Thursday 31 August 2017

Black 5 in Fife, 20th August 2017


'The Forth Bridge and Borders Steam Special'
1Z44 08:53 Linlithgow - Fife Circle (clockwise) - Tweedbank
1Z46 15:11 Tweedbank - Fife Circle (anti-clockwise) - Linlithgow

44871 had worked up from Bury on the 17th. Here seen leading at Inverkeithing.

Burntisland.

Near Little Couston, Aberdour, on the return.

Dunfermline Town (Lower)

Dunfermline Town (Lower)

37685 on the rear at Inverkeithing.





Wednesday 30 August 2017

1Q51 test train to Weymouth, Redbridge, 28th August 2017


37611 + 37608 T+T 1Q51 11:15 Derby - Eastleigh - Weymouth - Eastleigh

37611 was new from English Electric Vulcan Foundry on 17th September 1963 as D6871, renumbered to 37171 in 1973. Rebuilt to 37690 in February 1987, and modified as 37611 in November 1995. Sold to DRS in June 1997, and to Europhoenix in March 2016.



37608 was new from English Electric Vulcan Foundry in July 1961 as D6722 later 37022 and refurbished to 37512 in 1987. Refurbished to 37608 in July 1995, and to DRS in July 1997.Sold to Europhoenix in March 2016.



Tuesday 29 August 2017

Evening trains at Aberdour, Friday 18th August 2017


One hour in the summer months, between 18:30 and 19:30, covers the passing of two loco-hauled Fife Circles, the 'Aberdonian', and the cement empties from Aberdeen Craiginches - Oxwellmains, if the latter runs.

68006 2K14 18:15 Glenrothes - Edinburgh.

68007 5L70 18:24 Cardenden - Motherwell.

43307 + 43318 1S20 14:00 Kings Cross - Aberdeen



60021 6B32 16:52 Aberdeen Craiginches - Oxwellmains.



Sunday 27 August 2017

21st - 26th August 2017


60009 Union of South Africa passes Millbrook, 23rd August. Image by Ian Knight.

47746 leads the return 'Dorset Coast Express' at Millbrook, 23rd August. Image by Ian Knight.

Hired or swapped in for one day, Virgin Class 221 sets are seen at Millbrook. Image by Ian Knight.

Monday 21st August:
Tuesday 22nd August:
Wednesday 23rd August: 60009 + 47746 T+T 1Z67 08:14 Victoria - Weymouth one two, 1Z69 16:35 Weymouth - Southampton - Laverstock - Clapham Jct (Flickr for the day)
Thursday 24th August:
Friday 25th August: 
Saturday 26th August: 66779 (?) 5Z65 00:55 Eastleigh - Peterborough; 221108 + 221109 1O12 09:27 Manchester - Bournemouth, 1M58 14:47 Bournemouth - Manchester one two 

South Western Railway started on Sunday morning 20th August.

South West Trains final statement and 21 year retrospective supplement (36 pages).

Eastleigh Works: 10Jul - 12Jul - 13Jul - 14Jul - 17Jul - 18Jul - 19Jul - 20Jul - 21Jul

70008 is now back in traffic with Freightliner - appears to have resumed on 16th, after time out at Leeds.

Black 5 at Aberdour, 13th August 2017


1Z46 15:11 Tweedbank - Niddrie West Jct - Edinburgh - Fife Circle (anti-clockwise) - Linlithgow

 Passing through Aberdour.

44871 was due to be on the train, but was not ready at Bury. 45407 worked down from Fort William on the Saturday, and returned on Sunday / Monday with a pause at Dumbarton.

37685 at the rear of the train - needed to work from Tweedbank to Niddrie West.



Saturday 26 August 2017

'Flying Scotsman' at Helm, 13th August 2017


60103 passing Bridge 225 at Helm, on the Settle & Carlisle, 13th August, running about 8 mins early after a successful climb of Ais Gill. Helm Tunnel is at a similar further distance than the farm occupation bridge 224.

