Mid Hants Railway Operational Matters

A rather Alpine day greeted the few hardy souls who gathered atop the hill yesterday - we got rained on, snowed on & blown sideways.....

Sometimes we do question our collective sanity, but always reach the same conclusion - a bad day in the the yard is better than a day at work!!!

For the first few hours, the kettle did more work than we did, as we took shelter in the workshop PMW with any source of heat being put to use, not that it semed to have much effect......

So..... in amongst the brews, banter & catching up, our options for the wagons were discussed...... refit the vac cylinder on a Palvan?..... nah too heavy & cumbersome, not something to do when its blowing a Hooley. Deeust under the S&T CCT?..... Nah, its too cold & damp to apply anything resmebling paint! Finish off overhauling the brake rigging under the Wembley brake?..... yep, that'll do - not too taxing & no heavy lifting required - so it was soon job done & the BV is now safe to move, if needed, as the handbrake will now screw down.

Next up, it was a case of having a bloody good tidy up of the workshop van, which resulted in the need to have a controlled bonfire - sensible given it was a tad windy!!!

The PMV now looks so much tidier & you can actually find what you're looking for without hunting too far, plus there is so much more floor area! We drew the line at sorting out various tools into metric & imperial though - that's a job for another day.....

During all this the twins (20's) came up the line on a proving run, stopping at the bottom of Bennett's for the crew to remove a fallen branch fouling the running line, before disappearing to Alton & then returning & stabling in the yard as Thunderbird, before the ECS for the steamy lighty train came romping up the bank with the Std4.

After that most of our number made tracks for home, expect muggings 'ere, who decided he wasn't yet cold enough, so wanted to see if he could get any colder trying to phot some of the aforementioned Steam Illuminations....... and the answer was yes, even after a fish supper & he wasn't alone, as the companions for the evening were also feeling it!!!

So, some pics from yesterday ( didn't take any of our efforts as it was pointless!)

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/51710625643/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/51709567477/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/51710628748/in/dateposted-public/

And a few more from last weekends charter.....

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/51710353656/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/51711232960/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/51707240725/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/51707027149/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/51706634028/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/51707024394/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/51703035524/in/dateposted-public/

 

Snow tonight!

Illuminations at Alresford by Stephen Morley, on Flickr

 

Spectacular as the lights are, it's little bits like the crew climbing on the side that help make that a cracking photo!

 

The other day I was ask to post this banner on here by one of the group members of 34058. There is now a Facebook page dedicated to 34058 Sir Frederick Pile. I’m led to believe the Facebook page is getting regular updates on 34058.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/286174710041573/discussion/preview

 

Not ANOTHER Bullied!
Between this and Swanage, it's going to be a Bullied dominion!
What about 75079 and 80150? You know, the TRUE hard grafters? The ones that got on quietly with their work without fuss, not these show off passenger engines!

 

Have you been to Honiton? I think you'd find some like minded people there.

 

...... as completely evidenced by their drivers being the same 6'-2" as the Riddles 5MT.

By which logic, OVSB's L####r was a goods loco .... but we won't mention that. Oops!

 

On the subject of Light Pacific's , What's the situation regarding 34105 Swanage, Is the railway any closer to establishing the ownership of the unaccounted for shares, that might have an impact on this engines future ? It's sad that with this engine so advanced in its overhaul , that matters that should have by now have been confined to history once again are the subject of concern, I would hope that an solution can be found, that does not end with the loco's loss to the line, even some agreement that would see 34105 working on the Swanage railway for part of its ticket, but being MHR based would be agreeable to most people, if the owner of those shares turns out to be a former MHR Manager .

 

75079 is currently under overhaul in a relatively advanced stage thanks to long term Volunteer efforts and the railways paid workshop staff with the boiler in the boiler shop, plenty of work completed on the bottom end but still more to do and a new tender built

80150 is in the same situation of 34058 needing full restoration and the two groups are quite intertwined

As for a "Bulleid Domination" there's only 4 on the railway and the last time any of them steamed was in 2016, regardless a rebuilt light pacific is powerful but a very good large loco for the railway

So its not just another Bulleid, by that logic there is a Std4, S15 or 08 domination

 

Would the SR want another Bulleid pacific, even if it is the eponymous one?

 

Not having a go at you for posting the link - this is more of a general comment.

The group is set to private - an odd choice if you're trying to attract people to your cause and dispel any myths about railways/railway groups being 'an old boys club'

 

That would be 2 Bulleids and 2 Jarvises.
(Dons battle bowler and runs ... ... ...)
Pat

 

Considering that the MHR wouldn't be the railway it is without the contribution of 34016 it seems entirely right and proper that the line should have a rebuilt light pacific in its fleet.

 

Nobody has pointed it out but it needs to be. His name was Bulleid.

 

according to
https://www.railadvent.co.uk/2020/0...k-on-mid-hants-railway-steam-locomotives.html
The middle cylinder block was awaiting to be machined, then fitted? Some progress must have been made since April 2020?
and from https://preservedbritishsteamlocomotives.com/34105-swanage/
"This will be the first time that a new centre cylinder has been fitted to a locomotive of this class in preservation."

 

Post #3835 above says “I heard of news about 34105 from an unofficial source which I'm hoping will be untrue. This source said that there been some concern about the ownership of the locomotive again. The Railway doesn't want to spend money on a overhaul of an engine which may then move on as soon as they finished it. So currently the overhaul has been suspended indefinitely. This would explain why in the video about 35005 and the other Bulleids on the official YouTube video while there was a fair bit 35005, and some details on 34007 and 34058, there was barley a mention on 34105...” just saying!
I don’t know anything about the locomotive or it’s ownership, beyond having really enjoyed 34105’s most recent time in the sun many years ago now!

 

Sorry I was only asked to post the two banners and weblink by the Facebook administrator. I agree with your post regarding Facebook sites being set on private view only and I’ve emailed the administrator to see if they will remove it from the site.

 

Really, seriously.

We ought to collectively be grateful for every loco saved from the cutters torch and the dedicated volunteers behind the maintenance and restoration of them.

If you aren't a fan, visit another railway that has an offering more to your taste, but to do down the achievements of the restorers is poor form.

 

With you 100% on the fantastic unstinting efforts of the skilled grafters .... and contibutors .... who make it all possible, but I do detect significant 'tongue in cheek' on the part of tbe OP.

Just to stoke the fires a bit, I do hope, once retuned, 35011 has a spell in BR blue.