Previous Correspondence

If you followed an anchor link and are surprised that nothing relevant is here, it may be to an older item now deleted or moved. I sometimes forget. Sorry.
Try earlier "Previous Correspondence", using the same anchor link ... tw

From: Colin Fuller
Date: 7th November 2002
Subject: "Two Men Went to War "
Dear All
The above film received its premiere earlier this month but was over-shadowed by Harry Potter Esq.!
The railway sequences were filmed at Medstead Station on the Watercress Line.
The film has a specific interest for 40s re-enactors, railway enthusiasts and people living in the area. Other scenes were shot in the Hampshire/Surrey area.
Colin

From: Chris Cornell
Date: 10th November 2002
Subject: Film: "Two Men Went To War "
Tony
The filming took place nearly one year ago, filmed over three nights, Wed 21st-Fri 23rd November 2001.
Most of the scenes take place in and around the signalbox, re-dressed to make it look French, with #31625 doubling as a French/German loco, pulling a troop train. The Atlas was re-dressed to look like a rail mounted gun. The scene at the station was the build up to a crash, not filmed on the Watercress line, a model I think.
For the crash picture see: www.twomen.co.uk. The Bluebell Railway was also used to film a train to Plymouth.
I saw the film last week - not bad.
Chris Cornell

From: Mike Wells
Date: 29/10/2002 20:47-0800
Subject: Standard 5
Tony
I can't quite match the 8,500 miles of the gentleman in Alaska, but I can say that from 3,500 miles away in Massachusetts the Standard 5 looks stunning. I've been patiently watching the work progressing (via the web) since I was last there in July 2001 and I have to say congratulations to everyone there on a great job. Just be sure and keep her nice and clean until I get to see her on January 1st 2003!
Regards
Mike Wells

From: Phill Brentor
Date: 28/10/2002 18:34 -0900
Subject: Standard 5
Dear all at the Mid Hants
I have been keeping a close eye on the progress of the Standard 5 over the last few weeks. I was very happy to see that the loco is now up and running. Unfortunately I can only see it through the web site, as I can't just pop up to the line these days, as I am 8500 mile away, but I can see the wonderful job (as usual) that you have all done. If the loco looks half as good in the flesh that it does in the photo's it must be a sight to see. I am told the pictures do not do it justice, so I am assuming that it is perfection itself. I look forward to seeing the Standard taking it's rightful place amongst the MHR stable of main line locos
Congratulations to everyone concerned with the overhaul. You all have a right to feel justly proud of yourselves. Sit back, take a breather, sup a pint for me, and then, I guess it will be on with the next one huh?
Well done again.
Phill Brentor
(Alaska)

From: Cathryn Bennett
Date: 28/10/2002 20:30 +0000
Subject: She's lookin' good!
Hi Tony!!
Have been keeping a close eye on the progress of the Std5, I must say that she is really looking good, a truly first class job has been done on this loco, Congratulations to all involved in her heavy overhaul. Today I saw the pics I have been waiting to see, #73096 steaming down the track!! Well worth the wait I must say, how long will she take to run in? I am looking forward to coming back down to meet her and also to see the progress being made by Steve on Bittern, he too is doing a sterling job. Way to go all at M.H.R!!!!!
Cathryn

From: "Castleman, Christopher D"
Date: 2002/10/17 Thu PM 12:30:51 GMT
Subject: Imminent appearance of 73096
As far as I remember, she appeared on the railway some 20 years ago, owned by others, without a tender. I know my son, Mark, then about 3 years old, with me, spent a happy few hours freeing off/cleaning the springs & other such items. At least he got very dirty!
Does anyone have a 1980's contemporary photo for comparison?
Congratulations to all concerned.
C.D.Castleman
Membership AO4628

