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).

Classic Power Tuesday at Eastleigh, 29th March 2022: 56096

56096 delivered 701043 into the Works. This was the first time out for a pair of Meridian Generic UBV's (Universal Barrier Vans), developed in partnership with Dellner, with new UIC numbers for potential running into Europe.

These barriers were Motorail vans, converted in 1998-99 using running gear from much earlier GUV vans. Some of these continue as brake force runners in test train usage.

Passing East Yard.

About to pass under the bridge.

UBV 96605 (96.70 .0096.605-1) Ernest which includes a translator interface to work with the 'Aventra' series.

701043 coupled to the translator.

96603 (96.70.0096.603-6) Oliver.

At the Works, 56096 was later shunting to recover the barriers. These returned as 5Z38 19:30 Eastleigh - Burton.

Further photo coverage: one - two - Flickr for the day

Eastleigh Works and T&RSMD, 21st March 2019

47739 was part of this week's GBRf liveries reveal, and is seen with an unidentified Class 442. This Class 47 is currently mounted on sandbox fitted Class 57 bogies.

Super BG NQA  (110 mph Hign Security Brake Van, fittted for use with Class 90/2) 94515 is understood to have been a resident of Eastleigh East Yard for much of the past decade, being converted to current configuration in December 1998 for usage with EWS. It, and 94538, did see some limited usage on the EWS operated boat trains, 94515 was in set EH11 from 2010, - I have not recorded which of these is in the linked picture. Built by Pressed Steel as M80916 in July 1957 to Lot 30162 as a BG Full Brake. Converted in November 1983 to 92013 (NEX 100mph dual- heat dual-brake), then 92913 in August 1992 (110 mph) and NFX 92513 in March 1993 with removal of the guard's emergency equipment, coming out of use in September 1996 before further conversion. What is next for it - parts recovery or conversion to a support coach?

37099 was in the works yard with the structure gauging test train.

Brake Force Runner 96606 (built by Marcroft in 1998-88 as a Motorail van on the frame of GUV 86324, later 96213, built by Pressed Steel to Lot 30417 in 1958-59).

99666 is nominally a Structure Gauging coach, but it understood to be a 'runner' with no content inside, Originally Mk IIe FO W3250 built to Lot 30843 at Derby completed in December 1972. Converted to exhibition van 99666 from May 1996, then became a brake force runner for test trains from April 2008.

72630 is a Structure Gauging Train Support Coach, also to Lot 30860 from Derby, entering traffic as W6094 from February 1974, converted to TSOLH as 72630 in 1984. Joined the test trains fleet in Ultrasonic Test Train use from July 2002, then converted to current role from late 2013.

801104 and 801106 but order is not determined.

1Q51 test train to Weymouth, Totton, 3rd July 2017

1Q51 11:15 Derby - Eastleigh - Weymouth - Eastleigh

Having passed the level crossing ...

... 37116 leads into the loop at Totton Yard.

6261 is a generator van, new from Pressed Steel in 1957 (Lot 30323) as 81284 later 92088, 92988.

High Speed Track Recording Train coach 999550 new in 1975 from Derby to Lot 3830.

1256 is a Plain Line Pattern Recognition Coach PLPR3, originally Mk 2f FO 3296 built at Derby to Lot 30845 in 1973.

Brake Force Runner 96606 (built by Marcroft in 1998-88 as a Motorail van on the frame of GUV 86324, later 96213, built by Pressed Steel to Lot 30417 in 1958-59).

37057 on the rear of the train.

Eastleigh, 27th November 2016

English Electric Type 3's 37116 and 37057 with a Brush Sulzer Type 4 (likely 47818) in the background in this Sunday "classic scene" at Eastleigh Works. Somewhere in the hidden distance is 37175 which paired with 37116 arrived in an STP move from Woking on Saturday evening. 37057 had arrived on Saturday morning with its test train, the first van being 96604 a former Motorail van built on the frames of a GUV.

37116 was new from Vulcan Foundry as D6816 on 1st March 1963, and was allocated to Sheffield Darnall. Stored in December 2001, then to the Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway, from where it was removed in January 2014 for eventual return to the main line for Colas.

37057 similarly came from Vulcan Foundry, and was new as D6757 on 5th October 1962, allocated to Thornaby. Stored in December 2004 after the Sandite season, and disposed of to Harry Needle Railroad Company in November 2007. Restored at Barrow Hill, initially as a preserved locomotive, but returned to the main line for Colas use in 2015.

47841 is believed to belong to Locomotive Services Ltd., and has spent most of its time under cover in the works, having arrived on 13th July 2015. Stored by DRS on 31st October 2014. It is believed to be considered as a spares source for 47790 and 47805; the bogies were swapped to 47790 before October 2015. The headlight and driver's window are clearly missing.

17159 is actually a rather rare beast, a Mk2d BFK, one of only two remaining registered (the other is 17167 in the Northern Belle, with one further example 17168 / 99319 in storage at Carnforth). Built in November 1971 to Lot 30823 at Derby - a lot of 34 coaches 14139 - 14172 built in 1971-72. Withdrawn from regular traffic use in October 2003, it is not a ready fit in the DRS fleet, having been the brake coach in the short lived Stobart Pullman, following which it spent previous time in storage at Eastleigh, returning on 5th October following a further period in traffic.

Coaches 64680 and 64723 of the erstwhile 508211 have been moved from the back of the works, is there a purpose in this? (Scrapping?). Delivered from BREL York in March 1980, as unit 508032, renumbered to 508132 in July 1984 when TS 71557 was transferred to Class 455/7 5718. From then the unit worked on Mereyside. Unit renumbered to 508211 in May 1998 when introduced onto South Eastern services, from where it was stored, initially at Donnington from May 2010, then moved to Eastleigh on 23rd July 2011.

New GBRf 66777 amd 66778 in the sidings at the station. These entered traffic in July and June respectively.

The Swanage Belle - 14th May 2011

Evoking 'cross-country' memories, 45305 departs from Southampton. Image by Ian Knight.

A few moments later at Millbrook.

Millbrook.

70013 Oliver Cromwell with the return train approaching Southampton. Image by Ian Knight.

Pounding uphill at Shawford, a few minutes down on schedule.

70013 - powerful two-cylinder locomotive in action.

99348 was Pullman Parlour Second 348 built in 1961 by Metro-Cammell. Converted in 1969 to Open First (FO). After usage in Motorail traffic became a 'SLOA Pullman' from about 1980, and has passed through Flying Scotsman Railways ownership to West Coast. 

1Z94 08:40 Waterloo - Swanage, 1Z95 16:25 Swanage - Waterloo
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