'The Waverley' 1Z44 09:44 York - Carlisle.

A closer view of the locomotive.



Saturday 19 August 2017

14th - 19th August 2017


60009 Union of South Africa leads the return 'Dorset Coast Express' on 16th at Redbridge. Image by Ian Knight.

Sunday 13th August: 66723 5Z07 18:35 Basingstoke - Eastleigh one
Monday 14th August: 
Tuesday 15th August:
Wednesday 16th August: 60009 + 37706 T+T 1Z67 08:43 Victoria - Weymouth one two, 1Z69 16:35 Weymouth - Southampton - Laverstock - Waterloo (Flickr for the day)
Thursday 17th August:
Friday 18th August:
Saturday 19th August:

Fawley line 'last' loco hauled train in Daily Echo - which would appear to have been the train of 9th August, but  there may be some stored DBC coaches down there still.

All stored Freightliner Class 66 have been returned to traffic. 70008 appears to still be at Leeds Midland Road.

08530 has been moved to Maritime (from Leeds). Former resident 08575 has been moved from LH Group at Barton under Needwood to Nemesis at Burton.


Steam in the West Country, Summer 2016


A selection of images from Ian Knight.

4612 (Swindon, 1942) at Boscarne Junction on 28th June.

5542 (Swindon, 1928) at Staverton Road, on 1st July.

5526 (Swindon, 1928) at Buckfastleigh.

5542 runs around at Buckfastleigh.

Saturday 12 August 2017

7th - 12th August 2017


66723 / ZA723 Chinook is prepared to work ECS 5Z07 20:02 Eastleigh - Doncaster, on Friday 11th. The return on Sunday is a one way "The Absent Shunter". 66723 is newly repainted, and has only been in traffic since the 10th. There never has been a ZA723 at the RAF!

59003 returned to Eastleigh on 4th August, and understood to need attention for electrical fire damage. Seen on. 11th

The resurrected 08879 continues to shunt. Eastleigh, 11th August.

707005 + 707003 continue the mileage accumulation, passing Maritime on 6th August. Image by Ian Knight.

Monday 7th August: 73961 + 73963 1Q51 11:15 Derby - Eastleigh - Weymouth - Eastleigh one two three four five six
Tuesday 8th August: 56303 6Z56 10:15 Willesden - Eastleigh one two, 0Z56 13:35 Eastleigh - Wembley one; 66168 (+ 1616) 5Zxx 10:00 Burton-on-Trent - Eastleigh one; 73961 + 73963 1Q52 1Q52 10:37 Eastleigh - Portsmouth Harbour - Havant - Littlehampton - Havant - Portsmouth Harbour - Totton Yard - Havant - Guildford - Fareham - Eastleigh - Woking - Lymington Pier -Eastleigh one two three four
Wednesday 9th August: 66051 6Z29 09:35 Fawley - Bescot (TTAs for scrap) one two three four five; 73961 + 73963 1Q53 11:38 Eastleigh - Southampton Down Loop - Wimbledon Park -Eastleigh - Southampton Down Loop - Wimbledon Park - Totton Yard - Eastleigh - Romsey - Eastleigh one two three four five six seven
Thursday 10th August: 73961 + 73963 1Q54 12:27 Eastleigh - Hither Green one two
Friday 11th August: 66723 at Eastleigh one, 5Z07 20:02 Eastleigh - Doncaster one
Saturday 12th August:

Freightliner stored Class 66s - pool DHLT:

66955 moved from Leeds to Doncaster Roberts Road (GBRf) for repairs - returned to traffic pool DFIN

66956 Doncaster Roberts Road (GBRf) for repairs

66957 Longport (Progress Rail / EMD) for repairs


70008 has been moved from Maritime to Midland Road Leeds.

Saturday 5 August 2017

The Towy Tornado, 5th August 2017


1Z60 06:03 Eastleigh - Bristol (change to 60163) - Carmarthen

66088 is seen approaching Romsey for the short stop.

A closer short of 66088 with its DB logos.

