Saturday 28 February 2015

"Rebecca" heads to Cornwall, 28th February 2015

Rebecca is heading to Liskeard, departing at 15:48 from Eastleigh as 6C51 with a RailVac in tow.

47727 approaches a red signal at Romsey.
The locomotive was new to traffic on October 17th 1964 - two days after the General Election that year.
The RailVac is RAUK-3 - 99 70 9515 003-0, built 2014, which was earlier worked south from Hinksey by 66564. It is normally operated by Colas.


Further coverage: one two three four five six seven eight (at destination)

23rd - 28th February 2015



Monday 23rd February: 57008 5Z70 00:05 Crewe - Eastleigh (coaches 6183 + 5965 + 5976 + 5945 for repaint), 57008 + 57301 + 66421 0Z68 12:34 Eastleigh - Willesden one two three four; 60062 6X01 10:17 Scunthorpe - Eastleigh one two three four five, 0E15 21:06 Eastleigh - Acton
Tuesday 24th February:
Wednesday 25th February:
Thursday 26th February: 47727 0Q00 07:28 Eastleigh - Swindon - Eastleigh one two three
four five
Friday 27th February:
Saturday 28th February: 47727 6C51 15:48 Eastleigh - Redbridge - Westbury - Taunton - Liskeard one two three four five six seven eight (at destination)

66414 released from Eastleigh in Powerhaul colours

59003 now in paintshop at Eastleigh

Genesee & Wyoming acquire Freightliner
Deal expected to close in March.

South West Trains director Sam McCarthy says Hampshire's train network is one of Britain's most underfunded

Hampshire Chamber backs plans to restore Waterside Railway

Saturday 21 February 2015

Diverts at Romsey, 21st February 2015


70008 with 4o29 08:14 Crewe Basford Hall - Maritime
A hail storm is brewing behind 66206 + 66137, running as 0O12 15:21 Westbury - Eastleigh, which had started as a longer convoy with wagons from Alexandra Dock.
66137 now sports a DB sticker, with 'EWS' removed.
66568 passes 2 minutes late with 4O54 06;27 Leeds - Maritime, which is routed by the ECML. Hail on the platform edge.

Diverts at Dunbridge, 21st February 2015


66592 Johnson Stevens Agencies with 4O18 05:03 Lawley Street - Maritime, running 57 minutes early.
70020 with 4O14 06:17 Hams Hall - Maritime, running 55 minutes early.
66716 LOCOMOTIVE & CARRIAGE INSTITUTION CENTENARY 1911 - 2011 and unique liveried 66720 running as 09;16 Hoo Jct - Eastleigh. 

This pair were seen a few minutes later approaching Redbridge. Image by Ian Knight.
66564 running light as 0O26 10:50 Hinksey - Eastleigh.
70014 about to cross the level crossing with 4O27 05:21 Garston - Maritime, running 30 minutes early.

16th - 21st February 2015


57010 (once 47231) is seen with latest decals outside Eastleigh Works, 14th February, following a collision damage repair.


70805 + 70806 0O31 at Romsey, 20th February. "Our fleet of Class 70 locomotives have the highest level of operating performance in terms of availability and reliability in the world. This is a major achievement for Colas Rail Freight and builder General Electric."

Monday 16th February: 37608 0Z71 05:43 Willesden Brent - Eastleigh, 37608 + 57010 6Z68 12:39 Eastleigh - Willesden Brent one two; 47727 + 47739 0Z47 10:01 Wimbledon - Eastleigh one two
Tuesday 17th February;
Wednesday 18th February:
Thursday 19th February: 37604 3Q22 20:49 Hither Green - Eastleigh
Friday 20th February: 37604 3Q15 21:45 Eastleigh - Eastbourne - Eastleigh
Saturday 21st February: 37604 3Z05 10:37 Eastleigh - Havant - Derby

Swanage Diesel Gala preview

Eastleigh Works: 26Jan - 27Jan - 28Jan - 29Jan - 02Feb - 04Feb - 05Feb

40195 at Eastleigh 29th May 1984 (picture is actually the departure)

Wednesday 18 February 2015

Railway between Leamington Spa and Banbury to reopen by Easter

Railway between Leamington Spa and Banbury to reopen by Easter

Network Rail press release, 17th February

Monday 16 February 2015

Watercress Line Spring Steam Gala, 15th February 2015


I hope that it's not laundry day. 4464 Bittern at Alresford first thing in the morning.
Medstead in the afternoon. Note the unusual arrangement for the cod's mouth handle.
Departing Ropley with the first train from Alresford.
70000  Britannia reunited with its leading driving axle and wheels. Due back on the main line on 18th April.
TSO 99317 (3766) built at BR York to Lot 30079 in October 1953, and was withdrawn by BR in September 1990. I first saw it on 14th August 1983, while travelling back to Hampshire from Crewe, via the Welsh Marches. Working as 99317 from August 1991, it was until recently the oldest Mk 1 coach on Network Rail, and had been upgraded over time to dual brake and dual heat with Commonwealth bogies. Swapped by West Coast in November 2014 for Pullman car 351.  3769 from the same lot is also working on the Watercress Line.

More pictures at OneDrive .

Saturday 14 February 2015

Two working Class 08's at Eastleigh, 14th February 2015

DB Schenker withdrew most of their Class 08 shunters on 1st September, however some were reinstated, making working examples rare.

