The Railway Dog

Category: Eastleigh

  • ScotRail Inter7City HST’s

    Yoshi at Edinburgh Waverley railway station with ScotRail Inter7City High Speed Train Class 43 power car behind – 14/09/2024

    On September 3rd 2024, it was announced that ScotRail’s Inter7City High Speed Train fleet used on routes between Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Inverness, is to be replaced with formal procurement due to start within weeks.

    Class 43 No. 43021 at Edinburgh Waverley having arrived at the rear of 1B82 1309 Aberdeen to Edinburgh – 14/09/2024

    ScotRail operates 52 Class 43 power cars with 22 sets of Mark 3 coaches modified with sliding doors. Two, No.’s 43030 and 43140 were written off after the 2020 Carmont derailment. ASLEF, the train drivers union, have called for the withdrawal of the ScotRail HST fleet for a number of years as “not fit for purpose”citing drivers descriptions of the trains as “notoriously unreliable”, an “unmitigated disaster” and that using them is “tantamount to environmental vandalism”

    ASLEF have further expressed the view that “the HST’s are not crashworthy and do not meet modern safety standards. Their fibreglass cabs with wooden frames bolted on were built in the 70’s and are not fit for purpose for speeds of up to 125 mph. As such our members who drive these trains have little or no confidence in them.”

    Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Fiona Hyslop announced ScotRail will lead the acquisition of replacement rolling stock and a detailed delivery timetable will be announced at the award of the contract, adding; “Resilient, reliable ScotRail services are key to encouraging more people to choose to travel by train rather than car, to cutting our transport emissions and to helping to move people around Scotland for work, leisure and learning. Over 4 million passenger journeys were made on inter-city trains in the last year. We want to maintain and where possible, increase that number choosing to go by train between Scotland’s cities. We want to replace the current inter-city fleet with trains which provide more comfort and accessibility for passengers on these routes. This planned investment will ensure the reliability of our inter-city routes for the long-term, will reduce emissions from inter-city services and will support our efforts to decarbonise Scotland’s railways.”

    ScotRail Managing Director Joanne Maguire said “today’s announcement is good news for our customers and an important step for ScotRail as we work towards delivering a safe, green, and reliable railway.”

    Although no announcement on whether new-build or cascaded trains will be deployed, suitable inter-city rolling stock could soon become available with the introduction of East Midlands Railway’s Hitachi Class 810 bi-mode units, which will replace its Class 222 Meridian DEMU’s. Introduced by Midland Mainline from 2004, EMR operates 27 sets, running in five and seven-car formations, owned by Eversholt.

    I mention the Inter7City HST’s because we had already planned a road trip which would give me an opportunity to see these surviving trains from a bygone age of British Rail at Edinburgh and Aberdeen.

    At Edinburgh Waverley Yoshi and I were very kindly allowed through the electronic ticket barriers and on to the platforms to photograph the HST sets. We were approached during our visit at the end of platform 18 by a member of station staff who wanted to know if we were “lost or just catching the breeze”. Once we’d explained ourselves, we had a friendly chat as we walked over to platform 2 in time for the next HST arrival.

    Class 43 No 43168 forming the rear of 1A81 1130 Edinburgh to Aberdeen at the buffer stops alongside Class 158 “Express Sprinter” DMU No.158741, Edinburgh Waverley – 14/09/2024
    Class 43 No 43179 1A81 1130 Edinburgh to Aberdeen at Edinburgh Waverley in the company of Class 158 No. 158740 and Class 334 Coradia Juniper EMU No. 334013 – 14/09/2024
    Another view of Class 43 No. 43021 at Edinburgh Waverley having arrived at the rear of 1B82 1309 Aberdeen to Edinburgh – 14/09/2024
    Class 43 No 43126 having arrived at Edinburgh Waverley with 1B74 0905 Aberdeen to Edinburgh – 14/09/2024
    Class 43 No 43139 at Edinburgh Waverley leading on 1B74 0905 Aberdeen to Edinburgh – 14/09/2024
    ScotRail Inter7City High Speed Train Class 43 power cars side by side at Edinburg Waverley. No. 43177 having arrived at the rear of 1B82 1309 Aberdeen to Edinburgh and No. 43148 on the rear of 1B30 1248 Inverness to Edinburgh – 14/09/2024
    Class 43 No 43177 1B82 1309 Aberdeen to Edinburgh – 14/09/2024
    Afternoon arrivals at Edinburgh Waverley; Class 43 No. 43028 having arrived with 1B30 1248 Inverness to Edinburgh stands alongside No. 43177 which was working 1B82 1309 Aberdeen to Edinburgh – 14/09/2024
    Another view of Class 43 No. 43028 having arrived with 1B30 1248 Inverness to Edinburgh stands alongside No. 43177 which was working 1B82 1309 Aberdeen to Edinburgh – 14/09/2024

    The dark blue and pale grey ‘Inter7City’ livery features large silhouettes of landmarks in the seven cities of Scotland. Before relivery, the power cars were in the plain blue livery of First Great Western.

    Abellio ScotRail received nine 4-carriage and 17 five-carriage trainsets from Great Western Railway (GWR) for use on longer-distance services between the major Scottish cities.

    The power cars were refurbished at Brush Loughborough, with the coaches being refurbished at Wabtec Doncaster. The first set, which included power cars No.’s 43021 and 43132, was delivered to ScotRail on 1st September 2017. The set was transferred to Aberdeen Clayhills on 10th September for the start of driver training. The first refurbished set was due in February 2018, with a full fleet in service by December 2018.

    On the 15th October 2018 after months of crew training, the first revenue earning and fully branded ‘InterCity’ diagram began and ran with power cars No.’s 43033 & 43183 along with refurbished MK3 Set HA26 on the Edinburgh – Aberdeen route.

    Class 43 No. 43137 arrives at Aberdeen working the 1A87 1530 Edinburgh to Aberdeen service 17/09/2024
    Class 43 No. 43152 rests at Aberdeen Clayhills Carriage Maintenance Depot. I didn’t think to check on the power car at the other end! The Caledonian Sleeper stock shares the depot with Class 73 No. 73968. Clayhills depot is used for maintaining and stabling long distance locomotive hauled services, more specifically, ScotRail Class 43, High Speed Trains, their respective Mark 3 carriages, Class 158 Express Sprinters and Class 170 Turbostars, as well as LNER Class 800 Azumas – 17/09/2024
    Class 43 No. 43175 at Aberdeen having arrived at the rear of A87 1530 Edinburgh to Aberdeen service 17/09/2024
    Class 43 No. 43003, the oldest HST power car in service at Aberdeen having arrived with 1A49 1539 Glasgow Queen Street to Aberdeen – 17/09/2024
    Class 43 No. 43137 arrives at Aberdeen having terminated working 1A87 1530 Edinburgh to Aberdeen service 17/09/2024
    Class 43 No. 43124 has arrived at Aberdeen with 1A49 1539 Glasgow Queen Street to Aberdeen prepares to depart as 5A75 1853 Aberdeen to Aberdeen Clayhills Carriage MD. No. 43175 in the background will be leading on 1T62 1836 Aberdeen to Glasgow Queen Street – 17/09/2024
    Class 43 No. 43003 has arrived at Aberdeen Clayhills – 17/09/2024
    Screenshot of Class 43 No. 43028 passing over the River Dee Railway Bridge working 1T50 1535 Aberdeen to Glasgow Queen Street. The bridge, built by Lock and Errington in 1848 has 11-spans, consisting of 7 principal spans of steel trussed on granite and sandstone piers, with cutwaters forming a crenellated parapet for mesh railings. There are four round-arched sandstone approach spans with polished arch rings and a coped parapet. The original bridge, as constructed by the Aberdeen Railway Company, included wooden beams on stone foundations, but from the 1880’s onwards, these were replaced by iron girders as a major programme of bridge improvements to accommodate heavier trains 18/09/2024
    Another chance encounter with Class 43 No. 43003 in Glasgow preparing to work 1A49 1539 Glasgow Queen Street to Aberdeen – 19/09/2024
    Class 43 No. 43003 prior to working 1A49 1539 Glasgow Queen Street to Aberdeen – 19/09/2024
    Class 43 No. 43003 at the head of 1A49 1539 Glasgow Queen Street to Aberdeen – 19/09/2024

    While in Aberdeen, as well as taking the opportunity to pop down to the railway station one evening to see some ScotRail HST workings, I was also able to observe Class 73/9 No. 73968 at rest having worked into the station on empty coaching stock move 5B16 1935 Aberdeen Clayhills Car.M.D to Aberdeen prior to heading the Aberdeen to Edinburgh section of 1B16 2143 Aberdeen to London Euston.

    Class 73/9 No 73968 at rest having arrived at platform with 5B16 1935 Aberdeen Clayhills Car.M.D to Aberdeen – 17/09/2024

    Class 73’s are Electro-Diesel locomotives, built by English Electric between 1962-1967 for the Southern Region of British Rail. Primarily intended to work on 3rd rail electrified lines, as built they were also equipped with a 600hp diesel engine for short distance movements.

    Between 2013 and 2016, eleven of these locomotives owned by GB Railfreight were rebuilt by Wabtec at the Brush Traction works in Loughborough and designated Class 73/9.

    Plaque detailing rebuild on No. 73968 – 17/09/2024

    The rebuilt locos have a 1600hp MTU ‘R43 4000’ V8 diesel engine, coupled to a new Lechmotoren alternator. The existing bogies and DC traction motors are retained. The locos are now fitted with AAR multiple working control and can also work with class 66 and 67 locos, however the old Style MW jumpers are kept for compatibility with un-rebuilt Class 73’s. Other features retained were the driving controls on both sides of the cab, the drop-head buckeye coupling, central buffing plate and retractable side buffers.

    Five locos for duties in Southern England are numbered 73961 to 73965 and painted in GBRf livery. Six of these locomotives are deployed on Sleeper services north of Edinburgh replacing Class 67 locos from 2016. The locos utilised for Caledonian Sleeper duties are numbered 73966 to 73971, and painted in ‘Midnight Teal’ livery.

    Having arrived with the Caledonian Sleeper ECS, Class 73/9 No 73968 will work the Aberdeen to Edinburgh section of the 1B16 2143 Aberdeen to London Euston sleeper service – 17/09/2024

    No. 73968 was formerly No. 73117 (E6023).

    The Caledonian Sleeper locos No.’s 73966-971 have several detail differences to the earlier No.’s 73961-965 batch:

    * Driving Desk is more extensively modernised.

    * The cab centre window is ‘unblanked’ and fitted with a wiper.

    * 1-piece miniature obstacle deflectors fitted.

    * High-level air hoses removed.

    * Communications jumper socket left of coupling.

    * Additional main air reservoir pipe left of coupling.

    * NRN Radio and aerials. (NRN radios removed in 2016).

    * ETS on/off indicators on the sides of the Headlamp clusters.

    * Electric Train Supply to coaching stock increased from ETH 38 to ETH 70.

    * 3rd-rail pick-ups were initially retained, but isolated.

    * RETB-NG (fitted to the locos in Scotland during 2016).

    * The buckeye coupling and central buffing plate would later be removed in favour of drop-head Dellner couplings, with the obstacle deflectors changed to accommodate this.

    * The cab centre window (formerly a 2-character headcode display) was not installed on locos No.’s 73966 and 73967 until return visits to Loughborough in February 2016.

    * The conversion programme and introduction to service (originally intended for the 1st April 2015) was severely delayed, a major factor being the new alternators suffering from vibration problems, particularly when at full power.

    * From October 2016 the Sleeper Class 73/9s were only providing ETH, with Class 66 providing traction, rather than working in multiple.

    * Delivery of the final conversion No. 73971 was postponed until November 2016, while a solution to the alternator issue was sought.

    Class 73 No. 73968 at Aberdeen with the Caledonian Sleeper – 17/09/2024

    * Further changes to the locomotive were required to operate with the new Mk5 sleeper coaches which have dellner semi-automatic couplings.

    * The first to be equipped was No. 73971 which went south to Brush at Loughborough on 19th of April 2017 and returned to Craigentinny on 9th July 2017 with its new drop-head Dellner coupling fitted, but covered up.

    * The class 73/9s had initially retained 3rd rail pick-up shoes, but these were removed when the six locomotives visited Eastleigh Works for new wheelsets in 2019/2020.

    Source: http://www.scot-rail.co.uk/page/Class+73#google_vignette

    For The Record

    The Heart of Wessex Line closed between Castle Cary and Weymouth on Monday 23rd September 2024 to Sunday 29th September 2024 as Network Rail replaced less than a mile of over fifty year old track. Improvements were also made to the junctions either side of Maiden Newton railway station. A rail replacement bus service operated during the closure period for passengers.

    GB Railfreight Class 66 No. 66789 awaits clearance to proceed at Yeovil Pen Mill at the head of engineers train 6G12 2145 Hinksey Sidings to Maiden Newton. The locomotive was scheduled to return to Eastleigh East Yard via Dorchester West and the South Western Mainline later that morning but the driver was not cleared for the route, so instead the Class 66 travelled back through the engineering possession to Yeovil Pen Mill and made its way to Eastleigh via Westbury – 23/09/2024
    Colas Railfreight Class 70 No. 70807 at Yeovil Pen Mill at the head of 6C01 2047 Hinksey Sidings to Yeovil Pen Mill – 23/09/2024

    The first two engineering trains in association with the works arrived at Yeovil Pen Mill in the early hours of 23rd September. Colas and Freightliner were also involved with engineering trains during the ensuing days.

    Video at Yeovil Pen Mill of engineering trains – 23/09/2024

    Monday 23rd September and it was time for the monthly Plain Line Pattern Recognition (PLPR) train which this time around was top and tailed by GBRf Class 73/9 electro-diesel locomotives No. 73965 ‘Des O’Brien’ and 73962 ‘Dick Mabbutt’.

    Screenshot of GBRf Class 73/9 electro-diesel locomotives No. 73965 ‘Des O’Brien’ at Poole working 1Q51 1115 Derby R.T.C.(Network Rail) to Eastleigh East Yard via Weymouth – 23/09/2024

    I saw the train reporting as 1Q51 1115 Derby R.T.C.(Network Rail) to Eastleigh East Yard via Weymouth passing through Poole in heavy rain. Must be mad!

    1Q51 1115 Derby R.T.C.(Network Rail) to Eastleigh East Yard via Weymouth – 23/09/2024

    GBRf Class 69 No. 69009 ‘Western Consort’ was once again charged with transporting South Western Railway Class 458 Electric Multiple Units between Widnes Transport Tech and Bournemouth T&RSMD. The loco hauled refurbished SWR Class 458/4 No. 458411 on its return south as 5064 1603 Southampton Central to Bournemouth T&R.S.M.D, returning later with SWR Class 458/5 No. 458502 reporting as 5Z66 2018 Bournemouth TRSMD to Eastleigh East Yard.

    GBRf Class 69 No. 69009 ‘Western Consort’ at Poole while running around its train – 24/09/2024

    As part of the operation, the consist heads to Poole Storage Sidings where the loco changes ends and the train heads back east along the South Western Mainline.

    Class 458 EMU drags to/from Bournemouth TRSMD – 24/09/2024

    Network Rail’s Ultrasonic Test Unit (UTU) visited Dorset in the early hours of 26th September. UTU’s usually have one locomotive at one end and a Driving Brake Standard Open (DBSO) at the other. The train can operate in push-pull mode with the loco hauling or pushing with the DBSO controlling it. UTU trains have ground penetrating radar systems to detect voids and deformities up to two metres into the ballast and ground and employ rail profile scanners to identify issues in track profile in comparison to an ideal track template.

    Screenshot of Colas Railfreight Class 37 No.37057 ‘Barbara Arbon’ at Poole working 3Q02 2140 Eastleigh East Yard to Eastleigh East Yard via Weymouth – 26/09/2024

    Running 102 minutes late, Colas Railfreight Class 37 No.37057 ‘Barbara Arbon’ passes through Poole working 3Q02 2140 Eastleigh East Yard to Eastleigh East Yard via Weymouth. No. 37057 was named in honour of Barbara Arbon on July 4th 2021 at Loram, Derby. Barbara was a member of the Colas Infrastructure Monitoring Team who sadly passed away in 2020. She was affectionately known by her colleagues as ‘Auntie Barbara’.

    Video of 3Q02 2140 Eastleigh East Yard to Eastleigh East Yard via Weymouth – 26/09/2024

    “The Last Post”

    Class 325 No.’s 325001 & 325002 on the approach to Quintinshill working 1M27 1235 Shieldmuir Mail Terminal to Willesden PRDC – 20/09/2024

    Reportedly the final DB Cargo operated mail trains on the West Coast Main Line ran on Friday 20th September 2024, the cessation of the services being brought forward from the original end date of October 10th. I was fortunate enough to see Class 325 No.’s 325001 & 325002 passing Quintinshill working 1M27 1235 Shieldmuir Mail Terminal to Willesden PRDC while we were on a walk to remember the Quintnshill Railway Disaster which claimed the lives of over 200 people and left 246 injured. The incident remains the worst rail disaster in British history.

    Fire rages amongst the debris of the Quintinshill rail disaster – 22/05/1915 (Unknown – The Illustrated London News, 25 May 1915)

    Human error caused the accident, two signalmen made several careless mistakes and omissions in their duties. They had shunted a local train onto the main line and while it stood there in plain view of the signal box, they accepted a troop train travelling south carrying 500 soldiers of the 1/7th Royal Scots Territorial Battalion and then, minutes later, a sleeper from London heading north on the same line. The local train’s brakes were on, which upon collision, caused the troop train to telescope to half of its original length, while survivors staggered from the wreckage, the Carlisle express ran into It.

    The impact of the collision pushed the express locomotives on top of the debris of the first crash. The carriages were telescoped, after the collision the troop train which was 215 vards in length was reduced to only 67 yards – 05/1915 (Unknown)
    The fire in the wooden carriages was almost impossible to extinguish with the small jets of water that the fire brigade could play on the flames – 22/05/1915 (Unknown)

    Immediately after the collisions, fire broke out. Hot coals from the engine of the troop train set alight the wooden carriages and the flames were fed by gas from the train’s lighting supply. Despite vain attempts to quell the fire with water from the tanks of two goods trains and by syphoning water from a nearby stream, the inferno raged for 24 hours with devastating results. Once it was extinguished, 82 bodies were unrecognisable and 50 were never traced at all.

    Memorials to the troops were built at Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh and one was erected at Gretna Visitor Centre by the Scottish Area of the Western Front Association, being unveiled on 21st May 1995. In September 2010 a plaque to commemorate the disaster was unveiled on Blacksyke Bridge which overlooks the crash site. Today, little trace of Quintinshill remains, the signal box having been demolished in the early 1970’s.

    Memorial overlooking the site of the Quintinshill disaster at Rail Gretna Visitor Centre. Avanti West Coast Class 390 No. 390044 is passing with 9M55 1156 Glasgow Central to London Euston – 20/09/2024
    The plaque which commemorates the disaster on Blacksyke Bridge – 20/09/2024
    Trans Pennine Express Class 397 No. 397001 passes the site of the disaster working 1S51 1104 Manchester Airport to Glasgow Central. Left to right: up loop; up main (where the first collision occurred); down main; down loop. The signal box was on the outside of the up loop – 20/09/2024

    To round off a Scottish themed September, on Monday 23rd, while Caroline was shopping in Southampton, I decamped to Eastleigh for a few hours to see Locomotive Services Class 37 No. 37401 ‘Mary Queen of Scots’ which has been outshopped in retro ScotRail livery depart with stablemate Class 57 No. 57003 ‘Inter City Railway Society 50th Anniversary 1973 – 2023’ which carries Trainload Freight Speedlink colours.

    Locomotive Services Limited (LSL) Class 37 No. 37401 ‘Mary Queen of Scots’ leads Class 57 No. 57003 ‘Inter City Railway Society 50th Anniversary 1973 – 2023’ on the approach to Eastleigh railway station forming 5Z45 1500 Eastleigh Arlington to Crewe HS. The Class 37 would later fail near Northampton, requiring rescue by a Class 86 also belonging to LSL – 23/09/2024
    Class 57 No. 57003 ‘Inter City Railway Society 50th Anniversary 1973 – 2023’ shows off its retro Trainload Freight Speedlink livery at Eastleigh Arlington – 23/09/2024
    Video from a day at Eastleigh – 23/09/2024

    That’s it for another blog entry. We’ll be back in a few weeks with a look back at October lineside adventures. Thanks for popping by and for your comments and corrections which are always welcome.

    Don’t forget you can catch up on our latest videos on the Railway Dog YouTube Channel or catch random witterings and photos via the new Railway Dog Facebook group.

    Be seeing you!

  • Yoshi’s Birthday Week

    Yoshi celebrated his 5th birthday this week with lots of hugs and a new sweater – 12/01/2024

    January 12th 2024 to January 19th 2024

    Yoshi celebrated his 5th birthday on Friday January 12th 2024 – he posed for a few photographs so he could show off his new sweater (which would come in handy as temperatures plummeted  over the course of the following week), cap and bandana. He didn’t really take to wearing the cap outside, so we put it away for another day. Lots of treats ensued.

