Mid Hants Railway Operational Matters

Err who says a prairie wont make it? Have faith in our friends in Devon!

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Thanks for that but I am still not convinced. Without seat allocations I can’t see how overcrowding on particular trains can be avoided. Or if the two of us are safely in our block of four seats how can I prevent others trying to sit with us?
However as long time supporters of the MHR and having bought tickets we will attend and see how it goes

Don

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My concern would really be with regards to the last trains of the day. Not saying it should happen but what if 150 people want to be on the last train from Alton to Ropley but say there isn't enough socially distanced space for all onboard (Rough calculation gives 40% loading factor of 128 people with 5 ordinary 64 seat MK1s). The rest of the day you'd hope to be smart enough to spot a busy train and therefore flag it for the next one?

In addition is the one way system for carriages remaining the same? Only because that's going to make it an absolute pain to find a seat (as you effectively have to leave each coach before joining the next).

 

Having read some of the subsequent replies, and thinking about it some more, it does seem that there is some justifiable concern. Part of the reason there were no crowded "pinch points" last October was because everyone was equally split between the carriage sets. For example, only a certain number of the attendees was allowed to ride behind "Bahamas" at any one time - otherwise those trains would have been packed all day, and some of the others virtually empty. Without that constraint, it's inevitable that more people will want to travel behind any visiting locos than behind e.g. 76017 or 925. October's arrangement also avoided the situation of people trying to rush in both directions across the station footbridges to change trains - because they weren't allowed to. I'm still happy to attend, but do understand the concerns.

Meanwhile, fingers crossed for the Prairie!

 

As with the gala last October people will have to make their own decisions about whether to attend or not.

The trains are well ventilated and we will be leaving the windows open as a matter of course during the cleaning that will take place every time the train reaches a terminus.

We will be asking people to be sensible and respectful of others and if travelling in your own or with one other person you will be asked to use a table set up for two, not four. Each household or group must distance from all others.

I believe that with all the steps we have in place the arrangements are no less safe than before. It will be different, and closer in travel options to what was possible at a pre-covid gala.

I completely understand that doing something different again seems odd given the reactions to the October gala. As I have tried to explain though we couldn't follow the same plan exactly.

As regards last trains being over full. In the worst case scenario we will simple run another train. No-one will be left stranded.

Last October there was a great deal scepticism about whether we could run a gala in covid times. We proved it was possible and more importantly put on a great show that made people feel safe. I believe people can have confidence that we will do so again.

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Ok thanks

When can we expect to see the timetable?

Don

 

I can second your last sentence, I was there with the Bahamas Loco Society and IMHO it was one of the best organised galas I've ever attended

 

I think that publishing the timetable will be difficult. We have it, but the constraints of a temporary website are going to make posting there quite difficult unfortunately. If I can work out how, I will post it here in a day or two.

Broadly the timetable is similar to October, but with 4 Alresford Ropley shuttles each day. 41312 is Ropley shunter this time.

The shuttles will be made up of the two chocolate and cream FOs and 4 or 5 vans including the SDRT PMV and our BY and hauled by 6435.

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No 53808 listed Shame would have liked a spin behind it after being locked up for over a year.

 

No 53808 not running this time. With a little luck we will do something special including her in October. This time we 6435, 5526 ( ) 925, 506, 41312, 76017 ... still a pretty good line up!

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Website still having problems?

 

Well to quote many people on here over the years (maybe even including yourself), why not pick up the phone, ring the MHR and find out?

 

Surely you can at least list departure times from Alresford with allocated locos? Otherwise how can anyone even know what time to turn up? Looks like a recipe for chaos to me and we may not bother going.

 

Possibly even screenshot the timetable and upload it here as a file/image maybe?

 

Or send one to all those who have booked?

 

Prefer it be uploaded online for the public to see rather than just those booked IMO. But I agree with your earlier post how are people supposed to plan if there isn't timings or rosters available and there is a week till the event...

 

But unless there are on the day walk up fares then aren't those that have booked the only ones who need to know?