Mid Hants Railway Operational Matters

Posted to the Bulleid thread.

 

Sometimes dear reader, its not what you know, but who you know.......

For some time, we've been in need of a second acrow prop to shore up the very edge of the north side roof on LMS van M517317 as its sagging, and this has delayed us from actually being able to fit the new longitudinal beam.......... despite asking around, we've found it difficult to get our hands on one without having to pay for it!

Cue Muggin's 'ere bumping into the builder who been fitting out where I work......... and as it happened, he'd got a spare, no he didn't need it anytime soon, so we can borrow it pretty much for as long as we like!! And trust me, its been a godsend!!! So much so, that we were able to fit the logitudinal beam and other bits that go with it!, plus trial fitting the door!!!

Elsewhere, work continued on derusting and red oxiding the underside of the van, and in between helping with the Logitudinal, Muggin's 'ere and his Mucker spent most of the day sorting planks for the internal cladding, and working out just how we're going to fettle and paint 120 planks.......... Think we're going to need more than just two pairs of hands!!!

It would seem we've turned a corner with the van, as it seems to be coming back together.........

Some pic's from yesterday, as I actually picked up the camera for a change!!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/53161087151/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/53161580763/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/53161581078/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/53161300439/in/dateposted-public/

The borrowed acrow doing its job.



The underside almost into red oxide.



The door trial fitted.



View from the other side.......

 

A quick update for the diesel running this weekend. Saturday is now a 2 train service meaning 47579 will work the same diagram both days (starting 1045 at Alton).

 

Jaysus, it were a hot one atop the hill yesterday!!! And with crying off with various excuses, there were what can justifiably becalled two complete nutters in attendance - namely Muggin's 'ere and his mucker........

A it were a tad on the warm side, breakfast was had al fresco in the shade of the workshop van, and since Muggin's has now got the girls at Loaf in Alresford to make a breakfast bap properly, they were right tasty!

So, given that the day was warming up rapidly, it was not going to be one of strenuous exercise & the first task was to extract the south side exterior cladding planks for LMS van M517317 from the van, lay them across raod #2 in the yard and get both sides into ali oxide, and leave them to bake for the day......... that done it was time for a quick trip down to Ropley, as Muggin's had some stuff to drop off.....

Once back at base, and after a quick lunch, attention turned to ascertaining just how much reclaimed timber we had to produce enough cladding planks to internally skin the van......... we need 120 in total this has been determined by the fact that we have planks of various shapes and sizes, so a solution had to be found to make them uniform....... basically we have to trim them into 3' x 5" lengths, meaning we need 30 per section, plus a divider........ that's a lot of prep & painting before we even think of parking them where they need to be!

Any road, we made it with a few planks to spare - no mean feat in the unforgiving heat, meaning that plenty of drinks breaks in the shade were taken!

Some pics from yesterday........ @Nick C . it was good to see you again & I hope you like a certain pic!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/53176915212/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/53177703584/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/53178001928/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/53176913312/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/53177941680/in/dateposted-public/

Said external cladding planks basking in the heat.....



It doesn't look much, but the four piles of planks = a lot of work!!!

 

I was always taught to paint the tongue and groove as well as the face. That way, when the plank shrinks slightly you don't get a line of unpainted timber.

 

Anybody any idea of the locos for the open weekend as the loco roster on the website only goes up to tomorrow.

 

S15, Goliath and 20 or 47 very much likely with 41312 on holiday at the SVR

 

Saturday is a three train service so nothing spare unless the 7F comes out to play. We may go in hope anyway

 

7F is being saved for the gala and is the literal last resort

 

D8188 out both days

 

Where is 76017?

 

Buggered off to Southall from its visit to the Bluebell in November last year. Hasn't steamed since. Still at Southall

 

5239 subject to sorting out hot bearings

 

Light Engine Movement (Alton MHR - East Grinstead) - RailAdvent

looks like it was never intended to go back to the MHR?

 

What a waste of a very useful loco. Boiler ticket whittling away. Or is it getting a new ML ticket I wonder?
BR Standards that leave the MHR and head to Southall seem to disappear into the Black hole of Southall. 73096 went there out of ticket for a new life only to then (fortunately and rather unexpectedly) return out of the black hole to the MHR.

Sent from my XQ-BT52 using Tapatalk

 

what happens is down to the owner, i agree its a waste of a very useful engine, And had it not been for the good fortune of the P&D having a loco available the MHR, would have had a major loco shortage, in some ways we still have, and will continue to until a couple of more years, when hopefully 35005, and 75079 will be out, followed by 499, The lesson here is ensure you know who owns what, and have cast iron agreements in place, the next locos to be overhauled i would expect will be ones that are owned in full by the railway, or on hire from the NRM, At a guess and its only a guess I don't have any inside knowledge i would imagine 73096, and the schools, because both hopefully have been on treated water, most of their last tickets and hopefully there is enough life left in the boilers for quite quick turn rounds,

 

Alton engine today

 

Yes with Stinch driving and just 3 on so sailing up the hills. 5239 on the 6 set and D8188 on the 1015 ex Alresford etc

 

Here is D8188 heading towards Arleside yesterday

Whistling in the Sun by Stephen Morley, on Flickr