Swanage Railway’s resident Class 33 No. D6515 (33012) ‘Lt. Jenny Lewis RN’ was employed by Hanson + Hall for mainline work in July 2025. The locomotive is seen passing Hamworthy on her outward and return journeys and is also seen at Worting Junction near Basingstoke on a freight working (09/07/2025).

Other freight and passenger trains can be seen at Worting Junction and Eastleigh in the video below:

The Heart of Wessex PLPR test train With former HST Class 43 power cars No.’s 43272 & 43357 ran to Weymouth via Dorchester West on 9th July 2025 as 1Q22 0746 Derby R.T.C.(Network Rail) to Bristol Kingsland Road.

Saturday 19th July 2025; I visited the Midland Railway – Butterley for their “Ale on the Rails 200” event which featured steam and diesel locomotives from the home fleet alongside visiting locomotives celebrating 200 years of railway development. DB Cargo provided several of their locomotives from Toton Traction Maintenance Depot which hauled passenger trains alongside being on display in Swanwick Junction yard.

Visiting DB Cargo locomotives: 67005 ‘Kings Messenger’, 67007, 66023, 66026, 66032, 66091 ‘Accurascale’, 66175 ‘RailRiders Express’, 66200 in Rail 200 livery, 66652 and 92011. Also visiting was BR Class 44 “Peak”No. D8 ‘Penyghent’ courtesy of the North Notts Loco Group & Peak Rail. The Home fleet consisted of: 3F Jinty No. 16440 and No15 ‘Eustace Forth’, Class 44 No. 44004 ‘Great Gable’, Class 45 No. 45108 and Class 31 No. 31108.

It rained most of the day, but this didn’t dampen spirits for an enjoyable event!

On 23rd July 2025, The Railway Touring Company “Dorset Coast Express” ran from London Victoria to Weymouth. The first leg of the rail tour from London to Southampton was steam hauled by LMS Black 5 No. 45212. The train reversed direction of travel at Southampton and continued towards Weymouth, diesel hauled by Class 47 No. 47812, with the steam locomotive on the rear. We saw the train powering through Christchurch some 38 minutes behind schedule.

The return from Weymouth was intended to have been steam hauled for the entire return journey to London Waterloo with the Black 5 leading. However, problems with a hot box on the locomotive’s tender meant No. 45212 was removed from the train and left in the siding at Weymouth leaving No. 47812 to work the train alone – 23/07/2025

The monthly North Dorset test train along the Salisbury – Exeter route ran on 24th July 2025. Reporting as 1Q23 0553 Reading to Salisbury, we caught the train as it passed through Gillingham, Dorset on the outward leg with former High Speed Train Class 43 power cars No.’s 43062 ‘John Armitt’ + 43013 ‘Mark Carne CBE’ sandwiched between South Western Railway commuter services – 24/07/2025

Views of LMS Black 5 No. 45212 in Jubilee Siding, Weymouth following repairs after her failure on the recent “Dorset Coast Express”. Then approaching Upwey and Dorchester with support coach forming 5Z29 1423 Jubilee Sidings to St Philips Marsh. The locomotive subsequently pulled into the yard at Yeovil Pen Mill as further attention was required to remedy the hot box issue on the tender – 26/07/2025

The Belmond “Britannic Explorer” stock broke cover on a run from Eastleigh to London Victoria utilising GBRf Class 66 locomotive No. 66305 ‘Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway’ top & tailed with No. 66762. The consist stopped on the approach to Shawford due to a report of smoke from under one of the coaches. The driver of the train was requested to take a line block in order to carry out an inspection to a possible dragging brake. It’s believed a parking brake has been left on and once rectified the train, reporting as 3Z10 1106 Eastleigh Arlington (ZG) to London Victoria, was able to proceed – 27/07/2025

The regular Plain Line Pattern Recognition (PLPR) test train along the South West Main Line to Weymouth ran on Monday 28th July 2025. Reporting as 1Q51 1115 Derby R.T.C.(Network Rail) to Eastleigh East Yard the PLPR was in the charge of GBRf Class 73/9 electro-diesel locomotives No.’s 73962 ‘Dick Mabbutt’ & 73964 ‘Jeanette ’. This time we saw the train arrive at Weymouth just as the first of the seaside resorts summer fireworks events kicked off. The train reverses here and continues back to Eastleigh – 28/07/2025

Colas Class 37 No. 37219 worked the North Dorset Ultrasonic Test Train (3Q07 2031 Exeter Riverside N.Y. to Exeter Riverside N.Y.) on Thursday 31st July.

Hamworthy Branch Update

I recently wrote to Network Rail asking about the future of the Hamworthy Branch – this is the reply I received today:

Dear Andrew,

Thanks for getting in touch about – Re-opening the Hamworthy Branch, Dorset

I have spoken with our Freight team who have provided an update for you below which i hope you find useful in the interim. 

The latest update from the freight operator is that traffic is now likely to start early 2026 but we are still making positive progress. They are currently at the stage of making commercial agreements and securing licences.

We’re still waiting to carry out a full inspection of the line using the track maintenance train and for our engineering colleagues to write up a report from a walkout, a lot of this is determined by when the customer(freight operator) is looking to run the trains.

This is all the information i have available at the moment Andrew but do feel free to get back in touch at the start of 2026 and i can check to find out the latest information for you. 

Thanks again Andrew, and all the best,

Community Relations, Wessex route

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