HSTs in Fife, February - March 2026

It is now announced that Class 222s are coming to Scotland, with changeover starting in later 2027, and full introduction in 2028, some eight years after introduction of the Inter7City HST service.

43181 1A79 09:30 Edinburgh - Aberdeen, Aberdour, 13th February.


43177 on the rear of this working.


43127 leading 1B74 09:05 Aberdeen - Edinburgh at Aberdour on 13th.


43139 on the rear.


43134 Gordon Aikman at Aberdour with 1A79 09:30 Edinburgh - Dundee, 16th February. There was an engineering possession for trackwork at Aberdeen, running through this Monday.

43143 on the rear of this working.

43169 at Dalgety Bay with 1B80 12:07 Aberdeen - Edinburgh, 25th February.

43148 coming downhill from Dalgety Summit, 1B74 09:05 Aberdeen - Edinburgh, 26th February.

43125 on the rear.

43132 passing near Dalgety with 1B82 13:11 Aberdeen - Edinburgh, 28th February.

6K's in Fife, 1st March 2026

4 of them, at roughly hourly intervals, and currently the only daylight loco-hauled workings in Fife. All worked from Hilton Junction through Perth to Dundee for reversal, then crossing the Tay Bridge.

In early light, 66588 passing Aberdour at 07:45 with 6K04 06:00 Hilton Jn - Millerhill.

66588 at Kinghorn, with 6K03 06:50 Hilton Jn - Millerhill.

KFA wagon TIPH 93323 overhauled at Eastleigh in 2020, and now among the survivors of its type.

66422 Max Joule 1958-1999 at Burntisland with 6K02 07:30 Hilton Jn - Millerhill.

66199 at the site of Donibristle Halt, with the late running 6K01 08:45 Hilton Jn - Millerhill, fomed of a rake of YKA 'Osprey' wagons loaded with used track panels.

66705 Golden Jubilee on the rear of this train.

27th April - 2nd May 2026

 

The convoy of off-lease Class 68s, led by 68010, latterly working for Chiltern, arriving at Eastleigh, 27th April. Image by The Image Team.

A further view of the class 68s, with 68011 on the rear. Are these headed to Transport for Wales? Image by The Image Team.

Monday 27th April: 68010 + 68013 + 68014 + 68015 + 68012 + 68011 66Z68 08:00 Crewe - Eastleigh Trsmd one two three four five six seven eight nine ten eleven twelve thirteen fourteen fifteen
Tuesday 28th April: 47830 + 37521 (+ 12114) 5O47 08:17 Crewe - Eastleigh one two three four five six seven (47830 for repaint, said to be to remain in two tone green Class 47 livery)
Wednesday 29th April:
Thursday 30th April: 57302 + 37521 (+ 6706) 5K47 09:44 Eastleigh - Crewe one two three four five six; 43013 + 43014 1X23 15:28 Salisbury - ~Southampton - Salisbury
Friday 1st May: 802104 5X84 14:18 Eastleigh - Reading 
Saturday 2nd May: 

Ex-Colas Class 56s may come through Southampton for export to Ghana - 56094 and 56302 are in preparation at Colwick

57304, which lies within Eastleigh Works, is part of the DRS sale to dispose of the class. Meanwhile, 59003 was denamed there in March.

69004 on Eastleigh - Westbury cycles one two three four, although 69010 was returned from Doncaster to Eastleigh within 0O01 on 1st.

SWR to withdraw Class 458/4 over the next two months, as Class 701/5 enters traffic.

Downturn in work as Alstom pauses modernisation programmes at Widnes site - although now in the past, this was where the 458/4 re-configuration work took place.

Statfold 'Spectacle of Steam' 8th March 2026 5: Workshops, Static and Storage

 

3'6" gauge Setesdalsbanen 5 from Norway (Thunes 4 / 1902) , based upon a Dübs design. Overhaul activity at Stafold is close to completion and return to Norway.

Bord na Mona 3' gauge LM334 (Hunslet 8941/1980). The Irish Peat company has now ceased peat extraction and has refocused towards renewables.


'The Eclipse', as converted from steam to electric by GEC in 1927, for use at Llechwedd Quarry.

