Watercress Line - 'Autumn Steam Gala' 04/10/2024

The weekend of October 4th-6th would see the Mid-Hants Railway 'Watercress Line' host their annual 'Autumn Steam Gala' for this year, with a south-west themed line up of visiting and home-fleet locomotives. The home-fleet pair of 506 and 41312 would be joined by three visiting locomotives for the event. 6695, an ex-Swanage Railway resident now residing on the Swindon & Cricklade Railway, would venture to the Watercress Line along with 4144 from the Didcot Railway Centre. 34072 "257 Squadron" would complete the main line-up. The Bulleid pacific has been on a period of extended hire to the MHR, courtesy of Southern Locomotives Ltd. Austerity Tank - 3781 would also be in limited service, spending the majority of its time providing Driver Experience turns at Ropley. The event would feature an intensive timetable, with a range of passenger services alongside a demonstration freight set. To take advantage of the regional divide in the attending locomotives, Ropley would be treated like a busy junction station for the event, with many passenger services operating the railway in halves between Alresford and Ropley, or Alton and Ropley, in addition to a few through services. Locomotives: BR(M) Class 2MT Tank - 41312 GWR 5600 Class - 6695 Ex-NCB Hunslet Austerity Tank - 3781 Ex-LSWR S15 Class - 506 BR(S) 'Battle of Britain' Class - 34072 "257 Squadron" GWR 5101 'Large Prairie' Class - 4144 00:00 - 41312 Horse Lane 01:08 - 6695 Horse Lane 02:12 - 3781 Northside 05:00 - 506 Soke Hill 07:13 - 34072 Bighton Lane 09:06 - 6695 Bighton Lane 11:01 - 41312 Bighton Hill 12:30 - 4144 Turk Street 14:17 - 4144 Bishop's Sutton 15:11 - 34072 Horse Lane 16:12 - 6695 Northside foot crossing 17:27 - 506 Rookwood Lane 18:50 - 34072 Rookwood Lane All footage filmed on Friday the 4th of October 2024.