MHR Autumn steam gala 7th-9th Sept

I dont not have the ear of any "powers" nor know who they are so "Carry on Driver" ..

I hope all goes well and passengers turn up to enjoy the Alps.. A big however is the weather they may all be at the beach ! Shame just when you dont want an Indian Summer !

 

Yes, and when I saw it I had the dreaded thought that they may put one of their headboards on 925...........

 

With the good weather today there was still a very good turnout for a normal service day.
Looking forward to tommorrow and Saturday. It's going to be good to see so many SR loco's around the railway (didn't see 34051 today, she was hiding somewhere).

 

Does it really matter...? I take photos and i couldn't care less where the rods are and never have done. I'd much rather see the rods mid way with her in Southern black than seeing her with rods down in James red but maybe that's just me....

I'm just pleased the locomotive finally looks smart once more.

 

Well, the gala has started. Here is Cheltenham with her correct nameplates, double heading with Lord Nelson!


Cheltenham and Nelson | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

And the newly-turned 9F on the RAT complete with blood and custard bar car...

9F on RAT | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

 

Is 34051 part of the photoshoots because she was on display on the track leading to the Cattle Dock outside the booking office at Alresford earlier.

Had a nice ride behind 925 and 850 on the double header (sadly I'lll have to wait tomorrow or Sunday to get some good photos of the pair). Finally got a run behind 31806 on her own as well from Alresford to Alton and she sounded great going over the Alps. Will have to wait to ride behind 5322 but heard visitors say she made some noise.

Anyone know if 850 is due to run with the Cunarder headboard again tomorrow or Sunday. I saw it in her tender and later carrying it when on 31806. Also saw 45379 briefly carry the Pines Express headboard on its tender we arrived by 925 and 850 but when I got to the other platform it had been removed.

 

Looking at the car park at Ropley today the gala was well attended. I hear by 11am the lower part of the car park was starting to fill. I would just like to thank all the MHR staff for a great show today.



Thanks
Lee

 

850 normally runs with Cunarder headboards when it is on the RAT/Belle hybrid, so expect the same Saturday and Sunday


The Cunarder | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

 

Thanks I''ll try and get a run on the RAT with 850 at some point (and nice beverage as well ). She was on the RAT when I saw her like your photo. Not seen her carry that headboard at the last 2 galas. The Cunarder headboard for some reason I seem quite keen on. Wouldn't mind seeing 34007 carrying it either.

925 was definately pulling in the crowds. Quite difficult to get a picture of her at Alton after her first solo run of the day. Was suprised how short the headshunt at Ropley is now that 41312 and 31874 have been taken out

 

Nice to see the freight train only having one brake van at the rear. Well done Chris and his team for putting another excellent rake of wagons out again.

 

A great gala today with lots of locos and lots of sun! The freight train was very impressive and ran in a different formation each time I saw it! Had three runs up the bank from Alton with 34007 and 31806 DH being the loudest, with the U doing most of the work it seemed. We also stopped on the bank just beyond that 10mph restriction which resulted in a pretty loud restart! Thanks to everyone who made this event possible and I would thoroughly recommend anyone thinking of going over the next two days to pay a visit.

 

You are most welcome Lee.

Thanks to all those who dropped by at our stand on M4M up platform today and of the two free advertised wagon restoration area tours that we had at 12.30 and 2.30, we,, over 100 people took up the offer.

Many thanks for dropping by.

Kindest regards
Chris:

 

Superb day today, sun was in full pressence all day, my lobster looking skin can confirm this, but no a really good day out, 5322 really does sound great working up the banks, just a shame we are not going to see it on the freight, will be back down on Saturday, and hoping to stay for the night shoot at ropley too, looking forward to tomorrow, got a feeling it's gonna be a busy one going by today's crowds

 

A great event once again from the MHR. 925 and 5322 were sounding very good on the banks and so was 850 on the delayed 16.45 departure from Alton. It reminded me of the time we went up Honiton bank behind her in 2007. Great stuff. The steam crane also provided "entertainment" in the yard at Ropley when it got stuck whilst moving into the yard.

We were going to come today but my Father and I got so wound up yesterday by the ignorant ponces in straw Boater Hats. Not having got a pitch earlier they decided to push in and lean in front of us at the last moment on several occasions so we are not going to bother attending just so that it can happen again today. We weren't the only the people they annoyed. I heard a few other people using words I won't repeat on here to describe them! It seems some people just don't have any manners these days. Perhaps we are too kind when we check to see if we are getting in other peoples shots?
There was also a very rude jerk who barged past a Blind couple on one of the trains we were on. I am not surprised the lady got very angry with him.

 

Sounds a good start to the gala yesterday then, I shall be around tomorrow and look forward to seeing some video's and further photo's.

 

Warning to photographers visiting Bowers Grove Ln and Wanders Cuve: The farmer is out and about today. Taking down number plates and reporting people... You have been warned!

James at SVN

 

I can only agree with the comments already made; a supurb Gale with lots of engines made even better by some more than welcome sunshine. It was a bit crowded which is good for the railway, although it did make taking pictures a bit difficult at times. Why is it that some people cannot see something as big as a railway engine without standing two feet away from it?! Perhaps they should've gone to Specsavers!!

Anyway, I managed to get some reasonable shots, even if I always seemed to be in the wrong place or on the wrong side for the light. I tried to keep out of everybody else's way - I hope that I succeeded. It's too nice today to be indoors slaving over a computer, so I shall edit the pictures as and when I get the time. However, I have put half a dozen on Flickr just for starters and if anyone would like to see them here's the first one; clicking on it will enlarge it and take you to the others :


RD7290. CHELTENHAM at Ropley. by Ron Fisher, on Flickr

Hope that they are of interest.

 

I fear Nellie has failed, just seen 5322 heading up Northside Lane on its own when it should've been 850... Any help is appreciated!

James at SVN

 

The put her on the RAT, I was waiting to phot the mogul/mogul combo and got a backwards LN istead. To add insult to injury the freight then arrived double headed with the u and 9F

Still looks like all locos working, just a hiccup like the Black 5 had yesterday. I was waiting for that on the 15:00 freight and got a backwards 9f....

 

All back to normal now, 850 and 5322 swapped at Alresford... Was disappointed to see 850's tender, not the Mogul and/or 31806 :/

James at SVN