FO 3098 was completed by Birmingham Railway Carriage & Wagon Co. to Lot 30576, entering service in July 1960. Withdrawn  from normal service in March 1995, entering the Riviera trains fleet, and currently carrying boards for the Torbay Express.




31st July - 5th August 2017


70814 at Romsey as 0O31 17:30 Westbury - Eastleigh.

33207 Jim Martin on the rear of 1Z69 at Romsey.

Sunday 30th July: 37059 + 37069 1Z65 20:43 Caterham (but did not get there, started from Purley) - Eastleigh (arr 00:11 Sunday,  0Z71 14:35 Eastleigh - Willesden Brent (added 37602) - Crewe one two
Monday 31st July: 180108 5O86 09:30 Bounds Green - Eastleigh one two three
Tuesday 1st August:
Wednesday 2nd August:  60009 + 33207 T+T 1Z67 08:43 Victoria - Weymouth, 1Z69 16:35 Weymouth - Southampton - Laverstock - Waterloo (Flickr for the day); 66199 6Z29 09:35 Fawley Esso to Bescot (41 TTAs for scrap) one two three four
Thursday 3rd August:
Friday 4th August: 67012 + 67021 5xxx 12:00 Chichester - Eastleigh one, 5xxx 17:05 Eastleigh - Chichester one two
Saturday 5th August: 66088 1Z60 06:03 Eastleigh - Bristol (change to 60163) - Carmarthen

Eastleigh Works: 04Jul - 05Jul - 06Jul - 07Jul

Freightliner stored Class 66s - pool DHLT:
66955 moved from Leeds to Doncaster Roberts Road (GBRf) for repairs
66956 moved from Leeds to Doncaster Roberts Road (GBRf) for repairs
66957 to Southampton within 4O31 on 31st, but moved on in 4M58 on 1st (one two) for move to Longport (Progress Rail / EMD) for repairs

70008 still waylaid as of Wednesday
 70008  DFGI  SOTNMT MD   SOTON M T                      X          -12D A

GE Transportation to cease production at Erie, PA.
This is where the Class 70's came from.
Bloomberg - Railway Age - International Railway Journal

Amtrak's $630m Trump budget cut could derail service in 220 US cities

Friday 4 August 2017

60009 The Dorset Coast Express, 2nd August 2017


LNER A4 60009 Union of South Africa
1Z67 08:43 Victoria - Weymouth
1Z69 16:35 Weymouth - Southampton - Laverstock - Waterloo

The frst set of three pictures are at Totton.





Romsey on the return. Many of us were that boy once.

The DB Class 66 Offer

Loco No.Location
66008Toton
66046Toton
66081Toton
66132Toton
66141Toton
66184Toton
66058Toton
66250Toton
66016Toton
66238Toton
These locomotives are at Toton and will be sold as seen and as and where lying.
The successful bidder(s) will be required to remove the Locomotives at their own expense

Rumour suggests that a sale is more or less concluded, but the process of open tender must be followed.
.
66058 Derek Clark in DB red - Eastleigh, 21st November 2015. Stored March 2017.
66132 - St Denys, 17th March 2012. Stored February 2017.

66016 - Romsey 22nd February 2014. Currently "in service" but just repainted at Toton.

66238 - St Denys, 22nd June 2013. Currently "in service" - but status "D" on TOPS since 11 June.

Discussion: WNXX forum - RailUKForums

Thursday 3 August 2017

Eastleigh, 3rd August 2017


Mk2F RFB (Buffet Open First) 1207 is in Belmond ownership, pooled as an extra coach for the Northern Belle. This and adjacent 1221 have been kept in a shed for some years, but have now been moved. Is a change afoot? A re-allocation of these two coaches was made to 'HQ' in February - March.

KFA RLS92620 (Standard Wagon, 1985) appears to have arrived at the works for maintenance activity.

707003 continues on the mileage accumulation diagrams.

70812 marked off in my book, only 70813 to see - and it may be on Moorswater - Aberthaw cement duties meantime.