I've been waiting for this video for a few weeks. I was a volunteer on the Mid Hants in the late 1970's early 1980's. My favourite job was signalman at Alresford. The railway has changed a lot since those days when the track only ran from Alresford to Ropley when I first started as a volunteer. Relaying the track back to Medstead and Four Marks was quite a task on a wet day in the winter for the hardy souls who participated. I'm glad to see the railway has prospered. Your cab ride was delightful, brought back lots of memories for me. I'm 71 now and live in S.E. Asia.
A great video enjoyed it a lot, I'm a volunteer on the Mid Hants Railway so very good to see. I really enjoyed your visit to us and hope everyone enjoyed them selves too.
really god video, nice to see the whole line. I remember as a 6-9 year old seeing trains go to and from Alton station. The line ran down the bottom of our road, Kingsmead Alton, oh memories!!
Thank you! I never thought I'd ride the Watercress Line which I've read about. An astounding feature is how heavily-engineered, for a lesser route, the total line was: long and high embankments, cuttings. In my train travels on visits to Britain I realised that the times of my visits (winter, early spring) allowed me views through the trees, not possible on trips like this series.
Thanks Bruce. The starkly undulating nature of the countryside in mid Hampshire made it impossible to avoid huge earthworks - it was either that or not try to run a conventional railway along such a route.
Not to forget the work that goes into perfectly syncing the back can audio to these videos. Much better than silence and makes you feel like you're still there, you'd have to be very observant to notice the difference!
as a young (20s) rail enthusiast i'm not sure what's worse, having never seen these beautiful train routes commercially used, or being an older fan and have lived through Beeching's Axe!
I'm in my 40s and also didn't see them commercially used. It's worth remembering that many routes were deliberately 'run down' in the 1950s and 1960s to help ensure that they were unprofitable - so even those who lived through The Axe might not have seen these routes at their heyday. The Mid-Hants struggled on all the way up to 1973, and it still seems criminal to have closed and sold off the viable diversionary route through Itchen Abbas...
Good to see tradition carrying on with the tokens,guard only and bell for reciept...love it. Ptogramme on BBC1 about trains in uk mentioned the watercress business...was carried by canal originally,until rail came along...still does to this day....its exported to holland too. at 18:40 all those wagons,guards vans etc...used to see hundreds of them in old Roath sidings,scrap Yards in Cardiff when was kid...used to get chased off when playing in them...good old days.. Ropley cool place...guy in guards uniform with chain reminds me of my grandad he was on trains back in 30s-60s he was working on trains for 50 yrs
Another excellent video. It's possibly worth mentioning that the Southern Railway's electrified Alton line from Woking was launched on 5th July 1937 as part of their "Surrey electrification" plans. Electric trains on the main line from Woking didn't reach Winchester for another thirty years.
It was not Dr.Beaching's fault that this and other lines were closed. He was given the job by the Minister for Transport, Ernest Marples. Marples had a vested interest in closing down large sections of the rail network. He owned a company which, among other things, built roads! He has answered for it!
Absolutely, couldn't agree more. I also think that the biggest mistake connected with this was the selling off of the land. Villages in my neck of the woods are expanding then the people moving there start complaining about the lack of public transport until it is pointed out that the railway used to be where their houses are?😮😮
Great video! I've been on the MHR many times, two which was a footplate ride on the Std Five during daynight and on the 9F during darkness which was during the RAT train evening.
Lovely ride to Alresford. Too bad they closed down the line to Winchester which is only seven miles away from Alresford. Haven't noticed any wheelslip during the steep ascent towards Ropley.
Glad you liked it. It's not easy to detect wheelslip - you're listening out for variations in the audible loading of the main generator, arising from sudden changes in the amount of current the motors are pulling.
Having fired and driven 'Over The Alps' I soon got to appreciate the skills of a steam loco crew. Must have been quite a challenge when used for diversions with a heavy express!