    Yoshi shows off his new sweater and cap on his 5th birthday – 12/01/2024

    It has been a busy week or so in Dorset if, like me, you have a penchant for test and engineering trains. Yes, I’m late with this blog entry, yes, I’m obsessed with trains, and yes, I “enjoy” the solitude of a railway station platform at 0430 on a cold January morning with only the sound of waking birdsong, Network Rail staff opening gates to access the trackside and the distant call of a Class 66 locomotive tooting in the dark telegraphing its existence. This was my experience on the morning of Tuesday 16th January when I hauled myself out of bed in the early hours after a disturbed night because Yoshi had busied himself building a pillow fort as I tried to sleep.  DB Cargo had two scheduled engineers trains running into Dorset on this day, one in the morning and one in the late evening – both in connection with engineering works around the Hinton Admiral, Hampshire area. The trains were scheduled to run from Eastleigh East Yard and reverse at Bournemouth before heading back in the direction they had come. Both trains employed the same locomotives, Class 66 No.’s 66154 and 66186.

    DB Cargo Class 66 No. 66186 powers through Christchurch at the head of 6N60 0455 Christchurch to Eastleigh East Yard – 16/01/2024
    Having reversed at Bournemouth, 6N60 0455 Christchurch to Eastleigh East Yard is now in the charge of DB Cargo Class 66 No. 66154 which is seen heading back through Christchurch – 16/01/2024
    DB Cargo Class 66 No. 66186 having arrived at Bournemouth with 6N65 2304 Eastleigh East Yard to Hinton Admiral – 16/01/2024
    The driver of DB Cargo Class 66 No. 66154 prepares to depart Bournemouth with 6N65 2304 Eastleigh East Yard to Hinton Admiral – 16/01/2024
    Video of DB Cargo engineers train workings 6N60 0455 Christchurch to Eastleigh East Yard at Christchurch and 6N65 2304 Eastleigh East Yard to Hinton Admiral at Bournemouth featuring Class 66 No.’s 66186 and 66154 – 16/01/2024

    Monday 15th January and we welcomed the usual monthly Colas test train worked by a pair of GB Railfreight (GBRf) Class 73 Electro-Diesel locomotives. This time around No.’s 73965 ‘Des O’Brien’ and 73964 ‘Jeanette’ graced us with their presence top and tailing 1Q51 1115 Derby R.T.C.(Network Rail) to Eastleigh East Yard via Weymouth.

    GBRf Class 73 No. 73965 ‘Des O’Brien’ leading on 1Q51 1115 Derby R.T.C.(Network Rail) to Eastleigh East Yard at Poole passing SWR Class 444 444023 which had arrived with 1B57 1835 London Waterloo to Poole service – 15/01/2024
    GBRf Class 73 No. 73964 ‘Jeanette’ heads up the return 1Q51 1115 Derby R.T.C.(Network Rail) to Eastleigh East Yard through Hamworthy – 15/01/2024
    Video of GBRf Class 73 electro-diesels No.’s 73965 ‘Des O’Brien’ and 73964 ‘Jeanette’ top and tailing 1Q51 1115 Derby R.T.C.(Network Rail) to Eastleigh East Yard – 15/01/2024

    As I’ve mentioned numerous times previously, I have a short list of railway traction I would like to photograph. This can be because of a name carried by the locomotive or vehicle in question or perhaps a special livery variation. One GBRf Class 66 I’ve been keeping tabs on of late is No. 66756 ‘Royal Corps Of Signals’. The loco was out of sight on Doncaster Roberts Road depot in Doncaster, a stones throw from the Morrison’s petrol station I visited to refuel the car as we drove to Scarborough last month and seemed to spend a good deal of time rostered on duties in the North of the country. However, during January, No. 66756 found its way down south and eventually ended up at Eastleigh. Seeing online that she was stabled on Eastleigh East Yard on Saturday morning of the 13th January, Yoshi and I ventured over the border to Hampshire in the hope that this time the locomotive would be visible from a public space. Suffice to say, we were unable to see just where the loco had been parked, and we left without accomplishing our mission. It wasn’t a totally wasted journey however, as we took the opportunity to take some photos at Eastleigh and then stop off and take a look at Freightliner Southampton Maritime via a short break at St Denys. 

    GBRf Class 66 No. 66713 ‘Forest City’ stands in Eastleigh East Yard – 13/01/2024
    Another view of GBRf Class 66 No. 66713 ‘Forest City’ at Eastleigh East Yard – 13/01/2024
    GBRf Class 66 No. 66304 at Eastleigh East Yard. The locomotive had arrived in the company of No. 66756 ‘Royal Corps Of Signals’ the previous night working light engine 0O44 1910 Kineton MOD GBRf to Eastleigh East Yard which had prompted my visit on this day – 13/01/2024
    66711 ‘Sence’ painted in Aggregate Industries livery rests in-between duties at Eastleigh East Yard – 13/01/2024
    Colas Class 66 No. 66848 and track machines at Eastleigh CTT Forwardings – 13/01/2024
    Class 153 DMU No. 153311 which previously operated in passenger service with East Midlands Railway (EMR) but has now been converted by Network Rail into Video inspection Unit VIU 1 at Eastleigh. This unit had been scheduled to undertake two runs to Bournemouth on the previous day working as 2Q14 1312 Eastleigh East Yard to Eastleigh East Yard, but in the event both trips were cancelled – 13/01/2024
    Pioneer Class 66 No. 66001 part of the DB Cargo fleet stands adjacent to Eastleigh railway station. This locomotive was originally English Welsh & Scottish Railway’s (EWS) first General Motors (GM) 3,300hp Class 66 which arrived in the UK on Saturday April 18th 1998 at Immingham Dock – and according to Rail Magazine at the time was expected to start work on May 18th. More from Rail issue 330:

    The pioneer locomotive of the 250-strong class was taken by rail to the nearby Immingham depot, fittingly hauled dead by Class 56 No. 56018, which itself arrived by sea at Harwich from Romania on January 22 1977.
    After unloading from heavy lift vessel Fairload, operated by Jumbo Shipping, it was inspected to ensure it was fit to move and the brake system tested. Widespread rumours that the locomotive was dropped as it was loaded in the USA were proved to be untrue.
    After No. 66001 was unloaded a delighted EWS Project Engineer Graham Preston told RAIL: “This is only the beginning – I’ll be even more happy when the rest have arrived. GM has made a cracking start with delivery well within the contract time and bang on schedule. 
    “Our best estimate was for the locomotive to leave the factory in early March and it actually was finished at the end of March. It’s the fastest that GM has ever delivered a new locomotive design.”
    It was originally hoped that the locomotive would arrive a few weeks earlier, however the original plan, to use a fast seven-day crossing from Canada to Liverpool was scuppered when the price rose considerably.
    Instead No. 66001 was towed to Albany, New Jersey where it was loaded. The ship previously visited Sutton Bridge, Lincolnshire, to unload machinery, before arriving at Immingham.
    Deliveries of the production series, construction of which will start in earnest once EWS and Railtrack are satisfied with the prototype, will be made to Newport, South Wales.
    A ship, which can carry up to eleven locomotives each journey, has been chartered for two years and will take around 10 days for the crossing from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
    Once the Class has received Railtrack type approval and a safety case, (with completion of acceptance tests on No. 66001) there will not be a need for Railtrack to inspect each locomotive. 
    Locomotives will arrive tested and ready to run. EWS will check lubricants, coolant, brake systems and all systems. This will take three hours per locomotive after which they will go directly into traffic.
    As production starts in May the first four production series (Nos. 66003-6) are expected in July, eight (Nos. 66007-14) in August and 
    11 (Nos. 66015-25) in September. Thereafter deliveries will be 11 locomotives a month. The other pre-production locomotive, No. 66002, which has yet to be painted, was due to move to the Association of American Railroads test track at Pueblo, Colorado in late May for a series of exhaustive tests. It will be delivered later this year once the work is complete.
    During the weekend of April 18/19 No. 66001 was inspected over a pit at Immingham depot, and on Monday April 20 was displayed to the press at the depot, where it made its first movements under its own power in Britain. This took place within the depot confines, which is EWS, not Railtrack infrastructure. 
    One aspect of the Class 66 design is its radial steering bogies which slightly turn the leading axles on each bogie as the locomotive enters a curve. This results in no flange squeal, even on the sharpest curves and is expected to double the life of tyres.
    No. 66001 was towed to Toton by 60016 on Monday evening, where a further, very detailed inspection was made. Early on Friday April 24 it was towed to Chester where it was exhibited for a visit by Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, returning to Toton the same day.
    It was moved on Monday April 27 to the Engineering Development Unit at Derby (former Research Department) for two weeks of static tests, to be followed by a week of loaded main line trials, probably over the Midland Main Line. After this it will enter service, and is expected to be based initially at Newport, South Wales.
    Three EWS staff have been trained in Canada to drive the Class 66. Conversion courses for other crews are being developed, but it is expected that Class 59 drivers will require a one-day course, and Class 58/60 drivers will need a three day course. The Class 66 can work in multiple with 
    Class 59s and 67s (to be delivered in 1999).
    – 13/01/2024
    Southern Class 377 No. 377201 working 1N15 0928 Southampton Central to Brighton on the approach to St Denys – 13/01/2024
    SWR Class 450 No. 450057 working 2E20 0838 Portsmouth & Southsea to Southampton Central /at St Denys having passed Southern Class 377 No. 377201 forming 1N15 0928 Southampton Central to Brighton – 13/01/2024
    Freightliner Class 66 No. 66539 passing St Denys working 4018 0424 Lawley Street FLT to Southampton MCT – 13/01/2024
    Freightliner Maritime with Class 70 No. 70007, Class 66 No. 66553 in the foreground and Class 66 No. 66556 and Class 70 No. 70005 behind – 13/01/2024
    Class 70 No. 70002 being shunted around Southampton MCT by Class 66 No. 66556- 13/01/2024
    “Super Shunter” for the day Class 66 No. 66556 at Freightliner Southampton Maritime – 13/01/2024
    The Totton based Snow & Ice Treatment Train passes Southampton MCT, top and tailed by GBRf Class 66 No.’s 66764 ‘Major John Poyntz Engineer & Railwayman’ and 66772 ‘Maria’  – 13/01/2024
    Having shunted back at Southampton Maritime, Freightliner Class 66 No. 66539 arrives at the container terminal working 4018 0424 Lawley Street FLT to Southampton MCT – 13/01/2024
    Video which consists mostly of Freightliner “Super Shunter” Class 66 No. 66556 moving things about at Southampton Maritime – 13/01/2024

    Late on Saturday evening, Freightliner had the responsibiity of providing motive power for an engineers train to Hamworthy. Two of the FL Class 66 locos we had last seen at Maritime earlier in the day were provided on this working, which I saw at Poole on the outward trip as well as the return working which ran on Sunday morning. The work site was to the west of Hamworthy railway station and away from prying eyes. I did witness two Network Rail employees placing a  temporary STOP sign – to protect the branch line – in front of the existing STOP sign which is fixed to a sleeper chained across the track just after the point where the Hamworthy branch leaves the main line. A case of belt and braces!

    Freightliner Class No. 66556 crawls through Poole working 6Y85 22:44 Eastleigh East Yard to Hamworthy – 13/01/2024
    Freightliner Class No. 66539 at Poole on the rear of 6Y85 22:44 Eastleigh East Yard to Hamworthy as SWR Class 444 No. 444026 arrives with the 2W86 2310 Weymouth to Bournemouth service – 13/01/2024
    Video of Freightliner Class No.’s 66 locomotives 66556 and 66539 at Poole working ballast train 6Y85 22:44 Eastleigh East Yard to Hamworthy (13/01/2024) and 6Y85 07:30 Poole to Eastleigh East Yard (14/01/2024)

    Moving forward a few days to Thursday 18th January  and having received confirmation from friend of this blog, Jamie, that the aforementioned No. 66756 was scheduled to be working down the Fawley branch to Marchwood near Southampton, and taking into consideration the beautiful sunny, but cold day, I made the last minute decision to drive over and wait for the train to cross at the manual level crossing adjacent to the former Marchwood railway station.

    Looking from the level crossing at Marchwood down the line towards Totton, GBRf Class 66 No. 66756 ‘Royal Corps Of Signals’ can be seen approaching with 4O77 0256 London Gateway GBRf to Marchwood Mod GBRf – 18/01/2024
    GBRf Class 66 No. 66756 ‘Royal Corps Of Signals’ about to cross over the manual level crossing at Main Road, Marchwood hauling 4O77 0256 London Gateway GBRf to Marchwood Mod GBRf – 18/01/2024
    GBRf Class 66 No. 66756 ‘Royal Corps Of Signals’ on the associated return working (4Z47 1218 Marchwood MOD GBRf to Doncaster Down Decoy GBRf) from Marchwood MOD pauses in the former Marchwood railway station awaiting the ‘go ahead’ to proceed from the crossing gate keeper – 18/01/2024
    Although semaphore signals remain in situ at Marchwood, they do not appear to be operational as GBRf Class 66 No. 66756 ‘Royal Corps Of Signals’ works 4Z47 1218 Marchwood Mod GBRf to Doncaster Down Decoy GBRf – 18/01/2024
    Video of GBRf Class 66 No. 66756 ‘Royal Corps Of Signals’ at Marchwood working 4O77 0256 London Gateway GBRf to Marchwood Mod GBRf and 4Z47 1218 Marchwood Mod GBRf to Doncaster Down Decoy GBRf – 18/01/2024

    Fawley oil refinery was established in 1921 with its construction starting in the spring of 1923, the contractors being Sir Robert McAlpine & Co Ltd. The Fawley railway branch line was built under provision of the Light Railways Act 1896 as the “Totton, Hythe and Fawley Light Railway”, opening on 20th July 1925. It branches off at the South West Main Line west of Totton station, running parallel with the line to Bournemouth and Weymouth for one mile before curving away to the south. Prior to the passenger service being withdrawn on 14th February 1966, stations were served at Marchwood, Hythe, and Fawley. Between Hythe and Fawley a station for workmen was opened briefly between 1958 and 1965 named Hardley Halt.

    Railway traffic as far as Marchwood increased after a siding to Cracknore Hard was laid in 1939 for harbour defences. It was expanded to a full-blown military port in 1943, the slipway becoming a major assembly point for Mulberry floating harbour sections in 1944.

    The passenger service to Fawley was always traditionally somewhat sparse with just three return trips and a long gap during the day when refinery staff were at work. There was an expansion in freight traffic as, for more than 80 years, ExxonMobil and its predecessors used rail to move oil products from the refinery, but all associated traffic ceased in September 2016. Railway Magazine reported the last DB Cargo train from Fawley; a rake of empty bogie tankers, ran on September 5th 2016.  The line is now only used by freight to and from Marchwood Military Port as well as taking and removing SWR Class 701 EMU’s in storage.

    Looking to the future, it is proposed to partly reopen the line with stations located at Marchwood and Hythe. On 23rd May 2020, the Department of Transport (DafT) announced that the line now marketed as the “Waterside Line” had been shortlisted for further funding to investigate the restoration of passenger services. The end of the 8-mile line would be unused, but a southern terminus, called Hythe and Fawley Parkway, would open on the site of the Hardley Halt station.

    In March 2022, Rail Magazine reported that Network Rail would be taking the scheme to get the line reopened forward. However, the proposed Hythe & Fawley Parkway station will not now be included. The service that Network Rail is proposing is a 2 car Class 158/9, running every 30 minutes between Hythe and Southampton with passenger services starting in 2025 at the earliest if plans are accepted. Following public consultations held in August / September 2022, 84% of people backed the proposal to reinstate the line for passenger service.  

    The Totton Yard based Snow and Ice Treatment Train (SITT) saw multiple incursions into Dorset during the recent frosty January weather working:

    12/01/2024 – 3Y89 2200 Totton Yard to Totton Yard

    14/01/2024 – 3Y88 1009 Eastleigh East Yard to Eastleigh East Yard

    17/01/2024 – 3Y89 2200 Totton Yard to Totton Yard

    19/01/2024 – 3Y89 2200 Totton Yard to Totton Yard

    Snow & Ice Treatment Train workings in January 2024 (additional video courtesy of G E Barrett)

    Elsewhere on the UK network, the final day of Class 508 workings took place on 16th January 2024 when Merseyrail withdrew the last operational example of the class, No. 508104 after 44 years of service.  The Class 508 developed from the prototype PEP stock were built by British Rail Engineering Limited (BREL), at Holgate Road carriage works, York, between 1979 and 1980 and initially worked alongside much older first generation 4-SUB EMU’s in the London Waterloo area. The first Class 508 unit was delivered to Strawberry Hill depot on 9th August 1979.

    Class 508 No. 508018 and 4-SUB No. 4656 at London Waterloo – 23/03/1981
    Class 508 No. 508017 at the buffer stops at London Waterloo – 23/03/1981
    Class 508 No. 508042 and 4-VEP 7815 at London Waterloo – 23/03/1981

    Transfer to of the Class 508’s to Merseyside began in 1982 when they were reduced from 4-car to 3-car sets. The removed trailer cars live on as part of South Western Railway Class 455.

    Class 508 No. 508140 at Southport – 13/07/2022
    Yoshi at Southport taking a look at Class 508 No. 508140 – 13/07/2022
    Class 508 No. 508120 at Liverpool James Street with the 1407 service to New Brighton – 09/12/2023
    Class 455 No. 455734 leading classmate No. 455708 towards Branksome working 5Y51 empty coaching stock movement 1431 Bournemouth Traction & Rolling Stock Depot to Wimbledon Depot Sidings. The second coach of each unit was taken from Class 508 units and the different height and shape of the carriage to the rest of the unit can be clearly seen – 02/03/2022

    As you may be aware, train strikes are planned from Tuesday 30th January through to Monday 5th February 2024.

    •              Tuesday 30th January – Gatwick Express, Great Northern, South Western Railway (including Island Line), Southeastern, Southern, Thameslink

    •              Wednesday 31th January – Northern, TransPennine Express

    •              Friday 2nd February – c2c, Greater Anglia (including Stansted Express), LNER

    •              Saturday 3rd February – Avanti West Coast, East Midlands Railway, London Northwestern Railway, West Midlands Railway

    •              Monday 5th February – Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, Great Western Railway

    In addition, the above train operators will have an overtime ban between Monday 29th January and Tuesday 6th February.

    Dorset Council and BCP Council have joined forces to develop a new transport plan for the whole of Dorset fit for the 21st Century and have launched a survey running until 3rd March. They would like our thoughts on the following:

    •              improving transport across rural and urban areas;

    •              ensuring all ages and abilities can access services;

    •              making it easier to be more physically active;

    •              enabling more opportunities for affordable, available and accessible public transport;

    •              helping people feel safer on our roads and on public transport;

    •              reducing congestion and carbon emissions; or

    •              improving digital and real-time travel information

    You can find out more and complete the survey online here – paper copies are also available at Dorset Council and BCP Council libraries. 

    Many thanks for reading, for your comments and corrections. All being well, we’ll be back soon! Be seeing you.

  • Yoshi Returns to Tonbridge

    GBRf Class 57 No.’s 57306 ‘Her Majesty’s Railway Inspectorate’ and 57310 ‘Pride of Cumbria’ head into the yard after reversing in Tonbridge station working 3W01 0907 Tonbridge West Yard GBRf to Tonbridge West Yard GBRf – 19/11/2023
    November 18th 2023 to November 23rd 2023

    I may have mentioned previously that I have a list of locomotives or unit trains I would very much like to photograph. These include named examples to livery variations. One such loco is GB Railfreight’s (GBRf) Class 66 No. 66743 which can be usually found North of The Border operating the luxury Belmond Royal Scotsman train along with sister locomotive No. 66746. GBRf took over the running of these excursion trains from West Coast Railways (WCR) in 2016. Outside the Scottish railtour season, the Royal Scotsman locos have to earn their keep on more mundane tasks, and last week No. 66743 was shuttling backwards and forwards from Scunthorpe or Doncaster to Eastleigh East Yard on freight or engineers related workings. At least until the weekend when she ended up on one of the engineering trains involved in the 16 day closure of the railway line between Salisbury and Yeovil Junction. This, I observed, meant she was stabled at Eastleigh East Yard on Sunday following her outing to Wiltshire. So with hopeful abandon, off I set at 0730 thinking the locomotive might well be parked in an advantageous position for a photo. Unfortunately, this was not to be the case with No. 66743 being somewhat obscured by a row wagons. It’s like that, this hobby, you win some and you lose some. The trick is not to be disheartened because next time, things may well go your way.

    Belmond Royal Scotsman liveried Class 66 No. 66743 partially hidden behind wagons in Eastleigh East Yard – 19/11/2023

    While I was in Eastleigh I took advantage of the lull in between rain showers to walk Yoshi and photograph other trains parked up.

    Class 66 No. 66303 stands in Eastleigh East Yard – 19/11/2023
    Class 66 No. 66730 ‘Whitemoor’ alongside stablemate No. 66303 at Eastleigh East Yard – 19/11/2023
    GBRf Class 66 No. 66740 ‘Sarah’ stands at Eastleigh CTT Forwardings – 19/11/2023
    A view across to Eastleigh East Yard – with Class 66 locomotives No.’s 66730/66303/66740 resting between duties – 19/11/2023
    Class 66 No. 66782 at Eastleigh East Yard alongside a Class 08 shunter – 19/11/2023
    Class 08 No. 08511 in Eastleigh East Yard – 19/11/2023
    Colas Class 70 No. 70810 at Eastleigh – 19/11/2023
    Class 153 DMU Network Rail Video Inspection Unit No. 153385, Eastleigh – 19/11/2023

    Eschewing a FatMacs breakfast (I’m on a diet, don’t you know), I decided to press on and drive over to Tonbridge in the hope that the Rail Head Treatment Trains (RHTT) based there would be engaged in leaf clearing as runs were scheduled across the day to and from Tonbridge West Yard. These are dependant on requirements and don’t always run however. Coincidentally, we started this blog two years ago on November 22nd 2021 with a brief clip of a steam hauled Belmond British Pullman tour through Tonbridge taken the previous day. I’d forgotten just how short those early blog entries were – something to be mindful of now, perhaps! We made another visit to Tonbridge on 12th November 2022, so this is becoming rather like an annual tradition. I felt the visit this year was one of diminishing returns, although we were able to capture an assortment of Class 57’s and Class 73’s!

