Life on the Watercress Line Archives - The MrT Podcast Studio MrT

Episode 31 - The Autumn Steam Gala 2019

Welcome to The Autumn Steam Gala 2019 where I see some locomotives in pristine condition and talk to people. This is being published in time for the Spring Steam Gala 2021.

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Alresford to Medstead & Four Marks:

The Gala takes place on a beautiful Autumn weekend. The railway cannot operate into Alton because a bridge is being replaced. This also means that there is no access to the mainline via the link at Alton Station.



The 2019 Autumn Steam Gala is using the Watercress Line's fleet of steam locomotives.

D8059:

The British Rail Class 20 locomotive is doing a sterling job getting the steam locomotives into the right place. It is busily going hither and thither around the Ropley tracks.



Known as 'Choppers' because, under load, they sound like like helicopters, 228 of these locomotives were built between 1957 and 1968. The locomotives weigh 73 tonnes and can deliver 1,000 HP. These locomotives worked mixed freight traffic at up to 75 mph.



D8059 entered service in 1961 and was based at depots in the Sheffield area until British Rail retired it in 1990.



You can find a video of D8059 in action at the Gala here.

Cheltenham:

Cheltenham is looking magnificent. Freshly painted and sporting the British Railways designation 30925. Cheltenham is a Richard Maunsell design and was built at Eastleigh. They are the most powerful 4-4-0s built in Europe.



The class was withdrawn in 1961 / 62 and three, including the National Rail Museum owned Cheltenham, are at heritage railways.

S15 Class number 506:

Robert Urie designed this class for the London and South Western Railway.  The L&SWR also built the Watercress Line.



The locomotive has just come back into service after a long overhaul and this is it's first Gala Weekend. The paintwork is in the style used by Southern Railway freight locomotives post 1927.



No. 506 first entered service in October 1920 and continued until January 1964. Over a million miles steamed she broke down on her way to Woodham Brothers scrap yard.



7 of the class live on in preservation.

Find out more about the Watercress Line:

To visit the Watercress Line website please follow this link to the Watercress Line.



Please consider donating to the Line at this time because over the past year  costs continued but there was very little income. To donate please click here.

Events at the Watercress Line:

You can find out more about the Day Out with Thomas, running from 29th May to the 6th June 2021 by scrolling down on this page.

About 'Life on the Watercress Line'

This podcast is also available through Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox , Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher and a href="https://vurbl.

Episode 30 - War on the Line 2019 (part 2)

Welcome to War on the Line 2019 (part 2), where I talk to a number of characters from the local community. The 2019 event commemorates 75 years since D Day.

Bomb Disposal:

The Danger Unexploded Bomb sign was often seen in the early 1940s. A UXB requires a specialist to defuse it. These people are incredibly brave. Each time they pit their wits and experience against the bomb's designer. A mistake results in a large explosion with catastrophic results.

The bomb disposal team:

The team is represented by the Army and the Royal Navy.



The Navy is here to deal with airborne mines because they have experience with mines at sea whilst the Army deals with the bombs.



We learn about the different ways of dealing with the different types of mines and bombs.



Butterfly bombs were first  used was against the people of Grimsby.  Sadly because they don't look dangerous children played with some that didn't explode immediately. The Government had to publicise their dangers in schools.

Station entertainment:

I meet May Blossom on one of the stations. I can't tell you which!



She is singing and entertaining the troops and civilians passing through the station. Such is her popularity that there is quite a crush when a train arrives and two children show how well they can jive!

The RAF Control Room:

My final interview in this episode is with one of the RAF Air Controllers. She tells me about their work guiding the RAF aircraft to their targets. They are an essential back-room team.

To view the photographs:

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Find out more about the Watercress Line:

To visit the Watercress Line website please follow this link to the Watercress Line.



Please consider donating to the Line at this time because whilst the costs continue there is no income coming in. To donate a href="https://preservation.watercressline.co.uk/news/entry/temporary-closure-and-how-you-can-help-us-continue-our-work" target="_blank" rel="noop...

Episode 29 - War on the Line 2019 (part 1)

Welcome to War on the Line 2019 (part 1), where I talk to a number of characters from the local community. The 2019 event commemorates 75 years since D Day.

The cycling Cobbler:

I talk to a shoe repairer who uses his bicycle to visit different parts of the area so that he can provide a service. I find that he has a pair if shoes for a soldier. He doesn't know where the soldier has got to. Let's hope he'll come back to pay for the repairs!

The Auxiliers:

The next person I spoke to told me about the Auxiliers. They would stay behind if there was an invasion. The idea was to be an active resistance to the invaders. They would cause disruption though their activities. Their life expectancy after an invasion was only a few weeks.



The Auxiliers had new and novel weapons including 'tommy guns' and exploding rats. There were over 3,000 very fit and extremely brave civilians in the Auxiliers. They were trained at Coleshill House in the Vale of the White Horse.



The National Trust owns the property today. You can find out more by clicking this link.

Travelling magician:

I meet a magician on the train. I am not permitted to say where it was going! Careless talk .....



