Yoshi took a liking to Clayton Class 17 No. D8568, pictured here at Highley on the Severn Valley Railway
The main event in our diary this past week was a return visit to the Severn Valley Railway, this time for their 2022 diesel gala. We had an early start on Saturday morning, but with the car radio tuned into Yoshi FM celebrating the life of musical genius Vangelis we were in good spirits as we set off. We made it to Highley railway station just in time to see the arrival of GBRf Class 69 No. 69005 ‘Eastleigh’ double heading with Swanage Railway resident Class 33 No. 33012 ( D6515) ‘Lt Jenny Lewis RN’ on the first train of the day. Making Highley our base for much of the day meant we were able to relax and enjoy the spectacle of passing diesel locomotives, some from the SVR home fleet, and some visiting guests. I think we managed to see and photograph every loco which was running as part of the gala, even if we had to wait until almost the end to see DRS Class 68 No. 68003 ‘Astute’ working a train. It was a fabulous day with some lovely weather, good company and friendly conversation. Even the seemingly mandatory road closures didn’t dampen our enthusiasm.
The first train of the Saturday was worked by GBRf Class 69 No. 69005 ‘Eastleigh’ and visiting Class 33 No. 33012 ‘Lt. Jenny Lewis RN’ – Highley 21/05/2022Sole surviving Class 17 No. D8568 rests between shuttle duties at Highley – 21/05/2022On the other end of the Highley shuttle was Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ No. D9551One side of Class 50 No. 50007 has been temporarily re-designated as 50034 ‘Furious’ as a thank you to GBRf charter manager Paul Taylor for his prostate cancer charity fundraising efforts; ‘Furious’ was his favourite class 50Class 50 No. 50035 ‘Ark Royal’ approaching Highley – 21/05/2022Class 44 No. 44004 (D4) ‘Great Gable’ – Highley 21/05/2022Both the Class 44 and the Class 46 No. 46045 (D182) also attended the recent Swanage Diesel Gala – Highley 21/05/2022The Western Locomotive Association (WLA) has renumbered and renamed Class 52 Western No. D1062 ‘Western Courier’ as long scrapped sister locomotive No. D1040 ‘Western Queen’ to celebrate Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s platinum jubilee. Highley – 21/05/2022D1015 ‘Western Champion’ – Highley 21/05/2022Class 31 No. 31466 nearing Highley – 21/05/2022Class 40 No. 40106 departs Highley with a train bound for Kidderminster – 21/05/2022The same locomotive, Class 40 No. 40106 heading towards Highley earlier in the day – 21/05/2022The first of two visiting GBRf Class 73’s No. 73136 ‘Mhairi’ departs Kidderminster at the rear of the 1750 departure to Bridgnorth – 21/05/2022The second of the visiting GBRf Class 73 electro-diesel locomotives No. 73107 ‘Tracy’ stands at Kidderminster – 21/05/2022Direct Rail Services operated Class 68 No. 68003 ‘Astute’ departing Kidderminster with the 1750 service to Bridgnorth – 22/05/2022Yoshi takes in a varied line up at Kidderminster just before we set off for home
Our video of our day can be seen below:
2022 Severn Valley Diesel Gala
Locally, there have been a number of interesting workings on our doorstep and nearby. Unfortunately the scheduled visit of the New Measurement Train HST didn’t make it to Dorset on Wednesday as the train was turned towards Bristol after it arrived at Westbury, missing out a whole stretch of the planned route. However, we only had to wait until the next day for something of interest as Colas Rail Class 37 No. 37612 worked a Network Rail Ultrasonic Test Train as 3Q14 1037 Westbury Down Terminal Complex to Westbury Down Terminal Complex via Weymouth on Thursday May 19th:
Colas Rail Class 37 No. 37612 nears Dorchester Junction and the South Western Mainline to Weymouth – 19/05/2022Colas Rail Class 37 No. 37612 seen approaching Upwey on the ascent of Bincombe Bank – 19/05/2022
Video of Class 37 No. 37612 on the NR ultrasonic test train – 19/05/2022
Saturday saw a very early hours visit of a GBRf operated new weed killing train to Dorchester Junction from Exeter via Yeovil. Although I’m reasonably obsessed with catching trains visiting the southern reaches of Dorset, I’m not totally insane and instead decided to stay tucked up in bed and went to see the same ensemble top and tailed by Class 66 No.’s 66790 and 66752 ‘The Hoosier State’ – a nickname for Indiana where the locomotive was built – at a more reasonable hour passing through Castle Cary on Sunday 22nd May:
Earlier on the Sunday evening, Yoshi and I were in the Weymouth area to see Locomotive Services Ltd. Class 37’s No’s 37521 and 37688 ‘Great Rocks’ hauling the LSL chairman’s train as 1Z65 1134 Llandrindod to Weymouth Jersey Siding. Our first glimpse was at Upwey and we then popped into Weymouth station itself to see the train before its planned move to the sidings. It was also an opportunity to take a look at the upgrade work taking place at Weymouth station and the forecourt area.
Yoshi alongside Class 37 No. 37521 (D6817) at Weymouth – station canopy roof upgrades are ongoing – 22/05/2022Locomotive Services Ltd. Class 37’s No’s 37521 and 37688 ‘Great Rocks’ – 22/05/2022
Two days later the LSL consist headed back to Crewe and Yoshi & I took the opportunity to see it climb Parkstone bank making a fine noise.
Locomotive Services Ltd. Class 37’s No’s 37688 ‘Great Rocks’ and 37521 working 1Z68 0726 Weymouth Jersey siding to Crewe up Parkstone bank – 24/05/2022
Our video of the train is below:
71A Loco Group owned Crompton Class 33 No. 33012 (D6515) ‘Lt Jenny Lewis RN’ returned to Swanage from the Severn Valley Railway on Tuesday 24th May. A GSM-R cab radio fault meant she arrived back in Dorset a day later than planned following an enforced stop off at Nemesis in Burton On Trent for repairs. We saw her passing through Hamworthy where a signal stop enabled a good view of the loco. We wondered when the last time a Class 33 stopped at Hamworthy.
Swanage resident Class 33 No. 33012 (D6515) ‘Lt Jenny Lewis RN’ trundles through Hamworthy on her return home – 24/05/2022
As we visited Weymouth and Upwey this week, our archive clip this time around is a glimpse of passenger trains from the late 1980’s around these locations:
Weymouth and Upwey in the 1980’s
Too late for last weeks “therailwaydog” blog entry was my Tuesday 17th May 2022 visit to Brooklands Museum who were hosting a land speed record celebration day, in partnership with the National Transport Trust and National Motor Museum Beaulieu exactly 100 years after Brooklands played host to a record-breaking run, which saw a speed of 133.75mph set by a 350-horsepower Sunbeam motorcar and the such last record ever achieved on a closed circuit. This event was immortalised in a painting by F Gordon Crosby, which depicts the Sunbeam ‘racing’ a train. Those attending the Tuesday event witnessed a real-life recreation of the painting, featuring the very Sunbeam that broke the record 100 years ago and LNER Thompson Class B1 locomotive No. 61306 ‘Mayflower’. Later in the day, four other land speed record holding cars were positioned along the finishing straight at the museum, making for an impressive display of record-setting performance. Guests on the day were joined by Kenelm Lee Guinness, grandson of his namesake, the Sunbeam’s driver in 1922. As you can see from the video below, invited guests screened the Sunbeam from public view as the B1 steamed slowly past. But to be fair, trees almost screened the train from view also! I made the composite image below to recreate the event. A recreation of a recreation, if you will.
350hp Sunbeam and Thompson B1 No. 61306 ‘Mayflower’F Gordon Crosby’s iconic painting
Steam Dreams ‘Mayflower’ headed rail tour passes Brooklands – 17/05/2022
Big thanks go to my brother who got us there on time to witness the steam train passing and also to him and my two nephews, who joined us on the trip, for a fabulous day at Brooklands Museum and the London Bus Museum.
Finally this week, a video of our visit to the 2021 Severn Valley Diesel Gala. Don’t say I’m not good to you. The weather, however, wasn’t kind to us that day, and I was reminded that at one point we had to go and buy a towel so Yoshi could be dried off!
2021 Severn Valley Diesel Gala
That’s it for this week – it’s been a busy one at Yoshi HQ, but extremely enjoyable. Thank you for reading and your comments. We’ll hopefully be back next week with more railway dog adventures. Bye for now.
Yoshi continues his obsession with GBRf Class 69 locomotives, this time at Bewdley on the SVR – woof woof!
Yoshi sits near Howard Lock, Bristol with the Clifton Suspension Bridge in the background
At the weekend, Yoshi visited Bristol by train from Dorset. He was a very good boy on the trains to and from the city. It was perhaps a little too hot for him during the day, but we made sure he had lots of water and opportunity to rest in the shade. He also enjoyed a boat trip.
Bristol Temple Meads – May 2022
We arrived in the city via Bristol Temple Meads railway station which is currently undergoing a massive transformation programme managed by Network Rail. Having completed a major track and signalling upgrade in 2021, the station roof is currently being grit-blasted to remove layers of old colouring before receiving a protective new coat of paint. New glazing is also being installed with the project due for completion in the summer of 2024.
