Saturday 25 July 2015

3Q06 returns to Eastleigh, Romsey, 25th July 2015

37219 3Q06 21:52 Eastleigh - Redbridge - Exeter - Romsey - Eastleigh.
Passed Romsey 48 minutes early at 06:34, following rapid turnaround at Exeter.

DBSO 9714 recently fitted with additional measurement equipment. Originally built as BSO 9536 as a Mk 2f BSO at BR Derby to Lot 30861, entering traffic in June 1974. Converted to DBSO at Glasgow Works in June 1985. Entered test train usage from February 2007, now equipped with generator and blue star multiple working.
999602 is an Ultrasonic Test Coach, originally EMU coach 62483 completed at BR York to Lot 30862 in December 1974.as the last DMS coach for a 4-REP, in unit 3015, and the last Mk 1 coach built. This ran only until November 1986, latterly as unit 2015. Conversion to 999602 UTU2 with Sperry equipment took place in 1988. Notice the SR Mk 6 bogies. Now seen to be UTU3 following a further rebuild about 2013.
BSO 9523, also from BR Derby Lot 30861, entering traffic in June 1974. Since January 2013 operating for Network Rail as a Staff Coach /Brake Force Runner.
The new force in test train operation is Colas Rail, here represented by 37219. New as D6919 from EE Vulcan Foundry in January 1964. Stored by EWS from Janaury 2001, it was at Eastleigh until preserved in 2005, initially at Chasewater. In November 2010 it was at Dereham, Mid Norfolk Railway.
Colas acquired the locomotive in early 2014, and it was operating Sandite services in the autumn.



Two rails at Dunbridge, 22nd July 2015


This rail on the track heading towards Salisbury is from BSC (British Steel Co.) Workington in 1977. British Standard BS11 113A is a standard for 113lb/yard flat bottomed rail, now CEN56E1. The rail rolling plant at BSC Workington closed in August 2006, when the mission was transferred to Scunthorpe. Latterly the steel blooms were supplied to Workington from BSC Lackenby, Teesside.

More on Workington:

The rail on the track towards Romsey is rather older, from 1961, and appears to be from Dorman Long & Co Ltd of Cleveland to BS11 110A. This standard was superseded by BS113A as 
:explained here

20th - 25th July 2015


60002 at Eastleigh on Monday 20th.

73141 1Q40 at Totton 21st July.Image by Ian Knight.
73136 on the return to Eastleigh from Totton Yard. Image by Ian Knight.
59103 Village of Mells passes Romsey with 7V07 12;41 Chichester - Merehead, 22nd July.
70804 at Dunbridge with 0O31 17:34 Westbury - Eastleigh, 22nd July, which ran via Chandler's Ford.

Sunday 19th July: 60002 + 70810 6C27 08:45 Oxford - Eastleigh one two three four five six seven eight
Monday 20th July: 37601 3xxx 23:18 Hither Green - Eastleigh
Tuesday 21st July: 60002 0F75 11:03 Eastleigh - Redbridge - Westbury; 73136 + 73141 1Q40 09:50 Hither Green - Totton Yard - Eastleigh one; 37601 at Eastleigh with a test train one two, 3xxx 22:31 Eastleigh - Hither Green
Wednesday 22nd July: 73136 + 73141 1Q41 06:23 Eastleigh - St Denys - Portsmouth & Southsea - Redbridge - Laverstock - Andover - Ludgershall - Andover - Laverstock - Redbridge - Eastleigh one two three four five; 34067 + 37706 1Z67 08:44 Victoria - Weymouth one two three four five six seven eight, 1Z69 16:35 Weymouth - Waterloo one two three four ; 37219 3Q08 22:52 Hither Green - Basingstoke - Reading - Basingstoke - Wimbledon - Eastleigh
Thursday 23rd July: 73136 + 73141 1Q43 06:18 Eastleigh - Weymouth - Eastleigh one two three; 37219 3Q15 21:45 Eastleigh - Brighton (not Eastbourne) -Eastleigh one two three four five
Friday 24th July: 73136 + 73141 1Q44 04:56 Eastleigh - Romsey - Eastleigh - Fareham - Eastleigh - Southampton Up Yard - Hither Green one two; 37219 3Q06 21:52 Eastleigh - Redbridge - Exeter - Romsey - Eastleigh
Saturday 25th July: 73107 + 73201 T+T 5Z89 05:10 Eastleigh - Victoria, 5Z91 20:30 Victoria - Eastleigh; 37219 3Z06 14:51 Eastleigh - Derby one two three four five

