The Railway Dog

Category: Railways

  • Pendennis Castle

    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 Didcot
    Class 57 No. 57604 ‘Pendennis Castle’ – Didcot 02/04/2022
    Nameplate 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 Didcot
    Lady Judy McAlpine launched ‘Pendennis Castle’ into traffic
    Nameplate 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 02/04/2022
    GWR 0-4-0T No. 1338 – Didcot 02/04/2022
    No. 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 – 03/04/2022
    66105 at Poole with tamper DR75501 – 03/04/2022
    66105 at Poole railway station – 03/04/2022
    66105 at Poole High Street Crossing – 03/04/2022
    66105 at Poole High Street Crossing – 03/04/2022
    66105 waits to return to Eastleigh East Yard at Parkstone the eastern extent of the worksite – 03/04/2022
    Balfour 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’ – 24/06/1979
    Southern interloper Battle of Britain Class No.34051 ‘Sir Winston Churchill’ on shed at Didcot – 24/06/1979
    GWR Modified Hall Class 4-6-0 No. 6998 ‘Burton Agnes Hall’ at Didcot – 24/06/1979
    Nameplate 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 – 24/06/1979
    Didcot 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 – 13/09/1981
    BR 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 – 13/09/1981
    Nameplate 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.

  • Winfrith Waste

    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 frame
    Winfrith ground frame
    Winfrith ground frame
    DRS Class 68 No.’s 68016 and 68017 at Winfrith Magnox – 24th March 2022
    DRS 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 2022
    DRS Class 68’s at Winfrith – 24th March 2022
    Close up of 68016’s nameplate
    Close 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.

  • Yeovil Yarns

    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 21/03/2022
    Class 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 17/03/2022
    66095 working 0514 Wakefield Europort to Southampton western Docks Berth 109 – Eastleigh 17/03/2022
    Class 67008 shunting MK4 stock – Eastleigh 17/03/2022
    66792 working 4Y19 1230 Mountfield Sidings (GBRf) to Southampton Western Docks – Eastleigh 17/03/2022
    66522 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 Newton
    Former Bridport Branch trackbed, Maiden Newton
    Former Bridport Branch trackbed, Maiden Newton
    West Bay Station – March 2016
    West 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.

  • Island Line Adventure

    Yoshi at Ryde Pier Head in the company of Class 484 unit No. 484002

    We spent last weekend enjoying the delights of the Isle of Wight. As part of our travels, we took a trip from Shanklin to Ryde Pier Head on the recently upgraded Island Line which is operated by South Western Railway (SWR). The Island Line is 8.5 miles long and runs between Ryde and Shanklin. Because of clearance height issues along the route, notably in Ryde Tunnel, limited locomotives and rolling stock could be employed on this route. I was planning on visiting the Island in 2020/21 prior to the improvement works taking place, but Covid measures prevented travel and I was unable to capture the last days of the Class 483 trains. My previous visit to Ryde St Johns was in June 2013 when I snapped the following images of the ex-1938 London Underground tube stock on the depot. These units were extensively refurbished for use on the Isle of Wight line at Eastleigh Works between 1989 and 1992.

    Ryde 22062013
    Ryde 22062013
    Ryde 22062013

    The Class 483’s replaced the even older and life-expired Class 485 ( or 4VEC / 5VEC) and 486 (3TIS / 2TIS) units which were introduced to the island in 1967 and had been converted from 1923 standard tube stock built for use on the London Electric Railway. At the time of their introduction on the Isle of Wight these trains were already over forty years old but allowed for the phasing out of steam locomotives on the line. I travelled on these trains in August 1980 and took these photos with my treasured Kodak 110 camera.

    032 Ryde 26081980
    032 Ryde 26081980
    043 Ryde 26081980

    The main purpose of the 1980 trip was to track down the elusive Class 05 shunter which was at that time unique on British Rail. We found it hiding at the back of the shed at Ryde St Johns. The locomotive is now preserved on the Isle of Wight Steam Railway which was unfortunately not open for the 2022 season during our stay on the island.

    05001 Ryde 26081980
    05001 Ryde 26081980

    There are five ‘new’ two-car Class 484 trains which were converted by Vivarail using London Underground D78 stock originally built in the late 1970’s / early 1980’s by Metero-Cammell. The 484’s are based on the Class 230 diesel multiple unit.

    230004 seen at Bedford 15/05/2021

    The Island Line closed in January 2021 for the £26m upgrade to take place. Work was originally scheduled to take until April 2021 for its completion, but because of the Covid pandemic and teething problems with onboard software the line didn’t reopen to passengers until 1st November 2021. As part of the upgrade, platforms were raised or tracks lowered at five stations to improve accessibility and re-engineering of the track considerably improved the standard of travel and ensured a smooth ride. We found the new interiors spacious and clean with charging sockets available at most seats.

    Class 484 No. 484002 heading to Ryde Pier Head 13/03/2022

    The Isle of Wight has a great deal of railway history and more by accident than design we came across the location of the former railway stations at Newport, Freshwater and Yarmouth.

    We enjoyed a light lunch at the ‘End Of The Line Cafe’ in Freshwater on Saturday, Yoshi sharing a delicious sausage baguette with his mum while I kept all my vegetable soup to myself.

    Plaque marking the location of Newport Railway Station
    The site of Freshwater Railway Station
    The site of Freshwater Railway Station
    The site of Freshwater Railway Station

    We can totally recommend ‘Off The Rails‘, an award winning restaurant which inhabits the station building at Yarmouth. Our Sunday lunch was exceptional and the dog snack menu was welcomed by Yoshi who enjoyed another tasty sausage.

