Sunday 30 June 2019

Class 47 movements, 25th - 27th June 2019


47810 (D1924) moved light engine 0Z56 07:13 Crewe - Eastleigh on Tuesday 25th, two pictures passing Micheldever.


On Wednesday 26th, 47810 was being shunted at Eastleigh Works by 07007.

Later on Wednesday 47815 +57312 (previously 47330) ran as 0O86 0950 Leicester-Bournemouth, two pictures passing Redbridge.


47245 was on the rear of the steam working on Thursday 27th, seen passing Totton.

Saturday 29 June 2019

24th - 29th June 2019


59104 leads 7O52 02:38 Merehead - Chichester passing Dunbridge, 25th June.

66150 passes Micheldever with 4O39 09:43 Morris Cowley - Eastern Docks, 25th June.

I have seen more of 70007 than any other class member in recent months. Passing Micheldever with 4O90 06:10 Leeds - Maritime on 25th.

70007 again, departing Maritime at Redbridge with 4M98 17:24 Maritime - Garston, 26th June.

66736 Wolverhampton Wanderers takes the line to Marchwood at Totton, 6O45 07:38 Bicester -Marchwood on 27th June.

Monday 24th June: 56091 + 56103 6Z91 15:24 Westbury Down - Southampton Up Yard
Tuesday 25th June: 800203 + 800204 5X82 08:10 Eastleigh - Acton one two three; 56091 + 56103 6Z91 6Z90 07:49 Southampton Up Yard - Westbury, 15:24 Westbury Down - Southampton Up Yard one two three four; 47810 0Z56 07:13 Crewe - Eastleigh one
Wednesday 26th June: 802206 5X82 08:10 Eastleigh - North Pole one two three; 56091 + 56103 6Z91 6Z90 07:49 Southampton Up Yard - Westbury, 15:24 Westbury Down - Southampton Up Yard one two; 47815 + 57312 0O86 09:50 Leicester - Bournemouth one two three four five six seven eight; 0H86 18:45 Bournemouth - Eastleigh (no Class 442) one two
Thursday 27th June: 56091 + 56103 6Z91 6Z90 07:49 Southampton Up Yard - Westbury one two, 15:24 Westbury Down - Southampton Up Yard; 61306 + 47245 T+T 1Z45 06:46 PrincesR'boroAce-Weymouth one, 1Z46 14:39 Weymouth - Southampton - Laverstock - PrincesR'boroAce - Flickr for the day
Friday 28th June: 800205 + 801112 14:58 5X41 Acton - Eastleigh one two
Saturday 29th June: 56091 + 56103 6Z91 09:54 Southampton Up Yard - Chaddesen one

Flickr set of 56091 and 56103 for the week.

GBRf may be for sale

First Group board is under pressure from USA activist investors, but the disruptors were not  supported meantime. The Chairman however resigned under shareholder pressure.
                    Bloomberg: Why Greyhound Bus's Biggest Shareholder Hates British Trains
                    Coast Capital Presentation

Friday 28 June 2019

Class 56 turn, 27th June 2019


Thursday 27th appears to have been the conclusion.

56103 + 56091 lead 6Z90 07:49 Southampton Up Yard - Westbury past Halterworth, almost close to schedule this time.

56091 leads 56103 into Dunbridge with 6Z91 15:24 Westbury Down - Southampton Up Yard, which had an unexpected 46 minute pause at Salisbury and arrived at destination over one hour late. 56103 had issues on this run, with 56091 doing the work up to Upton Scudamore, the recess was made at Salisbury where a relay was reset on 56103, which had overheated.

A few yards further on.

Class 56 workings - this week only?


It appears no working today, 28th June.

A path is in to return the DCR train to Derby 29th on Saturday, 6Z19 0954 Southampton Up Yard - Chaddesden Sdgs.

Rumours through this week were that the train may only run for a few days, as a lot of the spent ballast material at Westbury had already been removed by truck. One report suggests that the material is for shipment to the Isle of Wight.

It was good while it lasted, will it run again?

61306 'Mayflower' to Weymouth, 27th June 2019


LNER B1 61306 Mayflower passes Totton with 1Z45 06:46 Princes R'boro Ace - Weymouth.

Returning at Dunbridge, as 1Z46 14:39 Weymouth - Princes R'boro Ace. (I am not sure what the 'Ace' means, it is not specific to the preserved railway.)


Thursday 27 June 2019

Class 56 turn, 26th June 2019


Again more than 90 minutes late upon departure, 56091 + 56103 lead  6Z90 07:49 Southampton Up Yard - Westbury into Eastleigh. 56091 was completed at Doncaster on 21st June 1981.

Rolling into the station.

At this point only about 27 minutes late, 56103 + 56091 power 6Z91 1524 Westbury Down - Southampton Up Yard.


Wednesday 26 June 2019

802206 AT300 for Trans-Pennine, Eastleigh, 26th June 2019


802206 5X82 08:10 Eastleigh - North Pole

The new train creeps out of the carriage sidings at Eastleigh.

PDTRBF 835206 is the leading coach.

833206 in the middle is a MS coach.

