Yoshi in the back of the car having enjoyed a wet and muddy walk in the woods!
February 10th 2024 to February 21st 2024
Hello – as mentioned briefly last time around, we were planning on bringing you an archive feature on Bournemouth Depot Open days, but we need to find and scan some additional negatives as well as editing down and converting 8mm video tape, so that’ll take a little bit more time to prepare. That’ll teach us, and to be fair this blog entry has taken long enough! In the meantime, a rolling stone gathers no moss and Yoshi has been exploring Stonehenge (or at least the footpath outside the English Heritage site, as dogs are “NOT ALLOWED” near the ancient monument). A note to English Heritage – can you provide dog poo bins prior to the section where dogs cannot pass please? Thanks very much. And as if Yoshi couldn’t get enough of old rocks, he also took a walk around the stone circle at Avebury – no trains, but lots of mystical ley lines – before moving onto Wells and Tyntesfield House.
Yoshi gets as close to Stonehenge as he is allowed! Stonehenge is a prehistoric megalithic structure on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire two miles west of Amesbury. It consists of an outer ring of vertical sarsen standing stones, each around 13 feet high, seven feet wide, and weighing around 25 tons, topped by connecting horizontal lintel-stones. Inside is a ring of smaller bluestones. Inside these, are free-standing trilithons; two bulkier vertical sarsens joined by one lintel. The whole monument is aligned towards the sunrise on the summer solstice and sunset on the winter solstice. Archaeologists believe that Stonehenge was constructed in several phases from around 3100 BC to 1600 BC, with the circle of large sarsen stones placed between 2600 BC and 2400 BC. Doctor Who used Stonehenge as a plot point in the 2010 episode “The Big Bang”. I liked that episode. I should rewatch it. I include the mention to the BBC TV series, as it was something of a developing theme…..An announcement in November 2020 stated that a plan to construct a four-lane tunnel for traffic below the site had been approved. This was intended to eliminate the section of the A303 that runs close to the circle. The plan had received opposition from a group of “archaeologists, environmentalists and modern-day druids” according to National Geographic but was supported by others who wanted to “restore the landscape to its original setting and improve the experience for visitors”. Opponents of the plan were concerned that artifacts that are underground in the area would be lost or that excavation in the area could de-stabilize the stones, leading to their sinking, shifting or perhaps falling. On 14th July 2023, the Department for Transport (DaFT) announced that, despite the original planning application having been overturned by the High Court in 2021, the Transport Secretary, Mark Harper, had approved plans for a 2 mile road tunnel. On 19th February 2024, the High Court in London rejected a fresh bid by campaigners to stop the road tunnel construction.Yoshi’s next stop was Aldbourne where he visited the village green and took a look at the medieval St Michael’s church. During the Second World War, U.S. Army paratroopers of Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division were based at Aldbourne from late 1943 to mid-1944, in preparation for the Normandy landings in June 1944 and Operation Market Garden in September.Aldbourne is also known as Devil’s End in the Doctor Who story “The Dæmons” featuring The Third incarnation of the Time Lord played by Jon Pertwee. One of the village pubs, The Blue Boar, was renamed as The Cloven Hoof! A model of St.Michaels’s church was also blown up during the story, which anecdotally generated complaints from viewers. A reminder of the Aldbourne Doctor Who link is this TARDIS litter bin, free for public use 🙂The prehistoric Avebury henge and stone circles were built and much altered during the Neolithic period (2850 BC and 2200 BC) survivING as a huge circular bank and ditch, encircling an area that includes