Saturday 31 October 2020

26th - 31st October 2020

 
66789 passes Redbridge with 6Z44 13:15 Marchwood - Eastleigh, 28th October. Image by Ian Knight.

Monday 26th October: 73962 + 73964 1Q51 10:13 Derby - Eastleigh - Weymouth - Eastleigh one two three
Tuesday 27th October:  73962 + 73964 1Q52 1Q52 10:37 Eastleigh - Portsmouth Harbour - Littlehampton - Portsmouth Harbour - Totton Yard - Fareham - Eastleigh - Woking - Lymington Pier -Eastleigh; 60046 6Z92 22:55 Wembley - Eastleigh (via Fareham) one two
Wednesday 28th October: 60046 6Z95 21:30 Eastleigh - Boston one two three four; 73962 + 73964 1Q53 1Q53 11:48 Eastleigh - Up Yard - Wimbledon - Up Yard one two three four, 1Q53 18:04 Up Yard - Wimbledon - Totton - Romsey - Eastleigh
Thursday 29th October: 73962 + 73964 1Q54 12:45 Eastleigh - Tonbridge "cancelled due to a problem with the traction equipment", train still in Eastleigh Works
Friday 30th October: 60046 6Z93 06:30 Willesden - Eastleigh one two three, 6Z94 22:14 Eastleigh - Boston one; 43055 + 43046 5Z44 15:55 Eastleigh - Crewe
Saturday 31st October: 73962 + 73964 5Qxx 09:05 Eastleigh- Northam, 1Q73 16:00 Northam - Tonbridge

‘UNHOLY SPAT’ BETWEEN TREASURY AND DFT OVER SOARING COST OF RAIL AS PASSENGER NUMBERS FALL

Network Rail signs ‘landmark’ wagon leasing contract - "transport of track panels, sleepers, switches, rails and loose materials". This may replace the YKA/YMA/YSA/YWA fleet?

Evening live coverage at Crewe - something rather live and different.

Monthly test train, Eastleigh, 28th October 2020

 73962 Dick Mabbutt + 73964 Jeanette 1Q53 11:48 Eastleigh - Up Yard - Wimbledon - Up Yard, running in dc electric mode.

96609 Brake Force Runner
1256 Plain Line Pattern Recognition vehicle "PLPR3"
999550 High Speed Track Recording Train coach
6261 Generator van

73962 leads away from Eastleigh to Up Yard.

73964 on the return to head onward to London.

Friday 30 October 2020

Blue Pullman departs Eastleigh, 30th October 2020

43055 + 41176 + 41108 + 41162 + 41059 + 40801 + 41182 + 41169 +  44078 + 43046
5Z44 15:55 Eastleigh Arlington (Zg) to Crewe H.S.
 
16:12. led by 43055, the train had drawn forward for on-site photography,and appeared to attempt to depart, but did not progress. A conference ensued.


16:26, the train drew further forward for this portrait of 43055.

17:08 and 43046 is seen at departure. 4E68 16:15 Western Docks to Wakefield Europort had drawn in and blocked much of the view from platform 1.

17:09, 43046 is seen running through platform 2.

Further coverage: Flickr keywords Pullman 43055 43046, YouTube 

Eastleigh Works and T&RSMD, 28th October 2020



57305 has been at the works since 1st June. Back on its bogies, and now without its Northern Princess nameplates, a test cable is seen routed through the cab window while some engine run-ups were performed. Later the locomotive re-entered the works under its own power. A repaint coming soon? Back in my schooldays this was 47164.


70812 departed from the works within an hour of this picture, then worked 6V27 to Hinksey.

A view of the works yard, four Class 442s can be seen, but two are only formed as 4 car units. A Class 142 between some of the Class 442s. Nearer are what appear to be three newly overhauled Touax KFA intermodal wagons, and two MLA box wagons.

The Class 701 units were 701008, 701012, 701002 the first two have the revised front numbering format.

Thursday 29 October 2020

Mendip Rail box wagons into storage

With the deliveries of red Touax wagons, it seemed inevitable that some of the older Mendip Rail wagons would be coming off lease. 21 of the the oldest box wagons have been moved into store at Exeter, and seem to be marked for potential deployment for HS2 activities in 2021. Mendip Rail are apparently returning single piped box wagons while keeping those which are twin piped.

16 are from the series of KEA wagons (VTG 3170 to 3247) which were built by Procor as PXAs in 1987-88 for TML (TransManche Link, the Channel Tunnel). The remaining 5 are JNA wagons, VTG 3160, built by Procor in 1987 (although this is marked as a KEA) and 4 from the VTG 34xx series, built by Marcroft in 1998. All are conversions to some degree of TEA tankers from the early 1970s period.

Those now at Exeter include the following:

VTG 3203, a KEA, seen at Westbury on 8th February 2019.


VTG 3240, a KEA, seen at Westbury on 10th February 2017.


VTG 3175, a KEA showing single brake pipe, at Dunbridge, 15th July 2019.


VTG 3206, a KEA, at Crampmoor, 23rd January 2019.


VTG 3170, a KEA, at Westbury, 10th February 2017.

VTG 3160, listed officially as JNA, but marked as KEA, Eastleigh, 22nd August 2019.

VTG 3448, a JNA, Westbury, 9th October 2019.

Tuesday 27 October 2020

Dunbridge towards the end of BST, Friday 23rd October 2020

 
A couple of hours at Dunbridge, on the last Friday before the end of BST, where in the following week 7O40 and 4O57 will be off the daylight photography list.

