Monday 31 July 2017

June Friday Evening Freight at Eastleigh, 30th June 2017 - 5: DB Cargo


 66034 with 4V39 1736 Eastern Docks - Cowley. Earlier in the day Didcot driver Brian Daniels retired on the working from Cowley.

66177 was the yard shunter.

Sunday 30 July 2017

70s at Maritime, 29th July 2017


70008 has been in traffic in July, but is waylaid at Southampton ...

... as seen through the windscreen.

& positioned in a storage like location - where the 47s used to sit just over a decade ago.

70010 appears to be on yard shunter duties.

Saturday 29 July 2017

The Buffer Puffer 14.0, Eastleigh, 28th July 2017


37059 + 4927 + 4959 + 5366 + 1813 + 21269 + 3123 +3120 + 37069
1Z50 15:01 Eastleigh - Walton-on-the-Naze

The train is prepared within Eastleigh Works.

Proceeding with the 5Z50 ECS from the works to the station. 37059 was new from English Electric Vulcan Foundry as D6759 on 12th October 1962. Renumbered to 37059 on 16th November 1973. Stored by EWS in January 1999, and moved ownership to DRS on 19th July 2003. Overhauled and returned to service in 2003, stored in April 2012, to Barrow Hill, returned to usage in October 2014.

37069 on the rear of the train. Locomotive history covered here when seen at Crewe in 2016.

Departure of the special train from platform 3.

37069 on the rear departing to the north.

24th - 29th July 2017


66723 Chinook in the paint shop area at Eastleigh Works, 28th July.

70815 with 6O31 17:30 Westbury - Eastleigh, at Dunbridge, 26th July.

47237 on the rear of 1Z69 at Dunbridge, 26th July.

Sunday 23rd July: 68025 + 68028 T+T 1Z68 09:58 Victoria - Eastleigh one two, 1Z69 16:00 Eastleigh - Southampton - Redbridge - Laverstock - Victoria one two (Flickr for the day); 60009 + 47237 T+T 1Z56 17:20 Weymouth - Paddington one (Flickr for the day)
Monday 24th July:
Tuesday 25th July:
Wednesday 26th July: 60009 + 47237 T+T 1Z67 08:43 Victoria - Weymouth one, 1Z69 16:35 Weymouth - Southampton - Laverstock - Waterloo one two (Flickr for the day)
Thursday 27th July: 37059 + 37069 0Z70 09:25 Crewe - Eastleigh one two; 43013 & 43062 1X23 15:07 Salisbury - Redbridge - Southampton UGL - Redbridge - Salisbury (one two elsewhere on the day)
Friday 28th July: 67012 + 67021 T+T 1Y91 11:42 Victoria - Eastleigh - Hove one; 37059 + 37069 1Z50 15:01 Eastleigh - Walton-on-the-Naze one two three four
Saturday 29th July:

Freightliner Class 66: 66596 is back in service, while still in the storage pool DHLT. 66954 was recently reinstated to pool DFIN. This leaves 66955, 66956 and 66957 in storage, at Leeds.

Colas Class 47: 47739 Robin of Templecombe has been stored - this was expected, and it is not expected to return, as it is planned to provide parts to support the continued use of 47727 and 47749.

47771 is now receiving attention inside Eastleigh Works.

Eastleigh Works: 30Jun

The two Class 150 prototypes


The two Class 150 prototype units have now appeared on the Portsmouth - Cardiff circuit, appearing to have drifted from Basingstoke - Reading. Completed at York in 1984 to Lots 30984 to 30986 in steel construction, with some bodyshell commonality with earlier emu Class 455, itself tooled using the Mark III principles.

150001 is seen departing Romsey on 23rd July.

150002 was delivered with Perkins engines, later ran as a Class 154 while part of development for Class 158. Now understood to be Cummins powered, seen passing Dunbridge, 26th July.

Farewell to the KLM Fokker 70, Eastleigh, 28th July 2017


Looking into the sky from the platform at Eastleigh, here is a "Classic Power" species rather more endangered than the trains we watch. The Fokker 70 is shortly going out of service at KLM Cityhopper, the remaining 7 examples will be phased out by 28th October, the end of the current timetable.

PH-KZU (11543) first flew on 22nd June 1995, and was delivered to Air Littoral (flying in Air France colours).To KLM in April 2009.

KLM have created a special Thank You livery, with Anthony Fokker on the tail, as part of this farewell.

The Fokker 70 has no leading edge slats, and can make flap-less takeoffs, including from Southampton.


60009 The Dorset Coast Express, 26th July 2017


LNER A4 60009 Union of South Africa
1Z67 08:43 Victoria - Weymouth
1Z69 16:35 Weymouth - Southampton - Laverstock - Waterloo

Th first two pictures are at Redbridge.



The second pair are at Dunbridge.




The full set of pictures is appended to the collection on OneDrive.

Wednesday 26 July 2017

60009 at Eastleigh, 23rd July 2017


LNER A4 60009 Union of South Africa
'The Cathedrals Express' 1Z56 17:20 Weymouth - Paddington


Running through a rather deserted Redbridge. Image by Ian Knight.

