Mid Hants Railway Operational Matters

Just had a wet (at times) day out on this Grand Old Lady. Very enjoyable it was too

 

Still wet tonight on the RAT

53803 on a wet night at Alresford by Stephen Morley, on Flickr

 

One day dear reader, one day when the gang meet up atop the hill, it won't rain.........

And so it was thus, but thankfully we didn't get the Biblical soaking that was on the cards according to the forecast!!! Though it did rain........

With all that in mind & four hardy souls on site, the tarp on LMS van M517317 was rigged across the Altlas to provide some shelter........ and so battle commenced on two fronts - it was warm enough to do some painting, so two of our number had fun drying off steelwork already in red oxide and applying the first coat of dark grey undercoat, followed later by applying the same to the exterior cladding planks.....

Meanwhile Nuggin's 'ere & his 'Oppo had the job of cutting out the badly corroded upright on the south side London end......... it came out esier than we had hoped for, but what was left of the securing bolt put up a fight!!!

That done, the bottom support struts were ground back to true & the replacement C section offered up...... it needed a tad cutting off, after that it was fashioned to replicate the original....... it looks good, next week, bodies & weather permitting it'll be welded into place along with the replacement steel on the wrap round..........

A couple from yesterday........

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/53294949680/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/53294857959/in/dateposted-public/

The void left after the corroded C section had been cut out......



The old & The new - compare & contrast......



The new C section trial fitted.



More steel into undercoat.

 

Does anyone know which loco is working which train this weekend?

 

For Saturday

53808 - starts Alresford
41312 - starts Alton

For Sunday - 41312 only

 

53808 seen at Alton on it's last day of service today

 

Its a sad day, because now the loco's future will be in limbo, will she stay on the MHR, and join the queue, or will it move on, A lot of money will need to be found, for the overhaul It's under contract to be overhauled by the WSR, , as part of the deal that was struck when she was based there, but that was before the owning group in effect were told your no longer welcome here, by the chairman of the WSR, so at the moment its unclear where the engine will end up. I'm hoping it remains at Ropley, so that the owning trust can start to fund raise the money needed, and start a new chapter at MHR.

 

Had a cracking day out on the Watercress Line yesterday.
I nearly didn't set off in the morning as when I got up at 7.00 the weather was really foul. Fortunately, while I was getting ready in the hope of it clearing up it did just that. I arrived at Alton to catch the 12.00pm service which was hauled by 53808. The four coach service was standing room only as one coach was reserved for a group booking. There was a really impressive turnout of enthusiasts for 53808's last day in service. There were also a lot of other visitors who had come for the day out and it was great to see the railway so busy in the off peak season. The ascent of the bank was a cautious one as the track conditions were not great. The 7F briefly lost her grip approaching the summit but made it over the top. I left this service at Ropley to get some pictures and a nice hot cup of tea. Later I decided to catch the other service hauled by 41312 as the 7F train was a bit busy. It was lovely and warm on the three coach "local" service and another downpour arrived after we left Ropley for Alresford. A bit of a leg stretch at Alresford was curtailed by another downpour so I got back on the three coach local to have my lunch and enjoy a great run up to Medstead with 41312 sounding in fine form. Arriving at Medstead early gave a number of passengers plenty of opportunity to get to the other platform to re-join the service hauled by 53808 which was fortunately a bit quieter with some empty seats. I stayed with the 7F for the rest of the day. At Alresford the Watercress Line Films unit were recording pieces for a Film about 53808's final day. The trip back to Alton on the 15.00 departure from Alresford with 53808 was much more lively and the 7F sounded in better voice than the earlier run I travelled on. Arriving back at Alton the sun was setting on this popular loco and many people had their pictures taken next to her. The final loco crew for her normal service duties had their pictures taken on the front of the loco. And then it was time for the final departure. That distinctive whistle echoed out over Alton as 53808 forged out of the platform. Further up, just past the Meon loop she was opened up in fine style. I stayed to watch her disappear round the bound before heading to catch an electric service home, wondering when we will next see this fine loco in steam again.