    Afterwards we walked off the calories taking a stroll along the trackbed of the former Newport, Yarmouth and Shanklin railway.

    After a slow start to the week in review, Monday 14th March could be described as something of a bumper day for unusual traction on the Bournemouth to Weymouth line.

    66799 and 66760 Holes Bay, Poole 14/03/2022
    73964 Dorchester South 14/03/2022
    Namplate detail of 66760 (photograph courtesy of @da_buckley967)

    Our marvellous Monday kicked off with a visit of GBRf Class 66 top and tailed Snow & Ice Treatment Train. Railhead treatment trains are always a favourite in this dog house so it was great to see this working after an absence of a few months.

    Monday 14th and Tuesday 15th saw an interesting route learning move from Direct Rail Services (DRS) with Class 57 No. 57002 ‘Rail Express’ working from Norwich to Southampton via Weymouth in connection with a few future train movements from the area.

    The Class 57 was re-engineered from redundant Class 47 locomotives by Brush Traction of Loughborough between 1998 and 2004. The locos were given reconditioned Electro-Motive Diesel engines and traction alternator’s as fitted to the Class 56 to improve reliability and performance. 57002 is part of the 57/0 variant specifically designed for freight operations. DRS currently have nine Class 57’s on their books.

    57002 ‘Rail Express’ Holes Bay, Poole 15/03/2022
    Namplate detail of 57002 (photograph courtesy of @da_buckley967)

    Along with the 57/0’s there are two other sub-classes of Class 57; 57/3 and 57/6 both primarily intended for passenger use.

    57005 Cardiff 24/02/2010

    Virgin West Coast Trains utilised 16 Class 57’s for rescue duties and for dragging electric locomotives on routes with no overhead wires with the first locomotive leased from Porterbrook delivered in 2002. All were handed back by the end of 2012 as they were no longer required.

    To acknowledge their role as rescue locomotives, Virgin named their Class 57’s after elements from Gerry Anderon’s Thunderbirds TV series and in addition each engine carried an International Rescue logo above the nameplate. The next few images show two of he Thunderbird locomotives which were hired in by First Great Western to work a Taunton to Cardiff Central diagram which commenced in December 2009. The 57’s worked in pairs top and tailing stock sourced from Riviera Trains. The sets were serviced at Bishops Lydeard on the West Somerset Railway on weekdays, returning to Cardiff for maintenance at the weekends. However, the 57’s and coaching stock proved troublesome and the contract ceased in July 2010.

    57309 ‘Brains’ Taunton 24/02/2010
    57307 ‘Lady Penelope’ Taunton 24/02/2010
    57309 ‘Brains’ and 57307 ‘Lady Penelope’ at Bristol Temple Meads 24/02/2010
    Nameplate of 57309 ‘Brains’ 24/02/2010
    Nameplate of 57307 ‘Lady Penelope’ 24/02/2010

    Great Western Railway (GWR) operate four Class 57/6 locomotives which were all named after castles in the Devon and Cornwall area in which they operate, mostly on the Night Riviera sleeper service between London Paddington and Penzance. In June 2010 No. 57604 ‘Pendennis Castle’ was out-shopped in a lined Brunswick green livery to celebrate the 175th anniversary of the original Great Western Railway.

    57604 ‘Pendennis Castle’ London Paddington 27/03/2013
    57604 ‘Pendennis Castle’ London Paddington 27/03/2013
    57604 ‘Pendennis Castle’ at Dorchester West 04/09/2010
    Nameplate of 57604 ‘Pendennis Castle’ London Paddington 27/03/2013

    Finally the monthly rail inspection train, this time top and tailed by Class 73 Electro-Diesel locomotives No’s 73963 ‘Janice’ and 73964 ‘Jeanette’, ran to Weymouth this week as 186V 1115 Derby RTC to Eastleigh East Yard.

    For the record, my first ever visit to the Isle of Wight was in 1973. I don’t recall travelling by train during that holiday, but I do remember sunny days sat on the top deck of double decker buses touring the island. I also vividly remember the poster campaign for the ecological dystopian thriller film ‘Soylent Green‘. The images of riot control trucks fitted with large hydraulic shovels scooping up people like they were waste has haunted me ever since. Incidentally the film was set in 2022. I suppose I should get around to watching it some day. For this weeks archive feature, we return to the island in the mid 1970’s and a trip along the Isle of Wight steam Railway in a short, silent cine film from the John Chappell Collection.

    16th March 2022, the day this blog entry was uploaded, marks the third anniversary of Yoshi picking me as his human dad. It’s been a happy rewarding companionship, made stronger when we found Yoshi’s gorgeous human mum. We both love our boy to bits and try and include him on as many adventures as possible.

    That’s it for this week. Thanks for reading. I’m off to find a snack – I’ve heard about a nutritious product made from ocean plankton I should try…..

  • Somerset & Dorset ( in Hampshire )

    Yoshi sits patiently like the good boy he is at Alresford station awaiting the departure of S&DJR 7F 2-8-0 locomotive No. 53808 with a special train celebrating the 56th anniversary of the end of services on the Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway

    A Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway themed feel about this weeks blog. It’s like we plan these things instead of throwing everything together at the last minute. Which of course we’d never do.