Friday 24 July 2015

"The Dorset Coast Express", 22nd July 2015

34067 + 37706 1Z67 08:44 Victoria - Weymouth, 1Z69 16:35 Weymouth - Waterloo

Ashurst, having recovered 26 minutes of late runnng at Eastleigh.
Dunbridge.

37706 on the rear of the train at Ashurst.

Saturday 18 July 2015

Eastleigh, 18th July 2015


59003 YEOMAN HIGHLANDER outside of the works. This week's Class 47 arrivals appear to now be inside the works.
Closer detail of 59003.
07007 moves JNA GERS 4417. This wagon is a bogie scrap open converted by WH Davis in 2002, and a recent arrival at the works.
66591 leads 4O14 07:37 Hams Hall - Maritime 
All flats on this train were of "Shortliner" FWA Bogie Ecofret Twin Container type, built by Greenbrier in Poland from 2012 to date. Here is 83 70 4520 055-2 and its twin 054-5. More information: one two three four five



13th - 18th July 2015


Having arrived earlier, 47790 Galloway Princess and 47841 in the yard at Eastleigh Works, 13th July. Arrival may be for component swapping, using good bogies from 47841, but 47790 is understood to have an engine defect. Image by Ian Knight.
47727 Rebecca arrives at Eastleigh from Wimbledon, 13th July. Image by Ian Knight.
 57315 + 47854 Diamond Jubilee at Redbridge, 14th July. Image by Ian Knight.


59102 with 7V07 12;41 Chichester - Merehead passing Havant, 16th July.

Sunday 12th July: 73201 + 73128 1Z59 19:54 Acton Lane - Eastleigh one two three four
Monday 13th July: 66429 + 47790 + 47841 05:43 Willesden Brent - Eastleigh - 47790 to receive bogies from 47841 (but it needs engine repairs too?) one two three; 66426 + 47828 12:38 Eastleigh - Willesden one two three; 47727 0Zxx 10:00 Wimbledon - Eastleigh, 0Zxx 13:00 Eastleigh - Wimbledon one two three - Four Class 47s at Eastleigh
Tuesday 14th July: 73136 + 73141 1Q85 06:08 Woking - Southampton -Shalford one two; 57315 + 47854 1Z69 13:31 Bath - Southampton - Oxford one two three four
Wednesday 15th July:
Thursday 16th July: 61306 + 37706 T+T 1Z67 08:44 Victoria - Swanage, 1Z69 16:55 Swanage - Southampton - Laverstock - Victoria one
Friday 17th July: 37601 3Z22 03:50 Victoria - Eastleigh, 3Z08 21:52 Eastleigh - Redbridge - Bath - Bath - Redbridge - Eastleigh (actually Southampton)
Saturday 18th July: 37601 3Z22 04:10 Southampton - Hither Green

Eastleigh Works: 01Jun - 02Jun - 03Jun - 04Jun - 05Jun - 06Jun - 08Jun - 09Jun - 11Jun - 12Jun

DRS Kingmoor Open Day, 18th July

Friday 17 July 2015

"The Swanage Belle" return journey, 16th July 2015

1Z69 16:55 Swanage - Southampton - Laverstock - Victoria

Redbridge. Image by Ian Knight.

Romsey. The first B1 to pass through here?


