Mid-Hants Railway Loco Shed

Recent News

Recent News from Ropley Motive Power Depot: showing work-in-progress of interest to the steam railway enthusiast
Reports and photos by your webmaster, or by others where acknowledged

Follow our restoring of heritage steam engines from Barry wrecks to high performance, mainline certified steam classics

Three rebuilt Bulleid Pacifics in Ropley yard Photo (24th April 2005): Henry O'Dwyer
#34045 Ottery St Mary (aka Taw Valley) stays until its next Cathedrals Express run (11th May). There are no plans to run it on MHR service trains

7th May 2005 :

Steam crane DS58 was in service at Ropley today, mainly to raise the end-panel of the Boiler Dept shed.

It was of course collared for a few other minor tasks - 'while you're here'

Three photos (all 7th May 2005): Tony Wood

4th May 2005 :

Big doors stayed locked shut today whilst Duncan put the finishing gloss on BCK (Brake Composite Corridor) coach #W21236

"I don't want dust blowing in, so you'll just have to use the little door the other end", he said.

Update photo (11th May 2005): Tony Wood

Three photos (all 4th May 2005): Tony Wood

29th April 2005 :

Neil Davis and Frank Boait offer up the left trailing axlebox to a blue-ed axle.
Neil scrapes the high spots. The process is repeated until the fit is good

Three photos (29th April 2005): Ray Sully

28th April 2005 : Keith Loughlin grinding-in Bodmin's clack valves
With its new concrete floor laid by Andy and Spud (last week), and its machinery ready for wiring in (next week), the Boiler Dept shed is looking good:
Four photos and two movies (all 28th April 2005): Tony Wood

25th April 2005:

Bittern's boiler was moved to the Boiler Dept at Ropley today. This, and the replacement of the firebox on Thomas's boiler will keep them busy for some time, even without their routine maintenance work

Restoration of Gresley A4 #60019 Bittern