20th - 25th October 2025

 

37608 Andromeda and set TP06 / CH06 arrive at Eastleigh, 20th October. Montage by The Image Team.

66097 4M60 09:27 Maritime - Northampton Gateway (via East - West Rail), Eastleigh, 22nd October.

70811 and 73963 Janice which would work 1Q53, Eastleigh, 22nd October.

59206 John F Yeoman Rail Pioneer 6O68 09:11 Westbury Tarmac - Crawley, Eastleigh, 22nd October.

701055 was re-delivered to Eastleigh on 3rd October, seen on 22nd. An interesting appearance of a forward fuselage of an Air France A320 series within a car park at Southampton airport.

59104 6V62 13:21 Up Yard - Westbury Tarmac, Carampmoor, 24th October.

Monday 20th October: 50008 + 50021 0O08 10:24 Lydney - Eastleigh one two three four; 73962 + 73963 1Q51 11:15 Derby - Eastleigh - Weymouth - Eastleigh
Tuesday 21st October: 73962 + 73963 1Q52 10:46 Eastleigh - Portsmouth Harbour - Littlehampton - Barnham Chichester - Portsmouth Harbour - Totton Yard  - Havant - Guildford - Havant - Fareham - Eastleigh - Winchester - Basingstoke - Woking - Lymington Pier - Eastleigh one two three; 37608 (+ TP09 / CH09) 5Q86 11:15 Long Marston - Eastleigh one two three four; 37057 + 37607 3Q01 23:34 Woking - Eastleigh one
Wednesday 22nd October: 37608 0M21 08:03 Eastleigh - Derby one two three; 73962 + 73963 1Q53 12:00 Eastleigh - Up Yard - Wimbledon - Up Yard one, 1Q53 18:05 Up Yard - Wimbledon - Totton - Romsey - Eastleigh; 37057 + 37607 3Q03 22:36 Eastleigh - Redbridge - Salisbury - Redbridge -  Eastleigh - Brighton - Eastleigh
Thursday 23rd October: 800104 5X82 08:49 Eastleigh - Reading 50008 0E08 10:22 Eastleigh - Yarmouth one; 73962 + 73963 1Q54 12:55 Eastleigh - Reading one two; 43058 (+ 41160 + 41166 + 40804 + 41187 + 44078) + 43047 5Z42 08:43 Crewe -Eastleigh one two three four; 37057 + 37607 3Q04 21:37 Eastleigh - Redbridge - Reading Triangle; 56051 6C19 22:13 Eastleigh -Dorchester one
Friday 24th October: 43058 (+ 41160 + 41166 + 40804 + 41187 + 44078) + 43047 1Z43 06:33 Eastleigh - Southampton - Romsey - Salisbury - Westbury - Fort William one; 37057 + 37607 3Q40 23:53 Reading Triangle - Southampton - Woking
Saturday 25th October:
Sunday 26th October: 43047 (+ 44078 + 41187 + 40804 + 41166 + 41160) + 43058 1Z43 09:05 Fort William - Westbury - Salisbury - Romsey - Redbridge - Eastleigh

455718 & 455860 were sent to Newport for scrap on 20th one two three

59003 continues to reside in the yard at Eastleigh.

Romsey Railway Station master’s house plans submitted to council.

Beacon Rail is in the process of acquiring Eversholt.

Main Line to The South: The Southern Railway Route Between Basingstoke, Winchester, Eastleigh & Southampton - Part Three: St.Denys, Northam, Southampton Terminus and Southampton Central

West Highland Pullman, Romsey, 24th October 2025

43058 (+ 41160 + 41166 + 40804 + 41187 + 44078) + 43047 1Z43 06:33 Eastleigh - Southampton - Romsey - Salisbury - Westbury - Fort William (arrived 7 minutes early).
 - the first power car and four coaches were all part of the Staycation Express set

"We are delighted to present a three-day weekend break direct from your local station to the Highlands of Scotland at this most dramatic and beautiful time of year – The journey will be over the world-famous West Highland line, featuring some of the most spectacular scenery in Scotland as we cross magnificent bridges and viaducts climbing high into the mountains and offering views of tumbling waterfalls and peaceful lochs."

