MHR Autumn steam gala & Autumn mixed traffic gala 2010

Hi everyone next years Autumn steam gala and mixed traffic gala with be held on consecutive weekends.
Autumn gala 10th,11th &12th Sept
Mixed traffic gala 17th,18th &19th Sept

 

how convenient (not!). Then the weekend after there is members day and 'on hire' locos day, i think it is a pain that they have these events all at once.

 

Looks Ok to me should be a great month lots going on. Reading next years Timetable the Freight/Goods train is also running on the 5th Sept.

 

Well it does make sense, if you're hiring locos in, to make the most of them... Having said that, I very much doubt I'll be down in Hampshire on 2 consecutive weekends, and I'm sure many others feel the same... Will be interesting to see how this affects visitor numbers.

 

According to the latest Beano, there will be no visiting locos for the 2010 Autumn gala. They are using the event to showcase their newly returned to traffic, Black Five 45379. U class 31806 and the repaired 73096.

Am i the only one who is distinctly underwhelmed? Come on guys at least one visiting loco should be included.

Also does this mean that they are holding back the previously mentioned trio until September?

The Black Five especially should literally only be weeks away from completion, not months. Perhaps Mr Riley should take charge to finish it off, it would be finished by next weekend! LOL

 

Hmmm, slightly disappointed that they'll be no visiting locos but I guess many enthusiasts will be keen just to cop the newly overhauled 31806 & 45379 anyway.

 

The black 5 is worked on ONLY by volunteers on weekends, who want to keep their skills up to scratch. Therefore it will take a while. it will undergo test-running in the weeks before the event, however its launch should be around september time.

However, i completely share your views as i have often remarked that it is only a month or so away from completion.

It wont be worked on by paid staff, as the weekday men are told to work hardest to finish the u-boat as we dont have it for long, so it takes priority. 31806's boiler is being taken out of the boiler shop next week and hydraulically tested within the next month if all goes to plan. ( i probably shouldnt have said that).

73096 now has the mechanical teams priority, and should be back running by june time.

However, if you look at the line up there are already 7 locos available :- 45379, 31806, 73096, 34007, 850, 92212, 30075. (5224 having had wheels dropped and gone from the railway as 73096 is back and 60019 having left).

So there doesnt seem a need for a visitor.

 

What do you mean by "we don't have it for long"? Is 31806 leaving the railway shortly after it's returned to steam for another railway?

Cheers

 

john bunch loco, if that explains it, (else PM me for the details)

 

Ahh yep know exactly what you mean, cheers.

 

Looks like the best lineup of a MHR gala for some time, no need to crowd it with visiting locos and cost the better stuff (30075/73096) turns!

 

Ah, but if they could have brought in 53809. They would have a great basis for an S&D event.

 

By the way, is 73096 going to be outshopped again in lined green? Boring

I always thought she looked the dogs dangly bits in BR lined Black, especially with the polished cylinder covers.

Time for a change i hope!

 

What's wrong with 73050 and 73129 for that? Nice to have a bit of variety surely?

 

it will still be in lined green, as otherwise a whole new undercoat would have to be applied.

Im with u though, the MHR does need some more interesting liveries.

 

It's disappointing that there won't be any visitors but I will be very happy with 31806, 45379 and 73096. Only worry might be the visitor numbers as visiting loco's usually attract the crowds (i.e. 60163 in March and the Super D last September)

 

i do hope thought that MHRPS dont try to eclipse the return of 31806 with that of 45379, as the u is more appropriate to the line and although the 5 represents a move forward by the railway, the u boat does deserve recognition.

 

Some whinging going on here. You'll hopefully have a Class 5 making its first gala appearance after restoration from ex-Barry condition (only the second ex-Barry Class 5 to have steamed),an overhauled 31806 and 73096 coming back from its accident. Moans about 73096's livery. Be grateful and thankful, for what the hard working loco department lads have given you.

 

No whinging, at all. If the railway decide to keep the standard 5 in green, fine.

However i was just expressing a desire to see it back in black for a period, prior to it being handed back to JB. Its just my own personal preferred livery. I have in no way wished to degrade the effort that the locomotive department have put in.

Also i am glad that at least 31806 is going to be 31806 and not that awful James the Red engine. Although i do recognise that in the past it has served a purpose.

 

Doesn't seem like a bad selection of locos to me - certainly I would say that if 45379, 31806 and 73096 are rostered out together it will be a noisy affair. For those of us on footplate crews it's something to look forward to as we will be reacquainting ourselves with some favourite classes of loco. Should be fun.

How many more do you want? Certainly not more like 850 I hope. It should be remembered that the aim of the MHR `is to depict the line in the (very) late fifties / early sixties. Hence locos in BR liveries and mainly MK1 coaching stock - of course it would have been nice to have got a rake of Bulleid coaches, but we didn't so that's that.

One last thing - Black 5s do have a tenuous link to the line - plenty of pictures about of them on various services when the line used to be used as a diversionary route when the main line was closed for engineering etc.