Footplate Experience Courses
... on standard-gauge steam
railway engines at Mid-Hants Railway
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Only at Mid Hants Railway
can you drive a steam train flat-out up long 1-in-60 gradients,
big steam loco, big hills, big excitement,
big birthday
present, driving big locomotive
- perfect for corporate
entertaining, rewards,
hospitality or team-building event
You
are in control
Continue
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Graphics
by Henry O'Dwyer
Footplate Experience Advanced
Course
Although for the Mid-Hants
Railway's Footplate Experience Advanced
Course prior footplate experience is not essential, absolute
beginners
may find they derive more benefit and enjoyment by first
taking our
Introductory Course
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The Advanced course is the
ultimate driving and firing experience with the engine working at full
regulator* over 1:60 and 1:80 gradients on the Mid-Hants Railway. (The
footplate men of old called this route 'Over
The Alps' with good cause)
As part of your day you will be
handling the controls of a powerful
steam locomotive, and your engine will be hauling a set of coaches,
just as with our normal passenger services
*Come
and hear how that sounds from the footplate!
Maria
firing the Ivatt
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You
will be paired with another participant and you will take turns to fire
and drive the locomotive, under the instruction of our crew. We hope
you will want to stay with us all day: when you are not driving or
firing you can ride in the coaches, where you may want to discuss the
route, signals and other points with the guard. You might assist with
uncoupling, coupling, taking water, and operating the ground frame
during shunting. Each round trip takes about one and half hours, and
you can book for just one round trip or two round trips (a total of 40 miles)
 (Kyoichi Oda) during his first visit
from Japan
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| Participants
must be between 16 and
75 years of age, fit, and in reasonable health, i.e. able to climb to
from the footplate by a vertical flight of steel steps from/to ground
level. We also ask that you wear the correct clothing - a stout pair of
boots or shoes is essential (trainers
are not acceptable). Overalls are also required;
we can provide these for you (f.o.c.) if you prefer. |
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Fireglow
on 9F
#92212
Photo (& linked movie): Tony Wood
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You
are in control
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Footplate
Experience
participants water Ivatt #41312 at Alton
Two
photos (5th March 2004): John Childs
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You will
find pictures and
up-to-date news of all our engines on the Loco Shed webpages.
You will understand that because these steam locomotives are
at least 45 years old they need a lot of time for maintenance, so we
cannot guarantee a specific locomotive will operate on a specific day.
For details of visiting engines which may become available,
watch for Latest News
on this website. |
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Footplate
Experience days operate on selected days in Spring and Autumn, and at
other times when schedules permit
Gift
Vouchers are available
FAQ (.xls format)
We
can
also arrange courses as a corporate hospitality event.
Please contact the Reservations Department:
reservations@watercressline.co.uk
or
call 01962-733810 between 09.00 and 17.00 on
weekdays to discuss your needs |
A teacher is one who makes himself progressively unnecessary - Thomas Carruthers
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Footplate Experience
Introductory Course
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We
also run a Footplate Experience Introductory Course
for those who
would prefer somewhat less driving and firing. Learning to
drive a powerful steam locomotive is an exhilarating experience, and
the Mid-Hants Railway offers to the inexperienced person an opportunity
to do this over one of the most demanding lines in railway
preservation.
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The
Footplate Experience Introductory Course begins with
safety
briefings
and then it's over to the steam locomotive where the participant will
drive
and crew the locomotive, spending the rest of the course on the
footplate
operating the locomotive under instruction
| Douglas
(rebuilt Class J94 0-6-0 tender engine No. 10) in Ropley MPD yard
Photo
(2nd June 2002): Malcolm Wilton
Douglas
is currently (March 2009) out of service having a new firebox and steel
tyres, so for now our Introductory Courses are on larger locos
such as Std5 #73096 or West Country Class #34007 Wadebridge
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Mike
Burke prepares Douglas for
a day of Footplate Experience (Introductory) Courses.
This
loco is currently out of service for re-tyring and firebox replacement,
so currently one of the locos listed for the Advanced
course will be used (see below)
Photo
(16th May 2002): Tony Wood
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#34016 Bodmin,
on Footplate Experience Introductory
Courses duty, waits in Medstead
& Four Marks goods yard for a service train to pass
Two
photos (24th May
2006): Steve Walters (M4M station staff)
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Participants must be between 16
and 75 years of age,
fit, and in reasonable
health, i.e. able to climb to from the footplate by a vertical flight
of
steel steps from/to ground level. The participant will also need to be
correctly
dressed with stout boots or shoes, and overalls for protection, as the
footplate
can be very hot and dirty. We can loan a pair of
overalls (free of charge)
if you let us know in advance, but not shoes.
N.B.
Trainers are not acceptable.
Our instructors cannot permit anyone to take part
in this course
without the correct safety wear.
Note
please that no
guests can be conveyed,
but Alresford
is a delightful Georgian
town to
explore or shop (no chain stores!)
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Deborah in control
of Ivatt #41312
Neil Davis monitors
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Gift
Vouchers are available
FAQ (.xls format)
In preparation for your big
day, you might want to look at
this page about how a steam loco works
We
can
also arrange courses as a corporate hospitality event.
Please contact the Reservations Department:
reservations@watercressline.co.uk
or
call 01962-733810 between 09.00 and 17.00 on
weekdays to discuss your needs |
23rd April 2009:
Advanced FPX participants on St George's Day
Photo (Alresford, 23rd April 2009): Tim Beere
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From: Fran Hampton
Sent: 18 October 2008 19:11
Chris Hughes and Mike Hampton having a lunch break on the 15th Oct 2008 Bittern driving experience.
Many thanks to all concerned for a brilliant day !
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FPX
Introductory Course with Bodmin
pauses
mid-afternoon at a deserted Medstead & Four Marks station.
Instructors: Tom Turner and Mike Burke
Photo (5th October 2005):
Tony Wood
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BR Standard Class 5 #73096 on Introductory Footplate Experience
duty waits at Medstead & Four Marks station for the service
train to pass. Time enough for a cup of tea
Photo (14th September
2005): Steve Walters
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Rebuilt West Country Class Bodmin on
Introductory Footplate Experience duty arrives at the cattle dock,
Alresford
Photo (8th September
2005): David Stonor
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Poor Douglas
#10 has a slipped tyre and is 'stopped'
Footplate
Experience
(Introductory) courses on 4th May 2005 were on Bodmin.
Here are that morning's students: three very
happy bunnies!
Photo (4th May
2005): Tony Wood
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Footplate
Exp. (Adv): Mike Pearson explains how Bodmin
works.
Photo
(10th November 2000): Tony Wood
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Footplate
Experience (Advanced) on #34016 Bodmin.
Charles concentrates on the vacuum gauge on the run down from Medstead
to Ropley after dark. Note AWS showing train currently under 'caution'
signals.
Photo
(6th November 2000): Tony Wood
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| Tony
Wood and Keith Loughlin take a short break
from
instructing on Footplate Experience (Intro) courses on U-Class #31625
(in disguise as 'James'*)
Photo
(10th April 2002): Brian Simmons
* © Gullane
(Thomas) Ltd 2000
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A Mid-Hants Railway
Footplate
Experience is an amazing and
unforgettable day - just ask someone
who's
been.
Many of our new friends return to repeat the exercise on different
steam
engines
In preparation for your big
day, you might want to look at
these pages
Sample
Footplate Rides
How
to get to the Watercress
Line
A teacher is one who makes himself progressively unnecessary - Thomas Carruthers
Copyright
© 2002 - 2007: Mid-Hants Railway Ltd
