Another shameless plug for “The Railway Dogcast”, Yoshi’s brand new podcast where we talk to fellow railway enthusiasts. The second episode, in which Hentis Rail and I chat to YouTube vloggerJamie Smith is now available.

Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/episode/0JMbHcmvUzQbM09jpRvkXe?si=LOol-kKtTX2VugTskuNJsQ

YouTube: https://youtu.be/x0ld8DzK38Q

Trailer:

Be seeing you!

The regular Plain Line Pattern Recognition (PLPR) test train along the South West Main Line to Weymouth ran on Monday 2nd June giving a rare opportunity of catching it in the last throes of daylight through Poole. Reporting as 1Q51 1115 Derby R.T.C.(Network Rail) to Eastleigh East Yard the PLPR was in the charge of GBRf Class 73/9 electro-diesel locomotives No.’s 73961 ‘Alison’ & 73963 ‘Janice’. We also saw the return leg passing Hamworthy – 02/06/2025

A Monday trip to Bridgwater to see Direct Rail Services Class 68 locomotives No’s 68005 ‘Defiant’ + 68009 ‘Titan’ on nuclear flask working 6M63 1200 Bridgwater F.D to Crewe Coal Sidings (DRS). This was followed shortly after by Rail Adventure Class 43 power cars No.’s 43465 + 43484 hauling the West Somerset Railway guest locomotives; Class 50 No. 50015 ‘Valiant’, Class 45 No. 45108 and Class 52 No. D1015 ‘Western Champion’ in convoy reporting as 0Q84 1242 Bishops Lydeard to Kidderminster S.V.R. This video also contains a few CrossCountry and Great Western Railway service trains at Bridgwater to add a little flavour to proceedings – 09/06/2025

**Grateful thanks to @smithy37688 for allowing me to use his video in this compilation

Colas Railfreight Class 43 power cars No.’s 43251 + 43257 work the Heart of Wessex Plain Line Pattern Recognition train through Maiden Newton & Dorchester West, reporting as 1Q22 0747 Derby R.T.C.(Network Rail) to Bristol Kingsland Road – 11/06/2025

*with thanks to Gerry Barrett for additional video

We took a trip to Canada and Alaska in late June. I was able to see some freight trains and the Rocky Mountaineer at Banff:

A snapshot of train movements in Skagway on The White Pass & Yukon Route – a U.S. and Canadian Class III 3ft narrow-gauge railway which links Skagway, Alaska with Whitehorse, the capital of Yukon. The railway is an isolated system and has no direct connection to any other rail network. The railroad began construction in 1898 as a means of reaching gold fields during the Klondike Gold Rush and was completed in 1900. Services continued until October 1982 when financial difficulties forced its closure. However, in 1988 the line partially reopened as a tourist route as far as White Pass following the growth of visitors to Skagway arriving on cruise ships. By 2007 the line had been extended to Carcross and is co-owned by cruise ship operator Carnival:

The monthly PLPR test train was set to run to Weymouth on 30/06/2025 as 1Q51 1115 Derby R.T.C.(Network Rail) to Eastleigh East Yard in the hands of class 73/9 locomotives No.’s 73963 & 73964. The service was however cancelled and reversed at Totton sidings due to equipment failure.

Thanks for reading – the best way to keep up to date with our latest videos is via the Railway Dog YouTube Channel – why not subscribe today! Or you can catch random witterings and photos via the Railway Dog Facebook group.

And don’t forget the first episode of The Railway Dogcast is still available:

Spotify: https://creators.spotify.com/…/The-Railway-Dogcast…

YouTube: https://youtu.be/Shgg86eCQh4?si=MDKhufV9X0x7gyg8

Our second episode dropped on 14th June. Watch the trailer here:

In this, the second episode of The Railway Dogcast, our guest is Jamie Smith from You Tube’s “Jamie Smith Going Loco”. Jamie shares how he became interested in trains, how he almost joined the railways and his interest in video & photography.