    Our week in review kicked off last Wednesday, March 2nd 2022, when I noted that the daily booked turn for Class 455 units to journey from Wimbledon to Bournemouth depot actually ran. I normally check Realtime Trains every day for out of the norm movements, but typically on the one day I neglected to look the service was activated. However, I was able to see the return working slightly later on the same day as can be seen in the following video:

    Class 455 units No.’s 455734 and 455708 departing Bournmouth Traction & Rolling Stock depot with 5Y51 1431 service to Wimbledon Depot sidings on Wednesday March 2nd 2022. The video also features Class 444 electric multiple units No.’s 444045 and 444029 at Branksome working 1B25 1235 London Waterloo to Poole.
    The track into Bournemouth depot was originally the route to Bournemouth West, used as the southern terminus of the S&D. Passenger services along this line ceased on October 4th 1965, the station being demolished and part of the land used for the Wessex Way road. In 1966 work commenced on the construction of a carriage shed, an inspection shed and sidings for electric trains about to be introduced for use with the Bournemouth Electrification of 1967.
    The former Bournemouth West Junction signal box was retained to control entry to the depot sidings and is seen pictured here with Class 33 No. 33109 on the 26th March 1988 – the date of the first ever Bournemouth depot open day.

    Sunday March 6th continued the Slow and Dirty theme when Yoshi and I took a trip to the Mid Hants Railway to see a special train hauled by S&D 7F 2-8-0 steam locomotive No. 53808 in remembrance of the 56th anniversary of the last train on the Somerset and Dorset route. Organised by The Somerset & Dorset Railway Trust and primarily for use of Members and Friends of the Trust, this is intended to be an annual event. Having dropped Yoshi’s mum off for a pampering spa day en-route, we arrived in Alresford in time to see the departure of the second and final train of the day.

    The trains ran between Alresford and Alton and on the second return journey it stopped at Ropley where passengers could detrain and observe a run-through of the station at line speed. No. 53808 built in 1925 by Robert Stephenson & Co is owned by The Somerset & Dorset Railway Trust and was purchased for preservation in 1969 returning to service following restoration at the West Somerset Railway in 1987. A second overhaul was completed in February 2016, with the engine emerging in British Railways black livery with the late BR crest. As of autumn 2020 the locomotive is permanently based at the Mid Hants Railway for the remainder of her boiler ticket.

    I was pleased to note that the Watercress Line shop and West Country Buffet at Alresford was open on the day along with the S&DRT museum which contains station signs and memorabilia from the former S&D route to Bath Green Park. I can recommend the cheese and onion pasties from the buffet.

    Yoshi visited Bath last November where he enjoyed a couple of sips of water at the Green Park Brasserie located on the former station terminus and goods yard site which also now contains a Sainsbury’s supermarket and associated car park. Sainsbury’s donated substantially towards the £1.5m cost of the restoration of the Grade 2 station building. The train shed lost its glazing during World War 2 and the glass was not replaced until the early 1980’s refurbishment and the roof now protects shoppers from the elements and provides an area for community activities.

    Our day was rounded off with stops at Eastleigh, the Southampton Maritime Freightliner depot and Totton Yard.

    Network Rail Infrastructure Monitoring Vehicle No. 153385 at Eastleigh
    DB Cargo UK Class 67 No. 67012 retains its unbranded Chiltern Railways livery sits adjacent to Eastleigh railway station
    Withdrawn Class 442 in Gatwick Express livery remains at Eastleigh Works
    DB Cargo UK Class 66 No. 66040 – Eastleigh Works
    Class 07 shunter No. 07007 owned by Knights Rail Services at Eastleigh Works. 14 members of this class were built by Ruston & Hornsby in 1962 and were primarily used in Southampton Docks and Eastleigh Works.
    Multiple Freightliner Class 66 and Class 70 locomotives rest at Southampton Maritime
    GBRf Class 66 No.’s 66799 and 66760 ‘David Gordon Harris’ sit at Totton Yard with a Snow & Ice Treatment Train – 06/03/2022

    Before our visit to Hampshire, a trip to London on Saturday to view an exhibition of Francis Bacon (1909 – 1992) paintings at the Royal Academy meant Yoshi had a sleep over with his cousins Freya and Rosa. There were no paintings of trains at the gallery, indeed I’m not even aware of Bacon’s opinion of railways. I can however imagine a tortured portrait of Gordon the big blue engine from the Rev. W. Awdry’s Railway Series of books screaming into the abyss frustrated at being overlooked as he was an experimental engine and precursor of Gresley’s A3 Pacific’s for the Great Northern Railway and kept a secret. Also he’d be purple.

    There were however, two paintings featuring dogs.

    ‘Man with Dog’ (1953) on the left, and ‘Dog’ (1952)
    Class 444 No. 444036 stands at London Waterloo platform 19 with the 1933 service to Weymouth on 5th March 2022

    Our first archive segment this week comes from 1996 and another visit to The Watercress Line and their S&D Dream Weekend which commemorated the 30th anniversary of the last train to run over the Somerset and Dorset Railway, albeit a month early!

    Advertisement from The Railway Magazine February 1996

    On September 2nd 2006 Kingfisher Railtours ran The Somerset & Dorset Remembered tour using Bulleid West Country Pacific No. 34067 ‘Tangmere’ with EWS Class 67 No. 67006 providing assistance at the rear of the train. If the video is anything to go by, I must have arrived at Wareham to film events just as ‘Tangmere’ arrived with the coaching stock ready for the booked 0620 departure. The route of the tour took passengers from Dorset to Salisbury, Bath and Bristol Temple Meads. Later that same day, after the last passengers were dropped off in Wareham on the return leg, the 67 hauled the empty coaching stock to Weymouth where the locomotive ran round before departing.

    Finally more Mid Hants action with a flashback to their 2021 Spring Steam Gala filmed on 1st May 2021:

    That’s all for this week, thanks for reading. See you next time!

  • Dog n’ Marylebone

    A quiet week with out of the ordinary trains in the Bournemouth to Weymouth area this week. The New Measurement Train which was scheduled to have run on Wednesday 23rd February was cancelled. Maybe we’ll get visited by a COLAS HST in March instead.

