Mid Hants Railway Operational Matters

I had my first turn in the new box on Sunday. The S&T gang have done a cracking job!

 

They have. It’s a bit of a shame that the external aesthetic is, rather too 1970s for my taste, but the installation is very good and it would be a short step (relatively) maybe to control Alton from there as well.

 

My understanding is that the cabin at the country end is temporary. The existing lever frame in the old Medstead (ex Wilton South) box is to be replaced with one that came from one of the signal boxes at Farnham.

 

What is your expectation of “temporary”. If you mean that it is of short duration, than you may be surprised. The S&T team are small and very hardworking but with an enormous list of things to do, with completion of Alresford being probably more important. I don’t think the next stage for M4M is much more than a series of ideas and options, all with pluses and minuses. I don’t think it is quite the same, but the temporary box at Ropley lasted for 25 years.

 

No, I do not have any "expectation of temporary " whatsoever. It will obviously take some time to remove the existing lever frame and locking
and install the ex Farnham frame. You would have to ask Pat Butler and the S&T.
Indeed the motorized points and associated signals in Alresford head shunt will need connecting to the signal box and yes I certainly do remember the temporary box at Ropley very well, in fact I can go back to a wooden shelter, Two lever ground frame and a Army field telephone to communicate with
Alresford.

 

Well then you’ll understand that it is a long way from certain what the next step will be at M4M or when it will happen. It was you that said the new box was temporary, all I was saying was that didn’t mean “soon” in case anyone had the wrong idea.

 

A few shots of today's efforts at Ropley in ULS land ... ...
First I was sent down to the workshop with a tin of black undercoat to cover the primer on 499s bogie.

Then it was more rivetting. You've all seen the videos of this (what do you mean, you haven't!) so I though a shot of the dastardly heating machine may be of interest.

Pat

 

And so dear reader, another Saturday dawned atop the hill, and as seems to be the norm, wet!!

Lets just say breakfast was a prolonged affair whilst five like minded nutters waited for the wet stuff to abate......

Once we'd plucked up the courage to abandon the warmth of the mess room, it was time to go and progress things with LMS van M517317...... one of our number chise to carry on getting the internal cladding planks into primer, probably becuase they'd be warm and dry all day....... another elected to carry on with the refurb of the vac cylinder (@Ploughman, please note the correct spelling...... ). again probably for the same reasons.......... Also tackled was a start being made on cleaning up the release valve.

That left Muggin's 'ere and me two muckers to tackle a couple of large jobs..... first up was to finally get the London end south side ply sheet bolted into place on the corrugation - something that couldn't be done until all the steelwork repairs had been carried out...... when we trial fitted it months ago, it fitted snugly, this time however, it decided that it wasn't going to play ball & flatly refused to drop into place, so what should've been a quick job turned into a ball ache resulting in the use of mallets as well as the securing bolts to finally persuade the damn thing that it was going to fit!

That finally done, next up was the fitting of the external cladding planks and the drilling of holes in the new diagonals and C section........ it didn't go well........ using the old angles as a guide to mark out along the new where the bolt holes needed to go, it went rapidly downhill from there! Mainly because we were having to dril into stainless steel, plus the drill appeared not to have much guts and the bits either dulled very quickly or snapped.........

Somehow though, we've come up with a plan for next week - assuming we've got any drill bits left...... it'll be time consuming, but should produce the required bolt holes......

Some pics from yesterday.......

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/53388421279/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/53388421369/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/53388113836/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/53387194552/in/dateposted-public/

The final ply sheet now bolted into place.


The vac cylinder casing for the meat van now into gloss.



The soory state of the release valve.



Its starting to look good......

 

And so dear reader, a dank and mierable day greeted the four hardy souls who gathered atop the hill yesterday........

In terms of jobs it was a case of rinse and repeat from last week....... two of our number were in the warm and dry progressing things with the internal cladding planks for LMS van M517317 and the variuos other bits for the vac cylinder overhaul on the meat van......

That left Muggin's 'ere and his mucker outside in the dank and mizzle albeit with a tarp strung out for cover, determined this time to actually get some bolt holes drilled into the new angle irons........ on the plus side, we now had a drill with guts and bits with meat on them, on the downside due to the nature of the drilling, slow and steady, and the weight of the drill, it was a case of swapping over every 10 mins to give the arms a rest!

That said, by the end of the day, five holes had been drilled out and two bits well and truly blunted. We left with a feeling of a job well done, but aching like hell!!!

