35028 "Clan Line" on the "Royal Wessex", 27th April 2012

1Z97 08:45 Victoria - Swanage, 1Z98 17:15 Swanage - Southampton UGL - Redbridge - Laverstock - Waterloo.

35028 approaching Redbridge just before noon.

Redbridge. The locomotive was built at Eastleigh in 1948, and was the last of class to be rebuilt, in 1959.

In the evening on the return journey, again at Redbridge. Image by Ian Knight.

Approaching Romsey a few minutes later. The two chapels in the graveyard are in the background, that on the right is listed.

Romsey. The first BFK is support coach 17096 Mercator built in Derby in 1968.

Detail of the locomotive at Romsey. The disc code is for "Waterloo or Nine Elms and Brockenhurst and Bournemouth West, via Sway"

23rd - 28th April 2012

97301 at Eastleigh, 27th April. Image by Ian Knight.

67028 with 1Z98 at Redbridge, 27th April. Image by Ian Knight.

Sunday 22nd April: 47841 + 47818 T+T 5Z73 10:40 Eastleigh - Crewe one two
Monday 23rd April:  

Tuesday 24th April: 70007 4O49 09.23 Basford Hall - Maritime - caught fire between Bramley and Basingstoke, rescued by 66533 1Z99 Maritime - Bramley one two three four

Wednesday 25th April:

Thursday 26th April:  37601 + 37409 + 47818 & 47841 (on rear) 05:51 1Z74 Edinburgh - Western Docks (see below) one two three four five six seven eight nine ten eleven twelve thirteen fourteen fifteen sixteen seventeen eighteen nineteen twenty twenty-one, 97301 3Z14 13:03 Bristol - Eastleigh (via Warminster), 97302 6P25 10:15 Bescot - Eastleigh one two three, 0M28 Eastleigh - Hinksey one two three four

Friday 27th April: 67028 5Z97 05:00 Eastleigh - Victoria, 35028 + 67028 T+T 1Z97 08:45 Victoria - Swanage one two three four five, 1Z98 17:15 Swanage - Southampton UGL - Redbridge - Laverstock - Waterloo one two three four five six seven, 67028 5Z98 22:10 Waterloo - Eastleigh, 37409 + 37601 + 47841 (DIT) & 47818 (on rear) 5Z74 Eastleigh - Crewe (actually from Millbrook) one two three four five six seven eight nine, 97301 3Z08 20:02 Eastleigh - Redbridge - Bath - Andover- Oxford - Derby, 70008 + 70007 DIT 4M98 18:00 Maritime - Garston

Saturday 28th April: 66124 + 66013 + 66141 + 66160 + 66101 + 66145 + 66151 + 66060 + 66105 + 66198 0X12 Margam - Eastleigh

Thursday's 'Cruise Saver' started from Edinburgh with 47841 + 47818 in T+T. However it ran into trouble only a few miles into its journey at Monktonhall where 47818 shunted 47841 to the rear and then continued, but to expire with low oil at Aldwarke Jct. (Rotherham). After an initial rescue by Freightliner 66520 to Barrow Hill, the train was taken to Southampton by adding 37601 + 37409, arriving about 2½ hours late at 18:42, after the departure of 'Oriana' reportedly leaving 65 passengers behind. See cruise discussions at pocruises & cruiseforums. Passengers given options including flying to join the cruise on Sunday.
"There are no restrictions on baggage, and with almost 250 fellow guests on board no risk that the ship will leave without you"

Other passengers were fortunate to catch the 'Ventura' which was delayed for some repairs, not to await the Cruise Saver.

The ECS was only worked as far as the car loading terminal adjacent to Millbrook one two three.

On Friday the ECS was worked by 37401 + 37601 + 47841 (DIT) & 47818 (idling) on rear.

Swanage Gala Diesel Gala extra locomotive now reported to be a Network Rail 57/3 operated by GBRf - also expected to bring 50026 from Eastleigh on Friday 4th May (tentative 10:30 from Eastleigh)

So farewell then 47501, stored XHHP

47501 has been stored into pool XHHP, the DRS holding pool, and is believed to have a main generator failure. There is a report that it may be coming to Eastleigh for stripping, to support overhaul of 47839.

New as D1944 from Brush, Loughborough in June 1966. Renumbered to 47501 from February 1974. Stored by EWS in April 1999, withdrawn in April 2001. In October 2002 acquired by DRS and passed through Glasgow Works returning to traffic in September 2003 after overhaul and twin-tank modification.

It is said that 47802 may now be on hit-list at DRS as it is at same design level as 47501.

Eastleigh, 1st April 1984

UPDATE: David Mant sent me this picture of 47501 at Salisbury on what appears to be a West of England service in 1988. My notes show that the locomotive had an overhaul at Crewe completed in June 1986.

 Eastleigh, 22nd May 2011

Cruise Saver Express ECS, Eastleigh - 21st April 2012

 47818 approaches Eastleigh with 5Z73 ECS from Western Docks, running much earlier than scheduled.

 47818 clags as the signal clears. New as D1917 in December 1965 from Brush, later 47240 and 47663.

47841 works the ECS into the carriage sidings, via the depot loop. There should be a northbound ECS shortly as the next working is a repeat itinerary on Thursday 26th, and baggage car will be at the rear of the southbound train if the ECS goes by the West Coast.

50026 Indomitable under test at Eastleigh Works - 21st April 2012

 50026 Indomitable seen moving under test at Eastleigh Works.

 The loco is scheduled to appear at the Swanage Railway Diesel Gala in three weeks.

The locomotive was left running here for some time. New as D426 in June 1968 from EE Vulcan Foundry and withdrawn in December 1990.

Eastleigh Works 57s - 21st April 2012

Network Rail 57312 and 57306 may be in 'storage' at Eastleigh following the snow season. 57312 formerly The Hood  was new in February 1965 from Brush as D1811 later 47330 Amlwych Freighter/Trên Nwyddau Amlwych

57302 formerly Virgil Tracy awaits transformation into a DRS loco. Originally D1928 completed by Brush in January 1966 then 47251, 47589 and 47827.

Cruise Saver Express, Millbrook - 21st April 2012

 47841 passes Millbrook for entry to Western Docks to terminate 1Z73 05:40 from Edinburgh.

 47841 was new as D1726 from Brush in March 1964, and later was 47134 and 47622.

With its oval buffers, 47818 was on the rear.

16th - 21st April 2012

4464 Bittern passing Redbridge with 1Z37 Swanage - Banbury, 19th April. The coaches were a mixture of SRPS and Jeremy Hosking owned vehicles.

Monday 16th April: 57009 0Z57 11:28 Crewe Gresty Bridge - Eastleigh Works (for repair to minor collision damage) one two three
Tuesday 17th April: 66724 + 317708 5O16 13:23 Ilford - Eastleigh
Wednesday 18th April:
Thursday 19th April: 60019 (4464) (replaced failed 46201) 1Z36 08:38 Banbury - Basingstoke - Laverstock - Southampton UGL (then tender first) - Swanage one two three four five six seven eight, 1Z37 17:15 Swanage - Winchester - Banbury one two three four five six, 31106 3Q46 22:45 Hither Green - Eastleigh
Friday 20th April: 31106 3Q15 21:59 Eastleigh - Brighton - Eastbourne - Brighton - Eastleigh - Hither Green
Saturday 21st April: 67025 5Z59 05:33Eastleigh - Basingstoke (for 06:45 1Z59 tour to Penzance,  1Z60 16:30 return), Basingstoke - Eastleigh, 5Z60 23:40 Basingstoke - Eastleigh,  47818 + 47841 T+T 05:40 Edinburgh - Western Docks one two (841 leading), 5Z73 16:27 Western Docks - Eastleigh 

Stock for 1Z36/37 was 35185 (SRPS) 3150 (SRPS) 3148 (J Hosking) 1730 (SRPS) 3115 (SRPS) 3096 (SRPS) 3125 (J Hosking) 13227 (J Hosking)  1859 (SRPS) 4856 (SRPS) 4831 (SRPS) 4832 (SRPS) 17013 (J Hosking - Bittern support coach). All of J Hosking's registered main line coaches were in the consist.

Ashfield Bridge and other clearance work, Romsey, 15th April 2012

The new A27 Ashfield bridge, erected at Easter 2012. The rubble in the foreground is material from the old bridge.

There is also a new E867R signal replacing one of ML Engineering pattern, which would have been erected at the resignalling 30 years ago, as illustrated below for 31st March update. Similar pattern signal E861 (down from Eastleigh in the Tadburn Meadows area) is also being replaced - still in use today, with its replacement in position.

