Saturday, 29 September 2012

Siemens Northam Open Day, 29th September 2012

Images by Ian Knight
444s and 450s under maintenance
High capacity 450569
444022 and 444017

24th - 29th September 2012

A smoky 66564 drags 66535 + 66569 on an up move from Southampton Maritime, passing Millbrook, 29th September. 66535 and 66569 were allocated 4FHH today, and may be going onto Hoo Jct based duties.
57309 Pride of Crewe at Eastleigh, 29th September. Image by Chris Finch.
66088 leaving Western Docks with 4M15 11:00 Western Docks - Bescot, passing through Millbrook, 29th September
66955 passing Millbrook with 4O27 05:26 Garston - Maritime

Monday 24th September:
Tuesday 25th September: 47812 5Z37 11:48 Bristol - Eastleigh
Wednesday 26th September: 60011 6O26 10:19 Hinksey - Eastleigh, 6V27 13:28 Eastleigh - Hinksey
Thursday 27th September: 60017 6X01 10:17 Scunthorpe Trent - Eastleigh, 6E15 21:06 Eastleigh - Scunthorpe Trent47812 0Z47 15:25  Eastleigh - Barton Hill, 57309 + 57010 + 66423 + 37608 + 37605 5Z36 23:15 Crewe - Eastleigh
Friday 28th September: 37605 + 37608 5Z36 05:00 Eastleigh - Salisbury, 1Z36 06:13 Salisbury - Dumbarton one two three four, 66102 + 60024 6O41 Westbury - Eastleigh one two three, 60045 6V27 13:28 Eastleigh - Hinksey
Saturday 29th September: 66xxx convoy 0X12 11:06 Margam - Westbury - Eastleigh (66201 + 66047 + 66019 + 66116 + 66097 +  66087 + 66115 + 66199 arrived at Westbury, uncertain if all worked forward)

50027 Lion is due out of its cage on 13th October 

Sunday, 23 September 2012

Watercress Line Members' Open Day, 22nd September 2012

Images by Ian Knight
 850 Lord Nelson on an up freight train at Ropley
 925 Cheltenham on a train to Alton at Medstead
"Thumper" 1125 on a train to Alresford at Ropley

Saturday, 22 September 2012

17th - 22nd September 2012

60040 The Territorial Army Centenerary approaches Romsey on Monday 17th, working Westbury - Eastleigh. Image by Ian Knight.
The same train approaching Eastleigh. Image by Ian Knight.
Colas 56094 was stabled in Eastleigh Works for the weekend of 15th-16th September. Image by 'Chudleighblade'.
57312 Peter Henderson stabled at Eastleigh, 15th September. Image by Chris Finch.

Monday 17th September: 56094 0Z50 10:00 Eastleigh - Cardiff one two three four five six60040 0V98 03:28 Eastleigh - Merehead (terminated at Westbury), 6O41 10:20 Westbury - Eastleigh, 6V41 14:45 Eastleigh - Westbury
Tuesday 18th September: 73205 + 12 Sarah Siddons + 73206 0O12 14:36 West Ruislip - Eastleigh (reported that 12 is for brake work) one two three four
Wednesday 19th September: 73138 + 73201 T+T 1Q85 06:08 Woking - Southampton DGL - Southampton - Southampton UGL - Hither Green one two
Thursday 20th September: 43013 + 43014 NMT 1X23 Salisbury - Southampton (reverse) - Westbury (reverse) - Salisbury - Old Oak Common
Friday 21st September:
Saturday 22nd September: 47500 + 70000 5Z81 03:00 Southall - Poole, 70000 1Z82 06:35 Poole - Cardiff, 1Z83 17:14 Cardiff - Poole, 47500 + 70000 5Z84 22:45 Poole - Southall, 47773 + 47760 T+T 1Z23 07:00 Solihill - Portsmouth Harbour one two, 1Z24 20:04 Portsmouth Harbour - Solihull






  • For those with further interest, in particular towards engineering, the 1979 published "Class 47 Diesels" by Tayler, Thorley and Hill remains recommended - I see that I paid £4.99 on 7th January 1980 for this, rather splashing out from my student finances at the start of a term. I do recall that it felt expensive at the time, but more than 30 years on it is something of a privilege to have this book.


  • 70010 was returned north DIT behind 66535 on 4M95 03:48 Maritime - Trafford Park on Monday 17th.

Vintage Trains to Portsmouth, 22nd September 2012

1Z23 07:00 Solihull - Portsmouth Harbour
 47773 heads southward at Shawford with this special train to meet with a cruise by P.S. Waverley.
 47773 was new as D1755 in August 1964, and was later 47161 and 47541 The Queen Mother
 WCRC 47760 was on the rear of the train.
47760 (once Ribblehead) was new as D1617 in September 1964, and was later 47036, 47562 Sir William Burrell and 47672 Restless

"The Welshman", 22nd September 2012

1Z82 06:35 Poole - Cardiff
70000 Britannia took the place of 70013 on the train, here passing through Redbridge.
A colder morning led to some more dramatic steam conditions.
Away from Redbridge, and heading for the docks. At this time the train was 15 minutes late.
The train is seen approaching Romsey two minutes early, having omitted some waiting time in the Southampton area.
Powering through Romsey station.


