DMUs on the Severn Valley, 10th May 2026

 

Derby Class 108 DMCL 52064 leads away from Highley with the 10:45 Bridgnorth - Kidderminster.

DMBS 51941 on the rear of the train. The centre car is TSL 59250.

Class 101 DMCL 50170 at Bewdley, in a set which arrived in 2024, from the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway.

Centre car TSL 59303, which was allocated to Dundee (DE) in my more youthful years.

DMBS 50253 at the other end of the train.

Later in the day, 52064 departing Arley with the 14:05 Bridgnorth - Kidderminster.

DMU Group (West Midlands)
Severn Valley Railway

56051 + 56049 Marchwood - Westbury, Romsey, 23rd May 2026

56051 + 56049 0Z56 16:57 Marchwood Mod Gbrf - Westbury Down T.C., following the delivery of 56094 and 56302 for export to Ghana. At least 56049 was out later from Westbury, on a Civil Engineering train. These are the two currently operational Class 56s with Colas, mainly working on Civil Engineering trains, or standing by on ECML Thunderbird duties.

56051 Survival leads into Romsey station.

Closer shots running through 'platform 2'.

56049 Robin of Templecombe on the rear.

1970s style smoke from the Ruston Paxman 16RK3CT in 56051.

56s for Ghana, Redbridge, 23rd May 2026

56051 (+ 56302 + 56094 - both for export to Ghana) + 56049 0Z55 08:54 Rectory Jn (Colwick Colas) - Marchwood. 

The convoy of locomotives skipped the Walllers Ash stop, but ended up waiting at the Redbridge end of the Down Loop past Maritime. A surprise for the handful of photographers, which grew into an assembly over half an hour.

All locomotives seen here are, or were, the property of Colas Rail, where the 5th is 56078, and the other five are leased from Beacon.

Approaching the signal at Redbridge, at the west end of the loop, led by 56051 Survival.

Closer view of 56051.

Cabside view of 56302, showing "Supplied by ROMIC" flashes.

Data panel of 56302, with Max. speed in km/h.

56051 clags on departure from Redbridge.

No. 2 end of 56302, which was 56124 when new from BREL Crewe on 25th September 1983 (one - may have been on test before release).

No. 1 end of 56094, which was new from BREL Doncaster on 9th August 1981.

No. 1 end of 56302.

While various parts of a livery had been covered by white vinyls, these had become damaged on 56302, revealing that the customer is the Ghana Railway Development Authority.

No. 2 end of 56094.

56049 Robin of Templecombe on the rear.

Seen entering the loop at Totton, to proceed to Marchwood. Image by Roger Homan.

Flickr for the day.

18th - 23rd May 2026

 

59206 John F Yeoman Rail Pioneer 6O68 09:11 Westbury Tarmac - Crawley, Romsey, 18th May.

Much of the rake was Marcroft JNAs. but the last wagon was a newer Greenbrier example, 81.70.5500.818-6 .

69010 NORTH NORFOLK RAILWAY 1975 - 2025 THE POPPY LINE + 66730 Whitemoor 6O39 10:14 Westbury - Eastleigh. The first wagon was NLU 93465, the tunnel ventilation wagon, classified JZA.

Nameplate of 66730.

34028 Eddystone running through Romsey on the evening of 20th.

47848 on the rear of the train.

Monday 18th May:
Tuesday 19th May:
Wednesday 20th May: 802007 5X82 09:20 Eastleigh - Reading, 800111 5X83 16:18 Reading - Eastleigh one; 34028 + 47848 T+T 1Z88 0821 Victoria - Swanage one two three four, 1Z89 16:35 Swanage - Southampton - Redbridge - Laverstock - Victoria one two three
Thursday 21st May: 802105 5X82 09:20 Eastleigh - Reading; 57306 0O52 0946 Reading - Eastleigh, 57306 (+ 701027) 5Z50 13:02 Eastleigh - Wimbledon Park ("service was cancelled due to a problem with the brakes")
Friday 22nd May: 80xxxx 5X81 1316 Reading to Eastleigh
Saturday 23rd May: 56091 (+ 56094 + 56302 - both for export to Ghana Railway Development Authority) + 56049 0Z55 08:54 Rectory Jn (Colwick Colas) - Marchwood one two three four five six seven eight nine ten, 0Z56 17:02 Marchwood - Eastleigh - Westbury one two three four five six seven

Parkway House Business Centre's great railway history - article covers that the building is out of use because of the Campbell Road bridge restrictions.

'Royal Scotsman' at Dalgety Bay, 25th February 2026

66704 Colchester Power Signalbox 66704 1H79 13:45 Edinburgh - Dundee, which later returned to Edinburgh in an unusual pre-season afternoon trip.

On the climb, after a 'staffng reasons' stop at Inverkeithing, 66704 approaches the Hillend overbridge.

Two shots as the trrain approaches Dalgety Bay station.

66704 was in use, rather than one of the dedicated Royal Scotsman liveried pair of Class 66s. 66743 was at Peterborough, and 66746 at Bescot.

DINING CAR NO.2  99960 (321 E321E SWIFT), which was rebuilt in 2013.


Introduced to the train in the 2025 season, 'STATE CAR No.4' is a rebuild of Pullman Kitchen First 315 (E315E) HERON. Displaced car 99964 is now in Eastleigh Works for overhaul. 

Dawlish Warren, 9th May

 A set of images from Roger Homan, taken within 100 minutes at Dawlish Warren.

66744 Heart of Wales + 66748 St Michael's Mount 1C02 09:05 Bishops Lydeard Gbrf - Penzance


60007 Sir Nigel Gresley 1Z07 05:52 Northampton - Kingswear.

47593 Galloway Princess on the rear.

'The Great Britain XVIII', Aberdour, 24th April 2026

45407 + 47812 1Z10 09:10 Aberdeen - Edinburgh

45407 working hard on the climb from Burntisland to Dalgety.

47812 making a substantial contribution on the rear.