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MHR Autumn steam gala 2011

Discussion in 'Galas and Events' started by 73129, Mar 4, 2011.

  1. 73129

    73129 Part of the furniture

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    Only one word to say GREAT. All loco are ok. You will kick your self if you don’t go.
     
  2. Dan Hill

    Dan Hill Part of the furniture

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    I agree. I had a fantastic day out. Great weather as well and quite crowded and plenty out to see Tornado on the first train out of Alton (when after seeing her 3 times finally got my ride behind her). Funny moment when there were some workers just outside Alton as we were pulling away on the first train who were trying to get the driver to blow the whistle. Had a great soundtrack of the 9F between Alton and Ropley.

    One downer was the A1 Trusts stand having trouble with their chip and pin machines not taking cards but as I'm down the next days it doesn't matter. Well worth the visit.

    I'll have a go at posting some pictures later.

    Also does anyone know why 60019/4492's tender makes that popping sound. I've heard it in many video's on Youtube since her make over and kept hearimg it today.
     
  3. KentYeti

    KentYeti Guest

    Not sure about self harming, (LOL), but many thanks for those words and for the reports and piccies from the others too.

    And where did that lovely weather come from? But I couldn't go today, wanted to finish off preparing my bedroom prior to carpets etc being laid on Monday.

    Have to see what the forecast is early tomorrow.
     
  4. evilswans

    evilswans Member

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    went down today, cracking event, one of the best i have been to at the mid hants, blessed with cracking weather too, will post pics up later :)
     
  5. green five

    green five Resident of Nat Pres

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    What a day! Excellent! The field at Ropley was well filled when we arrived before 9 this morning. A superb event today. Bravo MHR! A few shots :

    Super power Medstead 2.jpg A4 enter Rop 28-10-11.jpg Streak in the Sun 28-10-11.JPG SR scene 28-10-11.JPG
     
  6. TimBeere

    TimBeere New Member

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    Popping sound on Tornado and DNZ are regarding the air braking system.

    Glad everyone appears to have had a great day, we were certainly well patronised. Hope for the same again tomorrow. Note the loco allocations for Sunday have changed (see website).

    Tim Beere
    Marketing Manager
    The Mid Hants Railway 'Watercress Line'
     
  7. RalphW

    RalphW Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Administrator Friend

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    It's from small relief valves in the air system that are at low points and drain out any accumulated moisture. You will hear it from any air braked loco including some diesels.
     
  8. 45407&44871

    45407&44871 Guest

  9. Western Bulleid

    Western Bulleid Part of the furniture

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    Had a fun day at the Mid-Hants today, must say it's probably the best gala I've been to there. Plenty going on and a couple of hours at Ropley flew by with trains busy but not so busy there was nowhere to sit (for me anyway!).

    The only downside was nothing to do with the MHR or it's staff but rather the man that decided to shout at my 13-year-old brother for getting in the way of his shot of the 9F and the freight from Ropley Yard when he turned up late and we were already there. If you are on this forum, I hope you're proud of upsetting him and marring his day somewhat.

    It does put me off attending galas when people do things like that and it's through not fault of the railways, their staff or the vast majority of photographers, but shouting at an autistic 13-year-old is just not on especially when you are in the wrong.

    Apart from that, it was great and I will upload photos tomorrow!
     
  10. 6026 King John

    6026 King John Well-Known Member

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    Yes, another very good gala to follow on from the one in the Spring. The Mid Hants really know how to put on a good show these days. Look forward to seeing what they come up with for the 35th Anniversary next year!

    Everything worked well today except for a 20 minute delay seemingly caused by a problem with Britannia at Alton, although I'm not sure as I was on the train stuck outside in the Meon Loop at the time. Does anyone know what happened? For some reason the Brit remained stuck to Tornado for the rest of the day so I guess something wasn't quite right. What was impressive was that a lot of the delay had been made up by the end of the day. They seem to have come up with a timetable that works well and has some recovery built in.
     
  11. Paul42

    Paul42 Part of the furniture

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    It was announced at Alresford that Britannia had a problem with its vacuum brakes, that the Black 5 would haul the 14:45 out of Alresford. A further annoucement that it had been repaired and that it would run with Tornado the rest of the day. well done for keeping the public informed what was happening.
     