Sunday, 16 September 2012

10th - 16th September 2012

57312 Peter Henderson (named on 11th September) at St Denys heading for Northam, 16th September. Image by Ian Knight.
Returning with 350120 in tow, at Mount Pleasant. Image by Ian Knight.

Monday 10th September:
Tuesday 11th September: 60045 + 70000 T+T 5Z92 06:14 Eastleigh - Salisbury, 70000 1Z91 07:27 Salisbury - Southampton - Ely one two three four, 1Z95 16:43 Ely - Southampton - Salisbury, 60045 + 70000 T+T 5Z97 23:37 Salisbury - Eastleigh
Wednesday 12th September: 31285 1Q06 15:43 Old Oak Common - Westbury - Reading - Basingstoke - Eastleigh one two
Thursday 13th September: 34067 + 47245 T+T 1Z94 08:44 Victoria - Weymouth one two three four, 1Z95 16:35 Weymouth - Southampton - Laverstock Loop - Waterloo one two, 31285 1Q06 20:24 Eastleigh - Hamworthy - Basingstoke - Reading - Bristol, 47802 + 47805 T+T 5Z84 08:39 Crewe - Eastleigh one two three, 56094 7Z80 19:52 Nuneaton - Eastleigh
Friday 14th September: 47802 + 47805 5Z84 06:54 Eastleigh - Eastern Docks,  1Z84 10:54 Eastern Docks - Glasgow Central one two three, 60040 6O41 10:20 Westbury - Eastleigh one two, 6V41 14:45 Eastleigh - Westbury one two three, 70000 5Z90 12:50 Eastleigh - Bristol Barton Hill, 57312 + 350120 5O57 12:04 Watford Jct - Northam one two three
Saturday 15th September: 67022 + 67025 5Z85 11:00 Chichester - Eastleigh, 5Z89 17:05 Eastleigh - Chichester one two
Sunday 16th September: 60040 6O43 16:20 Westbury - Eastleigh, 57312 0Y57 16:00 Eastleigh - Northam, 57313 + 350120 5Y57 16:58 Northam - Woking

47709 was cut-up at Eastleigh one two three four

70010 made its first visit to Southampton Maritime, but is spending much time hidden under the bridge. It was dragged to Maritime by 66548 as 0O72 14:15 from Stoke Gifford on 12th September one two three .

Saturday, 15 September 2012

Watercress Line Autumn Steam Spectacular, 9th September 2012

Many more of my pictures from this event are on located here.

Visitor GWR 5322 (Swindon, 1917), from GWS Didcot, leaving Ropley with the first morning train for Alton
SR 'WC' 34007 Wadebridge (Brighton, 1945) leaving Ropley for Alton
Newly restored SR 'V' 925 Cheltenham + 'LN' 850 Lord Nelson arrive at Ropley from Alton with 'The Cunarder'
Later in the day 850 was working solo with the same headboard, again at Ropley
The last passenger arrival at Alresford, led by 925.
SR 'BB' 34051 Winston Churchill in the cattle dock siding / car park at Alresford. Disc code 'V' for Victory.

Further collections from David Warwick and Dave Mant.

Friday, 14 September 2012

The Dorset Coast Express, 13th September 2011

1Z94 08:44 Victoria - Weymouth
1Z95 16:35 Weymouth - Southampton (reverse) - Waterloo

 47245 leads into Redbridge at 18:05

 34067 Tangmere returns at 18:24, heading for Romsey and Laverstock Loop

  47245 on the rear


Tuesday, 11 September 2012

"Britannia" at breakfast, 11th September 2012


The Cathedrals Express, 1Z91 07:27 Salisbury - Southampton - Cambridge - Ely, stopping to pick up passengers at Romsey at 07:50 this morning.

70000 Britannia, completed at Crewe in January 1951




Sunday, 9 September 2012

'Log' action at the Watercress Line Autumn Steam Spectacular, 9th September 2012

50027 Lion tailed the 17:30 Alresford - Ropley, today hauled by LMS Class 5MT number45379, then returned the ECS to Alresford for stabling.
50027 comes onto the stock of the 17:30 Alresford - Ropley
A cab end study
Returning from Ropley with the ECS. 50027 then ran around the train.
Reversing the train away into the carriage sidings.

Saturday, 8 September 2012

Swanage Railway Grand Steam Gala, 8th September 2012

Swanage Railway introduction to the event 
6695 between turns at Swanage, its next train was the delayed 13:28 departure.
34070 Manston on the delayed 13:45, between Herston and Harmans Cross
Visitor 78019 at Harman's Cross
M7 53 awaits departure from Corfe Castle with delayed 14:05 from Norden
6695 arrives at Corfe Castle with delayed 14:30 from Norden
78019 leads the delayed 15:15 from Swanage towards Corfe Common, with 34028 on the rear.
80104 + 34028 with the 16:00 from Norden, having crossed Corfe Common

& finally a little bit of video