MHR Goods Weekend 16/17 January 2010

The snow is quite bad at MHR. On christmas eve when we hadnt had hald as much snow and it was 6 inches deep at Medstead and Alresford platform 2 was closed due a slippery footbridge.

 

Was the trip worth it... in a word NO! That's two trips to the SVR in 8 days which haven't been that productive. The Sat forecast was for fried eggs but that failed to materilise. Add to that problems with frozen points at Highley that led to a one train service top and tail (on four coaches!) it wasn't ideal. What can you do, we rely on the people at the Metoffice and they continually let us down.

 

By all accounts the diesel event at the East Lancs had very full trains and I think they've also had a drop of snow. Surely us soft Southerners can brave the elements and make the event a success.

Paul

 

actually they don't - its just people ignore the caveats on the forecat.

For example they never said that this winter was categorically going to be warm.

 

Thanks Martin, though I have just received the good news from Tim Beere that this is event is likely to go ahead though the Thorneycroft Society have not come and the yard tours may be cancelled if the snow is still thick on the ground. Otherwise it looks as though it is green for go.

Martin the private mail that I sent to you regarding this, would you be kind enough to post the relevant items on this thread please as my computer skills are not up to it.

In gratitude,
Chris

 

Fingers crossed then Chris, lets hope it's all systems go.

Regarding the SVR and the weather, as Martin says the MetOffice gave "fried eggs" all day for Sat with a forecast issued at 06:53 Sat morning, they where totally wrong. Even in real time they manage to get it wrong, this happens time and time again.

 

I've PMed Martin on the subject - and then noticed that notification of PMs has been disabled in the new release of the software!! anyway,

You get what you pay for with the weather forecast and unfortunately the mass of people want dumbed down forecasts which is what they now get.

When was the last time you saw a "proper" weather map?

 

Apologies for this being totally off topic, although I guess the accuracy of the weather forecast does have a bearing on this weekends event!

I agree Simon that the forecasts are slightly "dumbed down", but fried eggs forecast for 09:00, 12:00 and 15:00 when actually it's heavy snow showers with a glimpse of sun is not dumbed down...it's just incorrect!

 

Were those fried eggs sunny side up? If not it could be interpreted as everything being white.


Paul

 

Clearly they had been put on the weather mapy wrong way up

As to dumbed down I mean yuo can no longer draw your own conclusions from a weather map as the data isn't there for you to do so.

A map with Isobars, fronts and wind directions etc allows the educated person to form their own opinion of what the weather is likey to be. Fried egss don't.

 

Got yours as well now, thanks
Havealso PM'd admin to suggest changing default settings for PMs so people are notified when they are recieved.

 

Part of the problem with the BBC's weather website is that it isn't updated with the latest data often enough ... but ... I think you have to remember that we do live in a maritime weather area so the weather can be horrendously difficult to predict and even to keep track of in real time!

The aviation sites are better try this :http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/aviation/samples/globaltafs.html

Regards

 

Hi Matt with going to the SVR this weekend and going to BB/Swanage last month your fuel bill must be high?

 

Maybe I should charge the Metoffice!

Yeah it's not ideal. With the dodgy weather I've been using the Subaru, the SVR was a tank and a bit of petrol which soon adds up! However, if you get the phots it's worth it. Last year I racked up about 15,000 chasing trains (in the diesel not the Scooby) but it was well worth it. A few of us car share from time to time which helps.

 

Hi Matt, that's a lovely couple of shots of the Dukedog you've got, especially the one in the dip just south of Three Arch. My Dad and I were hoping for those lighting conditions back at Giants when we were at that location and 9017 came past with the Goods. Sadly it was gloomy and rainy but we still managed to get a reasonable shot. Hopefully we'll get those sunny conditions at Jon's charter with the 9017 & Goods Train in February, fingers crossedray2:

 

Well get a move on with the charter, youve just got about a year or so before they withdraw 9017. (due to wastage in foundation ring rivets)

 

True, but the best news is for the charter those nameplates are being taken off lol

 

Hi everyone we seem to be going off topic.