Diesels at Blaenavon, 14th September 2025

 

37216, which was new from English Electric Vulcan Foundry as D6916 in January 1964.

5627 (31203) new from Brush in June 1960.

Pontypool & Blaenavon Railway

Steam Gala at Blaenavon, 14th September 2025

 

72 Fenchurch working uphill to Furnace Sidings.

72 running around at Blaenavon High Level. 62 years ago this locomotive was working on the Hayling Billy line.

Newstead (Hunslet 16" 1873/1937) running around at Blaenavon High Level.

Harold (Illingworth Hudswell Clarke 1208/1916) at Furnace Sidings, before working to Big Pit.

Caledonia Works  (Barclay 1219/1910) and 72 pushing a mineral train. The Barclay will shortly return to Williton.

Jessie /(Hunslet 18" 1873/1937)bringing the mineral train uphill from Blaenavon, while Harold heads away to Big Pit.

Jessie at rest at Furnace sidings.

Two short clips from the Steam Gala.

• 72 'Fenchurch' departing from Platform 2 at Blaenavon High Level. This was reopened 2 days previously by Lynne Neagle MS (Member of Senedd).
• Then Barclay 'Caledonia Works' is seen with 72 while working mineral wagons approaching Furnace Sidings.

Pontypool & Blaenavon Railway

Brecon Mountain Railway, 13th September 2025

Just off the newly completed Heads of the Valleys Road, at Pant, to the north of Merthyr Tydfil. On Saturday there were three departures at 10:30, 12:30 and 14:30. 

No 1 Santa Teresa seen in the rain at the start of the day.

No 1 is attached to the train at Pant.

Arrival at Torpantau. The highest former railway tunnel in the British Isles is a short distance beyond.

No. 1 running around at Torpantau. The locomotive was built by Baldwin in Philadelphia in 1897, for usage in a Brazilian sugar plantation.


There is a 35 minute stop to admire Pontsticill (Taf Fechan) Reservoir, with Pont y Fan, the highest mountain in the UK south of Snowdonia, in the distance.

No. 3 ('the Forney locomotive') under construction in the workshop with No. 2 (Baldwin, 1930) beyond.

Brecon Mountain Railway

2024 acquisition by the Vale of Rheidol
Brecon & Merthyr Railway

A Class 756 at Merthyr Tydfil, 13th September 2025

My first encounter with a UK specification Stadler 'Flirt'. Transport for Wales 756103 is an ac electric - diesel - battery tri-mode train. It is seen at Merthyr Tydfil station.

Just arrived as 1M36 13:22 Aberdare - Merthyr Tydfil

The power pack vehicle.

The other end of the train, close to the buffer stops.

8th - 13th September 2025

 

66505 shunting adjacent to Maritime, 10th September.


DR 98968 passing Redbridge with 3Z18 09:30 Horsham - Totton Yard, also on 10th No payload, so anticipate that it will be fitting with RHTT tanks.

59003 YEOMAN HIGHLANDER approaching Romsey as 0Z86 1318 Honiton - Eastleigh on 11th. These apparent driver trainer / refresher workings operated Tuesday to Thursday, with 66702 on the first two days.

Sunday 7th September: 66708 (+ 99104) 5Z66 08:53 Eastleigh - Hamilton one two three
Monday 8th September: 33012 0Z33 10:13 Southall - Swanage one two; 70802 + 56090 6V27 13:49 Eastleigh - Hinksey one
Tuesday 9th September: 50008 0T08 17:37 Princes Risborough - Eastleigh
Wednesday 10th September: 34028 + 47812 1Z11 08:45 Victoria - Swanage one two three four five six, 1Z12 16:35 Swanage - Victoria one video at Kimbridge - video at Dunbridge (34028 failed with lubrication issue at Basingstoke on return journey, appears recovered overnight to Southall)    
Thursday 11th September:
Friday 12th September: 67021 + 67024 T+T 5Z88 10:59 Chichester - Eastleigh, 5Z89 17:30 Eastleigh - Chichester
Saturday 13th September: 50008 (+ 10532) 5V50 10:07 Eastleigh - Reading one two three

"The Swanage Belle", 10th September 2025

A first main line passenger journey, since withdrawal in 1964: 34028 Eddystone + 47812 1Z11 08:45 Victoria - Swanage, 1Z12 16:35 Swanage - Victoria (34028 failed at Basingstoke with a lubrication issue  on the return journey).

Approaching Redbridge, with Maritime in the background.

Running through Redbridge.


47812 on the rear.

At Romsey with the return working.

An away view of the locomotive.

47812 on the rear.

Hymek 50, West Somerset Railway, 31st August 2025: part 3: D7018 on the last train to Minehead

Back to a hotel in Minehead, from Watchet, a short leg with D7018 to round off the visit.

D7018 in the evening sun at Watchet.


Interior of Mk 1 TSO 4875.

D7018 after arrival in Minehead.

D7018 draws forward for the run around.

In the platform ahead of the final departure to Bishop's Lydeard. 

D&EPG - now with an update for the event.

56113 arrives at Eastleigh, 6th September 2025

 

56113 passing 70813 as it arrives as 56113 0Z26 09:00 Bescot Up Engineers Sdgs - Eastleigh East Yard


56113 was new from BREL Doncaster on 12th December 1982.


56113 has "Large horn grilles, Body mounted step, & Protruding marker lights"

56113 proceeds into the Colas sidings in the East Yard. It was tested on Thursday 4th, to return to traffic with a run to Bescot on 5th, after only a couple of weeks on shed at Colwick.

1st - 6th September 2025

 

34028 Eddystone passing Redbridge on its first post-1968 main-line move as a leading locomotive.


33012  Lt Jenny Lewis RN on the rear.

69004 RIDC Melton passed earlier as 0O41 10:14 Westbury - Eastleigh.

Monday 1st September: 47810 (+ 1863 + 17159) 5Z31 09:24 Eastleigh - Crewe one two three four
Tuesday 2nd September:
Wednesday 3rd September: 34028 + 33012 0Z28 10:26 Swanage - Southall one two three four five
Thursday 4th September: 67021 + 66175 T+T (Belmond Pullman) 5Z80 12:49 Eastleigh -Stewarts Lane one
Friday 5th September: 800309 5X80 13:15 Reading - Eastleigh one
Saturday 6th September: 56113 0Z26 09:00 Bescot - Eastleigh, 70813 + 56113 0Y65 14:50 Eastleigh - Hoo

57302 noted in the paintshop, 5th September

The remaining working GERS TEA 89xxx wagons, which were previously overhauled at Eastleigh Works, have been moved to storage at Margam, and already onward to Gascoigne Wood.

Diesel-Hydraulics at Williton, 31st August 2025

 

Class 14 'Teddy Bear' D9526.


D1010 Western Campaigner, currently on stands while bogies are overhauled.

Royal Ordnance Factory Bridgwater No. 1. (AB 578 / 1972)

A general view at Williton.

D&EPG

'Cromptons' on the West Somerset Railway, 30th - 31st August 2025

While the reason for visiting was the 'Hymek 50' event, there are also a couple of very presentable Class 33s.

D6566 (33048) arriving at Minehead on the showery afternoon of 30th August.  Headcode 'KA' was inspired.

D6566 running around at Minehead.


D6575 (33057) was assigned as 'Thunderbird' at Minehead, but thankfully saw no use in this role. Seen in a moment of sunshine, 30th August.

D6566 at Williton with a train for Minehead, 31st August.

Later, again at Williton, with the return working of the same train.


Arriving at Watchet with another working to Minehead.

D6575 remained at Minehead, with 6695 behind it.

D&EPG