    Sleeper and track replacement at Bournemouth over the weekend saw an engineers train powered by two Freightliner Class 66 locomotives No’s. 66598 and 66512 visit the station. I was asleep when the consist arrived in the early hours of Saturday, but after breakfast, Yoshi and I headed over to Bournemouth to have a quick look at what was going on.

    On Sunday, I left Yoshi at home with his mum while I went off to London for the day. At Christmas I was given a fabulous book; ‘Britain’s 100 Best Railway Stations’ by Simon Jenkins, which as the title suggests takes a look at some beautiful railway station architecture across the UK. One of the London Termini included is Marylebone, the smallest railway terminus in the capital. Being in the vicinity, I decided to take a quick look.

    Grade II listed Marylebone is the only London terminus not to see electric traction and all services are operated by diesel trains. Despite strong opposition from the Marylebone Cricket Club who objected to the line crossing Lord’s cricket ground which sits to the north, the station opened for passenger traffic on 15th March 1899 having been constructed by the Great Central Railway for their London extension and was the last of London’s main line termini to be built. Sir Edward Watkin who created the GCR and one of the Victorian era’s great Railway Kings hoped that the line would continue south to the coast and cross to France via a Channel Tunnel. The station architect was Henry William Braddock who worked as a civil engineer with the GCR. Because of the fight over Lord’s cricket ground and the agreed solution of a cut and cover tunnel to the east of the hallowed turf, money was tight and this is reflected in the modest design of the station which was originally intended to have eight platforms but only four were built. Marylebone gained two extra platforms in 2006 following rail privatisation. The design utilises attractive red brickwork with terracotta dressings. Over 500 houses were demolished to make way for the railway and those displaced were rehoused by the Great Central. It is currently the southern terminus of Chiltern Railways, but in the 1980’s serious consideration was given to tarmacking the track bed and running buses over a road expressway. I’m rather pleased that this option was not adopted and the railway survives into the 21st Century.

    For comparison below is archive footage of Marylebone and Aylesbury from March 1992 recorded by my late friend John Chappell who sadly passed away in 2021. John was an enthusiastic follower of all things transport and a supporter of the Swanage Railway and the Merchant Navy Locomotive Preservation Society and their steam locomotive No. 35028 ‘Clan Line’.

    As well as Class 165 and Class 168 diesel multiple units Chiltern Railways also employ Class 68 locomotives on London Marylebone to Birmigham Moor Street services. No.68012 is seen arriving at Birmingham Moor Street on Friday 13th March 2020
    Chiltern Railways Class 168 No. 168109 at Birmingham Moor Street – 13/03/2020

    Another visit to the archives here with video from September 1992. Last week we included photos of newly outcropped Class 69 No. 69004 in Railway Technical Centre livery and the video below, filmed by John Chappell, shows two test train examples of rolling stock painted in this livery.

    Of particular interest is the footage of the International Services Test Train passing through Eastleigh. This ensemble was part of the testing employed for the Trans Manche Super Train (TMST) Channel Tunnel stock. In December 1989, an order was placed with GEC-Alsthom for the construction of thirty TGV-style electric train sets which were to operate from London to Paris and Brussels. These trains were required to take electric current from 25 kV overhead wires while passing through the Channel Tunnel and in France, and 3 kV in Belgium. On the British side, however, the trains would be utilising the existing suburban 750 Volt DC 3rd rail track. Sir Edward Watkin of the Great Central Railway would have been proud to have seen his vision finally realised!

    As part of the programme, withdrawn from service Class 33 No. 33115 was converted into a Driving Van Trailer (DVT) at Doncaster Works in 1990 and was given a fresh look in InterCity Executive livery and renumbered 83301. The locomotive had been modified with TGV-type bogies equipped with third rail pick-up shoes. Unpowered, it kept its seized engine as a dead weight. The decal ‘Test Vehicle For International Services’ was added to the lower body sides. The ex Class 33/1 nicknamed ‘Zebedee’ and was paired with Class 73 No. 73205 ‘London Chamber of Commerce’. The two were semi-permanently coupled to each other, 83301 being used to collect electricity from the 3rd rail which was then transferred to the 73 via heavy duty cabling to provide motive power. The remainder of the test train was initially formed of 4TC Class 438 No. 8007 ( coach numbers: 977684-7 ) painted in Railway Technical Centre red and blue but was later supplemented, in 1991, with ex 4TC coaches 977763/4 in Network SouthEast livery.

    As seen in the video, the test train was commonly found running between Waterloo and Eastleigh until regular Eurostar services commenced in November 1994, running from Waterloo International to Paris and Brussels. No. 83301 was donated to the Class 33/1 Preservation Company Ltd utilising parts for Swanage railway based classmate No. 33111, the remainder being scrapped at St Leonards depot in 1996. No. 73205 remains in service with GBRf and is now named ‘Jeanette’.

    Ten years prior to conversion to DVT No. 83301, Class 33/1 No. 33115 departs Dorchester with a Weymouth to London Waterloo service – 25/07/1980
    Class 33 No. 33115 propelling a Weymouth to London Waterloo service formed of two 4TC sets near Dorchester – 04/07/1981
    Class 73 No. 73205 ‘Jeanette’ still in InterCity Executive livery seen working a test train at Weymouth – 17/02/2014 (John Chappell)
    Yoshi gets up close and personal with Class 33/1 No. 33111 at Corfe Castle. Classmate No. 33115 donated spares to this locomotive via the Class 33 Preservation Company Ltd

    That’s all for this week. Join us next time for more of the same, but subtly different.

