Mid-Hants Boiler Shop: Speedy Progress.

The Mid-Hants Lottery funded boiler shop structure has been erected over the space of just a few days.

http://www.watercressline.co.uk/mhn.htm

Photos from 18th/23rd/24th August.

Is that a viewing gallery top right inside?

46118

 

Very fast progress! It certainly looks like a viewing gallery to me and I seem to remember something about one being mentioned on the website previously. Can anyone from the MHR say what the overall plan is here, as I cannot find any info/plans/drawings for this development on the MHR website or anywhere else.
As I understand it there is to be a boilershop and a C&W workshop here - is the new section of shed the boilershop? Will the gallery extend into the old shed? How many roads will there be and what capacity in terms of carriages/wagons/boilers in the respective parts? Are the new and old sheds being clad like the wheeldrop? (Which looks very well btw!)
Sorry for so many questions!


Keith

 

Wow! That is good use of limited space! Also tremendous progress being made with the structure too. This is just the sort of infrastructure investments needed on our heritage railways if they are to survive and prosper in the years ahead. I have not visited the MHR for many years (admitted in shame!) but always felt that they were a bit "tight for space." This shows just what can be done even with relatively limited land available.

 

Looks like Scaffolding to me??

 

Are you looking at the right picture?

http://www.watercressline.co.uk/newshedinside24large.jpg - it certainly doesn't look like scaffolding to me in that pic!


Keith

 

There's scaffolding around the roof were the men are working, but the rest of it looks like a genuine steel framed building.

 

Just had a look at the press release about this latest Lottery grant, and it does mention "creating viewing platforms"...etc.

I think that is what has gone up down the side of the new building furthest from the actual Mid-Hants tracks.

Whatever, looks like serious progress!

46118

 

AFAIK the carriage shop element of the project will allow 2 rows of 2 coaches i.e 4 coaches in one turn.

There is to be a woodworking shop which will help the restoration of vintage coaches and a trainee carpenter taken on to help to that effect.

Perhaps CCTMan can help detail whether there will also be space for wagon restoration as well.

In plans shown in a recent MHNews, the old building was to be re-clad with new so that it would all match up.

 

The Mid-Hants looks to have lots of positives going for it now and into the future. Railway-owned engines being worked on, a wheel-drop, decent workshop facilities, a mainline connection....

If this is not stating the obvious, they are rather "coming of age" just now.

I wish them every success going forewards.

46118

 

Thanks for the info Swan Age - as 46118 has said, the MHR seems to be really on the up.


Keith

 

Are these the first of the Ropley development with new workshop front face to look like Eastleigh Works and permanant miniture railway. But the Boliershop is coming on well. I noticed that East Grinstead at the Bluebell. The platform backwall is almost ready and all the track is stacked up waiting to be laid and if i'm not mistaken the top of a watertower when I saw the site a week ago. (Sorry for going slightly off topic)

 

Dan: A somewhat confusing post from you.

Here is the press release (courtesy of the Mid-Hants website) which sets out what this latest Lottery grant covers:

http://www.watercressline.co.uk/images/hlfgrant.doc

Hope this helps.

46118

 

Yeah it does help. I knew the Workshop was being extended it's just I'd seen an Eastleigh style front drawing in one of the Railways magazines and heard a miniture railway was being put there permanantly.

 

The Eastleigh Style front of the main locomotive shed, will be based upon the drawing works building at Eastleigh.

However this part of the project has been put on hold AFAIK due to the current global economic climate.

With the (we are now being told) improving economic situation the delay may not be as long as was first stated, about 2 years i seem to remember. Certainly the new volunteer mess facilities and machine shop are needed.

Also regarding the miniature railway and chalet developement, i received last week a letter from East Hampshire District council, advising that the proposer (MHR) had withdrawn their planning application. Whether revised plans are to be submitted, or the project put on hold i dont know. I had previously registered my support for the scheme via the councils website.

 

Two further photos on the Mid-Hants website show the new building largely clad now, and the text comments that the new building, divided internally, will contain both the new boiler shop and the carriage workshop.
Looks like this will be a facility amongst the best in the UK Heritage movement.

46118

Edit: A further update on the 27th indicates that the building is on schedule for hand-over on 13th October.

 

What are the additional crossbeams for in the roof ? Are they there so that an overhead crane can be added to the boiler shop ?

 

I wondered if they were for the internal roller shutters that are to divide the building.

 

Widge

Incredible progress going on at Ropley! On Wednesday we left the yard in the morning on the western tank (5224), and by the time we got back late afternoon the eastern end of the shed had been fully clad. Amazing.

P.S. Don't miss the Gala next week - could be the best ever.

 

Has all that concrete flooring set nice and hard with this unseasonably mild weather?

46118

 

Should be OK, from past experiance if you cover it with plastic sheeting this helps it to dry more evenly.

Mind you it does depend on the depth of the concrete.

Regards
Chris