29th July - 3rd August 2013

66097 works 6O41 Westbury - Eastleigh on 31st July.

On load from Heavy Haul to Intermodal, 70016 at St Denys on 31st July. Image by The Image Team.

Monday 29th July:
Tuesday 30th July:
Wednesday 31st July: 73107 + 73201 1Q40 04:46 Hither Green - Redbridge - Up Yard, 1Q43 10:10 Up Yard - Hamworthy - Poole - Weymouth - Eastleigh, 31190 6Z31 08:16 Eastleigh - Washwood Heath one two, 0Z31 12:10 Washwood Heath - Eastleigh, 70013 + 47245 1Z67 08:44 Victoria - Weymouth one two three four five six seven, 1Z69 16:35 Weymouth - Southampton - Laverstock - Waterloo one two three four
Thursday 1st August: 60065 8O35 06:05 Westbury - Fareham, 7V16 12:47 Fareham - Westbury one two three four, 73107 + 73201 1Q41 08:02 Eastleigh - Southampton DGL - Portsmouth & Southsea - Southampton DGL - Laverstock - Andover - Laverstock - Redbridge - Eastleigh (ran alternative routes, not reaching Andover, and seen on Chandlers Ford line) one two three four, 31285 3Q01 19:17 Hither Green - Eastern Docks - Northam - Redbridge - Romsey -Redbridge - Winchester Baltic Siding - Lymington Pier - Eastleigh
Friday 2nd August: 73107 + 73201 1Q44 04: 15 Eastleigh - St Denys - Chandlers Ford - Romsey - Chandlers - Fareham - Dollands Moor, 67019 + 67028 5Z88 12:00 Chichester - Eastleigh K, 5Z89 17:23 Eastleigh - Chichester, 31285 3Q20 21:13 Eastleigh - Derby
Saturday 3rd August:

37901 has been delivered to the Watercress Line on 2nd August to assist the local diesel fleet.

The Return of the Dorset Coast Express, 31st July 2013

Ian Knight caught up with 1Z69 16:35 Weymouth - Waterloo at Redbridge.

 47245 leads the return train from Weymouth to Southampton.

Having reversed, the train now proceeds to the Laverstock Loop with 70013 Oliver Cromwell.

Dorset Coast Express, 31st July 2013

70013 Oliver Cromwell approaches Redbridge. The former Pullman is  99350.

The train operated as 1Z67 08:44 Victoria - Weymouth. Notice the mirror like effect on the smoke box.

The support coach is 99953, of the NRM.

47245 on the rear - this or the adjacent vehicle has wheel flats

Class 47s at the Glos Warks Diesel Weekend, 27th July 2013

47376 Freightliner 1995 was stored at Southampton Maritime in 2001-02 following an engine failure. Following acquisition by the Brush Type 4 Fund at the end of 2002, the locomotive had its engine swapped with 47295 in June 2003 at MOD Ashchurch, after which it was delivered to the GWR. Here the locomotive is seen at Winchcombe, working to Cheltenham, in a rather "inter-regional" scene.

47376 clags away 47 style, running towards the tunnel.

At Cheltenham Racecourse, again caught clagging, 47376 starts on its return working, 2L72 16:10 to Laverton.

1693 (47105) is under an extended overhaul at Toddington, resident in the new shed there. Withdrawn almost 20 years ago in November 1993, and preserved and operational since 1994.

Further coverage of the event on SkyDrive.

21st - 27th July 2013

5081 (24081) departs Toddington, on Saturday 27th, at the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway Heritage Diesel Weeekend. 24081 was built at Crewe, entering traffic in March 1960, later classified Class 24/1, and eventually the last in service of the class, withdrawn soon after display at the Liverpool & Manchester 150 event in 1980. Now supported by the 24081 Locomotive Group.

While generally the BRCW Class 26 was a better design than Class 24 to meet the same requirement, newly restored D5343 (26043, new in October 1959) suffered a second traction motor related failure (understood to be a flashover), and could not continue in the event. Restored by the Cotswold Mainline Diesel Group, here seen awaiting removal at Toddington.

