Miscellany at Eastleigh, 9th March 2026

 

Looking pretty manky, this is 73202 which is in a Southern livery. It has been at the Works since 15th December.

69014 and 69016 at rest, while 08511 did the shunting.

701019 pauses with 5Q50 12:32 Bournemouth T&R.S.M.D - Wimbledon Park Depot Sdgs.

66551 and 66544, both on hire to Colas.

57302 parked in a strange corner at the Works.

57012 brings the LT 4-TC to Eastleigh, 9th March 2026

57012 + 4-TC (76297 + 70823 + 71163 + 76324) 5Z33 10:31 Southall - Eastleigh Arlington, believed to be the first visit of 57012 to Eastleigh following  sale to West Coast. The 4-TC coaches had been reformed at Southall, following wheelset damage in the autumn.

57012 approaching Eastleigh, passing restricted 69016 (farther) and 69014 (nearer) in the East Yard.

57012, which was sold to West Coast in 2022, via Ron Hull's scrap buisness, now has a modernised cooler group, applied under DRS management.

57012 delivered as D1854 in July 1965, later 47204.


DTSO LT 76297.

TBSK LT 70823.

DTSO 76324 as the rear most coach.

Kirkby Stephen West, 7th March 2026

 

My first 47 picture of the year. 47593 Galloway Princess 1Z40 07:15 Hereford - Appleby, approaching Kirkby Stephen. Scaffold around the signal box, seen in 2022-23, has now been removed.

158792 seen with LMR style signage, working 2H89 1058 Carlisle - Leeds.

My first sighting of a Heavy Haul Rail locomotive, 66545 0M68 1118 Leeds Balm Rd - Carlisle New Yard.

A closer view of 47593 running in to pass the station platform.

D1924 Crewe Diesel Depot (47810) on the rear.

70817 wide open when working 'the Logs' 6J37 1244 Carlisle Yard - Chirk Kronospan.

A closer view of 70817.

Edinburgh, 9th February 2026

 

43024 at Haymarket shed, where it brought to from Ely, as a spares source.


Coupled to 08754 of RMS Locotec.

801219 being prepared for 1E10 10/;00 Edinburgh - Kings Cross. Seen at Eastleigh, 20th December 2019.

Trans-Pennine 802213 which had arrived as 9S05 05:26 Newcastle - Edinburgh.

43145 ready to work on the rear of 1H17 13:32 Edinburgh to Inverness, alongside 158718.

801215 arriving as 1S09 09:03 Kings Cross - Edinburgh. Seen at Eastleigh, 17th December 2019.

2nd - 7th March 2026

 

Monday 2nd March: 66549 + 56051 0Z30 09:10 Eastleigh - Romsey - Salisbury - Westbury - Rugby one two three four; 37884 0O86 09:50 Leicester -Eastleigh one two, 37884 + 68024 0M59 15:19 Eastleigh - Loughborough 1Z99 Eastleigh -Basingstoke one two three four five to rescue 68027 5Q86 12:25 Banbury - Eastleigh one two; 66106 (+ 99541 / 243 LUCILLE) 5Z26 10:50 Stewarts Lane - Eastleigh East Yard one two three

Tuesday 3rd March: 37884 + 68021 0M59 07:26 Eastleigh - Loughborough Brush one two; 800012 5X80 09:22 Eastleigh - Reading
Wednesday 4th March: 800005 5X81 13:15 Reading - Eastleigh one
Thursday 5th March: 43013 + 43062 1X23 15:28 Salisbury - Southampton - Salisbury one
Fridaay 6th March:
Saturday 7th March:

Swietelsky are offering 73951 & 73952 for sale. Formerly 73104 and 73211.

Tucson, April 2000 (part 1)

It is now rather a long time ago, a business trip to Tucson which lasted just over two weeeks. These pictures were probably taken on Saturday 8th April 2000.

Union Pacific GP38-3 2417 (EMD builder number 33367). New as B&O GP-3849 in November 1967, later CSX 2049). Rebuilt as GP38-3 by MPI for UP, delivered January 1998. Returned to lessor Helm Financial November 2007, and ran as HLCX 2417. More recently South Branch Valley Railroad (in West Virginia) 101.

SP 8680, a SD40M-2, by then in Union Pacific ownership through acquisition. Bult as D&RGW SD45 5327 (EMD builder number 33759) delivered in March 1968. Rebuilt to SP 8680 by Morrison Knudesn, completed in November 1994. Renumbered to UP 2756. Retired in October 2010,  sold to National Railway Equipment Co as NREX 2756 in 2013, and scrapped at Metro East Industries, East St Louis, in 2014.

SD40-2 UP 3037. Delivered to C&NW as 6872 in September 1974 (EMD builder number 74639-7), and to UP via acquisition. "was the first unit in this group to be repainted to Union Pacific, completed on 30 June 1995". Retired by UP in December 2008, assumed scrapped. Location.

At this time, SD60Ms were established road power across many railroads. UP 6330 with 2nd generation North American Safety Cab leads this eastbound train, at West Ina Road, near a Motel 6 which I had used on a previous visit, when I was funding my own travel. Now developed with storage units, and in 2019, an upgraded intersection and overpass. 6330 was delivered to UP in September 1992 (EMD builder number 926302-15 ), later renumbered to 2485. At some time, UP retired it, and it now is listed in the roster of Larry's Truck & Electic (LTEX 2485), seen working for Indiana & Ohio RR (IORY).        

The second locomotive was SP 9349, a "Tunnel Motor" SD45T-2, built in January 1975 (EMD builder number 73674-6). By this time a rough looking late survivor, later retired under UP ownership in August 2001. Noted as stored at Larry's Truck & Electric in December 2004.

UP 650 was next, a GE C36-7 (builder number 45090) originally delivered to Missouri Pacific in October 1985. Retired in April 2001, when all 58 surviving locomotives were sold for use in Estonia, becoming EVR 1553.

UP 644 has a similar history to 650. GE C36-7 (builder number 45084 ) originally delivered to Missouri Pacific in October 1985. Retired in March 2001, to Estonia, becoming EVR 1531.

UP 6103, a SD60M (EMD builder number 886010-19) delivered in January 89, with 1st generation North American Safety Cab.  Renumbered in 2003 to 2258, and still on the current roster.

HSTs in Fife, December 2025 - January 2026

Scotland is now the holdout territory for regular HST workings, here seen in a snapshot over the Christmas - New Year period.

43152 at Dalgety Bay with 1A81 11:30 Edinburgh - Aberdeen, 31st December 2025.

43145 at Aberdour with1A81 11:30 Edinburgh - Aberdeen, 24th December.

43181 1A81 11:30 Edinburgh - Aberdeen, Inverkeithing, 2nd January.


43144 at Aberdour, with 1A87 15:30 Edinburgh - Aberdeen, 2nd January.

43177 again at Aberdour, 1B84 14:03 Aberdeen - Edinburgh, 2nd January.