Saturday 31 March 2012

26th - 31st March 2012

47853 Rail Express appears to be close to finished at Eastleigh at 15:00 on 30th March. It is pleasant to see the nameplate has been retained. Image by Chris Finch.

66414 at Maritime, 31st March, following release on 30th from a repair at Eastleigh (70019 in background).
66418 in background, while 66420 is under check at Maritime, 31st March. Both of these locomotives have seen usage in the past week.

Sunday 25th March: 47500 0Z47 Southall - Salisbury, 47500 + 44932 5Z47 Salisbury - Southall one two
Monday 26th March:
Tuesday 27th March:
Wednesday 28th March:
Thursday 29th March: 57312 + 57305 TNT 6Z57 13:45 Tonbridge - Eastleigh (snow train), 57303 + 57310 + 68504 + 73205 6Z73 Tonbridge - Eastleigh
Friday 30th March: 57305 + 57312 0Z57 Tonbridge - Eastleigh, 67005 5M61 Eastleigh - Wembley
Saturday 31st March: 47813 reported outside at Eastleigh Works,  66232 + 66114 + 66158 + 66009 + 66091 0X12 11:06 Margam - Worting - Eastleigh

60039 shunting at Eastleigh 26th March

East Grimstead bridge update, 23rd & 28th March 2012

There are four images on David Mant's Flickr site:

23rd March- the bridge

23rd March - the compound

28th March - the bridge

28th March - the compound

Also, there is a yard at Dunbridge, the re-activated and cleared goods yard, for the overall project.

Ashfield Bridge update, 31st March 2012

 Preparations under way with equipment from Gregory Demolition being prepared in a field adjacent to the Ashfield Bridge - notice that this is a skew bridge. While the railway was closed today, the road remained open this morning, and it is understood that actual demolition will likely take place on Good Friday, 6th April.
Leaflet in distribution in Romsey.

BRCW Class 33 caught in time

 33053 (HG) shunting in a rural goods yard in Hampshire ~1974 ?

Monday 26 March 2012

Watercress Line Spring Steam Gala, 25th March 2012 (part 2)

53 awaits arrival of 92212  before departure as 14:45 from Alresford to Alton 
850 Lord Nelson with 12:05 freight from Alton, arriving at Ropley
92212 departs Ropley with the 13:00 from Alresford
73096 in repose awaiting plans for its overhaul
34007 Wadebridge spent its day evading me - here seen running around at Alresford

Sunday 25 March 2012

Watercress Line Spring Steam Gala, 25th March 2012 (part 1)

31806 was not in health at start of day, but was paired with 34007 Wadebridge on the 10:40 freight from Alresford, approaching Medstead.
45379 approaches Ropley with the 11:30 from Alton. The "Harry Potter" bridge from Kings Cross is partially erected.
53 in the woods at Four Marks, about to breast the summit of "the Alps" with 10:20 from Alton.
53 departs Ropley with 11:50 from Alresford
76017 under overhaul at Ropley

Saturday 24 March 2012

19th - 24th March 2012

(Above & Below) 44932 (LMS Horwich, 1945) climbs past Lockerley a couple of minutes early, 24th March.

Earlier, approaching Botley. Image by Ian Knight.

Monday 19th March:  67011 + 66226 + 66033 (both 66s are Euro Cargo Rail for Toton) 5O61 09:53 Wembley - Eastleigh, 70019 0Z71 11:20 Eastleigh - Maritime
Tuesday 20th March: 66184 + 67011 + 66226 + 66033 6V27 Eastleigh -Hinksey, 57306 6Y19 Tonbridge - Eastleigh
Wednesday 21st March:
Thursday 22nd March: 43014 + 43062 NMT 1X23 13:44 Salisbury - Redbridge - Southampton - Redbridge - Southampton
Friday 23rd March:
Saturday 24th March: 44932 1Z84 07:52 Three Bridges - Bristol 1 2 3 4 5, 1Z85 16:35 Bristol - Three Bridges (terminated at Salisbury, other trains reported delayed by lineside fire), 66131 + 66065 + 66012 + 66199 + 66121 + 66011 + 66075 + 66119 + 66221 0X12 Margam - Eastleigh (but was only 66119 + 66221 by Grimstead)

57/3's for DRS are expected to go through Eastleigh Works (57302/4/9)

Sunday 18 March 2012

70019 - first arrival at Maritime, 17th March 2012

 70019 makes its first arrival at Southampton Maritime at 11:53, 11 mins after it passed St Denys. Images by Ian Knight.
70s have been being cycled through Eastleigh TMD in recent period, will this one be going there shortly? 66420 + 66504 behind.

