MHR Goods Weekend 16/17 January 2010

It says on the website 5224, 92212 and 60019 are in use.
http://www.watercressline.co.uk/mhralp/special10/freight.html

Sadly seeing the timetable now tells me I can't come. Having to travel by rail, I wont be able to get to Alton till 15:00, and arriving then wont even offer me time for 1 full round trip. I know it's winter, but why shut so early ? To not be able to offer a full return trip after 14:45 is a bit poor for a gala. I'm not asking to run till silly o'clock, but just to around 6/7pm would of sufficed and you would have got a couple of extra tickets just from me as I was to have visited with a couple of friends. We were quite looking forward to coming just for a couple of round trips in the early winter evening. However now with you only being able to offer us a Alton to Ropley rtn trip including a quick changeover I'm afraid its one we'll have to miss.

Why couldn't each set have just run one more round trip ? I did raise this right back at the start of this thread when you were asking for ideas and was told it would be looked at. Operating just for that couple of hours extra would have given people like myself and my mates who work mornings, the chance to visit and put money in the pot, and provides the MHR volunteers with something different which is always fun to be a part of. Also you have a slideshow at 16:00 at Alresford which finishes approx 16:30. How can people watch this and return to Alton when the final train departs Alresford at 16:05?? Best of luck with the 'gala' but sorry to say I wont be visiting.

 

Don’t forget everyone working on the freight weekend are volunteers and have signed on duty before 8.00am and won’t possible sign off before 6.00pm. Which makes it a long day considering most of these volunteers have a full time job Monday to Friday and possible weekends has well? This argument always comes up on gala threads and was discussed at length before on the Giants of Steam Weekend at the Bluebell. If I recall correctly the first and last service trains were only reasonably packed and because of this there was no commercial reason to run any extra trains. Most customers arrive around 9.30am and depart around 6.30pm.
I think we should be grateful that we are able to put this type of event on and we should be looking at the positive side in running a freight weekend. This event is only possible because Chris Willis and his growing group of men are spending their valuable spare time restoring these wagons and vans. I say WELL DONE CHRIS WILLIS/WAGON GROUP for making this event possible.

 

It's not a gala - more of a special event.

There is no published timetable yet - so I am not sure of timings, although I have a much better idea now - thanks Chris.

What Lee says is correct. It is a very long day for most volunteers, but we do enjoy doing them!

Seconded. Congratulations Chris.

 

Ralph

There is a timetable that can be downloaded from the website, on the special events page, for this event( link at the bottom of the page).

Paul

 

Thanks a lot, gives me some idea!

 

Only 1 goods train and 2 passenger trains, that seems a bit less than what i was expecting.

Cant they do 2 freight trains? else it doesnt seem much of a freight weekend

As far as i know, there isnt a problem with a shortage of motive power. 60019, 92212, 850, 34007 and 5224 should be all available for service. (an operating fleet like this takes me back to 2007 when there was 3 bulleids operating with 2 standards and an A4).

 

I'm intending to turn up on the Sunday if only to get some 60019 haulage. The goods will be a bonus especially if 9F hauled. Does anyone know the roster or will that be a "pay on the day" extra?

 

If the Railway were to run evening trains as you suggest, at this time of the year with the weather conditions we are experiencing I would be very surprised if the revenue generated by these trains covered the cost of the coal burnt!

 

Indeed so, however if this was the summer it would be a different story.

That said both points are taken on board.

Regards
Chris

 

Going on past experience then a 1800 finish?......

 

Every time there is an event at the MHR the subject of short days comes up. I bet the KWVR won't be finishing at 16:00 at their gala in 5 weeks time, they have exactly the same issues around volunteers/long hours etc...

Is there any news on the consist of the freight? My only request is no brake vans in the middle of the train and preferably don't have the yellow presflo right behind the loco. At least with 5224 running (hopefully it'll get a turn on the freight) there's a loco facing out of Alresford which makes getting some nice phots of the full train easier. I think I'm right in saying that 5224 hasn't had a go on the freight since it's been at the MHR, so a double bonus.

I've also got fingers crossed we don't get anymore snow next week, conditions are less than ideal at the moment!

 

The snow worries me more than anything else at the moment! Hopefully I will be there next Saturday but even getting out my village is a nightmare at the moment!

 

According to the long range weather forecast there is another week of this,and with tongue in cheek the met office never get it wrong.

Remember the 1987 October hurricane?

Regards
Chris

 

Matt, 5224 ran with the goods train on the sunday of the september gala. From whats said it looks like 92212 on freight and the other 2 on passenger trains.

 

Sorry to seem argumentative, but have a roster early and late shift. This isn't a big gala with 7/8 locos, so you can provide something different for the volunteers, which as one of MHR volunteers has said is fun for you guys. And if visitors are prepared to stay till 6.30 why are they being pushed away around 4/5 o'clock ? If trains finished around 18:30 you would have 4 more visitors from me and my work mates, and possibly others who are working in the morning.

I've said before I don't expect till silly o'clock. But your last return trip from Alton is 14:45! There is a slideshow at Alresford finishing at 16:30 but there will be no service to Alton after this for those visiting by rail, so only those in cars can really attend that. Just a round trip and a nosy around to see all the hardwork that goes on would satisfy me. MHR is very lucky to have so many restored wagons and a team prepared to restore them as generally this is one part of the railways overlooked for they are not seen as profitable as other areas. As I said best of luck as it does sound a good event but the rather short day prevents me from attending. Though I do notice the timetable has now disappeared from the website so maybe someone has taken these on board ?

 

Ah OK. Here's hoping they swap the 9F and 5224 throughout the day, although I'm guessing with 3 locos and 3 sets it's probably not that easy.

 

I was 2 at the time but my Mum says I didnt sleep well that night so I must have known what was going to happen!

RE Matt

My Dad has a video of 5224 with the freight last September...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrVmz_7ixmY

 

Just looked, very nice video young man.

Regards
Chris

 

Nice clip, thanks.

Can't believe that train has FOUR brake vans in it!

 

I once saw a train going through Manchester Victoria with 36 brake vans, that's all there were, just brake vans!

Regards