  12. RASDV

    RASDV Member

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    Yesterday (Friday) I paid my first ever visit to the Mid Hants Railway and I have to say that this gala ranks among one of the best galas I have been to for a while! As mentioned in my article (see link at bottom of post) for Totally-transport.co.uk, the timetable was great - there seemed to be near constant activity at Ropley all day and along the whole line it was never a very long wait for a train. I also liked how the locomotives swapped rakes and the fact that, in contrast to some SVR galas, engines are not stuck in one double header all day long but run on their own as well.However, personally my favourite part was sitting in the front coach with No:70000 'Britainnia's exhaust pipe only feet away listening to the almighty noise up the bank out of Alton on the 10:20ex Alton. Well, anyone that says large 'pacifics' have no place on preserved lines because they don't make enough noise seemed to have been proved wrong by No:70000 in particular.Although I was able to find a seat on almost every train, it did seem odd on the Pullman set with the real ale bar that there was no standard class accommodation apart from in the luggage compartment. Could someone please tell me if I was being thick and not realising that you do not need a 1st class ticket to ride in a 1st class carriage? Surely it wouldn't have been that difficult to attach one standard class vehicle to this set? But, apart from that, it was an excellent gala.To the person who's photo I inadvertently got in the way of at Medstead and Four Marks after Nos:31806 & 92212 arrived with the goods, I am very sorry.Thanks to all the organisers and volunteers who put so much time and effort into making this gala happen, it is much appreciated.Video: (11:41, 720p HD): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIoMQ6EdRQo Photos (26): https://picasaweb.google.com/115609395788457768316/MHRAutumnGala281011 Article: http://totally-transport.co.uk/MHRautumngala281011.aspx As always, any comments, feedback or constructive criticism are most welcome via this thread, PM, e-mail (feedback@totally-transport.co.uk), or comments through YouTube or Picasa. Hope that you enjoy the video, photos and article and if you were able to attend they bring back memories of a fantastic gala, if you couldn't go, at least you can see what you missed! If you want to use any of the text, images or video please ask first.
     
  13. KentYeti

    KentYeti Guest

    Great day at the Gala today.

    I enjoyed it so much I even photographed the sharpy pointy thing!

    Super timetable, and one that gave the impression of recovering very quickly from what seemed to be a minor problem with the Brit. Good on the staff at Medstead for keeping us informed about what was, in the great scheme of things, only a minor delay.

    Looked to be very well patronised indeed. Deservedly so.

    Will update my web site soon with the piccies I took and bung a link here.

    Good one MHR. Well done.
     
  14. Dan Hill

    Dan Hill Part of the furniture

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    Very true except when it came to the football scores where one of the station staff announced Chelsea beat Arsenal which proved incorrect (which relieved this Gunners fan). I heard the announcement at Alresford when waiting on 45379 saying 70000 had a vaccum brake problem then caught part of the announcement saying she would run with 60163 for the remainder of the day but missed the part saying it had been repaired. Though I think they said one of the Alresford-Ropley shuttles would be cancelled to try and get the timetable working again.

    Glad I got a 3 day ticket as I still have to get 1744 on her only run up to Alton (which I've missed yesterday and today due to getting on Alton and I'm going by car to Alresford tomorrow so nhoping to catch that one), a ride behind 31806 and a ride behind 850 on her own.
    Very busy again. The carpark at Ropley must have been nearly full.

    Also thanks to Tim and Ralph about the popping sound. I never noticed it when I rode behind 4492 last year.
     
  15. green five

    green five Resident of Nat Pres

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    Had another great day yesterday. The railway really handled the problems with 70000 well. We were at Alresford planning to go on the delayed 14.45 departure with 70000. 45379 was swiftly despatched from the cattle dock siding to take 70000's place on the 14.45. The crew of 45379 certainly put on a show up the bank to Medstead! I will add more later.
     
  16. green five

    green five Resident of Nat Pres

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    Thanks. It was a very good day!
     
  17. rsfaithfull

    rsfaithfull Member

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    That was me, glad you enjoyed it. I was disappointed I didn't get to drive 70000, so made up for it with a good run on 45379 instead.
     
  18. donbenn2000

    donbenn2000 New Member

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    45379 was driven like a Blackie should be, even storming out of Ropley downhill to Alresford on the Pullman set on the 445 from Alton. 34007 also driven like a Bulleid should be with the best climb of the day out of Alton, at least for me. In the roof!!!

    By the way the rover tickets were one class only and we sat in the 1st class Pullman set for two trips quite happilly supping tea in proper cups from the excellent buffet and being gripped without comment.

    A great Gala and the operating was much sharper than in previous years with late running from the Brit problem easily recovered. One criticism though, some trains were very full with families having to stand. Better not to run freights on these peak days but run all pass preferably with 6 coaches and not 5, assuming the MHR has the stock.

    Even saw the Kent Yeti (bruv Bryan) boarding a Tornado hauled train but despite my best efforts he alighted before departure.

    Don
     
  19. 6026 King John

    6026 King John Well-Known Member

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    No you're not being thick, it is a reasonable assumption that you need a 1st class ticket to ride in a first class carriage! However the Mid Hants doesn't do First Class! The coaches in that set are normally used on one or other of the railway's dining trains and only see "normal" service at galas. Since selling the mainline set a few years ago they have had to use the dining coaches at galas in order to allow 4 trains to run.
     
  20. 6026 King John

    6026 King John Well-Known Member

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    I don't think they have enough stock for 4 * 6 coach trains. I think every serviceable coach was pressed into service including those usually used for dining. Tend to agree about the freights although I must say some people have obviously been working very hard on getting a presentable freight train together and deserve to have it shown off. Maybe it would be best to run the freights at the beginning / end of the day only as some railways do.

    Actually I didn't find it too crowded - certainly not compared to the Severn Valley this year which got quite unpleasant and almost dangerous at times. They had Tornado hauling 8 coaches, every one with people packed like the proverbial sardines!
     

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