  • Whistles In The Wind

    Great Western Railway Small Prairie No. 5526 heads through the Purbeck countryside – 19/02/2022

    So this week we’ve all had to contend with the triple onslaught of Storm’s Dudley, Eunice and Franklin. Remember when we had to wait months in-between storms? Now they come along like double decker buses. Hopefully everyone has come through unscathed. We were up late, or was it early….. to be honest, most likely both…. on 16th February 2022 when Class 66 locomotives No.’s 66765 and 66779 top and tailing a rail milling machine paid a visit to the Weymouth line. We caught this interesting ensemble passing through Poole and Hamworthy. It was both wet and cold, a foretaste of things to come.

    Later the same day, Yoshi together with his human parents took a trip to Lacock in Wiltshire. Yoshi was able to tick off another location used by the BBC when they were filming the 1995 television adaptation of Jane Austen’s ‘Pride & Prejudice’. Last year he visited Lyme Park in Cheshire which was used as the exterior of Pemberley, Mr. Darcy’s country house. Laycock village portrayed the fictional village of Meryton in the TV miniseries.

    Yoshi striking his best Fitzwilliam Darcy pose at Lyme Park – June 2021
    Yoshi enjoys the grounds of Lacock Abbey – February 2022

    Because of the impending arrival of high winds, the grounds of Lacock Abbey were closed early and we retreated to Westbury for a busy hour of train spotting. We managed to see most workings scheduled to pass through the station in the time we were there with one exception which was routed via the avoiding line at the last minute and the realisation of this change was just too late for me to get in a position in order to photograph the 59 which was at the head of the train.

    Locomotives in this video include 66606 working 748G 1321 Southampton Up Yard (FL) to Whatley Quarry FL HH, 66509 & 59101 working 752G 1222 Wembley Receptions 1-7 to Merehead Quarry, 66501 working 487H 1329 Wentloog to Southampton MCT, 66617 working 673K Appleford FHH to Whatley Quarry FL HH as well as Great Western Railway and South Western Railway passenger services
    Before heading home we dried out and enjoyed some refreshment in the Railway Inn where we found this cast aluminium British Rail depot plaque for Westbury which depicts a representation of the White Horse hill figure cut into the escarpment of Salisbury Plain situated east of the town and is visible from afar and a famous local landmark. The plaque would have once adorned the side of a locomotive allocated to Westbury depot.

    The next day, intrigued by the prospect of catching sight of ‘new’ Class 69 No. 69004 which was rumoured to be leaving the works following a paint job, Yoshi and I headed to Eastleigh. Before the 69’s scheduled departure, we popped in to Shawford station to catch a glimpse of Class 50 No. 50008 ‘Thunderer’ hauling Rail Adventure Ltd. barrier wagons.

    50008 with Rail Adventure barrier wagons passing Shawford – 17/02/2022
    Many years previously the same locomotive; 50008 in British Rail Large Logo livery arrives at Radipole Halt near Weymouth – 16/07/1983

    Here’s some video of our brief visit to Shawford for you to bark along to including 50008 working 656S Eastleigh TRSMD to Kings Norton OT Plant Dept:

    Arriving in Eastleigh, we were able to observe a few trains as the clock counted down to Class 69 No. 69004’s scheduled departure from the Eastleigh Works paint shop.

    Locomotives in this video include: 66738 working 6041 1014 Westbury Down T.C. to Eastleigh East Yard, 66606 working 6320 1409 Fareham Hanson Sidings to Merehead Quarry, 08511 shunting wagons (including new Network Rail / Wascosa ‘Falcons’ ), 66762 working 4M46 1424 Southampton Western Docks to Trafford Park Euro Terminal, 66761 working 4Y19 Mountfield Sidings to Southampton Western Docks along with various South Western Railway and Southern passenger services

    Just before 1600, Class 69 No. 69004 emerged from Eastleigh Works in a fine representation of the old British Railways Railway Technical Centre livery. I look forward to seeing how GBRf outshop subsequent locomotives of this class which are being converted from former Class 56 locomotives. We decided against joining the shooting gallery on Eastleigh station and instead took a vantage point from the multi-storey car park overlooking the railway.

    Newly out-shopped Class 69 No. 69004 eases out of Eastleigh Works with Class 73 No. 73212 in support
    Class 69 No. 69004 and Class 73 Electro-diesel No. 73212 work 0Y73 1600 Eastleigh Works GBRf to Brighton Wall Sidings

    Dorset’s premier heritage line The Swanage Railway is currently being visited by Great Western Railway Class 4575 2-6-2T Small Prairie tank locomotive No. 5526 on loan from its usual home on the South Devon Railway. 

    Designed by Charles Collett, one hundred of the Class 4575 locomotives were built for passenger and freight train workings by the Great Western Railway at its Swindon locomotive works. No. 5526 emerged in May 1928 at a cost of £3,694 and is one of 14 members of its class to survive into preservation.

    Spending its entire life hauling trains in the West Country, No. 5526 was based at St Blazey, Bodmin, Exeter, Plymouth Millbay, Laira and Truro – ending its days at Westbury in Wiltshire.

    Withdrawn from service in June 1962, with a mileage of around 900,000 miles, No. 5526 was sold to Woodham’s scrapyard at Barry in South Wales from where she was rescued in 1985 with restoration starting at Swindon before being moved to the South Devon Railway where work was completed by No. 5526’s owners – 5526 Limited – at Buckfastleigh.

    We caught No. 5526 on the afternoon of Saturday 19th February 2022 where she looked and sounded fabulous. Unfortunately the locomotive experienced some issues later over the weekend and some services intended to be hauled by No. 5526 were instead handled by resident Bulleid Pacific No. 34072 ‘257 Squadron’. We hope repairs on the Small Prairie are swiftly sorted!