UPDATE: It went into Eastleigh and was then returned to Maritime 0Z71 11:20 Eastleigh - Maritime on Monday 19th, then worked 4M68 14:50 Maritime - Birch Coppice.

Saturday 17 March 2012

12th - 17th March 2012

66418, 66420 returned to traffic from Maritime by Freightliner along with 66416 from Crewe, 66414 still in NTBU status under C-exam at Maritime, and observed there 17th March. It is understood that lease terms for the Freightliner 66/4's are based upon usage, so are first to be taken out of service according to traffic requirements and availability. 66413 may be going to Poland.

70019 makes its first visit to Southampton, as 0Z70 Tilbury to Maritime, 17th March, approaching St Denys (location and date for all of these pictures)
50 minutes later, 70017 headed north light engine, noted later passing Reading West to Reading Main
66416, back in traffic, with 4O27 05:26 Garston - Maritime
66093 heads north with 4M15 11:00 Western Docks - Bescot
66132 with fresh air express 4O63 20.16 (Fri) Birch Coppice - Western Docks

Monday 12th March: 31465 3Q37 12:54 Derby - Eastleigh, 21:44 Eastleigh - Southampton DGL - Hither Green
Tuesday 13th March:
Wednesday 14th March: 73138 + 73201 1Q85 06:07 Woking - Waterloo - Southampton DGL - Southampton - Southampton UGL - Hither Green 1 270017 0Z90 09:30 Maritime - Eastleigh TMD, 66418 + 70020 DIT 09:23 4O49 Crewe - Maritime, 70020 4M99 16:57 Maritime - Trafford Park (first visit)
Thursday 15th March: 66558 + 70020 0Z70 09:13 Maritime - Eastleigh - 70020 into works (and is out again as noted in Peterborough area on 16th), 66558 + 70017 0Z71(?) Eastleigh - Maritime.
Friday 16th March:
Saturday 17th March: 70019 0V70 Tilbury - Maritime

Eastleigh Works update (47853 and 47813 painted in DRS colours)

Sunday 11 March 2012

Ashfield Bridge Work to Start 31st March

11th March 2012. Will the SR concrete lineside hut be left in place?

Network Rail Press Release                                Demolition may be on the 31st?
Notice for road traffic from Hampshire County Council

Something is being done for cyclists, but only a lane / island in the road at the Lee Lane junction, works being performed by Test Valley Borough Council, according to Network Rail. I remain unconvinced that there is fair return to the community from this project.

5th - 10th March 2012

Freightliner 66/4's with NTBU (Not to be used) instruction
Freightliner have issued NTBU instruction for 66414/416/418/420. Here at 66420 and 66418 in 'standby' storage at Maritime, 11th March. First noted parked on Monday 5th.
66420 and 66418 in foreground, 66414 can be seen partially hidden behind container in background.
Closer picture of 66420 - last worked 4O02 11:11 Lawley St - Maritime 3rd March. 66418 (+66537) last worked 4O29 08:14 Basford Hall - Southampton 3rd March
70018 with 70017 and 66418 behind. 70017 made its first visit to Southampton on Thursday 8th March.

Monday 5th March: 67006 5O61 09:53 Wembley - Eastleigh, 97301 (37100) 3Q01 23:20 Hither Green - Eastleigh
Tuesday 6th March: 97301 04:01 3Q01 Eastleigh - Hither Green
Wednesday 7th March: 73204 + 68504 6Y66 01:01 Eastleigh - Tonbridge, 73207 + 68501 6Y57 23:30 (Tue) Tonbridge - Eastleigh (via Laverstock)
Thursday 8th March:
Friday 9th March:
Saturday 10th March: 66517+ 66414 DIT 4O07 20:18 (Fri) Leeds - Maritime (66414 is NTBU and reported for 'C' exam), 67006 5Z29 04:20 Eastleigh - Paddington
Sunday 11th March: 67006 5Z34 13:10 Southall - Eastleigh


Saturday 3 March 2012

27th February - 3rd March 2012

Archive picture: 60007 at East Grimstead, 18th April 2002. Currently in traffic after overhaul.

Monday 27th February: 67007 5O61 09:53 Wembley - Eastleigh
Tuesday 28th February:  (33103 Norden - Burton by road)
Wednesday 29th February:
Thursday 1st March: 67006 5Z29 22:35 Euston - Laverstock - Eastleigh
Friday 2nd March:
Saturday 3rd March: