Thirty minutes at Aberdour, 7th May 2014

67022 with the Fife Circle loco-hauled.

The EWS livery coaches have become decrepit, and were replaced one week before with a Riviera rake, all ex-Virgin. 9507 is a Mk 2e BSO from Lot 30838, built at Derby in 1972.

43315 (Crewe, March 1979) leads the 1S20 14:00 from Kings Cross "The Aberdonian".

43318 (Crewe, March 1979) on the rear.

Here is TSO 5945 (Mk 2f, Derby Lot 30846, 1973) allocated to EH. The new rake is 5952 + 6177 + 6176 + 9507 + 5945 + 6067.

Great Britain VII, 3rd May 2014

 60009 Union of South Africa passes Burntisland with 1Z42 09:37 Inverness - Aberdeen - Dundee - Perth - Ladybank - Forth Bridge - Edinburgh

Pullman Parlour First E326E Emerald

The burned out coach from 7204, 1974 to 1988

Further to the item published yesterday, Chris Finch has supplied this picture from April 1988 at Eastleigh of the burned out motor car 61871 from 4-CEP unit 7204, adjacent to a former South Tyneside 2-EPB. I believe that this was seen at Strawberry Hill, Basingstoke, Micheldever and then Eastleigh over a number of years, before eventual disposal.

Updated 06May: Two images from the collection of David Mant

Micheldever, 8th May 1974

Basingstoke, 12th September 1985. This is how I recall it, looking like a pick-up truck.

Updated 15th September 2017.

A further picture on Flickr.

A note from David Nolan:

"I had seen the same one in 1990 ,back then I was a Southampton Yard shunter & there had been a number of  class 9 unfitted scrap coaching stock movements mostly from Eastleigh East Yard and one from the dis-used East Grimstead china clay sidings near Dean.

"So I had a look back at some of the paperwork I have from that period and I found it. It was sent on 9X42 23:07 Eastleigh East Yard - Southampton Up Yard 31st March 1990 with DEMU motor coaches 60121 [ex 204002]  & 60143 [ex 207018] with brakevan ADS56289, hauled by 33030
for sending to Vic Berry's."

61871            - withdrawn June 1971, broken up V Berry, Leicester, April 1990

60121            - withdrawn February 1980, broken up V Berry, Leicester, March 1990 (according to Ashley Butlin's book, may have been April)

60143            - withdrawn September 1987, broken up V Berry, Leicester, April 1990

ADS56298    - preserved at Swanage

33030            - in pool AWCX (WCRC Non Operational Locomotives), stored at Carnforth

Does anyone have any further images?

28th April - 3rd May 2014

47832 with the "Northern Belle Boat Train at Test Lane, 1st May. Image by Ian Knight.

 47790 on the rear. A Class 68 has been seen in Spain in Northern Belle colours. Image by Ian Knight.

70804+70805+70803 on 6Z30 at Redbridge, 1st May. Image by Ian Knight.

55002 D6700 47292 and 41001 head to Swanage through St Denys, 2nd May. Image by Ian Knight.

Details of 41001 rear with driving position. Image by Ian Knight.

 70801 + new 70807 + 70806 at Nursling, 2nd May. Image by Ian Knight.