Details of the pantograph area of PDTS 831206.

831206 seen as the train departed northwards.

Further coverage:one two three

Class 56 turn, 25th June 2019


Two pictures of 56103 + 56091 with the late running 6Z90 07:49 Southampton Up Yard - Westbury, passing Dunbridge.


The return 6Z91 15:24 Westbury Down - Southampton Up Yard is led by 56091, passing Romsey.

There has been a shuffle of the stock as a high-sided wagon followed the locomotive in both directions.

The consist of 6Z91 was:

Number Owner Type Builder Year Notes
1 33 70 6790 019-7 Touax JRA Arbel Fauvet 1988-90 Extended sides, at Pullman Rail 2012
2 VTG 3201 KEA Procor 1987-88 Channel Tunnel segment carrier wagon
3 VTG 3222 KEA Procor 1987-88 Channel Tunnel segment carrier wagon
4 VTG 3189 KEA Procor 1987-88 Channel Tunnel segment carrier wagon
5 VTG 3204 KEA Procor 1987-88 Channel Tunnel segment carrier wagon
6 33 70 6790 047-8 Touax JRA Arbel Fauvet 1988-90
7 33 70 6790 091-6 Touax JRA Arbel Fauvet 1988-90 Extended sides, at Pullman Rail 2012
8 33 70 6790 011-4 Touax JRA Arbel Fauvet 1988-90
9 33 70 6790 044-5 JRA Arbel Fauvet 1988-90
10 33 70 6790 081-7 Touax JRA Arbel Fauvet 1988-90
11 VTG 3205 KEA Procor 1987-88 Channel Tunnel segment carrier wagon
12 VTG 3234 KEA Procor 1987-88 Channel Tunnel segment carrier wagon
13 VTG 3233 KEA Procor 1987-88 Channel Tunnel segment carrier wagon
14 VTG 3163 JNA Procor 1987
15 33 70 6790 087-4  JRA Arbel Fauvet 1988-90
16 33 70 6790 076-7 Touax JRA Arbel Fauvet 1988-90
17 33 70 6790 024-7 Touax JRA Arbel Fauvet 1988-90

VTG 3222 - see above for details.

Saturday 22 June 2019

17th - 22nd June 2019



66849 was off-route with a reversal at Romsey, running as STP 0Z30 11:00 Marchwood - Eastleigh  on 20th June. This was a consequence of the Up Yard derailment (see below). The outward working was of long welded rail wagons, for a consignment of rail incoming from Spain.

 59003 6O41 10:14 Westbury - Eastleigh, passing Romsey, on the same date.

NR 12961 is a JJA auto-ballaster built by RFS at Doncaster in 2000-01.

No workings of the Class 56 diagram, after 56103 returned to Leicester on Monday. However 56091 + 56103 have worked Chaddesden - Willesden on 22nd, and are booked to Westbury on the morning of Monday 24th. 6Z91 has been retimed as15:24 Westbury Down T.C. to Southampton Up Yard

Monday 17th June: 56103 0Z56 10:00 Eastleigh - Willesden (for Leicester) one two three four; 800203 800204 5X41 14:20 Acton -Eastleigh one two three four
Tuesday 18th June: 66131 5Z59 10:06 Tyseley - Eastleigh one two
Wednesday 19th June:
Thursday 20th June: Derailment at Southampton Up Yard, 66144 was train loco with 6Z51, and returned tge good wagons as  6Z52 14:51 to Whatley, with the others following on a later STP working one two three four five six; 802205 5X82 08:12 Eastleigh - Acton one two three four five; 37521 3Q39 21:55 Westbury - Eastleigh - Eastern Docks - Northam - Fawley - Totton - Lymington Pier - Eastleigh - Salisbury - Bristol High Level Siding one
Friday 21st June:
Saturday 22nd June:

Class 59/2 now offered for sale, available at Westbury
DB Cargo notice
In discussion forums it was noted that 4 of the 6 locomotives have low remaining wheelset life.

Rail extension works at Southampton port completed

Monday 17 June 2019

Eastleigh, 15th June 2019


Once again, the Garston Freightliner was cancelled. The Leeds and Crewe trains both included dead-in-tow locomotives.

66542 4O05 07:03 Birch Coppice - Maritime.

70010 + 66559 DIT 4O90 05:30 Leeds - Maritime. Earlier at Banbury.

66599 arrived from Maritime, and departed later with 6Z97 14:05 Eastleigh Yard - Westbury long welded rail train. It seems to have returned and taken a CE working to the Leatherhead area.

Rather battered looking 66098 leading4O40 1007 Morris Cowley - Eastern Docks, which seems to have been retimed about 15 minutes later than before.

66567 + 70008 DIT 4O29 08:50 Basford Hall - Maritime. This train lost a lot of time in the Banbury area.

GBRf Eastleigh Regional Office No. 16. 

Sunday 16 June 2019

56103 in detail, Eastleigh, 15th June 2019


56103 was new on 27th December 1981 from Doncaster Works (at a time when the Deltics were on their final runs, and Human League were Number One with Don't You Want Me). From July 1997 it was named "Stora".

