More trains on the Berks and Hants including two Class 60’s – 02/03/2026

Learning that DCR Class 60 No. 60099 was scheduled to work a Merehead turn, and with the offer of a day out from friend of this blog Scott, we headed to a favourite location on the Kennet and Avon Canal at Great Bedwyn. No. 60099 carries a special livery designed by Accurascale. You can read more about this here.

Great Bedwyn – 02/03/2026

802111 – 1J73 0838 London Paddington to Westbury

802114 – 1C74 0903 London Paddington to Totnes

802102 – 1C76 0934 London Paddington to Totnes

800315 – 1A76 0916 Exeter St Davids to London Paddington

59102 – 1014 Theale Hanson Aggs (FLHH) to Whatley Quarry F Liner HH

802105 – 1A77 0905 Totnes to London Paddington

59205 – 6A12 0918 Whatley Quarry F Liner HH to Appleford FHH

802106 – 1C77 1036 London Paddington to Exeter St Davids

802113 – 1A78 0942 Totnes to London Paddington

59101 + 66614 – 6A50 1026 Whatley Quarry F Liner HH to Hanwell Bridge Loop

800309 – 1C78 1103 London Paddington to Totnes

60028 – 6M51 0945 Merehead Quarry (FHH) to Quainton Railhead

59103 – 6A60 1045 Merehead Quarry (FHH) to Colnbrook Foster Yeoman FH

60099 – 6V17 1034 Willesden DC Rail Sidings to Merehead Quarry (FHH)

New Liveried CrossCountry Class 220 Visits Bournemouth – 04/03/2026

The first refurbished and reliveried Class 220 ‘Voyager’ No. 220033 returned to service with CrossCountry on 24th February 2026 after its unveiling at Derby Litchurch Lane. The multiple unit made its debut on Dorset metals in the new CrossCountry colours on 4th March as it formed the 1O26 1625 Manchester Piccadilly to Bournemouth service.

The ‘Voyager’ then ran into Bournemouth Middle Sidings as 5O26 2125 Bournemouth to Bournemouth, departing later for Eastleigh TRSMD.

Remarkably, Cross Country has calculated that since introduction, the set has travelled more than 5.8 million miles before being stopped for refurbishment, that is further than 12 return trips to the moon. Artemis II take note!

Monthly 1Q51 PLPR Test Train

The monthly Plain Line Pattern Recognition (PLPR) train was due to run to Weymouth via the South West Main Line on Monday 9th March 2026, top and tailed by Class 73/9 electro-diesel locomotives, reporting as 1Q51 1150 Derby R.T.C.(Network Rail) to Eastleigh East Yard. However, due to a traction equipment failure, the service was cancelled. Class 73/9 electro-diesel locomotives No.’s 73962 + 73965 which were allocated to the service, returned to Derby with the train.

PLPR trains employ specialist Network Rail vehicles that use high-speed cameras and lasers to automatically scan tracks for faults like missing clips or damaged sleepers. Operating as part of a “predict and prevent” strategy, these trains capture 70,000 images per second, covering thousands of miles to improve safety and reduce maintenance delays.

Unique Legoland liveried SWR Class 701 escapes into the wild – 16/03/2026

A quick trip to Branksome as South Western Railway Class 701 No. 701060 escaped into the wild this afternoon showing off its unique new Legoland livery working 5Y51 1432 Bournemouth T&R.S.M.D to Clapham Yard Sidings.

Hamworthy Branch Update

Following the construction of a compound at Ashmore Level Crossing, work along the Hamworthy branch to return the line to a state of readiness continued through March. Activities included putting up new line side fencing, cutting back foliage, checking the state of the rail under the road at Ashmore Crossing and replacing sections of rail up towards the mainline station. It is understood the line is to be handed over to Network Rail in April 2026.

Poole Harbour Commissioners (PHC) welcomed around 250 guests to its annual Open Evening on Monday March 23rd 2026.

PHC Chief Executive Captain Brian Murphy delivered a comprehensive overview of the Port’s activities over the past year, covering key strategic projects, and a financial update.

A key highlight from the presentation included reference to the reinstatement of the Port Rail Link. Captain Murphy said, “anything we do going forward is looking at getting <freight> onto rail instead of the roads at Poole. We are working with a local aggregates company and we are looking to introduce the port rail link back to the port, to the quay edge and transport hopefully aggregates out to wherever it’s needed when the market picks up again. So when we can actually decide we’re building houses again, and infrastructure around the UK – there’s a bit of a halt on it – then we’ll start doing it by rail.

In the meantime we’ll get the rail reinstated up to the level crossing and we’ll use it for a freight lay-by until the point where the market picks up and we can use it fully in the port.

One train a day / five trains a week; that’s a saving of 5,000 tonnes of carbon a year relative to road haulage.”

A follow up question on money spent from the £1m budget announced for the reinstatement of the port rail link last year and possible timescales elicited the following response from Captain Murphy, “we’ve spent @£200,000 on applications and securing part of the lease of the Hamworthy branch line. There will be some works required this year. The railway line up to the level crossing is actually in not a bad state; every third sleeper or so needs replacing. Not a significant amount. The project as a whole to quay edge <will cost> £1.5m.” Timescales for the reinstatement of the port line is dependant on commercial constraints but is expected to take two years.

Wessex Test Trains and SITT – March 2026

A compilation of test trains and a Snow & Ice Treatment Train (SITT) captured across the Wessex region in March 2026

2026 Swanage Railway Spring Steam Gala

The 2026 Swanage Railway Spring Steam Gala took place over the final weekend of March and saw the three visiting locomotives; Grange Class No. 6880 ‘Betton Grange’, Austerity Tank Engine No.’s WD152 ‘Rennes’ and 68067 in action alongside the home fleet; T3 Class No. 563, U Class No. 31806, Battle of Britain Class No.’s 34070 ‘Manston’ and 34072 ‘257 Squadron’.

This video features highlights from the 27th and 28th March 2026.

Work on the Heart of Wessex Line

Between Saturday 28th February 2026 to Sunday 8th March 2026 Network rail engineers returned to the Heart of Wessex to carry out essential engineering work which neccesitated closure of the line .

As part of the closure work was carried out to strengthen embankments at Evershot Tunnel, Dorset to help prevent the risk of landslips. In order to stabilise the embankments, engineers cut through soil and rock and stabilised the slope by using soil nails and netting

To take full advantage of the 8-day closure the following was also carried out :

• Stress testing the continuous welded rail to improve reliability, reducing the need for speed restrictions in hotter months
• Carrying out minor improvements to the track in the Thornford area following recent track renewal in September 2024
• Management of vegetation by selecting diseased and dangerous trees that could cause delays to the running of trains between Chetnole and Maiden Newton Railway Stations

Thanks for reading! We’ll be back again with more of Yoshi’s adventures – be seeing you!