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Either way, it is a super little preserved line, that runs from Alresford to Alton in Hampshire, southern England.....The line is known to the engine drivers and fireman as "over the alps", because it has some very steep gradients in the climb, therefore it needs BIG engines to haul the rake of coaches .... There are several BIG steam loco`s at the shed, and they usually take it in turn to steam on the weekends.... This last weekend saw the introduction to the fleet of an engine that has been re-built and refurbished, since it last steamed over 45 years ago.... the engine is a Stanier Black Five... general purpose loco, number 45379. Also on duty this weekend, was a Serbian built 0-6-0 tank engine, that had been bought and repainted in BR colours / logo , 30075, doing a shuttle service between Ropley, and Alresford, with an observation car in tow, while the "big boys" got on with providing passenger and goods services every half hour.... The other big boys on duty were 34007 Bullied Pacific "Wadebridge" .... Number 88 on a visit from the Somerset and Dorset joint railway... .... 73096 BR standard Class 5 loco, and 92212 a Class 9F loco.....
There was so much going on, with engines being changed over, and the different services provided, that it was, without doubt, a very successful weekend for the staff..... Re-creating the whole atmosphere of how it used to be when I was a boy ..... way back in the 1950`s.....
