47s and other Classic Power at Southampton

Saturday, 3 September 2016

A pair of 73's on a test train, Eastleigh, 29th August 2016

Apologies for the difficult light - sunshine with long shadows. The set of track recording coaches is the same as that on 31st July 2014.

73963 Janice (English Electric, Newton-le-Willows, new as E6030 in May 1966, later 73123, 73206) leads 1Q51 11:15 Derby - Weymouth - Eastleigh.

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

999550 has always been special, emerging new as a test coach in 1975 from Derby to Lot 3830. It appears to have recently been repainted.

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

9481 is a Staff Coach, originally Mk 2d BSO built to Lot 30824 at Derby in 1971.

73961 Alison (English Electric, Newton-le-Willows, new as E6026 in April 1966, later 73120, 73209).

29th August - 3rd September 2016

70001 Powerhaul worked in to Eastleigh, to work a train from East Yard to Maritime.1st September.

70805 arrives from Westbury and heading into East Yard.

66754 Northampton Saints

Monday 29th August: 66194 0B41 06:51 Eastleigh - Fawley, 6Y32 08:24 Fawley - Holybourne one two three four five six seven eight nine, 6Y34 20:03 Holybourne - Eastleigh one; 4422415 + 442418 5Z41 07:05 Eastleigh - Waterloo one, 1Z42 09:03 Waterloo - Poole one two three four five six, 1Z43 15:25 Poole - Waterloo one two three; 5Z42 18:22 Waterloo - Eastleigh one two; 67014 67018 5O61 09:53 Wembley - Eastleigh one; 73961 + 73963 1Q51 11:15 Derby - Weymouth - Eastleigh one two
Tuesday 30th August: 66194 6B41 0648½ Eastleigh- Fawley; 73961 + 73963 1Qxx 10:37 Eastleigh - Portsmouth Harbour - Littlehampton - Portsmouth Harbour - Totton Yard - Havant - Guildford - Havant - Eastleigh - Woking - Lymington Pier - Eastleigh one two three four five six; 47815 14:35 Ely - Eastleigh one two
Wednesday 31st August: 66134 0Y32 06:26 Eastleigh - Fawley , 6Y32 08:24 Fawley - Holybourne one, 6Y34 20:03 Holybourne - Eastleigh one; 73961 + 73963 1Qxx 10:35 Eastleigh - Southampton Up Yard - Wimbledon Park - Southampton Up Yard - Wimbledon Park - Totton Yard - Eastleigh one two three four five six; 47815 + 442420 5E42 12:45 Eastleigh - Ely one two three four five six seven
Thursday 1st September: 66134 6B93 06:56 Eastleigh to Fawley. 0B94 08:53 Fawley - Eastleigh; 73961 + 73963 1Qxx 12:27 Eastleigh - Dollands Moor one two three
Friday 2nd September: 66187 (+ Pullman Car 99537 'Audrey') 5xxx Eastleigh - Stewarts Lane
Saturday 3rd September: 66187 5Z16 1352½ Eastleigh - Bristol one

Holybourne Tanks - the "last" on Monday / Tuesday was not. One further cycle was completed, and as from Thursday the tanks appear to be being held in storage at Fawley.

Eastleigh Works: 25Jul - 26Jul - 27Jul - 28Jul - 08Aug - 09Aug

Scout Green and Greenholme, 27th August 2016

390129 1S52 10:30 Euston-Glasgow at Scout Green. I moved on as there was an invasion of cattle at this location - normally only used to sheep here, which were present as usual.

9M55 12:00 Glasgow-Euston passes Greenholme.

350401 1S56 12:00 ManchesterAirport - Edinburgh at Greenholme.

350402 is the rear unit on 1M97 12:12 Edinburgh - ManchesterAirport

Edinburgh, 24th and 25th August 2016

90044 at Edinburgh Waverley between sleeper workings, 25th August.

334025 waits to form 2M19 12:08 to Milngavie, while 82218 leads the 1E14 12:00 to Kings Cross.

91109 on the rear of 1E14.

380110 arrives with 2Y11 11:27 from North Berwick.

67021 was the resident Thunderbird,

350408 at Haymarket on the 24th, with 1M93 18:13 to Manchester Airport - the same unit was on this working on 15th.

334035 arrives on 25th at Haymarket with 2H18 16:26 from Helensburgh Central, running 8 minutes late.

Friday, 2 September 2016

Colas cement workings from Aberdeen Craiginches to Oxwellmains, August 2016

Colas now often operate the return empty cement tanks back on a later schedule, mostly under darkness. On Monday 15th August, the earlier 6B32 16:52 Aberdeen Craiginches - Oxwellmains schedule ran, and 60026 is seen passing at Aberdour, with a full rake of JPA wagons.

JPA wagons have been introduced to the Oxwellmains services since 8th August - some of the PCA wagons may have gone to Aberthaw for flyash workings ? VTG owned JPA 12403 was completed by Feldbinder in Germany in 2007.

The introduction of JPAs in Scotland is enabled by introduction of a new build of JPAs, with three operating in Scotland so far. 20 further deliveries have been seen at Wembley, and later Mossend on Tuesday 23rd, so further transition may be expected very soon. New build 81 70 9316 070-0, again from Feldbinder, is seen in the rake - all three were present in this 6B32.

6B32 05:55 Craiginches - Oxwellmains ran as an additional train on Saturday 20th August, not having managed to run the previous evening. 60026 again leads, this time at Inverkeithing, and again the formation was of JPAs.

On Wednesday 24th, the 6B32 16:52 Aberdeen Craiginches - Oxwellmains again ran, this time with 60095, which was the other locomotive on these diagrams at the time. This was formed of two Ferryvans, one of these from those repainted at Eastleigh with Colas logo, and then a short rake of unidentified PCAs.

Farewell to PCA workings in Scotland.

Thursday, 1 September 2016

"Royal Scot" on the Forth Circle, Saturday 20th August

46100 Royal Scot 1Z41 11:44 Edinburgh - Forth Bridge - Kirkcaldy - Thornton - Dunfermline - Alloa - Stirling - Falkirk -Edinburgh.

Operated by DB Cargo, using stock from the SRPS. Light was poor under cloudy skies with some rain. The first time I had seen this locomotive in action.

60009 has now been withdrawn from the ScotRail duties, and 46100 returned to Millerhill from Carlisle on the 29th, However, the SRPS "Forth Circle" on 10th September has been cancelled, so 20th August train may have been the last working on Dunfermline - Longannet - Alloa, as it is believed that this section is being mothballed - the signalbox at Longannet is already believed to be closed.

Climbing Dalgety Bank, near South Lodge Farm. The fireman is holding his cap while looking out of the cab.

Even though close to the top of the bank, the locomotive is blowing off.

Later, just south of the former Touch South Junction, at Dunfermline.

The train was slowing, as it was to diverge from the main line at Charlestown Junction- possibly the last train to make this move.

Tuesday, 30 August 2016

Scottish Vintage Bus Museum, Lathalmond, 21st August 2016

A railway at Shed 47:

Fictional D2650, formerly MOD 250 (Hunslet 9045 / 1980) working with a guard's van.

Originally delivered to RNAD Gosport, from 1995 the locomotive was at Rosyth Dockyard, but never worked there, being offered for preservation in 2007.