Thank you to everyone involved with operating yesterdays farewell event. The Watercress Line have provided an excellent home for the S & D trust.
My visit yesterday was just the tonic I needed after a particularly bad week last week. As it was so busy on the line yesterday I wonder if the railway might consider an end of season mini Steam up event at the beginning of November in the future as there is not much going on in between the main season and the Christmas events. I did hear several people saying on the trains that it was a good day out yesterday.

Here are some of my shots from an emotional day for the S & D Trust yesterday:
Somerset & Dorset recreated:

41312 waits at Alresford under a threatening sky:

S & D crew change at Ropley. The crews of the 7F discuss how 53808 is running.

Watercress Line Films unit documenting 53808's last day in service:

Somerset and Dorset sunset 1. 53808 runs round a normal service trin for the last time at Alton:

Somerset and Dorset Sunset 2: The crew back down onto 53808's final normal service train at Alton:

The crew pose for pictures at Alton before taking the 7F out on her final normal service:

41312 waits at Alresford with the three coach "local" service:

 

My video of 53808's last day (and night) in service!

 

I also thought it was an excellent day, with in the end far better weather than the forecast.
Rather than repeat some of the images @green five posted, (luckily you managed to avoid me in any) who must have been very adjacent to me at times I have selected a few others .
I did feel a 4 coach train when one was a Griddle and one a half brake with the compartments reserved for many of the journeys was maybe a coach to few. Not sure if the idea was to not over tax the loco, although I was impressed how quickly a 5th coach was added to the last service from Alresford.
7F & Ivatt at Ropley before services.
The Ivatt on arrival at Alresford and ready to depart wit the next service.
Th 7F on its penultimate round trip and Ivatt crossing at Medstead.
7F running around the train for its final Alresford departure, the 15:00 to Alton.

 

It is an utter shame to see 53808 on its last day before overhaul, you certainly won't see anything as authentic as this, the true Dorset side of the S&D, I hope that it remains on the railway, I have some good memories of it on the MHR and WSR.

The question now is: What now?
499, 35005 and 75079 are nowhere near completed yet, so it looks like 506 and 41312 will be running the bulk of the services.

 

A couple of moody shots of 53808 at Ropley having completed it's final turn hauling the RAT ECS back to Ropley prior to disposal.


S&DJR 7F 53808 by Tim White, on Flickr


S&DJR 7F 53808 by Tim White, on Flickr

A couple of shots of 53808 coming off shed at the beginning of it's final RAT service.


S&DJR 7F 53808 by Tim White, on Flickr


S&DJR 7F 53808 by Tim White, on Flickr

 

My track record for visits lately has been "plan to go, arrive to heavy rain" and waking up to forecast of downpours I decided walking the line would perhaps not be a good idea after all. Having seen some lovely pictures I sorely regret not going!
Here's hoping the matter of the overhaul can be worked out soon as she is a magnificent machine.

 

QUOTE 12.00pm service which was hauled by 53808. The four coach service was standing room only UNQUOTE

Well that must have been a different 12:00 from Alton yesterday with 53808 than I was on then.

It was a good day out, went well all round, I didn't think anything was wrong with anything, fully met "my customer expectations". Methinks reports of crowding, and another post suggesting it needed 5 not 4 coaches are exaggerating things or perhaps grumpyness because the west end coach (BSK so only 4 compos) behind loco was reserved.

Yes there were standing passengers - but only those choosing to do so at door droplights - no way was it "standing room only". I and my group were in the rear coach - TSO - and the whole coach for 2 return trips was little more full than 4 or 5 people in each bay of 8; my group of 4 we each had 2 seats each either of the table i.e. none of us had anyone next to us the whole time - no blocking out either, we were all ready to move to a single 4 group, but no need, every one easily accomodated, no-one asked us either and no individual looked unseated nor anything looked remotely like a group looking for a table. We 4 used the same seats for the 12:00 & 14:00 out and return, same situation all 4 trips.

