Cross Country to Alresford - The Mid-Hants. Railway
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Today's Mid-Hants Railway trains run over a ten mile section of line which once formed a secondary and important diversionary route. It provided an alternative passage for traffic in the event of problems or engineering work on the Waterloo to Southampton main line. Often referred to throughout its history by locomen as a journey "Over the Alps", the line's 1 in 60 gradients to either side of the midpoint at Medstead and Four Marks station provided a stern test for crews and locomotives alike. After preparation of the infrastructure and acquiring rolling stock, the first train in preservation days ran between Alresford and Ropley on 30 April 1977 following purchase direct from British Rail. Even though the trackbed had been purchased by the MHR to a point just short of Alton, BR acted rapidly in lifting the trackwork to the east of Ropley. As a result it wasn't until 1985, after a further eight years of fund raising and hard work, that the ultimate goal of running trains to Alton to link with the national system, was finally achieved. This video discusses the line's history and examines the stations along its surviving section. Trains are seen at work hauled by both diesel and steam motive power including:- `Peak' class 45 No 45 132, `S15' No 30506, `U' class No 31625, BR Standard 5 No 73096, Ivatt tank No 41312 and visiting 9F No 92212. |
£12.95 |
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Format: PAL DVD -R 4:3| Region: 0 | Reference No: CMV 7028 | Running Time: Approx. 55 Minutes | |
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