GWR Castle Class HST power car No. 43005 ‘St. Michaels Mount’ stands at the rear of the 0820 Taunton to Cardiff Central service. The scaffolding for the safety deck to facilitate roof repairs can clearly be seen.
Watch a couple of HST’s at Bristol – 14/05/2022
The original Temple Meads, designed by famed engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel, was opened on 31st August 1840 as the western terminus of the Great Western Railway. The Brunel train shed no longer forms part of the operational station and is now partly used for car parking, Temple Meads having been expanded to accommodate a growing number of train services by Matthew Digby Wyatt and Francis Fox in the 1870’s and Percy Emerson Culverhouse in the early 1930’s. To me Bristol Temple Meads represents one of the finest railway stations in the UK.
A statue of Isambard Kingdom Brunel (1806 – 1859) stands on the approach to Bristol Temple Meads railway station
We enjoyed a walk around the city and took in the Clifton Suspension Bridge, a visit to Bristol Museum & Art Gallery, the buzzing quayside area and Brunel’s SS Great Britain, once the largest passenger ship in the world.
Brunel’s SS Great Britain. Brunel envisaged passengers boarding his steam ships in America, sailing to Bristol and travelling to London via his trains on his railway without having to leave the Great Western Railway company services on the journey.As part of an exhibition of art works chosen by Grayson Perry and guest celebrities chronicling recent lockdowns at the Bristol Museum & Art Gallery entitled ‘Grayson’s Art Club’ was this fantastic Ticket Rug created by Simon Fraser. The rug contains over 25,900 individual threads and took 60 hours to complete.
Unplanned as part of our visit when originally devised, I was very pleased to see the Bristol Harbour Railway was in operation. Built by the Great Western Railway in the 1870’s, being formally opened on 11 March 1872 by Lady Mayoress, Mrs Elizabeth Hare. The railway was used to transport goods arriving by ship including coal, esparto grass, wood and meat, as well as alcoholic drinks such as sherry and Guinness. A great deal of goods traffic was moved on the railway throughout its working life including vital war supplies during both world wars.
The railway began at Bristol Temple Meads before proceeding through a tunnel under St Mary Redcliffe churchyard, over a steam-powered lifting bridge outside the Ostrich pub on Bathurst Basin and onto Princes Wharf. In the 1900’s it was extended onto Wapping Wharf to where the SS Great Britain is docked today.
After a century operating as a goods railway, it was handed over to the Bristol Museum and has been run as a heritage visitor attraction ever since. Today the railway runs on the quayside between M Shed and the ‘SS Great Britain’ or alongside the New Cut to Vauxhall footbridge.
Locomotive engineering was a vital industry in Bristol from the late 1830s to the 1950s and currently M Shed has two Bristol-built steam locomotives in operation; ‘Henbury’ and ‘Portbury‘, both of which served their working lives on the docks railway system at Avonmouth.
‘Portbury’
Built in the Fishponds area of Bristol in 1917 by the Avonside Engine Co and painted battleship grey, ‘Portbury’ was taken to work on the construction of the new Portbury shipyard towards the end of World War 1. In 1920 she was moved to Avonmouth Docks where she worked on the internal railway system. She was later joined by ‘Henbury’, built at Bristol company Peckett & Sons in 1937. A more powerful engine, ‘Henbury’ augmented a growing fleet of 40 engines at work in the docks.
When diesel engines took over in the 1960’s both engines were selected for the museum. After some years in storage ‘Henbury’ was overhauled and took part in the opening ceremony of Bristol Industrial Museum in 1978. In 1981, ‘Henbury’ made railway history as the first preserved steam locomotive to pull scheduled freight on the main line railway.
‘Henbury’
‘Henbury’ has pulled hundreds of thousands of visitors on trips on Bristol Harbour Railway since 1978 and was joined in 1988 by ‘Portbury’. Now in its 150th Anniversary year, we hope the railway continues to give enjoyment for many years to come.
Click on our short video from 14th May 2022 below, and also watch from the archive with the Bristol Harbour Railway in operation in the 1990’s:
The Bristol Harbour Railway in May 2022
The Bristol Harbour Railway as seen on two visits in the 1990’s
A quiet week for “out of the normal” trains locally following the excitement of the Swanage Railway diesel gala ( see last weeks blog entry ), however following the timetable changes which took place from May 15th 2022, South Western Railway has reinstated a “full service” to and from Weymouth for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic hit. Two trains an hour will now run to London, with a later evening return service from Dorset. Journey times will be reduced and improvements have been made to Weymouth station, focusing on new bus stop facilities and platform refurbishments. We’ll have to check them out!
Finally, a brief visit to Bristol Temple Meads 1988 style from the same vista as the 2022 video linked above.
Bristol Temple Meads departures – 1988
We’ll certainly be hopping in our archive time machine and visiting Bristol again in future weeks, but for now, that’s all for this entry. As always, thank you for reading and all comments welcome. May your dog go with you.
Yoshi takes the opportunity to get up close and personal with GBRf Class 69004 which was on static display at Swanage station during the Swanage Railway Diesel Gala. GBRf were raising funds for Prostrate Cancer
This week we take a look at the Swanage Railway Diesel Gala which was held over the weekend of 6th – 8th May 2022. This was the first event of its type held at Swanage since 2019. A “Thirty-Seven Thursday” preview day with Class 37 No. 37703 in service alongside Bulleid West Country Pacific Class No. 34028 ‘Eddystone’ took place on the 5th May. Alongside the Class 37, other locomotives involved during the gala weekend were home Class 33’s No.’s 33111 and 33012 (D6515) ‘Lt. Jenny Lewis RN’, Class 25 No. D7612, Class 31 No. 31128 ‘Charybdis’, Class 44 No. 44004 (D4) ‘Great Gable’, Class 46 No. 46045 (D182), Class 50 No. 50026 ‘Indomitable’. Class 73 No. 73136 ‘Mhairi’ was a late addition to the roster which worked in multiple with the home Class 33’s and deputised for the Class 31 on a few turns on the Saturday due to the 31 suffering an air leak. Class 69 No. 69004 was on static display at Swanage railway station raising funds for Prostrate Cancer, GBRf’s chosen charity. Trains ran from Swanage to the River Frome, just shy of the national main line network at Worgret Junction. This is beyond the usual reach of current Swanage Railway train services which normally run between Swanage and Norden Park & Ride. The Purbeck Beer Festival also took place over the weekend and evening Beerex trains on the Friday and Saturday were run in association.
On Tuesday 3rd May, Class 31 No. 31128 hauled a convoy of visiting diesel locomotives from Butterly to Swanage in preparation for the 2022 Gala. The consist was formed of 31128 + 37703 + 44004 (D4) + 46045 (D182) – image courtesy of @da_buckley967
Yoshi and I were only able to attend on the final day of the gala which certainly did not disappoint. As well as the heritage diesel motive power, I particularly liked the new information screens incorporated into traditional style noticeboards at Swanage Station. You can watch a video of our day below:
Class 25 No. D7612 approaches Townsend Overbridge at Corfe Castle – 08/05/2022Class 31 No. 31128 heading towards Corfe Castle – 08/05/2022Class 33 No. 33012 (D6515) waits to depart Swanage – 08/05/2022Class 33 No. 33111 and visiting Class 73 No. 73136 double head the 1415 service from Swanage approaching Wurzel Crossing, Corfe Castle – 08/05/2022Class 37 No. 37703 having departed Corfe Castle with a service bound for Swanage – 08/05/2022Class 44 No. 44004 (D4) at Creech – 08/05/2022Class 46 No. 46045 (D182) with the last train of the day to Swanage – 08/05/2022Class 50 No. 50026 approaching Furzebrook – 08/05/2022Class 69 No. 69004 on static display at Swanage in support of the charity Prostrate Cancer – 08/05/2022Class 73 No. 73136 “on shed” at Swanage – 08/05/2022
After all the excitement of the gala event, it was time for some of the visiting diesel locomotives to move on to other locations and we popped out see the workings from Swanage starting with the Class 69 / Class 73 combo which ran on Monday 9th May as 0Y98 1135 Swanage to Eastleigh East Yard:
69004 leads 73136 through Hamworthy on 9th May 2022
It was an early start on the following day, Tuesday 10th May, when a convoy of locomotives departed Swanage ten minutes late working 0Z33 0610 Swanage to Kidderminster S.V.R.:
33012 + 31128 + 37703 + 44004 + 46045 departing Swanage working 0Z33 0610 Swanage to Kidderminster S.V.R. – 10/05/202233012 + 31128 + 37703 + 44004 + 46045 pause at Wareham working 0Z33 0610 Swanage to Kidderminster S.V.R. – 10/05/202233012 + 31128 + 37703 + 44004 + 46045 about to depart Wareham working 0Z33 0610 Swanage to Kidderminster S.V.R. – 10/05/2022
The Swanage gala and associated movements dominated our local rail scene here on the Bournemouth – Weymouth line, however the former Great Western Railway line to Bristol produced several more visits from COLAS route learner formed of Electro-Diesel Class 73 No. 73951 ‘Malcolm Brinded’ which we featured in last weeks blog entry. The locomotive is seen here stabled at Weymouth on Tuesday 3rd May 2022:
Class 73 No. 73951 ‘Malcolm Brinded’ at Weymouth – image courtesy of @da_buckley967
Class 73’s No.’s 73964 and 73962 headed to Weymouth top and tailing a Network Rail Test Train on the evening of Monday 9th May working 1Q51 1115 Derby R.T.C. to Eastleigh East Yard. We saw the pair pass through Poole:
In other news, RAIL Magazine reported on the Department for Transport (DaFT) having “increased confidence” in South Western Railway’s £1 billion order for 90 new Class 701 Arterio trains which continue trials to Bournemouth and Poole, expecting a final entry into service plan by June 30th 2022. Alstom who are building the trains will be delivering additional software upgrades over the forthcoming months with SWR having provisionally accepted the first batch of trains. Driver training is yet to commence and there remain outstanding issues to be resolved with the unions. The 701’s are nearly three years late entering into traffic having been expected to take over suburban and Reading & Windsor line services in 2019. The fleet will be maintained at Wimbledon depot.