    Class 57’s have been employed on the Tonbridge circuit RHTT this year. No.’s 57305 and 57003 are seen in-between duties at Tonbridge West Yard – 19/11/2023
    Class 73 No.’s 73964 ‘Jeanette’ and 73128 ‘O.V.S. Bulleid CBE’ with Class 57 No.’s 57305 and 57003 in Tonbridge West Yard – 19/11/2023
    Class 73 No.’s 73964 ‘Jeanette’ and 73128 ‘O.V.S. Bulleid CBE’ at Tonbridge West Yard. A new GBRf shed can be seen during construction in the background – 19/11/2023
    Class 73 No. 73109 ‘Battle of Britain 80th Anniversary’ in seasonal RHTT livery in Tonbridge West Yard – 19/11/2023
    Class 73’s No.’s 73965 and 73961 at the rear of 1Z01 1300 Tonbridge West Yard to Derby RTC in Tonbridge West Yard with two unidentified Class 66 locomotives at the head of aggregate trains – 19/11/2023
    Class 73 No. 73136 ‘Mhairi’ in Tonbridge West Yard – 19/11/2023
    GBRf Class 73 No. 73963 ‘Janice’ at the head of 1Z01 1300 Tonbridge West Yard to Derby RTC awaits departure – 19/11/2023
    GBRf Class 69 No. 69008 was the only member of the class in evidence at Tonbridge West Yard during this visit – 19/11/2023
    GBRf Class 73’s No.’s 73961 ‘Alison’ and 73965 ‘Des O’Brien’ at the rear 1Z01 1300 Tonbridge West Yard to Derby RTC depart Tonbridge West Yard. No.’s 73963 ‘Janice’ and 73962 ‘Dick Mabbutt’ are leading – 19/11/2023
    With four GBRf Class 73’s attached, Colas test train 1Z01 1300 Tonbridge West Yard to Derby RTC departs Tonbridge West Yard. No. 73961 ‘Alison’ is the trailing locomotive along with No.’s 73965 ‘Des O’Brien’, 73962 ‘Dick Mabbutt’ and 73963 ‘Janice’ – 19/11/2023
    GBRf Class 73 No. 73963 ‘Janice’ and 73962 ‘Dick Mabbutt’ leading 1Z01 1300 Tonbridge West Yard to Derby RTC out of the yard while RHTT 3W01 0907 Tonbridge West Yard GBRf to Tonbridge West Yard GBRf top and tailed by GBRf Class 57 No.’s 57306 ‘Her Majesty’s Railway Inspectorate’ and 57310 ‘Pride of Cumbria’ arrive at Tonbridge station where the train reverses – 19/11/2023
    GBRf Class 57 No.’s 57306 ‘Her Majesty’s Railway Inspectorate’ and 57310 ‘Pride of Cumbria’ pause as they enter Tonbridge West Yard working 3W01 0907 Tonbridge West Yard GBRf to Tonbridge West Yard GBRf – 19/11/2023
    GBRf Class 73 No. 73119 ‘Paul Taylor’ arrives at Tonbridge West Yard working 3W91 1026 Tonbridge West Yard GBRf to Tonbridge West Yard GBRf, with No. 73212 ‘Stephen Eaves’ at the rear – 19/11/2023
    GBRf Class 73 No. 73212 ‘Stephen Eaves’ at the rear of 3W91 1026 Tonbridge West Yard GBRf to Tonbridge West Yard GBRf – 19/11/2023
    GBRf Class 73 No. 73119 ‘Paul Taylor’ in retro BR ‘Dutch’ Civil Engineers livery at Tonbridge West Yard having arrived with RHTT working 3W91 1026 Tonbridge West Yard GBRf to Tonbridge West Yard GBRf – 19/11/2023

    On leaving Tonbridge, Yoshi and I had planned on seeing one more RHTT, this time passing through at Edenbridge Town Station as it was in the direction of home.

    Edenbridge Town railway station on the Uckfield branch, one of two stations serving Edenbridge in Kent, was opened in January 1888 – 19/11/2023

    We parked up in the station car park and checked Real Time Trains (RTT) to see that the train; 3W90 0715 Tonbridge West Yard to Tonbridge West Yard via the South East of England, top and tailed by GBRf Class 73 No.’s 73107 and 73213, was at Uckfield and had been for 20 minutes or so beyond its scheduled departure time. Passenger trains into Uckfield (which is a terminus station) were being turned around at Crowborough as the line beyond was effectively blocked.

    RTT information regarding partially cancelled passenger trains on the Uckfield branch – 19/11/2023

    I hung around in Edenbridge for a little while, but soon came to the conclusion that this RHTT was not going to be heading our way while there was still a decent amount of daylight left to photograph it. I briefly contemplated driving to Uckfield, but Google Maps informed me it was at least a 30 minute drive away and would substantially delay my arrival home, so instead made the decision to head for Dorset. Had I known there would be delays on the M25 caused by pedestrians “being loose on the carriageway”, I might well have taken the Uckfield option and returned home via the South Coast route!

    Video from our visit to Tonbridge – 19/11/2023

    Monday 20th November saw another attempt to collect South Western Railway (SWR) Class 458 Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) No. 458524 for onward transit to Alstom Widnes Transport Tech where it is to undergo refurbishment. Our regular reader may recall an abortive attempt a couple of weeks ago when the brakes on the EMU curtailed the train in Christchurch station. With the associated locomotives and barrier coaches due to arrive at Bournemouth depot mid-morning, I chose to head out to see the train pass through Bournemouth railway station as I felt I’d photographed and videoed these workings at Branksome where they reverse into the depot many times, so was looking for something different. The change of location was well rewarded as Class 56 No. 56081, leading on 5O58 0520 Leicester L.I.P. to Bournemouth T&R.S.M.D, made a fine sight and sound as she opened up passing through the station with the sound of her 3,250 brake horsepower (bhp) Ruston-Paxman power unit echoing around the glass roofed building.  

    GBRf Class 56 No. 56081 opens up as she arrives at Bournemouth station working 5058 0520 Leicester LIP to Bournemouth T&RSMD passing SWR Class 444 No. 444015 which has arrived on 2W54 1000 Poole to London Waterloo – 20/11/2023
    GBRf Class 56 No. 56081 thunders through Bournemouth station on 5058 0520 Leicester LIP to Bournemouth T&RSMD. Class 47 No. 47727 ‘Edinburgh Castle’ is at the rear, while SWR Class 444 No. 444015 awaits the arrival of a Weymouth service before coupling up and departing for London Waterloo – 20/11/2023
    Class 47 No. 47727 ‘Edinburgh Castle / Caisteal Dhun Eideann’ passing Bournemouth at the rear of 5058 0520 Leicester LIP to Bournemouth T&RSMD – 20/11/2023

    I had also planned on seeing the return working from Branksome, due to arrive at 1715 running as 5Q58 17:11 Bournemouth Traction & Rolling Stock Maintenance Depot to Widnes Transport Tech. However, unbeknown to me – and most of the other local rail enthusiasts –  the train left the depot, unheralded, at around 1300. You win some….. 

    While I was in Bournemouth, I took the opportunity of capturing some images and video of everyday operations, which I mostly forget to do.

    CrossCountry Class 220 Voyager DMU No. 220001 in Bournemouth Middle Sidings waiting to move forward to form a service to Manchester – 20/11/2023
    SWR Class 450 No. 450034 at Bournemouth platform 1 awaiting departure on 2B36 1002 Bournemouth to Winchester while Class 444 No. 444001 stands at platform 3 with the short formed 1W08 0903 Weymouth to London Waterloo – 20/11/2023
    SWR Class 444 No. 444024 waits at platform forming 2W57 0805 London Waterloo to Poole as fellow class member No. 444017 departs with the front five coaches of 1W57 0805 London Waterloo to Weymouth – 20/11/2023
    Video from Bournemouth station, including GBRf Class 56 No. 56081, captured on 20/11/2023

    Later Monday evening the regular monthly Colas test train from Derby RTC to Eastleigh East Yard via Weymouth ran as 1Q51 1115 Derby R.T.C.(Network Rail) to Eastleigh East Yard employing the usual traction of GBRf Class 73 locomotives. This time is was the turn of No.’s 73963 ‘Janice’ and 73965 ‘Des O’Brien’ – two locomotives we had seen the previous day departing Tonbridge bound for Derby. 

    Video screen grab of GBRf Class 73 No. 73963 ‘Janice’ at the head of 1Q51 1115 Derby RTC to Eastleigh East Yard via Weymouth passing through Poole – 20/11/2023
    Video screen grab of Class 73 No. 73965 ‘Des O’Brien’ passing Poole at the rear of 1Q51 1115 Derby RTC to Eastleigh East Yard via Weymouth – 20/11/2023
    Video of 1Q51 1115 Derby RTC to Eastleigh East Yard via Weymouth passing through Poole – 20/11/2023
    Notification of BCP roadworks for 21st November 2023

    The railway bridge over Lake Road on the Hamworthy Branch was subject to an inspection this week. A small group of Highway Maintenance engineers were on site for a few hours from 2100 on Tuesday 21st November.

    Inspection of Lake Road bridge on the Hamworthy Branch – 21/11/2023
    Inspection of Lake Road bridge on the Hamworthy Branch – 21/11/2023
    Inspection of Lake Road bridge on the Hamworthy Branch – 21/11/2023
    Inspection of Lake Road bridge on the Hamworthy Branch – 21/11/2023

    The guy we spoke to from the team was very enamoured with Yoshi, but wasn’t able to give us an inside scoop of what might happen at the bridge in the future. Further road closures described as “Works for Rail Purposes” are scheduled at the location in January 2024.

    BCP roadworks map detailing roadworks at Lake Road bridge in January 2024

    For The Record:

    Poster giving customer information for the, clearly over-running, Weymouth Station Gateway Project in May 2022 – 22/05/2022

    The Weymouth Station Gateway project (WSP), designed to create a more welcoming and user-friendly space for residents, businesses, and visitors to Weymouth railway station has won two trophies at the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) South West Civil Engineering Awards 2023. The £1.2m project led by Dorset Coast Forum in partnership with Dorset Council, using funding from South Western Railway, was designed by WSP to open up the layout of the station forecourt, promoting sustainable transport options and reducing anti-social behaviour. The scheme also involved the creation of Pocket Park from a disused section of track on the former Weymouth Harbour Branch.  As well as being presented with the Community Award, Weymouth Station Gateway was also given the Judges’ Special Award. The judging panel was impressed with the collaborative, respectful partnership behind the scheme, bringing together the local community, the rail company and the transport authority to improve the public realm. The judges described the project as an outstanding example of infrastructure that unites communities and improves people’s daily lives.

    Works during the Weymouth Station Gateway Project – 23/07/2022
    Works during the Weymouth Station Gateway Project – 22/05/2022

    Ten project awards and two individual trophies were presented at the ICE South West Civil Engineering Awards in association with Kier BAM on Friday 10th November 2023 at a gala ceremony in Bristol hosted by TV presenter, Rob Bell. The awards are held annually to recognise achievement among regional engineers and project teams.

    …. and relax. Thanks for visiting our page and for your comments and corrections, which are always gratefully received! We’ll be back next week all being well! Be seeing you!

    Yoshi celebrating not only this blog’s second birthday, but the 60th Anniversary of Doctor Whoof – 23/11/2023

  • Yoshi Travels High Speed

    Yoshi looking out to see if there are any more HST’s following Class 43 No. 43092 ‘Cromwell’s Castle’ into Taunton – 10/09/2023

    September 6th 2023 to September 12th 2023

    Saturday afternoon, I had booked with the Inter-City Railway Society (ICRS) for a visit to Eastleigh Arlington works. An accident involving three cars on the A31 forced the closure of the eastbound dual carriageway between Picket Post and Stoney Cross and created delays of up to two hours. Thankfully, I believe nobody was seriously hurt in the crash and I have Google Maps to thank in navigating me across the New Forest, arriving just before 1400 and the safety briefing which was given to all those in attendance at the new gated entrance to the works.

    The queue at the gates of Eastleigh Works ready for the safety briefing – 09/09/2023
    The safety briefing at Eastleigh Works – 09/09/2023

    Unfortunately part of the terms of entry were that no images taken on site during the visit can be shared, so I’m unable to post any photographs which I took during my time walking around the works. However, pics obtained from outside the fence on the public highway are fair game!

    Taken from a public area, Class 50 No. 50021 ‘Rodney’ and Class 08 No. 08567 ‘John Arlington Stephens 20th May 1925 – 19th July 1984’ were providing cab rides for visitors to Eastleigh Works – 09/09/2023
    Locomotive Services Ltd owned Class 57 No. 57311 looked impressive turned out in a lined black livery – 09/09/2023
    GBRf Class 66 No. 66309 at Eastleigh Works – 09/09/2023
    GBRf Class 59 No. 59003 at Eastleigh Works – 09/09/2023
    Numerous withdrawn Class 313 EMU’s are dotted around the Eastleigh Works site, No. 313208 awaits its fate – 09/09/2023

    Originally a bustling carriage and wagon repair works for the London & South West Railway (L&SWR), Eastleigh Works boasts a history dating back as far as 1874. In January 1910 locomotive building was transferred to the workshops at Eastleigh from Nine Elms in London. Following the 1923 Railways Grouping Act, Eastleigh became the principal works for the new Southern Railway (SR). As with many large engineering locations, Eastleigh Works made a valuable contribution to the Second World War effort, with production resources being diverted, for example, to producing parts enabling Blenheim Bombers to be repurposed as fighters and building Horsa gliders for the D-Day airborne assault.

    Following the 1948 nationalisation of the railways in the UK, new steam locomotive building ceased at Eastleigh, the works concentrating on repair work and the rebuilding of 90 of the Bulleid Pacific classes carried out between 1956 and 1961. In 1962, Eastleigh Works built the first six electro-diesel locomotives which would become later known as the Class 73.  As steam locomotives disappeared from use, focus at the works changed from steam to diesel repairs. 

    As part of the privatisation of British Rail, the plant was acquired from British Rail Engineering Limited (BREL) through a management buyout in June 1995 and rebranded Wessex Traincare. In 1998 the site was sold to Alstom and renamed Alstom Wessex Traincare being used for carriage and multiple unit repairs. In 2004, Alstom announced the works were to close due to a lack of work, and this was realised in March 2006 after the completion of a contract to refurbish Class 455 EMU’s for Southern.

    However, this was not the end of the story and in more recent times, the works has seen something of a steady resurgence in activity with principal tenant Arlington Fleet Services capitalising on the site’s rail infrastructure and vast engineering sheds; with locomotive and carriage renovations and decommissioning projects all being undertaken.

    After spending three very enjoyable hours wandering around the Works, I made my way back to the car. As I walked over Cambell Road bridge, I cast an eye across to Eastleigh T&RSMD where a number of SWR Class 701 EMU’s are still in storage prior to their acceptance into traffic ( has there ever been such a new train fiasco in recent times? Answers on the back of a postage stamp to the usual address). As well as the stored units, I spied the distinct outline of a Class 67 locomotive. As its driver was making his way up the yard, I had a quick look at Real Time Trains (RTT – I really should create a glosary page with all the railway themed acronyms and abbreviations) and noted that the Class 67 was scheduled to depart the depot within the following 20 minutes working the empty coaching stock (ECS – see what I mean?) for the Belmond British Pullman Goodwood Revival railtour which was running that day from London Victoria to (you guessed it) Goodwood and return.

    DB Cargo operated Class 67 No. 67021 sits in Eastleigh depot as the driver of the Belmond British Pullman Goodwood Revival railtour empty coaching stock heads over to pick up his train. Class 701 EMU’s are still being stored on site – 09/09/2023

    I headed to Eastleigh railway station to take a few photographs of the Class 66 locos stabled adjacent the platforms, pick up some water and wait for the ECS to pass.

    Colas Class 66 No. 66846 at rest in Eastleigh – 09/09/2023
    DB cargo ‘Ukraine’ liveried Class 66 No. 66099 between duties at Eastleigh – 09/09/2023
    Class 66 No.’s 66099 and 66846 at Eastleigh – 09/09/2023
    Class 67 No. 67006 ‘Royal Sovereign’ at the head of empty coaching stock move 5Z84 1719 Eastleigh Traction & Rolling Stock Maintenance Depot to Chichester passing through Eastleigh railway station – 09/09/2023
    Class 67 No. 67021 brings up the rear of ECS working 5Z84 1719 Eastleigh Traction & Rolling Stock Maintenance Depot to Chichester as the train manoeuvres into Eastleigh East Yard – 09/09/2023
    5Z84 1719 Eastleigh Traction & Rolling Stock Maintenance Depot to Chichester at Eastleigh – 09/09/2023

    On Sunday we took another opportunity to see some CrossCountry HST services passing through Somerset and Devon as only days of them in scheduled service remain. In fact, Yoshi and I decided to sample the delights of High Speed Train travel and planned a short trip utilising these now classic old girls of British Rail. On checking the timetable, we decided on taking a Great Western Railway (GWR) Castle Class HST set from Highbridge and Burnham to Taunton where, after a two hour wait, we could catch one of the two CrossCountry HST’s diagrammed that day on to Exeter St Davids. Here we would de-train and catch the next GWR Castle back to Highbridge.

    We were joined on our mini-rail adventure by @smithy.377 who, on our arrival at Highbridge and Burnham railway station, alerted us to the fact there was the imminent arrival of two Freightliner Class 66’s working a High Output Ballast Cleaner (HOBC) train on its way to Fairwater Yard, Taunton.

    On the approach to Highbridge, Freightliner Class 66 No. 66548 heads up the Network Rail High Output Ballast Cleaner train working 6X37 0705 Didcot Parkway to Fairwater Yard – 10/09/2023
    Freightliner Class 66 No. 66511 brings up the rear of 6X37 0705 Didcot Parkway to Fairwater Yard passing through Highbridge – 10/09/2023

    I don’t think I’ve seen one of these HOBC trains moving, if at all. Over time, railway ballast wears down and becomes rounded, the pieces of ballast then fit together less easily. Fine pieces of granite, like sand, are also created by attrition – these are known as ‘fines’. These fines stick together when combined with water in the ballast, making the ballast like a lump of concrete. This hinders track drainage and the flexibility of the ballast to constrain the track as it moves under traffic. The HOBC is used to recycle old ballast as much as possible during possessions where the ballast is due for renewal, reducing the quantity of new stones needed as the cleaning removes ballast, screens it and replaces the dirty worn ballast with new angular ballast. When in operation, the half a mile long HOBC consists of locomotives each end (to move the train to and from the work site in traffic at up to 60mph), an impressive sounding RM 900 RT ballast cleaning machine, two power wagons used as traction vehicles to propel the train while in operation, and 44 material conveyor and hopper units (22 empty wagons for ballast waste and 22 wagons full of new ballast). The entire system is designed for a cleaning output of up to 900 m3 per hour or 400 metres of track per hour.

    You can get a sense of how long the Network Rail High Output Ballast Cleaner train is in this view of Freightliner Class 66 No.66511 at the rear of 6X37 0705 Didcot Parkway to Fairwater Yard at Highbridge – 10/09/2023

    Following thunder and a heavy persistent shower of rain our GWR HST rolled into Highbridge and Burnham railway station around five minutes late. Onboard announcements apologising for the delay mentioned unspecific problems with the train which would be checked at Taunton, from where it departed approximately 9 minutes late.

    Yoshi samples the delights of a GWR Castle set MKIII carriage on the journey to Taunton – 10/09/2023
    Class 43 No. 43098 ‘Walton Castle’ readies for departure from Taunton working 2C69 0955 Bristol Temple Meads to Plymouth. No. 43162 was the rear power car – 10/09/2023

    While we waited for our CrossCountry train at Taunton station, we could see the HOBC train emerging and re-entering Fairwater Yard to the west of the station. After watching various CrossCountry and Great Western Railway trains arrive and depart and enjoying a coffee from the station Starbucks, it was over to platform two ready for the arrival of the 1V48 0811 Leeds to Plymouth service which rolled in 13 minutes late.

    GWR IET No. 800010 ‘Paddington Bear’ calls at Taunton working 1C76 0909 Reading to Plymouth. The cab at the other end of the unit is named ‘Michael Bond’ – 10/09/2023
    CrossCountry Class 221 DMU No. 221137 pauses to pick up passengers at Taunton working 1S45 0927 Plymouth to Dundee – 10/09/2023
    GWR Castle HST with Class 43 No. 43092 ‘Cromwell’s Castle’ at the rear of 2U14 0947 Plymouth to Cardiff Central. No. 43154 was the other power car – 10/09/2023
    GWR IET No. 800001 has a layover at Taunton having arrived with the 2C71 1000 Cardiff Central to Taunton working and prior to departing as 2U18 1317 Taunton to Cardiff Central – 10/09/2023
    XC Class 43 No. 43304 on the approach to Taunton as 1V48 0811 Leeds to Plymouth – 10/09/2023
    XC Class 43 No. 43303 at the platform in Taunton on the rear of 1V48 0811 Leeds to Plymouth- 10/09/2023
    XC Class 43 No. 43303 at Taunton working 1V48 0811 Leeds to Plymouth- 10/09/2023

    Once onboard the well loaded HST, we discovered the seats were comfy, if high density, and I could imagine being quite settled for a long journey in the MKIII carriage. Mosreso than the Class 220/221 Voyager DMU’s which work the majority of XC services in the West Country.

