Mid-Hants Railway, Summer Steam Gala,
Saturday and Saturday 1st and 2nd July 2017.
I first rode the Mid Hants line back in 1971 before the preservationists revived it, it was still running in BR hands at the time and I traversed the full length of the line down to Winchester, sadly the line only goes as far as Alresford these days, although the Mid-Hants Railway have done an excellent job in reviving the line after BR closed it. My second visit to the line was to Ropley depot in around 1985, the photographs are on here in my gallery, slide film back then, but I didnt ride the line at the time as it was a midweek visit and it wasnt running, so I`ve been threatening to return ever since. I`d seen the gala advertised commemorating 50 years since the end of Southern steam, so the weekend was set.
Friday night had arrived and after driving home from work Friday afternoon, I had soon dumped the car and was on a bus to Manchester to catch a train to London Euston. It was however quite an unusual train journey, a young lad opposite looked like he had had too much to drink and was leaning into the carriage aisle and looked like he was going to fall on the floor, so I moved him back into the seats, he didnt however smell of alcohol. The train manager shortly came by with another staff member and they thought he was drunk and were going to throw him off the train at Stockport, I was a bit concerned about this and stopped them saying he might be ill, the train manager then came up with the idea of calling over the tannoy to see if a doctor or anyone with medical training was on board.
A doctor and two nurses arrived in the coach and I was asked to give assistant in holding the unconscious passenger up once we had got him on the floor between the seats. The doctor and his assistants were very good, checked the passengers bag for ID and to check if he was taking his temperature and blood etc. Whatever drug they gave him got him back on his feet. He seemed a little dazed at first, but was soon being abusive with the medics and he left the train for the platform staff to deal with him, apparently he was on methadone and another cocktail, a strange experience, but the train did make time up before arriving at Euston and we even got gratis coffees from the restaurant car.
I caught up with the Caledonia Sleeper at Euston, a Class 92 at head and an immaculately turned out class 86 having pulled the rake in, the staff at Euston are marvellous and allowed me to go to the end of the platform and after a few photographs, I took the Underground to Waterloo and then onto Wimbledon, I was staying in the Amity Hostel, a 5 minute walk from the railway station, I was lucky to find somewhere to stay in the town, with the tennis being on over the weekend. The hostel was alright, if not a little over-priced for what it was. After a quick shower and a few beers with a Canadian who was touring Europe, I was out like a light and slept well, the bed was unusually comfortable.
Saturday morning and I was up and out of the hostel on an early train to Woking for a change to Alton, a little early for the steam trains however, so I took an excellent full English in the station café and after which caught a bus out to Ropley to see everything steaming up on shed. I was on the second run up to Alton behind a BR Standard 4MT 80078 and Ex LMS Mickey Mouse Tank, 2MT 41312 locomotives, returning to the bottom of the line at Alresford, which was followed by a few rides up and down the line behind various traction.
The weather started off overcast but by afternoon the sun was high in a blue sky, it was a great day and lovely to see a collection of Bullied again, by the end of the day I was covered in soot, Bullied are dirty locomotives as they don`t really have, what I call a proper chimney, I think the coal might have been a bit flaky too, but what clag.
I left the Mid-Hants Railway after a very satisfying first full day and returned to London Waterloo and took the underground out to Hounslow East, the only reasonably priced accommodation I could find, and another five minutes walk from the nearest station, The Heathrow Hostel, only £14 for the night, so YHA prices, but it could have been better.
They hadnt booked a bottom bunk that I`d requested, and actually woke me up at 02.00 in the morning to tell me I was in the wrong bunk, despite the fact that I`d been given it, I went spare and they left the room sharpish. On top of this, the Heathrow Hostel is over a pub with loud music blasting out into the early hours. It was the second worst hostel I`ve stayed in, but London can be a bit hit and miss unless you pay silly prices.
I was up at 05.00 on Sunday morning, and out for the first train back into London, fortunately trains start early on certain lines in the Capital. Changing at Green Lane for the Jubilee line into Waterloo, where I took breakfast with honey pancakes, yummy, and the first direct service down to Alton, arriving 1 minute after the first steam train departed. Not a real issue through, trains were only 30 minutes apart and I was soon riding behind steam again the full length of the line.
The Mid-Hants railway really do run a very intensive timetable and the staff are marvellous. I returned to Ropley, this was the hottest of the two days and I walked out to the fields south of the station for a few passing photographs, a great location but the sun was wrong, (it usually is).
A few more rides up and down the line behind various motive power, an afternoon meal in the excellent café at Alresford. Despite being careful about buying railway books these days, I really don`t have any more space left, I came home with no less than seven more which I struggled resisting, those very naughty people at the Mid Hants kept dropping the prices on the books every time I picked one up.
I left the gala on the last train but one up to Alton, back on the main line service to Waterloo, underground to Euston and direct Pendolino into Manchester Piccadilly, arriving home by 22.00, a fantastic gala at the Mid Hants, caught up with a few friends and met some lovely staff down there, really friendly for southerners, a really big well done to all involved, until next time guys and thanks for a fantastic weekend.
http://www.watercressline.co.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/nick.melli...78530969662.1073742808.100001125840218&type=3
