NMT Test Train at Romsey, 22nd October 2020

 1X23 15:13 Salisbury - Southampton UGL - Salisbury

• 43062 John Armitt
• 977995 Generator Coach (HST catering vehicle 40719, previously 40619)
• 977984 Staff Coach (HST catering vehicle 40501, as a TRUK once part of 253001 from November 1976)
• 977993 Overhead Line Equipment Test Coach (HST TGS 44053)
  
• 977994 Track Recording Coach (HST TGS 44087)
• 975984 Lecture Coach (formerly  Laboratory 15 "Argus" and later "Test Car 4", 10000 & 40000, originally prototype HST catering vehicle)
• 43014 The Railway Observer

43062 leads into Romsey.

A closer view of power car 43062.

977995 was the first car.

975984 was the last coach.

43014 The Railway Observer was at the rear.

43014 leads on the return.

The Railway Observer is the house magazine of the RCTS (Railway Correspondence & Travel Society).

43014 is held at the signal to await the preceding GWR dmu to pass Dunbridge.

Colas power cars 43050 + 43060 in November, please!

Afternoon Freight at Romsey, 22nd October 2020

 

59003 YEOMAN HIGHLANDER, leading 6V40 14:05 Eastleigh -Chandler's Ford - Westbury LWR train.

VolkerRail Kirow 125 tonne crane DRK81613 and its support wagons were at the rear of the consist.

66531 approaches with 4O57 13:29 Wentloog - Maritime, which passed at 16:27. On Monday 26th sunset will be at 16:50 GMT, and a similar shot will be challenging.

19th - 24th October 2020

37610 returning from Eastern Docks to Westbury as 0Z38, seen approaching Halterworth Crossing, 21st October.

The Colas operated route learner continued over the crossing and onward to Romsey.

59003 + 66729 + 66754 with a single wagon on 6O41 on Monday 19th. Image by Ian Knight.

Sunday 18th October:  156447 5Q86 11:58 Heaton - Eastleigh one two three (last in sequence for this activity)
Monday 19th October: 60046 6Z60 06:30 Willesden - Eastleigh one

Tuesday 20th October:

Wednesday 21st October: 37610 0Z37 09:10 Westbury - Romsey - Eastleigh - Eastern Docks one, 0Z38 11:30 Eastern Docks - Eastleigh - Romsey - Westbury (route not as scheduled) one;60046 6Z94 21:30 Eastleigh - Boston one

Thursday 22nd October: 43014 + 43062  1X23 15:13 Salisbury - Southampton UGL - Salisbury 

Friday 23rd October: 60046 6Z60 06:30 Willesden - Eastleigh one, 6Z94 22:14 Eastleigh - Boston; 442417 + 442423 5Q99 10:20 Fratton - Bournemouth

Saturday 24th October:

Verizon is shutting down the Yahoo Groups totally on 15th December.

1 hour 15 minutes of freight at Romsey, 20th October 2020 part 4: 70001 returns from Wentloog

70001 PowerHaul slows to approach the junction, leading 4O57 13:29 Wentloog - Maritime.

A closer view of the General Electric machine.

FRA wagon 613021.

KTA wagon GERS 97716 which was followed by GERS 97745 at the rear.

1 hour 15 minutes of freight at Romsey, 20th October 2020 part 3: 59102 with stone hoppers for Eastleigh

 
The third Class 59 in sequence, 59102 Village of Chantry operated 7O40 13:35 Merehead - Eastleigh.

A closer view of the approaching train.

The first O&K JHA hopper was OK19305 which is an 'outer' wagon, constructed in 1989.

By comparison this is 2020 delivered HOA 81.70.6774.040-4.

1 hour 15 minutes of freight at Romsey, 20th October 2020 part 2: 59206 with the Chi-stone empties

 

59206 John F Yeoman Rail Pioneer slows to stop at a signal check with 7V09 13:41 Chichester - Merehead.

A closer view of the no longer unique G&W liveried Class 59.

81.70.5500.838-4 is a JNA delivered earlier in 2020, leased from Touax. 

81 70 5500 193-4 is a similar wagon, built in 2016 leased from VTG. While built to similar specification, there is a significant difference in the handbrake arrangements, using two variants of the LN25 bogie. The Touax JNA and the DB Cargo MMA wagons are those with the body mounted brake wheel. The Freightliner HHA wagons, from which bogie and brake components were recycled, had bogie mounted brake wheels, but when reportedly recycled to MWA wagons had body mounted. This seems rather confusing and inconsistent!

1 hour 15 minutes of freight at Romsey, 20th October 2020 part 1: 59003 with 6V41

 
59003 YEOMAN HIGHLANDER, passing with 6V41 14:48 Eastleigh - Westbury.

The formation was notable for including five OCA wagons, built at BREL Shldon in 1981-82, now getting rarer. Starting with 112117.

Then 112043 ...

... 112048 ...

... 112229 ...

... and 112269. All had seen use on Eastleigh based ballast trains over the preceding weekend. All are in pool 6822 'DB Network infrastructure/storage pools' as 'STEEL-DOOR-BASS', in which there are approximately 113 wagons.