35479 is a 1963 built support coach for 61306.
37706 on the rear.

Saturday 11 July 2015

56104 + Railvac RAUK-4 to Totton, 9th July 2015

56104 of UK Rail Leasing on hire to DCR, with new Railvac RAUK-4 (99 70 9515 004-8) working as 6Y56 10:35 Butterley - Totton. The Midland Railway Centre is used as a commissioning and testing location for this equipment.

Almost bowled by 444006, entering Redbridge. 
Closer at Redbridge.
Arrival at Totton Yard. Image by Ian Knight. After arrival a shunt took place where RAUK-1 was shunted from the GBRf operated train, which was already spliced. This was then attached to 56104, which eventually moved it to Cardiff on Saturday 11th.
56104 parked in the yard after the shunt.
56104 with Railvac RAUK-1 (99 70 9515 001-4).
RAUK-4 was by then attached to the GBRf operated train, with 66717 Good Old Boy, The Railvac is actually converted from KIA wagon 33 70 4666 009-4, originally built by Arbel Fauvet at Douai in 1987-89, and seen here in storage at Long Marston in 2010.

56104 was built at BR Doncaster and allocated to Tinsley on 21st February 1982 (seen here at completion alongside 55015, then newly defunct). Last BR overhaul was in February 1993, with withdrawal as "surplus to requirements" in February 2004 from Immingham with 10766 engine hours. From October 2005 to January 2007 the locomotive was working on LGV construction in France for Fertis. The recent overhaul by UK Rail Leasing at Leicester installed a zero hours engine. 

The Dorset Coast Express, 9th July 2015

1Z67 08:44 Victoria - Weymouth
1Z69 16:30 Weymouth - Southampton - Laverstock - Waterloo

47760 (BR Crewe, September 1964) leads with the down working at St Denys. Image by Ian Knight.
37706 (EE Vulcan Foundry, June 1961) leads the up return through Redbridge, for reversal in Southampton Platform 3.
MkII SO Coach 5236 built at Derby in  April 1966 to Lot 30752. This coach and some others in the train are vacuum brake only. Withdrawn from BR service in 1991.
47760 on the rear at this point.
Next approaching Millbrook. Image by Ian Knight.
Back through Redbridge with Sulzer power.
Branching onto the route up the Test Valley.

6th -11th July 2015


67014 arriving at Eastleigh with 5O61 ECS from Wembley, 6th July. Image by Ian Knight.
67003 on the rear of the same train. Image by Ian Knight.

Monday 6th July: 67014 + 67003 T+T 5O61 09:53 Wembley - Eastleigh one two
Tuesday 7th July: 47815 5Z25 12:00 Doncaster - Eastleigh (with barriers) one two, 0Z47 20:00 Eastleigh - Derby (ran early); 67014 5Z55 23:20 Southall - Eastleigh
Wednesday 8th July:
Thursday 9th July: 47760 +37706 T+T 1Z67 08:44 Victoria - Weymouth one two three four five six seven, 1Z69 16:30 Weymouth - Southampton - Laverstock - Waterloo one two three four five six; 56104 6Y56 10:35 Butterley - Totton with new Railvac 4 one two three four five six seven eight
Friday 10th July: 56104 at Totton
Saturday 11th July: 5Z47 02:57 Eastleigh - Ipswich; 56104 6Y56 12:37 Totton - Cardiff with Railvac 1 one two three four five six seven eight

70809 to Leeds within 4E76 on 9th July for tyre turning one two

159103 was delivered to Salisbury from Loughborough on 10th, with its new 'go faster' stripes.

Eastleigh Works: 26th May - 27th May

Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch, 2nd July 2015

Images from the camera of Ian Knight.
My own visit of 24th October 2011.

14 Captain Howey arriving at New Romney from Hythe.
3 Southern Maid at Dungeness.
The same locomotive at Hythe following turning.
9 Winston Churchill arriving at Hythe.
10 Dr Syn at Dungeness.