Yoshi takes a look at new Class 701 No. 701025 working 5Q51 1126 London Waterloo to Staines Up Loop at Poole on 16th April 2021
We stick with the Swanage Branch for our archive video this week with a look at a diesel gala from the past. But first we turn the clock back to the 1990’s when LPG trains ran to and from Furzebrook.
Wytch Farm oil field is the largest onshore oil field in Western Europe and was discovered by British Gas in 1973. Since 2011 the oil field has been managed by Perenco having taken over from BP who bought Wytch Farm when British Gas was privatised in 1984. Production first commenced in 1979 with crude oil being transported by rail from Furzebrook to Fawley. In the late 1980’s production increased and a pipeline was installed between Wytch Farm and Hamble meaning transportation by rail was no longer required. However, production of natural gas also increased at this time. The gas was liquefied and conveyed by rail from 1990 until 2005 when production decreased. The LPG traffic ran from the Furzebrook railhead to Hallen Marsh near Bristol. Hauled by Class 47’s when the trains commenced, the LPG was later in the charge of Class 60’s and finally Class 58’s. In 2005 the site was transferred to the ownership of Dorset County Council and the Swanage Railway took a step closer at achieving its now completed aim of connecting to the main line near Wareham.
The trains would arrive formed of empty LPG tanks and leave with full ones. The two examples shared below were evening workings and most likely the outward train is 6V29 1929 Furzebrook to Hallen Marsh, the inbound train would have started from Eastleigh Yard.
The locomotives in the videos below belonged to the then Railfreight Petroleum Sector, six sub-Railfreight Sectors having been created in 1987 as a development of the old British Rail Railfreight Division. These sectors existed until the onset of rail privatisation in 1994 when Railfreight was reformed into three Railfreight companies; Loadhaul, Mainline Freight and Transrail, in preparation for selling off.
Compare the scene in the videos above with the view below of Class 33 No. 33111 hauling a Swanage Railway Diesel Gala passenger train past the former Furzebrook Oil Terminal towards the River Frome on 8th May 2022:
Class 33 No. 33111 passes the site of the former Furzebrook Oil Terminal – 08/05/2022
Finally a look back ten years to the 2011 Swanage Diesel Gala which included, amongst other visitors, a Class 52 ‘Western’ diesel-hydraulic and a Class 55 ‘Deltic’:
That’s it for this week – thanks for reading and hopefully we’ll be back next Wednesday with an update from Yoshi HQ!
Sulzer Type 2 Class 25 No. D7612 has arrived at Swanage in advance of the 2022 Diesel Gala
This week I needed to go to Birmingham, so took the opportunity of sampling the Chiltern Railways Class 68 hauled service to and from London Marylebone and Birmingham Moor Street. We visited Marylebone as part of a previous post a few weeks ago, but I didn’t see any loco hauled services on that day. Six Class 68 locomotives are leased by Chiltern Railways from DRS and along with the locomotive, trains were formed of six MK3 carriages and a MK3 Driving Van Trailer (DVT). The DVT’s are modified to work with the power doors that are fitted to the MK3 coaches and have a generator fitted to enable Electric Train Supply and compressed air to be provided to the coaches when the locomotive is not running, such as when in a terminus station and when stabled. There was no buffet car or trolley service available on the trains I travelled on, and as I had left my lovingly prepared sandwiches in the fridge at home I was pleased to find a Greggs open at Marylebone station.
Chiltern Railways Class 68’s No.’s 68014 and 68015 ‘ Kev Helmer’ at London Marylebone – 27/04/2022Chiltern Railways Class 68’s No.’s 68015 ‘ Kev Helmer’ and 68014 at London Marylebone – 27/04/2022MK3 Driving Van Trailer’s at the buffer stops – London MaryleboneClass 68 No. 68014 at Birmingham Moor Street – 27/04/2022MK3 Coach – Birmingham Moor StreetClass 68 No. 68013 ‘Peter Wreford-Bush’ waits departure with the 1455 Birmingham Moor Street to London Marylebone – 28/04/2022Nameplate close-up of 68015 ‘Kev Helmer’. Kev was Birmingham Moor Street driver who lost his life to covid in January 2021Nameplate close-up of 68013 ‘Peter Wreford-Bush. Peter was a popular and long-standing member of the Leamington Spa station staff who sadly died of covid at the early age of 47
From 2003 to until 2013 GWR Heavy Freight Locomotive 2-8-0 2884 Class No. 2885 stood as a static exhibit at Birmingham Moor Street in an unused platform. The locomotive is currently being restored to working order at Tyseley Locomotive Works by her owners Practical GW Steam Ltd.
Class 68 No. 68014 and the disused platform once occupied by GWR No. 2885 at Birmingham Moor Street – 27/04/2022
Birmingham Moor Street is one of three mainline railway stations in the city centre of Birmingham along with Birmingham New Street and Birmingham Snowhill. High Speed 2 station Birmingham Curzon Street, the northern terminus of HS2 Phase 1, is currently being built alongside Moor Street. This new Curzon Street will incorporate the 1838 station of the same name’s entrance building and is scheduled to open in 2026.
Birmingham Moor Street
Moor Street is a combination of the original 1909 Great Western Railway terminus and adjacent through platforms which opened in 1987 replacing the original station which was then mothballed. These two were combined in 2002 when the original station was extensively restored in 1930’s style with reproduction lamps, clocks, seating and signage. The 1980’s platforms were rebuilt in a matching style.
Class 68 No. 68012 arrives at Birmingham Moor Street with a service from London Marylebone – 13/03/2020
A video showing my Chiltern Trains Class 68 locomotive hauled experience
Friday April 29th 2022 saw a COLAS route learning working along the Bristol to Weymouth line formed of Electro-Diesel Class 73 No. 73951 ‘Malcolm Brinded’. We saw and barked at the locomotive in Dorchester.
Class 73 No. 73951 ‘Malcolm Brinded’ nears Dorchester West – 29/04/2022Class 73 No. 73951 ‘Malcolm Brinded’ passes under the Bridport Road bridge, Dorchester – 29/04/2022Class 73 No. 73951 ‘Malcolm Brinded’ approaches Dorchester West – 29/04/2022Class 73 No. 73951 ‘Malcolm Brinded’ waits at Dorchester West – 29/04/2022Nameplate detail for 73951
Video of 1008 Bristol TM Platform 2 Motorail to Bristol TM Platform 2 via Weymouth COLAS route learner at Dorchester – 29/04/2022
The latest Class 69 rebuild, No. 69005 (ex Class 56 No. 56007) emerged from Eastleigh Arlington on Friday in British Rail green replete with ‘Eastleigh’ nameplates closely resembling the livery that Class 33 No. 33008 once carried. Yoshi and I made a fleeting visit to Eastleigh on Sunday 1st May to get a photo or two of the 69 parked up in East Yard.
Class 69 No. 69005 ‘Eastleigh’ stands on Eastleigh East Yard on the evening of Sunday May 1st 2022Nameplate close-up of 69005 ‘ Eastleigh’Compare 69005 ‘Eastleigh’ with Class 33 No. 33008 ‘Eastleigh’ at Bournemouth Open Day – 26/03/1988
On Bank Holiday Monday, Yoshi and I made a brief visit to the Swanage Railway where two Bullied Pacific locomotives were in action – SR 4-6-2 West Country Class No. 34028 ‘Eddystone’ and SR 4-6-2 Battle of Britain Class No. 34072 ‘257 Squadron’ :
Also at Swanage were a number of diesel locomotives in preparation for the railways 2022 Diesel Gala which takes place next weekend (6th – 8th May)
Class 25 No. D7612 Class 33’s No’s 33012 ‘Lt. Jenny Lewis’ and 33111 with Class 50 No. 50026 ‘Indomitable’
Further diesel locomotives are scheduled to arrive at Swanage on the evening of Tuesday May 3rd 2022.
