Mid Hants Railway Operational Matters

Yeap, i did post that in hope, more than anything, my own feeling is that the WSR will try to insist on conditions that are just not going to be acceptable, to the owners, in the hope it can get out of its obligations,

 

Looked in on thee way back home today and stumbled on this.

 

I'll try to make it down there for the 7Fs last outing. I'm just wondering what the motive power situation is going to be for the Steam Lights season. Last year it was 53808, 506 and 2999. I suppose 506 will be available but is 5239 staying a bit longer and will they need a third loco? I'm guessing that 41312 is too small for the Steam Lights service.

 

5239 will be alight this Christmas! Yes it is staying until the New Year

 

It’s always rather amazing how long ‘guests’ for galas can hang around for…

 

I suppose they will be relying on 506 & 5239, it may be a struggle

 

Early 2024 is going to be difficult though for the railway, with just two working engines, 506 and 41312, possibly number 1, 35005 might be available later, but certainly not the early part of the season, i suppose it depends on what passenger numbers are like, can they get away with operating one service, with a second diesel hauled on sundays, and a 50/50 operation one steam, one desiel, until the motive power situation improves,

 

I would think so, there is still a lot of boiler work, and reassembling to be done, i would guess, 2025 unless its all hands to the pump once 35005 is done to get it out as soon as possible but even then, i would think theres a good 18 months worth

 

Has the new tender been started or is it still a kit of parts?

 

75079 tender is near completion.

 

My most recent pictures oh the Tender

 

Thanks for the update - great job by Ropley!

 

There are slightly fewer trains this year with revisions to timings and running dates, so should be Ok with just the two. I believe there is a plan B though

 

The Swanage Railway has just had its AGM and passenger numbers are down by a quarter. They are having to make some tough decisions to save money and to get things on an even keel. Hope that they manage this process well.

Got me wondering about the MHR. Shortage of locos in steam is clearly a problem going into 2024, but are the MHR going to have to go through the same process as SR? Without giving away any confidential commercial information can anyone shed any light on this?

 

As I understand it, the process has been ongoing for a while, there is a focus throughout the railway on improving what we do, not doing things that actually lose money, rationalising assets, increasing volunteer numbers, improving communications both internally and externally. Some of the results have been seen already, such as the SLL/Sir Frederick deal, development of Alresford as a visitor attraction with things such as Farmers Markets, the recent "Antiques Roadshow " event. We've got an excellent Education Officer (sorry Dan I'm not sure of your exact title) to encourge and entertain the youngsters. It's not all been smooth going but generally the railway is working to a plan for financial stability. A good example is the recent gala, not a massively expensive one to put on, but interesting visiting locos, a good timetable, and as a result happy visitors and solid secondary spend, even the weather co-operated.

 

Thanks. Really helpful summary. Looks like MHR management are on it.

 

Would there be scope for Swanage to allow one of the Bulleid pacifics to be hired out to the MHR to help them out?

 

Do you mean by reducing the active Swanage fleet to two, a Bulleid and the U (plus the T3 but not all the time) or do you mean another SLL loco that may currently be elsewhere?

 

SLL, owns the Bulleids, not the Swanage Railway trust, it would be down to SLL and MHR management to discuss, I don't know if 34053 will have had its's boiler swop by then, but SLL are expanding its operations and loans its engines to other lines now, so it would make sence, especially as there seems to be very good relations between the two lines,
Personally speaking, i would love to see 257 squadron spend next year on the MHR,