Monday 28th April: 56303+56312 6Z41 00:55 Bracknell - Totton, 56312 0Z56 12:17 Totton - Willesden, 56311 0Z57 15:00 Willesden - Totton, 56303 + 56311 6Z42 22:40 Totton - Rowlands Castle, 31105 3Q01 23:18 Hither Green - Fareham - Eastleigh
Tuesday 29th April: 56303 + 56311 6Z41 04:43 Petersfield - Totton, 6Z42 22:30 Totton - Petersfield, 31105 3Q02 20:49 Eastleigh -Weymouth - Hither Green
Wednesday 30th April: 56303 + 56311 6Z41 04:20 Petersfield - Totton (after which they worked a 0Z56 10:10 Wimbledon - Cardiff on 1st May)
Thursday 1st May: 31105 3Q08 03:42 Basingstoke - Eastleigh, 3Q15 Eastleigh - Lewes - Eastleigh, 47832 + 47790 5Z19 04:00 Crewe - Southampton one two three four, 1Z20 10:13 Southampton - Redbridge - Laverstock - Victoria
Friday 2nd May: 55002 + D6700 + 47292 + 41001 0Z56 08:31 Kidderminster - Salisbury - Romsey - Eastleigh -Swanage one two, 70801 + 70807 + 70806 6Z30 17:26 Westbury - Eastleigh one two three four five, 31105 3Z15 17:22 Eastleigh - Old Oak Common, 56303 + 56311 6Y69 20:15 Totton - Eastleigh one two three four five
Saturday 3rd May: 56303 + 56311 6Z42 23:23 Eastleigh - Bentley
Sunday 4th May: 56303 + 56311 6Z41 07:35 Bentley -Eastleigh

Condemned coaches, 31st March 1984

Once these seemed to be everywhere across the country, especially in the 70's to 90's, as firstly there seemed to be a surplus of Mark 1 coaches, then the coming of the new DMUs, with the demise of loco hauled. One day, the 31st March 1984, on a visit to Didcot from the Southampton area.

Taken from within the Didcot Railway Centre, with the station in the background, "W1017 COND" explains its own story. Built by BR at Swindon to Lot 1751 in 1951, the GWR Siphon G was a 'Ventilated Milk Van' NMV and was later converted to NNV for newspaper usage with dual heating and fluorescent lighting (ETH 3X).

The other vans are also converted NNVs. I saw four on the day, and from inspection of the photograph, I think that the following coaches are W1048 (Lot 1768, Swindon 1955) and W1007 (Lot 1751, Swindon 1951). The fourth coach seen somewhere that day was W1335 (Lot 1721, Swindon 1950), this lasting a little longer in traffic than the three pictured. 

All of the above coaches were scrapped. 

Related: record pictures from Paul Bartlett.

Moving on to Basingstoke, I explored the sidings in the yard to the south west of the station, on one later occasion the site of the Basingstoke Railfair, now under Winterthur Way, but can be seen in this map.

ADB975863 is seen with all windows smashed, and generally trashed, a rather sad sight, with partner ADB975865 adjacent. 975863 was originally S3842 a TSO new from Eastleigh (frames from Ashford) to lot 30054 in January 1954. It was converted to air brake and 675V ETH in 1967. Stored from May 1977, withdrawn from and reinstated to normal traffic in November 1977 then withdrawn in July or September 1978 and converted into a barrier coach in February 1979. The air brake fit made this a candidate for barrier work for Class 508 delivery, but by this time in 1984 the new usage had clearly finished. I also noted it at Basingstoke on 19Aug85 and 05Sep85. My notes show "to Eastleigh 16Nov85".  Disposal took place at Mayer Newman, Snailwell in November 1986.

The next coach is ADB975865, originally S3835 also stored in May 1977, withdrawn from and reinstated to normal traffic in November 1977, then withdrawn in February 1978 after which it was converted and had similar history to 3842.

Lot 30054 was S3824 - S3849, and from these 3825 has been in preservation since 1972 and 3849, of similar history to the pair seen here, is still in usage as barrier coach 975864, now mounted upon Commonwealth bogies.

By 1984, of the group of 5 barrier coaches 975863-867, only 975864 & 975867 were retained and saw further usage with Class 319.

The NPV (CCT) is E94637 withdrawn in 1981 and scrapped in 1988.

Detail of 975865 (left) and another Mk1, likely a CK (left). This has dual heat, and is on B1 bogies.  It may be S15863, condemned in 1975 and scrapped at Birds, Long Marston in 1985. This was riding on Commonwealth bogies, but these may have been recovered for further usage.