43058 Loch Eil leads the set into Romsey.


While only a 2+5 set the train stopped well forward along the platform. TF 41160 was built in Lot 30947 in 1980, and ran in Cross-Country 253044.


TF 41187 was built as TS 42311 to Lot 30969 in 1982, for Cross-Country set 253053. Converted to TF in 2003.


TGF 44078 was built to Lot 30949 in 1982, and was in the first Midland Pullman HST when outshopped in 2020. Recently returned from Eastleigh to Crewe on 6th October.

43047 on the rear. Repainted at Eastleigh in 2022.

Test Train at Eastleigh, 22nd October 2025

Swietelsky / HNRC 37607 (English Electric Vulcan Foundry, to traffic 9th January 1963).

Brake Force Runner 96609, a former Motorail van, rebodied on a GUV chassis, originally 86237 built in 1959.

6001 (BR Derby Lot 30860, 1973-74) last saw passenger use on the Fife Circle, and is now a Support Coach / Brake Force Runner.

Support Coach 9808 is on hire from Eastern Rail Services. Reconfigured in 2000 for Caledonian Sleeper usage from Mk2e TSO 5871 of January 1973.

Ultrasonic Test Coach UTU-2 62287 built at York to Lot 30808 in June 1970 as a MBS in 4-CIG 7337/

977997 Radio Survey Train Test coach RSC-3. Built as TSO W6126 to Lot 30860 at BR Derby in 1974

37057 Barbara Arbon (English Electric Vulcan Foundry, to traffic 5th October 1962).

Eastleigh Works, 22nd October 2025

 

Newly repainted 70007 is shunteed past 800104, which appears to be getting to close to completion for its crack repairs.

70007, which was without any of its windows, is shunted into the Van Shop.

Further into the move. This image has been modified by AI to remove an Arlington employee.

This is believed to be 'Brighton Belle' 5-BEL Driving Motor Brake Parlour Third 93 (293) of 1932, which is owned by Belmond, seen arriving at Eastleigh on 12th May.

42583(?), 319380 (expected to be for disposal at Newport), 43083, 99101 (Britannic Explorer), 10211 (spares for Britannic Explorer).

800104 with modified yaw damper attachment . This appears to await cosmetic completion.

Eastleigh Buses - Old and New, 17th October 2025

A short divergence into the world of Bluestar.

The Old: Scania N94UD East Lancs OmniDekka YN56FFR 1008 was new in Sptember 2006, to Brighton & Hove, and came to Bluestar in late 2019. Normal withdrawal of the group 1003-1008 is now started, with 1005 noted withdrawn at Empress Road, alongside 1001 & 1002 which are 2 years older. 

The New: 1054 is one of a group of 10 Volvo B8L MCV eVoSeti tri-axle which are coming into service with a focus upon transport for Barton Peveril College, replacing the Scanias seen above. Three of these Egyptian assembled buses appear to be in service, 1052, 1054 and 1057, with 1054 first recorded in use on 22nd September.

Special workings in Fife, 9th & 10th May 2025

 

In the Swietelsky variation of HNRC orange, 37405 passes Aberdour with the outward working of 0Z95 07:14 Grangemouth - Grangemouth, running via Leven to Dundee.


Returning later, after a second visit to Leven, approaching Dalgety Bay station.

20132 + 20118 Saltburn-by-the-Sea leading 1Z67 06:33 Leven - Oban.


The SRPS Railtours train was operated by Locomotive Services.


Running through the onetime location of Donibristle Halt.


37403 Isle of Mull on the rear.

Coaching stock reported as:
35185 AB2/1
3112 AD1/1
3150 AD1/1
80043 AK5/1
5912 AC2/F
13227 AA1/1
5991 AC2/F
5366 AC2/A
1863 AN2/1

AI tomfoolery

 

This started as a shot of 70006 at Eastleigh with 4O57 from Wentloog in 2019. I asked Copilot to  "Change this to a night scene" and this is the consequence. Interesting changes inlclude a lowering of the platform, to something more European / American, and the conversion of one of the SPAD signals into a light.

