Miscellany at Eastleigh, 27th March 2025

 

66089 arrives with imported rail 6X22 10:43 Marchwood - Eastleigh. 66791 and 153311 were in the sidings.

66307 IPSWICH TOWN 6O41 10:14 Westbury - Eastleigh.

"VIU 1" 153311 arriving while working 2Q50 12:55 Eastleigh - Derby, which started with an apparent untimetabled shuttle to Southampton and back.

59203 6V62 13:21 Up Yard - Westbury Tarmac.

66738 HUDDERSFIELD TOWN 0B44 12:18 Marchwood - Eastleigh. The locomotive had earlier worked 4Z77 00:58 Western Docks - Eastleigh East Yard (run around and pause for 9 hours) - Marchwood.

Tractors heading for Sugar Loaf, 29th March 2025

37676 Loch Rannoch + 37668 (+ 6310 + 3356 + 3364 + 80042 + 3325 + 3314 + 3340 + 3345 + 3333 + 1212 + 6054 + 5985)
"The Heart of Wales Explorer" - 1Z37 07:00 Eastleigh - Shrewsbury

37676 + 37668 working the train at Test Lane. Image by Ian Knight.

The train approaching Romsey led by 37676, originally delivered as D6826 from Robert Stephenson & Hawthorns on 14thMay 1963. Later 37126, until Heavy General Overhaul and conversion to 37676 in May 1987. Sold to West Coast in November 2007, and returned to traffic in 2008.

Running into the platforms at Romsey.

37668 was completed as D6957 from English Electric Vulcan Foundry in January 1965, allocated to Cardiff Canton. Later 37257, it was refurbished to 37668 at Crewe in May 1988, and allocated to Thornaby. After some seasons on Sandite duties, it was stored by EWS in December 2004 at Healey Mills, until purchase by West Coast in December 2007. Returned to traffic in July 2014.

The morning sunshine illuminates the pair of locomotives.


Generator car 6310, delivered as BG 81448 from Pressed Steel to Lot 30400 in 1958, and renumbered 975325 in 1973 when converted to a generator van for HST support.


Mk2f  FO 3314  built by BREL Derby to Lot 30845 in 1973.


The Mk2f  TSOs at the rear of the train were both modified with sliding window ventilation. 6054 was completed at BREL Derby to Lot 30860 in 1973-74.


5985 was built in the same lot, at a time when many new coaches were built for the West Coast electrification completed in 1974.

Flickr for the day

24th - 29th March 2025

 

59102 Village of Chantry approaching Romsey with 6O68 09:11 Westbury Tarmac - Crawley, 24th March.

66312 Nigel Harris (EMD 20058725-001) and 66733 Cambridge PSB at Eastleigh, 27th March.

37676 Loch Rannoch + 37668 on the tour to Shrewsbury, Romsey, 29th March.

Monday 24th March: 69009 (+ 701059) 5Q93 09:20 Eastleigh - Long Marston one two three four
Tuesday 25th March: 
Wednesday 26th March: 
Thursday 27th March:
Friday 28th March:
Saturday 29th March: 37676 + 37668 3Z37 04:25 Southall - Eastleigh, 1Z37 07:00 Eastleigh- Southampton - Romsey - Salisbury - Shrewsbury, 1Z38 17:25 Shrewsbury - Salisbury - Romsey - Southampton - Eastleigh, 5Z39 23:07 Eastleigh - Romsey - Salisbury

69014, which left Eastleigh Works last week, has been named EMD Longport.

Eastleigh Works: 11Mar - 13Mar - 14Mar - 18Mar - 19Mar - 20Mar - 25Mar

MINI traffic from Cowley to Eastern Docks is understood to be reduced to once weekly while the factory is tooled for an electric variant.

69005 on Eastleigh - Westbury driver training, March 2025

Following from 69003's activity during the previous week, in preparation for regular Class 69 workings from Eastleigh - Westbury, 69005 Eastleigh was out in the week of 24th March, certainly on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

69005 Eastleigh + 66307 IPSWICH TOWN 6V40 14:05 Eastleigh - Westbury, at Eastleigh, ready for departure, 27th March.

69005 approaching Romsey with 6O41 on 28th.


69005 + 66307 + 66850 + 66013 6O41 10:14 Westbury - Eastleigh.

A closer view of 69005 Eastleigh.


66013 remains in full EWS colours with lettering, which is becoming more rare.

The same train running through Redbridge, a few minutes later. Image by Ian Knight.

Sighted at Eastleigh, 22nd March 2025

 

66528 Madge Elliot MBE 4O50 10:37 London Gateway - Maritime.

701051 (ex-Long Marston 23rd December), 701060 (ex-Long Marston 24th February), 701048 (ex-Long Marston 22nd August).

Recently returned from Scotland, 66791 6C01 13:46 Horsham - Eastleigh East Yard.

66522 6Y84 17:08 Horsham - Eastleigh East Yard, rocking up in town mega-early.

Miscellany at Eastleigh, 21st March 2025

69003 The Railway Observer + 66307 Ipswich Town 6O41 10:14 Westbury Down T.C. - Eastleigh East Yard.

69003 appears to have been sent to Westbury and back again for driver training ahead of Class 69 being assigned to these workings.

99.70.9319.013-7 ZOA (DRK 81614) a Kirow 1200 tonne crane.

66142 Maritime Intermodal Three 4O43 04:28 Wakefield Europort - Western Docks.

458402 + 458404 5Q90 11:19 Bournemouth - Basingstoke.

66206 4O39 09:43 Cowley - Eastern Docks.

08511 continues to work the yards, as we already forget the pair of Class 18s.


387211 1Y30 12:13 Brighton - Southampton.

50008 on a GWR sleeper drag, Eastleigh, 22nd March 2025

50008 Thunderer (+ 10589) 5O50 12:25 Reading Traincare Depot - Didcot - Eastleigh Trsmd.

50008 had run through platform 2.

In the approach line for the T&RSMD.

Passing the Works Offices (Parkway House), now more substantially boarded up.

SLEP 10589 built at BREL Derby to Lot 30960 c. 1982 

Class 70s at Eastleigh. 21st March 2025

 

70807 arrived in the East Yard with 6X24 09:25 Hinksey - Eastleigh.

70005 arriving with 4O14 05:08 Garston - Maritime.

70001 PowerHaul departed early with 4M61 12:56 Maritime - Trafford Park, but was held to time outside the station.

70016 4O90 06:04 Leeds - Maritime.

70015 4M65 13:12 Maritime - Lawley Street.

17th - 22nd March 2025

 

The new paint scheme on 69014, with covered nameplates, running through platform 3 at Eastleigh, 20th March, heading for Longport, where the name should be revealed on 26th. Image by Roger Homan.

59102 Village of Chantry running through the woods at Crampmoor with 6O68 09:11 Westbury Tarmac - Crawley, 20th March.

Monday 17th March: 802102 5X81 0946 Eastleigh - Reading
Tuesday 18th March: 69009 (+ 701503 + 701504) 5Q89 12:34 Long Marston - Eastleigh one two three, 5Q92 18:17 Eastleigh - Wimbledon Park, 0Z90 21:19 Wimbledon Park - Eastleigh Flickr for the day; Rubbed down D9000 / 55022 shunted at Eastleigh one two
Wednesday 19th March: 69014 first appearance; 66601 0Z66 12:28 Eastleigh - Maritime, then 70002 + 66601 6M99 14:57 Maritime - Basford Hall one two three Flickr for the day; 802103 5X81 15:17 Reading - Eastleigh one two
Thursday 20th March: 69014 0M45 10:20 Eastleigh - Longport one two three Flickr for the day
Friday 21st March: 69003 0Z69 08:19 Eastleigh -Westbury (worked back with 66307 on 6O41 - driver training?); 455869 + 455734 5Z50 09:15 Wimbledon Park - Eastleigh Works (for wheelsets) one
Saturday 22nd March: 50008 (+ 17174) 5V50 08:07 Eastleigh - Reading one, 50008 (+ 10589) 5O50 12:25 Reading - Eastleigh one, 50008 0E50 16:17 Eastleigh - Knottingley one two (rumour is of 33012 taking over these turns)

08530 at Maritime has been replaced by 08785.

56105 has been taken out of traffic by Colas. Flickr for March. Last noted in Eastleigh on 17th - 20th January.

59003 returned to Eastleigh Works on 11th March. There was a 0Z59 path to Westbury on 21st, but it did not run.

69014 looks remarkably like HS4000 Kestrel, but is said to be EMD demonstrator influenced, possibly this SD70ACe example seen in 2012.

"SWR's Class 701s delayed again - operator admits introduction is "not going as planned"", and an ITV report. Oh dear.

Flickr search - reports suggest that Search functions are being restricted for non-registered users. I may revert to more manual individual images going forward.

Eastleigh, 18th March 2025

08511 , with 66017 and the crippled 66107 in the background.

66103 4O39 09:43 Cowley - Southampton Eastern Docks.

70001 PowerHaul 4M61 12:56 Maritime - Trafford Park.

70016 4O90 06:04 Leeds - Maritime.


387227 1Y30 12:13 Brighton - Southampton.


458402 5Q91 13:20 Basingstoke - Bournemouth.

153311 2Q30 14:00 Eastleigh - Brighton - Eastleigh.