Mid Hants Railway Operational Matters

Nah!

 

Tender first in freezing rain as I had on 4936 when it was at the SVR. Roasting hot above the waist. Absolutely frozen below. The driver could cuddle the lubricator and get right into the corner.

We then had an issuse with the spring on the jockey valve sticking so we could open to regulator. Hampton loade is a very lonely place at 7pm on Christmas eve.

I'll take a standard tank anyday.

 

Tender first, on any engine with a low tender can be a really horrible experience, in winter or any time, especially if its blowing a gale and raining hard, in such conditions, i would have any engine with a high sided tender, with some degree of crew protection, one such turn on 506( 30506) as it was then, i left Alresford in light drizzle, got to Ropley, and it was sheeting it down, the storm sheet did next to nothing, at this point we were smokebox first, so sheltered, got to Medstead and it was snowing hard, down the other side, into a blizzard, Coming back up the other way, i was firing with my back to the snow, which was coming into the cab, i was baking hot, one side, frozen the other, and in-between firing, both sides froze, coming down the bank, i just tried to find a hot pipe to warm myself against, in-between having to pop my head out to ensure we had a clear path, on that day my friend was on Swanage, and i cursed him every time we passed,

 

What class? 2? 3? 4?

 

From Wikipedia page on the GWR Saints:
GWR power class: C
BR: 4P

 

Thanks RichardSalmon for the information, definitely keep that in mind.

Although I was referring to Southernman99's comment about Standard tanks and which he preferred.
I'm a 3/4 man myself.

 

Ah, I see! Given the only standard tanks running are Class 4 (until SVR finish the 3MT new build, and the Bluebell the 2MT conversion) there's not much choice at present!

 

So, another Saturday dawned atop the hill, with just two like minded nutters in attendance - others crying off with excuses about last minute Xmas things to do!

Still, it was always planned to be a nice leisurely day making more progress on LMS van M517317....... namely fettling the London end floor planks, so that we could have a level playing field.....

Although we had less than a dozen planks to do, they basically took most of the day - rain interruptions included to complete as there was a fair amount of head scratching, measuring & remeasuring involved with each plank!

Still,by the end of the day we'd achieved what we'd set out to do, and left for home and a well deserved libation!

And, so dear reader, it only remians for me to wish you greetings of the season, or should that be seasoned bleatings?.....

Buton a final note, I will leave you with some of my favourite images from the past 12 months.......

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/51931011115/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/51979279578/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/52038459558/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/52058756498/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/52139697617/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/52332275847/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/52332276697/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/52340355557/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/52357645929/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/52362480584/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/52365844422/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/52377314189/in/dateposted-public/

 

My Sleigh for tonight.

 

Duty Druid, do you know when the Watercress Line's 2023 brochure and timetable are going to be released?

 

Does anyone know what is rostered for the rest of the week?

 

S15 and Saint

 

Interestingly last night 506 was on the Alton set and 2999 on the Alresford service. Back to normal tonight.

From yesterday, an attempted panned shot of 2999 at Bishops Sutton foot crossing-taken from the public footpath I hasten to add

Panning the Lady of Legend by Stephen Morley, on Flickr

 

The GW purist's won't like her new multi colour paint job

 

NYE-wet this evening at Alresford - the station staff sweep the puddles away but by lying down on the platform I persuaded them to wait untl I'd taken the shot before they did so!
2999 rolls in with Richard Bentley on the regulator

Wet Illuminations by Stephen Morley, on Flickr

 

This new video from the Watercress Line Film unit is brilliant. It is also quite moving as it features familiar faces from the past (Arthur Blake) and present and covers the uncertain period during the pandemic.



Sent from my XQ-BT52 using Tapatalk

 

Looks like the last and southern were having a paint completion on it !!!!

 

100% agree. Congrats to the film unit who put it together. Really professional job. It's well worth a view.

 

It is indeed a great video. Great to see Paul Hawley, in there. Haven't seen him or Shirley for quite a few years. I miss the gala day banter at the tea bar at Medstead and Four Marks.

I hope that they can do a few more videos in a similar way. There must be plenty of stories and anecdotes to tell from over 45 years of MHR history.