Mid Hants Railway Operational Matters

Hopefully the steam test now should be very soon, then comes months of activity putting it all back together again, Can Pac may be too big for the line, but its surely needed back in traffic 257 Squadron should be coming next month, to stay for the rest of the season, hopefully the train of lights might see 35005 re-entering service.

 

I think that’s unlikely. Maybe not impossible, but there is a lot to do. The wheels are currently out of the frames …. I guess it has been stood a long while in Eastleigh so everything needs to be gone through. If I were placing bets I would suggest early 2025 is more realistic.

 

Saw it mentioned the other day and seen it confirmed by the MHR on Facebook, that Cheltenham has left the railway and returned to York for display at the NRM.

 

Sad news but the best option for her in the long term as she will be protected from the elements. I guess that there were no offers for taking on her overhaul at other locations.
If I ever won the lottery I would offer the NRM the funds to get her on the Main Line. 30925 looked and sounded great romping over the Hampshire Alps and I would love to see what she could do on the Main Line as she is a strong loco.
Here are a few shots from my final runs with her in October 2022 just before her ticket expired.




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Does anyone know when 31806 has a 'ticket' until please?

I've really been enjoying watching that lovely loco on the Swanage webcam, and even thought about driving down for a day this weekend to travel behind and photograph it - but didn't muster the energy in the end.

It looks great on that rake of SR coaches and I do hope the same combination will be in use for the recently announced Swanage Autmn Steam Gala - and/or perhaps on another full weekend again soon when I can get set up for a drive down to Swanage.

So, any information about the loco will be very gratefully received.

Bryan B.

 

IIRC she entered traffic again in 2021 after a bottom end overhaul and boiler swap with the freshly overhauled boiler from 31874. So in theory she could be in traffic to 2031 at Swanage.

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First loaded test run March 26 2021.

 

Many thanks guys - but it doesn't answer the question as to why I posted my request for info about 31806 on the Mid-Hants thread and not on the Swanage thread!

I wonder if a kindly mod can move these posts about 31806 to the Swanage thread please.

Bryan B

 

So, Dear Reader riddle me this......... just where has the first half of the year gone?....... It seems like only yesterday that we were shaking off the winter blues, and here we are hrtling headlong towards 2025!!!

Anyway, as the saying goes, 'only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun'....... well, the Lads in the Saturday gang are English men, and it could well be said mad as well......... why else would we do week in week out in all weathers?........ and yesterday atop the hill was a hot one, not as hot as the middle of the week, but still too warm to be comfy!!!

As ever, in our sights were the steel Highfit, and most of those in attendance were tasked on various jobs on it, and now that the crane grab has finally been lifted off it, the remaining planks could be removed - these were given a stress test by Muggin's 'Ere, and at least half of them failed, and are now firewood!

With the planks out, and before any cleaning up of the frames with the jet wash, the rest of the brake rigging was removed - one of the lads had the 'fun' job of removing the eight sleeves from the four cross shafts..... something that kept him busy for the day, but at least they're off!

That left Muggin's 'Ere and Me Mucker to carry on fitting the internal cladding on the LMS van........ it got rather toasty inside and out of the thing as the day wore on....... On top of that, it took us all morning to work out just where the cross baton on the country end south side should sit, and thats after stringing a plank across the door reveal - it was starting to drive us mad That is until we threw the logic out of the window, and went with what things were telling us!

After that, it was a case of trying to park the first plank into position....... not easy, as to drill the holes to bolt it to the external cladding, we'd have to do it blind, thanks to a length of steel on the door reveal upright being in the way, meaning we couldn't drill from the outside in....... eventually we got the job done after lots of measuring and remeasuring - it took us the entire morning to fix two pieces of wood in place!!!

The afternoon was more productive, we managed to get the entire bottom run bolted in, plus the fillet in place on the external cladding, this still needs to be drilled a bolted on - another headache, as the existing bolt holes pretty much miss it!!

The steel Highfit sans brake gear and floor, and in the process of all th crud being removed.



A days work on the LMS van - doesn't look a lot, but if you can do better, please come and join us!!!

 

I'm planning a visit to the line on Thursday (4th). Does anyone know which locos are likely to be working? The loco roster on the website is only showing up to 29th June.

Thanks!

 

506 on the Train; D3462 on the Shuttle.
E&OE.
Pat

 

Planning to visit this Saturday, 6th by train to Winchester and then by bus to Alresford. Would be helpful to know what the likely loco line up is. Much appreciated if anyone can help?

 

It's the Urie society's and S&D Trust's open day, so I'd be fairly confident in expecting the S15 on the service train. Not sure about the shuttle though.

 

Many thanks!

 

I am also visiting for the S&D Trust (of which I am a member) & Urie Society joint Open Day.
506 is due to be on the full line service and I have been told via e-mail from the S&D trust that 1788 Kilmersdon will be in use on brakevan rides in Ropley yard throughout the day.

 

Great news that Kilmersdon will be out to play! Thanks for posting the info.
I lived close to the track bed of the S&D in the Blandford area in the 80s and enjoyed walking most of the route during that period. I’m really looking forward to this open day.

 

506 on Service Train;
3781 on Shuttle;
1788 on GBV trips in Loco Yard.
Urie Loco Society Open Day - Sales stand, Historic Relics from Bob Urie's collection, boiler 799 in the Boiler Shop. Roll up, roll up!
Pat

 

With the diesel gala looming next week the fundraising page to return 2H 1125 back to traffic has gone live. More details to come over the coming weeks.

If you can spare £11.25 (or any other amounts big or small) it would be much appreciated. All helps to get this historic train back in action.

https://www.justgiving.com/campaign...SOLQKOxlBsZYA3XhY8_aem_vZ_KxtAD64zhLQjcvDCiqQ

 

Haha. I’ve just started a fresh thread on it. It deserves one I thought.

 

Is 34072 "257 Squadron" still coming to the line? I thought it was due to arrive on 15th July but now see that the Spa Valley are having it for a "Bulleid Weekend" on 20th/21st.