The start was 37610 working 1Q53 at St Denys on 2nd October 2019, and a similar instruction. Copilot placed a number where it is found on many Class 37s. It has also turned the Class 37 around, and deleted the higher level marker lamp.

69003 at Eastleigh on 24th March, with instruction "Change this to a sunset scene".

This started as 59102on the curve at Romsey with  6O68 09:11 Westbury Tarmac - Crawley on 24th March, and the same instruction. The line has been straightened, and the locomotive body has been turned around and modified to be more like Class 66, complete with high level marker light. Renumbered to 59192 with new name Vale of Kent. JNA box wagons have been converted to intermodal boxes, and the whole image has been straightened.

The input was 47593 approaching Romsey on 27th August. It emerged as 47805 in a modified livery, and the Mk 1 coaches have been turned into Mk2 aircons. Once again the track has been straightened.

The same input, but a different version of Copilot (!) on the same computer produced this more attractive, and much less fictional, offering.

Eastleigh, 17th October 2025: part 2

 

66420 arriving with 4M61 12:56 Maritime - Trafford Park.

66593 approaching with late running 4O14 05:08 Garston - Maritime.

59004 PAUL A HAMMOND running through platform 1 with 6V62 13:21 UpYard-WestburyTarmac, as 4O14 heads to Southampton.

Again late running, 66506 leading 4O90 04:55 Doncaster Europort - Maritime.

Eastleigh, 17th October 2025: part 1

 

66532 P&O Nedlloyd Atlas and 66517  in the holding sidings.

69013 arriving with 6O41 10:14 Westbury - Eastleigh, with 66200 dead in tow.

66200 has a special logo for Railway 200, and was on display at Derby in August, with a temporary name, since removed. In late September it was a support locomotive for replica Locomotion No. 1, with another temporary name.

59005 KENNETH J PAINTER crosing the main lines at Eastlegh with 6O70 11:00 Westbury Tarmac - Eastleigh.

Southbound trains were all late after 66587 failed at Swaythling. 66192 leading 4O39 09:43 Morris Cowley - Eastern Docks.

13th - 18th October 2025

 

66758 The Pavior, passing Romsey with 6M47 12:18 Marchwood -Kineton, 13th October.

The last wagon was FAA 609022 (Thrall Europa, York, 1999).


59004 PAUL A HAMMOND 6V16 11:55 Fareham - Westbury Tarmac, 15th October 2025, at Halterworth Crossing, near Romsey.

70811, 70802 and 56051 Survival, Eastleigh, 17th October.

Monday 13th October: 69013 + 56049 6O31 17:25 Westbury - Eastleigh (or was this a TOPS confusion with 56051 which was at Westbury and was worked onward to Hoo on 14th?)
Tuesday 14th October: (56049 ???? Eastleigh - Westbury, was there to work 0Z11 to St Philips Marsh); 800309 5X80 10:44 Eastleigh - Reading
Wednesday 15th October:
Thursday 16th October: 43013 + 43014 1X23 15:28 Salisbury - Southampton - Salisbury (earlier: one two three)
Friday 17th October: 57302 outside at Eastleigh in LNWR black; 66587 failed at Swaythling, understood to be loss of coolant, causing 90 minutes of disruption on the down main line, until rescue by 66555; 56051 at Eastleigh; 68031 5Q86 13:44 Long Marston - Eastleigh one two three four five six
Saturday 18th October:

58050, once an Eastleigh regular, is under disposal in Spain.

59002 is on refurbished bogies at Leeds, so may soon return to work from the Mendips.

70009 is expected to return from Colas to Freightliner in November.

The Arlington Class 313 barrier pair 64664 Liwet and 64707 Labezerin are now de-named and running in EPR (Euro Phoenix Rail) colours.

There is a new GBR standard clock.

455718 was planned to be sent to Newport for disposal  on Wednesday 15th, but there is a potential administration (prelude to bankruptcy) to consider. Seen at Millbrook on 14th July 2017.

The other unit planned to be sent that day was 455860, seen at Eastleigh 29th May 2024.