    Yoshi finds a comfy space on the CrossCountry HST to Exeter – 10/09/2023
    Me and the boy aboard a CrossCountry HST – 10/09/2023

    The journey to Exeter St Davids took around 25 minutes and although arrival was behind schedule, we had allowed plenty of time in our schedule for catching the return GWR Castle set back to Highbridge. This gave us time to watch a few trains, explore the immediate station vicinity and top up with water. 

    XC Class 43 No. 43304 having arrived at Exeter St Davids with 1V48 0811 Leeds to Plymouth – 10/09/2023
    Yoshi gets a look at the lead power car Class 43 No. 43304 of the 1V48 0811 Leeds to Plymouth service on which we had travelled between Taunton and Exeter – 10/09/2023
    GWR Class 150 DMU No. 150219 with 150266 having worked in as 5F11 1301 Exeter TMD to Exeter St Davids prior to working a service to Exmouth – 10/09/2023
    800306 ‘Harold Day DSC’ is the GWR Remembrance IET, seen here at Exeter St Davids working 1C78 1036 London Paddington to Paignton – 10/09/2023
    In 1934, on his way to London after visiting his friend Agatha Christie, the young publisher Allen Lane stopped at the station bookstall at Exeter St Davids and saw that the books on sale were of a poor quality and overpriced. What was needed, he realised, were good books at a price everyone could afford. Within a year he had founded Penguin Books, creating a paperback revolution that would sweep the world. A plaque recording Sir Allen Lane’s connection with Exeter St Davids is on display at the railway station – 10/09/2023
    Exeter St Davids now boasts a Penguin Books vending machine – 10/09/2023
    The Penguin Books vending machine situated on the concourse at Exeter St Davids – 10/09/2023- 10/09/2023
    Yoshi says hello to one of several Guide Dogs for the Blind collecting points dotted around Exeter St Davids – 10/09/2023
    The GWR Passenger Stationmaster’s House at Exeter is to be demolished to make way for a platform extension. Some of its architectural features will be moved to the Cholsey & Wallingford Railway and other heritage railways along the Western Route. Built around 1900 it is one of two such identical houses, one for the passenger manager and one for freight. The freight version, situated by Exeter St Davids main road entrance, is now used for non railway use – 10/09/2023

    Yoshi took a distinct dislike to a South Western Railway Class 159 in old South West Trains livery which had arrived from London Waterloo just prior to the arrival of our service train becoming quite vexed. So we headed off away from the offending vehicles and waited for our third and final train of the day. 

    The two GWR services we planned to take should have been diagrammed for the same Castle HST set out and back, but because of the problems with set GW16 (operated by power cars No.’s 43098 and 43162) as announced by the guard onboard as we had neared Taunton earlier, it was replaced on the diagrams for the day by another set; GW02 top and tailed by No.’s 43188 and 43186. This was the same unit we had seen on the Severn Valley Railway back in May.

    This, our second GWR HST set was possibly the best of the day as the air conditioning was working, so a cool journey ensued with right time arrival at Highbridge. After this I headed home via Cogload Junction to get a couple more snaps of passing CrossCountry HST’s on their way north and south in quick succession. 

    The relief driver for GWR HST Class 43 No. 43188 ‘Newport Castle / Y Cymru The Welshman’ gets ready to take charge of 2U20 1245 Plymouth to Cardiff Central at Exeter St Davids – 10/09/2023
    Yoshi gets comfy on a GWR Castle set – 10/09/2023
    XC HST Set XC03 with Class 43 Power Car No. 43303 leads the 1S55 1427 Plymouth to Edinburgh working on the approach to Cogload Junction – 10/09/2023
    XC Set XC03 with Class 43 Power Car No. 43304 at the rear of 1S55 1427 Plymouth to Edinburgh nearing Cogload Junction – 10/09/2023
    CrossCountry HST 1S55 working 1427 Plymouth to Edinburgh passing GWR HST Castle set forming 2C79 1400 Cardiff Central to Plymouth at Cogload Junction – 10/09/2023
    GWR Castle HST Set GW09 Class 43 No. 43092 ‘Cromwell’s Castle’ 2C79 1400 Cardiff Central to Plymouth having passed Cogload Junction – 10/09/2023
    Class 43 No. 43154 ‘Compton Castle’ sharing the load on 2C79 1400 Cardiff Central to Plymouth heads towards Creech St Michael – 10/09/2023
    CrossCountry HST Set XC05 with Class 43 No. 43321 leading on 1V56 0908 Edinburgh to Plymouth having passed Cogload Junction – 10/09/2023
    CrossCountry HST Class 43 No. 43378 at the rear of the 1V56 0908 Edinburgh to Plymouth service at Creech St Michael – 10/09/2023
    Video of our day out in the West Country – many thanks to @smithy.377 for allowing us to share his video clip of the HOBC train at Highbridge in the above compilation. Heaven knows how he manages to hold the camera so still – 10/09/2023

    With a couple of weekends worth of scheduled engineering works in the Bournemouth and Poole area coming up in September, the early hours of Tuesday saw something of a curtain raiser as DB Cargo operated 6N60 2240 Eastleigh East Yard to Parkstone (Dorset) and the associated return 6N60 0507 Bournemouth to Eastleigh East Yard.  I went to Poole to see the outward working as the train, top and tailed by Class 66 “sheds” No.’s 66047 ‘Maritime Intermodal Two” and 66176, was scheduled to stop before moving out to Poole Storage Sidings and reversing back to Parkstone. I was pleased the blue liveried No. 66047 was leading as it made a pleasant change from the standard EWS or DB Cargo red liveries.  Although 6N60 arrived into Poole 14 minutes late it was still held at a red light in the station, so I was able to get a reasonable photo of the lead loco standing at the platform as well as the usual phone video. 

    66047 ‘Maritime Intermodal Two’ 6N60 2240 Eastleigh East Yard to Parkstone (Dorset)
    66047 ‘Maritime Intermodal Two’ 6N60 2240 Eastleigh East Yard to Parkstone (Dorset)
    6N60 2240 Eastleigh East Yard to Parkstone (Dorset) engineers train at Poole – 12/09/2023

    For The Record

    Wednesday 6th September 2023

    Colas operated test train 1Z22 0800 Derby R.T.C.(Network Rail) to Bristol Kingsland Road, in the capable hands of top and tailed Class 37 No.’s 37116 and 37610, was scheduled to run to Weymouth via the West route. Because of late running due to a track circuit failure, the train was reversed at Yeovil Pen Mill. 

    Thursday 7th / Fiday 8th September 2023

    Colas engineering train 6C19 1913 Eastleigh East Yard to Maiden Newton was operated by Class 66 locomotives No.’s 66847 and 66849. It’s not clear if the train went all the way to Maiden Newton despite Real Time Trains reporting it arrived on time. It certainly didn’t pass me as I was waiting at Yetminster well past its due time! The associated return working was 6C19 0500 Yeovil Pen Mill to Eastleigh East Yard.

    Two historic viaducts on a route which mostly follows the former Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway (S&DJR) will be a given a new lease of life after Somerset Council have approved plans for a new active travel route with the aim of encouraging people to walk or cycle to work and school. The route starts at the Ham Wood viaduct in Croscombe and runs through the Windsor Hill tunnel before passing over Ham Lane and Forum Lane. People will then cross the Bath Road viaduct, taking them above the B3136 Bath Road, before ending their journey at a new junction with the A37 at Kilver Street Hill. Once permissions and further funding have been secured, campaigners hope that the route intended to form part of the Somerset Circle – a 76 mile traffic free circuit which would link to the north Somerset coast – can be extended. Two new sections of the Strawberry Line – which will also form part of the Somerset Circle – were previously opened in Shepton Mallet during March 2023, with work currently under way on further extensions in Easton and Dulcote.

    PS Waverley on Town Quay, Poole – 11/09/2023
    Rear view of PS Waverley alongside at Poole Quay – 11/09/2023

    Yoshi and I took another opportunity to go see the last seagoing passenger-carrying paddle steamer, PS Waverley, alongside Town Quay in Poole on Monday 11th September. Built in 1946 for sailings from Craigendoran on the Firth of Clyde to Arrochar on Loch Long which she operated until 1973 when she was purchased by the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society (PSPS) for the princely sum of £1 and restored to her 1947 condition. She now operates passenger excursions around the British coast. Most years she visits Dorset, operating tours from Poole and Swanage. 

    Yoshi during his visit to see PS Waverley in Poole – 11/09/2023
    PS Waverley is named after Sir Walter Scott’s first novel. Yoshi is named after the Japanese word for lucky – 11/09/2023

    Thank you once again for visiting and for your comments and corrections. Hopefully we’ll be back next week with photos of the Railway Touring Company organised “Swanage Belle” railtour and the results of our efforts at tracking down local engineers trains! Be seeing you!

  • Winfrith Cats… again

    A freshly groomed Yoshi checks in at Christchurch railway station ticket office – 10/08/2023

    August 9th 2023 to August 15th 2023

    Yoshi is supporting the campaign to keep railway ticket offices open following the train companies proposals to begin closing 974 booking halls across England. The passenger watchdogs Transport Focus and London Travelwatch are overseeing a public consultation which closes on 1st September 2023. Have your say by completing the online form at: https://www.transportfocus.org.uk/ticket-office-consultation/

    You could also write to your MP. I did. I’ll let you know if I get a response.

    The plan represents the complete depersonalisation of the ticket retail process and another piece in the jigsaw to deter people from using the railways along with, but not limited to, scrapping Wi-Fi on trains and impossible to understand ticket machines. I also miss onboard buffets and / or tea trolleys on South Western Railway.

    We are told that 10% of travellers buy their tickets at a booking office, compared with 80% in the 1990’s when, as I’m sure you will recall, there was no other way in doing so (with the exception of season ticket purchases, granted).  13% of revenue still comes via ticket offices which shows, on average, high-value transactions which may well be too complex for a ticket machine to deal with. 

    Hamworthy ticket office current and proposed opening hours

    Take Hamworthy as an example which has been designated as Category 3 by South Western Railway with the proposed new staffing hours showing the station unstaffed on a Monday, which just seems a deliberate ploy to discourage users. When I commuted daily by rail I always purchased my weekly season ticket on a Monday. On visits to the ticket machine at Hamworthy over the last six months has found it not working or the touch screen smashed.

    Yoshi at Hamworthy ticket office – 11/08/2023

    I also believe the proposals to close ticket offices will have a severe detrimental effect on the disabled and elderly. Staffed ticket offices effect everything from the ability to buy tickets, receive assistance, access site facilities, navigate the station, plan routes, and feeling confident in making journeys. They are one of the most vital accessibility features of railway stations and their closure would only serve to isolate people further.

    The closures would also have negative implications more broadly speaking. Ticket office staff provide assistance not only to disabled and elderly people, but to tourists, passengers with luggage, the unbanked, parents with buggies, and everyone who needs advice or assistance. By potentially stopping so many people from travelling by rail, the closures will also negatively impact spending in local economies, slow economic growth, and prevent people from getting to work.  

    Although these reforms are being flown under the banner of ‘modernisation’, they are anything but. A modern railway is one that works for everybody – one that is accessible, safe, and easy to navigate. To remove ticket offices would therefore be an actively regressive step, making vital infrastructure unusable for millions.

    **********************************************************************

    A visit of the Network Rail New Measurement Train to Weymouth which arrived via Yeovil and Dorchester West took place on Wednesday 9th August. This time the train was sandwiched between a pair of Colas Class 43 High Speed Train power cars No.’s 43251 and 43272 running as 1Z22 0757 Derby RTC (Network Rail) to Bristol Kingland Road. Yoshi had an appointment with the groomer in Broadstone at the same time, so I was unable to see this test train, but happily we can share the following video and photographs:

    Colas Class 43 HST Power Car No. 43272 at Weymouth (@da_bukley967) – 09/08/2023
    Looking in need of some TLC, Colas Class 43 HST Power Car No. 43251 at Weymouth (@da_bukley967) – 09/08/2023
    1Z22 0757 Derby RTC (Network Rail) to Bristol Kingland Road on 9th August 2023 (video courtesy of G E Barrett & @da_buckly967)

    Thursday was an early start for us as Yoshi’s mama was off to Guernsey for the day. After dropping Caroline off at Poole Port for the “vomit comet” ferry service to the Channel Islands, the boy and I headed towards the East of the county to Christchurch in search of a different (for me) photographic location in order to catch the latest Crewe to Winfrith Sidings train. With only a handful of these left to run I’m enjoying seeking out different locations from where to view them. On arrival in Christchurch we had a little time to wander and after visiting the railway station I settled on Barrack Road bridge as my vantage point overlooking the rails. This location, although quite busy from motor traffic affords a view back down to the station for trains heading west. The pavement is also quite wide meaning Yoshi and I wouldn’t be a hindrance to passers by.

    While we were waiting for the Winfrith, we also managed a glimpse of a SWR Class 701 on a mileage accumulation run as No. 701009 paused briefly in the platforms of Christchurch railway station waiting for the service train ahead of it to clear the section.

    SWR Class 701 No. 701009 passes through Christchurch on a mileage accumulation run working as 5Q50 0612 Eastleigh Trsmd to London Waterloo
    – 10/08/2023

    This run from Crewe to Winfrith turned up Direct Rail Services Class 68 No.’s 68034 ‘Rail Riders 2020’ and 68001 ‘Evolution’, both of which had visited Dorset previously, although No. 68034 was un-named at the time. There had been a moment the previous day when it looked like a bi-mode Class 88 had been allocated to the empty wagons scheduled to run from Sellafield to Crewe, but this turned out to be a false hope and as yet a member of the class is yet to visit Dorset. The Class 88 has a pantograph for the collection of electricity from overhead wires, and a Caterpillar diesel engine which provides 500 miles of working when no electric source is available.

    Direct Rail Services Class 68’s No.’s 68034 ‘Rail Riders 2020’ and 68001 ‘Evolution’ with empty PFA wagons bound for Winfrith passing Christchurch – 10/08/2023

    For the return working I opted for a visit to Poole High Street and planted myself on the footbridge by the level crossing which provided a good view from which to see the now loaded train of PFA wagons. Footfall across the bridge was a little busier than I expected but I have to admit to deriving some small pleasure in answering the usual “Is there a special train coming?” question from passers by with imparting the information that a train carrying nuclear waste was imminent.

    DRS Class 68 No. 68001 ‘Evolution’ leads the return Winfrith working across Poole High Street Level Crossing – 10/08/2023
    DRS Class 68 No. 68034 ‘Rail Riders 2020’ at the rear of 6Z95 1551 Winfrith Sdgs to Crewe Coal Sidings (DRS) powers away from Poole – 10/08/2023
    Video from 10th August including:
    1M30 0730 Bournemouth to Manchester Piccadilly – 221129
    1B24 0734 Bournemouth and Weymouth to London Waterloo – 444029
    1W51 0530 London Waterloo to Weymouth – 444024
    5Q50 0612 Eastleigh Trsmd to London Waterloo – 701009
    6Z62 0100 Crewe Coal Sidings (Drs) to Winfrith Sdgs – 68034 / 68001
    1W26 1555 Weymouth to London Waterloo – 444024
    1W29 1430 London Waterloo to Weymouth – 444031
    6Z95 1551 Winfrith Sdgs to Crewe Coal Sidings (Drs) – 68001 / 68034

    Early doors Saturday morning found me and several other enthusiasts waiting on Poole railway station for the empty coaching stock (ecs) which would form the “English Riviera Express” excursion to Kingswear. This was top and tailed by Locomotive Services Limited’s class 47 locomotives No. 47805 assisted by No. 47593 deputising for No. 47828 which had developed a fault and remained at Eastleigh. The ecs ran through Poole out to the storage sidings before heading back into the station to pick up passengers.

    LSL Class 47 No. 47805 erupts working 5Z27 Eastleigh Arlington (ZG) to Poole – 12/08/2023
    LSL Class 47 No. 47593 bringing the ECS in from Poole Storage Sidings into Poole station – 12/08/2023
    Now working as 1Z27 0635 Poole to Kingswear (For Dartmouth) LSL Class 47 No. 47593 prepares for departure – 12/08/2023

    With Yoshi now in tow, we headed off to Somerset to see the same train at Creech St Michael before the planned locomotive changeover to steam traction in the form of LNER A4 4-6-2 No. 60007 ‘Sir Nigel Gresley’ which took place in Taunton.

    Having reversed at Westbury LSL Class 47 No. 47805 is back as the leading locomotive passing Creech St Michael 1Z27 0635 Poole to Kingswear (For Dartmouth) – 12/08/2023
    With only a matter of weeks left in service, CrossCountry HST set with Class 43 power cars No.’s 43366 and 43378 top and tail 1V44 0609 Leeds to Plymouth past Creech St Michael – 12/08/2023

    As there was a good 30 minutes or so in the schedule to enable the changeover from diesel to steam, we drove to the other side of Taunton to see ‘Sir Nigel’ passing Norton Fitzwarren at the head of the Poole to Kingswear excursion train. A location chosen as not long afterwards, LMS Jubilee 4-6-0 No. 45596 ‘Bahamas’ was also due to pass on her way to the West Somerset Railway.

    With Class 47 No. 47805 having been replaced at Taunton by LNER A4 4-6-2 No. 60007 ‘Sir Nigel Gresley’ the English Riviera Express – 1Z27 0635 Poole to Kingswear (For Dartmouth) – passes Norton Fitzwarren. Class 47 No. 47593 remained at the rear of the train for support – 12/08/2023
    The second rail tour of the day through Taunton saw stalwart LMS Jubilee 4-6-0 No. 45596 ‘Bahamas’ hauling “The West Somerset Steam Express” heading off the mainline for the branch leading to the West Somerset Railway – 12/08/2023
    Video from Poole and the Taunton area on 12th August 2023

    After all the steam hauled rail tour excitement which afforded a few barks of approval from Yoshi, we headed for home with a slight diversion via Westbury, which, if I’m honest took far longer than expected! Although ultimately worthwhile as we were lucky enough to see a diverted container train on its way to Southampton as well as Class 67 No. 67027 which has recently reverted to Colas after being briefly part of the GBRf fleet, the intention being for it to be employed on sleeper services in the Scottish Highlands.

    A line up of Colas locos! Class 66 No. 66849 with Class 70’s 70811, 70809 and 70803 await their next turns at Westbury – 12/08/2023
    Freightliner Class 66 No. 66602 and DB Cargo No. 66023 with its special King Prince Charles Coronation livery mostly hidden by wagons at Westbury – 12/08/2023
    Freightliner Class 66 No. 66542 passes through Westbury working the diverted 4O51 1040 Wentloog Freight Terminal Freightliner to Southampton Maritime Container Terminal – 12/08/2023
    66175 ‘Rail Riders Express’ arrives light engine working as 0012 1106 Margam TC to Westbury Down TC – 12/08/2023
    Unique liveried GBRf Class 66 No. 66797 at Westbury – 12/08/2023
    Class 67 No. 67027 outside the Colas Maintenance Facility, also known as The Elephant House for some reason which has, as yet, escaped me – 12/08/2023

    On Monday I found myself once again in Southampton and obviously couldn’t resist a quick look in on Eastleigh!

    GBRf Class 73 No. 73202 still in its unique rebranded Southern livery at Eastleigh East Yard – 14/08/2023
    GBRf Class 73 No. 73107 ‘Tracy’ at Eastleigh Works – 14/08/2023
    Ex-Southern Coastway Class 313 No. 313211 with SWR Class 450 No. 450117 in the shed behind at Eastleigh – 14/08/2023
    LSL Class 47 No. 47828 in retro Inter-City livery at Eastleigh. This loco should have been on the “English Riviera Express” from Poole to Kingswear on Saturday 12th August, but was prevented from doing so after developing a fault – 14/08/2023
    Damaged in recovery attempts of the diesel-multiple units involved in the Salisbury tunnel incident in October 2021, GBRf Class 59 No. 59003 ‘Yeoman Highlander’ looks to be nearing a return to mainline service. Seen here at Eastleigh Arlington. A test run to Westbury scheduled later in the day did not materialise – 14/08/2023
    Arlington Fleet Group Ruston & Hornsby 0-6-0DH shunter No. 01508 built in 1961 with GBRf Class 59 No. 59003 ‘Yeoman Highlander’ and numerous Class 313 EMU’s at Eastleigh Works – 14/08/2023
    GBRf Class 59 No. 59003 ‘Yeoman Highlander’ surrounded by withdrawn Class 313 EMU’s at Eastleigh Works – 14/08/2023
    Eastleigh Class 07 shunter No. 07007 with the London Underground 4TC in the background – 14/08/2023

    Apologies for lateness and brevity of this weeks entry. I’ve been playing with 3D printing, to varied degrees of success! Please do make your thoughts known about the railway ticket office closures. As of 3rd August 315,000 responses had been received as part of the consultation, which shows just how much public interest there is to the Government’s proposals. We’ll be back again soon – be seeing you!

