. In addition 76017 is still a recent addition which many will not have seen. Not a bad package at all.
My observations were that the loadings on Friday and Saturday seemed pretty good, Sunday was quieter. Many family visitors too, with no overcrowding problems. From the MHR point of view a cheap gala to put on, and excepting Friday night, the trains ran pretty much to time, never more than about 10 minutes adrift, so a good advertisement for the railway. So a successful gala really!

 

Well I certainly enjoyed my first visit, the 2 locos I rode behind (9F and Black Five) where really making some noise and smoke when I was riding behind them, the five slipped twice on my run from ropley to medstead, so I will visit again in the future for sure.

 

A few photos from last Sunday...

https://www.flickr.com/photos/alts1985/albums/72157677202834523

 

Saturday

I don't think I've seen any shots of the steam crane psted yet, so...

Colin's Crane by Tim White, on Flickr

Access to the boiler shop roller was not permitted at this gala (there seemed to be a lot of work going on).
It did however mean that you could get interesting shots like this

9F 92212 passes the boiler shop by Tim White, on Flickr

Std 4MT hauling the freight in from Itchen Abbas

BR Std 4MT brings the freight into Alresford by Tim White, on Flickr

 

Sunday dawned cold and grey but a few opportunities presented themselves


Ivatt on the freight #1

41312 on the Freight at Alresford by Tim White, on Flickr

Ivatt on the freight #2

41312 on the Freight at Alresford by Tim White, on Flickr

A Crompton hiding in the headshunt

Crompton hiding in the headshunt by Tim White, on Flickr

Night falls on the last day of the Gala

BR Std 4MT 76017 by Tim White, on Flickr


BR Std 9F and BR Std 4MT at rest by Tim White, on Flickr


BR Std 4MT 76017 by Tim White, on Flickr

 

I went on the Sunday and took a few pictures which are now in an album on Flickr :

https://www.flickr.com/photos/train-pix/sets/72157676950245324/

Hope they're of interest.