MHR Restorations and Overhauls

I'm not really a diesel fan, but I must admit I do think the 50s are rather handsome, so I might pop to the MHR to Lion at some point. NSE livery might not really fit in at the MHR but it is a very attractive scheme, and one that I remember from my childhood (albeit only as applied to class 165s).
Then again, the two-tone green applied to D444 a few years back was also very handsome, albeit not authentic...!

 

Because we are possibly going to have a diesel gala next year chessie. Are you in the market for a diesel gala next year chessie?

 

No - experience of being a pilotman for 'that' one has put me off doing that again.

 

Noted.

 

Has anyone at the MHR asked the NYMR why they didn't use it, especially as they are rather hard up for diesel locos at the moment?

 

PHP:

Are you expecting an answer from someone who would actually know?

 

Said on their forum (to the effect of) there were some concerns about its use and the owning group not dealing with them.
It failed its FTR on account of a few issues like wastage in some areas and smoky exhaust, which now look to have been seen to

 

Like I said, has anyone at the MHR asked the NYMR why they didn't use it, not what the owning group say.

 

Not sure that the MHR would have any direct contact with the NYMR; but more with the owner.

 

Actually, that first line was said by their bean counter, so what the NYMR has said. The answer's not going to be different when given for a non-MHR person

 

Why don't we all give the owner and his team that look after 50027 some opportunity to show what they can do on the MHR? Steve is not going to get a straight answer to his question on here. Nor is the reason(s) for the Moors not using it more, likely to emerge in full here either. Does it matter? I say no, so long as it proves itself in its new home....and we'll just have wait and see. I have every confidence it will.

 

BTW...why are we having this conversation in the steam thread??

 

I think it does matter - if you shift the focus of the MHR away from its stated aims you will run the risk of alienating established volunteers, And, as 21B knows full well, no preserved railway can afford to do that in this day and age in which volunteering, to do something for nothing, is dying out.

Anyway, it's all about opinions -- I have mine, others have different but, of course, equally valid observations to make on the situation so that's my lot on this topic. As 21B quite rightly points out, time to get back to talking about what really matters.

 

Chatting to someone in the know last night and he was full of praise for the Urie group and the quality of work on 506's boiler, not to mention the new tender. Seems to be a real chance that 506 might be completed this year! it would be nice to see her back, maybe in earlly BR black with British Railways on the tender?? Not sure if this is authentic though.

 

I for one wouldn't mind nor care - it would make a refreshing change from the ferret & dartboard/ cycling lion.............. and yes it would be good to see her back!

 

S15 in black would be nice. Is 499 being restored to 1922 holly green livery?

Keith

 

I had heard that 499 would appear in LSWR condition. Not sure about 828 though.

 

..but you do secretly enjoy a day out on a diesel! Turn up and press start.. press stop and go home..

I was curious and so had a look at the MHR website which talks about preserving an important piece of 1940s-1970s railway heritage, a period in which the Class 50 sits. With the ratio of steam vs diesel you can't really say that the focus is changing and it's a group of new volunteers to the railway which I'm sure you can appreciate, especially if they get involved with the other diesels because we have a dependency upon them.

I think, in the main, the steam only / diesel only attitudes are changing with more people wanting to get involved such as with the Class127 - perhaps for one generation of volunteers they see diesels as the end of steam and so don't care for them? For others, it's all about railways and of interest?

When Wadebridge was failed recently we put out the Class 33 and we were able to run the service and put out 34007 later. The same when 850 was taken off a train the previous week, we managed to keep the service running with the use of the Class 33, visitors as interested in the Class 33 as they had been with the steam. For many visitors, the 33s and 50 are history and we are essentially a living museum.

 

Thoroughly looking forward to that. Stovepipe chimney, lined holly green?

 

Not sure I think one of the magazines a little while back said the MHR found a chassis or tender that was of the LSWR style at Eastleigh and would be used with 499 with the intention of turning her out in LSWR form which would be great. Not sure about the chimney.

I'm sure our MHR friends will be able to provide a better answer.