Nice video. Having just read that the Isle of White line was terminated at Shanklin (used to go to Ventnor) due to Dr. Beeching I was surprised to learn that he can't be blamed for the Watercress Line termination at Alresford. Apparently it was BR's decision; I guess they were so cash strapped they made some strange decisions like ending the 3rd rail electrification at Bournemouth rather than Weymouth for many years and I believe seriously considering the closure of the Settle to Carlisle line.
Martindyna there was a rumour that they didn’t want to build a railway bridge over the new M3 motorway due to the cost so they cut the line at Alresford.
What a beautiful preserved railway i'm really happy this line got a 2nd chance in life for many people to enjoy thanks richard for another wonderful scenic video. ps love all of your vids,Any chance the last section of the line will ever reopen cheers bob from oz.
Hi Bob and thanks for this. The section from Alresford through Itchen Abbas to Winchester Junction is unlikely ever to reopen. Houses have been built on the formation at Itchen Abbas and in the King’s Worthy area, and the M3 motorway cuts through the course of the old line which would require significant engineering ingenuity to overcome.
@@hastingsdiesels Also, even if all of this was overcome, it would not be able to finish at Winchester station as the line through to Southampton is operating at peak capacity.....AND Winchester station has only two platforms - no terminating bay platform or any space to accommodate one. Remember that trains ran through to Southampton, the line never terminated at Winchester. So all in all it will certainly never reach Winchester. For it to do so, an entirely new station would need to be built and connections with the existing station would likely be non existent.
I think you'll find they do. Always a shame when you find that that wonderful idea wasn't as original as first thought!! This line passes close to my (very) elderly aunt. Every time a steam loco thunders past everything rattles! That's very often.
Love the full power plod upgrade. Must take some skilful driving in the wet, particularly as I don't suppose the driver would know if the rear power car was skipping.
You can't just hold the controller wide open and hope for the best - but equally, no you're right you can't tell what the back motor coach is doing... and to be fair I don't think you can fully tell what the motor bogie some 45 feet behind you is doing above the noise of the engine: but you might see some clues on the Ammeter.
Superb video, thanks. Only ever travelled on a Hastings DEMU a couple of times back in the 1970s when I bought a week's Southern Rail Rover ticket, but saw them every morning and evening at Cannon Street when I commuted in from Medway. Now, of course, I live just outside Tunbridge Wells! Much as the new EMUs have cut the journey times into London from TW, I'd love to make the journey by the DEMUs again - far more comfortable and love the wood panelling. Any plans for a visit to the Spa Valley or the Bluebell Line?
Thank you. We visited the Bluebell and Uckfield in May 2016, and don't have immediate plans for a further such outing - but we are expecting to run a railtour that will go from Hastings to London (and then on to Grain and Angerstein Wharf) in April.
I’m surprised this line hasn’t extended west in the last few years. Apart from the motorway, which could bridged, there’s nothing much else in the way.
I imagine the cost of that would be prohibitive in any case. Plus they'd need to build a new station in Winchester, and I don't suppose it would be possible to have a direct connection to Winchester mainline station.
Stapley is right at the end of old station road a housing development was built and part of the line at Kings Worthy has been infilled around the Lovedean Lane under bridge.
This now has historical value as the line is going to be shut while the contractors for the Housing Consortia smash out the brick bridge at what was the Butts Junction, next time the Hastings DEMU travels the line it will be whatever they have replaced it with for the road widening scheme at the Butts roundabout
@@nickrobson9636 Try just the base, it's visible from the French Horn side but not for much longer as the way the embankment has been clear cut suggests it's going to be another skew bridge
Yes there was an edit there. Sorry, I should have made that clear. We sat at Alton for 35 minutes, and 1125 departed only a handful of minutes after we arrived.
The signal at 28:30 is the Section Signal, which is the signal which can only be cleared for a train that is in possession of the token. Imagine there was a train half-way between Ropley and Alresford, and you now wanted to run a loco round the Down train following it (to take the loco off the front and shunt it forward, send it via the loop to the far end and then set it back to attach the loco to the other end of the train). Without being able to issue the token, you could still clear the starting signal (the one with two arms seen above & below the footbridge) and the loco could proceed *not further than the Section Signal* to carry out the run-round move. Without a separate Section Signal, nothing like this would be possible.
