MHR Restorations and Overhauls

I should add to my post, 34007 sitting down could well have been down to the crew, as I saw her handle the bank the week before on the "Champers & Hampers" Special in atrocious weather!

 

Santa specials start this coming weekend. The first weekend is Alesford to Medstead only. The following weekend the Alton to Ropley service starts.

http://www.watercressline.co.uk/product.php/40/santa-special/90d10a42670c55e76ed1e73c14e31117

 

Railhead conditions? the light pacific's are light footed enough as it is, on 850 if she is in good mechanical order and only needs boiler work, how long might she be out for? once her ticket is up? the santa specials always were fun, it was the only time that i hoped for 30506 because the driver had to just set her up and she would walk up the bank, at a steady slog even if you froze your whatsits off going back the other way, i can remember when we used to use platform 2 at Alton with the WD and The yank, and the banter from the drivers on the juicers Bob Cartright for one i can remember him saying to me, you wont get me back on those things! yet the following time i was out , he was my driver on 76017 new years day , i think it may have been the day it snowed ,

 

Well, it was 92212 on the Belle last night, and she was bang on time as far as I could tell from t'other train.
Looking forward to 26-27/12 now (not looking forward to the January hiatus).

 

34007 can't be that much of a problem to use as she has now been rostered for the services from 26th December to 3rd January 2016 with 92212.
Rather happy about that line-up.

 

I got the definitive answer last night from those in the know - footplate crew.

Neither the crew or loco were at fault........... the railhead iced over in the cutting, and as I am lead to believe they were tender first, they didn't stand a chance as the sanders would be next to useless!

Her ticket expires on the 7th March, so the gala will be most folks last chance to ride behind her.

850 comes out of traffic on Xmas eve.

 

Thanks for the info. That happened to me once before with 73096 hauling the Belle I was travelling on. The railhead iced over near the top of the bank coming up from Alton. 73096 was also tender first and once she started slipping that was it. We had to sit and wait for a diesel to rescue us.

 

The spirit of the much lamented S&D will be very much alive during that period then! To me, the MHR gets close to a taste of the legendary line. Nice post Christmas pick-me-up!

 

She could be heard all the way from Alresford to Ropley last night!

Nice to see her back.

It sounds like Captain Chaos & his crew were in attendance during the day............ first off on the 1st run, the brakes on the box locked on & wouldn't release........... the second run was much delayed as folk were having 'fun & games' trying to park at Alresford!

Anyway, her she is on the final Satan of the day.

 

Nice shot there DD

 

I did try & find you last night before the RAT ECS left, but you snuck under the radar! , a, to see what 'festive' attire you were wearing, b, if you were last on board, & if so got the pink hat............ & c, to wish you greetings of the season......

 

I joined at Alton last night, so I could have a couple of sherberts and get home using SWT's finest. we were fairly mob handed with bar staff last night, must have been a dozen of us, so that we could all take turns on the year ending RAT.
I had a purple santa hat, so no I didn't get the bejazzled pink stetson !!!
Will I see you on the MHR 26th or 27th?

 

Who did?...................... oh, and did you lot actually leave any for the punters, but more importantly the loco dept?..........

It seemed rather well behaved last night, which was a welcome relief for the staff at Ropley, but I did hear about things.

I've already said I plan to be down on the 26th.

 

We did, but the customers didn't. They drank us dry (and a fair few of the back up bottles too).

It seemed well behaved from where I was, though I did hear that someone was a tad ill on the desiro on the way to Clapham (no idea if he was from the RAT or from somewhere else - I wasn't going to go and investigate!)

SWMBO has said I'm allowed out, so hopefully I'll bump into you then

 

I 'should' have a mate with me, as a thank you for doing the driving chasing mainline steam, though this year's been rather slim pickings!

 

So is Ropley now one of two boiler shops in the country to have both a WC/Bob & merchant navy boiler under overhaul? The other being Crewe? Looking good for bulleid fans in the next decade!

 

It has been, hasn't it. mind you we are due to see Tornado through Feltham twice in 5 days this week. Think I may wfh on Tuesday

 

I travelled on the final evening Christmas Dining Train last night hauled by the 9F and had a most enjoyable evening with my Family.
I did notice that someone was taking photographs using fixed lighting both at Alresford (lights under the road bridge) and Ropley (lights on the yard railings).
A quick look on Hampshire Unit's excellent website today showed that he was at work last night capturing these excellent images:https://www.flickr.com/photos/arleimages/23238581403/

Excellent work Hampshire Unit.
The 9F was making light work of the banks last night and on the second round trip back through Ropley there was some awesome acceleration through the station as we lurched forward. I guess the crew were keen to get home!

 

Stop it - his heads big enough!!

Any road, I was down today seeing folks, wishing them a restive festive & took a piccy or two.....

Here's the 9F on a soggy satan, the rain had just started to come down hard when she turned up! Grr!

 

what has joined the 9F on the santas this year? Is Ropley turning out LN for a final fling this week?