STAFF BRIEFING

Summer Fayre 25th & 26th July 2015

The Summer Fayre event is part of Hampshire Fare’s Food Festival throughout the month of July. The aim of the event is to tell our story as a rural goods line transporting local foods, including watercress of course, and promoting the wealth of rural foods we still have in Hampshire today. We have food and craft traders at Ropley and the freight train running. We also have the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust to promote the beautiful countryside in which we are located. This is a key event we aim to build on over the next couple of years. Trade and public interest has been really positive as it is a unique event telling an important and unheard local story.

On Saturday at 12.00 we also have the official dedication and launch in to traffic of the newly restored cattle wagon, dedicated to John Elliott and Jim Pitt who were both supporters of its restoration.

DAYSHEET AND HANDOUTS

On arrival each party must be given the Summer Fayre Daysheet, which has the train timetable for the day, a list of activities and facilities. There are also handouts from the NFU for children about farming and where food comes from.

STANDARD FARES

Standard Fares apply for this event, so all promotional vouchers including Tesco vouchers, ARE VALID. Please remember that Family tickets are currently valid for 2 adults and 3 children.

Adult £16
Child (age 2-16) £8

Family (2A + 2C) £40

TIMETABLE

We are running a 2 steam service with the demonstration freight train. As this is a family event please can all timetables/departures be written and announced in the 12 hour clock.

Freight / Pass / Pass / Freight / Pass / Pass / Freight / Pass / Pass / Freight / Pass
ALTON / 10.50 / 11.16 / 12.00 / 12.54 / 1.20 / 2.05 / 3.00 / 3.26 / 4.10
MEDSTEAD / 11.04 / 11.29 / 12.15 / 1.08 / 1.33 / 2.20 / 3.14 / 3.39 / 4.25
ROPLEY / 11.16 / 11.39 / 12.32 / 1.20 / 1.43 / 2.37 / 3.26 / 4.37
ALRESFORD Arr / 11.24 / 11.47 / 12.40 / 1.28 / 1.51 / 2.45 / 3.34 / 4.45
ALRESFORD / 11.00 / 11.50 / 12.22 / 1.05 / 1.55 / 2.17 / 3.10 / 3.50
ROPLEY / 11.16 / 12.00 / 12.30 / 1.20 / 2.05 / 2.35 / 3.26 / 4.10
MEDSTEAD / 10.33 / 11.31 / 12.15 / 12.39 / 1.35 / 2.20 / 2.44 / 3.41 / 4.25
ALTON Arr / 10.54 / 11.44 / 12.28 / 12.59 / 1.48 / 2.33 / 3.04 / 3.54 / 4.38

ALRESFORD

Cattle Wagon Dedication

At 12.00 on Saturday 25th July the newly converted Cattle Wagon S 53845 will be dedicated to John Elliott and Jim Pitt in memory of their support both of the railway and this particular project. Members of both families are attending the unveiling of a brass plaque on the wagon, followed by the cutting of a ribbon across its doors to officially launch it in to traffic. This will be followed by refreshments for the two families and members of the Wagon Group in the Goods Shed.

Heritage Vehicles
We have up to four heritage vehicles at Alresford station on Saturday to be parked in the staff area. These are two heritage tractors - one with plough and one with hay box and milk churns, an open top Rover and a Ford Prefect.

ROPLEY

Ropley is the centre of activities. There will be around 12 traders per day on flat parts of the picnic area and orchard. They are a mixture of local meat, bakery, fish and drinks suppliers with a couple of craft sellers too.
We will have the MHR gazebo up for the face painter and distribution of Hampshire Fare leaflets.
The T-Junction will be open.
‘Catch’ will be selling hot fishcakes and Harewood Forest Produce will be selling venison hot dogs.
Traders will be arriving between 8am and 9am under my direction, ready for visitors from 11.00 until 4.30.
As their gazebos will be left overnight I will be camping at Ropley for added security.

MORRIS DANCERS
We have two teams of Morris dancers on Sunday. They will arrive at Alresford station around 10.30 and catch the 11.50 to Ropley.

WANDERING MINSTREL
Rob Mills is our wandering minstrel for the two days, one of his repertoire is a song about the Watercress Line!

CONTACT

As I will be on the ground for this event, if you have any queries please contact me via my personal mobile 07970 157471. As mobile signal can be sketchy at Ropley please leave any messages with the Alresford Information Office and I will pick them up.

Thank you!

Anna Wilson-Barnes

Marketing Manager

PRESERVING HAMPSHIRE’S RAILWAY HERITAGE

MID HANTS RAILWAY LTD

Registered Office: The Railway Station, Alresford, Hampshire. SO24 9JG

Tel: 01962 733810 Fax: 01962 735448

www.watercressline.co.uk

Company Registration No. 1117090