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Tuesday 10th March 2020 Alresford SO24 0BL

Join us at the Mid-Hants Railway for a day of photography using 2MT Class No.41312 with short goods

A full day of steam photography at the Mid-Hants Railway featuring Ivatt 2MT Class No.41312 in British Railways lined black livery heading a short branch line goods train on home Southern Region territory.

£85.00

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About this event

Join us for a full day of photography at the Mid-Hants Railway featuring Ivatt 2MT Class 2-6-2T No.41312 at the head of a short mixed goods train. We will be able to travel by train throughout which is good news! The lineside is looking good at the moment with the Railway having undertaken clearance at a number of advantageous locations and our BR black-liveried locomotive should make a fine sight with a branch line goods working.

No.41312 was built at Crewe in May 1952 by British Railways to a LMS design by H G Ivatt dating from 1946-47, one of a class numbering 130 engines. The locomotive spent its entire career working in the south of England, being first allocated to Faversham, later moving to Ashford in May 1959. In January 1960, No.41312 was allocated to Barnstaple Junction to work the Torrington branch as well as Ilfracombe to Exeter services. Further moves were to Brighton in 1963 and then to Bournemouth In 1964 to work the Swanage and Lymington branch lines; in April 1967, No.41312 worked the final steam-hauled service over the Lymington Branch. After three months working out of Nine Elms Depot on shunting duties for Waterloo, withdrawal came in July 1967 as Southern Region steam reached the end of the line. The locomotive was rescued for preservation and later returned to steam under the ownership of John Jones, working its first service trains in preservation on New Year’s Day 1999. It ran a number of lighter main line rail tours in the south of England in the late 1990s as well as visiting a number of other heritage lines when not in use at the Mid-Hants Railway. The locomotive was most recently overhauled in 2016 and was purchased by the Mid-Hants Railway in 2019. It is a typical small branch line locomotive of the 1950s and 1960s, ideal for the train and period we are seeking to portray.

Our day will start at Ropley Station where we will meet at 07.30 for our customary but most important safety briefing prior to an expected 08.00 start. There is ample free parking in the public car park which is located off Bighton Hill. We will work our way along the line taking in as many good photographic locations as possible according to weather conditions on the day. We hope that the Railway’s cafe at Arlesford will be open - if not, it is only a short distance to walk to the nearby high street.

A small locomotive on a short goods train should look excellent at the Mid-Hants Railway. The engine faces chimney first towards Alton which gives us a lot of photographic opportunities. Let’s hope for some fine Spring weather to set off what should be an enjoyable day of steam photography!

Event requirements

Equipment

  • Spare batteries
  • Camera
  • Lenses
  • Tripod

Knowledge

  • All levels welcome

Fitness

  • Low

Other essentials

  • Sturdy outdoor shoes
  • Warm clothing
  • Wet weather gear

Event location