The episode is available on Spotify and / or YouTube. Links are below:

Be seeing you!

Colas Railfreight Class 43 power cars No.’s 43357 + 43274 work the Heart of Wessex Plain Line Pattern Recognition train through Dorchester West, reporting as 1Q22 0747 Derby R.T.C.(Network Rail) to Bristol Kingsland Road – 14/05/2025

Swanage Railway resident diesel locomotive Class 33 No. D6515 (33012) went on hire to Hanson & Hall in May 2025 to cover GWR sleeper coach moves because of the unavailability of H+H’s Class 50 No. 50008 ‘Thunderer’ which was engaged on railtour duties elsewhere. This afforded the opportunity to see a Crompton back on LSWR mainline metals – 16 & 17/05/2025

The Heart of Wessex weedkiller train ran in the early hours of Monday 19th May 2025 working as 3Q98 Exeter Riverside N.Y. to Exeter Riverside N.Y. The train was top and tailed by GBRf Class 66 No.’s 66704 ‘Colchester Power Signalbox’ + 66747 ‘Made In Sheffield’. Yoshi and I saw the ensemble pass through Maiden Newton – where the driver needed to collect the token to operate forward – heading to and from Dorchester Junction where it reversed – 19/95/2025

History is made as Class 701 No. 701046 departs Bournemouth depot carrying GBR branding working . This video also features the final up service through Poole run by First MTR South Western Railway as well as shots of other Desiro EMU’s at Branksome. On May 25th 2025, SWR transferred to public ownership under DfTO, the Government’s rail Owning Group – 24/05/2025

On a windy Sunday May 25th 2025, Yoshi and I went along to the The Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway to see how the area helped fuel the Industrial Revolution during day one of the heritage railways’ two day ‘Pit to Port’ Coal Train Event. South Wales was once one of the largest coalfields in the world, and in 1913 produced 36 million tonnes of coal. The railways which run along the valley floors provided the main routes for transporting the coal from the pits to be exported. Wagons would trundle south to ports and docks at Newport, Cardiff and Barry. We were able to see how the coal was transported from the pits as we watched an intense timetable featuring both passenger and demonstration coal trains.  

Rostered locomotives on the day were: –  Hunslet No. 1873 “Jessie” –  Hudswell Clarke No. 1208 “Harold”-  Andrew Barclay No. 1219 “Caledonia Works”-  plus the rostered debut at Blaenavon of Class 37 No. D6729 (37029)

With grateful thanks to Blaenavon’s Heritage Railway, especially Nathan and Jamie and @jamiesmithgoingloco

Locomotive Services Limited’s Class 45 No. 45118 ‘The Royal Artilleryman” passing Romsey – twice! – following a re-dedication ceremony at Salisbury working 1Z45 1126 Salisbury to Southampton Central / 1Z46 1202 Southampton Central to Salisbury. This video also features Class 158 and Class 166 DMU’s on stopping passenger services at Romsey – 30/05/2025

A rare formation of a 12 car Class 455 empty coaching stock move seen reversing at Branksome and running into Bournemouth depot running as 5Z50 0922 Wimbledon Park Depot Sdgs to Bournemouth T&R.S.M.D – 31/05/2025

Thanks for reading – the best way to keep up to date with our latest videos is via the Railway Dog YouTube Channel – why not subscribe today! Or you can catch random witterings and photos via the Railway Dog Facebook group.

And don’t forget the first episode of The Railway Dogcast is still available:

Spotify: https://creators.spotify.com/…/The-Railway-Dogcast…

YouTube: https://youtu.be/Shgg86eCQh4?si=MDKhufV9X0x7gyg8

Be Seeing You!

The locomotives arriving for the 2025 Swanage Diesel Gala continued to arrive with GBRf sending Class 73 No. 73128 ‘Kent & East Sussex Railway’ and Class 69 No. 69007 ‘Richard Trevithick’. These locomotives arrived on May 7th and we saw them on the Swanage Branch at Creech.

