GWR 28XX MHR

Sorry Chris all my time is spent cutting the grass and photing or talking too you on saturdays.
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I've been told we need to be at Alton by 13+30. Hopefully we'll be using 850 to haul 35005/41312 there, no reason why not.[/quote:6iyfrgjw]

Thanks for that. I will probably come down and see what happens as 34007 and 60019 should be in action as well. I wonder if 5224 will be?

 

Yes, cheers for that. I have the afternoon off, but where I go first will depend on what time I actually escape from the office.

 

It was lucky we decided to come down a bit earlier today as the convoy of 850, 35005, and 41312 went up to Alton from Ropley before the services started. We had just got to the road overbridge at Ropley when we saw the Class 33 with the 3 loco's in tow getting the road and departing the station. A quick sprint back to the car and dash up the road (sticking to the speed limit!) enabled us to just get in front of the convoy.[attachment=2:uq5ag1ap]EST 100 move climbing to medstead.JPG[/attachment:uq5ag1ap] After seeing them on the bank we then headed up to Medstead station where the convoy was just leaving ](*,) but we manged to get a few pictures. [attachment=1:uq5ag1ap]EST 100 move medstead.JPG[/attachment:uq5ag1ap] After seeing them depart we then waited around for 60019 on the service trains which were running a little late.[attachment=0:uq5ag1ap]bittern medstead.JPG[/attachment:uq5ag1ap] A very enjoyable day if a little hectic. And we got our first glimpse of visitor 5224 residing in the yard. The ML move was an hour late from Alton. Don't know what happened there as the class 37 and ecs only went past us at Bentley enroute for Alton just before 14.00 and it was due to be returning from Alton with the loco's at 14.21.

 

Some really good shots there Green Five... ;-)

 

I saw it leaving Southall at around 11:00. Would have made it about 70-85 late when I observed it. No idea why though.

 

Thanks. It was one of most enjoyable and rewarding days I've had down the MHR. And the weather stayed fine for a change!

 

I can see Darren's point and it is a valid point - 92212 will be ready when she is ready. I don't see any aggresiveness about - Just fact. But she is due to be finished the latter part of this year. The boiler work etc has certainly been extensive... But the MHR team always turn out a first class loco!!

Cheers

Andy[/quote:2grbcdbl]

Maybe I should have said was "at the very earliest that when she could be ready by".

Well know about slipping steam dates, Manston was planned to be running by Easter last year and it wasn't untill last September! 30053 (I think) was 'late' by two years. So as "73069" said 92212 will be ready when she ready!!! (Although must admit it did look a bit ferce what he wrote).

If Bitten and the other work done by the MHR anything to go by it will be quite a good job.

 

Great to see 5224 out on Saturday evening on a special charter and also to see her on Sunday running with 34007 Wadebridge. =D> =D> =D> =D>

 

It was even better to hear and see her climbing up to M4M during the day on Saturday, and to be drinking some rather fine beer on the Charter with her in the evening!
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We came down on Monday afternoon but our timing was not great and we missed the LRT (13.43) from Alresford with 5224. Still, I enjoyed a delicious sausage bap from Alresford station \/ Very tasty. Instead we had a very good round trip with 34007 on the 15.00 departure from Alresford. Boy is she a noisy Spamcan! She sounded great on the climb from Ropley up to Medstead. On the return run she seemed to make very hard work of the climb from Alton. And what coal was she burning? She was emitting very dark smoke for most of the trip. I was black when we got back to Alresford and felt like I had been on a long ML run! Still, it was one of my most enjoyable runs over the MHR and thanks to the crew who provided a very spirited run with one of my favourite loco's.

 

Something a bit different from the MHR, the first time I've seen the GWR thingy attacking the bank: