24th -29th April 2023

 

66563 7V16 11:55 Fareham - Merehead, passing Crampmoor, 26th April.

There were four Marcroft 1998 JNAs in the formation VTG 3463 (above), 3454, 3437 and 3453. The later orders of '5932' wagons appear to have gone to Barrington workings, so the Mendip box wagon situation appears to be stabilised, mainly after the KEA and JYA replacement.

66566 6V62 13:21 Southampton Up Yard (Fl) -Whatley Quarry F Liner Hh, passing Romsey, 28th April. The 1998 Marcroft JNA was VTG 3457.


The next freight train was 70007 with 4M65 13:45 Southampton M.C.T - Lawley Street F.L.T.

Monday 24th April:
Tuesday 25th April:
Wednesday 26th April: 47749 0O69 06:00 Leicester - Eastleigh 
Thursday 27th April: 47749 (+ 701050) 5Q64 07:10 Eastleigh - Willesden, for 5Q66 to Long Marston Flickr for the day, 47749 0O64 18:50 Honeybourne - Eastleigh 
Friday 28th April: 47749 (+ 701052) 5Q64 07:10 Eastleigh - Willesden, for 5Q66 to Long Marston Flickr for the day
Saturday 29th April:

Salisbury SWR bio-fuels started introduction early in the year, the situation was recovered adequately  to allow resumption of the full service from 28th. 

 - "Fuel tanks at the depot, which provide 35,000 litres of fuel to the diesel fleet every day, have been deep cleaned and are also using fresh fuel. These steps have restored train performance, allowing services to gradually be restored."

73133 has been moved from Eastleigh to the Bluebell Railway.

Nuneham viaduct: BBC - report

Southern Class 313 Farewell: Flickr for the day

To Bedhampton on the Coastway, 25th April 2023

I was in the Havant area, so returned to Mill Lane, Bedhampton, which I had previously visited on some lunchtimes in years past. Four Class 313s in their expected final weeks, with the timetable change coming on 20th May; and the Chi Stone empties. The 313s were built at BREL York Works in 1976-77, originally for dual voltage service om the Great Northern suburban workings, including into Moorgate. They are currently the oldest electric multiple units operating on Network Rail lines.

313216 (June 1976) 2S20 12:55 Littlehampton - Portsmouth & Southsea.

313212 (May 1976)1S23 13:29 Portsmouth Harbour -Brighton

66558 6V07 13:41 Chichester - Merehead Quarry.

313211 (May 1976) 1S22 13:00 Brighton - Portsmouth Harbour.

313216 2S17 13:57 Portsmouth & Southsea - Littlehampton.

313207 (April 1976) 2S22 13:55 Littlehampton - Portsmouth & Southsea

313211 1S25 14:29 Portsmouth Harbour - Brighton.

313207 2S19 14:57 Portsmouth & Southsea -Littlehampton.

Final tour will run this Saturday 29th, but not to Southampton.
Allocations at Pert Time Spotter along with diagrams.

Strathspey Railway Mixed Traffic Gala, 7th April 2023 part 2: 31327

"D5862 entered service with British Railways in October 1962. It was renumbered into the TOPS series as 31327 in February 1974 and carried the name Phillips Imperial from May 1987 until January 1990. It was withdrawn in December 1995 and subsequently preserved." (source) The last numbered in its class, the loco was sold in September 2001, and arrived at Bo'ness, from Carlisle, in November 2001, where it received repairs to run in 2002. 

31327 arrives at Boat of Garten with 2H05 10:00 Aviemore - Broomhill.


31327 at Aviemore after arrival with 2H05 10:50 Broomhill - Aviemore.


Running back to Aviemore Shed.

31327 preparing to depart with 2H17 14:00 Aviemore - Broomhill.

Passing Boat of Garten North signal box with 31327 2H18 14:50 Broomhill - Aviemore.

Strathspey Railway. (blogs and Facebook postings are listed at the bottom)

Strathspey Railway Association

Test Valley Scenic Afternoon Tour, 22nd April 2023

"Departing from the wonderful cathedral city of Winchester, we head down the South West Main Line to Eastleigh for an additional pick up. Leaving Eastleigh behind we pass through Southampton to head up to the beautifully scenic Test Valley Line which runs alongside the River Test towards Romsey and Salisbury. After a small manoeuvre after North Junction with assist from our diesel locomotive, we retrace our steps back to Winchester joyously hauled by steam."

34046 Braunton + 47593 Galloway Princess 1Z92 13:16 Winchester - Laverstock - Salisbury, 1Z93 14:44 Salisbury - Winchester

The first two pictures show the Rebuilt Bulleid WC 34046 passing Lockerley, on the way to Salisbury.

47593 is seen crossing the Tytherley Road at Lockerley.

The return train passing Dunbridge.

A close up of the locomotive in motion.

16 minutes later, passing Redbridge. Image by Ian Knight.


47593 on the rear. Image by Ian Knight.

Eastleigh Works and T&RSMD, 20th April 2023

 

A further view of newly re-finished 37611, which departed within an hour.


450022 in the Works as part of the current Siemens programme.


The PEP inspired look of DMS 62530 of 313202 stored pending disposal. Originally 313002 of March 1976, a time when emus quickly entered service.

BDMS 62606 of 313214, delivered in May 1976.

Now trains take 3 years and more to get into service. 701031 has been stored in the Works for much of 2023 so far., it was first delivered on 7th May 2021.

701050 (arrived 17th August 2022), 701033 (arrived 28th March 2023). and 701026 (arrived 4th April 2023) lie in the airport sidings.