With the 2022 Swanage Diesel Gala just around the corner, we pop back to May 2008 for our archive video this week and a glimpse of what was running in the Swanage Railway that year:
With recent news events, I was going to finish with a humorous Class 37 / Tractor reference at this point – the Class 37’s are known to some railway enthusiasts as “tractors”, a nickname given due to the similarities between the Class 37 engine sound and a tractor. Instead, I’ll just leave a couple of photos of Class 37/0 No. D6757 (37057) which was painstakingly restored at the Barrow Hill Roundhouse near Chesterfield following its purchase from main line service. The loco debuted at the 2015 Swanage Railway Diesel Gala prior to joining COLAS Rail who were seeking a fleet of English Electric Type 3 locomotives for Network Rail test train duties.
No. D6757 alongside Class 56 No. 56006 and Class 73 No. 73107 at Swanage – 10/05/2015No. D6757 at Swanage Railway Diesel Gala – 10/05/2015
Yoshi visits the Severn Valley Railway and gets a glimpse of renumbered and repainted SR West Country Pacific No. 34027 ‘Taw Valley’
With heritage railway gala season now in full swing, last Saturday we were able to spend the day visiting The Severn Valley Railway as the 2022 Spring Steam Gala was taking place. Big draw for me was Gresley A4 4-6-2 No. 4498 ‘Sir Nigel Gresley’ in austerity black livery, as well as the chance of seeing SR West Country 4-6-2 No. 34027 ‘Taw Valley’ in Platinum Jubilee purple ready to be temporarily renamed ‘Elizabeth II’.
4498 ‘Sir Nigel Gresley’ approaches Highley on the SVR34027 ‘Taw Valley’ in Platinum Jubilee purple livery ready to be temporarily renamed ‘Elizabeth II’ at Bridgnorth
Other locomotives taking part included GWR Saint 4-6-0 new-build No. 2999 ‘Lady Of Legend’, SR S15 4-6-0 No. 506 and SVR home loco BR Standard 4MT 4-6-0 No. 75069.
No. 2999 ‘Lady of Legend’ departs HighleySR Urie S15 No. 506 awaits departure at Kidderminster75069 nearing Highley
Austerity liveried A4 ‘Sir Nigel Gresley’ was matched with Gresley teak stock on certain trains over the gala weekend. With the locomotive set to be repainted into British Railways express blue and numbered 60007, this was a unique opportunity to see the A4 in its temporary guise as No. 4498.
We really enjoyed our day and facilities at Highley in particular have vastly improved since my last visit to that particular location many years ago with the addition of the Engine House visitor centre where you can get up close to various static locomotives, buy a souvenir or tuck into a butternut, spinach and feta pasty – just like Yoshi and I! And until Autumn 2022 there is a photographic exhibition entitled ‘From Railways to Royalty’ featuring images from the very talented Jack Boskett.
LMR No. 600 ‘Gordon’ in The Engine ShedLMS Stanier 8F No. 48773 in The Engine Shed
A special train from London Kings Cross to Kidderminster bringing visitors to the Severn Valley Railway steam gala was top and tailed by Class 67 locomotives No.’s 67010 and 67006 ‘Royal Sovereign’ and we were able to see its departure from the SVR. We’ve put together a short video of our day which you can watch by clicking below:
Closer to home and the Weymouth line was visited by Network Rail’s new weed killing train on 20th April. The train is the result of a cooperation between NR, GBRf, Bayer Environmental Science and a number of start up companies using innovative technology to eliminate potentially dangerous weed infestations with advance precision across the railway network. The trains detect weeds using cameras and then deploy the most appropriate herbicide, thereby improving the environmental footprint. Data is uploaded to a central database to enable future weed control and monitoring. GPS tracking ensures that spray nozzles are automatically shut off when the train approaches a non-treatment zone, such as a river or a bridge. We caught the train working 3Q99 2130 Eastleigh East Yard to Eastleigh East Yard passing through Hamworthy top and tailed by Class 66 locomotives No.’s 66707 ‘Sir Sam Fay’ and 66778 ‘Cambios Depot 25 Years’:
3Q99 2130 Eastleigh East Yard to Eastleigh East Yard passing Hamworthy – 20/04/2022
Class 701 testing continues to visit Bournemouth and Poole as evidenced by No. 701044 on 21st April 2022:
Interesting work commenced on the Hamworthy branch this week with a section of the line adjacent to Hamworthy level crossing receiving attention with the replacing of 212 sleepers. We look forward to hearing more about this new initiative.
Hamworthy Branch having seen preparatory work in advance of the replacement of railway sleepersNew sleepers for the Hamworthy BranchBallast and new sleepers seen at the Poole Port end of the Hamworthy BranchWork at the Level Crossing replacing sleepersHamworthy Branch work to replace sleepersWork well underway installing replacement sleepers on the Hamworthy Branch – April 2022
Our archive footage this week features SR West Country 4-6-2 ‘Taw Valley’ as herself when she visited the Portsmouth area working a VSOE excursion train in February 1997 following the repair of a cracked cylinder liner which had seen her out of service for a few months. The video below shows No. 34027 at Havant and Fratton on 2nd February 1997 amidst some interesting diesel traction movements:
We’ll finish this week with a few more images from the Severn Valley Spring Gala 2022 and a flashback to ‘Sir Nigel Gresley’ in blue:
SR West Country No. 34027 ‘Taw Valley’ as No. 70 ‘Elizabeth II’ on display at Bridgnorth‘Taw Valley’ and ‘Lady of Legend’Yoshi takes another look at No. 70 ‘Elizabeth II’LNER A4 No. 4498 ‘Sir Nigel Gresley’ in black departs Kidderminster with the 1805 service to Bridgnorth – 23/04/2022Nameplate and front end detail of 4498 ‘Sir Nigel Gresley’ in austerity black liveryThe colour of things to come ‘Sir Nigel Gresley’ will revert to her British Railways number; No. 60007 and express locomotive blue livery as seen here at The Great Gathering, York 03/07/2013‘Sir Nigel Gresley’ nameplate detail as seen when in blue livery
Thanks for reading. As always comments or corrections gratefully received. Bye for now!
Yoshi waits for the road with Class 31 No. 31130 at the Avon Valley Railway
Last week I mentioned the failure of the monthly Class 73 top and tailed COLAS track recording train to make it to Weymouth on Monday 11th April. Well, the same thing happened the next day when the service was rescheduled. This time the train actually set out from Derby, but soon went off route and returned to its originating point due to faulty recording equipment. Things were more successful the following Tuesday – April 19th 2022 – when the 1Q51 Test Train ran from Derby Railway Technical Centre (RTC) to Eastleigh East Yard via Weymouth in the charge of GBRf Class 73 Electro-diesel locomotives No.’s 73961 ‘Alison’ and 73964 ‘Jeanette’.
COLAS Class 73 top and tailed Test Train – 19/04/2022
One test train which did make it to Dorset at the first attempt was the COLAS Ultrasonic Testing Unit, albeit 130 minutes late and its journey truncated at Wool where the service reversed without covering the tracks to and from Weymouth. Ultrasonic Testing Unit trains usually have one locomotive at one end, and a DBSO (Driving Brake Standard Open) at the other, as in the case of this working; 3Q02 Eastleigh East Yard to Eastleigh East Yard with Class 37 No. 37612. The DBSO controls the locomotive at the other end when required and dispenses with the need for the loco to run round the train or have top and tailed locomotives. UTU trains have ground-penetrating radar systems to detect voids and deformations up to 2 meters into the ballast and earth using rail profile scanners to help identify problems or degradation in track profile, comparing it to a template of an ideal track. Having planned to pop over to Poole to see this particular working I initially thought the run had been cancelled as Real Time Trains had given no indication of a departure from Eastleigh at the scheduled time, but two hours later the train was on the move.
3Q02 Eastleigh East Yard to Eastleigh East Yard with Class 37 No. 37612 pauses at Poole – 14/04/2022
Class 37 no. 37612 passes through Poole with an Ultrasonic Testing Unit train – 14/04/2022
Here are a few images of previous test trains utilising DBSO’s which have visited Dorset, in these instances in the charge of Brush Type 2 Class 31 diesel locomotives. These locos were once a common sight on the Bristol to Weymouth line hauling passenger trains, so I was pleased to find one running on the Avon Valley Railway over the Easter Weekend.
Class 31 No. 31602 ‘Driver Dave Green’ at the rear of a test train at Upwey heading to Weymouth – 28/07/2011 Class 31 No. 31106 heading a test train into Upwey – 17/11/2011Class 31 No. 31106 heads a test train through Upwey – 17/11/2011Class 31 No. 31465 propels a test train through Dorchester South – 10/04/2012Class 31 No. 31465 at Dorchester South – 10/04/2012
Later on Thursday 14th April another late runner was the movement of Class 33 No. D6515/ 33012 ‘Lt Jenny Lewis RN’ and Class 50 No. 50026 ‘Indomitable’ from Eastleigh Arlington to Swanage. The locomotives were on their way in preparation for the Swanage Diesel Gala to be held in a few weeks time. Because of the delay departing Eastleigh ( I read this was because of an air leak on the Class 50, but not sure if that is true or someones idea of a joke given the Class 50’s nickname of ‘Hoover’ ). Because of work commitments, I was unable to get to where I had planned to see these two, but I was quite happy with the resulting video and photographs at the location I selected in Parkstone.
