Today we take a look back at blog posts from the Watercress Line in 2015.  The Mid Hants Railway, or Watercress Line is the most heavily featured preserved railway on locoyard and as a result required this specific blog post to summarise all the entries!

General articles

Mid-Hants Railway and Modern Engineering looks at the work required to keep heritage alive, new techniques are required for the sake of efficiency and using current skills – View.  In a very different set of techniques, we also have a special article devoted to improving photographs of steam locomotives – View.  Finally for this section is piece that explores the passions behind the love of steam locomotives – View.

Canadian Pacific updates

Merchant Navy class 35005 Canadian Pacific has for some time featured on this blog, thanks to Simon volunteering on it’s initial strip down prior to the overhaul commencing.  The locomotive’s Heritage Lottery Funded overhaul and wider promotion and outreach have since became the focus of Dave’s job and so it is a very important part of this website!  ‘Can Pac’ Blog Posts are summarised below:

Tender 3116 – the complex history of Canadian Pacific’s tender – View.

In Search of the originals – the search for Canadian Pacific’s nameplates – View.

Full Steam Ahead for Canadian Pacific and the MHR – Heritage Lottery Funding is confirmed – View.

Canadian Pacific Locomotive Profile Part 3 – the history of Can Pac since preservation – View.

Simon’s journey into the world of Volunteering – Diary Entry 12 (May 2016) – View.

50 Years Today – 15th May 2016 marked 50 years since Canadian Pacific’s 105MPH run – View.

Engineering a Future, from the Past – Dave announces that he will be starting to work for the Mid-Hants on the Can Pac project – View.

Here’s One We Did Earlier – An article looking at 925 Cheltenham, the locomotive previously restored at Eastleigh – View.

Welcome To My Office! – Dave’s first blog post after being appointed as Project Supervisor – View.

Behind the scenes – a look at Can Pac’s wheels in South Devon (written for and directly linked to the Watercress Line website) .

Overhaul update from August (written for and directly linked to the Watercress Line website) – View.

Help Please! Funds, Tools, Time, Memories, Movies, Images – a plea that’s still current! – View.

Overhaul update from September – View.

Canadian Pacific in Steam Railway Magazine – View.

Job Centre placements working on Can Pac – View.

Overhaul update from November – View.

Canadian Pacific’s Boiler Moved! – View.

Final Canadian Pacific Update of 2015! – View.

Other Railway news and updates

The following articles were updates and news items throughout the year.

A BR Standard Atlantic No More – 70000 Britannia is returned to service at Ropley – View.

#VoteWatercressLine – the Watercress Line were nominated for the Best Heritage Project category of the National Lottery Awards for their ‘Mind the Gap’ apprenticeship scheme that was decided through voting.  Unfortunately the railway did not win overall, but thank you to the 176 locoyard readers who voted – View.

Mid Hants Update from July 2015 – View.

Recreation of Long Lost Cattle Wagon looks at the quite incredible recreation of a wagon – View.

Watercress Line Autumn Steam Gala 2015 – the steam locomotive line-up for the gala – View.

Yesterdays Arrivals… An excellent Gala Is Brewing! – Locomotives arrive for the Autumn Steam Gala – View.

Watercress Line Carriage Shop Update – View.

Ropley Waiting Shelter wins Railway Heritage Trust’s ‘Stagecoach Volunteer’s Award’ – View.

Q and T9 for Watercress Line’s Spring Steam Gala 2016 – 2 visitors confirmed for Spring Steam Gala 2016 – View.

Watercress Line carriage shop update December 2015 – View.

Railway visits

Here we have the many and varied articles on visits to the railway published in 2015 (some are not from that year.)

My First visit to the Mid Hants by Simon looks at his first visit to the railway – View.

A summary of the Spring Steam Gala with links to articles from Alex, Dave and Simon – View.

War on the Line – Simon visits and enjoys the railways wartime themed event – View.

Fun Times on the Watercress Line an accumulation of visits from the summer – View.

A Weekend Touring Ropley – running tours during the railways open weekend – View.

A Moody Morning – pictures of Ropley in the thick fog – View.

Autumn Steam Gala

• Bitterns Final Surprise 4464 wears the Great Gathering headboard – View.
• Images of T9 30120 by Dave (View) and Simon (View.)
• Crimson Crab – Images article written about visiting LMS Crab 13065 – View.
• Mickey Mouse – images and article written about Ivatt 2MT 2-6-0 46521 – View.
• Gala Pictures – View.
• Reflecting on the MHR Autumn Gala – View.

A few more views of a T9 – some post gala pictures of 30120 at Ropley – View.

December Steam on the railway – View.

Farewell Nellie! – Pictures and video of 850 Lord Nelson, that was withdrawn at the end of 2016 – View.

Thanks for reading!