part of Avebury village. Within the henge is the largest stone circle in the UK which originally consisted of approximately 100 stones. Two smaller stone circles are enclosed within. Avebury was memorably used as the location of the itv children’s drama series “Children of the Stones” (1977). As far as I know, the stones have not been seen in Doctor Who. So, in a bid for completism, I searched for a link and found it in nearby Yatesbury, where from 1942 – 1965 an RAF Radar School was situated and attended by Brian Hodgson who went on to run the BBC Radiophonic Workshop and devised the sound of the TARDIS by scraping his mother’s front door key along the strings of a piano. The video to the 1988 No.1 hit song “Doctorin’ the Tardis” by The Timelords, better known as The KLF, was partly filmed at Yatesbury. Don’t worry, we’ll get to the trains soon. Yoshi takes a look at Wells Cathedral – construction of which began on c1180 and was completed by the time of Henry VII. It was damaged during the English Civil War, but was later restored during the Victorian age. The building has also been used as a Doctor Who filming location when to stood in for Southwark Cathedral in the 2006 story “The Lazarus Experiment” featuring David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor.National Trust owned Tyntesfield House, bought in 1844 by William Gibbs as a retreat for his wife,Blanche, and their growing family. Close relatives in Bristol and neighbouring Belmont House in Wraxall, the estate benefited from direct links to London on Brunel’s newly built Great Western Railway (GWR). Keeping up with the Doctor Who connection, the property was used as a haunted mansion in Matt Smith’s tenure during the 2013 episode “Hide”.A walk in Horton Woods….…. past the 140ft high Horton Tower, also known as Sturt’s Folly, built in c1750 by the Lord of Horton Manor, Humphrey Sturt, who was an architect and a Dorset MP. In 1967 the tower featured in the film adaptation of Thomas Hardy’s “Far From the Madding Crowd”. Over the years it had fallen into disrepair but in 1991, Vodafone was granted permission to use the tower for mobile phone masts. As part of the deal the company agreed to carry out repairs, and the conservation project was recognised with a Royal Town Planning Institute award in January 1995.Journey’s End; Yoshi relaxing in front of a warm fire at The Horton Inn after our walk!
For The record
12/02/2024: 1Q51 1115 Derby RTC to Eastleigh East Yard via Weymouth
73963 ‘Janice’ pauses briefly at Poole leading on 1Q51 1115 Derby RTC to Eastleigh East Yard via Weymouth – 12/02/2024
GB Railfreight (GBRf ) Class 73 Electro-Diesel No.’s 73962 ‘Dick Mabbutt’ and 73963 ‘Janice’ returned for the monthly Colas Plain Line Pattern Recognition Train.
1Q51 1115 Derby RTC to Eastleigh East Yard via Weymouth at Poole – 12/02/2024
13/02/2024: 5X62 0524 Wembley Terminal Complex Wheel Lathe to Bournemouth Traction & Rolling Stock Maintenance Depot / 5Q64 1321 Bournemouth Traction & Rolling Stock Maintenance Depot to Widnes Transport Tech
GBRf Class 57 No. 57305 leading on 5X62 0524 Wembley Terminal Complex Wheel Lathe to Bournemouth Traction & Rolling Stock Maintenance Depot. SWR Class 458 No. 458416 was sandwiched between the front loco and No. 57303 at the rear of the consist – 13/02/2024GBRf Class 57 No. 57303 at the rear of 5X62 0524 Wembley Terminal Complex Wheel Lathe to Bournemouth Traction & Rolling Stock Maintenance Depot – 13/02/2024
GBRf Class 57 No.’s 57303 and 57305 arrived at Bournemouth depot with refurbished SWR Class 458 No. 458416. The pair of Class 57 locomotives departed with 5-Car Class 458 No. No. 458515 later in the day. A similar exercise scheduled for Thursday 15th February; 5X62 0524 Wembley Receptions 1-7 to Bournemouth T&R.S.M.D and 5M64 1314 Bournemouth T&R.S.M.D to Leicester L.I.P. did not run. It is most likely that the same pair of Class 57 locomotives would have been involved.
While waiting for the morning unit drag to Bournemouth depot, we were entertained by passing South Western Railway (SWR) Class 444’s on regular passenger services.
