Steam Returns to Hayling 2!!! Weekends in June and September

The next steaming date for 'Emmet' will be the 7th August for the Hayling Carnival. The Hayling Carnival is the busiest day of the year for the Hayling Seaside Railway, so there will be two passenger trains running. All three of the railways operational diesels will be joining 'Emmet' on the two passenger trains, and it is planned that there will be a loco change for all trains at Beachlands Station. First train is 11am from Beachlands Station, with trains every 20/25 minutes and the last train departing at 8pm.

See the railways website for more details on how to find the railway, ticket prices, etc, at www.haylingseasiderailway.com. And more photos of the June steam weekend at http://www.haylingseasiderailway.com/goodsgalajune.html.

 

For all those who maybe passing Hayling this Sunday (1st), 'Emmet' will be hauling a selection of passenger trains on this day.

 

Alas, by the time I got there, the boiler had decided not to evaporate any more water that day so the loco had to be taken off the train. Better luck next time

PH

 

I'm sure Paul, that you will have plenty of time with 'Emmet' this coming weekend.

For everyone else wondering what I am on about, 'Emmet' will be taking a short break from Hayling to visit the Hampshire Narrow Gauge Railway Trusts new passenger carrying line at Bursledon Brickworks this Sunday (22nd August). The HNGRT have their own website at www.hngrt.org.uk. 'Emmet' will return to Hayling soon after, to work the September Steam weekends.

 

It's less than a week now to the first of the September Steam Weekends on the Hayling Seaside Railway, this weekend on the 11th and 12th. Details and timetables for the September Steam Weekends can be found here at http://www.haylingseasiderailway.com/emmet.html.

 

Went to travel behind "Emmet" today. Unlike the previous occasion, when a diesel substitute had to be provided,she seemed to find her diet of logs perfectly to her liking and performed well. She is very much off the beat which is likely to be linked to a strong tendency to stick on centres. This made coupling up a bit entertaining at times.

Business was brisk but Bob Haddock, the line's operator, did not feel this was a direct consequence of steam haulage. One passenger was puzzled by the runround procedure. On "Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends", the locomotives went to a turntable and she expected to find one here!

Paul Hitchcock

 

Firing on logs is a bit of a challenge, and does require the bunker to be over flowing and a pile on the cab floor to do a round trip. The valve timing is something Jim Haylock has plans for, but he can only do when 'Emmet' returns to the Moors Valley Railway.

Lack of turntables does surprise some of the passengers, who expect the locos to always run forwards. Anyway 'Jack' the Alan Keef steam outline diesel runs better backwards!

 

This weekend is the Steam and Goods Gala on the Hayling Seaside Railway! Once again the railway goods train will be out on the line, running alongside the steam passenger trains. 'Emmet' will be hauling all passenger trains and for this weekend only, one goods train! 'Emmet' goods train will be run before the first passenger train, departing Beachlands Station around 10:15am on both days of the gala. The first passenger train departs Beachlands Station at 11am. Timetable for the gala can be found at http://www.haylingseasiderailway.com/emmet.html.

Locos for the goods trains (from 11:20am) will be the lines Ruston diesels, 1940 2VTO 'Ailstair' works No. 201970 ex Ffestiniog and Gartell, and 1967 LBT 'Edwin' work No. 7002/0967/5. The railways work horse 'Jack' Alan Keef works No.23, is currently having its' engine change, so it will be unlikely to be running.

The railway is unfenced along most of its' length making it easy for photos, and with regular trains, no long waits between trains. To see what the line is like, see this video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHdGIsf7-Vs&feature=related. For any early birds, 'Emmet' will be lit up around 8am at Beachlands Station, and will be raising steam in full public view.

For details on how to find the railway, tickets etc, see the railways website at www.haylingseasiderailway.com.

 

This is the last weekend of steam passenger trains on the Hayling Seaside Railway in 2010, before 'Emmet' returns home to the Moors Valley Railway. First train departs Beachlands Station at 11am, with trains every 45 minutes. Anyone arriving early before the first train, will be able to see 'Emmet' raising steam in full public view. For more details of tickets, times and location, see the railways website at www.haylingseasiderailway.com.

Photos of last weekends Steam and Goods Gala, including the steam goods, can be found on the railways website gallery at http://www.haylingseasiderailway.com/septsteam.html. Also a couple of photos of 'Emmet' visit last month to the Hampshire Narrow Gauge Railway Trust's new railway at Bursledon Brickworks can be found at http://www.bursledonbrickworks.co.uk/hngrt.php.

 

'Emmet's' visit to Hayling is now coming to an end, and 'Emmet' will be leaving the railway early next week. To celebrate the last day of steaming, after the last train, a loco line up was set up. A video of the last weekend is posted on youtube can be seen here at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPKCEsmknMg, and more photos can be found here at http://www.haylingseasiderailway.com/finalweekend.html This is the last weekend to see 'Emmet' at Hayling (although not in steam, but I'll try and get it outside the shed), before it returns to the Moors Valley Railway.

Steam will return for 2011, and I will put the details on here when a steam loco has been booked. The Hayling Seaside Railway does not close for the winter! Trains run weekends and Wednesdays through out the year, as well as school hoildays. See the railways website at www.haylingseasiderailway.com for more details. Also keep up todate with new from the railway on the Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Hayling-Island/The-Hayling-Seaside-Railway/303146750961.

 

Any news on Hayling's own steam loco project?

 

No news from the project from over the summer, we've been too busy looking after 'Emmet' and running a railway. There is however, new enthusiasm in the project, with swarf to be made soon. The casting of the wheels will hopefully follow in the next few months. The railways shop is successfully raising funds for the project, so anyone visiting Hayling, please do buy something from the shop, as the profit goes towards the steam loco project.