Having missed its original diagrammed move to Dorset on May 6th because of urgent repairs to a fuel leak, RES Class 47 No. 47715 ‘Rail Engineering Solutions – Quality Assured’ was collected from the Chinnor & Princess Risborough Railway on the following day by H+H Class 50 No. 50008 ‘Thunderer’ and towed to the Swanage Railway as 0W50 1905 Princes R’boro Ace to Swanage.

The final piece of the jigsaw saw Colas Railfreight Class 56 No. 56090 working 0Z56 1200 Eastleigh East Yard to Swanage on 8th May which completed the line-up for the 2025 Diesel Gala.

Also on Thursday 8th May, a Swanage Diesel Gala Preview Day took place featuring a “Network SouthEast” theme, with Class 47 No. 47715 ‘Rail Engineering Solutions – Quality Assured’ , Class 73 No. 73128 ‘Kent & East Sussex Railway’, and Class 423 4VEP No. 3417 ‘Gordon Pettit’ in action alongside resident steam locomotive SR 4-6-2 “Battle Of Britain” Class No. 34072 ‘257 Squadron’

Unusually for me, I spent the next three days on the Swanage Railway and enjoyed haulage behind the Colas Grid and the NSE Duff.

And then it’s all over for another year. The visiting locomotives all departing over the course of the following two days, with the exception of Class 20 No. 20066 which is having an extended stay on the Swanage Railway to help out with locomotive rostering duties.

Thanks for reading – the best way to keep up to date with our latest videos is via the Railway Dog YouTube Channel – why not subscribe today! Or you can catch random witterings and photos via the Railway Dog Facebook group.

And don’t forget the first episode of The Railway Dogcast is still available:

Spotify: https://creators.spotify.com/…/The-Railway-Dogcast…

YouTube: https://youtu.be/Shgg86eCQh4?si=MDKhufV9X0x7gyg8

Be Seeing You!

A shameless plug for “The Railway Dogcast”, Yoshi’s brand new podcast where we talk to fellow railway enthusiasts. The first episode, in which Hentis Rail and I welcome Colin Stone, dropped today at midday – 26/05/2025

Spotify: https://creators.spotify.com/…/The-Railway-Dogcast…

YouTube: https://youtu.be/Shgg86eCQh4?si=MDKhufV9X0x7gyg8

We kicked off May with a day out around Westbury and the nearby quarries watching freight and passenger trains. As a bonus we also saw classic traction in action when DCRail Class 56’s No.’s 56301 + 56103 double-headed to Merehead working 6Z60 1034 Willesden DC Rail Sidings to Merehead Quarry. Thanks to Jamie for driving (don’t forget to check out Jamie’s YouTube page) – 02/05/2025

Early doors at Poole on the morning of 3rd May 2035 as Locomotive Services Limited Class 57 No. 57311 ‘The Institution of Mechanical Engineers’ arrived with empty coaching stock movement 3Z82 0435 Eastleigh Arlington (ZG) to Poole in readiness for Saphos Trains “English Riviera Express” charter. Taking up the rear was Class 47 No. D1924 (47810) ‘Crewe Diesel Depot’. The Brush Type 4 hauled the train away from Poole after the consist reversed in the storage sidings. We saw the rail tour passing through Parkstone with the working reporting as 1Z82 0634 Poole to Kingswear (For Dartmouth). Later that day, the train returned its passengers to their starting point as 1Z84 1635 Kingswear (For Dartmouth) to Poole before departing ECS back to Eastleigh with 5Z84 2315 Poole to Eastleigh Arlington (ZG) – 03/05/2025

The first of the Swanage Diesel Gala convoys arrived on the 6th May 2025 when Hanson & Hall Rail Class 50 No. 50008 ‘Thunderer’ hauled The Southern Electric Traction Group 4VEP No. 3417 ‘Gordon Pettitt’ as 5W50 1410 Strawberry Hill C.S.D. to Swanage in readiness for the 2025 Swanage Railway Diesel Gala. Rail Engineering Solutions Class 47 No. 47715 should have been part of the consist, but was not able to travel as part of this train because it was undergoing repairs for a fuel leak. The Class 50 was despatched to the Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway the following day in order to collect the Brush Type 4 – 06/05/2025

The second convoy arriving into Dorset was hauled by West Coast Railways Class 37 No. 37706 with Shaun Wright ‘s Class 20 No. 20066 and the Peak Locomotive Company Limited Class 45 No. 45108 in tow reporting as 0Z20 1449 Barrow Hill North Jn to Swanage – 06/05/2025

Thanks for reading – the best way to keep up to date with our latest videos is via the Railway Dog YouTube Channel – why not subscribe today! Or you can catch random witterings and photos via the Railway Dog Facebook group. Be Seeing You!

We kicked off April with a trip to Somerset to see the nuclear flask train and met up with friend of this blog @smithy.377 (don’t forget to check out his Instagram page!). On the way, Yoshi and I saw GBRf Class 60 No. 60096 ‘Skiddaw’ thundering through Trowbridge at the head of 6Z52 0704 Tytherington to Quainton Railhead – 01/04/2025

This was followed by a visit to Yatton to capture the Bridgwater flasks operated by Direct Rail Services (DRS0 Class 68 No. 68007 ‘Valiant’ and Class 88 No. 88008 ‘Ariadne’ top and tailing 6M63 1200 Bridgwater F.D to Crewe Coal Sidings (DRS) – 01/04/2025

GBRf Class 69 No. 69008 ‘Richard Howe’ snuck into the far end of Bournemouth platform 3 working 0Z69 1255 Eastleigh East Yard to Eastleigh East Yard. This mirrored a similar working which took place the previous week – 03/04/2025

GBRf Class 73/9 No.’s 73963 ‘Janice’ and 73962 ‘Dick Mabbutt’ passing Poole with the monthly Plain Line Pattern Recognition (PLPR) Test Train 1Q51 1115 Derby R.T.C.(Network Rail) to Eastleigh East Yard via Weymouth – 07/04/2025

Yoshi took time out for a trip to North Dorset on 8th April to see Loram Class 37 No. 37418 ‘An Comunn Gaidhealach’ leading inspection saloon No. 975025 ‘Caroline’ into Gillingham working 2Z32 1035 Exeter St Davids to Guildford U.C.H.S. – 08/04/2025

Class 66 shenanigans around the witching hour at Dorchester West as Freightliner operated No.’s 66565 and 66563 passed through twice having reversed at Dorchester Junction with their train consisting of five HQA ballast hoppers reporting as 6Y91 2202 Westbury Down T.C. to Dorchester West – 9th/19th April 2025

Colas Rail Class 43 power cars No.’s 43272 & 43251 were in action once again on the Heart of Wessex line working the Plain Line Pattern Recognition (PLPR) test train to Weymouth, reporting as 1Q22 0710 Derby R.T.C.(Network Rail) to Bristol Kingsland Road. We saw the train at Maiden Newton and Bincombe – 23/04/2025

For The Record: A late test train addition to the schedules saw Colas Class 37 No. 37175 heading through North Dorset overnight 22nd/23rd April 2025 with the Ultrasonic Test Unit.

Over the final weekend of April, Key Model World Live took place at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) in Birmingham. Of particular interest to me was the display model of EFE’s forthcoming Class 74 OO scale model locomotive.

After a weekend spent in the West Midlands, we stopped off at Penkridge as I hoped to see a steam hauled train heading North. Unfortunately the assigned locomotive, LMS Stanier Class 5 4-6-0 No. 45212 had failed at Bristol St Philip’s Marsh depot with a suspected hot axle box on the tender and “The Great Briton XVII: Day 3” was instead in the charge of West Coast Railways Class 57 No. 57314. However to sweeten the disappointment, we also saw Class 37 No. 37403 ‘Isle of Mull’ an hour after the Class 57, as it worked to Crewe.

