Mid-Hants Members' Day

Three in steam plus DEMU in use.

Members' Day

The Mid-Hants Railway held a members' day on September 24 featuring three locos in steam and the line's preserved Class 205 Hampshire DEMU. The loco, carriage and boiler workshops at Ropley were also open to full inspection.

An intensive three train timetable was in operation between Alton, which shares the station with South West Trains, and Alresford. Ex-Southern Railway U Class No. 31806 and ex-LMS 'Black 5' No. 45379 worked two of the passenger trains with the two-car DEMU No. 1125 forming the third.

Also in steam was BR Standard Class 5 No. 73096, which made several trips hauling the line's demonstration goods train. It was the last weekend before withdrawal for this loco as its boiler ticket expired at the end of September.

On shed at Ropley, but not in steam, were West Country Class No. 34007 'Wadebridge' and Lord Nelson Class No. 850 'Lord Nelson'. Inside the workshops were various locos at different stages of repair, most notably BR Standard Class 4 No. 75079 and West Country No. 34105 'Swanage' - both in the process of being dismantled prior to overhaul.

Other features of the day included wheel drop demonstrations at Ropley and a tour of the wagon restoration work being done at Medsted and Four Marks.