SWR Class 444 No. 444017 working 2W13 0904 Bournemouth to Weymouth – 13/02/2024Unique Pride liveried SWR Class 444 No. 444019 forms 2W52 0900 Poole to Bournemouth – 13/02/2024
5X62 0524 Wembley Terminal Complex Wheel Lathe to Bournemouth Traction & Rolling Stock Maintenance Depot between Bournemouth and Branksome – 13/02/2024
18/02/2024: 3Q02 2155 Eastleigh East Yard to Eastleigh East Yard
HNR Class 37 No. 37607 seen at Derby Technical Centre at the head of a Network Rail Test Train – 02/04/2023
Harry Needle Rail operated Class 37 No. 37607 was scheduled to visit the Bournemouth to Weymouth line with the Ultrasonic Test Train overnight on Sunday 18th / Monday 19th February. Disappointingly for us, however, this service was cancelled due to the train crew not being available and did not run.
21/02/2024: 1Z22 0747 Derby R.T.C.(Network Rail) to Bristol Kingsland Road
Former High Speed Train Class 43 Power Cars No.’s 43272 in debranded Virgin Trains East Coast livery and 43274 in East Midlands Railway Purple livery worked the New Measurement Train to Weymouth on Wednesday 21st February.
I missed this pairing as I was in London for a work meeting. I took the opportunity to pop into London Euston and London Kings Cross on my way to the office after arriving at London Waterloo.
One of two remaining Class 707 EMU’s still with SWR No. 707024 at the buffer stops of London Waterloo – 21/02/2024Caledonian Sleeper Class 92 No. 92038 at London Euston. I had hoped to see the incoming sleeper service in the station, but this was running almost two hours late, and I had places to be – 21/02/2024London Kings Cross with Class 91 No. 91119 ‘Bounds Green InterCity Depot 1977-2017’ working 1D09 1003 London Kings Cross to Leeds alongside LNER Azuma trains 801210 forming 1S12 1S12 1030 Kings Cross to Edinburgh Waverley, 801213 on 1Y11 0630 Newcastle to London Kings Cross and 800209 having arrived with 1A12 0700 Hull to London Kings Cross – 21/02/2024Class 91 No. 91105 at London Kings Cross having arrived at the rear of the 1A13 0656 service from Skipton – 21/02/2024Covering low-availability of the Class 180 fleet, Grand Central have supplemented their fleet with a pair of former Avanti Super Voyagers. Here Class 221 No. 221143, now with driving vehicles in Grand Central’s livery stands at platform 10 at The Cross having arrived with 1A59 0659 Bradford Interchange to London Kings Cross – 21/02/2024Meeting over, we sought out refreshments at The George pub, established in medieval times on Borough High Street in Southwark. It is currently owned and leased by the National Trust and is the only surviving galleried London coaching inn. I recommend the Mac n’ Cheese – 21/02/2024One of the railway arches in the recently restored Findlater’s Corner at London Bridge railway station that was formerly an Express Dairy tea room is now a branch of Starbucks. During renovation work an impressive mosaic was revealed showing its previous function, advertising afternoon teas, luncheons, and smoking rooms – 21/02/2024Express Dairy was founded in 1864 and its name is part of the marketing as it was an early adopter of the railways to ship milk from the countryside to a bottling plant in South Acton and then ship them around London, also by rail. At a time when many people got milk from urban cows, milk from the countryside was seen as a healthier option. At its peak, Express Dairy had over 240 tea rooms across London, making it the Edwardian equivalent of Starbucks today, which seems fitting….
Winfrith No More
On what turned out to be the final trip to Winfrith; Direct Rail Services Class 68 No.’s 68016 ‘Fearless’ & 68002 ‘Intrepid’ work 6Z62 0100 Crewe Coal Sidings DRS to Winfrith Sidings (Wool) passing through Poole – 23/01/2024
It has been announced Direct Rail Services (DRS), the rail freight arm of Nuclear Transport Solutions (NTS), has now completed its task in the transportation of radioactive materials from the Winfrith treated waste store as the very last flasks of radioactive waste have been moved to their final destination at the low-level waste repository near Cumbria in the Lake District. The final rail shipment ran on 23rd January 2024 and marked a reduction in legacy waste on the Winfrith site by approximately seventy per cent. The successful completion of this contract contributes to returning the site to heathland with public access. It’s the first site from the first generation of nuclear power plants to be completely decommissioned.
