Mid Hants Railway Operational Matters

53808 has been out on test trains today as there was a picture at Ropley posted on Instagram earlier.

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Rookwood lane is easy, follow Rookwood Lane up from the A31. IIRC though, there is nowhere to park safely on the road, but may be somewhere at the bottom by the A31. Wear stout boots and be aware there are no footpaths.
Hampshire Hunt is, I believe, up an overgrown footpath from The Shrave. An OS map will be your friend here.

 

Hampshire Hunt is as you say at the end of what I believe is a private not public footpath between two houses. It is not shown as a public path on the OS Map on Streetfinder. It must be 10 years since I went down there last, could not even find it when I looked last, and I was always very uneasy in normal times as it was very visible from the back gardens adjacent to it.

 

The entrance is a small overgrown path, as others have said, off The Shrave. If you look on a Streetview map, there is a grey lamp post on the pavement slightly to the North of Hunters Drive, a sideroad off The Shrave. This lamp post is right by the path to the bridge and therefore indicates where to go. With regards to local residents, I've come across a few in my time and none have ever been so much as surprised at, let alone unwelcoming of, people being on the bridge.

 

Thanks you two.
One more query though, I see people have been using that field where Bowers Grove Lane bridge is, Assuming its available for public to go and photograph in, do I access it from the gate at the bottom of the road or is it a "walk up the very narrow road" job.

Kind regards again
Ben.

 

The field at Bowers Grove is private, though if you walk up the road towards the railway bridge you can look across the field and get a good view towards Ropley.

 

As far as I can tell, they must be trespassing
https://osmaps.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/51.09695,-1.08714,16
No marked footpaths.

 

I'll avoid that one then. Thanks you two, much appreciated

 

Rights of way were mentioned recently in https://national-preservation.com/t...rational-matters.908178/page-132#post-2600459
Pat

 

Yes she was trundling away at the bottom of my garden late afternoon/early evening, and she is there again today!

 

The foot crossing at Kings Sutton is good for trains both ways. Bit of a walk whichever way you approach it.

 

Don’t forget a good photo can be taken from Rookwood lane which is a public right of way and is located a short distance north from Bowers Grove lane. A good photo can also be taken of a Medstead to Ropley service train from Bowers Grove lane. You can stand next to the farm gate in the small lay-by. A photo to show you what can take at Rookwood lane.

 

The local clergy may well be a little superior, but it is still "Bishop's" Sutton, no elevation to monarchy yet!

 

Another location not mentioned is the public footpath which is adjacent the line outside New Alresford - next to the bridge over the B3047.

 

Blimey, I know my Ropley Spy has been busy - avoiding me, everytime I show up, he ain't there!

But that said they have been beavering away at a rapid rate - strange how a deadline can motivate folks.........

Any road, anyone would think that he's just woken up to the fact there's actually a gala this weekend, and that he'd like you to come and see the Urie lot and view the progress & ask questions, whilst he charms membership money out of your wallet - AFTER you've been to the wagon group stand .

So, without further ado, the words & pics below are all his not mine.

"Just a quick update before the Autumn gala with progress on 499; I said last time we’re cracking on so here’s the proof!


The inner angle on the left hand side of the frames has been riveted up. The L/H motion bracket has been riveted up fully, neither it nor the R/H one will be coming off again in our lifetimes! The running plates which sit above the cylinder blocks were taken down, cleaned off then turned upside down. The valence was lined up and spot welded in place so the holes could then be drilled through with our old favourite, the mag base drill. Once this was completed the valence was removed, swarf cleaned away, valence put back and held with accommodation bolts, then we riveted. Once that was done the whole assembly was lifted back onto the frames by whoever we could collar with a forklift licence. Bolted to the inner angle with accommodation bolts, screwed to the block castings with countersunk bolts it was then back on the rivet guns and presto, job done! R/H side done first, the L/H side is now also finished. The curved sections of valence which sit in front of the blocks required some fettling but that has been sorted and both are now bolted on the engine. The big extension beams which sit immediately behind the motion brackets are now in place, if I remember correctly they have something like 6 fitted bolts at each end and most are now in. Above these beams is another section of running plate which curves up over the motion bracket, both pieces are in progress, the R/H one is up on the engine ready for riveting. I could, of course, have put all the above much more concisely…..’the front end rebuild of 499 is basically finished’!!


Exciting times for the ULS and we’re doing some unheard of things these days……discussing livery for example! For those of you attending the gala this w/e (remember it’s a sell out so there will be no pay-on-the-day tickets) you will be able to get up close and personal as the sales stands will be in the carriage shed so you have to walk past 499. Why not come and have a chat, and take a close look at the R/H side curved valence section….there are some colour experiments going on which you might like to see.


And now the boiler. There was always some doubt about the throatplate, mainly due to a couple of BR weld repairs to the inside of the radius under the bottom row of tubes. It has been determined that a replacement is required, not only is a new pressing on order but the old one has already been removed! I don’t know what the boiler lads are on, but I want some of it! Whilst the boiler shop will not be accessible over the gala, we are hoping to open one of the roller doors so that you can at least see the progress from a distance, it is pretty amazing.


As winter approaches the thought of working on the engine in the pouring rain is not particularly appealing. Are we going to retire into the dry for 6 months, no damned way are we going to do that. We need to keep moving so we’re in the process of building a roof over the engine; I promised you 2022, NOTHING is going to stop us.


Thank you all once again for your support, we’re all on this journey together; there is still a way to go yet but a tiny light has appeared on the horizon and I for one cannot wait for that first fire to be lit.


Stay safe everyone"

 

Great day at the Gala today. The event was very well managed, and my experience was that social distancing was maintained, a sizeable proportion of the visitors wore masks and a real 'hats off' to the volunteers who spent the day sanitizing and re-sanitizing all carriage door handles, station building doors, bridge handrails waste bin lids and platform seats. Your efforts were very much appreciated.
Thank you, Watercress Line, you did a superb job and you even sorted out lovely autumn sunshine!
Oh, and the locos were great too!!
Andy

 

Put it down to my age!

 

My first gala of the year, probably for many others too. What a stunning loco Bahamas is, well done to the MHR for inviting her and the BLS support team for attending.

As a fan of the Somerset and & Dorset railway it was really good to see 7F 53808 climbing the Alps with southern green stock.

An excellent gala on Friday with stunning weather until lunchtime. If you're thinking of attending over the weekend do so, you won't regret it.

If photographers and videographers at the event could kindly make a donation to the railway it would be greatly appreciated (as I found at M4M). <BJ>

 

Thomas has just come out to play at Ropley. Has the 7F failed? It’s just moved up towards the shed

 

All is well! 7f be off shortly