Mid Hants Railway Operational Matters

I remember the loco shunting at Kilmersdon colliery ....yes, I am old . My father worked there as a miner. <BJ>

Peckett & Sons Works No 1788 Kilmersdon 0-4-0ST – Preserved British Steam Locomotives

 

In a recent issue of Mid Hants News, board member Peter Smith mentions that the intention is that the railway intends to outshop a loco per year until the end of the decade, That's quite an ambition, but achievable, so hopefully the current locomotive shortage won't last for too long.

 

Wow, that is quite an ambition!

Am I correct in thinking 75079 or 35005 is likely to be next, followed by 499 then maybe 34007?

Curious to know where 73096 and 45379 will come in the order of play?

Chris

 

Then there are the two NRM locos 850 and 925, if the NRM wish them both to stay and the eagerly awaited 80150 and whatever happens to 34105 and that's not to mention those still in ticket which will expire in that time and hopefully be in a condition for a quick turnaround, Ambitious? Yes. Possible? Yes. Positive? Too right.

 

You forget Dave, which surely has to be the next out of the works to avoid hiring in fees.

 

35005, In the next 12 months is possible, then dave, followed by 75079, with 499 close on its heels, so that's in the order of 36 months, 3. possibly 4 locos, all of which are already quite far advanced in their overhauls, next i would guess will be 34058 and 34007 both of which are being overhauled away from the railway, so won't impact on the progress of other restorations so thats 4 engines, i'm discounting Dave, because if you have these other engines available then you won't need dave, dave and percy will spend much of their time on hire i would think, earning their owners much needed money, 53808, will hopefully be the next full ropley overhaul, followed by in no order 925, and 850

 

As I understand it 35005-target easter 2024, intensive plannig i n hand for the complex move required to extract the bottom end from Eastleigh.. "Dave"/ No 1 -awaiting new cylinder- casting complete as I believe, needs machining, taret August 2023! 499 - 2024?? 75079, again sometime mid 2024. 34105 has been punted into the long grass as "ownership issues" hve resurfaced and needs a replacement centre cylinder. 34007 -in hand, 2026?

 

There's a bit of news of 34058 at https://www.southern-locomotives.co.uk/News/news.html
MHS retain ownership and will continue to work on the boiler, but the chassis will be moved to Sellidge and some parts to Swanage, to be worked on by SSL. Fundraising will done by "Friends of Sir Frederick Pile'. No end date?.

Maybe this co operation will provide a way forward for 34105?.

 

Where did you read that? The article you linked to talks about the handover of the loco and it being part of the SLL fleet-did I miss something?

I don't see how a "friends of" group could possibly help 34105 while ownership questions still remain. Even if the money was all in the bank, who in their right minds would start work on a loco only to be threatened with legal action because the 'other' owner didn't hive permission. Even if the loco was somehow fully overhauled, who would railway X pay the steaming fee to? Owner 1 or owner 2, 3, 4???

 

https://preservedbritishsteamlocomotives.com/34058-sir-frederick-pile-sr-21c158-br-sc1c158-br-34058/
Says MHR is still the owner, but the SSL website does it imply the loco is being transferred to SSL.
And from the website "in 2022 the MHR approached SLL to pool resources that could lead to completion of the task."
It could be as part of the transfer and boiler work MHS get some running time?
Needs more clarification?, and the situation with 34105 does seem more complicated?

 

That's someone's personal website so can't be taken as factual.
We don't known the details of the arrangement but everything on the SLL website would indicate that the loco has been passed into SLL's ownership. Perhaps @nickt could confirm?

 

I would think this is more reliable
https://www.southern-locomotives.co.uk/News/news.html#

 

Cracking day today with this little lady.

 

And so, dear reader tried its best to conspire against us atop the hill yesterday....... but it certainly didn't stop play!!

Two vehicles were in our sights...... S&D road van 747, as seven pins on the brake linkage still needed to be sorted, so two of our number spent the day doing that...

The other, as ever was M 517317....... three had the task of sorting out angle iron so that the north side, country end cladding could start to be trial fitted...... that left muggin's 'ere and his mucker to carrying on with the seemingly endless task of sorting out the ply end sheets - this time on the London end......

Suffice to say that by the end of a rain iterrupted day, the brake linkage on 747 was done, so the brakes work freely for the first ime in a long time, and on M 517317, it's now starting to look like a van again........

@Nick C, it was good to see you again last Saturday, and good to catch up! And @Stinch it was nice to see you out again having fun on 41312.......

The inside, showing the country end, north side.....



The London end ply sheets trial fitted.



The outside of the country end, north side - its starting to slowly come together......

 

Love the look of that Kilmersdon shuttle - is that a standard part of what had been the one train in service timetable now? Will certainly try to pay a visit for it.

 

It's the 1+ timetable - basically summer midweek (Thursdays & Fridays now and September, all week during the school holiday I belive - but check the website...)

 

Does anyone know what might be in service on Sat 22nd, I am going on the 7F trip and wondered what else might be running

Many thanks

 

A splash of colour to brighten the day! (Have to confess I do like the G&W corporate livery - in spite of being a Mainline / EWS / DB Cargo bloke.)
Pat

 

Yesterday atop the hill, was a case of 'if you can beat 'em, join 'em'...... as Muggin's 'ere and two others gathered over breakfast to continue the battle with M517317, the weather had other ideas, with srong winds and driving rain putting paid to any work!

As the other two like boxes, and Muggin's having nothing else better to do, it was a case of going box bashing for the day (whatever that is???)........ I even managed tp bring myself to point the camera at the things..... well it gave me something to do other than listen to cranks - they really are a strange breed - compared to them, us Kettle heads are normal!

It was also good to catch up with various folks who I haven't seen for a while, and @Nick C it was good to see you again and I hope your turn in Alresford box was uneventful, and finished on time........

By the end of the day we all felt more tired than if we'd spent our time working on M 517317...... must've been all the platform changes via the footbridges that we're not used to......

Still, Muggin's 'ere is now back to normal having had a lay down in a darkened room AND taken enough liquid medicine to get boxes out of my system!

Some pics of them there boxes......

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/53050084053/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/53049983260/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/53049013467/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/53049013572/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/53049595271/in/dateposted-public/

 

How long is 5239 visiting for? Would like to see it run before it returns to Paignton