Railway General Knowledge.

[martinsh]

I don't think it's class 47. I'm trying to think of classes with "gaps" in my old 1970s Combined Volume. I'm thinking class 08 or 24.

 

[Gloster]

Class 47? May we have a clue about the location?

Not class 47, although one was involved in the 1969 accident; that is almost twice the bonus answer. It was a location where trains to London could leave in opposite directions.

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

24 or 25? New Street Birmingham or Nottingham or Chester?

 

[Gloster]

24 or 25? New Street Birmingham or Nottingham or Chester?

A little more exact, please.

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

No idea really, just guessing, but trains to London go either way from Exeter St Davids too. Class 25, if I have to choose, I think there were more of them.

 

[Gloster]

Well, nobody seems to have come up with the fully correct answer. The two accidents took place at Chester and it was members of Classs 24 that suffered. In the first a Class 47 hauled Birkenhead-Etruria iron-ore train ran away and ran into the depot (the points had been set for a light-engine movement), damaging a number of locos. In the second a goods train from Ellesmere Port via Helsby ran away and collided with a DMU in one of the east end bays; a subsequent fire was highly destructive.

LSWR Cavalier mentioned both location and class in his answers, so he should set the next question.

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

Thanks very much

Some questions about the Watercress Line:

Why should one not forget the prefix 'New' when getting a through ticket to New Alresford?

Why was the line closed at the Alton end for several months recently?

What unusual event, not involving running trains, is held in February?

What cheeky little engine lives at Ropley since 1994?

What are the names of the two dining-car trains on the line?

 

[Gloster]

Because it is not the only Alresford. There is, I think, one in Kent and another in Essex (possibly).

A new bridge over the main road near the Butts roundabout.

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

@Gloster Yes, there is an "Alresford" in Essex, with a station. Aylesford is in Kent apparently. The line was closed so an access road to hundreds of new homes in Alton could be built.
Deux Points

 

[Cowley]

Thanks very much

Some questions about the Watercress Line:

Why should one not forget the prefix 'New' when getting a through ticket to New Alresford?

Why was the line closed at the Alton end for several months recently?

What unusual event, not involving running trains, is held in February?

What cheeky little engine lives at Ropley since 1994?

What are the names of the two dining-car trains on the line?

Febuary - Is that when they do an annual ‘walk the line’ for charity maybe?

I believe that’ll be Thomas, but they’ve also had various other characters over the years including: D199, the black shunter - Diesel, a converted Austerity Tank 0-6-0 ‘Douglas’ and 2 x James.
I’m going with Thomas though because you said ‘cheeky’.

The two dining trains are the Watercress Belle and The Countryman.

 

[DerekC]

The line was closed so an access road to hundreds of new homes in Alton could be built.

Being a pedant, strictly speaking the line was closed so that the existing A339 underbridge (a narrow brick arch) could be replaced by a new steel plate girder bridge with a much wider span, allowing two way traffic underneath and permitting a roundabout to be built adjacent to it. The increased traffic to the new homes was the rationale for the work, but the access road goes off the A339 at a second (new) roundabout about 100 yards further south.

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

@DerekC
Thanks for the clarification. I did think of asking about the PPMP Parry People Mover Project, but that would have been another complicated question.

@Cowley got the most answers right (sponsored walk, Thomas Engine, WCB +CM) and may set the next question.

Britt Allcroft© instructed MHR staff to talk about "The Thomas Engine©", not "Thomas". The first authentic replica Thomas, unveiled in 1994, was a rebuilt Percy.

While checking the answers I saw that smart dress is required on the dining trains. I should have to buy trousers if I wanted to dine, for I only have jeans!

 

[Cowley]

Well I should have known those answers really because I sometimes did the washing up on the Belle and I helped paint some of the Countrymen coaches...

OK, sticking to the theme then:
Always home to a number of Bulleid Pacifics, the Mid Hants in the 1991 to 1993 period had 4 ex Barry scrapyard survivors on the line.

Two of them had steamed since arrival.

Two of them hadn’t steamed by that point but have since gone on to work railtours on the mainline.

Two of them were ‘rebuilt’ members of the class.

Two of them were ‘unrebuilt’

Can you list the four Bulleids?

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

Swanage, unrebuilt?

 

[Cowley]

Swanage, unrebuilt?

That’s one.
Three to get.
34105 Swanage was the only one that was operational at that time.

 

[EbbwJunction1]

Eddystone, unrebuilt?

 

[Cowley]

Eddystone, unrebuilt?

Afraid not.
Clue time I think. Of the three that are left the two that were unrestored at the time have been regular mainline performers in the last few years and weren’t restored at the Mid Hants.
The other one was the Mid Hants flagship loco in the late 80s but is actually named after a station on a different preserved railway...

 

[Gloster]

Bodmin?

 

[Cowley]

Bodmin?

Yes. Bodmin was the flagship loco in the late 80s @Gloster.

Two still to get (god knows how I’m going to allot a winner here).

 

[xotGD]

xxx Squadron?

 

[Cowley]

xxx Squadron?

No I’m afraid. You’ve taken a punt there @xotGD and I admire the attempt, but I’m sticking to my guns with this one...

 

[Gloster]

If that is a clue, then Anti-Aircraft Command.

 

[Cowley]

If that is a clue, then Anti-Aircraft Command.

Yes. 35035 ‘Let’s make love not war’...

No. Come on @Gloster?

Two to get, and they’re both well known current or recent mainline registered locos.
I’m banging my head against the wall here!

 

[EbbwJunction1]

Clan Line? Peninsula & Oriental Steam Navigation?

 

[Loppylugs]

I took a picture in 1993 of 34072 (unrebuilt) double-heading with 34105 on the Mid-Hants but have a feeling it may have been a "guest". Anyway, will try 34072 and possibly rebuilt Braunton, plus unrebuilt Tangmere.

 

[Cowley]

Clan Line? Peninsula & Oriental Steam Navigation?

Neither of those I’m afraid but...

I took a picture in 1993 of 34072 (unrebuilt) double-heading with 34105 on the Mid-Hants but have a feeling it may have been a "guest". Anyway, will try 34072 and possibly rebuilt Braunton, plus unrebuilt Tangmere.

@Loppylugs is correct with 34067 Tangmere.
One left and it wasn’t a light pacific...

 

[Loppylugs]

One left and it wasn’t a light pacific...

In that case, eliminating what has already been discounted, that leaves a choice of about three that have been on the main line. Not going to hog them all so will plump for 35005 Canadian Pacific.

 

[Cowley]

In that case, eliminating what has already been discounted, that leaves a choice of about three that have been on the main line. Not going to hog them all so will plump for 35005 Canadian Pacific.

No not that one, although it was based there later for a while I seem to remember.

 

[xotGD]

City of Wells?

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

Port Line?