 

QUOTE 12.00pm service which was hauled by 53808. The four coach service was standing room only UNQUOTE

Well that must have been a different 12:00 from Alton yesterday with 53808 than I was on then.

It was a good day out, went well all round, I didn't think anything was wrong with anything, fully met "my customer expectations". Methinks reports of crowding, and another post suggesting it needed 5 not 4 coaches are exaggerating things or perhaps grumpyness because the west end coach (BSK so only 4 compos) behind loco was reserved.

Yes there were standing passengers - but only those choosing to do so at door droplights - no way was it "standing room only". I and my group were in the rear coach - TSO - and the whole coach for 2 return trips was little more full than 4 or 5 people in each bay of 8; my group of 4 we each had 2 seats each either of the table i.e. none of us had anyone next to us the whole time - no blocking out either, we were all ready to move to a single 4 group, but no need, every one easily accomodated, no-one asked us either and no individual looked unseated nor anything looked remotely like a group looking for a table. We 4 used the same seats for the 12:00 & 14:00 out and return, same situation all 4 trips.

 

duplicated post; for whatever reason the 'edit' function is not working me to let me delete the text in one of the two identical posts

 

Saturday morning proved to be BBC 1 - ITV 0 with regard to the weather forecast...... ITV apparently had it as sunny & showers fisrt thing, whilst the Beeb has it as wet until we'd had breakfast...... which was rather splendid & taken in the S&D road van with the stove going!

With Muggin's 'ere & four others in attendance atop the hill & 'Muggin's' being fresh from running a photo charter along with @Hampshire Unit on Friday with the 7F it was time to progress things with the troublesome trucks....... in our sights were the LMS van M517317 & the vac cylinder for the meat van......

As the weather was set to be inclement, indoor work was in order, unless you were Muggin's & his Oppo......... ........

One of our number set too on bringing the vac cylinder casing for the meat van back into a good condition, but spending the day derusting it and then finally getting it into red oxide, the other two had the task of trimming more of the internal cladding planks into 5" widths......... either I was talking in another language, or they had their hearing aids turned off, as they struggled to comprehend just how to trim T&G or Shiplap........ Finally they got it and by the end of the day, another couple of dozen palnks had been chopped to size.....

During all of this, Muggin's 'ere & his Oppo picked up where we'd left off from last week with the new C section...... first up was to show it up to exisiting & make sure it was square & true and then mark it to drill a bolt hole...... pencil didn't work, so some spray paint was borrowed from the PWay - they have their uses.... and the position was marked, that done, the back of the section was cleaned of excess weld & the hole drilled..... then it was offered up again, squared up & horizontal and the top bolt fitted and then welded into place - it ain't going nowhere!!!

After that it were a case of giving the freight rake the once over as the guard had reported problems achieving vacuum on the charter - not that it caused problems - so we gave the rake the once over...... apart from finding the vac hose on the SR Pillbox Brake, on the country end not being secured properly against the dummy, the rake appeared to be good order.......

It was good to see the 7F proving popular on its last day in traffic, and all four crews having fun through out the day and night!!!

A mix of photo's from both Friday's charter, and yesterday........

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/53311559909/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/53311473558/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/53311677455/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/53311226136/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/53311561129/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/53311474238/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/53311228076/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/53311446563/in/dateposted-public/

Some more of the 120 internal cladding planks that need chopping to size done.....

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The meat vans vac cylinder coming back to life......

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The new C section welded & bolted into position.

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A couple of bonus pics from Ropley, early evening of the Dancehall Brake......

The shell.

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A pile of some of the ballast that the ULS have lugged out from the cavity in the solebar space - all or most of it loco scrap from Eastleigh.......

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I know how much you all want to know how work on 'Dave' is progressing so here are a few shots from this afternoon (with a side order of the old cylinder block and the brake cylinder from 506).
Pat

 

Unfortunately and with great regret I couldn’t go due to reduced mobility which hopefully is
temporary. Farewell to a great loco which I first saw 61 years ago. Roll on No. 5

 

Good news. Looking forward to Dave hauling the low season service trains next year