25th - 30th September 2023

 

A further look at the 'Pines Express' Cross-Country charter on Tuesday 26th, with views of 43007 (above) and 43008 (below) passing Southampton. Images by Roger Homan.

Monday 25th September: 73962 + 73964 1Q51 11:15 Derby - Eastleigh - Weymouth - Eastleigh Flickr for the day
Tuesday 26th September: 43007 + 43008 1Z43 06:35 Leeds - Swanage one two three four, 1Z44 16:18 Swanage - Leeds;  73962 + 73964 1Q52 10:47 Eastleigh - Portsmouth Harbour - Littlehampton - Barnham- Portsmouth Harbour - Totton Yard - Havant - Guildford - Havant - Fareham - Eastleigh - Winchester - Basingstoke - Woking - Lymington Pier - Eastleigh Flickr for the day; 47739 (+ 701514) 5Q10 09:13 Derby - Eastleigh one two three four; 50007 (+ 458423) + 50049 5X72 14:35 Wembley Receptions 1-7 to Bournemouth T&R.S.M.D one two three Flickr for the day
Wednesday 27th September: 47739 (+ 701009) 5Q64 07:01 Eastleigh - Willesden (onward to Bicester), 47739 0O68 13:35 Bicester - Eastleigh one Flickr for the day; 73962 + 73964 1Q53 12:00 Eastleigh - Up Yard - Wimbledon - Up Yard, 1Q53 18:05 Up Yard - Wimbledon - Totton - Romsey - Eastleigh; 50049 (+458528) + 50007 5Q73 17:12 Bournemouth - Widnes one
Thursday 28th September: 68018 + 68033 6Z62 01:00 Crewe - Winfrith one, 6Z95 15:51 Winfrith - Crewe one two three four; 47739 (+701055) 5Q64 06:27 Eastleigh - Willesden (onward to Bicester) Flickr for the day; 73962 + 73964 1Q54 12:55 Eastleigh - Tonbridge one
Friday 29th September:
Saturday 30th September:

66306 has been named SCS Logistics, following preparation at Eastleigh Works.

Eastleigh Works: 02Aug - 03Aug - 08Aug - 09Aug - 10Aug - 22Aug - 30Aug - 31Aug - 06Sep - 07Sep - 08Sep - 09Sep

Class 313 disposal update, 28th September 2023

313208 is no more, similarly the first coach of 313206, leaving two more in the immediate queue. 313215 is in the foreground.


313215 has been prepared and anonymised, this is DMS 62543.


A closer view of 62543's cab end.


313212,  shortly expected to be extracted; 313201, 142014 and 142007.

Class 50 Move, Redbridge, 27th September 2023

50049 Defiance (+458528) + 50007 Hercules [50034 Furious on one side] 5Q73 17:12 Bournemouth T&R.S.M.D - Widnes Transport Tech

5-car 458528 to Widnes for conversion tp 4-car 458428.

50049 leads the formation.


A closer view of 50049.

458528 positioned within the train.

50007 on the rear.

Class 50 Move, Redbridge, 26th September 2023

50007 Hercules [50034 Furious on one side] (+458423) + 50049 Defiance 5X72 14:5 Wembley Receptions 1-7 - Bournemouth T&R.S.M.D 

458423 was being returned from Widnes, where it was sent as 5-car 458523 on 31st July.

The 50s left early from Southampton Down Loop, and the 'Pines Express' HST charter was held at Totton to allow a late running GWR Pompey train go ahead. Lots of leaping about!

50007 leads through the platform.

This picture shows the alternate 50034 Furious identity.


A small view of 4-car 458423. There is still a rumour that SWR may not actually use these units.

50049 on the rear.

Further coverage on Flickr.

"The Pines Express" return, Cross-Country HST Farewell, 26th September 2023

43008 + 43007 1Z44 16:18 Swanage - Eastleigh - Romsey - Laverstock - Basingstoke - Leeds.

This was the last working, apart from ECS back to Laira on 27th, as the staff excursion has been cancelled because of industrial action.

43008 comes clattering over the points at Redbridge.


Approaching Redbridge station.

CrossCountry
High Speed Train
Farewell

43007 running through the station.


The light was really fading by the time the train reached Crampmoor.


A final view of 43008.

And a final view of the Kenneth Grange livery of 1975, as 43007 vanishes towards the sunset.

Twitter has a hashtag #xchstfarewell (link only works for those registered on Twitter / X.

"The Pines Express", Cross-Country HST Farewell, Totton, 26th September 2023

43007 + 41193 + 45003 + 42378 + 42373 + 42377 + 42097 + 42376 + 44012 ("set XC02") + 43008
1Z43 0635 Leeds - Swanage

43007 leads around a curve after the level crossing.

43007 (43207) was new in March 1976, in Western Region set 253003.

The going away view of 43007.

The headboard was fixed on 43008 (43208) on the rear. 43008 was also delivered in March 1976, for set 253004, but spent many years in the East Coast fleet, before transfer to Cross-Country via a Covid period stay in Eastleigh Works.

Flickr for the day: 43007 - 43008

Selected Tweets: one - two - three - four - five - six - seven - eight - nine - ten

Early evening at Eastleigh, 22nd September 2023

 

66078 4O21 09:20 Trafford Park - Western Docks.

70007 + 66563 DIT 4M99 16:50 Maritime - Basford Hall.

66165 4V39 17:36 Eastern Docks - Cowley.

66206  6O42 11:31 Halewood - Eastern Docks.

66774 4Y19 12:24 Mountfield - Western Docks, running two hours late. Over the summer the blue set of JNA wagons has been changed to a grey set, similarly leased from VTG.

59204 7O40 13:45 Merehead - Eastleigh, which ran over an hour late; the locomotive later returned without the consist, mainly formed of JHA wagons.

66592 4M98 17:51 Maritime - Trafford Park.

701505 (delivered 12th September) + 701511 (delivered 11th September)  departing from the T&RSMD.

Class 313 snapshot, Eastleigh Works, 22nd September 2023

From the forum:

"Nothing but twisted metal in the scrapping area last night. 313208 now lined up on death row presumably to be dealt with next week. 313206 would be next and 313215 has been moved round to the prepping area by the small shunter shed. I believe that just leaves 212 to be moved round and then they will be history apart from 201 of course."

313208 started preparation after 313206, but has now advanced ahead of it. 

313215 and 313206.


A fuller view of BDMS 62598 of 313206.


313208 is in the line for disposal in the coming week.

New occasional aggregates flow for Up Yard, Eastleigh, 22nd September 2023

The previous operation of this flow was on 8th September, and used different paths. On 22nd, there were 17 MWA wagons, operated by 66605: 

• 6Z98 06:17 Wembley Receptions 1-7 - Southampton Up Yard (Fl) - timetabled as 2200 tonnes, 60 mph
• 6Z30 16:43 Southampton Up Yard (Fl)  -Wembley Receptions 1-7 - timetabled as 600 tonnes, 60 mph.

This may have run in combination with 6V51 from Tunstead, which 66605 was recorded as working: 

• 6V51 22:32 Tunstead Sdgs - Wembley Receptions 1-7 - timetabled as 2400 tonnes, 60 mph

which also appears associated with 6Z52 06:35 Wembley Receptions 1-7 - Paddn Yd Marcon Topmix.

66605 was back at Tunstead on the morning of the 23rd, the only path being:

• 4Z50 2140 Wembley Receptions 1-7 - Tunstead Sdgs - - timetabled as 12400 tonnes, 60 mph.

66605 arrives in Eastleigh for a crew change stop.

Departing from Eastleigh.


81.70.5891.047-9 is a MWA wagon built by Greenbrier, Poland in 2016.

    81.70.5891.527-0 is a MWA-B wagon, also built by Greenbrier, Poland, in 2018.

18th - 23rd September 2023

 

70004 The Coal Industry Society leaving Eastleigh with 4O90 06:04 Leeds - Maritime, 19th September.

66614 1916 POPPY 2016 passing Romsey with 6V07 13:41 Chichester - Merehead.

Ex-works 59003 YEOMAN HIGHLANDER showing off its new wheel and axle parts, Eastleigh, 22nd September.

Monday 18th September:
Tuesday 19th September: 66790 + 69010 6O01 10:18 Scunthorpe Trent - Eastleigh one two Flickr for the day
Wednesday 20th September: 66796 + 66306 (now HS2 themed) 0Z36 14:33 Eastleigh - Willesden one two; 66797 + 69010 0E15 2117 Eastleigh - Hexthorpe - Scunthorpe (69010 may have a TPWS fault - now at Peterborough)
Thursday 21st September: 43274 + 43277 1X23 15:25 Salisbury - Southampton Redbridge - Salisbury one; 47749 (+ 701513) 5Q10 10:50 Derby - Eastleigh one two; 59003 came off Eastleigh Works
Friday 22nd September: 47749 0Z47 13:10 Eastleigh - Leicester Flickr for the day
Saturday 23rd September:

08511 is now in Eastleigh Yard.

Eastleigh Works: 13Jul -18Jul - 19Jul - 20Jul - 25Jul - 26Jul - 27Jul - 01Aug

Colourful NMT at Romsey, 21st September 2023

43274 +  975984 + 977994 + 977993 + 975814 + 977984 + 43277
1X23 15:25 Salisbury - Southampton Redbridge - Salisbury

EMR purple base colours on 43274, as it leads the train into Romsey.

A closer view of 43274.

The rear of 43277 shows its name Safety Task Force.

Heading towards Southampton, but on this occasion the train stopped over in the loop at Redbridge.

43277 leading on the return leg to Salisbury.


43274 on the rear of the train.

Class 313 update, Eastleigh Works, 19th September 2023

 

More trains are visible with the thinning of the stored stock. 313212, 313201, 73139, 319380, and 142007.


Cushion strip-out under way on BDMS 62600 of 313208.

Two coaches of 313205 have entered disposal in  the week so far, leaving DMS 62533 of 313205 to be next. This then being followed by BDMS 62608 (held over from 313216). Hiding on the left, 313206 is already anonymised, so is expected to follow, and then 313208.

That leaves 313212 and 313215, although on 9th, the latter was carrying a notice to not rob parts.;