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Mid Hants Railway Steam Gala - September 2009 Following arrival at her new base at the Mid-Hants Railway in mid-August, the Watercress Line's Autumn Steam Gala from 11th to 13th September was the first "show-case" event for Project 62 owned 0-6-0T Class 62 USA Type locomotive number 30075. At the head of a rake of two historic Bulleid coaches - numbers S4211S and S4367S - 30075 operated the Alresford to Ropley "Ropley Flier" shuttles throughout each day and is proving to be a popular addition to the fleet of resident locomotives. As well as Project 62's Class 62 USA type 0-6-0T number 30075, other locomotives operating at the Gala included recently out-shopped BR Standard Class 9F 92212; LNWR G Class "Super D" 49395; GWR 42xx Tank Locomotive 5224; A4 Class number 60019 "Bittern"; West Country Class 34007 "Wadebridge" and "Lord Nelson" number 850 (courtesy of the National Railway Museum). Static displays undergoing restoration included 34016 "Bodmin"; 34105 "Swanage"; 35005 "Canadian Pacific; LMS Black 5 number 45379; BR Standard 4MT 75079 and BR Standard 5MT 73079. Project 62's thanks go to the Directors, Staff and Volunteers of the Mid-Hants Railway for putting on three days of a really good event and for all the great assistance given to Project 62 in preparing 30075 for her first of hopefully many operations on the Watercress Line.
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 Thursday evening 10th September - 30075 in light steam at Ropley
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 Project 62 member Mike Vokes with Chairman Richard White
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 Lorens Coorevits from Belgium checks the view from the cab
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 After operation on Friday 11th -30075 still has a full head of steam!
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 Colourful sunset at Ropley behind simmering engines
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 Rangers busy themselves cleaning the motion of 30075
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 MHR volunteer from the USA John LaCosta in the cab
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 On Saturday 12th visitors even photograph our photographs!
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 30075 moves off shed for the first shuttle of the day
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 With rake of Bulleid coaches waiting to move into Ropley platform
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 30075 attracted much attention throughout the event....
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 ...but of course was not the only locomotive in service!
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 Resident locomotive "Lord Nelson" number 850....
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 ...and guest visitor "Super D" number 49395 also took part
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 Entering Alresford - Bob Deeth of the MHR catches the token
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 The "target" shows 30075 has arrived at Alresford
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 30075 on the 2 coach shuttle service at Alresford
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 Approaching Ropley with an "up" train
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 Project 62's Dave Brown peers round fireman Tom Homewood
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 Dave is working later on a new regulator handle for 30075
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All photos are copyright of Project 62 unless otherwise credited. Note to editors - please email Project 62 for high resolution versions of website images for magazine publication |
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