Walter Gualtiero it's a ratio (1:80) so the units (inches, feet, meters) do not matter. An incline of 1 in 80 will rise 1 unit vertically for every 80 units traveled horizontally. However, in the US and probably the UK, it's generally understood to be measured in feet.
No, the only section that was, was the Meon section as these were 2 separate railways, as far as I know the only connection between the 2 was at Alton and Meon trains used Platform 3 with Alresford/Winchester trains Platform 2. All the bridges etc were however built to take double track if needed.
SHOCKING - SWORN AT BY STAFF! I and some friends, all respectable adults, were looking at the 9F loco and a sign invites one to explore the cabin which we did. A loco drew up and the driver shouted "GET OFF THAT F....KING ENGINE....OI YOU HEARD GET OUT THAT F...KING CAB!" The driver was in his late middle age, grey hair , baldling , portly and very red faced. A family group, with children heard the fowl mouthed driver and all were shocked! I reported it to staff and they told me "some of them can be like that I'm afraid!" This threatening verbal abuse is never acceptable, which is why I for one, shall not be donating to their railway and have diverted my contributions to the another heritage attraction . SHOCKING!!
Sorry to hear that... but why not make the complaint to MHR, rather than to the viewers of a video produced by a completely unrelated organisation whose train happened to visit the railway in question?
Just such a slow bore these "Preserved" lines, the thing never really gets going. At least you take these units out on mainlines. This is just idling and coasting, hardly enough to keep you awake. A thumbs down for being the most boring video yet, your others have all been excellent. No accounting for taste, some people might like watching trains at 15 mph idling along... yawn.
In the first place the total distance involved is inappropriate for high speed running. Secondly, the people on the train are paying to enjoy the leisurely ride through rarely explored countryside. I am sure if you would like to donate a few thousand to MHR for the line to be upgraded to facilitate 50/60 mph running, your donation would be gratefully received. Giving a "thumbs down" simply because you personally have an aversion to slow trains seems a little childish to me.
Rowan Lidbury You obvious don't understand how preserved lines operate. Most if not all lines run under a Light Railway Order issued by the Railway inspectorate which limits the speed of trains to 25 mph maximum. The Mid Hants Light Railway order was granted by the late Major Peter Olver R.E. O.B.E.
perhaps you ought to go and watch amusing cat videos then. Alternatively, if you have nothing complimentary to say, why not say nothing? I'm sure none of us would miss your input. Bye bye.
Fascinating illustration of what a tough line to work this is. No wonder the MHR has focussed its efforts on restoring and operating large locos!
Fantastic series. Great footage and informative captions. Thank you so much for putting these up.
I've been waiting for this video for a few weeks. I was a volunteer on the Mid Hants in the late 1970's early 1980's. My favourite job was signalman at Alresford. The railway has changed a lot since those days when the track only ran from Alresford to Ropley when I first started as a volunteer. Relaying the track back to Medstead and Four Marks was quite a task on a wet day in the winter for the hardy souls who participated. I'm glad to see the railway has prospered. Your cab ride was delightful, brought back lots of memories for me. I'm 71 now and live in S.E. Asia.
Thanks for this Richard, glad to be able to show you how it looks today (err well 2017 :-) )
Love your videos here in the U.S. Really appreciate the captions. And enjoy seeing the old equipment in action.
A great video enjoyed it a lot, I'm a volunteer on the Mid Hants Railway so very good to see. I really enjoyed your visit to us and hope everyone enjoyed them selves too.
really god video, nice to see the whole line. I remember as a 6-9 year old seeing trains go to and from Alton station. The line ran down the bottom of our road, Kingsmead Alton, oh memories!!
Thankyou RG. Another gem enjoyed immensely down under in NZ. David Jeffries
Thank you! I never thought I'd ride the Watercress Line which I've read about.
An astounding feature is how heavily-engineered, for a lesser route, the total line was: long and high embankments, cuttings. In my train travels on visits to Britain I realised that the times of my visits (winter, early spring) allowed me views through the trees, not possible on trips like this series.