    And finally this week, something from the archive as we re-visit Westbury in the 1980’s:

    33008 Westbury
    33008 Westbury – date unknown
    Class 33/0 Westbury
    Unidentified Class 33/0 Westbury – date unknown
    56059 Westbury
    56059 Westbury – date unknown
    33025 23/12/1982 Westbury
    33025 Westbury – 23/12/1982
    47254 & L429 23/12/1982 Westbury
    47254 & DMU set L429 Westbury – 23/12/1982
    56034 23/12/1982
    56034 Westbury – 23/12/1982
    Westbury - no details
    Westbury – details unknown
    50014 23/121982 Westbury
    50014 passes the then newly constructed Westbury Signalbox – 23/121982

    The Westbury panel signalbox was topped out on December 9 1982 by William Kent, Deputy General Manager of British Railways, Western Region. The ceremony, when Mr. Kent poured the last shovelful of concrete, was organised by the contractors, A. Roberts (Civil Engineering) Limited, of Seend, Melksham, Wilts.

    The box, which opened for use on 14th May 1984, formed part of the first stage in a £30m signal modernisation scheme covering 107 miles of track between Westbury and Totnes, Devon. The overall scheme involved replacing all GWR style semaphore signals with multi-aspect colour lights controlled from one box at Westbury and one at Exeter. More than 40 lever-frame boxes were scheduled to be closed.

    The view of Westbury Box in February 2022 as Class 165 No. 165130 passes with a Swindon to Westbury service. The lines to/ from London curve to the east while the lines to the left head towards Bristol

    Thanks for reading, as always comments and suggestions are welcome. Yoshi and I hope to see you again very soon!

  • Railway Ramblings

    This week ( February 8th to 15th 2022 ) has seen the Bournemouth to Weymouth line welcome engineers trains and test trains which has provided an interesting variety and a change from the norm.

    Class 701 testing continues and this week it was the turn of unit No. 701032 to run down to Poole.

    On Tuesday 8th February 2022, we stopped off at Holton Heath to see GBRf Class 66 locomotives No’s 66786 and 66790 top and tail a handful of wagons on their way to Dorchester South. The following night we were in Dorchester to see 66790 joined by 66774 pull up to the work site near to Culliford Road Bridge where old lengths of rail were piled up ready for collection.

    Over the weekend of 12th and 13th February, DB Class 66 locomotives No.’s 66118 and 66130 could be seen at Branksome with an engineers train which had arrived in the early hours of Saturday morning as 616M Eastleigh East Yard to Bournemouth. Work was carried out at the entrance to Bournemouth depot and as can be seen in the photo at the top of this entry, Yoshi went along to ensure things were going smoothly.

    After a chat to the driver of the DB train, we made a brief visit to Swanage to take a look at the Swanage Railway Trust 4TC Group’s coaches which they have been busy restoring. The Class 491 unit at Swanage is one of two 4TC sets that were purchased from British Rail by London Underground for use on Metropolitan line excursions. When London Underground decided to dispose of one of its 4TC sets, it was purchased privately with the intent of it being based at Swanage.

    In 2016 another DTSO (76275) was offered for sale. This was in much better condition than the other two DTSO’s owned by the Swanage group and needed little more than a new coat of paint largely because 76275 had survived in service as part of a 4VEP unit until 2004. It was decided to acquire this vehicle and use the third DTSO as a spare. DTSO 76275 was restored by its previous owners at St Leonards depot and delivered to Swanage in May 2017.

    As can be seen in the images below, three of the unrestored coaches have now been covered with new tarpaulins to help protect them from the elements until their wait in the restoration queue is over. They have been formed into a new unit, and given the unit number 413. The aim is to restore the unit to full running order, based on the Swanage Railway, to run push pull with a class 33/1. There is a possibility of creating a 5 coach unit by including a buffet car. I’m all for that option!

    Class 33 No. 33111 was also in evidence alongside the 4TC coaches. In the late 1960’s Class 33/1 and 4TC unit formations were introduced as the staple motive power for the then un-electrified track from Bournemouth to Weymouth. For three decades Weymouth bound trains started out from London Waterloo powered by third-rail electric 4REP units on the rear of unpowered 4TC’s. At Bournemouth the train would divide with at least one four car 4TC being hauled onward by a class 33/1 diesel locomotive. On the return working, the diesel pushed the train as far as Bournemouth where it would be detached and the 4TC(‘s) attached to a waiting 4REP. To commemorate the end of the push-pull era, Hertfordshire Rail Tours ran the Push-Pull Farewell on the 22nd January 1994. The train was formed of two 4TC units 410 and 417 with Class 33 No. 33116 providing motive power. Starting out from London Waterloo, the train ran to Exeter St. Davids via Yeovil before heading to Bristol Temple Meads when the tour ventured to Weymouth where it can be seen in the video below. At Weymouth, 33116 was joined by Class 73 Electro-Diesel No. 73109 and together they propelled the train back to London Waterloo via Southampton and Basingstoke.

    At the locomotive viewing point in Swanage, Yoshi and I paid our respects to Ringwood the Railway Cat who passed away in July 2015. Swanage Railway staff said Ringwood knew the warmest and best places to sleep, occasionally ending up beyond shed limits on an unplanned journey if she was too lazy to wake up! Back in steam days, engine sheds would employ a cat to minimise rodent problems with a small stipend being paid for their upkeep and wellbeing.

    On Monday 14th February GBRf Class 73’s No’s 73961 ‘Alison’ and 73962 ‘Dick Mabbutt’ headed for Weymouth working the 120N 1115 Derby RTC to Eastleigh Arlington test train.

