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.

Two workings at Romsey, 30th March 2026

 

Heavy Haul Rail 66550 + 66953 work STP 0O93 13:25 Stoke Gifford - Eastleigh.


69010 NORTH NORFOLK RAILWAY 1975 - 2025 THE POPPY LINE + 70806 6V41 14:48 Eastleigh -Westbury, where 69010 is in its third week on these duties.


6V41 included three YKA 'Osprey' wagons, which are now planned for replacement from 2027. DB 996501 was built by GR Turner to Lot 2926 in 1956-57, so is almost 70 years old.

DB 996452 comes from the same lot.

23rd - 28th March 2026

69010 NORTH NORFOLK RAILWAY 1975 - 2025 THE POPPY LINE +  66734 PLATINUM JUBILEE + 66716 LOCOMOTIVE AND CARRIAGE INSTITUTION CENTENARY 1911 - 2011 + 66551 (on hire to Colas) 6O41 10:14 Westbury - Eastleigh at Romsey, 23rd March.

59204 at Romsey on 25th, with 6O68 09:11 Westbury Tarmac - Crawley, which started an hour early from Westbury, but was held here to be closer to time, and behind the 10:07 from Romsey via Chandlers Ford.

The consist contained a number of hoppers which were not the typical Greenbrier HOA pattern.  83.70.6955.314-2 is a HYA, which is a coal hopper, which was shortened for aggregates traffic. It had spent the winter period in storage in Exeter Riverside Yard, and was returned to Merehead on 2nd February.

370410 is a HHA, again a shortened coal haopper, this work being completed at WH Davis in 2019-21.

69010 6O41 10:14 Westbury - Eastleigh, 25th March with a mighty load of one FEA-wagon.

Monday 23rd March: 68014 0M42 10:52 Eastleigh - Gresty Bridge one two (returned to Chiltern base colours as delivered in 2014).
Tuesday 24th March:
Wednesday 25th March: 37667 (+ 6706 MOUNT MGAHINGA) 5O47 08:17 Crewe - Eastleigh one two three four
Thursday 26th March: 37667 at Eastleigh Works (reported as for repaint to LSL black, similar to 37521 currently within the Works.); 66730 + 66748 5Z38 13:30 Stewarts Lane - Eastleigh one (earlier one two three)
Friday 27th March: 
Saturday 28th March: 

Closure of Eastleigh by Network Rail for 4 days through Easter.

47727 is now back in use by GBRf at Old Dalby (Melton RIDC).

Colas Class 70: There is a rumour that these could be parked once more Class 66s become available to lease, as part of a 'Standardisation' activity. Another rumour is that Heavy Haul Rail may go in a similar direction.

455712 + 455732, the last pair in service on 20th, were moved to Derby on 27th for disposal. 455712, new in 1984, is seen departing Eastleigh Works on 24th February 2017, after being repowered with a Kiepe ac traction package.

Two consecutive trains at Romsey, 27th March 2026

 

59203 approaching with 6O70 11:00 Westbury Tarmac - Eastleigh.

A closer view of the Class 59, which was delivered in 1995.

The train included a number of HHA and HYA wagons, both of which are coal hoppers shortened for aggregates traffic. These had been in store from late October - early November at Exeter Riverside, and were returned in 6C28 12:48 Exeter Riverside - Merehead on 2nd February. This is HYA 83.70.6955.341-5, originally built as an IIA by WH Davis in 2012-13, and shortened by them in 2022.

The last wagon was HHA 370378, originally built by Greenbrier in 2004, as a coal hopper, and shortened by WH Davis in 2019-21. Like the HYA above, this was at Exeter Riverside through the winter, and returned to Merehead on 2nd February.

The following working was a one hour late 0O41 10:14 Westbury - Eastleigh, with 69010 NORTH NORFOLK RAILWAY 1975 - 2025 THE POPPY LINE + 70806 + 70811 + 66553 (hired to Colas).

A closer view of 69010, in its second week on the Westbury circuit.

66553, currently hired to Colas, on the rear.

Snapshot at Eastleigh and the Works, 24th March 2026

 

Heavy Haul Rail 66606 6V62 13:21 Up Yard - Westbury Tarmac.

NACO 3931, a Marcroft JNA built in 2000.

Freightliner 66512 4E65 13:13 Maritime - Doncaster Europort.


4-TC coack 76324, rebuilt in 1967 from TSO 4009 built at Swindon in 1956. 59003 is at the far end, following its viewing day last week, as part of the sale process.


73202 continues to model the dirty look.

Work continues on Brighton Belle coach 93 / 293 (Metropolitan-Cammell, 1932) to be CELIA.

More marketing information for CELIA:

• Belmond
• Celia, the British Pullman Carriage by Baz Luhrmann & Catherine Martin
• YouTube short
• YouTube short
• House & Garden
• Forbes
  
• Journal des Palaces

319380 was anticipated to be heading to Unimetals at Newport, but that business is in liquidation, so it lingers.