Thanks Bruce. The starkly undulating nature of the countryside in mid Hampshire made it impossible to avoid huge earthworks - it was either that or not try to run a conventional railway along such a route.
Lovely video, really enjoyed that. Cheers guys!
Superb footage, and well captioned, thank you so much!
always a pleasure to watch, love the trivia, dates, what was etc..
Not to forget the work that goes into perfectly syncing the back can audio to these videos. Much better than silence and makes you feel like you're still there, you'd have to be very observant to notice the difference!
as a young (20s) rail enthusiast i'm not sure what's worse, having never seen these beautiful train routes commercially used, or being an older fan and have lived through Beeching's Axe!
I'm in my 40s and also didn't see them commercially used. It's worth remembering that many routes were deliberately 'run down' in the 1950s and 1960s to help ensure that they were unprofitable - so even those who lived through The Axe might not have seen these routes at their heyday. The Mid-Hants struggled on all the way up to 1973, and it still seems criminal to have closed and sold off the viable diversionary route through Itchen Abbas...
Thank again - was looking forward to this one.
Another brilliant video! Like how we same the similar Thumper at the beginning!
Another excellent production.
Good to see tradition carrying on with the tokens,guard only and bell for reciept...love it. Ptogramme on BBC1 about trains in uk mentioned the watercress business...was carried by canal originally,until rail came along...still does to this day....its exported to holland too. at 18:40 all those wagons,guards vans etc...used to see hundreds of them in old Roath sidings,scrap Yards in Cardiff when was kid...used to get chased off when playing in them...good old days.. Ropley cool place...guy in guards uniform with chain reminds me of my grandad he was on trains back in 30s-60s he was working on trains for 50 yrs
Ooh just found this! Lovely video and have subscribed 👏😁x
Another excellent video. It's possibly worth mentioning that the Southern Railway's electrified Alton line from Woking was launched on 5th July 1937 as part of their "Surrey electrification" plans. Electric trains on the main line from Woking didn't reach Winchester for another thirty years.
Thank you, glad you enjoyed, and yes you make a good point.
@@hastingsdiesels I think it's so easy to go down the "why did the close the line" nostalgia route. But the die had been cast way back in 1937.
Yes, I can quite see this and have incorporated that sentiment into Part 5 which will be published tomorrow-thank you!
Really good. My local preserved line.
Just found this series & enjoying it very much. Those signalling lights are quite small, hard to see from distance.
Splendid . 👍🇬🇧
It was not Dr.Beaching's fault that this and other lines were closed. He was given the job by the Minister for Transport, Ernest Marples. Marples had a vested interest in closing down large sections of the rail network. He owned a company which, among other things, built roads! He has answered for it!
Absolutely, couldn't agree more.
I also think that the biggest mistake connected with this was the selling off of the land. Villages in my neck of the woods are expanding then the people moving there start complaining about the lack of public transport until it is pointed out that the railway used to be where their houses are?😮😮
Great piece of work!
Great video! I've been on the MHR many times, two which was a footplate ride on the Std Five during daynight and on the 9F during darkness which was during the RAT train evening.
Lovely ride to Alresford. Too bad they closed down the line to Winchester which is only seven miles away from Alresford. Haven't noticed any wheelslip during the steep ascent towards Ropley.
Glad you liked it. It's not easy to detect wheelslip - you're listening out for variations in the audible loading of the main generator, arising from sudden changes in the amount of current the motors are pulling.
Having fired and driven 'Over The Alps' I soon got to appreciate the skills of a steam loco crew. Must have been quite a challenge when used for diversions with a heavy express!
Nice video. Having just read that the Isle of White line was terminated at Shanklin (used to go to Ventnor) due to Dr. Beeching I was surprised to learn that he can't be blamed for the Watercress Line termination at Alresford. Apparently it was BR's decision; I guess they were so cash strapped they made some strange decisions like ending the 3rd rail electrification at Bournemouth rather than Weymouth for many years and I believe seriously considering the closure of the Settle to Carlisle line.