Class 33 No. 33012 and Class 50 No. 50026 pass Parkstone heading to Swanage – 14/04/2022
33012 and 50026 heading to Swanage – 14/04/2022Back in British Rail days, class 33 No. 33012 with full yellow cab ends sits in the sidings at Weymouth – 01/01/1982Class 33 No. 33012 with full yellow cab ends sits in the sidings at Weymouth – 01/01/1982Class 33 No. 33012 with a Weymouth to Bristol service at Dorchester West – 09/02/1982. Night photography was never my strong point!
The Easter weekend saw Yoshi and I visit a few railway themed locations, kicking off with a lovely Good Friday afternoon walk around a foggy West Bay where we enjoyed ice-cream.
Yoshi can’t get enough of his Scoops ice-cream for dogs (Photo courtesy of @radioc71 )
Our visit to West Bay, of course, included a visit to the disused station which is now a restaurant. The owners of The Station Kitchen have placed two carriages on the length of track alongside the station platform and it all looks rather wonderful.
The Station Kitchen, West Bay Yoshi at West Bay Station
On Saturday we ventured a little further afield to the Avon Valley Railway and enjoyed a trip behind Class 31 No. 31130. I think Yoshi liked that we had our own compartment and enjoyed the ride from Bitton to Oldland Common and back. The track to Avon Riverside is currently closed for upgrade work. The line was originally opened in 1869 by the Midland Railway as a route between the Midlands and the South Coast. The Avon Valley Railway was later linked to the Somerset & Dorset Railway. Closed as part of the Beeching Axe in the 1960’s the line was saved by a group of volunteers and today three miles of track has been re-laid and trains can once again run along the Avon Valley which I can highly recommend. I look forward to a return visit for a walk further alongside the track on the Bristol & Bath Railway Path, a 13 mile off-road route between Bristol and Bath city centres. The staff and volunteers at the railway were amazingly friendly during our visit and Yoshi was made a great fuss of and even visited the cab of the Class 31, although he wasn’t allowed to drive the locomotive, because quite frankly that would have been a bit silly.
Class 31 No. 31130 at Bitton station on the Avon Valley Railway – 16/04/2022Yoshi in the cab of Class 31 No. 31130Yoshi in the cab of Class 31 No. 31130
Yoshi enjoys a trip behind 31130 on the Avon Valley Railway – 16/04/2022
The Class 31 mixed traffic diesels were built by Brush Traction of Loughborough from 1957 – 1962 and were one of the pilot Modernisation Plan locomotive classes ordered by British Rail in the 1950’s to replace steam traction. They were given the nickname ‘Goyles’ by train spotters, this being a reference to gargoyle because of their supposed ugly design. I rather like them and have a fondness for the class and their many variations.
Firstbuild Class 31 No. D5500 which was renumbered as No. 31018 on display at the National Railway Museum in York – 03/07/2012
Our day out was planned around picking up a train shaped flower planter we had ordered and on our way from the Avon Valley Railway we popped into Keynsham to catch a glimpse of passing Class 66 No. 66134 working to Westbury and a couple of Great Western IET’s.
Class 66 No. 66134 working 1101 Margam T.C. to Westbury
Fifteen minutes at Keynsham condensed – 16/04/2022
We also had time to pop in at Cranmore for a cuppa and to see GWR 4500 Class 2-6-2T No. 4555 which was working the passenger trains on the East Somerset Railway. Again Yoshi enjoyed all the attention and scritches he received.
GWR 4500 Class 2-6-2T Small Prairie No. 4555 at Cranmore – 16/04/2022
GWR 4500 Class 2-6-2T Small Prairie No. 4555 at Cranmore – 16/04/2022
After picking up the planter in Somerset we drove home via Chard as engineering work was taking place over the Easter weekend between Yeovil Junction and Honiton. We were very kindly escorted on to the disused station platform at Chard Junction to take photographs of GBRf Class 66 No. 66793 in British Rail Railfreight Construction livery attached to the engineers train. The station was closed to passenger traffic in March 1966 and there have been many calls, over the years since, to reopen it.
GBRf Class 66 No. 66793 – Chard Junction 16/04/2022GBRf Class 66 No. 66793 – Chard Junction 16/04/2022
GBRf Class 66 No. 66793 – Chard Junction 16/04/2022
Sunday afternoon we popped into Swanage to visit the Swanage Railway who were operating a two train service utilising SR Bullied 4-6-2 West Country Class No. 34028 ‘Eddystone’ and GWR 4575 Class 2-6-2T Small Prairie No. 5526. We also got another glimpse of Class 33 No. 33012 and Class 50 No. 50026 stabled in the sidings close to the engine shed.
Class 33 No. 33012 and Class 50 No. 50026 in the sidings at Swanage – 17/04/2022SR 4-6-2 West Country Class No. 34028 ‘Eddystone’ departs Swanage – 17/04/2022GWR 4575 Class 2-6-2T Small Prairie No. 5526 arrives at Swanage with a service from Norden
Swanage Railway – Easter Sunday 2022
For our first archive video this week, we return to Keynsham ( and Bradford-on-Avon ) for a glimpse of Great Western Railway Castle Class No. 5029 ‘Nunney Castle’. This locomotive was built at Swindon Works in 1934 and takes the name of a small castle near Frome, Somerset. She was withdrawn from service in December 1963 and sold to Woodham Bros. at Barry, arriving at the famous scrap yard in June 1964 being the last steam locomotive delivered to Barry scrap yard by rail. She was rescued after rusting away for 12 years and in May 1976 was the last Castle class locomotive to leave Barry. Throughout the summer season in 2010 ‘Nunney Castle’ hauled the Sunday ‘Weymouth Seaside Express’ trains organised by The Railway Touring Company, departing from the Bristol area bound for Weymouth and I have fond memories of hearing her exhaust beat echo around on her departure from Keynsham, as can be heard in the video below:
Finally, to wrap things up, here is a short video of Class 31’s top and tailing a test train at Upwey in September 2007:
Class 31’s No. 31602 and 31459 ‘Cerberus’ at Upwey – 25/09/2007
Don’t forget if you’re thinking about traveling by rail between 25/04/2022 and 27/05/2022 South Western Railway and Great Western Railway are just two of the rail operators offering up to 50% discounts on advance bookings on off-peak tickets as part of ‘The Great British Rail Sale’ . This comes after the highest increases in rail fares in nine years came into effect last month ( March 2022 ). Vacuous Toby Jug Transport Secretary Grant Shapps ( the name he’s currently using ) announced the promotion in a video on Twitter saying it would ‘help with the cost of living’. Unless you can eat or burn the tickets for heating, I have my doubts about that claim.
Train operators and Network Rail have been told by the Department of Transport ( DafT ) to find cost savings of 10% to 15%, after the Treasury spent an extra £15bn subsidising rail for lost revenue over the past two years during the Covid pandemic. The DafT said reforms to the sector due to be introduced after the Williams-Shapps review plan for Great British Railways (2021) could see more such network-wide sales across rail fares.
Something a little different this week. On Sunday, Yoshi stayed home with his mum while I went off to Shepton Mallet and the Bath & West Showground who were hosting Britain’s Biggest Model Railway – Heaton Lodge Junction. With over three miles of track, the ‘O’ Gauge layout took eight years to build and can accommodate over 25 full length model trains. The detailed scenic model railway perfectly recreates the childhood memories of its main builder Simon George who took a year to practise and refine the modelling techniques employed in the layout in addition to three years of research to create a pictorial map of the 1.5 mile location. Everything, from drain covers to signal gantries are placed exactly where they should be. Back in the early 1980’s Simon spent much of his school holidays perched on a bridge parapet watching the trains go by. In fact, Simon is himself included in the model in the very location he spent so much of his time.
The following video gives a flavour of operations on the layout which normally runs in an automated mode with trains being pre-programmed. The system senses exactly which section a train is occupying and depending on the route of each train, the signals and points change accordingly.
I was accompanied on my visit by my brother and my nephew, and we were all really impressed by Heaton Lodge Junction and look forward to future viewings including the planned, detailed additions of a typical 1980’s BR station, marshalling yard and depot. Viewing the model layout has really given me renewed inspiration to get started on building my own model railway. I still need to fully board the loft at home before building the baseboards for the track work and have decided that I will lure my brother, and anybody else, in with the promise of cheese and beer to help get this done. Although I’ll be modelling in ‘OO’ gauge, the images below show what it’s possible to achieve with a lot of hard work and skill and I hope I can have at least a fraction of the ability which went into creating this masterpiece.
The next few images show the scale of the model. Many thanks to staff at the Bath & West Showground who gave me access to the balcony area to take the photographs.
