EddieB Posted May 4, 2014 Share Posted May 4, 2014 An item in "Steam Railway" a few months ago announced that the LSWR/Adams "Radial Tank" from the Bluebell Railway is intended to be a static centrepiece at the commemoration of the 150th Anniversary of the Shepperton branch later this year. From what I can glean, there appears to be a provisional plan to hold an event on 7th September, with a special train service running between Kingston and Shepperton with either a preserved 4VEP or 4COR set, various vintage buses and 4-4-2T 488 put on display at Hampton station. Any further details and confirmation of whether the event is going ahead and whether these elaborate plans are for just one day only would be welcomed. (Here is the most informative page I can find, but with the latest update from last October it is unclear whether any progress has been made since: http://hamptonpn.ning.com/forum/topics/150th-anniversary-of-the-shepperton-branch-2014). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul.Uni Posted May 4, 2014 Share Posted May 4, 2014 Just found this website about the event http://www.hamptontransportgala.co.uk/ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Oldddudders Posted May 4, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 4, 2014 Just found this website about the event http://www.hamptontransportgala.co.uk/ The name right at the bottom is familiar, a career railwayman, workaholic and former mate. Specialises in promoting local businesses in that area, I think, these days, and no doubt has contacts in the rail industry as well. Unlikely not to be well-planned. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
slilley Posted May 4, 2014 Share Posted May 4, 2014 A railway preservation group I am involved with has made enquiries about sales stand space there. Rgds Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NXEA! Posted May 4, 2014 Share Posted May 4, 2014 I had heard about the 4 VEP working at this event a while ago. Also on the Twitter account there was a cryptic tweet about work on the set to start soon. It's 4 months away now, I wonder if that's enough time to send it to Eastleigh for a repaint, GSMR, OTMR and CDL? Quite a long list of jobs. IIRC when Bruce Knights was restoring 1881 he had the OTMR equipment designed/made specially for a slam-door EMU, I wonder if the same design could be used for 3417? Time will tell I suppose! If 3417 returns I'll be buying a rover ticket for the day! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xerces Fobe2 Posted May 5, 2014 Share Posted May 5, 2014 As an aside the Class 501 Beastie once visited Shepperton to recover a errant new 465 or 466 under test. I wonder if any photos of this exist and if they might appear at the event. Happy to bring my model of the Beastie + 466 to the event if any one is interested? XF Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold colin penfold Posted May 5, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 5, 2014 Thanks for flagging this up. This branch was a big part of my childhood having lived at Shepperton from age 6-13 and Hampton from 13-18. I used to get the train to school, to go shopping in Kingston and later to work. The 725 Green line was the first leg on many a golden rover day out too. I shall have to try and make the long trek from Norfolk for this event. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Titan Posted May 5, 2014 Share Posted May 5, 2014 As an aside the Class 501 Beastie once visited Shepperton to recover a errant new 465 or 466 under test. I wonder if any photos of this exist and if they might appear at the event. Happy to bring my model of the Beastie + 466 to the event if any one is interested? XF Ah the things that Strawberry Hill used to get away with when commissioning the Networkers!! They had a 'Notworker Rescue' Headboard painted up - I wonder if they put it on the Beastie before they sent it out? They also had a home made adapter which attached to the electrical connections below the tightlock on a networker, with a cable and jumper that would plug in to a Class 455 and allow the 455/465 to actually work in multiple! Although this was strictly for rescue purposes only, and there was quite a bit of stuff that would not work - doors being one example, but I think they managed brakes and traction at least. The 'Notworker Rescue' Headboard often being carried by the 455. They had a test path between normal service trains which was mainly used for Networker commissioning. There were marker boards erected along the branch for this purpose for brake testing - The brakes would be applied at the first marker, and a little farther on there were marker boards at close intervals with the distance on them, so when the train stopped you looked at the distance on the nearest marker board to get the stopping distance. There were a load of weights stacked on the disused platform at Shepperton, and if you were doing any 'crush laden' tests the Networker would be signaled into that platform, and whilst the next service train came and went in the other platform you stacked the weights inside the train in preparation for the test. Now at Strawberry hill you had at least one Driver available for these test trains, and on one occasion we had a couple of withdrawn DEMU cars coupled back to back in the yard and it was a quiet day so...we started them both up, told the signaler we were taking a test train out, and gave them a damn good thrashing to Shepperton and back! Must have surely smashed any 0-75mph record any DEMU ever had! I think if you were doing it in a car it would have been called joy-riding... There were some smashing blackberry bushes at the back of the depot in the summer! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold colin penfold Posted May 5, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 5, 2014 Yep, and this happens Also, the majority of sightings of VEP type units on the branch were in conjunction with the regular flooding of Fulwell Tunnel and they had a 33 attached to get them through the tunnel while the juice was off. Perhaps they should get a Crompton for the day and reproduce that Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dibber25 Posted May 5, 2014 Share Posted May 5, 2014 Recovery well on the way by the time these pics were taken. The final resting place of the 508 was against the traffic light which it knocked askew. Quite funny, because the traffic lights already had a 'lights not working' notice on them. The crane operation was brilliant as the crane rotation was restricted by the Ian Allan offices on both sides of the line and very close to the track, while the jib lift was restricted by the footbridge which linked the two buildings. There was red paint from the crane on the walls afterwards but it was a masterfull piece of crane operating. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xerces Fobe2 Posted May 5, 2014 Share Posted May 5, 2014 The 50skate! XF Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