Eastern Railway of India 2'6" AK16 (Bagnall 2029 / 1916), originally ordered for Egypt. Seen working in February 1979.

Glenfield No. 1 crane tank (Barclay 880 / 1902).

Eastleigh, 2nd February 1997 (part 2)

 
73132 running through platform 2 at Eastleigh. 73132 was new as E6039 in August 1966, and withdrawn in November 1998, later disposed of at Ron Hull Jr, Rotherham in July 2006.

'Greyhound 4-CIG 1316 as renumbered in 1990. New from BR York in 1971 in unit 7341, coach 76585 had been damaged in a depot collision at Wimbledon Park in October 1996, and sent for repair. Renumbered 1241 in May 2005, and withdrawn. Cut up at J.T. Lanscapes, March 2006.

4-CIG coach 76824 was spare, and had not been facelifted. The opening windows are filled with 'Dummy Louver's Originally delivered from BR York in 1971 in unit 7403, which was renumbered 1203 in July 1987. 76824 ws damaged after hitting a level crossing on 10th November 1989, and became spare. Offered for disposal in May 1998, but moved to Old Dalby for 'cup and cone' crash test in February 1999, after which it was disposed of at MC Metals, Glasgow, in April 1999.

33047 had been withdrawn in February 1993, following accident damage, and was cut-up on site by MRJ Phillips later in the month.

33208 was withdrawn in the month. It became preserved, and spent 6 months in 1998 working on the Valley Lines. After some years out of use, now in the Harry Needle stable, and noted at Worksop in June 2025.

33021 had been withdrawn in September 1996. band was already sold into private ownership, where it reurned to the main line in private ownership. Now preserved at the Churnet Valley Railway.

An improved scan of an image previously shared, of 47356 The Ghurkha In August 1996 the locomotive had been reallocated from Tinsley, where it had been unofficially named from 3rd June 1995, to Crewe Diesel, transferring at that time from Railfreight Distribution to Freightliner. In April 1998 moved into the Class 57 programme and emerged from Brush as 57001 in August that year. With West Coast since 2011, and noted on the Royal Scotsman that year, but last recorded in use 4th August 2021, going into storage that month.

Part 1, posted over 15 years ago.

20th - 25th April 2026

 

Late ruuning 66748 with 6V44 12:18 Marchwood - Bicester, Redbridge, 23rd April. Image by Ian Knight.

Monday 20th April: 66551 (+ two KVA wagons 81.70.2795.301-2 & 81.70.2795.306-1, which had arrived on 29th April 2025) 6Z66 08:22 Eastleigh - Romsey - Westbury - Oxwellmains one two three
Tuesday 21st April:
Wednesday 22nd April: 67024 0Z25 09:40 Victoria - Eastleigh, 67024 (+ 99548 / 93 / 293 CELIA) 5Z25 13:23 Eastleigh - Acton one two three
Thursday 23rd April: 47805 + 47810 1Z32 16:12 Portsmouth - Eastleigh - Romsey - Salisbury - Westbury - Whitchurch (Shropshire) one two three four five six
Friday 24th April:
Saturday 25th April:

69010 returned to Eastleigh - Westbury duties one two, but was returned to Doncaster on the night of 22nd, and relieved by 69004, after this loco was brought from Doncaster to Eastleigh on 23rd
69011 is working on Eastleigh - Hoo one two 

CELIA out on a Pullman service 24th April

South Western Railway MD Lawrence Bowman sets out his plan to improve services

Statfold 'Spectacle of Steam' 8th March 2026 4: Bewtween Oak Tree and Cogan Halt

 

Isibutu (Bagnall 2820 / 1945).

Isibutu, a few hundred yards on.

Isaac (Bagnall 3023 / 1953).

Fiji / Lautoka No.11 (Hudswell Clarke 972 / 1912)

Cegin (Barclay 1991 / 1931) and Liassic P(eckett 1632 / 1923).

Sybil Mary (Hunslet 921/ 1906) and Marchlyn (Avonside 2067 / 1933).

Trangkill No. 4 (Hunslet 3902 / 1971).

Isibutu returns with a freight train.