08904 engaged on DBS duties for Civil Engineers. New as D4134 in June 1962 from Horwich, allocated to 14E Bedford.
08721 DOWNHILL C.S. was new from Crewe in June 1960 and allocated to 64A St Margarets. Most recently workng at Liverpool Edge Hill in pool ATLO (Alstom Class 08), it is sporting a 9A Lomgsight shedplate, having been in Manchester until 2010. Downhill Carriage Sidings are in Liverpool.

08721 was brought to Eastleigh on 11th, and 08790 was returned northward to Oxley. The locomotive is working, and was seen shunting.

The Cathedrals Express - St Valentine's Day, 14th February 2015

1Z82 08:57 Victoria - Guildford -Havant - Eastleigh (did not stop)
1Z84 13:03 Eastleigh - Victoria

B1 61306 MAYFLOWER was completed at the Queen's Park works of the North British Locomotive Co., Glasgow in 1948. Here seen approaching Eastleigh.
Originally allocated to Hull Botanic Gardens, 61306 was the last B1 when withdrawn from Low Moor in September 1967.
Coach 35479 is a formerly Severn Valley located locomotive support coach, recentlymoved to Carnforth.
Pullman Parlour Second 352 masquerading as the rather more grand AMETHYST, which is Pullman Parlour First car 326 and was stored on the Mid-Hants until removed to Carnforth.
47580 County of Essex on the rear.

61306 + 35479 (Loco Support) + 5216 + 5222 + 9104 + 5237 + 5236 + 1666 + 99352 (352) AMETHYST + 99348 (348) + 99371 (3128) + 47580

9th - 14th February 2015


70809 leads 70801 with 6O31 17:34 Westbury - Eastleigh, 12th February

Monday 9th February;
Tuesday 10th February: 47739 0Z47 14:38 Eastleigh - Doncaster
Wednesday 11th February:
Thursday 12th February: 73141 + 73201 1Q85 06:08 Woking - Southampton DGL - Southampton - Southampton UGL - Shalford one two three four; 43013 + 43014 NMT 13:39 Salisbury - Redbridge - Southampton - Redbridge - Salisbury one two three
Friday 13th February:
Saturday 14th February: 61306 + 47580 1Z82 08:57 Victoria - Guildford - Havant -Eastleigh one two three four five six, 1Z84 13:03 Eastleigh - Victoria one two three four five six seven eight nine

Saturday 7 February 2015

2nd - 7th February 2015


First time visitors 66763 and 66754 at Eastleigh, 6th February. Image by Ian Knight.
66506 Crewe Regeneration running late into Romsey with 6O26 10:50 Hinksey - Eastleigh
The name was applied on 4th July 2000.
Battered 46 ton OCA 112101 was bult at Shildon in 1981 to Lot 4014. It looked better in 2010. The OCA was the final development of the traditional, general-purpose open wagon although the decline in general merchandise traffic resulted in the type never being fully employed on such traffic. Most of the OCA fleet were by the 1990’s transferred to departmental use were many were later rebuilt as ZCA 'Seahorses', with low-sided steel bodies suitable for ballast and spoil loads., while other OCA’s were rebuilt as OTA timber carriers. (credit)

Monday 2nd February: 31233 3Q01 21;21 Eastleigh - Woking - Eastleigh - Fareham - Eastleigh - Bournemouth - Eastleigh; 73138 0Z73 Eastleigh - Didcot - Swindon - Kemble - Derby one two three four
Tuesday 3rd February: 31233 3Q02 20:44 Eastleigh - Weymouth - Hither Green
Wednesday 4th February: 37706 0Z37 08:30 Southall - Eastleigh one two, 37706 + 51933 + 56504 5Z37 11:30 Eastleigh - Swanage one two three four five six seven eight, 37706 + 59492 + 51356 + 51392  (DMU expected to be for scrap) 5Z39 14:20 Swanage - Eastleigh one two three four five, 37706 0Z39 16:54 Eastleigh - Southall
Thursday 5th February: 158890 1Z15 15:47 Poole - Corfe Castle one,1Z16 (Corfe Castle -)16:49 Motala - Wareham one - Claire Perry MP on board (see below)
Friday 6th February: 37402 3Z64 02:59 Swindon - Eastleigh, 3Q06 21:47 Eastleigh - Southampton - Exeter - Romsey - Eastleigh one two three
Saturday 7th February: 37402 3Z23 08;23 Eastleigh - Acton - Derby one two three four five

Harbury Tunnel landslip north of Banbury

Network Rail has now advised that the line closure will be for "several weeks", and West Coast Main Line closures in February have now been cancelled.

Freightliner paths are via Willesden and Acton meantime, similarly the car trains to and from north of Leamingston.

Location               Pictures: one two

Rail Minister Claire Perry MP makes history after riding on the first train run under new £3.2 million signalling system

Then and Now Around Southampton - a set by Dave Mant


Eastleigh Works - 13Jan - 14Jan - 15Jan - 16Jan - 19Jan (59003)- 22Jan (59003) - 23Jan

S160s at Eastleigh in 1944 one two three

Romsey Advertiser: Great barrier grief

Road closure caused ten days of disruption and huge detours but level crossing gates still haven’t been replaced..

This week's front page story.
http://www.romseyadvertiser.co.uk/news/11775363.Great_barrier_grief/

Sunday 1 February 2015

Landslip blocks railway line between Banbury-Leamington Spa

Landslip blocks railway line between Banbury-Leamington Spa



From what is reported it's going to knock out most of the liner and car trains for a few days, expected to be at least one week, with Cross Country passengers being transferred by buses. There is an open question over alternate route possibilities for 9'6" containers. Update 2nd February: A set of STP schedules has been established via Acton and Willesden,