Date: 10 October 2002  2105
Subject: Hello from Australia
Dear Mr Wood,
In January I visited England for work, and on my last day (28 Jan) drove from Essex to Ropley on my way to Heathrow. I am an active volunteer at Steamrail Victoria, a not-for-profit preservation group operating mainline 5'3" steam and diesel locomotives and rollingstock based at Newport (a suburb of Melbourne Australia).
Expecting the Ropley depot to be shut, I was surprised to find several workers eating their lunch. They were most welcoming, and we enjoyed a good talk while they looked through the photos of our Newport depot and rollingstock. I can't remember the Foreman's name, but the gentleman who showed me through the loco shed was most generous with his time. The quality and quantity of work being conducted was really superb and amply demonstrated the love your crew has for the locomotives. I dropped 20 pounds in the tin as a small thank you.
Over here, we are blessed with space and the good fortune of a large workshop with overhead cranes and floor space. We have five serviceable steam locomotives, six diesels, and several others under restoration - or at least they would be if we had not been shut down by the Public Liability Insurance nightmare. Since the 6th of September our depot has been locked and we have been unable to operate trains or work on our rollingstock. Our PLI premium jumped from AUD$10,800 for 2001-02 to AUS$121,000 for 2002-03. That approximately 4,000 pounds going to 45,000 pounds. Our turn-over last year was AUS$800k, so a premium jump of such magnitude really has put us out of business. Unfortunately this situation is affecting all of the other volunteer groups (not just rail-related) to the point where those who are still operating are only doing so because their premiums haven't fallen due yet or the local community has under-written them for one year. The prognosis is currently quite bleak.
I have attached some of images from our depot, and you might wish to visit Steamrail's website:  http://www.steamrail.com.au

R761 on table March 31 2001

R761 is a North British Loco Works product from 1951 and was restored by us in 1985 and cosmetically re-done last year.

D3 639 West Block 6 Road

D3 639 was built on the site in 1903 and still operates at 60 mph when let off her leash.

West Block panoramic 1996

The panoramic view is a bit dated now, as the site has been significantly cleaned up and the 70' turntable installed in the centre right of the photo.

I hope the above is of interest, and wish you the best of luck with Mid-Hants.
Regards,
Roger Lewis
Supervisor - Vehicle Package and Ergonomics
Ford Motor Company of Australia

From: "Lewis, Roger (R.M.)"
To: "'Tony Wood'"
Subject: RE: Hello from Australia
Date: Sun, 13 Oct 2002 17:57:00 -0400
Hello Tony again,
Thank you for your quick reply.
After I wrote to you on Friday the Victorian Government came to our rescue and underwrote our public liability insurance, thereby allowing us to run the trip scheduled for the weekend - one of our members chartered a steam train for his wedding. Unfortunately, yesterday afternoon the locomotive struck a truck at an unguarded level crossing some 180km north-east of Melbourne, resulting in the deaths of the three loco crew and critical injuries to a fourth person on the footplate. The incident is now subject to a coronial investigation, and after all of the hard work to be allowed to operate this might very well sink us.
It's all just a bit too much.
Regards,
Roger Lewis

From: "'Tony Wood'"
To: "Lewis, Roger (R.M.)"
Subject: RE: Hello from Australia
Date: 15 Oct 2002 12:23 +0100
That's horrific, Roger. We're thinking of you all, and especially of the families of the footplate crew.
How on earth did it happen?
Your friends at Ropley

To: Tony Wood
To: "Lewis, Roger (R.M.)"
Subject: RE: Hello from Australia
Date: 15 Oct 2002 1834 -0400
Tony,
Thank you for your sentiments. The level crossing was sign-posted but had no bells/lights or barriers. It would appear that the truck driver failed to give way to the train. The loco was travelling at 30-35 km/h as it approached a junction but was moving too quickly to avoid striking the truck. The truck had two trailers, and from the damage to the truck it would seem that the loco's buffers struck between the trailers, became caught somehow and the sideways forces pulled to loco off the track and onto its side. During the impact the safety valves (on top of the firebox) were dislodged and superheated steam was injected directly into the cab, killing the crew probably instantly. There was no post-impact fire, so I suspect the fusible plugs might have blown as well.
The deceased were recovered yesterday, and the loco will be returned to our depot by road perhaps today. The injured crew member is recovering in hospital but has a long road to travel given that her boyfriend was one of the deceased.
There is a condolence book at Steamrail's website www.steamrail.com.au  if you wish to contribute a few words.
Regards,
Roger Lewis

Local News Article
 

From: jenny_norman
Subject: Loco sheds, August 29th
Tony,
We love your web site, and were amazed to see your note on August 29th* about the little three year old (actually he will be three in October). This was our grandson Oscar, who, perhaps not in size, is one of the Watercress Line's biggest fans. I thought you might like to see this photo** of him, wearing his favourite Bodmin T shirt, and taken in front of his favourite engine, Bodmin, on one of the recent Days Out With Thomas. And thanks for the compliment, but it was actually his grandma holding him, not his mum! He insists on bringing me along to Ropley every day when staying with us.
Regards
Oscar Norman and Jenny (his grandma)

* Now deleted from the Loco Shed pages, but it said: "We had a steady stream of visitors looking in the shed doors, including a little lad of about 3 in his mother's arms. "That's Henry" I said, indicating #73096. "I thought it was the Standard Five" said the lad! (Apparently he is a fan of our website)"

** T-shirt photo of Bodmin by Chris Cornell

Date: Thu, 1 Aug 2002 20:45:26 +0100
Subject: www
Tony
Your pics of Frank Twine and his magnificent machine reminds me that on the 'Western Weekend' (really Bus Rally Day), I overheard a comment on the Ropley Footbridge. Looking west was Roger Barker, of Nigel Gresley fame, who said to his companions "Look at that track: beautiful, not a mark on it!"

After fiddling about with hp figures for the engines taking 9 up the 1 in 60, I dug out the article in MHN103 p61 by John Knowles about 'What can be expected from the Ivatt?'. This seems to tally with its perfomance up Camberley Bank where it started at 25mph at the bottom and slowed to maybe 20/21 at the top. E.S.Cox's book British Railways Standard Steam Locomotives gives a maximum figure of 1480ihp for a Standard 5. After testing at Rugby and in service the blast pipe diameter was reduced from 5 1/8 to 4 7/8 inch. That explains its sharp bark and suggests 73096 would be close to maximum lifting 9 at 25mph up to Medstead. It should sound as good as it did at Woking restarting the Steam Dreams proving run in December '99.
rgds
David Charlesworth

From: mb4084
Date: Mon, 29 Jul 2002 11:01:49 +0100
Subject: DLR 6024 to Minehead on July 27th
Hi Tony
Just a quick note to say that the trip with 6024 last Saturday was a very enjoyable day out thanks to my prize from last year's MHR website photo competition.
'KE1' produced some fine running when suitable opportunities occurred, for example after departing from Didcot speed averaged around 70 mph for about 10 miles on the 4-track main line between Cholsey and Tilehurst, and again later in the journey on the descent from Brewham Summit towards Castle Cary.
On the long uphill section from Newbury to Savernake 6024 was checked more than once before the summit was topped at around 45 mph. Not bad work, but the Kings were built to do that with trains half as heavy again as the 360-ton formation that 6024 had on Saturday.
So now this very capable and popular engine is making a repeat visit to the WSR, a line I had never visited before. Picture of 6024 at Minehead attached. I for one would certainly look forward to the King coming back to the MHR one day.
Martin Beckett

From: Peter Wilson
Sent: Wednesday, July 24, 2002 4:29 PM
Subject: Fw: Arlesford
Here is a picture (100KB ... tw) taken on 1st June at around midday showing King Edward I between the signals at Arlesford. Quite a pleasing shot, so I thought I would forward it on to you for possible use on the website?
The photographer was Richard Miller and he is happy for the picture to be used with suitable credit should you wish to.
Best regards
Peter Wilson

From: Stephen Morley
Date: Tue, 23 Jul 2002 15:40:48 +0100
Subject: 13th July
Ref Steve Hoadley's mail
If you thought listening to Nunney Castle from Bighton was good, you should have been on the train. The GW bark was much in evidence. It was also pretty good waiting at Medstead for the 9F to slog up the bank, seeing the lights get closer and hearing the beat as she tackled the climb, all to the accompaniment of the roar of Nunney's blower and the orange glow from the fire... sheer magic, makes a 12 hour shift in a hot kitchen worth it!
Stephen Morley
Watercress Belle

From Webmaster (20th July 2002)

My wife and I drove to Holland for a break. Only steam railway bit was a visit to the narrow gauge 'Stoomtrein Valkenburgse Meer' and their ZH Museum in Leiden, where we were shown with justified pride around the loco shed. They even made the bricks for the museum themselves from waste material from the water-works (if I understood correctly).
Crown stays had just been replaced on the boiler in the background of this pic (70KB), and we were amused that they invert their loco frames for access. Outside, the service train had a piston gland problem (67KB) and the driver was having a look between runs. Pretty little locos (79KB).
tw  

Subject: A perfect evening
Tony,
Last evening, Saturday 13 July, I had a very pleasant evening with some of my museum colleagues at a barbecue at a farm in Bighton. It was one of those rare instances where everything comes together: good food, good drink, good company, good weather and all punctuated by the amazing sound of Nunney Castle storming up the bank towards Medstead & Four Marks on the dining train. As Pa Larkin would say, "Perfick!"
Regards,
Stephen Hoadley

Subject: Footplate Experience
12:43 01/07/2002 +0100
Tony,
Just to say many thanks for your help and guidance on the Advanced Footplate Experience on Friday 28 June, which my father and I enjoyed very much. For my part, having had some footplate experience before, I particularly appreciated being allowed to get on with it and to make my own mistakes, which I did. However much experience anybody may have had previously, I would recommend your Advanced Experience to all. There is little that can prepare anyone for the combination of a big engine and demanding gradients offered by the MHR. Thanks also to our driving and firing instructors who have the subtle gift of knowing when to offer advice and knowing when to stand back. This made for a real sense of achievement. However, is it not slightly irresponsible to start people on this slippery slope? Can it not become addictive?
Many thanks,
Stephen Hoadley

*( 77KB monochrome © Nigel Kendall)

From: "Tim Watson"
Date: 2002/06/23 Sun AM 10:50:11 GMT
Subject: 6024 on the MHR
Dear Tony
Can I express through your pages the 6024 Society's thanks and appreciation to the MHR, to all staff associated with the Line and to all supporters and visitors, for their friendly hospitality which they've offered to the locomotive and our visiting members looking after the loco.
After earlier false starts, it has been very good to get to the MHR at last. It's been a great pleasure to take part in your 2002 programme and particularly the nine-coach trains which on the 1 in 60 gave No. 6024 an opportunity to show just what it was designed to do, not normally available off the mainline. We're very pleased to be able to operate for some extra days before King Edward I leaves for the west on the 27th July.
Lastly, can I also invite anyone interested in knowing more about No. 6024 to contact Richard Abbey (tel. 01386 7016150, email: richard.a@johnearle.co.uk) or myself.
Kind Regards
Tim Watson
6024 Publicity and Publications

Subj: shed tours
Date: Sat, 15 Jun 2002 22:13:08 British Summer Time
From: "steve wright"
tony,
i doubt you'll remember this, on the 12o'clock shed tour on 8th june you had two young boys in in your party, one was tall with a black base ball cap and the other one small and cheeky, well that was me and my friend blake austen. i didn't get a chance to thank you for a very interesting tour, i had no problem understanding the technical terms you sometimes used and i explained them to blake in a simpler way. during the tour you explained to the group, using a cars gear box as an example, how the pistons on a steam engine work and how the reverser is used in connection with the pistons. i understood quite clearly what you meant, i didnt think blake did though, but on the way home he was talking about the day and he said "oh well at least i learned something today". i asked him what he'd learnt, expecting it to be something simple and about modern trains, i was very surprised when he told me in his own words [including technical words like pistons and reverser] how the pistons work in connection with the reverser, telling me that "the less steam in the pistons the faster it will go, but if you put lots of steam into the pistons you get good pulling power but can't go faster than about 20* mph". after this shock i decided to see what else he remembered, so he told me that "as you get going on your steam engine you wind the reverser back to the centre to get a mix of power and speed". All of this had come from what you told the group so i thought you might like to know, he also described some of the things he saw in the smoke box of the standard 5 and talked about what a good day he'd had.
Thanks once again for a very interesting tour of ropley locomotive shed and yard.
Steve Wright and Blake Austen

* 35-40mph ..tw          See also

Subject: MHR 9-coach day
From danesmead
Wed 5th June 2002 22:07 +0100
Tony
You asked for reaction to Saturday's 'trials'. I write as a non technical person, but one who likes to hear a steam engine working hard and I certainly did that at the Gala. I did round trips behind 92212, 34016 and the last trip of the King. I did not time them, just enjoyed the noise and power, but my friend said the 9F and Bodmin were about the same, but the King took the honours.
The 9F started very promisingly from Alton station and then slowed for the slack at the Butts, it did not seem to get away with the same gusto as it had from the station, but then got into its stride future up the bank. Bodmin took a very gentle run to the Butts, then was opened up magnificently. 34092 was known as the 'Volcano' on the main line and 34016 was following the tradition. The boiler showed its excellence by blowing off almost immediately she was opened up, but the engine seemed to be eased slightly and there followed a really good steady climb. She lost her feet once, but it was controlled beautifully and it was a treat to hear the ascent.
As a 'Southern man' it hurts a little to report that the King outshone the competition on this occasion - the loco was beautifully presented and a credit to the owning and supporting group. There was clearly great power and the crisp GWR 4 cylinder beat was marvellous. All in all an outstandingly enjoyable day. If you get the chance to sample it on the second Saturday - 8th June - do go, you will not regret it.
Finally - I thought how far the MHR has come -- from the N and the Austerity when it opened to Ropley - the Saturday performance - also with a Merchant Navy having routine boiler repairs on shed and a visiting Castle for workshop attention - excellent - very many congratulations, and thanks, to all who have it brought it about.
Best wishes
Keith Adams

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