66849 Wylam Dilly + 70809 ran as a STP 0C05 14:25 Westbury - Eastleigh.

59202 passes with the loaded 7O40 13:35 Merehead -Eastleigh.

7O40 was quickly followed by 66560 with 4O57 13:29 Wentloog - Maritime.

Monday 26 October 2020

NMT Test Train at Romsey, 22nd October 2020

 1X23 15:13 Salisbury - Southampton UGL - Salisbury

  • 43062 John Armitt
  • 977995 Generator Coach (HST catering vehicle 40719, previously 40619)
  • 977984 Staff Coach (HST catering vehicle 40501, as a TRUK once part of 253001 from November 1976)
  • 977993 Overhead Line Equipment Test Coach (HST TGS 44053)
  • 977994 Track Recording Coach (HST TGS 44087)
  • 975984 Lecture Coach (formerly  Laboratory 15 "Argus" and later "Test Car 4", 10000 & 40000, originally prototype HST catering vehicle)
  • 43014 The Railway Observer
43062 leads into Romsey.

A closer view of power car 43062.

977995 was the first car.

975984 was the last coach.


43014 The Railway Observer was at the rear.

43014 leads on the return.

The Railway Observer is the house magazine of the RCTS (Railway Correspondence & Travel Society).

43014 is held at the signal to await the preceding GWR dmu to pass Dunbridge.

Colas power cars 43050 + 43060 in November, please!

Sunday 25 October 2020

Afternoon Freight at Romsey, 22nd October 2020

 

59003 YEOMAN HIGHLANDER, leading 6V40 14:05 Eastleigh -Chandler's Ford - Westbury LWR train.


VolkerRail Kirow 125 tonne crane DRK81613 and its support wagons were at the rear of the consist.

66531 approaches with 4O57 13:29 Wentloog - Maritime, which passed at 16:27. On Monday 26th sunset will be at 16:50 GMT, and a similar shot will be challenging.


Saturday 24 October 2020

19th - 24th October 2020



37610 returning from Eastern Docks to Westbury as 0Z38, seen approaching Halterworth Crossing, 21st October.

The Colas operated route learner continued over the crossing and onward to Romsey.

59003 + 66729 + 66754 with a single wagon on 6O41 on Monday 19th. Image by Ian Knight.

Sunday 18th October:  156447 5Q86 11:58 Heaton - Eastleigh one two three (last in sequence for this activity)
Monday 19th October: 60046 6Z60 06:30 Willesden - Eastleigh one
Tuesday 20th October:
Wednesday 21st October: 37610 0Z37 09:10 Westbury - Romsey - Eastleigh - Eastern Docks one, 0Z38 11:30 Eastern Docks - Eastleigh - Romsey - Westbury (route not as scheduled) one;60046 6Z94 21:30 Eastleigh - Boston one
Thursday 22nd October: 43014 + 43062  1X23 15:13 Salisbury - Southampton UGL - Salisbury 
Friday 23rd October: 60046 6Z60 06:30 Willesden - Eastleigh one, 6Z94 22:14 Eastleigh - Boston; 442417 + 442423 5Q99 10:20 Fratton - Bournemouth
Saturday 24th October:

Verizon is shutting down the Yahoo Groups totally on 15th December.

1 hour 15 minutes of freight at Romsey, 20th October 2020 part 4: 70001 returns from Wentloog



70001 PowerHaul slows to approach the junction, leading 4O57 13:29 Wentloog - Maritime.

A closer view of the General Electric machine.

FRA wagon 613021.

KTA wagon GERS 97716 which was followed by GERS 97745 at the rear.

Friday 23 October 2020

1 hour 15 minutes of freight at Romsey, 20th October 2020 part 3: 59102 with stone hoppers for Eastleigh


 
The third Class 59 in sequence, 59102 Village of Chantry operated 7O40 13:35 Merehead - Eastleigh.

A closer view of the approaching train.
The first O&K JHA hopper was OK19305 which is an 'outer' wagon, constructed in 1989.

By comparison this is 2020 delivered HOA 81.70.6774.040-4.

Thursday 22 October 2020

1 hour 15 minutes of freight at Romsey, 20th October 2020 part 2: 59206 with the Chi-stone empties

 

59206 John F Yeoman Rail Pioneer slows to stop at a signal check with 7V09 13:41 Chichester - Merehead.

A closer view of the no longer unique G&W liveried Class 59.

81.70.5500.838-4 is a JNA delivered earlier in 2020, leased from Touax. 

81 70 5500 193-4 is a similar wagon, built in 2016 leased from VTG. While built to similar specification, there is a significant difference in the handbrake arrangements, using two variants of the LN25 bogie. The Touax JNA and the DB Cargo MMA wagons are those with the body mounted brake wheel. The Freightliner HHA wagons, from which bogie and brake components were recycled, had bogie mounted brake wheels, but when reportedly recycled to MWA wagons had body mounted. This seems rather confusing and inconsistent!



Wednesday 21 October 2020

1 hour 15 minutes of freight at Romsey, 20th October 2020 part 1: 59003 with 6V41

 
59003 YEOMAN HIGHLANDER, passing with 6V41 14:48 Eastleigh - Westbury.


The formation was notable for including five OCA wagons, built at BREL Shldon in 1981-82, now getting rarer. Starting with 112117.

Then 112043 ...

... 112048 ...

... 112229 ...

... and 112269. All had seen use on Eastleigh based ballast trains over the preceding weekend. All are in pool 6822 'DB Network infrastructure/storage pools' as 'STEEL-DOOR-BASS', in which there are approximately 113 wagons.