6th - 11th April 2026

 

34028 passing Redbridge, 8th April. Image by Ian Knight.

70811 shunting some auto-ballasters at Eastleigh. This worked forward as 6V27 13:49 Eastleigh - Hinksey.

69010 NORTH NORFOLK RAILWAY 1975 - 2025 THE POPPY LINE + 70806 + 66544 + 66553 0O41 10:14 Westbury - Eastleigh. 66551 had been detached from this working in platform 1 at Salisbury to assist ailing 59001, which was following as 0Z59.

66120 passing with 4O39 09:43 Morris Cowley - Eastern Docks.

Monday 6th April: 73961 + 73964 11:50 Derby - Basingstoke - Salisbury - Southampton - Weymoiuth - Salisbury -  Woking one two three four five
Tuesday 7th April: 73961 + 73964 1Q52 09:58 Woking - Eastleigh - Portsmouth Harbour - Littlehampton - Barnham - Chichester Havant - Portsmouth Harbour - Totton Yard  - Havant - Guildford - Havant - Fareham - Eastleigh - Winchester - Basingstoke - Woking - Lymington Pier - Eastleigh one; 37254 3Q01 23:34 Woking - Eastleigh one
Wednesday 8th April: 37521 + 57311 (+ 3091) 5K47 09:44 Eastleigh - Crewe one two three four five six; 73961 + 73964 1Q53 12:00 Eastleigh - Up Yard - Wimbledon - Up Yard one two three, 1Q53 18:05 Up Yard - Wimbledon - Totton - Romsey - Eastleigh; 34028  (+ 35011 + 80217) 5Z30 10:25 Swanage - Eastleigh - Redbridge - Laverstock - Southall one two three four five six
Thursday 9th April: 73961 + 73964 1Q54 12:55 Eastleigh - Reading; 37254 3Q04 21:37 Eastleigh - Totton - Reading Triangle
Friday 10th April: 59001 0Z59 11:00 Westbury Tarmac - Eastleigh one two three (dragged by 66551 from Salisbury); 37254 3Q40 23:58 Reading - Eastleigh - Woking 
Saturday 11th April:

08511 was removed from Eastleigh by road on Thursday 9th, taken to the Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway. 08683 removed on Friday 10th.

37254 in Eastleigh Yard, 9th April: one two three

37521 and 57311 outside at Eastleigh Works on 7th: one two

56051, recently in storage at Eastleigh, back in use one two

69014 and 69016 at work in East Yard: one two three

CAT UK and DB Cargo sign new 7-year contract for Jaguar Land Rover car train service

SNCF and CMA CGM CEOs meet to discuss Rail Logistics Europe sale - to add to their acquisition of Freightliner Intermodal.

Moving 59001 to Eastleigh 'for paint', 10th April 2026

Following an extended heavy maintenance at Merehead, 59001 YEOMAN ENDEAVOUR 0Z59 11:00 Westbury Tarmac - Eastleigh Arlington (Zg). The locomotive encountered engine difficulties between Warminster and Salisbury, so 66551 (hired to Colas from Heavy Haul Rail) was cut off from preceding 6O41 in platform 1 at Salisbury, to position it to then drag 59001 to Eastleigh: one two three four five

There is an expectation that 59001 will be returned to the Foster Yeoman scheme of 40 years ago, as it was delivered in.

66551 leads across the East Junction.

Running through platform 2.

A last look at the Aggregate Industries scheme on 59001, which still bore its '30 Years' stickers from a decade ago.

The mismatched window rubber has been black since the 2019 period.

The shunt signal has the 'W' indicator for entry into the Works.

Statfold 'Spectacle of Steam' 8th March 2026 3: Roundhouse Museum

A de facto 'National' railway museum for the narrow gauge.

 

A general view of the exhibition area.

Tamar (Hunslet 3756 / 1952) under overhaul.

Roger ISC No.2 (Kerr Stuart 3128 / 1918 ) of the Wren type.

Saccharine (John Fowler (Leeds) 13355 / 1912).

Alpha (Hudswell Clarke 1172 / 1922) and Statfold (Hunslet 3903 / 2005).

Cloister (Hunslet 542 / 1891).

