Mid Hants Railway "Pre-Spring Gala" 2018 HD

Over the second weekend of February 2018, the Mid Hants Railway ran their annual "Pre-Spring Gala", involving a mixture of home fleet locomotives and visitors. There was some bad luck in the weeks prior to the event when the visiting Black Five, no. 45231 "The Sherwood Forester", as well as no. 45379 and no. 925 "Cheltenham" from the home fleet, had to be withdrawn for maintenance. Combined with the planned second visitor being withdrawn by its home railway, it looked as though the event would have a shortage of locos, but Pannier tank no. 1501 was secured from the Severn Valley Railway, while some impressively fast work at Ropley meant that all 3 of the previously out of service locomotives were available. This gave the railway a total of 6 steam locomotives for the weekend, in addition to the Class 03 shunter, which was operating brakevan rides at Alton. I attended on the Saturday afternoon, when general light rain was present, and all day on the much sunnier, though windy, Sunday. Despite the changeable weather, I enjoyed my time at the event, and my thanks go to the Mid Hants volunteers for their hard work to make the event possible. Special credit should of course go to the dedicated teams at Ropley who worked to return "Cheltenham" and the two Black Fives to service in time for the gala. Locomotives: SR Maunsell V "Schools" Class no. 925 "Cheltenham" BR Riddles Standard Class 4MT no. 76017 LMS Ivatt Class 2MT no. 41312 LMS Stanier Class 5 "Black 5" no. 45379 LMS Stanier Class 5 "Black 5" no. 45231 "The Sherwood Forester" GWR Hawksworth Pannier 15xx Class no. 1501 BR Class 03 no. 03197 Shots included: 76017: Alton (Sat 13:15 ex-Alton) and Ropley (Sun 14:00 ex-Alton) 45231: Alresford (Sun 12:50 ex-Alresford), Hampshire Hunt Bridge (Sat 14:20 ex-Alresford), Medstead & Four Marks (Sun 11:00 ex-Alton), and Ropley (Sun 11:00 ex-Alton) 925: Medstead & Four Marks (Sat 14:00 ex-Alton), Northside Lane Crossing (Sun 16:15 ex-Alton), and Northside Lane Crossing (Sun 15:05 ex-Alresford, 76017 at rear) 1501: Alresford (Sun 13:20 ex-Alresford, vans), Ropley Outer Home Signal (Sun 14:50 ex-Alresford, freight), Ropley (Sun 11:20 ex-Alresford), Medstead & Four Marks (Sat 13:35 ex-Alresford), Hampshire Hunt Bridge (Sat 14:45 ex-Alton), Northside Lane Crossing x2 (Sun 15:30 ex-Ropley, freight), Bishops Sutton (Sun 12:30 ex-Alton), and Northside Lane Crossing (Sun 16:12 ex-Alresford, LE move) 45379: Ropley x2 (Sun 14:20 ex-Alresford) 41312: Northside Lane (Sun 15:50 ex-Alresford), Ropley Home Signal (Sun 11:50 ex-Alresford, freight), and Ropley (Sun 13:35 ex-Alresford) 03197: Alton (Sat, brakevan rides) 45231+45379: Medstead & Four Marks x2 (Sun 10:00 ex-Alresford, 1T57 recreation), Hampshire Hunt Bridge (Sat 15:30 ex-Alton), Northside Lane (Sun 15:30 ex-Alton), and Northside Lane Crossing x3 (Sun 16:34 ex-Alresford, LE move) My apologies for the wind noise and rain spots in some of the shots, as well as for the occasional vibration. Regardless, hope you e