Thank you for reading – the best way to keep up to date with our latest videos is via the Railway Dog YouTube Channel – why not subscribe today! Or you can catch random witterings and photos via the Railway Dog Facebook group. Be Seeing You!

The Snow & Ice Train (SITT) continued running in March featuring GBRf Class 66 No.’s 66720 ‘Wascosa’ & 66776 ‘Joanne’ as visits to Dorset took place on 3rd and 5th with the final run taking place overnight on 29th/30th March 2025.

On 6th March we popped over to Wool to see Network Rail’s Linsinger Rail Milling Train MG31/ SF06-UK No.’s DR79105/79104 & DR79103/79102 at rest in the sidings.

The track machines had been working around the Dorchester area having arrived from Crewe on Sunday 2nd March 2025 working as 6Q01 0940 Gresty Lane Down Sidings to Wool.

Railway tracks are subjected to constant wear. In order to extend rail service life and to extend traffic safety, rail profiles have to be regularly maintained. Linsinger develop mobile rail milling machines that enable fast rail head reprofiling and minimise traffic disruption.

GBRf Class 73/9 Electo-Diesels No.’s 73961 ‘Alison’ & 73963 ‘Janice’ working the monthly PLPR test train 1Q51 1115 Derby R.T.C.(Network Rail) to Eastleigh East Yard. The train is seen passing Holton Heath and Dorchester South – 10/03/2025

GBRf Class 66 No.’s 66734 ‘Platinum Jubilee’ and 66797 passing through Christchurch with a rail delivery train reporting as 6G24 2223 Eastleigh East Yard to Brockenhurst. The train ran to Bournemouth where it reversed and headed back to Brockenhurst – 11th/12th March 2025

The annual Poole Harbour Commissioners (PHC) Stakeholders Open Evening took place on 12th March 2025.

Rail related highlights were:

It was revealed Capital Expenditure for 2025/26 includes £1m for reinstatement of the port rail link.

The previous government had ambitious targets to grow rail freight. Waiting to see what the current government’s targets for rail freight will be.

Talking to Brittany Ferries with a view to bringing container traffic through the port and out via rail.

The only question from the floor during the Q&A was rail related: “How long before the rail link is actually going to appear?”

PHC CEO Captain Brian Murphy: “That’s a great question and the rail link is there now, it just needs upgrading and reinstating. So the first train, the first cargo out of Poole is likely to be towards the end of the year. We’re planning January next year – hopeful late in the year this year.

Q: “So it actually goes from the port to Hamworthy.. Junction is it?”

Captain Murphy: “Correct. And then onwards to West London”

There was a supplemental question which I think was going to ask how the train would turn round, but this was lost as the session was wrapped up.

Colas RailFreight Class 43 HST power cars No.’s 43257 and 43357 working the monthly “Heart of Wessex” Plain Line Pattern Recognition (PLPR) train, reporting as 1Q22 0745 Derby R.T.C.(Network Rail) to Bristol Kingsland Road, in and around Dorchester. As the train was running almost half an hour late on reaching Dorchester West the decision was made to reverse at Dorchester Junction, foregoing Weymouth – 19/03/2025

GBRf Class 69 No. 69014 in its striking unique Electro Motive Division (EMD) demonstrator livery of yellow and black with EMD branding is seen at Eastleigh having departed the works working 0M45 1020 Eastleigh Works Gbrf to Longport F.D. The nameplates were covered over, but are believed to read “Longport EMD”. The video also features selected trains running through Eastleigh around the time No. 69014 ran through the station – 20/03/2025