As well as Heaton Lodge Junction, there were several other layouts on display. All highly detailed and impressive in their own way.
A detailed reconstruction of Wimborne Railway StationBournemouth West
It was fantastic to see all the model railways on show in addition to Heaton Lodge Junction. The Bournemouth West display employed very authentic ‘live steam’ locomotives and the dedication to realistic modelling was evident throughout the hall.
Things have been quiet on the full size railway this week in Dorset – although Class 701 test runs continue to visit Poole and Bournemouth, Sunday engineering work at Branksome didn’t produce any locomotive hauled engineers trains and the regular Class 73 hauled test train scheduled for Monday 11th April, although activated early doors, didn’t move from Derby and was eventually cancelled. So instead, here’s a photo of Yoshi from last year alongside GBRf Class 73 Electro-diesel No. 73128 ‘O.V.S. Bulleid C.B.E.’ which visited Weymouth on 6th September 2021 whilst on route learning duties. For some reason I am unable to fathom the driver greeted me by saying ‘it’s the man with the barking dog!’
A video of the light-engine at Hamworthy and Weymouth. If you listen carefully, you might just hear Yoshi bark his approval:
Our archive video for this week comes from March 1995 and a visit to Eastleigh when it looks like I used a tripod and actually set it up correctly for the most part as trains are not consistently going up or down hill. Although it would appear I still overused the zoom function.
For comparison, you might like to watch the following compilation video filmed mostly around Eastleigh in the more recent 2020’s:
That’s all for this week. Thanks for reading – comments and corrections always welcome. Why not support your local heritage railway this coming Easter Weekend, they would welcome your support!
Yoshi takes the opportunity to inspect DB Class 66 No. 66105 at Poole High Street Crossing
It was an early start on Saturday April 2nd, or possibly a late end to Friday 1st when I popped into Poole to catch sight of DB Class 66 No. 66105 arrive with an engineers train from Eastleigh East Yard at 0045 (6N03 2355 Eastleigh East Yard to Poole). The next day, Yoshi and I were fortunate to see the locomotive and consist depart the Poole station area, getting some unusual photographs of the locomotive waiting for the barriers to close at Poole High Street crossing, but more of that later.
Back to Saturday and shortly after breakfast, we set off for the 2022 Steam Railway Magazine Readers’ Heritage Railway Association Award winning Didcot Railway Centre to share in the celebrations of Great Western Railway Castle Class 4-6-0 No. 4079 ‘Pendennis Castle’ being relaunched into traffic after a long absence. We made good time in getting to the car park adjacent to Didcot railway station and made our way across to the concourse where there was some confusion in how to access the subway to the railway centre. Yoshi was extremely excited and waited impatiently to get our tickets scanned before we made our way onto the site. The Great Western Society Didcot Railway Centre really is a marvel – 21 acres covering 200 years of railway heritage. Sadly the Coal Stage which dominates the skyline was recently found in need of urgent repair but conservation work is now underway on the Coal Stage as are repairs to the water tank that supplies the Centre’s steam engines with water.
We were greeted by not one, but two Pendennis Castle locomotives. In a lovely touch, current GWR Class 57 No. 57604 ‘Pendennis Castle’ was lined up alongside her early steam namesake No. 4079.
4079 and 57604 both named ‘Pendennis Castle’ in front of the engine shed at DidcotClass 57 No. 57604 ‘Pendennis Castle’ – Didcot 02/04/2022Nameplate of Class 57 No. 57604 ‘Pendennis Castle’
The Castle Class 4-6-0 express passenger engine was first introduced in 1923. No. 4079 ‘Pendennis Castle’was the 7th machine – of an eventual total of 171 – completed in February of 1924. She shot to fame the next year when she triumphed in a series of trials against the LNER Class A1 Pacific locomotives. The most famous of these being the legendary ‘Flying Scotsman’. ‘Pendennis Castle’was rather cheekily sent to be displayed alongside its famous rival in the 1925 Empire Exhibition at Wembley.
No. 4079 worked express passenger trains on the Great Western Railway and later British Rail (Western Region) for forty years, racking up an impressive 1.75 million miles in service. This came to a sudden end in 1964 when travelling on a special train, she sustained severe damage to her rear driving wheel bearings as her fire grate collapsed and almost melted them. She was taken off the train and abandoned on shed at Westbury.
From Westbury, she was rescued by Mike Higson who was then proprietor of Roundhouse Books. He had the locomotive slowly towed back to her birthplace at Swindon and restored to working order. On completion, she was handed over in 1965. Shortly afterwards, Mr Higson sold the locomotive to Lord John Gretton (of the Bass Brewery dynasty) and, Sir William McAlpine who had famously saved ‘Flying Scotsman’from a financially disastrous tour of North America. Initially based at Didcot, No. 4079 eventually moved to the Steamtown Railway Museum in Carnforth.
The story now shifts to 1977 and Hammersley, amid the deserts of North Western Australia, where Sir Russel Madigan was visiting the iron ore mines of the company he worked for; Rio Tinto. Here he encountered a preservation group named The Pilbara Railways Historical Society who were saving diesel locomotives which had once worked the iron ore railways. The society were also keen to obtain a steam locomotive to run on the railway. Sir Russel declared he would “go home and buy them the ‘Flying Scotsman’”. This was not to be as Sir William McAlpine wasn’t prepared to sell ‘Scotsman’. He was, however, willing to part with ‘Pendennis Castle’. After a farewell tour stopping for what was believed to be the last time at Didcot, she went to Southampton Docks, was loaded onto a P&O ship and set sail for ‘Down Under’ via the Suez Canal.
Arriving at Hammersley in 1978, she soon became a firm favourite, pulling trains over the extensive iron ore rail system for pleasure trips. Apparently, it wasn’t unknown for the locomotive to just pull up out of the way somewhere in the desert and for her hot coals to be used to start the barbecue! The highlight of her time in Australia was when her great rival ‘Flying Scotsman’ visited during the country’s bicentennial celebrations in 1988 and they hauled trains together.
By 1994 changes were afoot on the Rio Tinto railway. The introduction of a new in cab signalling system made it very difficult for a 1924 steam engine to pull trains and time was beginning to take its toll on No. 4079. Faced with mounting repair bills and operational difficulties, her last operational trip was made in 1994 and she was retired to await her fate.
It was suggested by the editor of Railway Magazine, Nick Piggott, that ‘Pendennis Castle’ needed to be repatriated into the hands of the Great Western Society at Didcot. Having contacted the society and entered negotiations with then deputy society chair Richard Croucher, the society was donated 120 tons of historic steam locomotive. With one provision; the society had to get her home. Through the efforts of successful fundraising that was match funded by the Heritage Lottery coffers, No. 4079 journeyed 1,000 miles on the roads of Australia, placed on a ship that took her through the Panama Canal, thus completing her circumnavigation of the planet. She arrived back in the UK on the 8th July 2000.
Sadly the engine was in poor condition mechanically. The buckets of red desert sand that permeated the locomotive which were removed had also ground away at her moving parts. Large sections of the structure under her cab was life expired, her cylinder block needed new liners and a serious crack repairing as well as her boiler requiring a thorough overhaul.
While the original intention was to restore No. 4079 to main line condition, operational changes have resulted in Didcot withdrawing from the main line scene. However, following over twenty years of volunteer work ‘Pendennis Castle’ has been fully restored to a very high standard and after her April 2nd 2022 photoshoot with her more ‘modern’ Class 57 counterpart, No. 4079 soon moved off to the turntable where, following speeches including one from Great Western Society Chair Richard Coucher, the widow of the late Sir William, Lady Judy McAlpine, cut the ribbon officially launching ‘Pendennis Castle’ back into traffic.
GWR Castle Class 4-6-0 No.4079 ‘Pendennis Castle’ on the turntable at DidcotLady Judy McAlpine launched ‘Pendennis Castle’ into trafficNameplate of No. 4079 ‘Pendennis Castle’GWR Castle Class 4-6-0 No.4079 ‘Pendennis Castle’ with the volunteers who restored her to working condition at Didcot
GWR Castle No.4079 is re-launched at Didcot – 02/04/2022
We also had an enjoyable look around the Didcot engine shed:
GWR King Class 4-6-0 No. 6023 ‘King Edward II’ – Didcot 02/04/2022GWR 0-4-0T No. 1338 – Didcot 02/04/2022No. 5 ‘Shannon’ – Didcot 02/04/2022
Of local interest for Yoshi and I was ‘Bonnie Prince Charlie’. The locomotive was built by Robert Stephenson and Hawthorns in 1949 (Works No. 7544) and entered service with Messrs. Corrall Ltd, initially in Dorset at Corrall’s Ballast Wharf in Hamworthy and later from 1965, at Corrall’s depot on Dibles Wharf in Southampton. ‘Bonnie Prince Charlie’ was purchased for preservation by the Salisbury Steam Trust in 1969 and arrived at Didcot soon after.
