The 19th and 20th September 2015 the Watercress Line are holding their open weekend. As well as running an intensive service of four trains (consisting of two steam hauled passenger, one steam hauled demonstration freight and one heritage diesel DEMU) the railway have opened up most of the works in Ropley. My task for the day…
Good evening, It’s been a couple of months since I have written a volunteer diary entry on my experiences working on Canadian Pacific but with most of the work focused around cleaning the frames and various components on the locomotive it seemed sensible to hold fire until I have something actually interesting to report. The big…
Today the Heritage Lottery Fund announced that the Mid Hants Railways “Canadian Pacific – engineering a future from the past” bid has been successful in its application for funding. The project to overhaul the railway’s flagship steam engine Merchant Navy class No. 35005 ‘Canadian Pacific’ and restore two wooden framed Bulleid carriages will provide employment…
Good evening, today I am writing about something rather different. Instead of focusing on a steam locomotive I will be looking at a tender, in particular tender 3116. Tender 3116 Tender 3116 was one of the first series of 5,000 gallon Bulleid tenders built at Ashford works. It entered service in December 1942 behind 21C6,…
Good evening, Todays post is rather special as it will be the first one I have done since I have completed my first year volunteering on the Mid Hants. My actual first year was completed at the end of September but with my wife giving birth to my second child in September, yesterday was the…
Good evening, Following the popular mini series looking at the history of 35005 Canadian Pacific (which can be found here), I was lucky enough to come across one of her former fireman on Facebook. As part of the Mid Hants “Canadian Pacific – Engineering a Future from the Past” project (if the Heritage Lottery grant…
After what seems forever we are back!!! On Wednesday morning I received a text from our project leader saying that Alrington had given us a couple of crane operators for the afternoon. Yes the day of the big lift has arrived. The beast upon my arrival.
Roger Smith We are back after a quick rest and various illnesses, so it is quite appropriate that today’s first photo features Canadian Pacific getting some TLC. The blue-liveried Southern Region Merchant Navy was being maintained in the carriage sidings at Gloucester Central in 1994 as she prepares for the return leg of her railtour from…
Hello Welcome to this mini series looking at Merchant Navy class locomotive Canadian Pacific. My recent blogs posting about her stripping down for costing and parts inspection has proved very popular and have taken the decision to write a mini series looking at her history. The first post will look at her life with spam…
We start this diary entry with this lovely photo of 35005 by Alex ‘Mac’ McClymont. It shows Canadian Pacific in her rebuilt condition languishing in the sunshine on an Eastleigh open day in the early 1960s. She looks stunning and so she should, having not long been in her rebuilt condition. It’s great to know…
Loco Yard 