  • Stratford Revisited

    August 2nd 2023 to August 8th 2023

    LMS Jubilee Class 4-6-0 No. 45596 ‘Bahamas’ supported by WCRC Class 47 No. 47802 (out of shot at the rear of the train) working 1Z82 0845 Victoria to Weymouth powers through the rain at Branksome with “The Dorset Coast Express” – 02/08/2023

    The dreadful weather on Wednesday August 2nd did not fully deter me from heading out to see the couple of special workings on the Dorset Coastway. With a light engine movement from Eastleigh to Bournemouth depot closely followed by the second “Dorset Coast Express” meant an early lunch as I decided to catch the train over to Branksome. I’d calculated that I would have at least ten minutes from getting to Branksome on the train which arrived at 1149 before the GBRf Class 47 running as 0Z48 1046 Eastleigh TRSMD to Bournemouth T&RSMD would arrive, so I was a little frustrated to learn that my train was running 16 minutes late because of problems with the doors. A quick check on Real Time Trains revealed that the light engine was also running late – 15 minutes at that point, and looking at the maps on Open Time Trains I saw that it had also been put into Totton Yard to allow a down passenger train to pass. So, in the event, I still managed to arrive at Branksome before No. 47727 ‘Edinburgh Castle’, although I hadn’t banked on the next service from Weymouth running on time and blocking out the duff’s arrival into platform 2.

    GBRf Class 47 No. 47727 ‘Edinburgh Castle’ running light engine from Eastleigh to Bournemouth depot reverses in Branksome railway station – 02/08/2023

    Having observed ‘Edinburgh Castle’ retiring into the depot area, it was a 45 minute wait before LMS Jubilee Class 4-6-0 No. 45596 ‘Bahamas’ made her second visit to Dorset this year with The railway Touring Company run special from London Victoria to Weymouth. The rain didn’t ease and more and more people hoping to get a glimpse of the steam hauled train pass began to shelter under the platform awnings. A last minute decision on my part meant a switch of platforms, which I’m pleased I did, as I was really happy with the resulting photographs and video of the train has it rushed through in the rain. Once again the planned use of  a second steam locomotive, Swanage Railway’s U-Class 2-6-0 No. 31806, did not materialise. There’s one more DCE running this season, so I hope the issues preventing the U running can be resolved and she can make an appearance climbing the Dorset banks. As the rain was becoming increasingly heavy, I declined to go and see both the light Class 47 return working as 0Z49 1618 Bournemouth T&R.S.M.D to Eastleigh East Yard and the West Coast Railways Class 47 No. 47802 heading up the return “Dorset Coast Express”, although I’m pleased to report my brother did see this pass Dorchester South and his video is included below.

    LMS Jubilee Class 4-6-0 No. 45596 ‘Bahamas’ top and tailed with WCRC Class 47 No. 47802 work 1Z82 0845 Victoria to Weymouth – 02/08/2023
    Video from 2nd August 2023 (with thanks to GE Barrett for the Dorchester South material of the return “Dorset Coast Express”)

    On Thursday it was an early start as I needed to be in Southampton and once again I took the opportunity for a quick look over at Eastleigh.

    Class 66 No. 66791 backs onto the milling machine at Eastleigh – 03/08/2023
    GBRf’s Class 66 No. 66723 ‘Chinook’ with class mate No. 66791 at the rear top and tail the milling machine at Eastleigh – 03/08/2023
    GBRf Class 73 No.’s 73961 ‘Alison’ and 73965 ‘Des O’Brien’ prepare to work 1Q54 1255 Eastleigh Yard to Tonbridge Yard via Ascot, Aldershot, Guildford and Reading – 03/08/2023
    Three class 73 electro-diesels No.’s 73213, 73136 and 73119 stand at Eastleigh East Yard with Class 08 shunter No. 08810. Class 47 No. 47727 ‘Edinburgh Castle’ in the background later worked 0M10 1400 Eastleigh TRSMD to Leicester LIP – 03/08/2023

    Thursday evening and it was the turn of Scott, our North Dorset Correspondent, to venture out to catch Colas liveried Class 37 No. 37116 on test train 3Q07 2031 Exeter Riverside to Exeter Riverside via Yeovil Pen Mill and Salisbury. The test train with a Class 37 and DBSO crossed through North Dorset as part of this working.

    Colas Class 37 No. 37116 working 3Q07 2031 Exeter Riverside to Exeter Riverside via Yeovil Pen Mill and Salisbury at Yeovil Pen Mill – 03/08/2023 (Photo courtesy of Scott Lewis)
    Colas Class 37 No. 37116 working 3Q07 2031 Exeter Riverside to Exeter Riverside via Yeovil Pen Mill and Salisbury at Yeovil Pen Mill – 03/08/2023 (Photo courtesy of Scott Lewis)

    On Saturday, Yoshi enjoyed a mini break with his cousins as Caroline and I had a day in London, primarily to see “Abba Voyage” at the purpose built venue adjacent to the Pudding Mill Lane Docklands Light Railway (DLR) station. It was a phenomenal 90 minutes and well recommended. On our way back to Waterloo station for our train home, we made a brief diversion to the Westfield shopping centre which now inhabits much of the land which had been occupied by Stratford railway depot and works. For no apparent reason, other than it being a railway locomotive, Avonside Engine Co 0-6-0ST works No. 2068 ‘Robert’ stands on a section of track outside the entrance to Stratford railway station. 

    ‘Robert’ was built by the Avonside Engine Company in 1933 for the Staveley Coal and Iron Ltd for use at their Lamport Calcine Sidings, Hanging Houghton, near Brixworth, Northamptonshire where it spent all of its working life as Lamport No3 until September 1969 when it was sold privately. Since then the locomotive has had many homes, including Buckinghamshire Railway Centre at Quainton, Foxfield Railway at Dilhorne in Staffordshire, Peak Rail at Matlock before going to the Midland Railway Centre at Butterley where the locomotive gained its name. In 1993 the locomotive was bought by the Dockland Development Corporation for the Kew Bridge Steam Museum where it was cosmetically restored to make it look like a Beckton Gas Works engine. The following year, 1994, the locomotive was displayed on the tracks of Winsor Terrace in Beckton close to the Beckton Gas Works and close to the then new extension of the DLR. Ownership passed to Newham Borough Council in 1999 and as ‘Robert’ had been vandalised it was decided to move the locomotive to a plinth in front of Stratford station. In 2008 due to bridge construction work in the area the locomotive was moved again to the East Anglia Railway Museum at Colchester and repainted at the expense of the Olympic Delivery Authority before returning to Stratford and placed in its current position during 2011 as a new community landmark – 05/08/2023

    On Sunday we took Yoshi’s grandmama to The Purbeck School in Wareham as they were hosting the Dorset Arts & Crafts Association 2023 Showcase. Ever on the lookout for items of railway themed interest, I was pleased to find the following panels included as part of “The South West Coast Path” exhibition created by West Country Embroiderers as a celebration of its 50th Anniversary and to showcase the skills of its members. This special exhibition features 166 individual stitched panels, along with county markers and a map of the South West coast displayed consecutively so that the viewer has a ‘visual walk’ along the coast path from Studland in Dorset, through South Devon, Cornwall and finishing on the border of North Devon and Somerset. For another opportunity to see “The South West Coast Path” exhibition it will be displayed at The Gallery Upstairs in Upton Country Park, Poole from 5th to 9th  October 2023, or you can view a slideshow here.  

    Seaton Tramway by Michaela Pohl, Ottery St Mary
    Sky and ground areas painted with fabric paint. Reverse printed a photo of a Tram onto the fabric. Outlined in back stitch. Various colours and stitches such as stem and long stitch used to fill in detail and people. French knots for the gravel areas.
    More long and stem stitches complete the cornfield and the trees. Needle felted clouds.
    Dawlish by Gillian Strong, Torbay
    Inspired by memories of family walks along the sea wall and watching the trains pass. Materials & amp; stitches: Calico painted background, cliff walls, beach and sea slightly felted. Embellished with French knots using embroidery silk threads, perle cotton No 8. A little scrim used on the beach, together with net, beads and French knots. Felt used for the path and railway and narrow cord for the railway track.
    Babbacombe Cliff Railway by Lynne Weston, Paignton
    Calico background. Worked entirely by hand using long and short stitch with a few French knots. Different shades of blue dominate the sky and sea, and shades of green for the surrounding wood and area.

    From The Archive

    I visited Stratford Depot a few times in the BR Blue days of the 70’s and 80’s – usually on an official Open Day, but at least once on a shed visit with the National Railway Enthusiasts Association (NREA) who ran coach tours for enthusiasts with permits to visit railway depots and sibling points. I recall there was a long access tunnel which led to the depot, so I dug out my copy of the Ian Allan ABC British Rail Locoshed Directory which gave geographical locations and information on all BR motive power depots to find the entry on Stratford:

    The listing for Stratford Depot included in the 1978 edition of Ian Allan’s Locoshed Directory, the cover of which depicted locomotives at Stratford TMD

    Stratford Depot was built by the Northern and Eastern Railway (NER) which operated a line between Stratford and Broxbourne opened in 1840. By 1843, the main building was a 16 track roundhouse which was known as The Polygon, with outbuildings including workshops, a blacksmith and saw pits all contained within the shed complex. In February 1846 additional accommodation was authorised, which included the Erecting Shop. In 1847 the Eastern Counties Railway (ECR) works in Romford were closed and moved to Stratford. By 1867 the carriage department which later became Stratford Works was installed in a 370 ft X 80 ft building attached to the north side of the Polygon. From this point, the development of Stratford Depot and Stratford Works were closely linked and as the site evolved, new sections of the works were opened away from the original shared site that lay between the Great Eastern Main Line and the Lea Valley line.

    As part of the 1955 Modernisation Scheme Class 40 diesel-locomotives were delivered brand new to Stratford and allocated to main line express duties. These were replaced in the 1960’s by Class 37’s which in turn were replaced by Class 47’s with the Class 37’s transferring to freight duties. In 1977 two Stratford Class 47’s were famously turned out with silver roofs and “Union Jack” flags on their bodysides to celebrate the silver jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. This was in contradiction of strict BR guidelines but proved so popular that soon other Stratford based Class 47 locomotives were adorned with silver roofs and became instantly identifiable to the delight of railway enthusiasts. The 1980’s saw a further addition of a small Cockney Sparrow symbol.

    The Class 47’s were themselves displaced by the electrification of the main lines to Cambridge and Norwich in the mid 1980’s, when Class 86 locomotives allocated to Norwich Crown Point took over operation of express services on the Great Eastern Main Line. The Cambridge line was served by Electric Multiple Units.

    The privatisation of the railways in April 1994 saw Stratford depot taken over by English Welsh & Scottish (EWS) and remained as such until closure in 2001 with the site being used for the construction of the new international station on High Speed One. A new diesel depot was opened at nearby Temple Mills but this only lasted a few years as changes to the freight market saw the depot closed.

    Today the site is occupied by Stratford International station and a shopping centre called Westfield Stratford City. A commemorative plaque was unveiled on the site on 10 July 2012 featuring a 30A shedplate and Stratford cockney sparrow in its design and acknowledging the history of the site.

    Replica of Stephenson’s ‘Rocket’ at Stratford Depot Open Day – 11/07/1981
    Class 31 No. 31008 at Stratford. Built at Brush Falcon works, Loughborough as No. D5508 this locomotive entered service in April 1958 as one of the twenty Brush Type 2 Pilot Scheme locomotives ordered by British Railways to replace steam traction and initially designated Class 30. These twenty locomotives did not have the headcode box mounted on the roof above the cab as did later members of the class and were “non-standard” in having Electro-Magnetic Multiple-Working control equipment (denoted by the orange circle clearly visible above each buffer) and limited to 80mph. They were allocated to East Anglian sheds throughout their service, ending their days allocated to Stratford. They were built with Mirrlees JVS12T 1250bhp engines and Brush electrical equipment, but the engines were not a success and in 1964 a programme of works commenced to re-engine the fleet with the 1470bhp English Electric 12SVT engines with No. D5504 receiving her new engine during a classified repair at Doncaster works in October 1968. The re-engined locomotives became Class 31/0 and being non standard with the rest of the class 31 fleet these twenty locomotives were early casualties with the nine (31001/07/09/10/11/12/14/16/18) being placed into storage in May 1976. However No. 31008 was one of the more fortunate of the sub-class and would survive in traffic until October 1980 when the last three (31004/08/19) were withdrawn. This was not the end for No. 31008 however as she was transferred for departmental use and converted into a non-powered carriage heating unit, re-numbered ADB968016 being used in the Stratford area before being condemned in 1982. She was eventually broken up at Crewe works in June 1985 – 11/07/1981
    Class 306 (AM6) three car electrical multiple unit (Shenfield Unit) No. 007 at Stratford. The Class 306’s were introduced in 1949 for the Liverpool Street to Shenfield services. They were originally built to run on DC power but as part of an exercise to standardise systems over the BR network all 92 sets were rebuilt in 1960 to utilise the new AC system. The Class 306’s remained on the lines out of London Liverpool Street for all of their lives and were withdrawn during 1980 and 1981 with all except one unit being scrapped. Unit No. 017 survives as part of the National Collection – 11/07/1981
    Class 31 No. 31125 at Stratford. Note the absence of the over-window headcode box which were introduced on later members of the class. This locomotive was cut up in May 2001 by Harry Needle Railroad Co. – 11/07/1981
    Class 37 No. 37131 at Stratford. This loco entered service in March 1963 and was withdrawn in June 2005. She was cut up at C F Booth in Rotherham in April 2007 – 11/07/1981
    English Electric Class 37 No.’s 37044 and 37267 on shed at Stratford. 37044 was renumbered in 1988 survived until 2021 as No.37710 with WCRC. No. 37267 lives in with Colas as No. 37421 – 11/07/1981
    Class 55 Deltic and megabeast No. 55021 ”Argyll and Sutherland Highlander’ on display at Stratford Open Day. The cab of this locomotive survives and is owned by The South Wales Loco Cab Preservation Group – 11/07/1981
    Class 47 No. 47158 ‘Henry Ford’ was named at Stratford Open Day. This locomotive was withdrawn from service in 2001 and cut up at Kingsbury by the Harry Needle Railroad Company in October 2004 – 11/07/1981
    Class 47 No. 47583 was painted in large logo livery with two white horizontal stripes extending from the double BR arrow along the bodyside. For the week of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer’s wedding, red and blue stripes were added to the arrow emblem – 11/07/1981
    Class 40 No. 40092 at Stratford. This loco was disposed of at BREL Swindon in March 1986 – 09/07/1983
    Class 31 No.’s 31126 and 31179 at Stratford – 09/07/1983
    Only two months old Class 58 No. 58002 on display at Stratford. This locomotive was cut up at Eastleigh in December 2013 – 09/07/1983
    Peak Class 46 No. 46010 in Stratford Works. The locomotive is currently privately preserved – 09/07/1983
    Class 25 No. 25177 took part in re-railing demonstrations during the 1983 Stratford Open Day. The locomotive lasted another three years before being cut up at Swindon Works – 09/07/1983
    Class 47 No. 47122 at Stratford. This locomotive was introduced into service in January 1964 and scrapped at Springburn in October 1989 – 09/07/1983
    Class 37 No. 37118 at Stratford. The loco was broken up at Carnforth in 2005 – 09/07/1983
    Class 37 No. 37004 on the fuelling point at Stratford. Lasting in service for over 35 years, No. 37004 was introduced into traffic in January 1961 and cut up at MC Metals in Springburn June 1996 – 09/07/1983
    With its distinctive silver roof denoting a Stratford based loco Class 47 No. 47577 ‘Benjamin Gimbert GC’ on display at the 1983 depot open day – 09/07/1983

    Benjamin Gimbert GC (6th February 1903 – 6th May 1976) was an engine driver with the LNER who was awarded the George Cross and the Order of Industrial Heroism along with his fireman James Nightall (whose award was posthumous) for saving an ammunition train from a fire on 2nd June 1944 during the Soham rail disaster when the leading wagon on a fifty-one cart ammunition train caught fire. Gimbert and Nightall uncoupled the burning wagon from the rest of the train in order to allow Gimbert to tow the burning wagon away from the rest of the ammunition train. The wagon exploded after being towed a distance 140 yards, killing Nightall instantly, but preventing a chain reaction in the other wagons. The explosion blew a twenty-foot crater in the track, destroying Soham railway station and damaged 600 buildings in the nearby village. Gimbert miraculously survived.

    The citation for the George Cross awards reads:
    “As an ammunition train was pulling into a station in Cambridgeshire, the driver, Gimbert, discovered that the wagon next to the engine was on fire. He immediately drew Nightall’s attention to the fire and brought the train to a standstill. By the time the train had stopped the whole of the truck was enveloped in flames and, realising the danger, the driver instructed the fireman to try to uncouple the truck immediately behind the blazing vehicle. Without the slightest hesitation Nightall, although he knew that the truck contained explosives, uncoupled the vehicle and rejoined his driver on the footplate.
    The blazing van was close to the station buildings and was obviously liable to endanger life in the village. The driver and fireman realised that it was essential to separate the truck from the remainder of the train and run it into the open. Driver Gimbert set the engine in motion and as he approached a signal box he warned the signalman to stop any trains which were likely to be involved and indicated what he intended to do. Almost immediately the vehicle blew up. Nightall was killed and Gimbert was very severely injured.
    Gimbert and Nightall were fully aware of the contents of the wagon which was on fire and displayed outstanding courage and resource in endeavouring to isolate it. When they discovered that the wagon was on fire they could easily have left the train and sought shelter, but realising that if they did not remove the burning vehicle the whole of the train, which consisted of 51 wagons of explosives, would have blown up, they risked their lives in order to minimise the effect of the fire. There is no doubt that if the whole train had been involved, as it would have been but for the gallant action of the men concerned, there would have been serious loss of life and property”

    On 28th September 1981 two Class 47 locomotives were named in honour of the two railwaymen: No. 47577 was named ‘Benjamin Gimbert, GC’ and No. 47579 ‘James Nightall, GC. The names are now carried by DB Cargo Class 66 locomotive No.’s 66077 and 66079 respectively

    Today the site of Stratford Depot is occupied by Stratford International station and the Westfield Stratford City shopping centre. A commemorative plaque was unveiled on the site on 10 July 2012 featuring a 30A shedplate and Stratford cockney sparrow in its design and acknowledging the history of the site.

    EWS Class 66 No. 66137 on a container train at Stratford – 21/11/2011
    66064 leads on a Rail Head Treatment Train towards Stratford – 21/11/2011
    Class 90 No. 90003 ‘Raedwald of East Anglia’ passes a Dockland Light Railway train at Stratford. The Class 90 25kV AC overhead electric locomotives, built for mixed-traffic duties, were introduced to service during the closing years of BR – 21/11/2011
    Class 90 No. 90012 ‘Royal Anglian Regiment’ at Stratford. A total of 50 Class 90 locomotives were manufactured by BREL at Crewe Works between 1985 and 1990. The design of the Class 90 is heavily derived from the Class 87, but incorporates many improvements and new features and were intended as replacements for the Class 81-85 locomotives, all of which dated from the early 1960’s and had become quite unreliable due to their advanced age – 21/11/2011
    Class 90 No. 90013 ‘The Evening Star’ passes Stratford. As part of its East Anglia franchise bid, National Express provided a fleet plan to replace the ageing Class 86 locomotives in use on the Great Eastern Main Line with the more powerful and newer Class 90 locomotives, hoping this would improve performance and reduce operating costs. The Class 90’s were to become available due to Virgin Trains plan to replace all loco hauled passenger trains with Class 390 Pendolino units, freeing up their 15 class 90 locomotives. No.’s 90001 – 90015 were progressively delivered to Crown Point Traction Maintenance Depot to replace the Class 86’s. The National Express franchise came to an end in February 2012, with the replacement franchisee Greater Anglia taking over and continuing to operate the Class 90’s. In January 2020, the Class 745 FLIRT emu sets began entering service to replace the Class 90 sets. Following the introduction of these units, the loco-hauled sets were all withdrawn from service, with the final set running its last services on 24th March 2020. Thirteen Class 90’s moved to Freightliner to replace their class 86’s, while two went to Locomotive Services Limited (LSL) to operate their excursion trains  – 21/11/2011
    Class 317 No. 317881. The British Rail Class 317 is an electric multiple unit (EMU) passenger train constructed by British Rail Engineering Limited in two batches, 48 sets being produced in 1981–82 and 24 sets in 1985–87. They were the first of several classes of British Rail EMU to be based on the all-steel Mark 3 bodyshell, departing from the “PEP”-aluminium design which had spawned the earlier Class 313 to Class 315, Class 507 and Class 508. The Mark 3 bodyshell was also the basis of Class 318, Class 455, and the diesel Class 150. The Class 317 uses overhead alternating current electrification. All were withdrawn in July 2022. – 21/11/2011
    Freightliner Class 66 No. 66956 heads through Stratford – 21/11/2011
    Class 315 No. 315856 runs through Stratford. The BR Class 315 was a fleet of alternating current (AC) electric multiple unit (EMU) trains, built by British Rail Engineering Limited at Holgate Road Carriage Works in York between 1980 and 1981; they replaced the Class 306 units. It was the fifth and final variant of unit derived from British Rail’s 1971 prototype suburban EMU design which, as the BREL 1972 family, eventually encompassed 755 vehicles across Classes 313, 314, 315, 507 and 508. Revenue services with Class 315 units commenced in 1980 and continued until December 2022 – 21/11/2011
    An unusual form of transportation materialised at Stratford in November 2011 – 21/11/2011
    Celebrating the release of the Sixth Series of the regenerated Doctor Who at Westfield, Stratford with 11th Doctor actor, Matt Smith and his companions Arthur Darvill – who played Rory, and Karen Gillan who was Amy Pond – 21/11/2011
    Short video from a visit to Stratford in March 2001
    A footnote to the Class 90 info above – DB Cargo have announced recently that because of the increased costs for electricity, it is no longer commercially viable to run their Class 90 25kV electric locomotives and have put their last five active members of the class into storage. Class 66 diesel locomotives will replace them on West Coast Main Line intermodal trains. The video screenshot above shows DB Class 90 No.’s 90035 and 90034 heading out of Crewe Basford Hall yard – 14/07/2022

    And with that, we reach the end of another blog entry. I’ll leave you with a pic of Yoshi. Thanks for reading and for your comments and corrections. Be seeing you!

