Mid Hants Railway Operational Matters

According to the website the S160 is on display at Sheffield Park, which might be used as a backup. Bluebell have updated their timetable today showing that 80151 won't be there.

 

Believe the H and O1 are thunderbirds if required *H on brake van rides and O1 as station pilot at Sheffield Park I think*

 

Does anyone know which locos are rostered for this Saturday? Thanks

 

76017 and 80151. On Sunday the third engine will be D 8188

 

Is it too early to ask whether 80151 is running on Saturday 16th October or not?

 

In the latest video there’s a good story about how 80151 was purchased from Woodhams scrapyard.

 

80151 in action today. Pity the weather wasn't like this last weekend!

80151 has an Autumn break by Stephen Morley, on Flickr

 

Nice photo Steve.

 

Yesterday, normal service resumed atop the hill!!

After a few weeks break, the Saturday gang were back with renewed determination to bring the GPV back into service.......

1st job was to refit the vac pipe which went on relatively easily, then it was time to wheel the van into the open to allow the air to circulate & the damp on the bodysides to dry off & after last weekends, at times biblical, rains, it was pleasing to note that the van is watertight!

Next job was to fit a new vac hose at either end, as straight forward enough job....... not this time!

Firstly they refused to go on the swan necks, then after a bit of fettling, they were persuaded home........ at this point two of had to disappear down to Alresford for PTS renewal, which gave us a chance to see what was going on down there........

Once we'd done the exam & passed it was back to base, only to find that the lads were still fighting the damn vac hoses - the hoses had gone on the swan necks fine, but put the coupling on, and even with a collar in place, the weight of the coupling was pulling them off........ So it was decided that lunch was a good idea, and that the vac hoses can wait until next week when we will have bigger and hopefully better collars.....

After lunch, it was time to get the van into the dock platform, so we could work on it there, but 1st we checked with the Bobby, just in case we were in danger of triggering a track circuit - thankfully we weren't, so it was a case of hand shunting a 10t van up hill!

Once we got in to dock, with a little help from the PWay, the main part of the day began!

This drew quizical looks from both the locals passing on the footbridge as well as the train crews as they passed, since it has been moved into road #1 we've had nothing but complimennts from folks on the railway as to how good it looks! But they haven't seen anything yet........

It was nice to get down to Alresford yesterday & see a bustling station, and a happy shunter at work on 08 288 - the 1st time I've seen it move - it sounds good, so a big well done to those who bought it back from the ashes!

So, a few pics of yesterdays goings on.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/51572931874/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/51571441952/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/51573176785/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/51572252936/in/dateposted-public/

And so, back to the GPV........

Getting for about 5 years ago, the Saturday gang took on what was basically a basket case, it had in the past been used as a wood store at Ropley for many a year, gradually falling apart!

This is what we were faced with, and this was the good side!!!


The damn thing has fought us all the way - just as we thought we'd solved one problem, another reared its head to the point of thinking 'why are we doing this?' We may at times have been down, but we were never out, we've pluged away in all weathers, baking hot, freezing cold and the driving wind and rain - we've sweated a lot, we've sworn a lot as thing has fought us all the way, but we've never given up

Yesterday, we had 'fun' applying the decals, that we'd collectively agreed to fund ourselves to save dipping into meagre wagon group funds.

We still have a few finishing touches to do over the next few weeks, so hopefully it'll be off for an FTR asap to take pride of place in the wagon rake!!

Ladies and Gentle Folk, I all but give you GPV WD 105761.

 

I appreciate all the hard work undertaken, just not sure about the gunpow dervan lettering.

 

Is the Sunday diesel turn likely to happen for the rest of the season when the Countryman is running?

 

That's how the lettering is supposed to be. Or are you suggesting the letters should continue onto the join?

 

Strictly speaking the lettering ought to encroach onto the flat faces of the stanchions a bit to narrow the gap, but even I chickened out of that a little sign-writing ours as it was a bit of a faff.



Anyway, @Duty Druid and his team have done a fine job, and it looks very smart

 

Has 34092 returned yet?

 

Yes

Sent from my SM-A125F using Tapatalk

 

Last Thursday I think. 41312 went off to the ELR on Saturday, as soon as the low loader left, four large TV trailers arrived for the filming this week. 506 is nearing the end of its superheater retube, so 3 trains will probably be 2 steam + 1 disesel for the foreseeable. Countryman services swap steam and diesel around during the afternoon.
D8188 on the Countryman by Stephen Morley, on Flickr

 

I might be visiting this next week end ( got to pick up something locally) so whilst I'm in the area, be rude not to
Can i just turn up and book because i don't know which day it will be yet. whats the timetable for next week end?

 

Here's hoping. Might pop down one Sunday before it finishes! It would be quite nice for it to carry on next year too!

Believe it's just turn up and go! 2 Train service is planned.

 

Anyone know what is rostered to run this Saturday pls? Thank you.

 

A few shots of 80151 in action last Sunday. I hope you enjoy it