25th - 30th November 2013

37405 leads "The Festive Festival Express" from Whitchurch (Shropshire) to Portsmouth, at Romsey, 30th November.

The train then continued to Eastleigh for servicing.

37405 was new as D6982 in June 1965 from Vulcan Foundry, allocated to 86A (Cardiff Canton). It was converted to 37405 in August 1985. Following EWS service, returned to service for DRS in March 2013.

37261 was on the rear. New as D6961 from Vulcan Foundry in January 1965 and allocated to Sheffield Darnall. EWS stopped using it in 1999, after which it saw usage in France. In East Lancs and NYMR service with Ian Riley in early 2004, then sold to West Coast in May that year, working on Royal Scotsman duties through 2005 as Loch Arkaig. Then onwards to DRS, working from late 2005 with some periods in store, including at Eastleigh. Overhauled, return to traffic February 2012. This is only its second railtour duty since sale to DRS.

37261 had been run around at Salisbury, to provide top&tail for exit from Portsmouth Harbour.

A few minutes earlier, Ian Knight captured 37405 leading the train at Dunbridge.

Monday 25th November: 56303 + 31190 (from Derby) 6Z41 08:00 Doncaster Decoy - Totton one two three, 6Z42 22:00 Totton - Wool, 60045 6X01 10:17 Scunthorpe - Eastleigh one two three four, 60045 + 66115 6E15 21:06 Eastleigh - Scunthorpe
Tuesday 26th November: 31190 + 56303 6Z41 05:40 Wool - Eastleigh, 6Z42 21:30 Eastleigh - Wool, 60045 0O01 10:36 Doncaster - Eastleigh, 56113 6Z30 17:23 Westbury - Eastleigh, 6Z31 20:12 Eastleigh - Westbury (?)
Wednesday 27th November: 31190 + 56303 6Z41 05:50 Wool - Totton one two, 6Z42 22:00 Totton - Wool, 47727 0Z80 10:13 Eastleigh - Fairwater, Taunton., 33029 + 44871 5Z86 09:45 Southall - Poole one two three four five six, 56113  6Z30 17:23 Westbury - Eastleigh, 60045 + 66149 6N70 23:05 Eastleigh - Sherborne
Thursday 28th November: 60045 + 66149 6N70 04:20 Gillingham - Eastleigh, 60045 0Y20 10:12 Eastleigh - Ludgershall, 6Y21 12:39 Ludgershall - Eastleigh (cable train) one two three, 31190 + 56303 6Z41 05:50 Wool - Totton, 6Z42 22:00 Totton - Wool, 44871 Poole - Bristol (rescued by 33029 after stall on Parkstone Bank) one two three four five six seven eight nine, 44871 + 33029 Bristol - Poole one two three four five, 56113 0Z56 14:19 Eastleigh - Westbury, 33202 on M3 to Swanage on loan while 33111 needs repair
Friday 29th November: 31190 + 56303 6Z41 05:50 Wool - Totton, 6Z42 10:21 Totton - Doncaster Decoy one two, 33029 + 44871 5Z89 10:12 Poole - Southall one two three, 37419 3Q08 22:05 Woking - Tisbury - Romsey - Eastleigh - Salisbury - Basingstoke
Saturday 30th November: 37261 + 37405 1Z42 05:01 Whitchurch (Shropshire) - Salisbury - Romsey - Eastleigh - Portsmouth Harbour - Eastleigh one two three four five six seven eight nine ten eleven, 1Z43 15:13 Eastleigh - Portsmouth Harbour - Southampton - Salisbury - Whitchurch one two three

Formation of the steam train was: 35517+ 99127 + 99125 (3113) + 99316 (13321 - kitchen) + 99122 (3106) + 99121 (3105) + 99350 (350) + 99348 (348) + 99311 (1882) + 4973 + 99304 (21256)

Formation for "The Festive Festival Express" was: 17105 + 3100 + 1671 + 3149 + 3147 + 3122 + 1813 + 4998 + 4949 + 4946