Mid- Hants runs Covid- 19 training ahead of return
THEcampaigntoreunite thetwo heritage eraGreat Central railways has takenanother leap forward with £ 170,000bankedtowards thenext phase ofwork.
Already £ 3 million has been spent onanew bridge over the MidlandMain Line at Loughborough and restoring the existing heritage bridge over the canal. The next twobridges to be built, across a local factory car park and road, will cost a further £ 3 million.
Reunifying the GCR with the GCR ( Nottingham) will create an 18- mile heritage main line in the heart of the UK.
Andy Fillingham, chairman of the Friends of the GreatCentral Main Line, said:“We’re delighted and humbled in such uncertain times thatpeople have chosen to support Reunification. It isabig vision and requires a lot of support fromthewhole railway community. Weremain so grateful and indeed, it is only with everyone’s help this can happen.”
Meanwhile, online talks to promoteReunification have becomeapopular fundraiser themselves. Broadcaster and journalist TomIngall has been hosting 75- minute, fully illustratedpresentations using the video call programme Zoom. People subscribing to watchhavenow contributed thousands of pounds to the appeal. Another talk has now been announced for Sunday, July 28, with the online meeting opening at7pmand the talk commencing at 7.15pm.
Support
AS partof its preparations for reopening, the Mid- Hants Railway ( MHR) operateda coronavirus trainingweekend on June 20/ 21. Systemswere tested and staffwere familiarised in the revised methods ofworking in accordance with guidance fromthe ORR( Office of Rail and Road), the industry’s safety regulator.
“The reasoning was two- fold – a refresh of competencies and to get staff back into the swing of things, but also to have a dry run ‘ behind closed doors’ for some of the measures we’re putting in place for Covid- 19,” Richard Bentley, operations manager told Heritage Railway.
“That includes for example, cleaning regimes and working out what issues social distancing will cause us – primarily from a staffing perspective.
“Feedback from the staff indicated the opportunity to get a feel for it without the presence of the public was welcomed, so that when we do reopen on Saturday, July 11, they’ve got the confidence to knowwhat they’re going into.
Competency
“Thankfully, wedidn’tnotice any skill fade. We’re fortunate froma competencyperspectiveasweran quitean intensiveservice inFebruary for the reopening of the Alton- Medstead section and our Flying Scotsmanevent. Almost all our staff have carried out a duty this year.
“We’ve been running Class 47 No. 47579 James Nightall G. C. twice aweek throughout lockdown on different days at varying times to keep track circuits clear and to deter trespass and vandalism. It’s reminded the public that the railway is very much alive. Undoubtedly, it’s kept us in a better place – we’ve weedkilled the track and flailed sections of the lineside too.”
A two- train service ran on both days of the training weekend. Class 50 No. 50027 Lion worked three round trips starting from Alton. BR 2MT 2- 6- 2T No. 41312 ran three round trips from Alresford and Thomas ( Hunslet 0- 6- 0T No. 3781 of 1952) operated three return journeys from Alresfordwith a short goods comprising three box vans and two brake vans.
Richard added:“A lot of goodwill was generated. Local residents posted positive feedback on social media to the effect that it was nice to see the railway running.”
Turning to what formpublic services will take when they recommence, Richard said:
“We’ve had to adapt to meet the rules. We hope we’ll be seen as primarily an outdoor attraction and it’s somewhere safe to come. Reassurance is key.
“Passengers will be required to prebook, with allocated seating onboard. In aTSO carriage, alternate tables will be blocked off to maintain the distance and we’ll run whatever compartment stock we have available.
“It will be a case that you’re on a set train with an itinerary to follow for the day. We will aim to offer a trip and time round and a 45- minute layover at Ropley. It’s not a full guided tour, but an itinerary.
Motive power
“We’ll runacouple of those trips from eitherend, with cleaning in between. When the train returns to its originating point, passengerswill leave, then there’s agap beforethe next group arrives, whenaheavy clean will be undertaken, ready for the nextdeparture.”
As for motive power, steam diagrams will initially be worked by No. 41312 and BR 4MT 2- 6- 0 No. 76017. Urie S15 No. 506 is currently stopped for a washout and annual exam. Also available for traffic are No. 925 Cheltenham and Thomas.
Diesel diagrams will be handled by No. 50027, with Class 20 D8059 also available for traffic as required. No. 47579 is now stopped for maintenance for a few weeks.