Club members were chuffed with their day out on Sunday 28 July to visit the Mid Hants Railway, affectionately known as the ‘Watercress Line’.
After assembling at Rownhams Services the convoy of 27 people in a smattering of MGs set off on the 20 mile road run to Ropley Station (home to the steam engineering sheds and carriage restoration unit) where reserved parking had been arranged. A group of Morris Dancers just happened to be performing on the platform so this was an added piece of entertainment.
Unfortunately due to an over-run on road works (which started in January) the stretch of the line between Medstead and Alton was still closed but there was the opportunity to hop onto one of the classic carriages and travel the 15 minutes back down the line to the market town of Alresford where most people chose to alight for lunch in one of the town’s pubs.
Afterwards it was back on board to the journey to Medstead and Four Marks at the other end of the line where there was just enough time to see a photographic exhibition before returning to Ropley.