GWR 4900 Class 4-6-0 No. 4953 ‘Pitchford Hall’ arrives on Swanage Railway metals in advance of the 2025 Spring Steam Gala Built at by the Great Western Railway at Swindon Works at a cost of £4375, No. 4953 entered traffic in August 1929. The locomotive worked from a wide variety of sheds all over the GWR network, until withdrawal by British Railways in May 1963. Acquired for scrap by Woodham Brothers in Barry, South Wales during October 1963, she was purchased for preservation by Dr John Kennedy in 1984. ‘Pitchford Hall’ is owned by and based on the Epping Ongar Railway and currently carries British Railways lined black livery. – 24/03/2025

As the clocks were getting ready to move forward, I was at Brockenhurst waiting for a DB Cargo engineering train reporting as 6N01 2348 Eastleigh East Yard to Bournemouth. Surprisingly both Class 66 locomotives – No.’s 66013 & 66089 – retained the diminishing EWS livery, a sight set to disappear from the railway scene. The train is also seen racing through Christchurch – 30/03/2025

Bark Along to the Swanage Railway Spring Steam Gala 2025 as we join Yoshi in the Purbeck Hills. The gala took place over the final weekend of March 2025. As well as home fleet locomotives in action, we also saw visiting guest locos; GWR 4900 Class 4-6-0 No. 4953 ‘Pitchford Hall’ and BR built LMS Ivatt Class 2MT 2-6-2T No. 41313

Thank you for reading – the best way to keep up to date with our latest videos is via the Railway Dog YouTube Channel – why not subscribe today! Or you can catch random witterings and photos via the Railway Dog Facebook group. Be Seeing You!

The Wessex Snow & Ice Train continued to make regular appearances into Dorset during February 2025. The motive power for the workings in the early part of the month were in the care of GBRf Class 66 No.’s 66714 ‘Cromer Lifeboat’ & 66768 ‘Yvonne Bradley’. We captured several of the runs at various locations including Poole and Weymouth as seen in the video below:

10/02/2025 –

The regular plain line pattern recognition (PLPR) train ran to Weymouth via the South West Main Line on Monday 10th February 2025 reporting as 1Q51 1115 Derby R.T.C.(Network Rail) to Eastleigh East Yard top and tailed by GBRf Class 73/9 No.’s 73961 ‘Alison’ & 73962 ‘Dick Mabbutt’. We saw the late running train passing through Poole. PLPR uses a series of lasers and cameras to detect faulty track components as the train passes over them

11/02/2025 –

We visited Eastleigh briefly during the morning of Tuesday 11th for an hour or so of watching trains – this has been distilled into twenty minutes for your delectation:

In the afternoon, I was in Poole where GBRf Class 66 No. 66710 ‘Phil Packer’ reversed working 0Y70 1432 Eastleigh East Yard to Eastleigh East Yard.

12/02/2025

The following day it was the turn of GBRf Class 66 No. 66720 ‘Wascosa’ to make it as far as Poole working 0Y70 1432 Eastleigh East Yard to Eastleigh East Yard. This, and the previous days trip, was to provide a driver transferring from passenger to freight to get hours under his belt on a locomotive

Earlier on in the day, I spent some time filming trains around the Westbury area, including freight hauled by Class 59 / Class 70 and Class 60 locomotives

14/02/2025 –

The Snow & Ice Train (SITT) made a return to Dorset on 14th February 2025 with an after dark run this time featuring GBRf Class 66 No.’s 66720 ‘Wascosa’ & 66776 ‘Joanne’ reversing at Poole instead of the scheduled Dorchester South following an incident at Woodsford level crossing between Wool and Dorchester. Reporting as 3Y89 2215 Totton Yard to Totton Yard

15/02/2025 –

DB Cargo Class 66 No. 66124 arrived at Bournemouth in the early hours with engineers train 6N02 0032 Eastleigh East Yard to Christchurch before running around its wagons and departing back east for the work site

February 2025 boasted two test trains featuring Class 37 locomotives running to Weymouth via the “Heart of Wessex Line” on two consecutive days. First up were No.’s 37402 & 37610 with the Plain Line Pattern Recognition (PLPR) train reporting as 1Q22 0745 Derby R.T.C.(Network Rail) to Bristol Kingsland Road on Wednesday 19th February, while the following day – Thursday 20th February- produced No. 37219 with DBSO No. 9702 working the Ultrasonic Test Unit 3Q14 1113 Westbury Down T.C. to Westbury Down T.C.