Martindyna there was a rumour that they didn’t want to build a railway bridge over the new M3 motorway due to the cost so they cut the line at Alresford.
@@johnchurch4705 Thanks, interesting.
What a beautiful preserved railway i'm really happy this line got a 2nd chance in life for many people to enjoy thanks richard for another wonderful scenic video. ps love all of your vids,Any chance the last section of the line will ever reopen cheers bob from oz.
Hi Bob and thanks for this. The section from Alresford through Itchen Abbas to Winchester Junction is unlikely ever to reopen. Houses have been built on the formation at Itchen Abbas and in the King’s Worthy area, and the M3 motorway cuts through the course of the old line which would require significant engineering ingenuity to overcome.
@@hastingsdiesels Also, even if all of this was overcome, it would not be able to finish at Winchester station as the line through to Southampton is operating at peak capacity.....AND Winchester station has only two platforms - no terminating bay platform or any space to accommodate one.
Remember that trains ran through to Southampton, the line never terminated at Winchester.
So all in all it will certainly never reach Winchester. For it to do so, an entirely new station would need to be built and connections with the existing station would likely be non existent.
Loved it! I sped the playback up a bit, Except for Ropley and Alresford, too much to see.
They should reintroduce regular passenger trains on the line. Have regular traffic during the week and also preservation at weekends would be an idea.
I think you'll find they do. Always a shame when you find that that wonderful idea wasn't as original as first thought!! This line passes close to my (very) elderly aunt. Every time a steam loco thunders past everything rattles! That's very often.
Love the full power plod upgrade. Must take some skilful driving in the wet, particularly as I don't suppose the driver would know if the rear power car was skipping.
You can't just hold the controller wide open and hope for the best - but equally, no you're right you can't tell what the back motor coach is doing... and to be fair I don't think you can fully tell what the motor bogie some 45 feet behind you is doing above the noise of the engine: but you might see some clues on the Ammeter.
Superb video, thanks. Only ever travelled on a Hastings DEMU a couple of times back in the 1970s when I bought a week's Southern Rail Rover ticket, but saw them every morning and evening at Cannon Street when I commuted in from Medway. Now, of course, I live just outside Tunbridge Wells! Much as the new EMUs have cut the journey times into London from TW, I'd love to make the journey by the DEMUs again - far more comfortable and love the wood panelling. Any plans for a visit to the Spa Valley or the Bluebell Line?
Thank you. We visited the Bluebell and Uckfield in May 2016, and don't have immediate plans for a further such outing - but we are expecting to run a railtour that will go from Hastings to London (and then on to Grain and Angerstein Wharf) in April.
I’m surprised this line hasn’t extended west in the last few years. Apart from the motorway, which could bridged, there’s nothing much else in the way.
I "think" there's a housing estate in Itchen Abbas around where the railway went. Which is a great shame! :(
I imagine the cost of that would be prohibitive in any case. Plus they'd need to build a new station in Winchester, and I don't suppose it would be possible to have a direct connection to Winchester mainline station.
Stapley is right at the end of old station road a housing development was built and part of the line at Kings Worthy has been infilled around the Lovedean Lane under bridge.
Darren G 😰
I think a level crossing over the M3 would be great publicity, even if a tad unpopular with motorists!
This now has historical value as the line is going to be shut while the contractors for the Housing Consortia smash out the brick bridge at what was the Butts Junction, next time the Hastings DEMU travels the line it will be whatever they have replaced it with for the road widening scheme at the Butts roundabout
Yes, that part of the line is now almost totally devoid of trees. And I think there is less of the old signal box than there used to be.
@@nickrobson9636 Try just the base, it's visible from the French Horn side but not for much longer as the way the embankment has been clear cut suggests it's going to be another skew bridge
Very nice.
Going to ride the line again one day ...I am sure of it. 8/04/2020.
0:30 Brother?
It appears that the 2 trains departed about a minute apart. Was some the footage edited?
Yes there was an edit there. Sorry, I should have made that clear. We sat at Alton for 35 minutes, and 1125 departed only a handful of minutes after we arrived.
