Mid-Hants Railway 40 Years of galas 1984-2024
Notes of Contents
The Mid-Hants Railway Watercress Line is nearing 50 year’s in operation from its early services along the three miles to
Ropley and then extending to Medstead & Four Marks in 1983 followed by the full 10-mile railway opening between
Alresford and Alton in May 1985. This DVD programme celebrates 40 years of galas and special events which have
taken place using archive video material between 1984 and 2024. We see dozens of locomotives both steam and
diesel at work during Spring and Autumn events plus some extra special ones in between.
This 2-disc set totals 2 hours and 46 minutes of footage. You can speed forward to any section using your
DVD player remote control if you wish to!
Contents Include
Disc One
* T9 No. 30120 at Alresford followed by the re-opening train from Alton on 25th May 1985 with N Class No. 31874. plus Nos.
76017 and 34016 Bodmin.
* March 1986 – BBC Filming with Donald Beale and Peter Smith on 34016 Bodmin.
* Autumn 1987 gala with 34105 Swanage, Met No. 1 and Hampshire DEMU 1106.
* May 1988 first occasion with two Bulleid Pacifics double heading – 34016 and 34105 plus Nos.120 and 506
both now in SR green livery.
* June 1988 showing NRM’s M7 No. 245 double headed with T9 120 from Alton to Ropley with both
footplate and lineside sequences.
* May 1993 with two unrebuilt Bulleids together – Nos. 34105 and 34072.
* April 1993 with a Spring Diesel Gala – Three Class 50s, 50007, 50026, 50027 plus Class 27 D5353, 37220,
D9019 Royal Highland Fusilier and 50031.
* October 1993 Autumn Steam Gala with Nos. 73096, 70000 Britannia, 92203 and 34105.
* February 1994 Gala – Nos. 76017, 92203 and first LMS type on the line, Jubilee 5593 Kolhapur.
* July 1994 Gala – Nos. 7029 Clun Castle, 35005 Canadian Pacific, 34105, 30506 and S160 3278.
* March 1994 Diesel Gala – BR 37892 Ripple Lane, D7018, D5353, 33116, 47004 (D1524) Old Oak Common and
newly restored Class 45 132.
* February 1996 Somerset & Dorset Railway Gala. Featured Nos. 73096 in green (numbered 73054), 92203 and
34105 (as 34041 Wilton).
* September 2003 with 34081 92 Squadron, 80104 and Birch Grove.
* July 2007 40th Anniversary of End of SR Steam with 35005 (as 35008), 41312 and 34007.
* September 2010 No. 60163 Tornado in BR Apple Green.
* October 2011 Autumn gala with N2 1744, 31806,92212, 70000, 60163 Tornado, 60019 Bittern
(running as 4492 Dominion of New Zealand), 850 Lord Nelson and 34007 Wadebridge.
* September 2012 Steam Gala featuring 73096, S&D 88, 92212, 34007, 45379, Class 37 905 and DEMU.
* April 2013 Diesel Gala Nos, D9009, 20 087, D1501, TC 3417 and 33 109.
TIME FOR TEA AND CAKE!
Disc Two
* March 2014 Gala with Nos. 35028 Clan Line, 34007, 925, 850, 92212, 31806 and Met No. 1.
* October 2014 Gala – GWR tank 1450, 5029 Nunney Castle, 4270, 6960, 92212 and 45379.
* Summer 2014 with Nos. 925 Cheltenham (Eastleigh Works and at MHR) , 850, 5322, 34007 and 34051 Winston Churchill.
* February 2016 visiting T9 No. 30120 plus 41312, 30541, 92212 and 34007 Wadebridge.
* July 2017 featuring Nos. 41312, 34053 Sir Keith Park, 34081 92 Squadron, 76017, 80078, 34007 ( static as 34019 Bideford).
* January 2019 with Nos. 41312 and 92212 last trains over the old Butts bridge.
* June 2019 launch of Urie S15 No. 506
* March 2019 Alresford to Medstead only. Nos. DS238/30070, L92 and 41312.
* February 2020 – opening of new Butts bridge with 60103 Flying Scotsman.
* October 2020 Steam Gala with Nos. 45596 Bahamas, 506 and 53808.
* April 2021 Gala GWR engines, Nos. 5526, 4612 plus 506 and 925 Cheltenham.
* April 2022 Gala – freight engines Nos. 48305, 2857, 53808 and 506.
* October 2023 Gala – Nos. 53808, Kilmersdon, Coal Tank 1054, Fenchurch, 5239, Saddle Tank 401.
* October Steam Gala 2024 – Nos. 34072 257 Squadron, Crane demonstration and D8059.
