Eastleigh August 26th 2005
66522 accelerates out of Platform 1 at Eastleigh with a fully loaded ballast train bound for Westbury.
Another shot of 66522. Unfortunately directly to my left was a 12 car Desiro sat at Platform 2. So trying to get a picture of it approaching my position was scuppered some what!!
66577 departs Eastleigh with a liner service North.
66008 speeds northwards through Eastleigh on a very short intermodal service from Soton Western Docks. There are a few firsts for me in this picture. Unfortunately you will have to take my word for it. Here goes. The wagon directly behind the locomotive is a 4 wheeled internationaly registered wagon , the first time I have seen one of them, especially at Eastleigh. Also the 4 intermodal wagons behind them are EWS 's FCA wagons of which I have never seen before down at Eastleigh.
Eastleigh regular 66515 approaches Platform 2 from the north with an unidentified intermodal service for either Millbrook or Maritime.
Whilst waiting for the crew change to be completed I took this shot of FEA 640143 in 66515's consist.
Over the far side of Eastleigh's marshaling yard (opposite platform 3) sat a 20ton goods van in old BR Railfreight livery. The number is DB955196 and is the first brakevan I have seen since a Queen Mary brakevan was there a good 4 years ago.
66561 marks the start of a busy hour at Eastleigh. This bought 2 (I cannot remember which ones) Freightliner wagons up from Southampton Maritime to Eastleigh's East yard to run round then tow them into Alstom works for refurbisment. In the backgorund and to the left is GBRF's 66705 Golden Jubilee
Five minutes after 66561 had passed through platform 3 then 66152 had come past on the return leg of the Quidhampton tanks. These would go to male the Eastleigh to Wembley enterprise service.
Twenty minutes later and 66561 returns from running round the wagons and now proceeds to take these into Alstom Depot (formerly BREL Eastleigh). To the right of 66561 is 66152 waiting for another locomotive to join the front of the now Wembley Enterprise. I believe the second loco was 66082.
66561 on the return journey back to Alstom works.
5 minutes after 66561 went back to Alstom depot 73201 turned up with 1497 (Lymington branch unit) and 3417 (the Blue Vep) in tow on a driver training run from Bournemouth via Poole Carriage sidings. Still carrying the requested "73" headcode that I requested the day before :)
The nameplate of 4-Vep 3417 Gordon Pettitt. The plate at the bottom reads " In 1967 this train 3417 was one of the first VEPS to arrive on the Southern Region and will be one of the last to be withdrawn by Southwest Trains. To commemorate this it has been named Gordon Pettitt in honour of one of the most respected General Managers of the former BR Southern Region."
Its nickname with in the rail enthusiast circles is Gordon the blue Vep!!!!
3417 also carries its old BR southern region number of S76263 and cast BR double arrows.
3417 at the rear of the train awaits 73201 to run round and couple to the front for the journey back to Poole.
Whilst waiting for the 73 to couple on the front 66561 exited Alstom works and headed for platform 2.
66561 then got the road to return to Southampton Maritime.
3 shots of 73201 during the runround maneuver. Again the requested headcode of 73 is put up :)
Finally 1497 Freshwater on the rear of the crew training train on the return leg to Poole.
Within two minutes of 73201 leaving then 67018 Rapid was exiting the depot lines and coming into platform 3.
After a slight lull in goings on I managed to stroll upto the North end of Platform 2/3 only to see 67018 coming out of the yard on some OBA/OCA wagons.
The wagons, about 12 of them were bound for Hamworthy goods (Poole quay) with COW empties (Crude Oil Waste) either to or from Furzey island. This is quite possibly the first time that a class 67 has been on the Hamworthy branch on a freight train. I know they have been down there on the Serco test train but totally unaware about any freight trains.
66705 Golden Jubilee stabled opposite platform 3. This will be used for weekend engineering work in the St Denys area.
08664 shunting some engineers wagons behind platform 3.
57011 on a south bound liner prepares to come off the down main onto the down slow for a crew change over.
Having been informed of the European Scout train being in the area I still managed to miss its approach to Eastleigh until it was virtually on top of us!!! Still I got one shot off!!
66030 draws away from its crew change over at Eastleigh with the Fawley to Tavistock Bitumen and oil tanks.
Another one of Eastleigh's regulars 66542 draws up to the signal at the southern end of platform 3 to wait for the road.
08765 rests between duties.
66573 draws into platform 3 whilst 66705 overlooks the impending crew change.
My friend Stephen says goodbye (well signals it at least). He spent a few hours with me and another one of my mates at Eastleigh before departing for Addelstone.
450003 comes to a near stop under a red signal on the up fast line.
59203 comes off the Romsey branch with a fully loaded stone train for the terminal at the back of the yard.
377112 waits to leave on a Southampton Central - Victoria service.
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