Approaching Eastleigh.

Running into the platform.

In position at platform end, the water being filled from a fire tender in the car park.

Classic.

From the bridge, not long before the 'off'.

A full set appears at OneDrive.

Monday 24 July 2017

NYMR Teak Set Vandalised - & Appeal

News of mindless vandalism at Pickering.


The Northern Belle, 23rd July 2017


68025 Superb + 68028

  • 1Z68 09:58 Victoria - Eastleigh - the passengers went to the docks to see the ocean liners
  • 1Z69 16:00 Eastleigh - Southampton - Redbridge - Laverstock - Victoria - after which ECS to Kidderminster

The outward train arriving at Eastleigh. The Mk1 coaches are Kitchen First 325 (at some time 2907 in the Royal Train) and 1566. Image by Ian Knight.

68028 on the rear of the consist, heading into the works for servicing. Image by Ian Knight.

The return train passing Redbridge in the rain. Image by Ian Knight,


Conditions in Romsey were considerably heavier rain.

68028 is in a simpler DRS scheme, and is expected to be assigned to Trans-Pennine services. It came off the boat at Workington as recently as 23rd May.

Saturday 22 July 2017

37601 leaves Eastleigh for Leicester, 19th July 2017


Europhoenix / Rail Operations Group 37601 0Z37 20:15 Eastleigh - Leicester.

An hour beforehand, at Eastleigh Works with 47818.

Heading for the station platforms, 37601 of January 1961 is the oldest Class 37 in mainline use.

Perseus has previously been applied to GWR 'Iron Duke' class member (185r0 - 1880), GWR 'Bulldog' 3345 / 3333 (Feb 1900 - Oct 1932), LNWR 'George the Fifth' 2494 / LMS 25368 (Aug 1911 - Nov 1936), E26053 / 76053 (Oct 1960 - Dec 1973), 47459 (Tinsley unoffical: Feb 1991 - Mar 1992)

Heading northwards through the station.

17th - 22nd July 2017


707005 and 707003 continue their mileage accumulation, Redbridge, 17th July. Image by Ian Knight.

Monday 17th July:
Tuesday 18th July: 66004 5Z46 Eastleigh - Burton Wetmore one
Wednesday 19th July: 68025 6Z70 01:01 Crewe - Eastleigh one two three, 0Z68 10:19 Eastleigh - Willesden one two; 66125 6Z29 09:35 Fawley - Bescot (18 TTA's firstly for Long Marston, then for eventual scrapping) one two three four five six seven; 37601 0Z37 20:15 Eastleigh - Leicester one two three and multiple further pictures
Thursday 20th July: 57301 + 57303 5Z40 16:18 Eastleigh - Kidderminster one two three four
Friday 21st July:
Saturday 22nd July:

33202 is going to the Isle of Wight! (Sep 29th - Oct 1st). Gala info.

66596 and 66954 have been routed from Crewe via Southampton to Leeds for exams and return to traffic, although currently still in stored pool DHLT. 66597 has been formally returned to the operational DFHH pool.

Eastleigh Works: 20Jun - 23Jun - 26Jun - 27Jun - 29Jun

Thursday 20 July 2017

June Friday Evening Freight at Eastleigh, 30th June 2017 - 4: Freightliner


66951, the first low emissions Class 66 from 2004, arrived light engine from Stoke Gifford.

66591 4M99 17:00 Maritime - Trafford Park.


 66528 Madge Elliot MBE Borders Railway Opening 2015 4O57 13:29 Wentloog - Maritime.

70014 4E76 19:01 Maritime - Leeds. Another enthusiast on the platform suggested that these will be off-lease by year end - consider that as a rumour.

66598 4M04 19:14 Maritime - Lawley Street - this one is from the JP Morgan / Beacon Rail lease group, where some locos have recently been stored.

66560 4O25 16:25 Bristol - Maritime - including rarer FRA flats, built by Marcroft in 2002.

Tuesday 18 July 2017

Two Class 33s, 8th July 2017


It is remarkable to think that it is now 30 years since the Class 33 run down on the Cardiff - Portsmouth services.

33053 was new as D6571 from BRCW on 14th October 1961, renumbered to 33053 in Janaury 1974. Withdrawn on 17th February 1997. Initially restored in preservation at Barrow Hill, the locomotive has been maintained at Shackerstone while working mostly on the Mid-Hants,

33207 Jim Martin of West Coast Railway Company, about to be detached from a train at Eastleigh. New as D6592 from BRCW in March 1962, renumbered to 33207 in February 1974. After withdrawal in February 1997 and disposal by EWS, this locomotive went to HNRC, who sold it to DRS in December 2000, following an overhaul at Fragonset in Derby, completed in May 2001. Repaired at Crewe LNWR in June 2003 before sale to West Coast in September 2005

Monday 17 July 2017

50 years since the End of Southern Steam, event on 8th July 2017


The Watercress Line gala, when I visited, allowed the opportunity to see three Bulleids in steam, plus four more (or parts thereof) awaiting or under repair.

A full set of pictures, including colour, appears on OneDrive.