    Yoshi was rather taken with the pavement art sunflowers in South Street, Dorchester and demanded he had his photo taken with one – 06/08/2023

  • Yoshi Barks Again

    July 26th 2023 to August 1st 2023

    One highlight from this week was GBRf Class 47 No. 47749 ‘City Of Truro’ on a unit drag from Bournemouth depot – 31/07/2023

    Steam returned on the Bournemouth to Weymouth line this week, when The Railway Touring Company ran one of their summer day trips from London to Weymouth. The steam traction was in the form of LMS Jubilee Class 4-6-0 No. 45596 ‘Bahamas’ with support at the rear of the train from West Coast Railway Class 47 Brush Type 4 diesel locomotive No. 47802.  

    LMS Jubilee Class 4-6-0 No. 45596 ‘Bahamas’ runs through Hamworthy with “The Dorset Coast Express” – 26/07/2023
    WCRC Class 47 No. 47802 assisted ‘Bahamas’ at the rear of “The Dorset Coast Express” 1Z82 0845 London Victoria to Weymouth – 26/07/2023

    The departure from Weymouth was planned to have been hauled by Swanage based Southern Railway U Class 2-6-0 No.31806 but a combination of gauging concerns and politics meant the return leg was instead in the hands of WCRC Class 47 No. 47802. The train reverses at Southampton Central with ‘Bahamas’ once again taking charge for the run to London. 

    Video of “The Dorset Coast Express” from 26th July 2023; 1Z82 0845 London Victoria to Weymouth / 1Z83 1636 Weymouth to London Victoria. With thanks to G E Barrett and @da_buckley967 for additional video!

    ‘Bahamas’ was built in 1935 by the North British Locomotive Company at Queens Park, Glasgow and entered into traffic with the London Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) as No. 5596 being allocated to Crewe North depot. The “Jubilee” class of locomotives, so called after the first of the class was named ‘Silver Jubilee’ to coincide with celebrations to mark King George V’s 25th anniversary on the throne, was designed by Sir William Stanier on his arrival at the LMS following a review of locomotive requirements. Stanier discovered a requirement for a locomotive capable of hauling fast secondary express passenger services between major cities where his newly built 4-6-2 Pacific Princess Royal class engines were excluded by loading gauge restrictions. The “Jubilees” were derived from an older type of engine known as the “Patriots” which had been designed by his predecessor, Henry Fowler. On introduction to service, they failed to impress the LMS workforce and they initially gained a reputation for being poor steamers. However, after tests and modifications to improve the boiler design they eventually became efficient locomotives and the class survived until within 12 months of the end of steam on British Railways (BR), the last example being withdrawn from traffic in October 1967. 

    One interesting ‘Bahamas’ fact to note is as steam was drawing to a close, BR made one last attempt to improve the performance of its steam locomotives and in 1961 No. 45596 was fitted with a double blastpipe and chimney as an experiment. This was the last modification to a steam locomotive undertaken by BR. ‘Bahamas’ was withdrawn in July 1966 and was put into storage at the back of Stockport Edgeley shed, under cover and forgotten until she was bought directly from BR in January 1967 by the newly formed Bahamas Locomotive Society. The rest, as they say, is history with the loco in great demand for mainline tours.

    Class 59 No. 59205 rubbed down ready for repainting into Freightliner colours at Eastleigh Arlington Works – 27/07/2023
    Repainted and awaiting collection and preparation for UK use; GBRf Class 66 No. 66309 on Eastleigh Works. No. 73964 stands behind the Class 66 – 27/07/2023
    Network Rail Video Inspection Unit VIU2 formed of Class 153 No. 153376 is out and about in the South East and seen here in the sidings adjacent to Eastleigh railway station – 27/07/2023
    GBRf Class 66 No. 66781 ‘Darius Cheskin’ crawls out of Eastleigh East Yard working 4046 0310 Trafford Park Euro TML GBRf to Southampton Western Docks GBRf as South Western Railway Class 444 No.’s 444022 and 444034 pass forming 1T30 0859 Portsmouth harbour to London Waterloo – 27/07/2023

    Saturday was a strike day on South Western Railway, but we saw another run to Weymouth of “The Dorset Coast Statesman”. On the outward run, the train was double-headed by two Class 47 locomotives, but on the return the locos were in top ‘n tail formation. I was enjoying the delights of the Poole Harbour Festival but did manage to watch the return working as it passed Baiter Park during an excellent set by Punk On Your Hits. 

    LSL owned Class 47 No.’s 47805 and 47593 double head the outward leg of “The Dorset Coast Statesman” through Holton Heath – 29/07/2023
    LSL Class 47 No.’s 47805 and 47593 work “The Dorset Coast Statesman”; 1Z93 0550 Shrewsbury to Weymouth / 1Z95 1514 Weymouth to Shrewsbury. With thanks to G E Barrett and @da_buckley967 for additional video!

    Another attempt at taking Class 458 No. 458523 up to Widnes for refurbishment was scheduled for Monday 31st July and this time the unit was successfully hauled out of Bournemouth depot as GBRf Class 69 No. 69008 returned to complete the job, this time with Class 47 No. 47749 ‘City Of Truro’ assisting. The locos and barrier coaches ran as 5Z51 0928 Leicester L.I.P. to Bournemouth T&R.S.M.D, but I didn’t pop out to see this arrive and elected instead to watch the later departure with the EMU.

    GBRF’s Class 69 No. 69008 leads out of Bournemouth depot into Branksome railway station with Class 458 No. 458523 on its way to Widnes Transport Tech for refurbishment – 31/07/2023
    GBRf Class 47 No. 47749 ‘City Of Truro’ at Branksome working 5Q66 1916 Bournemouth T&R.S.M.D to Wembley Receptions 1-7, the first stage of taking the Class 458 to Widnes for refurbishment. The train ran through Branksome station to avoid potential passengers attempting to board the coaching stock – 31/07/2023
    GBRf Class 47 No. 47749 ‘City Of Truro’ at Branksome working 5Q66 1916 Bournemouth T&R.S.M.D to Wembley Receptions 1-7 departing Branksome – 31/07/2023
    Video of 5Q66 1916 Bournemouth T&R.S.M.D to Wembley Receptions 1-7 at Branksome – 31/07/2023

    The same evening Yoshi and I went to see the monthly Plain Line Pattern Recognition (PLPR) test train passing Hamworthy on its way to Weymouth with GBRf Class 73 Electro-Diesel No.’s 73961 ‘Alison’ and 73965 ‘Des O’Brien’ provided from amongst the usual suspects

    Video of 1Q51 1115 Derby R.T.C.(Network Rail) to Eastleigh East Yard. Can you hear Yoshi barking? – 31/07/2023

    From The Archive

    I very much enjoyed seeing No. 47749 ‘City Of Truro’ in Dorset this week. Currently part of the GB Railfreight fleet, this Brush Type 4 locomotive, one of 512 examples built at Brush’s Falcon Works in Loughborough and at BR’s Crewe Works between 1962 and 1968, entered service in February 1965 and numbered D1660. She was initially allocated to Landore shed in Swansea. Named ‘City Of Truro’ by Dr Mabel Andrews the Mayor of Truro at Truro station on 8th June 1965 she carried the then standard livery of two tone green with small yellow warning panels. As part of the TOPS renumbering scheme she became No. 47076 – the number I am most familiar with – in February 1974 and she would have gained her BR Blue livery around the same time.

    In 1984 she was modified to the 47/4 sub-class and renumbered as No. 47625. During the period October 1991 to October 1995 she carried the name ‘Resplendent’ and carried the red Rail Express Systems livery. Further modifications to conform to the 47/7b sub-class meant another renumbering in November 1995 to No. 47749. At the same time came another change of name came as she became ‘Atlantic College’, and she carried these plates until 1999. Under Colas ownership No. 47749 was named ‘Demelza’ and she carried this name from September 2007 through to April 2016 when she was reunited with the ‘City Of Truro’ nameplates.

    No. 47749 ‘City Of Truro’ receives attention at the former Brush Works in Loughborough – 02/04/2023
    In March 2021 Yoshi and I saw GBRf Class 47 No. 47749 ‘City Of Truro’ hauling Class 66 No. 66798 working as 0O66 1353 Doncaster Down Decoy to Eastleigh East Yard passing through Romsey. I had initially driven to Shawford to see this pairing, but due to a fatality between Reading and Basingstoke, the locomotives were diverted through Newbury, Westbury, Romsey and Southampton arriving at their final destination over 90 minutes late.
    No. 47749 in Colas livery and named ‘Demelza’ in Weymouth with an engineers train – 24/12/2012
    Showing she was built by BR at Crewe, 47749 ‘Demelza’ builders plate – 24/12/2012
    47749 ‘Demelza’with an engineers train on the Weymouth Quay branch at town station with Class 66 No. 66847 at the country end – 24/12/2012
    Nameplate detail of No. 47076 ‘City Of Truro’ Reading – 16/06/1979
    Brush Type 4 No. 47076 ‘City Of Truro’ having departed Dorchester South with a summer inter-regional service bound for Weymouth – 18/04/1981

    That’s all from us this week. Thanks for reading and for your kind comments and corrections. We’ll leave you with a photo of Yoshi. Be seeing you!

    Yoshi visited his favourite pub on Monday. The Yachtsman is situated very close to Lake Road Bridge on the Hamworthy Branch – 31/07/2023

  • Yoshi’s Déjà vu

    July 20th 2023 to July 25th 2023

    This last few days have been rather quiet on our patch. However, there was a replay of last Tuesday / Wednesday when another South Western Railway (SWR) Class 458/4 electric multiple unit was moved from Widnes Transport Technology Centre, run by Alstom, down to Bournemouth Traction & Rolling Stock Maintenance Depot complete with feelings of déjà vu as delays were again caused by paperwork gauging issues. Originally scheduled to arrive at the depot near Branksome railway station at 1426 as 5Q65 0903 Wembley Receptions 1-7 to Bournemouth T&RSMD, the train was held at Woking for several hours before being allowed to proceed with a new headcode denoting it was ‘out of gauge’ running as 5X65 1405 Woking to Bournemouth T&R.S.M.D. Arrival into Branksome was at 1609, around an hour earlier than the scheduled revised path.

    Making their second visit in a matter of days, GBRf Class 56 No. 56081 top and tail with converted Class 56 and now Class 69 No. 69008 arrive at Branksome working 5X65 1405 Woking to Bournemouth T&RSMD – 21/07/2023
    SWR Class 458/4 No. 458407 awaiting reversal of the train on its way into Bournemouth depot stands in the consist at Branksome – 21/07/2023
    Class 69 No. 69008 at Branksome at the head of 5F66 1955 Bournemouth T&RSMD to Leicester LIP running in the earlier, original slot 5Q66 1750 Bournemouth T&RSMD to Widnes Transport Tech which should have seen another Class 458 EMU heading north. Instead the 56/69 combo left with the barrier coaches only – 21/08/2023

    Monday July 24th saw the return of Swanage Railway based Class 33/0 No. D6515 (33012) ‘Lt. Jenny Lewis RN’ from her trip to the Watercress Line. It so happened that I was in the Southampton area as ‘Jenny’ was hauling the London Underground 4-TC unit into Eastleigh Arlington works. I wasn’t quite prepared for this working to be running 45 minutes ahead of schedule and my planned photographic opportunity at Shawford had to be abandoned in favour of the popular Campbell Road bridge situated next to the railway works and, as it was, the train was already passing through the station as I arrived at my second choice vantage point.

    Returning from her stay on the Watercress Line, Class 33/0 No. No. D6515 (33012) ‘Lt. Jenny Lewis RN’ hauling the London Underground 4TC set passes Eastleigh with the early running 5Z40 0940 Alton to Eastleigh Works GBRf on her way home to the Swanage Railway – 24/07/2023
    Having worked light engine to Eastleigh Arlington to collect a Pullman coach, DB operated Class 67 No. 67006 ‘Royal Sovereign’ in Royal Claret livery awaits clearance to return to Stewarts Lane forming 5Z25 1302 Eastleigh Arlington (ZG) to Stewarts Lane T&RSMD. In the event this move was cancelled as the coach was not yet ready to go and the Class 67 with the Pullman car eventually ran the following day. This Class 67 is one of the locomotives used to haul the Royal Train as required – 24/07/2023
    Class 66 No. 66791 operates 6V41 1450 Eastleigh East Yard to Westbury Down TC – 24/07/2023
    Freightliner Class 70 No. 70004 ‘The Coal Industry Society’ on the approach to Eastleigh railway station working 4O90 0604 Leeds Freightliner Terminal to Southampton Maritime Container Terminal as the 1M50 1245 Bournemouth to Manchester Piccadilly CrossCountry service formed of Voyager set No.’s 220008 and 221127 pass on the Up Fast – 24/07/2023
    Class 66 No. 66781 ‘Darius Cheskin’ stops for a crew change at Eastleigh working 4M46 1424 Southampton Western Docks (GBRF) to Trafford Park Euro TML GBRF – 24/07/2023
    Not many SWR Desiro units remain in the colours of former operator South West Trains (SWT). Class 450 No. 450082 awaits the “Off” at Eastleigh forming 2B48 1302 Bournemouth to Winchester – 24/07/2023
    Still in the original South Western Railway livery which has light grey stripes in the white part of the bodyside, Class 450 No. 450111 departs Eastleigh with 2B35 1349 Winchester to Southampton Central – 24/07/2023
    Another old SWT livery variation is seen on Class 158 DMU No. 158882 on the “Romsey Rocket” service 2R62 1656 Salisbury to Romsey – 24/07/2023
    Newly repainted and with silver buffers DB Cargo Class 66 No. 66190 ‘Martin House Children’s Hospice’ on the early running 4V39 1736 Southampton Eastern Docks to Morris Cowley MAT – 24/07/2023

    Further afield we were interested to learn that the famous “Jacobite” steam train service operated by West Coast Railways (WCR), which runs  from Fort William to Mallaig and return, are currently suspended. The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has released a statement regarding the issues of concern found with the train. Things first went awry on Friday 9th June 2023 when a safety inspector visited “The Jacobite” service, and found failings which were considered a breach of Health and Safety. The ORR issued West Coast Railways with a prohibition notice that came into effect on the 15th June and prevented them running “The Jacobite” until the ORR was satisfied that the issues were rectified.

    More recently, on 14th July a further inspection found failings that breached the earlier prohibition notice and the conditions in WCR’s Railway Safety Regulation Exemption Certificate in relation to the management of the hinged door rolling stock employed on the service. The train operates on the main line under an exemption, granted by the ORR, that allows the continued use of heritage rolling stock without central door locking.

    The ORR says it is working with WCR to make sure robust safety arrangements are in place which will allow the use of heritage carriages on “The Jacobite” in the near future, and in the mean time, WCRC can use alternative carriages to operate “The Jacobite”.

    The full statement from the ORR reads:

    “A safety inspector from the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) visited the Jacobite service run by West Coast Railway Company Limited (WCRCL) on Friday 9 June 2023. This inspection found safety failings which ORR considered breached Health and Safety Legislation and accordingly ORR issued WCRCL with a prohibition notice which came into effect at 00:01 on 15 June 2023 and which prevented it from running until WCRCL was satisfied that it could rectify the issues raised in that notice. The prohibition notice is published at P/KB/14062023 West Coast Railway Company Ltd prohibition notice (windows.net). The Jacobite service recommenced on 15 June 2023.

    Safety inspectors from ORR subsequently visited the Jacobite service run by WCRCL on Friday 14 July. This inspection found safety failings which ORR considered breached the earlier prohibition notice and the conditions contained in WCRCL’s Railway Safety Regulation Exemption Certificate. This type of exemption certificate is required for all train operators who want to use carriages without central door locking fitted – ordinarily heritage carriages of the type used on the Jacobite service. Due to the safety issues identified, ORR has revoked WCRCL’s Exemption Certificate. WCRCL will continue to be able to use carriages without central door locking fitted on its other services in accordance with the conditions of a new Exemption Certificate.

    ORR is working with WCRCL to ensure robust safety arrangements are in place to allow WCRCL to use heritage carriages on the Jacobite line in the near future. In the interim, it is open to WCRCL to use alternative carriages to operate the Jacobite service.”

    It’s one of my favourite railway journeys and I have been lucky enough to travel between Fort William and Malliag a few times over the years, most recently in 2020. 

    Our 2021 “Jacobite” experience
    “The Jacobite” at Fort William in September 2019

    “The Jacobite” commences its journey at Fort William, the largest town in the Highlands and is situated at the southern end of the Great Glen, in the shadow of Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in Britain. This area is a great location to use as a base when discovering the West Highlands. One of the highlights on the journey is crossing the 21-arched Glenfinnan viaduct (a location made famous in the Harry Potter films) which overlooks Loch Shiel and the Jacobite monument.

    Yoshi and I at Fort William with LNER K1 No. 62005. We could both do with a haircut! – 11/09/2019
    LNER Thompson/Peppercorn K1 Class No. 62005 was designed by the London and North Eastern Railway, built by the North British Locomotive Company in their Queen’s Park Works, Glasgow as NBL no 26609 and delivered to the fledgling British Railways in June 1949. She has been used for several seasons on “The Jacobite” service. She is currently undergoing an overhaul – 11/09/2019
    Yoshi and I at Fort William with LMS Stanier Class 5 4-6-0 No. 44871. The locomotive was one of four engines chosen to take part in the famous “Fifteen Guinea Special”, the last scheduled mainline passenger train to be hauled by steam locomotives over British Rail metals which took place on 11th August 1968 – 22/06/2021
    LMS Stanier Class 5 4-6-0 No. 45212 crosses Glenfinnan viaduct with the morning “Jacobite” service – 23/06/2023

    The end of the line, Mallaig was founded during the 1840’s when the owner of the North Morar Estate, Lord Lovat, divided up the farm on the coast here into parcels of land and encouraged his tenants living around Loch Morar and Loch Nevis to resettle in what became Mallaig and establish a fishing village. Today Mallaig is a busy fishing port and ferry terminal with services to Skye and the Small Isles.

    LMS Stanier Class 5 4-6-0 No. 44871 at Mallaig shunting stock for the return “Jacobite” working to Fort William – 22/06/2021
    “The Jacobite” filmed between Fort William and Mallaig in 1995. The final shot of this compilation is where my 8MM camcorder sighed and died. I didn’t think the footage was recoverable, but here we are!
    Scenes of “The Jacobite” from July 1996

    I have not mentioned the UK government plan to close railway station ticket offices at the majority of stations under the guise of changes proposed to bring station staff closer to customers because of the ridiculous short period of time given for the consultation process which was originally set to run for 21 days from 5th to 26th July. However this process has now been extended to end on 1st September 2023. Much of the covergae in the press focussed on the plan being an initiative driven by the Train Operating Companies wanting to cut costs and boost profits. This myth was perpetuated by the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) taking ownership of the announcement, but there can be no doubt that this is an initiative from the Department For Transport (DaFT) under pressure from the Treasury and most likely the helicopter loving incumbent of No. 10. 

    This is a bad and impractical idea. As a user of the railways it is clear that ticket vending machines do not offer the full range of available ticketing and, by my experience, are often out of order. There is also a valid argument that ticket machines are not fully accesible.

    If you’d like to register a comment, please visit:  Train station ticket office consultation – Transport Focus

    Thanks for visiting. As always your comments, corrections and observations are most welcome. Be seeing you!

  • Yoshi Goes To The Mid-Hants

    Yoshi on the platform at Ropley on the Mid-Hants Railway with Class 20 No.’s D8059 (20059) and D8188 (20188) awaiting departure with a train bound for Alton – 15/07/2023

    July 12th 2023 to July 19th 2023

    I have a not so long list of locomotives or trains which I would like to photograph. This is distinct from my train spotting days when I wanted to see everything! This past week has been a good one in my efforts at ticking off a few items from the list, starting on Wednesday 12th July as I took the train to Birmingham for a work meeting.

    South Western Railway Class 444 No. 444028 having arrived as an empty coaching stock movement from Bournemouth T&RSMD before forming the 1B14 0500 departure from Poole to London Waterloo – 12/07/2023

    My journey began at 0430 when I left home for Poole Railway Station in order to catch the 0500 train towards London. Reports of over-running engineering work in the Solent area gave me unnecessary cause for concern as we were not substantially delayed by these. I was scheduled to change at Southampton Parkway onto a CrossCountry service, but on checking the train providers website I found that due to a shortage of train drivers, my scheduled train would instead start from Winchester further up the line. This was not a bad thing as it meant I had time to grab a caramel latte at Winchester (although they forgot to add the caramel syrup – bah!) before the allotted Class 221 Voyager diesel-multiple unit arrived to pick up passengers, despite being announced and signed as “not stopping” at this station. This announcement left many on the platform bemused and confused and there was no follow up advice via the station tannoy in an attempt to rectify things. This could have been a bad thing.