28/02/2025 –

On the last day of February 2025, I popped over the county border to Somerset to catch up with friend of this blog @smithy.377 and see 30 seconds worth of two Class 37’s with barrier coaches returning to Derby after they had delivered a Class 175 Diesel Multiple Unit to Plymouth Laira earlier in the day. The video shows No’s 37423 and 37901 ‘Mirrlees Pioneer’ storming through Highbridge & Burnham working 5M57 0954 Laira T.& R.S.M.D. to Derby R.T.C.(Network Rail)

Later, the final Wessex Snow & Ice Treatment Train of February 2025 passed Poole top and tailed by GBRf Class 66 No.’s 66776 ‘Joanne’ and 66720 ‘Wascosa’ just before midnight

Thank you for reading – the best way to keep up to date with our latest videos is via the Railway Dog YouTube Channel – why not subscribe today! Or you can catch random witterings and photos via the Railway Dog Facebook group. Be Seeing You!

02/01/2025 –

We spent New Year in London and I couldn’t resist going to the top floor of our hotel to capture images overlooking Charing Cross and Waterloo East

04/01/2025 –

Bark along with us as we visit the Swanage Railway for their first event of 2025, the “Winter Warm Up” which took place on January 4th & 5th. We visited on the Saturday to watch a combination of steam and diesel locomotives hauling both passenger and freight trains through the Purbecks. Remember to dress up warm as it’s mighty cold!

The first week of 2025 saw a number of runs for the Snow & Ice Treatment Train (SITT) in Dorset utilising GBRf Class 66 No.’s 66768 ‘Yvonne Bradley’ + 66714 ‘Cromer Lifeboat’. This video includes clips of every daylight movement from 01/01/2025 to 07/01/2025 (the early morning outing on 04/01/2025 is omitted as even I was tucked up in my bed!) Passenger trains along the route from London Waterloo to Weymouth draw their power from a conductor rail, commonly known as the Third Rail as it is positioned alongside the standard railway track. If ice forms on the surface of the conductor rail, the flow of electricity is interrupted and trains are unable to draw power to move. To combat this, Network Rail has a fleet of treatment trains which scrape the ice off the conductor rail using metal brushes and spraying thousands of litres of anti-icing fluid to prevent the formation of ice.

For a few days in January, we swapped Dorset for Suffolk as we visited friends in Ipswich. I took the opportunity to point my phone camera at various passenger and freight workings in and around the county town

12/01/2025 –

A call from ​⁠ @jamiesmithgoingloco  inviting me along to the Southampton area to see Colas Railfreight Class 56 No. 56094 with an empty Long Welded Rail set working 6C01 0720 Ashford International to Eastleigh East Yard was too good to resist. We saw the Class 56 and other trains passing Horseshoe Bridge, St Denys after an initial visit to Eastleigh to catch sight of DB Cargo Class 66 No. 66088 at the head of 6N66 0700 Herne Hill to Eastleigh East Yard. A fine way to spend a Sunday morning

16/01/2025 –

Colas Rail Freight Class 37 No. 37175 with DBSO No. 9708 passing through Poole on a foggy night with the Structure Gauging Train reporting as 3Q02 2140 Eastleigh East Yard to Eastleigh East Yard. The loco sounded in fine fettle on the way to Weymouth, but all expectations for a similar performance on the return working were dashed as the train passed at a sedate pace!