The magician was keeping the passengers entertained with three pieces of 'knicker' elastic. I could not see how he joined the three pieces together with just a wave of his hand!

The Russian Army:

I meet members from our allies in the Russian Army camped at one of the stations on the line. Their tinned food supplies are of great interest to the visitors.

A hair do fit for the occasion:

My final interview in this episode is with a hairdresser. They tell me that there was a queue outside before they had set up. We all know about queuing in wartime.

To view the photographs:

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Episode 28 - Life on the Watercress Line - Watercress People (4)

Welcome to Watercress People (4), where I interview three of the many people who make the Watercress Line the great experience that it is.

Sandra Johnson

Sandra tells me that she and her husband were at a loose end, saw an advertisement and, liking steam trains, volunteered 31 years ago.



She has been manager of the very popular Watercress Belle for the last 20 years.



The chefs cook all the food is cooked from scratch in the Kitchen Car. Diners receive a four course with Silver Service. The Kitchen Car (no. 1668) is very important as they are a very hard to get hold of these days. This gives the Watercress Belle an edge over many other organisations who cannot cook food from scratch on the train.



To find out more about Watercress Belle dining please click this link.

David Mead - Regional Groups

David tells me that his role is to coordinate the regional groups. He does this by arranging meetings and getting volunteers to publicise the Watercress Line.



To find out more about the Regional Groups please click here.

Steve Crowther - Stationmaster at Alresford

Our conversation starts by talking about training days. I learn about the importance of people understanding each others roles. We continue by talking about people requiring the skills to deal with passengers with special needs.



Many of the volunteers bring specialised skills from their work and these are of great use - although Steve tells me that they've not had an opportunity to use their dentist.



Steve enjoys being in the Signal Box when there is an evening service. She also loves the Santa Specials because of the large numbers of smiling faces.



We finished by talking about her thoughts for the future.



To find out more about Alresford station click here.



Please note: there are no photographs to accompany this Podcast.

Find out more about the Watercress Line:

To visit the Watercress Line website please follow this link Watercress Line.

About 'Life on the Watercress Line'

This podcast is available on Apple Podcasts/iTunes, Deezer, Spotify and Stitcher.



AKM Music has licensed Steam Railway for use as the theme and incidental music.



© The MrT Podcast Studio 2020

Episode 27 - Life on the Watercress Line - Some Leave at Christmas (2)?

Listen to Some Leave at Christmas (2) to find out about a great way of spending  Boxing Day and the 27th December. If you'd like a break from the relatives, or just need some exercise and air, then go along to the Watercress Line and join in the fun.



Christmas Leave is where you have the opportunity to travel with servicemen and their families. Some are travelling back to base whilst others are going home for a few days.



There are many characters in Christmas Leave (2). I meet the military, the entertainer at Alresford, a black marketeer, the police and many others.



I get the opportunity to talk to some of the passengers who are out for the day. Some of the story takes place on the train and other parts at Ropley and Alresford stations.



If you've enjoyed this podcast why not visit the Watercress Line on the  26th and 27th December 2019 and take part in Christmas Leave.  You could go through your wardrobe and find your 1940s gear - then you can dress in character! There will be lots to see at the stations and a regular train service. Full details are on the Watercress Line website - click here.



Please click on a thumbnail to open the gallery:































To visit the Watercress Line website please follow this link Watercress Line.



Look out for the next episode of Life on the Watercress Line.



You can also listen to this podcast on iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Deezer, Spotify and Stitcher.



The theme and incidental music, Steam Railway, used in this podcast is licensed from AKM Music.



© The MrT Podcast Studio 2019

Episode 26 - Life on the Watercress Line - Some Leave at Christmas (1)?

Do you fancy some leave at Christmas? Would you like a break from the relatives? Need some air?



Then visit the Watercress Line for Christmas Leave, where you'll have the opportunity to travel with servicemen and their families. With Christmas just over, those who had leave for Christmas are travelling back to base. Those who were on duty over Christmas are going home for a few days.



The Home Guard are very active during Christmas Leave checking the identity cards of all the passengers. In addition they're on the lookout for suspicious people - spies, black marketeers and others. I'm a little worried though because they are helping people fill out and stamp their ID cards!



I get the opportunity to talk to some of the passengers who are out for the day. In this episode all the action takes place on the train as it is mid-Winter.



If you've enjoyed this podcast why not visit the Watercress Line on the  26th and 27th December 2019 and take part in Christmas Leave.  You could go through your wardrobe and find your 1940s gear - then you can dress in character! There will be lots to see at the stations and a regular train service. Full details are on the Watercress Line website - click here.



Please click on a thumbnail to open the gallery:























To visit the Watercress Line website please follow this link Watercress Line.



The next episode of Life on the Watercress Line is in a few weeks.



You can also listen to this podcast on iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Deezer, Spotify and Stitcher.



The theme and incidental music, Steam Railway, used in this podcast is licensed from AKM Music.



© The MrT Podcast Studio 2019