W24105 was an early SK, completed in the initial lot 30002 at Derby, and placed into LM Region traffic in June 1952. Withdrawn in October 1972 and returned to traffic in May 1974. It was only placed into WR stock in January 1983 and withdrawn one month later. Scrapped by Bird Group in October - November 1985. 24109 was also present, with similar history, although it was transferred to the WR in May 1982. In the background are Southern Region Ferry Vans.

SEMG reference source

Notes from May 1983 - lists many coaches which I also saw on my visit

I rather think that I saw burned out 4-CEP power car 61871 from unit 7204 here, but cannot find my record of this, possibly because it was not listed in most spotting books.

21st - 26th April 2014

37423 Spirit of the Lakes + 68002 Intrepid pass Shawford, 22nd April. Image by Ian Knight.

70804 with the delayed 6Z30 17:26 Westbury - Eastleigh, at Romsey, 25th April.

Meanwhile 70806 & 70807 have arrived at Seaforth, Liverpool.

Monday 21st April: 37611 + 37612 1Z49 07:07 Eastleigh - Llandrindod Wells one two three four five six seven eight nine ten eleven twelve thirteen fourteen fifteen, 1Z50 16:46 Llandrindod Wells - Eastleigh
Tuesday 22nd April: 56303 + 56312 6Z42 00:10 Eastleigh - Fareham, 6Z41 04:25 Fareham - Totton. 73107 + 73138 1Q08 08:59 Hither Green - Eastleigh, 37423 + 68002 0Z68 11:32 Eastleigh - Willesden Brent one two three four five six seven eight nine ten, 37611 + 37612 13:16 Eastleigh - Whitchurch (Shropshire)
Wednesday 23rd April: 56303 + 56312 6Z42 00:05 Totton - Fareham, 6Z41 04:25 Fareham - Totton, 73107 + 73138 1Q09 06:30 Eastleigh - Fareham - Eastleigh - Weymouth - Fratton - Eastleigh one two three four five six seven
Thursday 24th April: 56303 + 56312 6Z42 00:05 Totton - Fareham, 6Z41 04:25 Fareham - Totton, 73107 + 73138 1Q11 05:01 Eastleigh - Brockenhurst - Hither Green, 31285 3Z06 12:00 Derby - Eastleigh one two, 3Z08 21:50 Eastleigh - Bath - Redbridge - Fratton - Southampton - Eastleigh
Friday 25th April: 56303 + 56312 6Z42 00:05 Totton - Fareham one two, 6Z41 04:25 Fareham - Totton, 73107 + 73138 1Q07 06:08 Hither Green - Fawley - Hither Green one two, 31285 3Z09 10:23 Eastleigh - Derby one two
Saturday 26th April: 56303 + 56312 6Z42 22:48 Eastleigh - Bracknell

Tractors in the mist, 21st April 2014

"The Heart of Wales Meanderer" 1Z49 07:07 Eastleigh to Llandrindod Wells

The "tractors" shattered the morning peace, tooting and roaring through Chandlers Ford, several minutes before getting to Crampmoor where I was sharing the field with a deer which was quite calm with my presence. Not seen after the train went by.

Lead locomotive 37612 was new as D6879 on 2nd October 1963, renumbered to 37179 in 1973, and rebuilt to 37691 in February 1987. Modified for Channel Tunnel (European Passenger Services) trains in December 1995, and sold to DRS in June 1997.

37611 was new on 17th September 1963 as D6871, renumbered to 37171 in 1973. Rebuilt to 37690 in February 1987, and modified as 37611 in November 1995. Sold to DRS in June 1997.

Riviera Trains BCK coach 21272 was built new for SR usage, with air brake and electric heating, at Derby to lot 30732 in 1964. Out of use from November 1972, it was transferred to the ScR in April 1974, and was running with vacuum brake and dual heating. Withdrawn in May 1982 and to Pullman Rail for use from May 1985 to July 1995 as 99129, returning to 21272 from May 1999. Now running with dual brakes.