    Thanks for reading. See you next week for some Westbury and Eastleigh travels, including our first video of the special livery given to 69004:

    GBRf Class 69 No. 69004 in Railway Technical Centre Livery with Class 73 No. 73212 in tow working 0Y73 Eastleigh Works GBRf to Brighton Wall Siding – 17/02/2022

    Bye for now!

  • South Wales Adventure

    Yoshi shelters from the rain outside Cardiff Central

    Yoshi made it to the groomers last week, a slight delay on the original planned date for his appointment which couldn’t be helped and he came home looking beautifully coiffured and smelling like a dream. So it should have been no surprise at the level of attention he received from passers by and railway station staff on our trip to South Wales at the weekend. The purpose of our visit was primarily to see Pathfinder Tours ‘The Cwmbargoed Collier’ rail tour which was scheduled for top and tail Class 66 and Class 60 locomotives providing motive power during part of its journey.

    In the event we saw the special train four times during the day at different locations; Undy, Bridgend, Cardiff and Aber near Caerphilly.

    Our first port of call ( after mandatory breakfast muffins ) was a windswept and damp Undy near Newport. I had visited the over bridge at Undy before in May 2013 when I spent a few hours photographing trains. The location has changed vastly with the addition of overhead wires put in for the electrification of the Great Western mainline through to Cardiff. As part of the upgrade, bridges have been replaced as more height was required to raise them over the live wires. You can compare the location ‘then and now’ in the gallery of photographs below with the footage filmed this year in the video which follows it.

    The motive power in 2022 was very similar to my previous visit as can be seen in the video below ( the weather however wasn’t quite as good as in 2013!), the main difference being the addition of modern Class 800 IET (Intercity Express Train) units and of course train liveries and operators have also changed over the years.

    The Cwmbargoed Collier was hauled by Class 66 No. 66013 from its originating station of Banbury to Margam Yard where Class 60 No. 60040 was added to the other end of the train to facilitate traversing freight only branch lines. After seeing the rail tour at Undy and Bridgend, we moved on to park up at Cardiff Central. I’d like to think that our contributions to car parking will fund Transport For Wales for the next three months. Before heading onto the platforms and to break up the day a little, we had a quick wander into Cardiff City Centre where the pubs and cafes were full of rugby supporters cheering on their National Team. It was a thriving and friendly atmosphere even after the result of the game.

    Yoshi made a quick visit to Cardiff Castle before heading back to Cardiff Central Railway Station

    As can be seen in the video of our 5th February 2022 trip, we managed to catch sight of a few freight trains. One that I did miss the opportunity to record however was a Class 60 working through Cardiff Central on a DB Cargo operated Theale to Robeston train. Instead of a red diesel locomotive working hard, I managed to instead record a few seconds of me wrapping Yoshi’s lead around my foot for his safety and security. You win some, you lose some.

    The one that got away! 60020 photograph courtesy of @da_buckley967

    The railway arrived in Cardiff in 1850, even the River Taff was diverted to accommodate it. Brunel’s original wooden station structure was replaced in 1934 by a building designed by Percy Emerson Culverhouse who was the Great Western Railway’s chief architect from 1929 to 1945. The grade II listed building is pure proto-art deco with a handsome long low Portland stone frontage to the north with corner pavilions and large arched windows. The name of the Great Western Railway in stone relief stands out and sitting above this is a small clock tower which is also visible from the platform side. The main station concourse is a stunning display of panels and arches lit by an array of hanging Art Deco lights.

    The concourse at Cardiff Central Railway Station

    My earliest railway themed visits to Cardiff and South Wales were made in 1979 and I have scanned a selection of negatives taken with my Kodak Extra camera which had a built-in cover that flipped over to form a handle. I loved it, but unless it was a gloriously sunny day the quality of image it produced was, quite simply, terrible.

    A visit a few years later in January 1982 included a walk down to Cardiff Canton diesel depot where a long since removed footbridge over the railway line was handily placed for railway enthusiasts and now armed with a 35mm camera I happily snapped away. My records show I next visited Cardiff in June 1982 on the same day Pope John Paul II become the first reigning Pope to visit Wales. Thousands of people turned out to see the Pontiff and there were a number of additional trains scheduled to bring visitors to the city and photographs from my visit are the sunnier ones in the gallery below. I remained on the station and declined the opportunity to see the Pope at Pontcanna Fields, although I do remember seeing his helicopter fly overhead. I waved, I don’t know if Pope John Paul II waved back.

    Finally for this week, I’ve included video shot in South Wales on a day out in March 1999 which reflects a time of change on our railway network.

    All in all, I had a wonderful day out with good company and I’ve enjoyed taking time to reflect on some of my visits to South Wales. Thanks for reading – any comments or corrections welcomed.

  • Weekly Wanderings

    A beautiful start to the day on Sunday January 30th 2022. Yoshi takes a breather on our walk at Holes Bay, Poole, Dorset while South Western Railway Class 444 No. 444045 crosses the causeway working 1W28 0748 Weymouth to London Waterloo

    Sunday of this week found Yoshi and I visiting a good friend in Hampshire for plant burgers and vanilla milk shakes ( well, that was my order anyway). Naturally, I took the opportunity to study Real Time Trains to see if there were any interesting train movements due through Eastleigh that day. Being a Sunday, I expected it to be quiet, but didn’t expect the area to be quite so devoid of activity. So instead, I decided to pick up some supplies for a DIY project at a B&Q in the Southampton area ( stores more local to me being out of stock of my required items ) and to take the opportunity to look in at Totton Yard with the aim of getting shots of the Class 66 top and tailed Snow & Ice Treatment Train at rest as, sadly, it was not due to work that day.

