MHR Autumn steam gala & Autumn mixed traffic gala 2010

Thanks for that.

 

There is a new tender tank for a u class on a jubilee tender frames at the end of Ropley head shunt if that answers your question Martin.

 

AFAIK the tender being fitted to 31806 is the original that it came from Barry with.

31625 "borrowed" it when that loco last ran.

It was as Martin stated repaired with new raves during 31625`s last overhaul in the mid 1990`s.

31874 i believe had a new tender body, one of a trio of tender tanks built by Plenty`s of Newbury in the early 1990`s, the others being the Standard 5 tender tank and 34105"Swanage`s" current tender, which replaced the one now at Portland paired with 35018"British India Line".

A new tank to build a new tender for 31625 was ordered from Swindon in the late 1990`s and was mostly complete, when i believe the railway ordered work to stop on its construction(during a period of immense internal political upheaval), according to reports in the railway press at that time.

This tank is the one that is now at the end of Ropley headshunt i believe.

AFAIK this is pretty much accurate info, however if someone knows different or can help complete the picture then i will only be too glad to stand corrected.

 

On the subject of tenders, isn't 73096's tender tank a made to measure one on a LMS tender chassis?

 

Andrew, you are right , the tender tank on 31874 was replaced the old one was probally more fibreglass than metal when you looked inside the water space the tender body on the 5 and the high sided bulleid tender tank were made at plenty's the spare tender body has got to be the one swindon manufactored, i remember looking at it and thinking at the time that it needed a lot more work , so it looks like the u class will get its own tender back, , the most obvious difference is the rounded ends on the tender ,the other two have right angled ends
the 5's tender is fitted to an ex LMS tender chassis and is slightly shorter than a proper standard tender

 

Thanks also for this info.

I will certainly be making the most of seeing 31806 in action on the MHR as she might not be there for long after her overhaul as the agreement runs out at the end of 2014. I developed a soft spot for these fine engines after a couple of ML runs with 31625 and many over the MHR. I was disappointed when she went into Red livery so I am looking forward to seeing a U -boat in BR livery again . It's also a shame that 31874 is in such a bad way and won't steam again in the foreseeable future. It was a real treat to see 31874 doubleheading with 31625 some years ago at one of the MHR galas. Hopefully 31874 might be "rescued" one day.

 

Totally agreed, in fact i was just thinking today after reading in the Beano about the appeal for Clun Castle that if Steam Railway wanted to have another worthy appeal subject 31874 would fit the requirement nicely.

The only remaining N, built at Woolwich Arsenal deserves a better future than it currently faces and if anybody could perhaps negotiate a positive outcome, then Steam Railway would probably be able to.

One thing though any deal to resurrect this locomotive would have to be watertight as i doubt that punters would part with their hard earned otherwise.

 

that would depend on who now owns the engine , it was John bunches intension to pass this engine onto his son, but i dont know what the story now is, if JB does retain ownershop of "his" engines all will no dought become clearer in 2014 but i agree it is a shame that an engine such as the N does not a very clear future, being as its the only one preserved but it all boils down what railway would want to take on his engines and all the potensal for trouble that would come with them , 31806 would find a home easily being as its a working engine, but all the others will by then be out of ticket getting back on topic, yes it will be good to see the old girl(31806) back working, im overdue a visit to ropley so this summer i must try to finally get down to say hi and who knows i might even be at the gala ,if my friends at the RLA were to be invited to bring our stand

 

Martin, it is more than just a rumour that JB has passed ownership of his Loco,s to his children, on paper ar least. However as has already been said , we will all have to wait until 2014 to see what happens.

IMHO I cannot see ANY of these engines staying on the Mid-Hants after 2014 unless there is a very big change of heart by the owner.

Contact Colin Chambers about your RLA stand?

Regards
Chris

 

JB's son wont be any more co-operative, as JB has apparently poised his children against the MHR. Shame because it is such a good collection of locos. I just hope they dont end up somewhere up north or somewhere where they wont be looked after well.

 

I'm sure a few years ago the Maunsell Locomotive Society did try and buy the N class but their offer was declined, hence why they bought Stowe.

 

Not quite right David, my understanding of this was that JB wanted to bring the N class AND one of the U-Boats to the Bluebell,and was told that yes the Loco,s can come to the Bluebell but without JB.

Regards
Chris

 

I remember being told 3/4 years ago that The Swanage Railway would like the N Class but without JB.

 

and there in lies the problem, you cant have one with out the other, all the preserved railways in the south watched the MHR tear its self apart over this period and dont want to risk any future problem occouring with their lines i think that they will end up at somewhere like the ELR or where ever James bunch is based if he has any interest in his dads collection , Tangmere was restored there, so i should imagine that Ian Riley had a working relationship that was ok

 

Maybe he will sell them in 2014?

 

I wander what the going price is for his fleet of loco’s anyone care to guess?
34016 £xxxx
73096 £xxxx
31874 £xxxx
31806 £xxxx
31625 £xxxx

 

dont forget 35018 and the S160 , im sure he might have had a shareholding in these engines also, 35018 was on paper owned by Richard heather, but i wouldnt be surprised if it was a 50/50 ownership

 

The locos going to ELR is, no offense to ELR, something bad happening. They are not of that region and i think the south looks after its engines best, like midland looks after midland engines best.

these ownership issues have caused mayhem at MHR

 

Well, the south did a good job with Bittern didn't they? You are talking utter twaddle.

 

I know that Richard Heather wholly owns 38018 outright now, it is at Portland.

Correct me if I am wrong but is the S160 owned by a Richard Stone, an American?

Regards
Chris