Mid Hants Railway Operational Matters

Many thanks Nick.

Richard, who is on the 'phone service today has not long rung me back with that news. I have been getting superb help both here and from the Mid-Hants phone line recently. That combined help is invaluable to me with my rather narrow focus at present. And of course very much appreciated.

So, A3 shut at the MN25 permitting, I plan to be down in time to stock up at the Four Marks bakers, hopefully before the running starts.

Thanks again,


Bryan

 

Just popped in to Winchester city this afternoon and I see there’s a ver large Steam Illustration poster on one of the main roads in to Winchester. This is the second year I’ve seen the railway advertise steam illumination with a very large billboard poster.

 

It’s also running its tv adverts again this year. Can’t be cheap but hopefully will pay off.

 

The railway has done well out of that picture!
Rainbow by the Ash by Stephen Morley, on Flickr

 

It was well worth the effort of going down to the Mid-Hants today, even though the A3 is shut at the M25 all this weekend. An 07.20 start from home in Kent this morning saw virtually no traffic at all on the diversion route - a route that I had planned to use whether or not it was the signposted route. Maybe added 15 minutes to my journey. Coming home I decided to come back through Guildford to avoid whatever tailback there could be on the A3 to where the diversion started. That worked ok, and then as expected the diversion route when I joined it was busy, but not enough for me to divert off that onto an alternative route I had planned. That return trip with the A3 closure probably added 40 minutes to my 'normal' Saturday home coming drive.

As well as using the wonderful Four Marks bakers a couple of times for supplies, and chatting for England when given the chance, I was trying out a few more shots on 30506 for getting that lovely loco with relevant surroundings at Medstead if/when it is there on goods trains photo charters.

I also had a nice chat with Dave (aka @Duty Druid) of this parish.

Most of the photos I tried didn't work out to my full satisfaction today - but far better to know which camera settings etc to avoid in future, than mess up an important opportunity if/when one comes along. And in any case Medstead is such a wonderful station to spend a day just enjoying time with like minded people as the S15 and the Ivatt provided a nice and busy day of steam loco operations.

I did have time to get to Ropley briefly before the action started.

And finally, very many thanks to those who gave me the loco roster information I needed.

Bryan

 

Was you on the train that was delayed by sheep on the line?

 

No I missed seeing that. But as fas as I could see at Medstead where I spent the day there wasn't an enormous delay.

Bryan

 

We were 20+ mins late twice. Made eating lunch a bit tricky as the turnaround got compressed. Personally I don’t think there were any sheep no matter what Beefy on the S15 says . I never saw one once!

 

So the rumour you had lamb sandwiches for lunch is untrue?

Bryan

 

Hmmmm..........

Yesterday was a case of have we, haven't we in terms of a fresh wagon to tame...... wagon exams were also on the cards...... unfortunately the troublesome trucks had left Bennett's on Friday to go out to play a couple of times next week, and our intended victim was still at the bottom of Bennett's, so we were scuppered on both counts!!

Thankfully there were just three of us in attendance atop the hill, so after a mooch down to the end of Bennett's to check out something on our next victim - Me Mucker had come up with a cunning plan during the week to get the container off said wagon, so we needed to see if it was do-able and apparently it is.

That done, we decided to decamp to the Meon, but only after putting place safety measures with the Bobby. Our intention was to give another couple of wagons we hope to get into Medstead up yard..... one 'should' be a quick turn round, the other, well that's going to be long term and give us a major headache!

Whilst there, as we'd gone armed with oilcans & a few gallon of sump oil, plus a bit of fresh, we decided to give the Dogfish, Seacow, Sealion & TTA's some much needed some serious TLC, this took longer than anticipated and we arrived back at base for a rather late lunch before heading for the hills! But not before I'd taken the time to climb the footbridge and introduce myself to @The Gricing Owl - Bryan, it was nice to meet you & sorry I couldn't chat for longer, but I needed to get home, and @21B, good to see you as always & I, as ever enjoyed the sound track you produce no matter the loco and also loved the headcodes!

Hopefully next week normality will return atop the hill and the troublesome trucks will be back in Bennett's.and we'll have a fresh victim to tame......

Some pic's from yesterday and the gala......

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/54864938278/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/54864939378/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/54863839892/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/54864939168/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/54864987350/in/dateposted-public/

Not a sight we wanted to see yesterday..... #2 road empty, which hardly ever happens, as well as Bennett's being devoid of the freight rake!

 

Sadly unfounded. The working theory last night was that the sheep had heard me approaching!

 

Sheep are so small by a train but not always scared. But a big whistle by a driver would scare them off and stop the delay. The safety book should say to slow down and give it one

 

I think the problem is that sheep aren’t the cleverest of God’s creatures… I’ve seen it before when the sheep’s reaction is just to run directly away from the engine, straight up the track. Unfortunately, that doesn’t help much, as sheep don’t travel at line speed…


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Somewhere on YouTube there is a Bala Lake video of sheep running down the track in front of the train for at least half a mile.

 

On one occasion I was filming Sir Nigel Gresley at Moorgates on the NYMR. Several sheep were running ahead of the train. Fortunately, they ran to the side of the line for safety.
No sooner had the train passed the sheep gave chase. Not the wisest of animals. <BJ>

 

When I volunteered on the Talyllyn in the 60's & 70's sheep were a never ending problem. They would run in the two foot beteen the rails so you couldn't get past them. It was the same on the Festiniog. When I changed to the NYMR, sheep were also a problem. However, they always rand in the cess, never the four foot and the only problem was that they would cross over in front of you. Is this a difference between Welsh & English sheep in their genetic make up?

 

I thought the only difference between Welsh and English sheep was that those in Wales have always needed to run much faster; and are able to.

Bryan - dinosaurs just amble along - B

 

Not just sheep, a couple of times I followed a small herd of deer along the Epping Ongar line before they decided the other side of the fence was a better place to be!

 

Leaving agricultural matters aside does anyone know which locos are likely to be working this weekend?