Works No. 7544 ‘Bonnie Prince Charlie’ – Didcot 02/04/2022
Saturday afternoon, Yoshi and I decided to visit the Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway’s diesel gala. The main draw for me at least ( I’m not sure about Yoshi ) being the visit of two ex East Midlands Trains Class 43 HST power cars which are currently being operated by Rail Operations Group on behalf of Data Acquisition & Testing Services of Long Eaton – try saying that after a few JD and Coke’s – on routine checking of Over Head Line Equipment (OHLE) throughout the network, most recently in the Corby / Kettering area. The intention was for the power cars to work with the resident Southern Region 3-CEP unit, which is currently the C&PRR’s only operational air braked passenger stock. Unfortunately power car No. 43054 failed and was removed from the consist, being replaced with visiting Hanson & Hall Rail Services Solutions Ltd Class 50 No. 50008 ‘Thunderer’ which top and tailed the 3-CEP with working power car No. 43066. Sadly, this was not to be the only locomotive failure of the day as C&PRR’s departmental liveried home Class 31 No. 97205 was also withdrawn from the gala after experiencing issues.
A short video from the Chinnor & Princes Risborough Diesel Gala – 02/04/2022
C&PRR’s ambition is to extend to Aston Rowant which involves crossing a public highway at Kingston Blount in order to create a 14 mile heritage train round trip and to share operations with a public service originating from a large park and ride located near Junction 6 of the M40 to Princes Risborough for onward connections to London and Birmingham.
The next day, we caught up with Class 66 No. 66105 as it waited with its consist of wagons in the Poole area.
66105 in Poole – 03/04/202266105 at Poole with tamper DR75501 – 03/04/202266105 at Poole railway station – 03/04/202266105 at Poole High Street Crossing – 03/04/202266105 at Poole High Street Crossing – 03/04/202266105 waits to return to Eastleigh East Yard at Parkstone the eastern extent of the worksite – 03/04/2022Balfour Beatty Matisa B 66 UC Tamper No. DR75501 in Poole sidings – 03/04/2022
Video of 66105 in Poole – 02 & 03/04/2022
More engineering work is planned for this coming Sunday in the Poole area, although I have yet to see if any engineers trains beyond a tamper will be involved. Network Rail track inspections on the Hamworthy branch necessitate road closure and traffic restrictions as Hamworthy Level Crossing in Ashmore Avenue, Poole is closed for several days w/c 25th April 2022. Interesting times ahead, hopefully!
For our look into the archives this week we are returning to Didcot with a 1992 video from John Chappell, but first a set of photos taken with my ever trusty Kodak 110 camera during a school visit in 1979:
Didcot engine shed featuring GWR Collett 5600 Class 0-6-0T tank engine No. 6697, SR Battle of Britain No. 34051 ‘Sir Winston Churchill’ and No. 5 ‘Shannon’ – 24/06/1979Southern interloper Battle of Britain Class No.34051 ‘Sir Winston Churchill’ on shed at Didcot – 24/06/1979GWR Modified Hall Class 4-6-0 No. 6998 ‘Burton Agnes Hall’ at Didcot – 24/06/1979Nameplate of GWR No. 6998 ‘Burton Agnes Hall Hymek D7018 adjacent the turntable at Didcot – 24/06/1979.Hymek D7018 adjacent the turntable at Didcot – 24/06/1979. Note the now demolished cooling towers of the nearby power station.GWR Class 5700 0-6-0PT Pannier Tank No. 3738 on the demonstration line at Didcot – 24/06/1979Didcot 24/06/1979
During the weekend of 21/22nd November 1992, BR Standard 4-6-2 No. 70000 ‘Britannia’ was joined by unique BR Standard Pacific No. 71000 ‘Duke Of Gloucester’ where both locomotives were in steam working double headed trains on the demonstration line. In the video below, filmed by John Chappell, there is also a glimpse of ex-Corrall’s locomotive ‘Bonnie Prince Charlie’ in a blue livery for comparison to the more recent photo above.
As mentioned previously, the Railway Centre once enabled the servicing of steam locomotives for special main line trains. One example being the Great Western Society’s Rising Star tour which ran from London Paddington to Stratford-upon-Avon and return on 13th September 1981. I have few memories of the trip except for the glorious view of British Railways Standard Class 9F 2-10-0 No. 92220 ‘Evening Star’ setting off light engine to Didcot shed with the setting sun glinting off her side after completing the steam leg of the tour ( Didcot – Stratford-upon-Avon and return ).
BR Standard Class 9F 2-10-0 No. 92220 ‘Evening Star’ having worked the Rising Star railtour runs light engine into Didcot Railway Centre – 13/09/1981BR Standard Class 9F 2-10-0 No. 92220 ‘Evening Star’ working the Rising Star rail tour at Banbury – 13/09/1981
I’m assuming after arriving at Stratford-upon-Avon, ‘Evening Star’ turned on the triangle at Hatton before taking the train on the return journey. The images below are taken at Stratford-upon-Avon:
I recall from the main line steam excursions I travelled on in the 1980’s there was often a photo stop to enable passengers to disembark and fire off a few shots of the train, as in the photograph below:
BR Standard Class 9F 2-10-0 No. 92220 ‘Evening Star’ stops for photographs at Claverdon as part of the Rising Star tour – 13/09/1981Nameplate of BR Standard Class 9F 2-10-0 No. 92220 ‘Evening Star’
BR Standard Class 9F 2-10-0 No. 92220 ‘Evening Star’ was the last steam locomotive to be built by British Railways and the only main line steam locomotive earmarked for preservation from the date of construction. Built at Swindon Works in 1960, she was the 999th locomotive of the British Railways Standard Classes of locomotives. After a working life of only five years, she was withdrawn from service following an accident where she incurred minor damage at Cardiff Docks. As part of the National Collection, she now resides on static display at the Railway Museum in York
BR Standard Class 9F 2-10-0 No. 92220 ‘Evening Star’ at the National Railway Museum in York – 03/07/2012
Thank you for visiting and for your comments and corrections which are much appreciated. Many thanks to the Great Western Society for use of material from their press release in writing the story of No. 4079 ‘ Pendennis Castle’. Donations to the Water Tower and Coal Stage Conservation Project can be made here.
DRS Class 68 No. 68016 “Fearless’ at Winfrith with the first train of waste at Nuclear Waste Services Low Level Waste Repository site at Winfrith Magnox. 68017 ‘Hornet’ is at the rear – 24th March 2022
It has been an interesting week in review with the first of what should be semi-regular visits to Dorset of trains in connection with a project to dispose of of more than 1,000 stainless steel drums of waste at Nuclear Waste Services’ Low Level Waste Repository site from Winfrith Magnox site. Gresley A3 Pacific No. 60103 ‘Flying Scotsman’ made a visit to Hampshire and Wiltshire with a Steam Dreams rail tour to Salisbury which featured an added afternoon circular tour via Southampton before returning to London Victoria. The Bournemouth to Weymouth line saw probably the final Class 66 runs of the Snow and Ice Treatment Train of the season and the New Measurement Train powered by Class 43 power cars visited Dorset via the Bristol to Weymouth route.
68017 waits the go ahead as the points are changed at Winfrith ground frameWinfrith ground frameWinfrith ground frameDRS Class 68 No.’s 68016 and 68017 at Winfrith Magnox – 24th March 2022DRS Class 68 No. 68016 at Winfrith with the first train being loaded with waste at Nuclear Waste Services Low Level Waste Repository site at Winfrith Magnox. 68017 is at the rear of the photo – 24th March 2022DRS Class 68’s at Winfrith – 24th March 2022Close up of 68016’s nameplateClose up of 68017’s nameplate
Direct Rail Services (DRS) was conceived in 1995 by British Nuclear Fuels Ltd (BNFL) as a wholly-owned subsidiary company for the purpose of transporting nuclear waste after the privatisation of British Rail. The company has since diversified into other areas of freight workings. DRS has been moving nuclear waste for over 25 years. The 24th March 2022 train to Magnox Winfrith marked the first of eleven planned trains over the next couple of years to move the one tonne stainless steel drums of waste. The drums originated from the Winfrith Steam Generating Heavy Water Reactor before being placed in Treated Radwaste Store awaiting their transfer to the Intermediate Level Waste facility at Harwell.
Top and Tailed 68017 and 68016 on a rake of 10 PFA wagons as 6Z96 1540 Winfrith Sidings to Crewe Coal Sidings (DRS) nearing St Denys – 24th March 2022
The trial run for the removal of nuclear waste took place on 26th February 2013. DRS Class 37 No.’s 37602 and 37607 top and tailed the train which at that point was the first time a nuclear material train had worked to Dorset in 14 years, the previous visit having taken place in September 1999.
Archive video from 1999 shows Class 37 and Class 20 motive power for the Winfrith flask trains which ran round at Dorchester South:
Going further back in time to 21st July 1980, Class 33 No. 33013 runs around a nuclear flask train at Dorchester South. I can recall being chased away from the train, hence the rather distant image taken by my trusty 110 Kodak camera. But it’s interesting to see the sidings which are now covered by the Brewery Square development.
