Hampshire Narrow Gauge Trust

Press release on Facebook:

 

Well there we go, what a turn up for the books!!!!! I would say just about all the founding fathers will be turning in their graves! Hampshire Narrow gauge was always about being in Hampshire. I await comment from Hitch?

 

"Hitch" thought something like this was inevitable several years ago.

 

Whilst I have no doubt at all that Statfold will certainly look after the locos passed to them and I can understand that argument from a "box ticking" perspective, part of me thinks that there will be some disappointment amongst other lines/organisations who may have also provided good homes whilst potentially having a greater need for a loco to bolster their fleet, or indeed enable them to continue to operate a steam service. Whilst they don't currently have a Bagnall such as Wendy in their collection, Statfold aren't exactly short of quarry Hunslets.
The Simplex's too may have enjoyed a more active future elsewhere as certainly the last time I visited, a lot of the small IC locos at Statfold now seemed to have been put on a isolated section of track in the Roundhouse as a static display.
Hopefully we will continue to see all of the locos visiting other locations regularly in due course.

Chris

 

Very much so Paul, I can remember the days when if one was so much to suggest a joining of forces with other local organisations it was all disregarded as not in Hampshire. It is with great sadness that the collection will now end up in a location miles away and only available on a few days of the year. On the other hand at least old stable mates will be back together let's hope there is a line up of Durley Light Railway stock, Wendy, Cloister, Bambridge Hall, AGWI Pet, Josephine (Howard) and the O&K all pulling an old Ramsgate coach. Durley back in the day was great fun and real playing with trains for boys who only had a bike for transport!!

 

Hope you managed to stop that cheque!!

 

Yet to visit the Hampton and Kempton railway, but it's plans for 2020 look good getting steam and an extension, and has now got some HNGRT stock.
https://www.railadvent.co.uk/2019/1...-to-receive-railway-wagons-and-equipment.html

 

I too am disappointed that HNGRT decided to give the locos to Statfold. I was not able to attend the meeting were it was decided, although I have been told it was pretty much a done deal before the meeting. To be honest there didn't seem to be many other options open (things had been explored) although one or two of us would have liked Wendy to stay longer at Amberley. I have no problem with Statfold having been there on a number of occasions but as G41 stated it is miles away, plus they are not exactly short of locomotives so wonder how much use they will get, having said that Statfold do seem happy to let their locos out on loan so hopefully they will make their way south in the future. Sad to think I will probably never drive a steam loco again now.

 

The loco that would be enthusiastically welcomed would be the O&K diesel once owned by HNGRT member but now sprited away to Statfold.

 

There was nothing "spirited away" about this at all. After the death of the owner it was sold at open auction.

 

One of the last opportunities to see "Wendy" in steam in the south could be tomorrow at Amberley's Autumn Industrial Trains Day when a lot of the collection's industrial locos get a rare chance to stretch their legs in an enthusiast-based event which also features a "Behind the Scenes" walk tour at 2pm from the triangle area, and also "Driver for a Fiver".

 

Correct Mr Hitch.
The O&K was sold as part of the Durley Railway auction. It was bid on by a representative of the PMMM but Statfold out bid them. It was suggested that PMMM ask Statfold if they would lend the O&K but as usual with PMMM as it came from one of the plebiscites the suggestion was never followed up.

 

The Locomotive was bought for Mr Lee's grandson to play with. It was suggested that a later date, the mining museum could borrow the locomotive. It is still the museums intention, to borrow the locomotive when the occasion warrants it and the transport and insurance can be afforded. By then, the grandson may have grown tired of of it and the stay can be prolonged, making the costs involved worthwhile.

 

So why the implication in your earlier posting (that at least two readers picked up on) that HNGRT had somehow denied PMMM the O&K by selling it to Statfold?

 

Not sure I understand your reference to plebiscites? Did PMMM hold votes on what to borrow?

 

If the vote was held by the HNGRT suggesting that a different organisation (PMMM) ask to borrow the loco from another third party that seems a bit presumptious.

 

So was being an inhabitant of Bournemouth!

 

It was Joy that had saved the O&K from the scrapman at Norden and after the auction, said said that had she been told that the mining museum at Norden wished for it to return, she would have removed it from the auction and done a private deal. Graham Lee said that he would continue to bid until he got it. He had just sold his company for millions and The Museum could not afford to go above £25000. It real value was a lot lower than that.

 

Please, can everybody get it into their heads that this machine was never the property of the H.N.G.R.T. The latter had no involvement with the disposal of the machine.

 

Looking at this blog
https://www.weekendrails.co.uk/blog/of-revisiting-an-old-byway.html
Can perhaps see what happened as 20777 was rescued by the HNGRS late 60s when Barry Curl was Chairman. So there was a short time when it was under the HNGRS. They started a building track however

Presume at some time the HNGRS became the HNGRT?