At deck level (taken from a fence), it can be seen that the steel ties have been positioned ahead of concrete pouring.

Clearance works are under way on the canopies at Romsey station. The down platform (left) has been completed, and work is under way on the up platform.

A view of the complete down canopy (right) and partially completed up (left).

9th - 14th April 2012

The Eastleigh Three, 9th April - pending disposal. 58002 (new Feb 1984, withdrawn Nov 2000)...

...58017 (new Oct 1984,withdrawn Apr 1999) ...

...& 58037 (new Mar 1986, withdrawn Apr 2002)

66415 6O49 10:51 Neasden - Wool  approaches Redbridge, 10th April. Image by Ian Knight.

31465 with 1Q14 Derby - Weymouth - Eastleigh. Image by Ian Knight. 31465 failed before its next working.

Monday 9th April:
Tuesday 10th April : 73138 + 73201 1Q07 06:20 Hither Green - Fawley - Eastleigh, 31465 1Q14 05:57 Derby- Melksham - Westbury - Basingstoke - Weymouth - Eastleigh one two three four five, 66415 10:51 Neasden - Wool one two three four
Wednesday 11th April: 73138 + 73201 1Q08 05:18 Eastleigh - Weymouth - Eastleigh one two three four five six seven, 66415 15:00 6O49 Wool  - Neasden one two three four five , 66724 + 317732 5O17 13:23 Ilford - Eastleigh
Thursday 12th April: 70019 + fire damaged 70018 DIT  4M98 18:00 Southampton - Garston (70018 to Basford Hall) one two, 31285 1Q06 20:03 Woking - Weymouth - Eastleigh,  73138 + 73201 1Q11 04:50 Eastleigh - Lymington Pier, 05:46 Lymington Pier - Hither Green
Friday 13th April: 57310 0Z57 05:25 Eastleigh - Brush Loughborough, 31106 0Z31 Old Oak Common - Eastleigh, 31106 + 31465 DIT 6Z14 14:20 Eastleigh - Derby (failed 31465), 31285 1Q06 20:19 Eastleigh - Romsey - Laverstock - Ludgershall - Derby
Saturday 14th April: 66063 + 66138 5Z44 05:33 Eastleigh - Woking, 5Z46 23:08 Woking - Eastleigh (this pair worked to Eastleigh from Cardiff 13Apr)

Cruisesaver Express resumes next weekend:
21st April 05:50 Edinburgh - Southampton Docks (Eastern or Western TBA)
More details from The Class 47 List

Bridge Works at Easter Weekend 6th - 9th April 2012

Ashfield bridge replacement pictures

Councillor slams quality of A27 road closure signs

East Grimstead bridge pictures by David Mant

The Ainscough crane used was the same one as used at Ashfield

5th April: one two

6th April: one two three 

7th April: one two three four five six seven eight nine

9th April: one 

12th April: one

2nd -7th April 2012

59203 Vale of Pickering passes Maritime with 7V52 12:55 Hamworthy - Whatley, 4th April. Image by Ian Knight.

67011 with 350120 from Northampton to Northam, 6th April. Image by Ian Knight.

Monday 2nd April: 67029 5O61 09:53 Wembley - Eastleigh
Tuesday 3rd April: 66704 + 317710 5O17 19:15 Ilford - Eastleigh
Wednesday 4th April: 57304 + 57302 + 57309 0Z30 08:43 Longsight - Eastleigh (for DRS), 66704 5L56 10:52 Eastleigh - Ilford
Thursday 5th April: 70018 on fire (reported fuel leak on engine block) at Micheldever Tunnel / Wallers Ash with 4O27 05:40 Garston - Maritime, recovered to Millbrook by 66556 sent 1Z99 from Maritime - Wallers Ash (seen earlier in day one two), 66704 + 317729 5O17 19:15 Ilford - Eastleigh
Friday 6th April:  67011 6M01 03:21 Eastleigh - Northampton, 67011 + 350120 7Z01 10:14 Northampton - Northam, 67011 6B01 16:30 Northam - Eastleigh. Recent delivery Class 70s reported out of traffic for exams.
Saturday 7th April:
Sunday 8th April: 67011 6B02 14:57 Eastleigh - Northam, 67011 + 350120 7Z02 18:36 Northam - Northampton