roythebus Posted May 7, 2014 Share Posted May 7, 2014 ISTR the driver of the flying 508 was Ed Griffiths of Wimbledon Park. He was ex KX 2nd man; he took my place on the roster at KX with Driver Ron Birch. It was also rumoured that a Black 5 was at Strawberry Hill for a railtour in the 1980s. That reportedly had a nocturnal "test train" session to Shepperton several times. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher125 Posted May 7, 2014 Share Posted May 7, 2014 ...with a special train service running between Kingston and Shepperton with either a preserved 4VEP or 4COR set. While the 4VEP is a possibility, unfortunately it's hard to see the 4COR returning to the mainline at all let alone in a few months time - I don't think they've even got a full set ready for loco haulage at the EKR yet. Chris Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold colin penfold Posted May 7, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 7, 2014 The VEP would be OK but (correct me if im wrong) I don't think the COR would have appeared on the branch Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
EddieB Posted August 31, 2014 Author Share Posted August 31, 2014 A little quiet as the day draws nearer, but it looks as though the event is still going ahead, but I can't find mention of the special train service (other than normal SWT services on diversion?): http://www.hamptontransportgala.co.uk/index.php http://www.visitrichmond.co.uk/thedms.aspx?dms=3&feature=1001&venue=3517050 I'll try to mke some enquiries as to when and how long the Radial Tank are scheduled to be at Hampton. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomstaf Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 Hmm, well it's not been publicised at the stations. Didn't see any posters at Teddington (2 stops along the line) today, this is the 1st I heard about it. Nice little idea, but I'd be amazed to see heritage stock out when normal service trains are running. Cheers Tom Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
EddieB Posted September 1, 2014 Author Share Posted September 1, 2014 Ok, I have an update from the organiser (who from the above appears to be Ian's former contact). They were unable to run heitage trains, but the event will be served by twice-hourly SWT services from Waterloo to Shepperton (via Twickenham), with four 485/5 units doubling as ten-car sets. The Bluebell loco and coach will be arriving in the small hours of Sunday morning and returning soon after the event. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-eu73MG-1A&feature=youtu.be Edit: Youtube link added. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TEAMYAKIMA Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 Yes, it's definitely going ahead this Sunday, Sept 7th. Yes, there will be local model railway clubs with working layouts (small) and static displays. Yes, 488 plus a vintage coach will be there from the Bluebell Yes, it's FREE .. but with a handbook souvenir guide sold for charity There is stuff about it on the internet - I'll try to post a link later Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TEAMYAKIMA Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 If you're interested in local West London railways then Twickenham & District MRC's new TWICKENHAM JUNCTION will be of interest. May The club will have two static boards on display at Hampton along with (no doubt) their research material : photos, drawings etc. This photo shows the group displaying at Acton (LT) depot back in May 2013 .... it shows the highly accurate buildings made for the layout .... come down and view progress and discover the 'old Twickenham'. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
EddieB Posted September 8, 2014 Author Share Posted September 8, 2014 Definitely a well planned and well organised event. The star of the show was definitely the Adams Radial Tank and restored L&SWR carriage from the Bluebell Railway, which arrived in Station Road, Hampton on the backs of two low loaders in the early hours of yesterday (Sunday) morning. Both exhibits remained on the low loaders throughout the event, before returning to the Bluebell in the evening. A platform was constructed over the pavement to allow visitors to board the carriage and the locomotive cab. Also in Station Road were a collection of historic buses, while other vintage buses were operating shuttle services to and from the event. Whenever I've visited the Bluebell, it seems the Radial has always been inside the shed and crammed in by other locomotives, so I was pleased to be able to see it out in the open. Surely an ideal prototype for an RTR model. The event was well attended, most of the visitors appearing to be from the local area. One of the shops in Station Road looked familiar, but things aren't always as they seem! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold colin penfold Posted September 8, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 8, 2014 IMG_4097.jpg One of the shops in Station Road looked familiar, but things aren't always as they seem! IMG_4123.jpg Blimey can't believe he's still there! I lived next door to that shop in the Regent newsagents 35 years ago. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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