45149 arrives at Toddington, from Winchcombe direction, in its novel and temporary colour scheme. Also newly restored by the Cotswold Mainline Diesel Group.

Further coverage of the event on SkyDrive.

Sunday 21st July: 47739 + 47749 0Z48 18:05 Didcot - Eastleigh
Monday 22nd July: 47739 + 47749 6Z56 05:35 Eastleigh - Redbridge - Westbury one two (working to  LongMarston - 47739 bogie fire at Bristol Pkwy), 67022 5O61 Wembley - Eastleigh, 31105 3Q01 23:18 Hither Green - Eastleigh
Tuesday 23rd July:
Wednesday 24th July: 31105 3Q02 01:48 Eastleigh - Southampton - Hither Green, 67019 + 67028 5Z80 06:55 Stewarts Lane - Bournemouth one two, 1Z81 11:38 Bournemouth - Basingstoke , 1Z82 13:13 Basingstoke - Laverstock - Eastleigh - Bournemouth one two three, 5Z82 15:38 Bournemouth - Eastleigh , 1Z83 18:42 Eastleigh - Victoria
Thursday 25th July:
Friday 26th July: 60065 6O41 10:14 Westbury - Eastleigh, 6V41 14:45 Eastleigh - Westbury one two three
Saturday 27th July: 31190 6Z31 16:07 Westbury - Eastleigh

Many Class 70s are out of service. Those working in this area are 70008 (most active), 70016, 70017 and 70019. Eastleigh has 70001, 70018 (and 70099) for maintenance.

15th - 20th July 2013

Led by 60116 Mountfield, 1001 is running as 1Z30 06:37 Hastings - Weymouth, passing Redbridge.

60118 Tunbridge Wells on the rear of the Hastings Diesels Ltd "Weymouth Envoy" tour. 

A few minutes earlier at Millbrook. Image by Ian Knight.

Sunday 14th July: 60049 was on engineers operations at Bentley one two
Monday 15th July:
Tuesday 16th July:
Wednesday 17th July:
Thursday 18th July: 70001 + 70017 + 70018 Maritime - Eastleigh, 70001 & 70018 now at Eastleigh LNWR for maintenance.
Friday 19th July: 
Saturday 20th July: 1001 1Z30 06:37 Hastings - Weymouth one two three four,1Z31 16:22 Weymouth - Hastings

Meanwhile 70005 was moved to Midland Road, for assessment following its fire.

158885 has started testing for its new ZF gearbox:
Wednesday 5Z83 08:00 Bournemouth - Motala, 5Z84 16:40 Motala - Bournemouth
Thursday 5Z83 08:00 Bournemouth - Motala, 11:55 Motala - Poole - Weymouth, 5Z84 13:58 Weymouth - 16:40 Motala - Bournemouth

Eastleigh Works Blog updated.

Class 86's at Barrow Hill, 6th July 2013

Europhoenix Class 86's at Barrow Hill on 6th July. WNXX.com covered the removal of these locomotives for export through Immingham only a couple of hours later. The locomotives arrived in a convoy behind 56312 on 4th July.

UPDATE: Now in Hungary.

Floyd 450008 is the former 86242 James Kennedy GC and Colchester Castle, new as E3138 in January 1966, withdrawn October 2004. This was the locomotive involved in the Nuneaton derailment in June 1975.

Floyd 450007 is the former 86228 Vulcan Heritage, new as E3167 from English Electric / Vulcan Foundry in August 1965. Revisions in the Floyd colours have been made to reflect full ownership by Eurogate.

86701 Orion has been returned by Electric Traction Ltd to Europhoenix, and is in Colas colours following a very short engagement last year. Formerly E3129 (Doncaster, November 1965), 86205 City of Lancaster, and briefly 86503 in 1988-89. Stored DRS 37510 is behind.

86702 Cassiopeia which was new as E3144 (English Electric / Vulcan Foundry, March 1966), then 86048 and upgraded to 86260 Driver Wallace Oakes GC.

86242 awaits arrival of low loader and a push up the ramp to be provided by 37510. Locomotives in the background are 37275 and 50008 Thunderer.