    GBRf Class 66’s No.’s 66757 ‘West Somerset Railway’ and 66755 ‘Tony Berkeley OBE RFG Chairman 1997 – 2018’ idle in Totton Yard with a Snow & Ice Treatment Train (SITT) – 30/01/2022
    South Western Railway Class 444 No. 444043 working 1W19 0816 Clapham Junction to Weymouth passes Totton Yard – 30/01/2022
    Trains seen in this video: Totton: 444019 – 1B32 0855 Poole to London Waterloo, 220024 & 220032 1M38 0940 Bournemouth to Banbury, 444043 – 1W19 0816 Clapham Junction to Weymouth. Eastleigh: 158853 2S49 1635 Romsey to Salisbury, 444015 & 444011 1W47 London Waterloo to Weymouth

    Our visit to Totton was followed by a brief look in on Eastleigh Works, the station area and East Yard where we saw, outside of the works, amongst other things, newly converted and unpainted Class 69 No. 69004 ( formerly Class 56 No. 56069 ) which was hiding behind works shunter Northumbria Rail ex DB 323-539-7 ‘Cheviot’, National Rail’s laboratory train for European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) – a signalling and train control system – No. 313121 converted from a former passenger train, Class 50 No. 50021 ‘Rodney’, numerous High Speed Train Class 43 power cars and Electro-Diesel Class 73 No. 73212 ‘Fiona’. Eastleigh station played host to Class 70 locomotives No.’s 70811 and 70816 whilst GBRf Class 66’s No.’s 66793, 66730 ‘Whitemoor’ and 66778 ‘Darius Cheskin’ were in the vicinity of East Yard. EWS liveried DB Class 66 No. 66139 joined the party later in the day.

    On a previous visit, Yoshi sits outside Eastleigh Railway Station with the statue of Charlotte Mary Yonge who gave Eastleigh its name

    Charlotte Mary Yonge (1823 – 1901), a notable novelist in her day, is celebrated by a statue outside Eastleigh Railway Station. Charlotte gave the profits from her novels to fund charitable work. In 1868 a new parish was formed to the south of her home village of Otterbourne which encapsulated the villages of Eastley and Barton. Yonge donated £500 towards the parish church and was asked which of the two villages the parish should be named after. She chose Eastley, but suggested it should be spelt ‘Eastleigh’ as she perceived this to be more modern. Eastleigh developed rapidly with the explosion in industrial development which was a direct result of the railways and generations of train spotters rejoiced.

    The Railwayman – a life size statute depicting a 1930’s railway worker referencing the railway heritage of Eastleigh. Sculptor: Jill Tweed ( Born 1931 ) Cockapoo a temporary 21st Century addition

    Also, over the course of the previous seven days, we witnessed the visit of the New Measurement Train to Weymouth. The NMT arrived in the seaside town via the ex-GWR line on Wednesday January 26th, in the form of a COLAS High Speed Train. This is the first time an HST NMT has reached Weymouth in a good few years. I decided on seeing the outward run at Dorchester West but was completely unprepared for the level of vibration on the road bridge at the northern end of the station as the train passed and my iPhone footage was virtually unusable.

    Class 43 No.’s 43251 & 43274 1Z23 0747 Derby RTC to Bristol Kingsland Road via Weymouth on the climb to Bincombe Tinnel
    Trains in this video include: Class 43 No.’s 43251 & 43274 1Z23 0747 Derby RTC to Bristol Kingsland Road via Weymouth, 444017 2W20 1508 Weymouth to Bournemouth, 444015 2W17 1424 Bournemouth to Weymouth

    Earlier the same day a Class 158 / 159 Diesel Multiple Unit ran from Bournemouth depot to Salisbury. These units are infrequent visitors to the area.

    Trains in this video include: 444017 2W15 1324 Bournemouth to Weymouth, 158880 & 159011 5Y15 1341 Bournemouth T&RSMD to Salisbury T&RSMD

    And finally on the evening of 26th January, we popped over to Christchurch and Bournemouth to see a Class 701 test run. South Western Railway introduced dramatic cuts to rail services from 17th January 2022, reducing the timetable by almost a third compared to pre-pandemic services. Both Exeter and Weymouth direct trains to London were axed, with passengers forced to change trains. SWR have as yet to nominate a date for the end of their emergency timetable. As can be seen in the video below, all Weymouth services terminate at Bournemouth, with a shuttle service running through Dorset. Over on the West of England line, almost all weekday Exeter services terminate at Salisbury where passengers for Sherborne, Yeovil and other stations to Exeter need to change trains.

    Trains in this video include: 444025 1W35 1735 London Waterloo to Bournemouth, 701019 5Q52 1724 Staines Up Loop to Eastleigh T&RSMD, 444009 & 444005 5W77 2009 Bournemouth to Bournemouth T&RSMD ( ex 1W77 1805 London Waterloo to Bournemouth ) 444015 2W29 2024 Bournemouth to Weymouth, 444011 & 444035 1W37 1835 London Waterloo to Bournemouth
    Yoshi sits patiently waiting for Class 701 No. 701031 to head off to Staines

    Yoshi and I also observed further 701 test runs, this time in daylight on 27th and 31st January 2022 and both involving 701031:

    Trains in this video include: 701031 5Q41 1552 Eastleigh to Eastleigh
    Trains in this video include: 444005 2W16 1303 Weymouth to Bournemouth, 701031 5Q51 1115 London Waterloo to Staines Up Loop
    The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time Waiting For A Train At The Railway Station

    As you can probably tell from the more recent photos of Yoshi on this page, his planned visit to the groomer didn’t take place and instead he’s rescheduled for the coming week. He’s a busy boy, don’t you know. Pop back next week for another cockapoo shaped pupdate.