    CrossCountry Voyager Class 221 DMU No. 221124 stands at Winchester platform 1 working the 1M22 0633 service to Manchester Piccadilly – 12/07/2023

    The train was quite lightly loaded from Winchester, and after taking a quick snap of the train, on boarding I discovered there was only one other passenger in my coach. Frustratingly they had decided to sit in my reserved seat. To be fair the seat reservations took a few minutes to show up on the little electronic display panels, and things were soon resolved and we both set off in our allocated seats.

    CrossCountry Voyager Class 221 DMU No. 221124 having deposited me at Birmingham New Street – 12/07/2023

    On arrival at Birmingham it was a quick seven minute walk to Snow Hill where the work office is located. The meeting room situated on the 17th floor provides a panoramic view over the city and a vantage point looking down upon Birmingham Snow Hill railway station.

    An unidentified West Midlands Trains Class 172/3 Turbostar DMU working 2S29 0854 Kidderminster to Stratford-Upon-Avon into Birmingham Snow Hill – 12/07/2023

    The meeting over, I scurried back to Birmingham New Street as there was a train on my list I was hoping to see which was diagrammed to work through the station, stopping only to grab few pics of a passing tram.

    West Midlands Metro was launched on 30th May 1999 as Midland Metro partly utilising the disused Birmingham Snow Hill to Wolverhampton low level route. CAF Urbos 3 Tram No. 38 passes Snow Hill – 12/07/2023
    The same tram as in the previous image, No. 38, just beat me down the hill to the Grand Central stop just outside New Street station – 12/07/2023
    Another tick as in Regional Railways retro livery Class 323 No. 323221 stands at Birmingham New Street with the 2P37 1436 service to Lichfield. No. 323215 is the second unit in standard West Midlands Trains colours – 12/07/2023
    Regional Railways retro livery Class 323 No. 323221 working 2P37 1436 Birmingham New Street to Lichfield at Birmingham New Street – 12/07/2023
    CrossCountry Voyager Class 221 DMU No. 221119 works through Birmingham New Street with 1O20 1325 Manchester Piccadilly to Bournemouth which I eschewed for a Pendolino service to London Euston – 12/07/2023
    My Avanti West Coast Pendo Class 390 No. 390135 ‘City of Lancaster’ sits amidst the hustle and bustle at Birmingham New Street. 53 of these train sets were ordered by Virgin West Coast in 1999. They were built by Alstom in Italy and fitted out in Washwood Heath near Birmingham – 12/07/2023
    Nameplate detail of Class 390 No. 390135 ‘City of Lancaster’ – 12/07/2023

    My return journey to Dorset was via London which gave me the opportunity to travel on an Avanti West Coast Pendolino train. I wish I hadn’t bothered to be honest, as my reserved seat didn’t match up with a window and my view was quite a slight one but required looking towards the window in the seating in front of me, but at least it provided some sort of view as we sped down the west Coast Main Line (WCML). The preceding service to London Euston ahead of my departure had been cancelled which meant increased numbers of customers travelling on my train. Because the Class 390 Pendolino trains have a tilting capability they have to be quite snug to fit into the UK loading gauge but I found this did not make for comfortable seating arrangements. But I found it fascinating to see the masts for the overhead catenary seemingly at 45 degree angles as we passed by on sections of curved track as otherwise I don’t think you’d know the train was tilting in order to smooth out the bends.

    My journey’s end with Class 390 No. 390135 ‘City of Lancaster’ at the buffer stops of platform 7 of London Euston having worked the 1B50 1547 service from Birmingham New Street – 12/07/2023

    On arrival in London I took the opportunity to pop into King’s Cross station as Class 91 No. 91111 ‘For The Fallen’ was scheduled to arrive with empty coaching stock forming a later service to Leeds which gave me time to take a few mobile phone photographs before I needed to get the tube over to London Waterloo and my final train home.

    While waiting at London Kings Cross I made use of the pub located in the original Great Northern Railway parcels office dating back to 1852 with a view overlooking the platforms – 12/07/2023
    One from my list; much hoped for Class 91 No. 91111 ‘For The Fallen’ rests at platform 4 having arrived with empty coaching stock movement 5D29 Ferme Park Reception Sidings to London Kings Cross – 12/07/2023
    LNER Azuma Class 801 No. 801105 arrives at its final destination with 1Y88 1602 York to London Kings Cross – 12/07/2023
    Another study of LNER InterCity 225 Class 91 No. 91111 ‘For The Fallen’ which will haul 1D29 1903 London Kings Cross to Leeds – 12/07/2023
    Homeward bound courtesy of the South Western Railway 1W79 1903 London Waterloo to Weymouth service formed of Class 444 No.’s 444035 at the rear and 444041 out of sight at the head of platform 15. The train split at Southampton Central, the front five coaches running a fast service to Weymouth whilst the rear section performs a stopping service to Poole – 12/07/2023

    The weekend of 14th to 16th July saw the Watercress Line / Mid-Hants Railway holding their diesel gala. Yoshi and I took the opportunity to visit on the Saturday. As usual, we purchased a gala day ticket and because of the wet weather forecast quite intended to use it! In the event, the rain held off for the most part, but I decided that it might make a pleasant change to enjoy some locomotive haulage along line and opted to ride in the London Underground 4TC unit which was visiting for the event. We were hauled by two visiting locomotives; Class 66 No. 66502 ‘Basford Hall Centenary 2001’ and Class 33/0 No. D6515 (33012) ‘Lt. Jenny Lewis RN’.

    Home fleet Class 47 47579 “James Nightall GC” approaches Ropley – 15/07/2023
    Class 20 No.’s D8188 (20188) and D8059 (20059) arrive at Ropley with a train from Alresford – 15/07/2023
    The driver of “Teddy Bear” Class 14 No. 9551, visiting from the Severn Valley Railway courtesy of the SVR Class 14 Company Ltd, exchanges tokens at Ropley – 15/07/2023
    On static display on Ropley Shed; Class 08 No. 08032 – 15/07/2023
    Class 08 No. D3462 (08377) at Ropley shed awaiting a trip to Alresford – 15/07/2023
    Class 11 No. D12082 was running driver experience opportunities up and down the yard at Ropley – 15/07/2023
    Class 08 No. 08288 ‘Phoenix’ on shed having worked a train up from Alresford – 15/07/2023
    Class 33/0 No. D6515 (33012) ‘Lt. Jenny Lewis RN’ appeared courtesy of the 71A Locomotive Group and is, of course, usually found at the Swanage Railway. She is seen here at Ropley – 15/07/2023
    Another view of Class 33/0 No. D6515 (33012) ‘Lt. Jenny Lewis RN’ this time taken from the footbridge at Ropley – 15/07/2023
    For many the star attraction, Class 66 No. 66502 ‘Basford Hall Centenary 2001’, courtesy of Freightliner on the approach to Ropley – 15/07/2023
    Freightliner Class 66 No. 66502 ‘Basford Hall Centenary 2001’ awaits the road at Ropley hauling the London Underground 4TC set No. 428 – 15/07/2023
    Freightliner Class 66 No. 66502 ‘Basford Hall Centenary 2001’ and the London Underground 4TC set No. 428 at Alresford – 15/07/2023
    Nameplate of Freightliner Class 66 No. 66502 ‘Basford Hall Centenary 2001’ – 15/07/2023
    Yoshi takes a ride onboard London Underground 4TC set No. 428 – 15/07/2023
    London Underground 4TC set No. 428 stands at Alton while No. 33012 runs around out of sho – 15/07/2023
    Having run round the 4TC coaching stock Class 33/0 No. D6515 (33012) ‘Lt. Jenny Lewis RN’ awaits departure time from Alton – 15/07/2023
    Alton is also a mainline station and is shared with SWR. Class 450 No. 450005 is ready for departure with the 1A50 1515 service to London Waterloo – 15/07/2023
    While we were getting off the train at Ropley, Yoshi had to say hello to train guard gone freight train driver, author, illustrator, columnist, fundraiser and lover of all dogs; Bessie Matthews. Bessie has written and illustrated railway safety book “Arlo’s Adventures There and Back” which follows Arlo the badger as he makes his first ever solo trip on the train to see his friends Duskie and Moss, who live a couple of stops away. The reader helps the trio stay safe by turning to the page they think is the best choice featuring real world scenarios such as level crossings and station platforms, as well including a child-friendly glossary of railway terms – 15/07/2023
    Resident Class 50 No. 50027 ‘Lion’ on static display at Ropley shed – 15/07/2023
    Always love seeing dog related railway images, and this is one of our faves. Seen at Ropley – 15/07/2023
    Yoshi didn’t look too pleased when I tried to recreate a railway poster in 2021. Maybe I’ll have another go when I have time on my hands!
    Our snapshot video of the Mid-Hants Diesel Gala 2023

    Before and after our visit to the Watercress Line, we popped into Eastleigh. In the morning I was looking to get a photograph of Direct Rail Services Class 68 No. 68034 which although had visited Dorset on a Winfrith run in recent months had in the meantime been named ‘Railriders 2000’ at Crewe Heritage Centre on 10th June 2023. The name had been previously carried by Class 66 No. 66303 having received the nameplates on 7th July 2021. However the Class 66 was moved to become part of the GBRf fleet in 2022 and the decision to transfer the name was taken.

    Prior to seeing the DRS Class 68 move from Eastleigh to Crewe, we did our usual and parked up on Campbell Road for a view of the works. I was pleased to see Class 07 shunter No. 07007. This class of locomotive was originally built to replace USA steam tank engines at work on Southampton Docks back in the early 1960’s – 15/07/2023
    Eastleigh Works is currently the graveyard of Class 313 EMU’s which await their turn under the cutter’s torch – 15/07/2023
    More Class 313’s in store at Eastleigh – 15/07/2023
    While we were walking around Campbell Road to get a view of Eastleigh Works, we heard Class 47 No. 47727 ‘Edinburgh Castle’ fire up. She is seen here on the left of the image adjacent to still stored SWR Class 701 units – 15/07/2023
    The law of the jungle; the elderly Brush Type 4 has not eaten for days and is slowly stalking its prey, a much younger Stadler Rail cat as she manoeuvres out into the open.. DRS Class 68 No. 68034 ‘Rail Riders 2020’ hauls two PFA wagons as 6Z32 0845 Eastleigh Arlington (Zg) to Crewe Coal Sidings (DRS) while GBRf Class 47 No. 47727 ‘Edinburgh Castle’ is running light engine working OF47 0900 Eastleigh Trsmd to Leicester L.I. P. – 15/07/2023
    Nameplate detail of Class 68 No. 68034 ‘Rail Riders 2020’ – 15/07/2023
    A busy scene at Eastleigh as DRS Class 68 No. 68034 ‘Rail Riders 2020’ passes through working 6Z32 0845 Eastleigh Arlington (Zg) to Crewe Coal Sidings (DRS) – 15/07/2023

    Following the Class 68 departing Eastleigh Arlington, GBRf Class 47 No. 47727 ‘Edinburgh Castle’ was booked to run to Leicester light engine.

    GBRf Class 47 No. 47727 ‘Edinburgh Castle’ running light engine on the approach to Eastleigh railway station working as OF47 0900 Eastleigh Trsmd to Leicester L.I. P. – 15/07/2023

    We also ticked another locomotive off the wanted list in the shape of GBRf Class 66 No. 66723 ‘Chinook’ which we saw pass through Eastleigh in the morning whilst waiting for the Class 68 move. The Class 66 carries the distinctive outline of a chinook helicopter on its bodyside and with the aid of a step ladder was able to get mobile phone images through the ever rampant buddlea as the locomotive was stabled on Eastleigh East Yard in the afternoon.

    GBRf Class 66 No. 66723 ‘Chinook’ stabled on Eastleigh East Yard – 15/07/2023
    Bodyside detail of GBRf Class 66 No. 66723 ‘Chinook’ stabled on Eastleigh East Yard – 15/07/2023
    Nameplate of GBRf Class 66 No. 66723 ‘Chinook’ stabled on Eastleigh East Yard – 15/07/2023
    GBRf Class 66 locomotives no.’s 66301 and 66717 ‘Good Old Boy’ parked up at Eastleigh East Yard – 15/07/2023
    A short video from Eastleigh – 15/07/2023

    Much excitement on Tuesday evening as the first of South Western Railway’s Class 458/4 electric-multiple units was scheduled to arrive at Bournemouth depot. An attempt to run the train the previous week had been cancelled so when the associated workings to Widnes Transport Tech to retrieve the unit went ahead it was a sure sign that we would see it in Dorset.

    The 30 original 4-car Class 458 EMU’s were built by Alstom at Eastwood Heath, Birmingham between 1998 and 2002 for South West Trains (SWT) and are part of the Coradia Juniper type of trains. Between 2013 and 2016, the class was merged with the mechanically similar Class 460 units and extensively rebuilt to form a fleet of 36 5-car units which were designated as Class 458/5’s. The trains were operated by South Western Railway (SWR) following SWT’s loss of the South Western franchise.

    In March 2021 SWR announced it would be refurbishing 28 Class 458 units, the work being carried out by Alstom at Widnes in Cheshire at a cost of £25 million. Work will involve returning each unit to its original 4-car formation by removing the Class 460 vehicles, restoring the original maximum speed of 100 mph, and reconfiguration of the passenger saloons. These “new” units will be reclassified and renumbered as Class 458/4’s. They will be leased from rolling stock company Porterbrook until at least 2027 and are to be based at Bournemouth Traction & Rolling Stock Maintenance Depot (T&RSMD). The first two units to be sent for refurbishment, No.’s 458507 and 458517, arrived at Widnes in August 2022. Now, finally, it is time for their return to SWR metals.

    The real excitement was generated over the locomotives which had been allocated to dragging the first Class 458/4 to its new home; GBRf Class 56 No. 56081 and Class 69 No. 69008. Both unusual traction for Dorset. So it was no surprise to find Branksome railway station a very popular location for railway enthusiasts on Tuesday evening, all hopeful at getting a glimpse of the special working. The train was scheduled to arrive at Branksome for reversal into Bournemouth depot at around 1840. But it was soon clear that things were not going quite to plan when, looking at the live map on Open Time Trains (OTT), the train appeared stalled at Southampton Central. Many theories were passed around, but it would seem that there were concerns over the dampers or shock absorbers on the refurbished unit. And although not actually out of gauge west of Southampton, there was no paperwork to confirm this which resulted in the train being halted in platform 3 of Southampton Central. At first many commentators were of the opinion that the consist would be moved back to Eastleigh awaiting clearance for it to proceed to Bournemouth the following day. Being a pedant, I kept a close view on OTT and was rewarded by the notification of the train moving towards its intended destination. I was also thankful for the texts and messages from friends who were also observing what was happening. So after walking Yoshi, I returned to Branksome in time to see Class 56 No. 56081 rounding the curve into the station 264 minutes late. It was disappointing that I hadn’t seen the train in daylight as anticipated, but it was great to see anyway.

    GBRf Class 56081 runs through Branksome hauling 5Q65 1435 Wembley Terminal Complex Wheel Lathe to Bournemouth Traction & Rolling Stock Maintenance Depot – 18/07/2023
    GBRf Class 69 No. 69008 at the rear of 5Q65 1435 Wembley Terminal Complex Wheel Lathe to Bournemouth Traction & Rolling Stock Maintenance Depot as the crew prepare to reverse into the depot – 18/07/2023

    Obviously, by this time, the return working consisting of the locomotives and barrier coaches had missed the 2100 departure for Eastleigh, but I quite expected them to return that night, but I for one, wasn’t going to hang around to confirm this. On checking the Real Time Trains schedules the following morning I was quietly pleased to have been proven wrong as a path had been put in the system for a return working at 0900 taking the train to Eastleigh. So off I went to get those daylight shots I had missed the previous day.

    Knowing I had to be back at home for 1000, I was getting a little perturbed when there was no sign of movement at the appointed hour or indeed for several minutes afterwards. Eventually the train headcode turned up on the OTT map, which is always a promising sign, followed by the sweet sound of the point motor shifting allowing trains access out of the depot onto the main line. I was very pleased, once again, to see No. 56081 approaching Branksome, this time giving a steam locomotive a run for its money with all the clag it was emitting. Clag can be defined as “dust, dried up oil and other associated bits of junk that have collected in the exhaust manifold being blowing out of the roof with a white to black colouration, in thick opaque clouds” and No. 56081 was certainly living up to that description! And that ticks another thing off my list – a Class 56 locomotive working on the mainline in Dorset.

    A view I never though I’d see as Class 56 No. 56081 departs Bournemouth depot working 5M50 0900 Bournemouth Traction & Rolling Stock Maintenance Depot to Eastleigh East Yard – 19/07/2023
    Top and tailed by GBRf Class 56 No. 56081 and Class 69 No. 69008 5M50 0900 Bournemouth Traction & Rolling Stock Maintenance Depot to Eastleigh East Yard eases towards the mainline – 19/07/2023
    GBRf Class 69 No. 69008 (converted from Class 56 No. 56038), the first of six members of the class to be fitted with Dellner couplers for use on multiple unit stock movements awaits departure from Branksome working 5M50 0900 Bournemouth Traction & Rolling Stock Maintenance Depot to Eastleigh East Yard – 19/07/2023
     With No. 69008 leading, 5M50 0900 Bournemouth Traction & Rolling Stock Maintenance Depot to Eastleigh East Yard powers away from Branksome with Class 56 No. 56081 at the rear with Mk1 barrier coaches No.’s ADB975974 ‘Paschar’, ADB975978 ‘Perpetel’, 6376 & 6377 – 19/07/2023
    Video of unit stock movement and associated working to Bournemouth 18th & 19th July 2023

    The arrival of Tuesday’s unit drag felt like it had taken as long as the time it is taking for the SWR Class 701’s to enter revenue earning service. It’s been a while since I ventured out to see one on a mileage accumulation run, but on July 13th I did just that and was lucky enough to see No. 701054 running through Poole with a brief stop to open and close its doors. Which was nice.

    SWR Class 444 No. 444037 awaits departure time at Poole working 2W62 1400 service to London Waterloo as Class 701 No. 701054 passes with 5Q51 1115 London Waterloo to Staines Up Loop – 13/07/2023
    The 701 mileage accumulation continues via Poole – 13/07/2023

    For the record…

    While I was in Birmingham on 12th July, Swanage based Class 33/0 No. 33012 ‘Lt. Jenny Lewis RN’ ran from her Isle of Purbeck home to Eastleigh to collect the LU 4TC set before an onward move to Alton in readiness for the Mid-Hants Diesel Gala. On the same day, via “the West”, Class 37 No.’s 37610 and 37612 ran to Weymouth with the New Measurement Train working as 1Z22 0757 Derby RTC to Bristol Kingsland Road.

    Hamworthy Watch…

    Work has been carried out at Ashmore crossing on the Hamworthy branch with the warning lights to the right of the above image being repaired after sustaining damage from a vehicle hit several weeks ago. Further vegetation clearance has also been observed along this section – 16/07/2023
    Roadworks have been scheduled to be in place overnight of 21st/22nd November 2023 at Lake Road Bridge on the Hamworthy branch. There has been concerns over the safety of the bridge structure at this point of the line and although there has been previous work to replace rotten timbers it looks as if more does need to be done before trains can pass over this section

    Thank you so much for visiting. We really appreciate your feedback. Be seeing you!

    Virgin Trains Super Voyager Class 221 No. 221106 ‘Willem Barents’ celebrates the “The Prisoner” as it carries advertising for “Festival No.6” which is held at Portmeirion, North Wales, the filming location for 1960’s cult TV series. Seen at London Euston on 22/02/2016

  • Yoshi Climbs Gold Hill

    14th June 2023 to 20th June 2023

    We went to Shaftesbury on Sunday to see old buses. Caroline and I visited a pub or three and Yoshi took a liking to Gold Hill. Famous as the location for the 1973 Hovis bread TV advert directed by Ridley Scott. Still the same today as its always been – 18/06/2023

    Wednesday 14th June 2023 saw Colas test train 1Q18 Derby RTC to Bristol Kingsland Road visit Dorset in the capable charge of top and tailed Class 37 locomotives No.’s 37612 and 37254. I was in the east of the county hoping to capture a Class 701 drag from Bournemouth to Eastleigh which didn’t materialise. It’s been quite a month for unusual movements being cancelled here; a Class 69 hauled Weedkiller to Weymouth, a Class 37 test train via the West and a Class 455 drag with a Rail Operations Group (ROG) Class 37 to Bournemouth T&RSMD to mention a few.