A second selection of January 2025 Snow & Ice Treatment Train (SITT) workings in Dorset utilising GBRf Class 66 No.’s 66 66768 ‘Yvonne Bradley’ + 66714 ‘Cromer Lifeboat’. This video includes clips filmed between 08/01/2025 and 13/01/2025

19/01/2025 –

Europhoenix/Rail Operations Group (ROG) in de-branded DRS livery Class 37 No. 37423 powers through Castle Cary hauling Eastern Rail Services’ MK2 lounge car No. 6703, buffet first No. 1220, seated brake No. 9805 and accessible sleeper No. 10699 from the West Somerset Railway, where the stock has been engaged in filming work carrying a fictional Highland Sleeper livery, to Great Yarmouth working as 5Z03 1002 Bishops Lydeard to Yarmouth C.H.S.

22/01/2025 –

Colas Class 43 HST power cars No.’s 43274/43272 test train working a test train to Weymouth via the Heart of Wessex line running as 1Q18 0751 Derby R.T.C.(Network Rail) to Bristol Kingsland Road. This video also features South Western Railway Class 444’s and a Great Western Class 166 at Upwey

23/01/2025 –

The Wessex Snow & Ice Treatment Train operated in the early hours of 23/01/2025 reporting as 3Y89 0100 Totton Yard to Totton Yard. The usual suspects; GBRf Class 66 No.’s 66 66768 ‘Yvonne Bradley’ + 66714 ‘Cromer Lifeboat’ were once again in charge as the service ran from Totton Yard to Dorchester South and back

24/01/2025 –

GBRf Class 66 No. 66714 ‘Cromer Lifeboat’ passes Poole with 0Y89 0200 Totton Yard to Totton Yard which ran to Dorchester and back potentially checking for storm damage on the track

Soon after filming No. 66714 running solo through Poole, I was in a car heading to Gatwick Airport where I boarded a plane for Sydney, Australia. One of the reasons for my visit “down under” was to fulfil a long held ambition to see XPT’s .

During the 1970’s, the British Railways Board possessed an export division known as “Transmark”, which decided the InterCity 125 High Speed Train (HST) would make an attractive proposition to foreign operators and pitched the product to potential buyers. After a period of assessment, the Australian government duly placed an order for six power cars and 20 carriages in 1980. The trains were built under licence in Australia by Commonwealth Engineering and differed slightly from their British cousins by having a taller body to accommodate larger radiators and other heat and dust-combating equipment. There were also frontal air intakes and larger side windows.

The trains were introduced in 1982 and were an immediate success on long-distance routes – so much so that additional power cars and coaches were ordered. A total of 19 XPT power cars were built. During October 1990, the government announced that eight sleeper carriages would be ordered for use on overnight services to Brisbane, Murwillumbah and Melbourne. The XPT’s are presently operated under NSW TrainLink, running on long-distance regional and interstate North Coast, Main Western and Main Southern line services throughout New South Wales and interstate into Victoria and Queensland. The trains have been subject to refurbishments and overhauls to permit their use into the twenty-first century.

During October 2016, the NSW government announced the XPT fleet would be entirely replaced as part of the Regional Train Project. The replacement fleet, originally set to enter service in 2023, has encountered delays and is now scheduled for introduction around 2025–2027, resulting in the XPT operating longer than originally anticipated and will now be retained even after the new trains enter service. The XPT’s currently work daily services including Sydney to Grafton, Casino, Dubbo, Melbourne and Brisbane.

For the record; GBRf Class 66 No.’s 66750 & 66709 reversed at Poole Station on 29th January 2025 with a rail delivery train working as 2253 6G24 Eastleigh East Yard to Branksome. The train had been scheduled to run out to the storage sidings, but work being conducted on the longterm out of service track work prevented this.

Thank you for reading – the best way to keep up to date with our latest videos is via the Railway Dog YouTube Channel – why not subscribe today! Or you can catch random witterings and photos via the Railway Dog Facebook group. Be Seeing You!