"The Millbrook Meander", Romsey, 26th May 2024

50008 Thunderer + 4-TC + 66509 Josiah's Wish 1Z79 09:59 Eastleigh - Salisbury - Yeovil Jcn - Yeovil Pen Mill - Weymouth

Two pictures of 50008 leading into Romsey.

Josiah's Wish nameplate on 66509, applied at Southampton Maritime in September 2022, then fresh from a repaint at Wolverton.

66509 passing through Romsey on the rear pf the train.;

"The Millbrook Meander", Millbrook to Redbridge, 26th May 2024

50008 Thunderer + 4-TC + 66509 Josiah's Wish 1Z79 09:59 Eastleigh - Weymouth

 - with some help from 08785 at Maritime

50008 works down the reversible Up Fast to access Millbrook Freightliner Terminal. I


The train is next seen deep in the now underutilised terminal. Image by Roger Homan.

The train then worked across the main lines to access the loop line alongside Maritime, as seen from the Dock Gate 20 bridge. Image by Ian Knight.


66509 on the rear of the train. 70005, 66590, 70004 and 70016 lie alongside at Maritime. Image by Ian Knight.


08785 coming on to the train adjacent to Redbridge, which it then hauled one way into the yard. Image by Ian Knight.


Finally, 50008 departs from the Redbridge end ...

... with 66509 on the rear. Images by Ian Knight.

"The Hanson Hanse", Eastleigh, 25th May 2024

50008 Thunderer + 4-TC + 20007 1Z55 07:03 Eastleigh - London Kings Cross

I was prepared for a platform 3 shot from the Bishopstoke Road bridge, but the train went into platform 2.

50008 showing the revised Hanson & Hall logo - no longer associated with Rail Adventure.

Idling in the platform. 50008 was new from English Electric Vulcan Foundry, Newton-le-Willows, as D408 om 22nd March 1968, and was withdrawn from Plymouth Laira on 5th June 1992, finding a first preservation home on the East Lancashire Railway.

50008 makes the departure.

20007 was new as pilot scheme D8007, entering traffic at Devons Road (Bow) on 19th September 1957. After working on  the LMR, ScR and ER, the locomotive was withdrawn in July 1993. In preservation was kept at Cheddleton, then later at Butterley and Ruddington. Now, the oldest main line diesel locomotive working on Network Rail, owned by Michael Owen. 

33012 workings, 12th and 13th May 2024

'The Return of the Jurassic Crompton' 

33012 + 73109 + 4-TC + 69002 1Z35 14:20 Swanage - Waterloo approaching Eastleigh, 12th May.


D6515 running through platform 1, as the Up Fast was out of use with a signalling fault.



69002 on the rear.

On Monday 13th, at Redbridge, 33012 passing with 0Z36 11:05 Eastleigh Arlington (Zg) - Swanage, which completed the recent series of workings.

'"The Jurassic Crompton", 9th May 2024

69002 Bob Tiller CM&EE + 73109 Battle of Britain 80th  Anniversary 1Z34 11:15 Waterloo - Swanage (33012 Lt Jenny Lewis RN added to lead from Woking, loco has an ETS fault)

33012 leads away from Southampton. Image by Ian Knight.

73109 on the rear. Image by Ian Knight.

A short while later, 33012 approaches Redbridge. Headcode '98' is for Swanage.

Running through the station.

73109 on the rear.

'May the Fourth be With You'

33012 (D6515) Lt Jenny Lewis RN + 4-TC + 73136 Mhairi T+T 1Z73 06:48 Eastleigh - Portsmouth - Southampton - Romsey - Westbury (added 3 @ Class 59) - Exeter, 4th May 2024

33012 seen near Test Lane, with the Lower Test Nature Reserve on the right. Image by Ian Knight.


73136 on the rear. Image by Ian Knight.

33012 approaching into Romsey.

A closer view of the 'Crompton'.


Some power is applied, with a green signal ahead.

A final view of 73136 with the London Transport 4-TC.

50s at Eastleigh, 22nd April 2022

"The Honeybourne Hoover"

50008 Thunderer + 50007 Hercules [50034 Furious on one side] 1Z50 11:02 Burton - Eastleigh, 5Z51 15:38 Eastleigh - Eastleigh Trsmd

The pair of locos approaches Eastleigh. The timetable said platform 2, so platform 3 it was.

50008 leads to go under the bridge. The pair of sequentially delivered locomotives entered traffic in March 1968.

1970s style froth and adulation.

50008, in Hanson+Hall / Rail Adventure colours, leads away to the carriage sidings.

The fake identity of 50034 Furious.

The rake was of 8 Riviera coaches, led by TSO 4998 (BR Wolverton, Lot 30690, August 1962).

The RMB was 1813 (BR Wolverton. Lot 30520, March 1961)

FO 3110 (BR Swindon, Lot 30697, ~January 1963)

 

Mk2f BSO 9526 (BREL Derby, Lot 30861, June 1974)

The Cosham Completer, Eastleigh, 10th August 2019

1Z76 16:12 Eastleigh to Portsmouth Harbour

Formation: 37706 37669 - X BSO 9392 - A TSO 99327 - C RMB 1860 - B TSO 4940 - D TSO 5032 - G FO 5249 - F FO 3058 - E FO 99351 - Y RK 99316 - 37518

37706 + 37669 led from the works and will lead again from Portsmouth back to Crewe.

A closer view of 37706, released as D6716 from Vulcan Foundry on 16th June 1961, and allocated to Stratford.

Type 3 to the Sea, Eastleigh, 10th August 2019

1Z74 05:30 Crewe to Portsmouth Harbour, then "Cosham Completer" 1Z75 13:05 Portsmouth Harbour to Eastleigh

Formation: 37706 37518 - A TSO 5032 - B TSO 4940 - C RMB 1860 - D TSO 99327 - X BSO 9392 - Y RK 99316 - E FO 99351 - F FO 3058 - G FO 5249 - 37669

Approaching Eastleigh which was passed through Platform 3 (not the booked Down Carriage Sidings).

On the approach some smoke was emanating from the front wheel area of 37706, but no apparent issue, it was 37518 which was not powering the train between Woking and Basingstoke.

37669 arrives back from Portsmouth, now running as the 'Cosham Completer'.

37706+ 37518 lead the ECS into the works where it was shunted into a revised formation.