The next video shows a compilation of clips showing the Snow & Ice Treatment Train in Dorset and Hampshire taken between 16th and 25th March. The locomotives are 66799 and 66760 throughout, but the weather is changeable!
The New Measurement Train visited Dorset on 23rd March 2022 formed of Class 43 power cars No.’s 43274 and 43272 working 185Y 0748 Derby RTC (Network Rail) to Bristol Kingsland Road:
43274 about to depart from Maiden Newton having picked up the token to traverse the single line section to Dorchester West – 23rd March 2022
Class 701 test runs are still taking place, as evidenced by 701028 working the 28th March 2022 5Q51 1126 Wimbledon to Woking run:
99 year old Gresley A3 Pacific No.60103 ‘Flying Scotsman’ worked her final rail tour before retiring for an overhaul, which is scheduled to start in April and last up to four months. Scotsman is scheduled to visit the Swanage Railway later in 2022 as well as appearances at the Bluebell and Strathspey railways and a possible static display at London King’s Cross to celebrate 170 years of the Great Northern Railway’s London terminus in October. We’ll devote a whole post to the Nation’s Locomotive in the future, but for now here are some photographs and short video from 24th March 2022:
Yoshi looks happy to be in the company of Flying Scotsman, seen on a previous visit to Southampton in June 2021
Thanks for visiting – we’ll hopefully be back again next week, we hope you’ll join us! As always corrections or suggestions welcomed.
Yoshi basks in the sun alongside Peckett & Sons 0-4-0T ‘Pectin’ at Yeovil Junction
Every now and then, even in this internet age, a test train or light locomotive working manages to pass me by. Recently it was a top and tailed Class 73 test train which visited our local area when I was tucking into Sunday lunch. Last year I was thwarted in seeing a Class 56 in Dorset due to a traffic queue created by roadworks and because I had dinner in the oven. This last weekend I missed seeing Class 37 No. 37612 heading up a test train from Westbury to Dorchester West and return. I was having a lovely afternoon looking around a National Trust property near Yeovil (and yes, enjoying a cuppa) when the heritage loco passed by a few miles away. We are able to share the following photograph of the Class 37 working with grateful thanks to Jim Smith.
Class 37 No. 37612 at Dorchester West 20/03/2022 ( Image courtesy of Jim Smith )
The following video shows 37612, along with sister locomotive 37610, during a previous visit to Dorchester West on December 2nd 2020 working the 0820 Tyseley L.M.D. to Bristol High Level Siding test train. Last Sunday’s working was in beautiful bright sunlight, whereas this earlier visit clearly wasn’t.
376212 Dorchester West 02/12/2020
As well as visiting stately homes on Sunday, our morning was spent at the Yeovil Railway Centre which is situated on a site covering the turntable and the former Clifton Maybank branch adjacent to Yeovil Junction railway station. The event celebrated Peckett & Sons 0-4-0ST Works No. 1579 Pectin which formally returned to traffic on 20th March 2022. We enjoyed watching turntable displays and taking a train ride along the former Clifton Maybank spur.
The first Yeovil Railway Festival organised by the South Western Main Line Steam Company was held on the 8th and 9th October 1994 and was opened by Jim Morgan, Director of Railtrack South West. Drummond Locomotive Society’s 0-4-4T Class M7 loco 30053 (as 30129) ran shuttles to Yeovil Pen Mill and trips to Maiden Newton while BR Standard Pacific No. 70000 ‘Britannia’ and examples of classes 47 (Lady Godiva from Waterman Railways), 33 and 37 were on display. S15 4-6-0 No. 828 hauled Pathfinder steam excursion, The Exe-Parrett (suitably adorned with parrot toy on the smoke box), through Yeovil from Bristol to Exeter and back to Bristol via Taunton on the Saturday and returned from Bristol for display on the Sunday. Before heading to Yeovil, our first video of the weekend sees 828 first at Westbury but also GWR Castle Class 4073 4-6-0 5029 ‘Nunney Castle’ working the London Paddington – Cranmore Capitals United Express rail tour organised by Flying Scotsman Services. You can also catch a glimpse of one of my favourite railway and wildlife artists David Shepherd with the train.
M7 No. 30053 (as 30129) ran shuttles to Yeovil Pen Mill and trips to Maiden Newton
Things didn’t run quite to plan for Pathfinder on the Sunday when the Dorset Docker rail tour hauled by a pair of Class 20 diesel locomotives en route to Weymouth and Weymouth Quay was deemed a failure at Yeovil Pen Mill when No. 20187 expired. Class 37 No. 37375 which had been on display at Yeovil Junction, working in multiple with 20075, was rostered to work the tour back as far as Westbury. The 37 was substituted for Class 47 No. 47475 which hauled the tour and the Class 20’s onward from Westbury to Wolverhampton. Our next video, filmed mostly on the Sunday captures a glimpse of the Class 37 and Class 20’s at Yeovil Pen Mill.
On 4th and 5th October 1997 the second Yeovil Railway Festival was held, once again opened by Jim Morgan now Director of GB Railways. USA Tank No. 30075 was in the upside sidings whilst S15 No. 828 and M7 No. 30053 joined in once again taking turns at operating a shuttle service to Castle Cary. Class 20 No. D8188 was named “River Yeo” by Murray Brown, editor of Rail Express magazine. Two failed Class 73 locomotives, 73104 and 73128, were unofficially on display with an engineers train. On the second day Hertfordshire Railtours ran The Blackmore Vale 125 Special HST excursion from Paddington with power cars 43006 and 43185.
This past week saw the return of the Snow & Ice Treatment Train (SITT) to the Bournemouth – Weymouth line with GBRf Class 66 locomotive No’s 66799 and 66760 ‘David Gordon Harris’ remaining in charge. We’ll share our video of these workings in our next blog.
Class 66 No.’s 66799 and 66760 seen at Poole working the SITT on 21/03/2022Class 66 No.’s 66799 and 66760 seen at Poole working the SITT on 22/03/2022
We saw the SITT leave Totton Yard on Thursday 17th March 2022 before we headed off to Eastleigh to visit an old friend and visit McDonald’s. While there, we took the opportunity to spend a few hours watching trains before and after lunch. There’s a video after this collection of photographs.
Class 59/2 No. 59205 was derailed at Eastleigh for over a week following an incident involving track spread.GBRf Class 66 No. 66764 working 1150 Southampton Western Docks to East Midlands Gateway passes 444036 on a London Waterloo to Weymouth service – Eastleigh 17/03/2022
Class 701 testing continues, as evidenced in the image below as 701037 waits for a clear road before departing from Eastleigh.
Freightliner Class 66 No. 66572working 0536 Garston FLT to Southampton MCT – Eastleigh 17/03/202266095 working 0514 Wakefield Europort to Southampton western Docks Berth 109 – Eastleigh 17/03/2022Class 67008 shunting MK4 stock – Eastleigh 17/03/202266792 working 4Y19 1230 Mountfield Sidings (GBRf) to Southampton Western Docks – Eastleigh 17/03/202266522 working 0931 Crewe Basford Hall SSM to Southampton MCT – Eastleigh 17/03/2022
In other local news, Swanage Railway have announced the postponement of their Summer 2022 planned 90 selected day trial of a Wareham to Swanage and Corfe Castle service using heritage British Railways diesel multiple units because of ‘challenging trading conditions and economic uncertainty. Plans are now being made to run the trial in 2023.
Swanage Railway heritage DMU seen at Norden on 3rd January 2022 with a train celebrating the last BR train on the branch
Fifty historic railway structures originally earmarked for demolition or infilling may be spared after an independent review of National Highways plans found that they could be readily preserved for active travel schemes. The government ordered review carried out by Sustrans concluded that two-thirds of the 75 structures could be useful for use as part of the National Cycle Network (NCN) or as local walking and cycling routes.
One such bridge deemed useful for the NCN is the bridge which carried the former Bridport branch line at Barrowland Lane, Toller Porcorum. Local residents were left angry last year when National Highways felled trees on land next to the disused bridge. The Historical Railways Estate Group, made up of engineers, sustainable transport advocates and greenway developers – want to use the bridge in its ambitious plans to develop a sustainable railway and cycle link from West Bay to Maiden Newton.
The images below show both ends of the proposed cycle / walk way; Maiden Newton and WestBay.
The former Bridport Branch Bay at Maiden NewtonFormer Bridport Branch trackbed, Maiden NewtonFormer Bridport Branch trackbed, Maiden NewtonWest Bay Station – March 2016West Bay Station – March 2016
For our final video clip this time, we have included a brief view of the last day of operation on the Bridport Branch filmed by John Chappell showing a diesel multiple unit formed using No.’s 55033, 51345 + 59497 + 51387 which ran the final services on the line. This silent cine film also offers a glimpse of Southern Electric Group rail tour The Dorset Dawdler which utilised Diesel Electric Multiple Unit No. 1131. Passengers on this tour were able to transfer to the DMU service for a trip to Bridport and back. The SEG DEMU tour also took in the Fawley branch and Weymouth Quay Tramway earlier in the day.
That’s all for this week. Thanks for reading and hopefully we’ll be back with an update in seven days.
