The weekend of 16th-18th October would see the Mid-Hants Railway 'Watercress Line' host their annual 'Autumn Steam Gala' for this year, and in doing so becoming the first heritage railway to hold a steam gala on the English mainland post-lockdown.
The event ran with the theme of "The Pines Express", a prestigious express service that operated between Manchester and Bournemouth over the route of the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway. The 'Pines Express' last ran over the S&D in 1962 before being diverted over alternative routes, and finally concluding in 1967.
Visiting for the Gala, Stanier 'Jubilee' Class - 45596 "Bahamas" made its first trip to the south in preservation, visiting from its base at the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway. The gala also marked the relaunch into service of 7F Class - 53808, making its public debut as a member of the Watercress Line's homefleet. The 7F was recently transferred to the MHR from the West Somerset Railway courtesy of the locomotive owning group; the Somerset and Dorset Railway Trust.
Passengers were restricted to travel in a single coach set of three available, to prevent cross-contamination. As such, locomotives were exchanged on services at Ropley, to ensure those travelling got the chance to have every running loco for haulage. Among the passenger services, a demonstration freight service was operating between Alresford and Ropley.
Locomotives:
Ex-LMS 'Jubilee' Class - 45596 "Bahamas"
Ex-LSWR S15 Class - 506
BR Standard Class 4MT - 76017
BR(M) Class 2MT Tank - 41312
Ex-S&DJR 7F Class - 53808
Alongside the 5 locomotives in regular service, Austerity Tank - 3781 was also in operation, carrying out shunting demonstrations within the station limits at Ropley. In addition, Ex-SR V 'Schools' Class - 30925 "Cheltenham" was kept in light steam on shed at Ropley, acting as reserve in case of a loco failure.
All footage filmed on Friday the 16th of October 2020.
Негізгі бет Watercress Line - 'Autumn Steam Gala' 16/10/2020
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