A FAREWELL TO STD 5 73096 WEEKEND AT THE MHR 10-11 SEPTEMBER 2011.

Please note that a revised timetable from that posted yesterday afternoon has now been posted on the website. Please ignore whatever you have seen to date and refer to that now posted on the site. An error has been corrected allowing 73096 to run 4 round trips.

Tim Beere
Marketing Manager
The Mid Hants Railway 'Watercress Line'

 

Morning Tim,
I notice that the 'ticker-tape' rolling across the top of the screen of the website says:
'Intensive three train service with FOUR engines running'

Is this correct? I thought it was only three engines running?

 

Looks like there will be plenty of people riding the trains on Saturday as the Weather is not great for the area with strong winds and rain forecast. I hope they have got the forecast wrong!

Edit: Just checked the forecast again and both Saturday and Sunday are pretty poor.

 

Saturday looks marginally better than Sunday, but still wet. Galoshes, cagoules, wellingtons and umbellas at the ready then!!!

 

It's 3 engines running per the timetable, not 4. The scroller is in the process of being updated.

Thanks

Tim Beere
Marketing Manager
The Mid Hants Railway 'Watercress Line'

 

I always have a wait and see policy with the weather forecast around Ropley area. I've seen the weather forecast the night before going to the MHR and get the completely opposite weather conditions to what the weather forecast predicted.

 

The latest shed blog http://www.watercressline.co.uk/News/Loco/View/667 says that 73096 will be withdrawn from service after this weekend but elsewhere on the MHR site it says she will still be running on the 18th September on the freight train. So when does her ticket actually run out? I was hoping she would make an appearance for the open day on the 24th.....................

 

I believe that her last steaming will be for a pay and play the week after the event

 

I think her ticket expires between 20th to 25th September.

 

Here are some videos from this event yesterday:

[video=youtube;kCuA7Pgov68]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCuA7Pgov68[/video]
Departing from Medstead after being delayed by 34007 on the first train from Alton.

[video=youtube;qcQ0Y6s_rzw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcQ0Y6s_rzw[/video]
Departing from Alresford on the second roundtrip of the day.

[video=youtube;hAu4htojMVs]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAu4htojMVs[/video]
Climbing to Medstead in stormy conditions.


Had a good day yesterday despite the weather which got a bit nasty towards mid-day (See the third video!). Bought the new Book of the BR Std Class 5's at Alresford http://www.irwellpress.com/cgi-bin/ss000001.pl?PRODREF=582&NOLOGIN=1 . Got 2 round trips in behind 73096, the first and the last trains from Alresford. Must admit I had a lump in the throat on the last run up the bank from Alton. Stayed around at the end of the day to see her come back on shed for the last time (Couldn't attend today). As she entered Ropley the sun came out and shone on her as she eased up to the water tower. Still got some pictures to sort out but I didn't take that many as I was just taking in the experience of 73096 on the MHR for the last time................

 

Didn’t seem to busy this weekend. Maybe the weather and Swanage gala kept a few people away. Anyone still wishing ride behind or just see 73096 could visit the MHR this coming weekend. With 73096 and 31806 working the service trains on Saturday. Then on Sunday 73096 will be working the freight train leaving 34007 Wadebridge and 31806 to work the service trains between them.

 

As far as im aware, being Mid-hants staff, she goes out off ticket on the 28th of this month.

 

I thought that too Lee, especially as quite a few enthusiasts had requested that the freight should be at least postponed to allow more passenger running.

This is a case I think of not listening to the travelling public for once,or re-schedulling for a different date?

Regards
Chris

 

Managed to grab a couple of pics of 73096 whilst the sun was out on Sunday, the railway will seem a strange place without her running.

 

I was at Ropley today (Friday 16th): 31806 was working the footplate experience train. 73096 was raising steam in the yard ready for a long day tomorrow: early morning photo call (one of Matt and Warwick's charters, I think?), normal service trains (31806 on the other set) and the Real Ale Train in the evening. Assuming she survives that, she's working the goods on Sunday. No one I spoke to today mentioned any other steamings for 73096 after Sunday, though that's not conclusive, I know. Wadebridge was warming up slowly, too, ready to join in the fun on Sunday.

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/64433281@N07/6157150922/in/photostream

A picture from Saturday morning's charter.

 

Anyone still considering a visit to the MHR may find this to their liking. 73096 will be working this coming week 20th, 21st, 22nd September and this coming Saturday 24th (Members & shareholders day) and Sunday 25th. Then that will be the end for 73096.

 

No disrespect to the MHR, but is it any real surprise that there weren't too many people at the 'Farewell to 73096' event when it ends up still working for another couple of weeks afterwards?

 

I agree with you Nick, something not quite right here.

Regards
Chris