Mid Hants Railway Operational Matters

Another 350 fettled up.
Pat

 

Very nice! Is the varnished woodwork on the cab door an original feature? I've never seen a diesel finished that way before!

 

I believe it is but, as always, I'm open to correction. It looks smart, but I wonder how well it wore 'back in the day'.
Pat
P.S. I should add that the cab doors (and door frames) were renewed, as was the cab roof.

 

Why does it remind me of this?





Tom

 

It were warm & only going to get warmer when four hardy souls gathered atop the hill yesterday!

After a brew, breakfast & a catch up, we ventured into the yard...... it was noticed that the pipe wagon has been shunted into the rake - not sure if its passed an FTR, or whether it was just done for convenience, as some shunting had been going on - plus it still desperately needs a bath!!!

The Tube wagon on the other hand has had a bit of TLC with the corrugated ends & bodywork being sorted by the paint faries - otherwise known as the midweek guys from Alton......

Then out of nowhere 33 111 came up the bank LE on its way to Alton, after watching that, we turned our attention to LMS van M517317....... it was startting to get hotter and humid...... so it was a case of doing stuff but without too much effort!

In other words, a little bit of red oxide was applied to one of the wrap rounds that had had some steel replaced, then it was time for a brew, and to watch something called a 'shed' arrive with the 4TC set...... then 33 111 come through with the days first train off Alton!

By then the cranks among us were itching to go box bashing, so it was a case of, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em......

Note to self, next time there's a dieasel gala, I'll either work in the yard, or go lineside - its safer - cranks really are a strange breed (us steam nuts are normal by comparison..... ) & I've never seen two brake vans fill so fast, so they can get haulage behind an 08...... though I managed to miss that, as I actually got a cab ride in the thing!

So, dear reader, a few pics from the cranks gala....

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/52222387820/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/52220891807/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/52222388140/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/52222387465/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/52221917158/in/dateposted-public/

 

I have just received word that tomorrow's (Tuesday) service is cancelled due to the weather forecast.
Also that for the remainder of the week all trains will be diesel hauled.
WALNUT REDE
Pat

 

Last I heard it's going to be Class 20 Wednesday and 47579 Thursday.

On the subject of diesels, thanks to everyone who paid a visit to the diesel gala. Everyone seemed to have a very good time and trains seemed busy!

A special thank you to everyone who came up to visit 50027's cab, bought something from the sales stand or simply donated to the fundraiser. We've just passed £1.5k on the JustGiving page, and although the target is £7k, it could easily cost more than that!

If you would like to donate to see 50027 Lion return to action, please see the JustGiving page here: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/50027maingen?utm_term=6D8VRrwd7

Thank You

 

"Dear All,

Due to the heat and severe lack of rain, the decision has been made to run Diesel Hauled only trains from;
Wednesday 20th to Friday 29th July 2022. This is to prevent line side fires occurring which could result in a huge pay out from the railway and damage to infrastructure.
In addition to this, the following dates will now be a One Train Diesel Hauled Service VICE Two Train Service;
Monday 25th - Friday 29th July.
This is not the ideal situation but has been made with the best intentions in mind for the railway, staff, passengers and our neighbours.

Thank you for your understanding "
WALNUT REDE
Pat

 

Is there any further news on the Peckett's steam test that was due to have taken place yesterday, I would not be surprised to hear it's been postponed because of the extreme heat yesterday,

 

From Ropley MPD in Facebook, she had her steam test on Tuesday, It must have gone well as Wednesday showed the boiler being craned into the frames.

Today shows a photo of the tanks and cab now back on the loco, not long now till she will steam a complete engine, ready to become CP
Cheeky Percy

 

Have to say that I am very impressed with the new Watercress Line plastic membership card which arrived in the post today. Very smart design with 35005 on the front and the new bar code system on the back.

Sent from my XQ-BT52 using Tapatalk

 

I totally agree, really nice design.

The attached letter mentions of it replacing a paper card. Well i have two generations of plastic life member cards in my possession, which have both held up well over the years.