I like my metal heavy, be it 90+ tons or 90+ decibels, so a few pics of a different nature this week.......

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/53403829715/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/53403720789/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/53403397861/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/53403829955/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/53403828205/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/53403397161/in/dateposted-public/

More bits progressed on the meat van vac cylinder.



The first lot of holes drilled into the bottom angle iron.

 

And so for once dear reader, five of us gathered atop the hill yesterday afternoon meaning that we didn't have to get up at silly o'clock! Plus, we had no imtention of doing battle with the troublesome trucks, for once we were out to have a jolly........

After demolishing some grub whilst watching the 20 come through and come back again on route prooving duties, and the spam can romp up the bank light engine on its way to Alton, we headed to Ropley to have a nose around, and then join the train from Alresford hauled by 34070 (whi doesn't enjoy a bit of Bulleid action?....) travelling in style in BY S653 on a round trip!

Whether or not we will convene before the year is out, remains to be seen.......... so until then, I will wish all who actually read my ramblings, seasoned bleatings, a Bah Humbug and a merry xmas......

Some pics from our jolly........

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/53418318543/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/53418155236/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/53418156136/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/53418589220/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/53418156026/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/53418321068/in/dateposted-public/

 

Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year to you Dave and all those involved with the troublesome trucks at Medstead. Thanks for the regular updates, they are greatly appreciated.

 

So, that was 2023 ... ...
Keeping You In The Loop - 2023 Highlights and Outtakes (youtube.com)
Pat

 

Thanks to all involved on top of the hill, your reports and tales give encouragement to others around the country including here on the NYMR.
Especially when you have had a full day and removed only 5 bolts, then find you are not alone.

Happy New Year.

 

Ready to come off shed earlier this afternoon.

 

Heritage of a different kind:

Ancient treasures dating back 4,000 years unearthed at Alresford building site | altonherald.com

Site backs up to Sun Lane cutting.
(I hope the new neighbours will be as little trouble as the present ones have been!)
Pat

 

Yesterday morning dear reader was a painful experience, mainly due to the fact that Muggin's 'ere agreed to a last minite dot com request from his Oppo to join him for the oppertunity of getting out the house to blow the cobwebs away........ setting and then hearing the alarm go off after over a week at home was not a welcome sound, but not as painful as it's going to be at the crack of sparrow on Tuesday morning.........

Any road, three of us gathered atop the hill, but had no plans to actually do battle with any of the troublesome trucks! It was more an exercise of getting away from our respective other halves, and more importantly making sure that things were all good with our charges in the yard and in Bennett's....... and that the local scroats hadn't become bored and caused any damage.........

All was good, so after lunch we headed in convoy to Alton to check on things there, where we also gave the troublesome trucks the once over........ one though is on the naughty step - on first glance things didn't look as they should with the brakes, on inpsection it transpired that the south side brakeshaft had seized - again! So that is something that will be attended to before it can be moved - hopefully said vehicle will finally rejoin the running rake in '24 as it hasn't featured since 2010, and its lack of use that is causing the brakes to seize.

After that it was time for a mooch up in the Meon to see what was what - just as well we did as some eejits had launched a shopping trolley off Turk St Bridge - thankfully it had missed the running line, and was chucked up the bank out of harms way - no doubt the PWay will salvage it and adapt it for use..........

@Ploughman, thank you for your kind comments, they are very much appreciated! I can't get over the fact folks actually read my ramblings........

I really must try to get up to the NYMR at some point and see what you guys get up to.....

So all that remains is for me to wish a happy new year to all who read this, and sign off with my last few pics from yesterday.........

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/53433431349/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/53433105611/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/53433538725/in/dateposted-public/

 

I really hate to be negative but looking at that photo Dave’s put up of 34070, how do I put this? It just looks bloody manky now, I really dont want to lecture anyone what they should or shouldn’t do but there’s a little bit of grubbiness, then there’s it looks like nobody cares.
Is it due on a charter maybe soon?

 

It’s how it was finished by SL, deliberately to show how it was in service. It wouldn’t polish if we tried. Not my thing either, but it’s not my engine

 

Visitors from foreign climes always welcomed.
Just PM me about a week or so in advance but we are usually in residence on Tuesdays.
Our vehicles are the Civils fleet of working wagons and not the Demo freight stock although some do get hijacked when needed.
On Track Plant vehicles such as Cranes and Tampers also come under our package.
All in all about 30 vehicles.