Stored by EWS in July 2003, then worked for Fertis in France from November 2005, returning from there in 2006 for storage at Old Oak Common and later at Crewe.

Acquired by DCR from DBS at the end of 2011, and removed from Crewe in July 2012.

Returned to traffic from Washwood Heath in July 2014, it was involved in the RailVac workings from Totton Yard.

At some point in 2016 becoming unserviceable, it was again returned to service, repainted and vinyled at Willesden in 2018. DCR is now a subsidiary of Cappagh.

No. 2 end viewed from the Bishopstoke Road bridge.

A further view from the bridge.

56103 faces an example of its Class 66 nemesis.

A further view of the No. 2 end.

Detail of the CP2 bogie, which was a Swiss SLM design, already used in Romania and obtained via Electroputere, who also exported variants elsewhere.

No.1 end in this view from platform 3.

Saturday 15 June 2019

The DCR Class 56 Diagram


Grid action M-F from Monday 17th for six weeks.

0Z90 05:38 Eastleigh Works Gbrf to Southampton Up Yard
6Z90 07:49 Southampton Up Yard to Westbury Down T.C. MSX
6Z91 16:19 Westbury Down T.C. to Southampton Up Yard FSX
0Z91 19:05 Southampton Up Yard to Eastleigh Works Gbrf

On 17th only, expected that 56091 will operate 6Z18 05:14 Willesden - Westbury. As a puzzle, there is a 10:00 Eastleigh - Willesden DC Rail Sidings also on the 17th.


10th - 15th June 2019


66849 Wylam Dilly at Eastleigh, 15th June.

Three significant developments this week:
    - the emergence of 66587 in ONE magenta colours, named AS ONE, WE CAN. However it seems to have migrated to Felixstowe turns.
    - the reappearance of Class 56, currently DCR 56103, which saw driver training duties for the forthcoming Southampton - Westbury flow
    - Class 442 returning to passenger use on the SWML (for the week)

Monday 10th June: 802204 5X82 08:09 Eastleigh - Acton one, 66587 4M65 13:46 Maritime - Lawley Street one two three four five six; 442410 + 44242 09B88 06:28 Southampton Airport Parkway - Waterloo, 9B95 18:48 Waterloo - Poole one two three four; 73964 + 73965 1Q51 11:15 Derby - Eastleigh - Weymouth - Eastleigh
Tuesday 11th June: 66587 6O67 01:46 Daventry - Maritime one two, 4M55 09:02 Maritime - Lawley Street one; 800106 5X41 14:11 Acton - Eastleigh one two three ; 73964 + 73965 1Q52 10:37 Eastleigh - Portsmouth Harbour - Littlehampton - Portsmouth Harbour - Totton Yard - Havant - Guildford - Havant - Fareham - Eastleigh - Woking - Lymington Pier -Eastleigh one two three; 442410 +  442420 9B88 06:28 Southampton Airport Parkway - Waterloo one two three,  9B95 18:48 Waterloo - Poole one two
Wednesday 12th June: 800106 + 801111 5X82 08:09 Eastleigh - Acton one two three four five six; 66718 + 802207 + 802208 6X80 04:30½ Dollands Moor - Eastleigh one two three four five six seven eight; 56103 0Z01 09:22 Willesden - Southampton Up Goods one two three four five six seven eight, 0Z02 Southampton Up Yard - Westbury one two three, 0Z03 14:40 Westbury - Chandler's Ford - Eastleigh; 73964 + 73965 1Q53 11:48 Eastleigh  - Southampton Up Yard - Wimbledon Park - Southampton Up Yard - Wimbledon Park - Totton Yard - Eastleigh - Romsey - Eastleigh  one two three four
Thursday 13th June: 56103 0Z01 08:36 Eastleigh - Chandler's Ford - Westbury one, 0Z02 10:28 Westbury - Southampton Up Yard one, 0Z03 12:23 Southampton Up Yard - Westbury, 0Z04 14:19 Westbury - Southampton Up Yard, 0Z05 16:05 Southampton Up Yard - Eastleigh; 73964 + 73965 1Q54 12:48 Eastleigh - Tonbridge; 800106 5X41 14:11 Acton - Eastleigh one
Friday 14th June: 800106 +801110 5X82 08:09 Eastleigh - Acton one two three four
Saturday 15th June:

56103 at Eastleigh one two at Westbury one

801102 at Eastleigh one

51346 appears to be in the scrap line at Eastleigh Works

Eastleigh Works: 24May - 28May - 30May - 31May - 03Jun - 04Jun - 05Jun - 07Jun

Hi-tech solutions mean ‘leaves on the line’ may be a thing of the past

Monday 10 June 2019

Freightliner at Eastleigh, 8th June 2019


66513 pulls away with 4O29 08:50 Basford Hall - Maritime.

66540 Ruby shunting civil engineers' wagons. It had arrived from Maritime earlier in the morning.

70007 powers away with 4O90 05:30 Leeds - Maritime. Four of the nine 'active' Class 70s are currently at Midland Road. Note the replacement front access panel.

Earlier 66549 approaches with 4O05 07:03 Birch Coppice - Maritime.