The Dorset Coast Statesman, 19th April 2023

47593 (47790) + 47828 1Z67 06:14 Crewe - Weymouth, 1Z68 16:37 Weymouth - Crewe

47593 Galloway Princess leads towards Millbrook.

Passing Millbrook on the Down Fast.

A couple of minutes later at Redbridge. Image by Ian Knight.

The return working passing Redbridge. Video clip by Ian Knight.

17th - 22nd April 2023

 

66792 Collaboration has been the recent regular on the Westbury - Eastleigh workings, 6O41 seen here passing Millbrook on 19th.

701026 was delivered to Eastleigh on 4th April, and was working 5Q51 11:15 Waterloo - Staines Up Loop when also seen at Millbrook on 19th.

Intermodal trains are routing via the WCML and the London area, and seem to be running into ongoing delays. 70006 is arriving with 4O14 0536 Garston - Maritime on  19th.

66792 returning past Romsey with 6V41 on 19th, formed of autoballsters.

68018 Vigilant  + 68001 Evolution form 6Z95 from Winfrith - Crewe on 20th, seen passing Redbridge. Image by Ian Knight.

66179 + 66120 passing Dunbridge with 0O12 11:06 Margam - Eastleigh, 22nd April. 66179 has operated for Euro Cargo Rail, and returned to the UK in December 2021, and to service in October 2022.

Monday 17th April:
Tuesday 18th April: 47749 0Z47 14:26 Kettering - Eastleigh one
Wednesday 19th April: 47749 (+ 701051) 5Q64 07:09 Eastleigh - Willesden one two, for 5Q66 to Long Marston three four five six, 47749 0O64 18:50 Honeybourne - Eastleigh; 47593 + 47828 1Z67 06:14 Crewe - Weymouth one, 1Z68 16:37 Weymouth to Crewe Flickr for the day
Thursday 20th April: 68001 + 68018 6Z62 01:00 Crewe Coal - Winfrith, 6Z95 15:51 Winfrith - Crewe one two three four five Flickr for the day; 47749 (+ 701034) 5Q64 07:09 Eastleigh - Willesden one, for 5Q66 to Long Marston two three four five; 37611 0H72 11:58 Eastleigh - Wembley one two three four five six seven; 
Friday 21st April: 37610 3Q36 00:09 Westbury - Redbridge - Southampton - Redbridge -Bristol
Saturday 22nd April: 34046 + 47593 1Z82 08:43 Victoria - Winchester, 5Z82 11@57 Winchester - Eastleigh Works - Baltic Siding, 5Z92 13:09 Baltic Siding - Winchester, 1Z92 13:16 Winchester - Laverstock North - Salisbury, 1Z93 14:44 Salisbury - Winchester, 5Z93 16:08 Winchester - Eastleigh Works, 5Z83 18:11 Eastleigh Works - Winchester, 1Z84 18:41 Winchester - Victoria Flickr for the day

SWR introduced biodiesel into the fuel at Salisbury, and it has led to cancellations and changes of workings: one two
 - Romsey Southampton - Salisbury trains are running two hourly, in pairs 

Belmond has cancelled the UK VSOE trains to connect wiith the OPrient Express, expecting their passengers to start from Paris, because of Brexit related port delays, as the UK is now a third country.

43064, the only HST to have been labelled for South West Trains, was moved from Long Marston on Wednesday to Sims, Newport, for disposal.

Nuneham Viaduct updates: one - two

Re-liveried 37611 departs Eastleigh Works, 20th April 2023

37611 arrived on Monday 27th March 0O86 07:57 Wembley - Eastleigh, and my apologies for missing that incoming move. Now wrapped in the latest Rail Operations Group vinyls, devoid of its Pegasus nameplates, it departed  0H72 11:58 Eastleigh Arlington (Zg) - Wembley H.S.

37611 was new from English Electric Vulcan Foundry on 17th September 1963 as D6871, renumbered to 37171 in 1973. Rebuilt to 37690 in February 1987, and modified as 37611 in November 1995. Sold to DRS in June 1997, and to Europhoenix in March 2016, then leased to Rail Operations Group.

An hour before departure, 37611 lies outside the Works, alongside 2991 (07007).

Approaching the station.

Running into platform 3.

At this point an overwhelming smell of fresh paint.

Onwards to Wembley, where it moved forward as 5Q18 23:38 Wembley Receptions 1-7 - Crofton Depot, conveying much of 180103.

Flickr for the day.

Strathspey Railway Mixed Traffic Gala, 7th April 2023 part 1: 37674

37674 was new as D6869 on 23rd August 1963 from English Electric Vulcan Foundry, and was first allocated to Landore. It was renumbered to 37169 in May 1974, later went through a Heavy General Repair to become 37674 in June 1987. Stored at Motherwell in December 2004, and sold in 2007, after which it was moved to Kirkby Stephen East, then to the Wensleydale Railway in 2014, where it was returned to operational status. In December 2020 it moved on, eventually arriving at Strathspey in November 2021.

37674 arrives at Aviemore, passing the former Speyside station, with 4B08 11:30 Boat of Garten - Aviemore.


The train was formed of a set of ZCA wagons, delivered to the Strathspey in late 1922.


37674 on the run-around.


A departure as 4B13 12:40 Aviemore - Boat of Garten. While no longer used for signalling, Network Rail continues to use the Aviemore signal box, which is a listed building.


On a shunt manoeuvre at Boat of Garten, to lay over at the former GNoSR shed location, which closed in 1958.


Arrival at Boat of Garten with 2H24 16:50 Broomhill - Aviemore.

Waiting at Boat for the train from Aviemore.

Strathspey Railway. (blogs and Facebook postings are listed at the bottom)

Strathspey Railway Association