Looks like the bridges were built for double track eg @31:10 , although not the earthworks.
When the line was first built, it was planed to double the tracks, if and when traffic demanded.
Dr Beaching has a lot to answer to.
Why are there some home signals eg @28:30 along a section of single track when the train is obviously carrying a token already?
The signal at 28:30 is the Section Signal, which is the signal which can only be cleared for a train that is in possession of the token. Imagine there was a train half-way between Ropley and Alresford, and you now wanted to run a loco round the Down train following it (to take the loco off the front and shunt it forward, send it via the loop to the far end and then set it back to attach the loco to the other end of the train). Without being able to issue the token, you could still clear the starting signal (the one with two arms seen above & below the footbridge) and the loco could proceed *not further than the Section Signal* to carry out the run-round move. Without a separate Section Signal, nothing like this would be possible.
gradient 1 inch to 80 is correct? for railway traction it's seem very hard.....am i wrong?
Walter Gualtiero it's a ratio (1:80) so the units (inches, feet, meters) do not matter. An incline of 1 in 80 will rise 1 unit vertically for every 80 units traveled horizontally. However, in the US and probably the UK, it's generally understood to be measured in feet.
by any chance does anyone know what loco that tender was from in the meon siding?
Not Specifically but i'd say it is Bulleid.
Have you taken it to the Severn Valley? That would make an interesting trip.
Yes, we did! www.hastingsdiesels.co.uk/news/articles/2010a04/
was this ever double track
Not as far as I recall, no.
No, the only section that was, was the Meon section as these were 2 separate railways, as far as I know the only connection between the 2 was at Alton and Meon trains used Platform 3 with Alresford/Winchester trains Platform 2.
All the bridges etc were however built to take double track if needed.
MHR not the most friendliest preserved line
Why?
@@gilesy6468 when I visited in 2011 their staff were rude and obnoxious and verbally abusive
SHOCKING - SWORN AT BY STAFF! I and some friends, all respectable adults, were looking at the 9F loco and a sign invites one to explore the cabin which we did. A loco drew up and the driver shouted "GET OFF THAT F....KING ENGINE....OI YOU HEARD GET OUT THAT F...KING CAB!"
The driver was in his late middle age, grey hair , baldling , portly and very red faced. A family group, with children heard the fowl mouthed driver and all were shocked! I reported it to staff and they told me "some of them can be like that I'm afraid!" This threatening verbal abuse is never acceptable, which is why I for one, shall not be donating to their railway and have diverted my contributions to the another heritage attraction . SHOCKING!!
Sorry to hear that... but why not make the complaint to MHR, rather than to the viewers of a video produced by a completely unrelated organisation whose train happened to visit the railway in question?
=
Just such a slow bore these "Preserved" lines, the thing never really gets going. At least you take these units out on mainlines. This is just idling and coasting, hardly enough to keep you awake. A thumbs down for being the most boring video yet, your others have all been excellent. No accounting for taste, some people might like watching trains at 15 mph idling along... yawn.
Well I found it interesting and I'm not even into trains. So thanks to Hastings Diesels for a interesting ride and a big thumbs down to moaning Rowan.
In the first place the total distance involved is inappropriate for high speed running. Secondly, the people on the train are paying to enjoy the leisurely ride through rarely explored countryside. I am sure if you would like to donate a few thousand to MHR for the line to be upgraded to facilitate 50/60 mph running, your donation would be gratefully received. Giving a "thumbs down" simply because you personally have an aversion to slow trains seems a little childish to me.
Rowan Lidbury You obvious don't understand how preserved lines operate. Most if not all lines run under a Light Railway Order issued by the Railway inspectorate which limits the speed of trains to 25 mph maximum. The Mid Hants Light Railway order was granted by the late Major Peter Olver R.E. O.B.E.
let's see your exciting high speed cab view then Rowan, I guess you're happy racing your Hornby HST at full speed round an oval of track then?
perhaps you ought to go and watch amusing cat videos then. Alternatively, if you have nothing complimentary to say, why not say nothing? I'm sure none of us would miss your input. Bye bye.