Mostly Swanage

April 25th to May 16th 2024 It’s been a while… where did we get to last time? Ah yes, Class 52 “Western”, the New Measurement Train, engineering trains, Swanage and such like. I think this post may be a case of deja vu as many of these topics appear once again. But first, we had… Continue reading Mostly Swanage

Yoshi’s Bincombe Visit

March 16th 2024 to March 22nd 2024 Maintenance work between Dorchester and Weymouth closed the railway line from Monday 18th to Wednesday 20th March 2024 affecting both South Western Railway (SWR) and Great Western Railway (GWR) services along this route. In association with the work, an engineers train, in the hands of Freightliner, worked from… Continue reading Yoshi’s Bincombe Visit

Yoshi Goes To Fawley Hill

We eased into a busy few days by popping over to Hamworthy on Friday 23rd June 2023 to see a Freightliner Class 66 locomotive on a route learner from Southampton Maritime to Weymouth and back.  No idea if this means there may be some engineering trains heading our way in the future or just a… Continue reading Yoshi Goes To Fawley Hill

Severn Valley Diesel Gala 2023

Last week we were enjoying the sun in Cornwall, so our report on our visit to the 2023 Severn Valley Diesel Gala ( which took place 18th – 21st May) is slightly delayed until now. We hope you found our mini blog about Promenade Plantée in Paris interesting and a bit different last week, but… Continue reading Severn Valley Diesel Gala 2023

Sprat & Winkle Week

Wednesday 8th March 2023 to Tuesday 14th March 2023 The Network Rail Snow & Ice Treatment Train (SITT) graced us with its presence twice this week – firstly on Wednesday and then again on Friday. Both visits were top and tailed by the same pair of GBRf Class 66 locomotives which have also made it… Continue reading Sprat & Winkle Week

Shillingstone

Wednesday February 8th to Tuesday February 14th 2023 On Friday, it was announced that South Western Railway had received a two-year extension on its existing contract from the Department of Transport. Scottish parent company FirstGroup PLC said their national rail contract would now run until May 2025. With no sense of irony Chief Executive Officer Graham… Continue reading Shillingstone

Who Nothe?

30th November to 6th December 2022 On Sunday we had a wander around the Nothe in Weymouth where we had a close look at these rails fixed to walls either side of Fusee Steps and wondered what their origin was. Historic England dates the steps and inclined tramway as circa 1860 and describes them as… Continue reading Who Nothe?

See Monster

Wednesday 2nd November to Tuesday 8th November 2022 Hello faithful reader, here we are, back again for another railway dog blog entry. Settle down – quiet at the back there – and let me regale you with this weeks tales. Or should that be tails? Saturday November 5th was scheduled to be a rail strike… Continue reading See Monster

More Flying Scotsman

Yoshi took the opportunity of ‘Flying Scotsman’ being on static display at Swanage railway station to get up close and personal! Last week we shared video of ‘Flying Scotsman’ during her 1994 visit to the Swanage Railway. This week we move forward to 1999 and 2000 when the locomotive could be found in her famous… Continue reading More Flying Scotsman

Crompton Week

Wednesday 3rd August to Tuesday 9th August 2022 Ultrasonic Test Train & DBSO’s Wednesday 3rd August saw a scheduled visit of COLAS Class 37 No. 37099 with an Ultrasonic Test Train visiting the Bournemouth to Weymouth line. Due to pass through Poole around 2315, a late departure from Eastleigh meant the train actually passed at… Continue reading Crompton Week