MHR Mix traction gala 17th to 19th Sept

Looking on the MHR web site today. The timings and loco roster have now been put together for this weekends mix traction gala.

http://www.watercressline.co.uk/News/Latest/View/254

 

Blimey, thats changed a bit from the programme we got on Friday (it's combined with the S&D one). Might come down for this now as there are more steam loco's involved. I'm not too keen on the other things!

 

Great day at the MHR with lots going on. Nice to see the LMS Saloon coach out on service trains. I'm hoping to get a ride in it some time over the weekend.

http://lee.mediaobjects.co.uk/c1897362.html

 

Went to this great Gala yesterday. Got there for the first service from Alresford with 92212 + 73096 doubleheading and left about 17.30 after a spirited run with 34007 + 45379 from Alton. Enjoyed every minute and the loco combinations. Well done MHR for producing two great September Galas. It's a shame that there didn't seem to be that many people about for this event and the S & D event last week compared to previous galas. Hopefully the railway did alright though with the takings from both events.

 

Was very quiet today which was a great shame as it was a good day out. Maybe steam and diesel doesn't mix.
Any way a few shots from today:

http://simon71.fotopic.net/c1898268.html

 

Had an other great weekend at the MHR. Nice to see double heading of locos with steam and diesel traction together


http://lee.mediaobjects.co.uk/c1897362_1.html

 

More to do with clashing with other diesel events elsewhere ie NYMR and the Crompton gala at Battlefield.
Free weekend I would have been there for 33,37 and Black 5-as it was I was at NYMR-2 days,Battlefield-1 day.

 

I found out about this event 'by accident' on Friday night as there was a MHR leaflet in the hotel I was staying at in Farnborough. A quick check of the map revealed the MHR to be about 25 miles away so it seemed an ideal time to go and look at this line on my way home back to the Midlands. I went on the Sunday and the weather was nice and sunny. I must say that I was very impressed by what I saw of this line- the staff at Alresford especially were really good- the stationmaster arranged for me to go and have a look at the signalbox- which being a GCR signalman was of great interest. The signalling on the whole line was very much of interest- mainly being Southern/LSWR with examples of both UQ and LQ. Alton with its colour lights - which the programme described as 1950s but was obvioulsy much later than that- was also of interest. The almost bemused reaction of some of the passengers on the SWT platforms as people fussed over the MHR locos/units was quite amusing.

I managed to get to ride behind everything and generally had a great time- to the extent that I stayed until the last train before having to drive back up north. My overall impressions were of a very neat and tidy railway and thought the whole experience was a positive one- from riding behind 37905 and in 1125 to riding in the LMS Saloon and the Mk1 Pullman. It was also great to see (and phot and ride in) RG S1105- hope ours on the GCR (E1100) will be just as good when restoring from the shocking condition it arrived in from the NRM. Mostly the railway seems to avoid running multiple liveries on its coaching stock stock (I know a few examples were in their Pullman livery)- sticking to SReg green- which I feel helped the railway achieve the atmosphere it was aiming for.

A bonus was getting a priv runabout ticket- the difference being donated back to the railway. I shall certainly revisit this line again.

 

A couple of pics from the weekend, the rest are on my website.




The rest are at: www.mattallenphoto.co.uk/recentpics.htm

 

Some of my shots from the Saturday can be found here:http://steamtube.ning.com/xn/detail/2735651:Album:41576?xg_source=activity