Night moves at Romsey, 2nd and 3rd March 2016

66507 leads with 6Y19 17:50 Fairwater Yard - Winchester, with the MOBC (Medium Output Ballast Cleaner) train, based upon Plasser RM 95-RT equipment.

66951 on the rear.

The next day saw 66546 + 66951 with the MOBC, also 66167 with the return LWR empties to Scunthorpe and 70801 with the civil engineering train from Eastleigh - Westbury.

Miscellany at Westbury, 9th October 2019

09:51 - Smoky 66025 shunts a rake of VTG JNA wagons, and appeared to be a yard shunter through the day. The platform extension appears to be one of Network Rail's slower projects, plenty of the orange army coming and going into the fenced area, but this has been happening on all my visits in 2019.

10:24 - 66160 + 66168 return from Salisbury with RHTT duty 3J13 08:50 Westbury - St.Blazey. Both of these locomotives were reinstated from storage in September for RHTT duties.

11:12 - 66533 arrives with the HOBC train as 66533 6C72 09:20 Fairwater Yard to Westbury Up T.C. for attention at the virtual quarry. This was much the same train as seen in February 2018. In this area we did see the MOBC train, but this was removed as a capability in Network Rail CP6.

"The CP5 settlement for renewals was based on a strategy of “maintain assets in broadly the same condition” and has been described in hindsight as a tight settlement. Looking forward, the Route’s renewals submission for CP6 was for a significant improvement over CP5 levels, but was then constrained to a level some way below the unconstrained level. Whilst it represents around a 15% increase on the CP5 level, it is heavily skewed by the need to provide adequate funding for the Feltham resignalling project. This has resulted in a tough decision being made to remove the funding for the medium output ballast cleaning programme that was planned. I understand that this decision is likely to lead to the relevant MOBC system being mothballed in CP6. The Route has recognised that this decision means that average asset condition of ballast will deteriorate through CP6 and that this is unsustainable in the longer term."

11:17 - 66774 ran light engine 0V07 07:55 Kineton - Warminster-, where it picked up a MoD train to Eastleigh. I believe that these are the wagons, seen the next day.

16:11 - 70807 0F75 14:09 Cardiff Canton - Westbury.

16:41 - 66018 + 66069 RHTT 3J41 14:53 Didcot - Westbury - Didcot.

66018 + 66069 pause with the RHTT train. Both locomotives were again reinstated in September.

Miscellany at Eastleigh, 27th February 2022

 
66748, 08683, 56049, 66799 + 66760 with a SITT, 08511 and 70811.

A further view of 66799, built in 2003, on its first visit to Eastleigh.

66017 5Z44 15:34 Eastleigh Arlington - Stewarts Lane.

99545 Support Car 'Baggage Car No.11'. Originally BSK 35466 completed at Wolverton in 1963 as part of Lot 30721. Converted in April 1987 to a NNX Courier Vehicle 80207 - for BRUTE traffic. To VSOE and renumbered 99545 in March 1995. Originally this coach road on Commonwealth bogies but now runs on B5.

This pair normally would be running in a long, multi-wagon HOBC (High Output Ballast Train), so not sure why they are in the yard at Eastleigh, attached to various Coalfish wagons. They could be on the move to Taunton. DR92283 (MOBC Materials Handling Train Interface Wagon) at left, built in 2000, has previously been noted at Romsey in April and May 2016 when part of the MOBC, later moved to Continental Europe. DR92927 (HOBC5 Materials Handling Train Hopper Wagon) was new in 2016.

Ballast Cleaner at Romsey, 19th May 2016

66553 has arrived for the crew change with the 6Y19 17:08 Fairwater Yard - Billingshurst.

979119 was built between 1982-85 by BREL as a 'Perch' welded rail wagon, and has been converted to a YSA.

DR92283 (MOBC Materials Handling Train Interface Wagon) and DR92280 (MOBC Materials Handling Train Hopper Swivel Wagon)

66953 on the rear.

Freightliner HH Crew Change, Romsey, 2nd December 2015

Again 6Oxx 16:37 Fairwater Yard - Petersfield, this time with a heavier consist, the MOBC (Medium Output Ballast Cleaner) and the BDT (Plasser NFS-D Ballast Distribution System Train), the latter being in the train last week.