From 1980, a Class 33/0 at Dorchester South yard with a Winfrith flask. I’ve rather frustratingly mislaid the original photographic print which contains the actual date and locomotive detail, but do recall we trainspotters were chased away by railway staff when these workings arrived – xx/xx/1980
Forthcoming Dorset Engineering Work
The lines in the Poole area will be closed all day due to maintenance work on Sunday 17th March 2024.
London Waterloo to Weymouth services will terminate at Bournemouth.
London Waterloo to Poole services will terminate at Bournemouth.
Buses will run between Bournemouth and Poole (non-stop).
Buses will run between Bournemouth and Wareham.
A revised service will run between Wareham and Weymouth.
Monday 18th to Wednesday 20th March 2024, the lines between Dorchester South and Weymouth will be closed from Monday to Wednesday all days inclusive due to maintenance work.
Great Western Railway services between Weymouth and Yeovil Pen Mill will be affected by this work.
London Waterloo to Weymouth services will be revised and will terminate at Dorchester South.
Buses will run between Dorchester South and Weymouth.
In association with these works, a Freightliner engineering train is showing on Real Time Trains as running as 6Y85 2348 Eastleigh East Yard to Dorchester South departs its source on Sunday 17th March 2024 and arrives Dorchester South at 0110 (on the 18th) – returning as 6Y85 1454 Dorchester South to Eastleigh East Yard on 19th March
The lines between Bournemouth and Poole will be closed all day due to maintenance work on 23rd March.
London Waterloo to Poole and Weymouth services will terminate at Bournemouth.
Buses will run between Bournemouth and Poole.
A revised service will run between Poole and Weymouth.
In addition to this, the lines in the Brockenhurst area will be closed all day due to maintenance work on 24th March.
London Waterloo to Weymouth services will terminate at Southampton Central.
London Waterloo to Poole services will terminate at Southampton Central.
Fast buses will run between Southampton Airport Parkway, Bournemouth and Poole.
Fast buses will run between Southampton Central, Bournemouth and Poole.
Buses will run between Southampton and Poole via Brockenhurst (buses will not call at Beaulieu Road).
A revised service will run between Poole and Weymouth.
Passengers travelling from London Waterloo to Bournemouth, Poole and Weymouth should change at Southampton Airport Parkway for the fast bus service to Poole.
Sunday 28th April, the lines in the Wool area will be closed all day due to maintenance work.
London Waterloo to Weymouth services will terminate at Wareham.
Buses will run between Wareham and Dorchester South.
Buses will run between Wareham and Weymouth.
A revised service will run between Dorchester South and Weymouth.
Looking further ahead, rail improvement work will also affect train services between Castle Cary and Weymouth in the autumn.
The March 2024 edition of “Steam Days” magazine features Colin Boocock’s well illustrated account of train diversions in 1960 off the Bournemouth main line and onto what was known as both the ‘Old Road’ after the direct line to Bournemouth was opened in 1888 or ‘Castleman’s Corkscrew’, so named after Charles Castleman who was the driving force in getting the Southampton & Dorchester Railway built and its somewhat circuitous route.
Thanks for reading – we’ll be back soon with a further updates of happenings along the rails in Dorset. Be seeing you!
Postscript:
Engineering work in days gone by…. Class 33/0 No. 33035 and Class 33/1 No. 33118 on Bincombe Bank adjacent to Upwey Telephone Exchange sometime in the early 1990’s. No. 33118 was withdrawn from service in April 1993 and cut up by MRJ Phillips at Eastleigh Depot by February 1997. No. 33035 was named ‘Spitfire’ in December 1993 and withdrawn in October 1996 but lives on in preservation – xx/xx/199x
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