Michael (Hunslet 1709 / 1932) and King of the Scarlets (Hunslet 492 / 1889), both 1foot 10¾in gauge.

30th March - 4th April 2026

 

A busy moment at Romsey, 30th March. Heavy Haul 66550 +66953 0O93 13:25 Stoke Gifford - Eastleigh East  pass 69010 + 70806 6V41 14:48 Eastleigh - Westbury.

Heavy Haul Rail 66607 0V57 13:09 Ardingly - Whatley, 2nd April.

Monday 30th March:
Tuesday 31st March:  800005 08:49 5X82 Eastleigh - Reading; 800310 5X84 14:18 Eastleigh - Reading; 66619 6Z51 22:59 Tunstead - Up Yard
Wednesday 1st April: 802007 09:10 5X81 Reading - Eastleigh one; 802104 15:20 5X83 Reading - Eastleigh; 68016 0O86 11:40 Long Marston - Eastleigh one (considered as a stored Class 68); 57311 out of paintshop
Thursday 2nd April: 43277 + 43257 1Q23 1528 Salisbury - Southampton - Salisbury
Friday 3rd April: 66619 ? 6Z51 12:10 Up Yard - Rebridge - Laverstock - Tunstead one
Saturday 4th April:

08511 and 08683 have been retired from their duties in the East Yard, and await departure by road transport.

08511 while active, on 16th March.

Eastleigh Works: 11Feb - 12Feb - 17Feb - 18Feb - 19Feb - 25Feb - 04Mar - 11Mar - 12Mar

Test Train at Romsey, 2nd April 2026

43277 (+ 6261 + 72612 (PLPR1) + 975091 MENTOR + 72612) + 43257
1Q23 15:28 Salisbury - Southampton - Salisbury

43277 Safety Task Force leads the train into Romsey.


43277 was built as 43077 at BREL Crewe in December 1977, assigned to 254011 on the ECML.


72631 Plain Line Pattern Recognition vehicle - PLPR1, originally TSO Mk2f W6096 built at BREL Derby to Lot 30860 in 1974.

975091 Overhead Line Inspection Coach - MENTOR, originally converted for departmental use in 1973 at Swindon, from BSK S34615, deilivered in October 1955 by Gloucester RC&W to Lot 30142.

43257 on the rear of the train.

Seen on the return to Salisbury, 43257 was built as 43057 at BREL Crewe in July 1977 - one of a pair allocated to 254001 on the ECML.

Eastleigh, 31st March 2026

 

D6851 FLOPSIE (37667) awaiting entry into the paintshop.

59206 John F Yeoman Rail Pioneer 6V62 13:21 Up Yard - Westbury Tarmac.

66514 4M61 12:56 Maritime - Trafford Park. The following 4E65 was routed via Laverstock.

66518 4O90 05:29 Doncaster Europort - Maritime.

69014, only one year out of the paintshop at Eastleigh, is relegated to super shunter duties in the yard.

66710 Karen Harrison, finished for Railway 200, 4M46 14:19 Western Docks - Trafford Park.


800310 Wing Commander Ken Rees 5X84 14:18 Eastleigh - Reading. This unit has had the full repair, visible after the yaw damper, having entered the Works on 19th January.

800310 proceeding into platform 3.

4-TC turning move, Eastleigh, 31st March 2026

66766 Gail Richardson (+ 76324 + 76297) + 66734 PLATINUM JUBILEE
5Z45 13:08 Eastleigh Arlington (Zg) - Eastleigh Arlington (Zg)

66766 shunting the DTSO coaches in the yard to couple up with distant 66734.  The other two trailers are at right. 59003 lies beyond 66734.


Having reversed in platform 3, 66734 leads towards South Junction.

66734 leading close to completion of the circuit of the T&RSMD.

66734 about to pass under Campbell Road.


76297, which was part of unit 415 when converted in November 1966. Originally TSO S3938 from Lot 30086 completed at Eastleigh in September 1954.


76324, originally delivered in May 1956 as S4009 from Swindon with frames from Ashford, to lot 30149, and converted for 4-TC unit 428 in March 1967.

66766 on the rear, awaiitng a reversal to return into the Works. The need for the turning move is believed to be to recover the normal configuration.