66523 led the train into Romsey.

DR76324  is part of the MOBC.

6 minutes later, 66555 was on the rear, as it was last time I saw the working.

18th - 23rd February 2019

66014 shunts an empty LWR train at Eastleigh, 23rd February 2019.

Monday 18th February: 800106 5X82 10:01 Eastleigh - Acton Main Line (for Doncaster) one two three four; 73964 + 73965 1Q51 11:15 Derby - Eastleigh - Weymouth - Eastleigh one two
Tuesday 19th February: 47812 + 47815 DIT 0O86 10:01 Leicester - Eastleigh one two three; 73964 + 73965 1Q52 10:37 Eastleigh - Portsmouth Harbour - Littlehampton - Portsmouth Harbour - Totton Yard - Havant - Guildford - Havant - Fareham - Eastleigh - Woking - Lymington Pier -Eastleigh one two three
Wednesday 20th February: 73964 + 73965 1Q53 11:48 Eastleigh  - Southampton Up Yard - Wimbledon Park - Southampton Up Yard - Wimbledon Park - Totton Yard - Eastleigh - Romsey - Eastleigh one two three four; 47749 at Eastleigh Works - worked from Leicester sometime over Mon-Tue - for repaint
Thursday 21st February: 73964 + 73965 1Q54 12:27 Eastleigh - Tonbridge West one two three four five six
Friday 22nd February:
Saturday 23rd February: 800110 (5Q40 22:00 Merchant Park - Doncaster, 5X40 00:56 Doncaster - Acton Mainline) 5X41 04:08 Acton Mainline - Eastleigh. Two IEP trains at Eastleigh today, the other is 800108

47813 now sports miniature ploughs, and is named Jack Frost.

Network Rail is seeking to dispose of the MOBC, mainly already moved to Dollands Moor, and anticipated for sale into Europe.

Eastleigh Works: 18Jan - 21Jan - 22Jan - 23Jan - 24Jan - 28Jan - 31Jan - 01Feb - 05Feb - 08Feb

Ballast Cleaner in the light at Romsey, 26th May 2016

 66953 arriving at Romsey with 6Y19 17:08 Fairwater Yard - Billingshurst for the scheduled crew change.

The train creeps into the station - it is very long.

The first four vehicles were autoballasters including HQAH 380161 inner vehicle, built by Wabtec at Doncaster in 2001.

DR92269 (left) is a YDA MFS-D Materials Handling Train Hopper Wagon within the MOBC (Medium Output Ballast Cleaner) train.

DR76324 is the ballast cleaner itselfm a ZWA RM 95 RT, with hopper trains to each side.

66553 on the rear of the train.

Freightliner Heavy-Haul Fairwater Yard - Allbrook, 14th January 2016

6Y19 17:50 Fairwater Yard - Allbrook (for work on the section to Basingstoke).

Passing  through Romsey, 66563 at front and 66553 at rear. 9 minutes late here, but 62 late by Eastleigh and 76 by Allbrook. MOBC (Medium Output Ballast Cleaner) and the BDT (Plasser NFS-D Ballast Distribution System Train) as on 2nd December.

Dusk at Romsey, 6th April 2016

66546 leads the MOBC 6Y19 17:00 Fairwater Yard - Arundel, stopping for a crew change.

Part of the HOBC, Westbury, 16th February 2018

One part, roughly half of the HOBC4 (High Output Ballast Cleaner). This is a different train from the MOBC which was seen frequently in this area some two years ago.

• 66504 STP 14:25 Taunton Fairwater Yard - Westbury
• 66504 came off as a run around, 66148 shunted the stock into the yard where ballast was loaded
• train then was pushed back by 66504
• 66504 STP 17:45 Westbury - Taunton Fairwater Yard

The actual departure was some 25 minutes early, but on dusk.

Trailing view of DR 92432 - Ballast Distribution Train Power Wagon YDA NPW-RT.

A leading view of the same piece of equipment, this time on the push-back before departure.

DR 92444 at the other end, a Materials Handling Train Hopper Wagon, built by Plasser & Theurer in 2005. YDA - MFS-D.

In the consist DR 92458, of similar type to 92444.