    Class 37 No. 37612 leads 1Q18 Derby RTC to Bristol Kingsland Road via Weymouth into Dorchester West (video screen grab courtesy of G E Barrett) – 14/06/2023
    Class 37 No. 37254 leads out of Weymouth where 1Q18 Derby RTC to Bristol Kingsland Road has reversed for the run to Bristol (video screen grab courtesy of @da_buckley967) – 14/06/2023
    Video of Class 37 No.s 37612 and 37254 working 1Q18 Derby RTC to Bristol Kingsland Road courtesy of @da_buckley967 and G E Barrett – 14/06/2023

    On Saturday, I popped over to the Southampton area for a brief evening visit to see LNER A3 4-6-2 Pacific No. 60103 ‘Flying Scotsman’. I don’t understand the scorn poured on this locomotive by a certain section of the railway enthusiast fraternity. I think it’s great Scotsman captures the imagination of the general public and it was delightful to hear a lot of chatter on our local radio station before and after the locomotive visited Portsmouth. I was interested to see if No. 60103 retained her white roof which she had gained the previous week in advance of hauling the Royal Train carrying King Prince Charles over the North Yorkshire Moors Railway on Monday 12th June, and I was very pleased to see she had! I was able to observe the “Portsmouth Flyer” rail tour on its way back to London Victoria from the overbridge leading to Dock Gate 20 at Millbrook. It’s also an excellent vantage point to see the locomotives being stabled at Freightliner Maritime depot. I thought the location would be quite popular with onlookers, but in the event it was just myself and another photographer there to see the “People’s Locomotive” steam by. It was quite pleasant passing the time having a friendly chat about railways of today and years gone. 

    Freightliner Class 08 shunter No. 08785 at Southampton Maritime – 17/06/2023
    Class 66 No. 66594 at Southampton Maritime – 17/06/2023
    A line up of Class 70’s at Southampton Maritime, including No.’s 70003,70007 and 70014 with Class 66 No.’s 66565, 66594 and 66504 also visible- 17/06/2023
    Class 66 No. 66529 receives attention at Southampton Maritime – 17/06/2023
    CrossCountry Voyager No. 220011 nears Redbridge working 1020 1325 Manchester Piccadilly to Bournemouth – 17/06/2023
    LNER A3 Pacific No. 60103 ‘Flying Scotsman’ at Millbrook working the return “The Portsmouth Flyer” 1Z73 1606 Portsmouth Harbour to London Victoria – 17/06/2023
    The white cab roof applied to LNER A3 Pacific No. 60103 ‘Flying Scotsman’ can be seen clearly in this view of the locomotive as she works the return “The Portsmouth Flyer” 1Z73 1606 Portsmouth Harbour to London Victoria on the approach to Redbridge – 17/06/2023
    West Coast Railway Company Class 47 No. 47802 at the rear of “The Portsmouth Flyer” 1Z73 1606 Portsmouth Harbour to London Victoria approaching Redbridge – 17/06/2023

    After seeing ‘Flying Scotsman’ I had just enough time to pop over to Eastleigh to get a photo of the Network Rail Class 153 Inspection Train. I was also able to see UK Railtours “The Magic Carpet” on its way from Exeter to London Victoria. This was hauled by two GBRf Class 73 Electro-diesels of the type we normally get here on a test train the first Monday of every month. 

    GBRf Class 66 No. 66726 ‘Sheffield Wednesday’ in Eastleigh East Yard in preparation for working 7C03 2302 to Clapham Junction Windsor Lines civil engineering train later in the day along with No. 66846 – 17/06/2023
    A view over Eastleigh East Yard with GBRf Class 66 No. 66726 ‘Sheffield Wednesday’ and Colas Rail Class 66 No. 66846 in the foreground – 17/06/2023
    DB Cargo Class 66 No. 66100 ‘Armistice 100 1918 – 2018’ in the sidings adjacent Eastleigh railway station – 17/06/2023
    Nameplate detail of Class 66 No. 66100 ‘Armistice 100 1918 – 2018’ – 17/06/2023
    Still carrying EWS Livery, DB Cargo Class 66 No. 66083 partners No. 66100 ‘Armistice 100 1918 – 2018’ at Eastleigh – 17/06/2023
    Network Rail Video Inspection Unit No. 2 (VIU2) No. 153376 rests at Eastleigh. Network Rail employs three Class 153 DMU’s for video assessment of track and points – 17/06/2023
    GBRf Class 66 No. 66701 having just reversed onto wagons ready to form 6G13 1952 Eastleigh East Yard to Cheam engineers train – 17/06/2023
    Maritime Blue liveried Class 66 No. 66051 ‘Maritime Intermodal Four’ passing through Eastleigh heading up 4V44 1824 Southampton Eastern Docks to Morris Cowley MAT – 17/06/2023
    GBRf Class 73/9 No.’s 73964 ‘Jeanette’ and 73962 ‘Dick Mabbutt’ hauling UK Railtours “The Magic Carpet” one the approach to Eastleigh – 17/06/2023
    GBRf Class 73/9 No.’s 73964 ‘Jeanette’ and 73962 ‘Dick Mabbutt’ hauling UK Railtours “The Magic Carpet” 1Z62 1533 Exeter St Davids to London Victoria on the approach to Eastleigh – 17/06/2023
    On the rear of “The Magic Carpet” 1Z62 1533 Exeter St Davids to London Victoria GBRf Class 66 No. 66768 – 17/06/2023
    In 2011, leasing company Akiem acquired seven unused JT42CWRM locomotives, which would originally enter service for Veolia Cargo SAS (77501-77503) as order 20078941 and Crossrail Benelux (77504-77507) as 20078920. On 20 June 2011, all seven locos were delivered with train protection systems for Germany, Belgium and France. After being delivered to Akiem, they were immediately leased to VFLI.
    Purchased and imported by GBRf Class 66 No.’s 66308 (ex-77503) and 66307 (ex-77502) are seen at Eastleigh Arlington Works having been repainted into standard GBRf livery following sizing modifications for the UK rail loading gauge carried out at Doncaster – 17/06/2023
    Class 313’s continue to arrive at Eastleigh Arlington for component recovery and scrapping. No.’s 313206, 313201, 313207 and 313208 can be identified in this view. An appeal to fund maintenance and storage costs of blue liveried No. 313201 has been launched – 17/06/2023
    No.’s 313206, 313201, 313217, 313207 and 313208 await their fate at Eastleigh Arlington – 17/06/2023
    These Class 313 EMU’s at Eastleigh Arlington have had their numbers cut out. We can identify No. 313202, closest to the camera, from the coach number 62530 – 17/06/2023

    “The Magic Carpet” passed through Dorset and our North Dorset correspondent was on hand to capture the train at Gillingham:

    GBRf Class 73/9 No.’s 73964 ‘Jeanette’ and 73962 ‘Dick Mabbutt’ head up UK Railtours “The Magic Carpet” at Gillingham on the return leg (photo courtesy of Scott Lewis) – 17/06/2023

    This past weekend the 2023 “Royal Blue Run” saw the return of preserved and restored coaches to roads across the West Country, showcasing these fine specimens in authentic settings across the country recreating lost scenes. This year the Royal Blue & Associated Motorways run saw the privately owned vehicles recreate an age of bygone travel on the open roads through Wiltshire, Somerset, Devon and Cornwall reaching Penzance in the far south west.  The specific routes chosen were drawn from Royal Blue timetables from different eras. Sometimes segments of express services are followed, or in other cases seasonal variants are used (e.g. summer Saturdays only or winter season routing).  Every stretch has to be pre-driven to ensure the original roads remain suitable for coaches to pass even with modern parking practices or traffic management schemes. The coaches set out from Salisbury bus station on Friday 16th June and we chose to see them passing through Shaftesbury on their return final stage run up the A30, as used by the ‘stopping’ Penzance to London services, to Salisbury.

    Burlingham C33F AEC Regal Reg No. CFK 340 in the livery of operator Burnham built 1948 at Shaftesbury – 18/06/2023
    Royal Blue ECW Bristol MW6G Fleet No. 2267 Reg No. 56 GUO built 1961 at Shaftesbury – 18/06/202
    Wilts & Dorset Beadle C32R Bristol L6B Fleet No. 279 Reg. EMW284, built 1947 at Shaftesbury – 18/06/202

    The Thames Valley & Great Western Omnibus Trust (TV&GWOT) website provides more information on the Royal Blue Runs which “were established in 2002 so that owners and their passengers can relive the pleasures of long distance luxury coach travel for which their carefully preserved vehicles were originally intended. The aim is to follow original Royal Blue routes as closely as possible and to travel at a leisurely pace redolent of the times. The runs also create a wonderful spectacle for innocent bystanders and dedicated photographers alike, thanks to the hard work and resources the owners have devoted to restoring and maintaining their fine coaches.

    A lot of work goes into planning the runs from selecting routes from the extensive Royal Blue network and researching the original drivers’ instructions and passenger timetables, preparing maps and outline routing, driving the routes to develop detailed instructions allowing for modern day features and constraints, organising refreshment stops, obtaining parking permissions, to identifying potential accommodation for a dozen or more coaches and their passengers. Despite all the preparations, final timings are hard to judge whether due to roadworks or things that might pique the interest of crews along the way. The coaches do not travel in close convoy so as not to inconvenience other road users. Some drivers have also been known on occasion to deviate from the intended route (unintentionally!).

    Overall the focus is on education and enjoyment and we hope that however you take part you share in the pleasure.”

    Western National Fleet No. 3307 Reg AFJ 727T Plaxton Supreme DP41F Bristol LH6L built in 1979 at Shaftesbury – 18/06/202
    A long way from home, Crossville Fleet No. CRG106 Reg AFM 106G ECW C49F Bristol RELH built in 1969 at Shaftesbury – 18/06/202
    Royal Blue Fleet No. 1286 Reg MOD 973 ECW Bristol LS6G C39F built in 1952 at Shaftesbury – 18/06/202
    Royal Blue (Western National) Fleet No. 1250 Reg. LTA 729 Duple Bristol LL6B C37F built in 1951 at Shaftesbury – 18/06/202
    A very short video of Royal Blue Run buses passing through Shaftesbury – 18/06/2023

    I certainly derived much pleasure from seeing the coaches which were running around thirty minutes behind schedule when they passed us. Not bad timing in my humble opinion! I previously saw the 2016 Royal Blue Run which having started at London Victoria Coach Station ran to Bristol on Day One. The following day was designed to commemorate 50 years since the final train on the Somerset & Dorset Railway, a much loved and mourned route that ran through Royal Blue heartland from Bath to Bournemouth. The route intertwined with several famous S&D locations, recreating in part the former rail replacement service that was created when the line closed in 1966. Day Three was an excursion from Bournemouth to Lulworth Cove, followed by a trip across the New Forest to Lyndhurst. It was Lulworth Cove where I decided to see the buses as they grouped together in the car park before once again taking to the open road where I took the opportunity to see them passing through Lulworth village and Wareham.

    Royal Blue Bristol MW6G Fleet No. 2246 Reg. 625 DDV built 1960 enters the car park at Lulworth Cove – 19/06/2016
    Western National Bristol MW6G ECW C39F Fleet No. 1423 Reg. EDV 505D built in 1966 and entered service in Plymouth seen at Lulworth Cove – 19/06/2016
    A Royal Blue line up at Lulworth Cove – 19/06/2016
    Royal Blue ECW Bristol MW6G Fleet No. 2267 Reg No. 56 GUO built 1961 passing through Lulworth – 19/06/2016
    Wilts & Dorset Beadle bodied Bristol L6B Fleet No. 279 Reg. EMW284, built 1947 at Lulworth – 19/06/2016
    Royal Blue Fleet No. 1299 Reg. OTT 98 1953 Bristol LS6G with ECW C39F coachwork at Lulworth village – 19/06/2016
    Royal Blue express services Fleet No. 2351 Reg. 837 SUO Bristol RELH6G ECW passing through Wareham – 19/06/2016

    From The Archives:

    Mention of Penzance as part of the Royal Blue Run this year reminded me that I was going to look for a photograph of the Pullman Camping Coaches which used to stand at Marazion and I mentioned as much in our blog entry “Yoshi Goes To Cornwall”. As luck would have it, I was looking for some paperwork the other day and came across the following images:

    For many years Marazion was home to six old Pullman coaches that were employed as camping coaches; holiday accommodation offered by the railway containing sleeping and living space designed to encourage people to travel by train to the stations where they were situated – March 1993
    British Rail Parcels Sector liveried Class 47 No. 47462 ‘Cambridge Traction & Rolling Stock Depot’ at Penzance – March 1993
    Class 47 No. 47463 (with her pre-TOPS number D1586 marked between her head code lights) in BR Standard Monastral Blue livery, which she retained to the end, stands at Penzance. The locomotive entered service in May 1964 and was cut up in November 1996 by MRJ Phillips at Crewe Works – March 1993
    Class 47 No. 47462 ‘Cambridge Traction & Rolling Stock Depot’ at Penzance. The locomotive was built at Crewe and entered traffic on May 16th 1964 as D1582. Named at Cambridge Open Day held on 29th September 1990 by Jack Firman a retired workshop supervisor, the nameplates were removed in December 1993 and later transferred to No. 47736 – March 1993
    Class 47 No. 47462 at Penzance. The locomotive was cut up at Toton by Harry Needle Rail Co in March 2003 – March 1993

    Alongside the Cornwall photographs above, the same box of documents contained, amongst other things, a Blake’s 7 ‘Liberator’ model and an old diary. I’ve not been one for keeping a diary, but for six months in 1982, I seemed to have managed it. Tucked inside the diary was a piece of paper from a rail tour I took from London Paddington to the Severn Valley Railway on Saturday 19th June 1982.

    Great Western Society Limited “The Salopian II” information sheet – 19/06/1982
    Great Western Society Limited “The Salopian II” information sheet – 19/06/1982

    This must have been my first visit to the SVR, and I don’t really remember much about the day if I’m honest. So from the pages of a diary not opened in years, here, extracted from amongst references to exams, my sister’s wedding, the Falklands War and working part-time at Bere Regis Motors in Dorchester, is my record of the Great Western Society Limited’s “The Salopian II”:

    Thursday June 10th 1982

    Rail tour tickets for the 19th arrived today. Going with Tony S.
    Adam Ant is number one with ‘Goody Two Shoes’

    Friday June 18th 1982

    At 2245 Tony and I boarded the mail train at Dorchester South. Jon H was there as well, but he’s going off somewhere else when we get to London. 

    There was talk about the mail train being taken off soon. If so, we will have problems if we want an overnight jaunt to connect with rail tours departing London in the future. 

    Saturday June 19th 1982

    The locomotive which hauled the mail train from Dorchester, 33118, came off at Eastleigh where it was replaced by 73122. We arrived at London Waterloo right-time and then, together, Jon, Tony and I took a black cab across to Euston. At 0600 we went our separate ways with Jon heading to Kings Cross while Tony and I undertook the two and a half mile stroll to Paddington railway station. The weather was dismal , but at least it didn’t pour down with rain.

    At Paddington, we were due to depart at 0740 but at the appointed time we were surprised to see our train loco; 47532, being taken off the stock at 0725 and taken away.

    Class 47 No. 47532 at the head of “The Salopian II” rail tour at London Paddington prior to being removed from the train. HST Class 43 Power Car No. 43145 is on the adjacent track – 19/06/1982

    We eventually left at 0757 with the class 47 having been replaced by 50012.

    Class 50 No. 50012 ‘Benbow’ approaches London Paddington to take over “The Salopian II” rail tour. The locomotive would be withdrawn from service in January 1989 and cut up by Vic Berry in Leicester by July of that year – 19/06/1982

    By the time we arrived at Didcot we were 27 minutes down on schedule. But a quick locomotive changeover meant this was reduced to 16 minutes when we left behind 7029 ‘Clun Castle’.

    GWR 4073 Class 4-6-0 No. 7029 ‘Clun Castle’ backs onto “The Salopian II” at Didcot – 19/06/1982
    GWR 4073 Class 4-6-0 No. 7029 ‘Clun Castle’ at Didcot – 19/06/1982
    GWR 4073 Class 4-6-0 No. 7029 ‘Clun Castle’ at Didcot – 19/06/1982
    GWR 4073 Class 4-6-0 No. 7029 ‘Clun Castle’ stopped at Banbury for a water stop – 19/06/1982
    Class 33 No. 33025 ‘Sultan’ in the bay platform at Banbury as No. 7029 ‘Clun Castle’, having drawn forward from the previous image, takes on water – 19/06/1982

    By the time of our next locomotive changeover the ‘Castle’ had managed to make up the deficit and we arrived bang on time allowing 20165 and 20167 to take us forward to Bewdley on the Severn Valley Railway where we still managed to arrive 20 minutes late!

    GWR 4073 Class 4-6-0 No. 7029 ‘Clun Castle’ alongside Class 20 No.’s 20165 and 20167 which took over “The Salopian II” at Dorridge – 19/06/1982
    Class 20 No.’s 20165 and 20167 backing onto “The Salopian II” at Dorridge – 19/06/1982

    On the SVR we were hauled by 43106 from Bewdley to Dorridge and return. We had a couple of hours to look around the shed at Bridgnorth and get refreshments.

    While on Severn Valley Railway metals our train was hauled by LMS Ivan Class 4 No. 43106, the only surviving member of the class. Seen here at Bridgnorth – 19/06/1982
    GWR 7800 Class 4-6-0 No. 7812 ‘Erlestoke Manor’ at Bridgnorth – 19/06/1982
    LMS Stanier Class 5 4-6-0 No. 5000 at Bridgnorth. No. 5000 is part of the National Collection and is currently on static display at the Shildon Locomotion Museum in County Durham – 19/06/1982
    Longmoor Military Railway No. 600 ‘Gordon’ (named after General Gordon of Khartoum) was. built in 1943 for the War Department and is seen here at Bridgnorth. In 1957, during the Suez Crisis, ‘Gordon’ worked highly secretive trains between Longmoor Military Base and Southampton. The locomotive is currently on static display on the SVR at The Engine House, Highley – 19/06/1982
    GWR 7800 Class 4-6-0 No. 7812 ‘Erlestoke Manor’ at Bridgnorth – 19/06/1982
    GWR 7800 Class 4-6-0 No. 7812 ‘Erlestoke Manor’ at Bridgnorth – 19/06/1982

    I managed to get a piece of smut in my in my eye from 4930 ’Hagley Hall’ which I just couldn’t get out. [2023 note: I’m thinking No. 4930 may have hauled us one way on the SVR, but my diary says No. 43106 worked the train in both directions]

    GWR Collett 4-6-0 Hall Class No. 4930 ‘Hagley Hall’ at Bridgnorth. She was built in 1929 at Swindon Works and originally allocated to Wolverhampton Stafford Road – 19/06/1982
    GWR Collett 5700 Class 0-60PT “Pannier Tank” No. 5764 entered service at London’s Old Oak Common in 1929 and was later one of a number of the class sold to London Transport following withdrawal from British Rail in 1960. She is currently on static display in London Transport guise, numbered L95, at The Engine House, Highley. She is seen here in GWR livery at Bridgnorth – 19/06/1982

    Returning to Bewdley, the 20’s took control of our train once again and regained all lost time and even gained 15 minutes. But despite these efforts, the quarter hour and more was lost due to a number of signal stops. In my opinion the star of the day; 92220 ‘Evening Star’, to be precise, replaced the diesel power at Saltley and despite working hard we arrived back at Didcot some 16 minutes down.

    BR Standard Class 9F No. 92220 ‘Evening Star’ during a water stop at Banbury. No. 92220 was the last steam locomotive to be built at for British Railways and was earmarked for preservation before she entered service in March 1960. She hauled the last Pines Express on the Somerset & Dorset line on 8th September 1962. ‘Evening Star’ had a working life of five years before being withdrawn from service in March 1965 after sustaining damage in a shunting incident at Cardiff Docks. She was overhauled and restored at Crewe Works following withdrawal working in preservation until the late 1980’s. She is now on static display at the Railway Museum in York and one of nine existing locomotives of a class which numbered 251- 19/06/1982

    50040 took us forward to Reading where Tony and I de-trained for our connection down to Basingstoke and home. 

    Sunday June 20th 1982

    The down Mail arrived into Basingstoke at Midnight. We were extremely lucky to have made it as our connecting service train from Reading should have left at 2300 and “The Salopian II” arrived at 2302. We met Paul E and Mark B, two rail enthusiasts from Charminster who had been part of the group who went to Plymouth Laira with us in April. This time they had been to Calais with Mark’s parents. A class 73 took us from Basingstoke to Eastleigh where 33010 came on to bring us into Dorchester South just after 0300 where we all said our good-byes and headed home to our beds. 

    I was up again at 0900 in order to see some excursion trains.

    Class 33 No. 33029 approaching Dorchester South – 20/06/1982
    Class 47 No. 47526 at Dorchester West – 20/06/1982

    The piece of smut in my eye from ‘Hagley Hall’ was still there, so I called on [my brother], who was out. Anyway, he appeared at half four and spent an hour moving the smut from the blue bit of my eye to the edge and finally relief!

    GBRf Class 73 No.’s 73964 ‘Jeanette’ and 73961 ‘Alison’ were out on a GB Railfreight staff special the “Tonbridge Trailblazer” in June 2016 running from Ashford International to Weston-super-Mare. The ED’s are seen here at Bath Spa on the return leg working 1Z63 1725 Weston-super-Mare to Ashford International – 18/06/2016

    Postscript:

    Longmoor Military Railway No. 600 ‘Gordon’ as seen in 2023 at The Engine House, Highley – 20/05/2023
    London Transport No. L95 (the former GWR Collett 5700 Class 0-60PT “Pannier Tank” No. 5764) as seen in 2023 at The Engine House, Highley – 20/05/2023
    It’s goodbye from me, and a goodbye from Yoshi! Thanks for reading. We appreciate your comments, contributions, updates and corrections. See you soon!