 

So, with the forecast being more temperate than the previous week, three like minded souls gathered atop the hill yesterday. (the temperature turned out to be hotter than forecast! )

Any road, the main job of the day was to remove timbers on the south side, so that the state of the gusset plates and wrap rounds can be assessed, and given the 'fun' we had removing the timbers on the northside, we armed ourselves with a variety of tools for every scenario!

One of the lessons previously learned, was that rusted srews will not come out, so the T&G panelling was prised off as gently as possible so that as many as possible can be reused.

Once the internal cladding was off, the 'fun' began on the external cladding, most of which was shiplap rather than T&G..... with two of us on the inside doing battle with the external cladding, and one on the outside trying to remove the bolts running thriugh the cladding....... as planks were gradually removed, to soon became clear that every time we disturbed anything - it rained rust!!!!! Hardly surprising, given that what looked like packing between the uprights & angle irons & the cladding was actually a 1/4" of rust.........

In places the bolts securing the cladding were so badly wasted that planks would literally fall off covering us with even more rust......

Once all the cladding was off the sides, it was decided it would be a good idea to remove the timbers on the door - these literally fell off with little or no persuasion! With that done it seemed churlish not to complete the job, so we decided to get the door off..... which turned out to be a doddle even with the frame being rather dodgy - thankfully we left the central brace in place to give it some rigidity! Otherwise, it would've been a whole different ball game.......

Unsurpisingly given the amount of rust encountered, a fair few planks are only fit for the bonfire, whilst the remainder were sorted into good to use or of possible use as we went.

Then we started to have a proper look at the gusset plates & wrap rounds........ the London end wrap round is going to need some serious surgery, whilst the country end one is in pretty good nick - as for the gusset plates, its the reverse!

Was also good to see the trains well loaded given the current (and correct decision) steam ban & run diesels,

A couple of pics of yesterdays trains.....

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/52238006104/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/52238216295/in/dateposted-public/

A few more from last weeks box bash.....

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/52231845963/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/52232112854/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/52230841587/in/dateposted-public/

Planks literally falling off.


The wastage on most of the bolts.



The London end wrap round.......


There's supposed to be a join.... the door!


The end result - another open wagon!

 

The latest YouTube video from the diesel gala is now available to watch.

 

It’s Friday again and the latest YouTube video In the loop has been released. With a look around what’s happening at Ropley at the beginning of the video and in the ending credits there’s a photo of a nice looking green Kilmersdon.

 

Ropley Loco this evening.
"Dave" with his new friend "??" *
Pat
* I rather like Robert Plant for this one's name!

 

Percy Peckett sounds better

 

It were an overcast, hot, muggy & humid day atop the hill yesterday, and with five of us in attendance - after last weeks 'fun' of stripping the southside timbers, it was time to start addressing the exposed metalwork........

NOT a good idea inside a tin box, that, even with open sides still became a pressure cooker!!! And we do this for 'fun'?.......

Any road, on the 'to - do' list was, make a start on replacing the corroded steel on the wrap rounds - the north side was the chosen target, which under went major surgery but by the time its made good, you'll never know!

Gusset plates were also on the menu as we need to get the badly corroded ones out & the new ones in before we can get the replacement angle steel in place...... to get the gusset plates freed, it meant the rivets had to come out & without a gas axe it means a lot of banging & crashing with drills & punches...... cue collective headaches!!!

Easiest jobs of the day were to clean up & red oxide the backs of the exposed angle irons, but not much fun in the heat & humidity, so slow & steady was the order of the day - plus the repaired vent cover was also finally treated with red oxide.

Some of the uprights were left, as they have bloody gum-gum on them & it needs burning off........

So, a fair amount of progress on the van, but we still have the mammoth task of sanding back & painting all the planking we've removed, plus reconstructing the south side door in front of us......... looks like muggins 'ere could be rather busy with the sander next week.......

Was good to see steam out and about again along side a box & the trains busy.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/52253909950/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/52253411616/in/dateposted-public/

The London end north side wrap round having undergone surgery.



The London end, south side gusset plate - or what remains of it.


The London end vent cover finally into red oxide.



The county end, south side gusset plate in the process of being removed.


Some of the upright & angle irons into red oxide.



The London end, north side wrap round with replacement steel in place.

 

I rather think "Steve"