1. Journey there incorporating Wessex-02.01.20

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-2020 > 2. An Isle of Wight Adventure-02 & 03.01.20 > 1. Journey there incorporating Wessex-02.01.20

A very easy drive down to Wessex followed by us driving eastwards and following the railway and ending up in the New Forest after dark on a thoroughly miserable day!

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Images 1-22 of 22 displayed.

444034, SW 09.05 London Waterloo-Weymouth (1W59, 2L), Wool station
Making the yellow hi-viz. front end somewhat redundant is the filth on the leading cab of 444034 that has obviously not been through a washer for some time! It is seen arriving at Wool station with the 09.05 Waterloo to Weymouth service.
Keywords: 444034 09.05 London Waterloo-Weymouth 1W59 Wool station

444010, SW 11.20 Weymouth-London Waterloo (1W58, 1L), Wool station
444010 crosses the A352 level crossing as it enters Wool station with the 11.20 Weymouth to Waterloo service on an extremely dull day at the start of January. Behind the front of the train there used to be a lovely London and South Western Railway signal box that controlled the level crossing. Now this process is automatic and common sense cannot be permitted to prevail and thus huge congestion can soon build up on the main road.
Keywords: 444010 11.20 Weymouth-London Waterloo 1W58 Wool station South Western Railway SWR

444011, SW 09.35 London Waterloo-Weymouth (1W19, 32L), Holton Heath station
It is just after midday but it is ridiculously overcast and dull. Witness the strong reflection of the up colour light on the side of 444011. The unit is passing through Holton Heath station forming the 09.35 Waterloo to Weymouth service. Holton Heath station opened relatively late in 1924 and was built to serve the huge and strategically important Royal Navy cordite works. This site had a comprehensive network of tracks that connected to a short branch that led down to Rockley Jetty in Poole Harbour. Here the cordite was sent by coaster to Gosport. The plant was closed by the RN just after World War II with most of the site now occupied by the Holton Heath industrial estate but with plenty of evidence of its former life next to the station.
Keywords: 444011 09.35 London Waterloo-Weymouth 1W19 Holton Heath station SWR London South Western Railway

444034, SW 12.20 Weymouth-London Waterloo (1W60, 15L), Hamworthy station
444034 drifts into Hamworthy station working the 12.20 Weymouth to Waterloo service. Just off to the left of this image is the two mile Hamworthy branch that extends down to the harbour. Trains still sporadically traverse the branch, in particular, there has been a stone train service operated by DB but, at the time of writing, I am not sure if it still runs?
Keywords: 444034 12.20 Weymouth-London Waterloo 1W60 Hamworthy station

444001, SW 11.35 London Waterloo-Weymouth (1W23, 4L), Parkstone station
With its interconnecting door open, of which I suspect there would be some draft issues for the driver and the passengers in the first coach, 444001 arrives at Parkstone station with the 11.35 Waterloo to Weymouth train. The station is located about halfway up the fearsome Parkstone bank. The ascent commences almost immediately after leaving Poole station climbing at a steady 1:60 before levelling out through Parkstone station. As can be seen towards the rear of this train, it then climbs again at 1:60 to the summit at Branksome. Today, electrics would hardly even notice the climb but in steam days the drivers of the Somerset and Dorset and the London and South Western would have had to work their locomotives hard when heading east towards Bournemouth especially if making a standing start from Poole station.
Keywords: 444001 11.35 London Waterloo-Weymouth 1W23 Parkstone station South Western Trains SWR

444043, SW 10.39 London Waterloo-Poole (2B27, 1L), Branksome station
444043 slows for its stop at Branksome station working the 10.39 Waterloo to Poole that will soon reach its destination in two stops' time. The junction under the rear coach of the unit is where the former Somerset and Dorset line left the London and South Western metals to its southern terminus at Bournemouth West station. This station was closed after the electrification was completed in the summer of 1965. Today, the site of the station is occupied by the Queens Road car and coach carpark. However, part of the trackbed leading to the terminus is still in use as the home to Bournemouth's train care depot with the units accessing the depot via the junction that involves a rather complicated crossover and reversal.
Keywords: 444043 10.39 London Waterloo-Poole 2B27 Branksome station South Western Railway SWR

444011, SW 13.03 Weymouth-Bournemouth ECS (5W20, 2L), Branksome station
444011 passes through Branksome station working the 13.03 Weymouth to Bournemouth empty coaching stock move. Branksome station was opened by the London and South Western Railway in 1893. Today it enjoys a regualr service including direct trains to and from London Waterloo.
Keywords: 444011 13.03 Weymouth-Bournemouth ECS 5W20 Branksome station South West Trains SWR

220023, XC 09.27 Manchester Piccadilly-Bournemouth (1O12, 1L), Bournemouth station
220023 has just terminated with the 09.27 from Manchester Piccadilly and stands under Bournemouth's impressive station roof. Despite it having just two running lines now it was a busy station with lots of activity. The station was designed by the chief engineer of the London and South Western Railway, William Jacob, opening in 1885 and replacing an earlier structure just behind where I am standing. Twenty years ago Railtrack undertook an extensive refurbishment of the roof that had fallen into a severe state of disrepair following the great storm of 1987 that necessitated it being completely shrouded in scaffolding to protect the travelling public below.
Keywords: 220023 09.27 Manchester Piccadilly-Bournemouth 1O12 Bournemouth station Voyager Cross Country Trains XC

220023, XC 14.08 Bournemouth-Bournemouth Middle Sidings (5W65, 1E) & 444031, SW 13.20 Weymouth-London Waterloo (1W62, 6L), Bournemouth station
As 220023 leaves Bournemouth station with a return empty stock move to the stabling sidings just out of sight in the distance, 444031 arrives with the 1W62 13.29 Weymouth to London Waterloo. I am standing on Platform 3 that merges to become Platform 4 just level with the rear of the Voyager. This is an 'occasional use' platform but with the two joined together makes it one of the network's longest along with a number of other platforms such as Gloucester, Cambridge and Edinburgh Waverley.
Keywords: 220023 14.08 Bournemouth-Bournemouth Middle Sidings 5W65 444031 13.20 Weymouth-London Waterloo 1W62 Bournemouth station

Bournemouth signal box (SR, 1928)
The grand Bournemouth Central signal box still stands high above Platform 4 at the western end of the station. It is a Southern Railway type 11C structure opened in 1928. It no longer serves any signalling function but appears to be well-maintained despite it not being a listed structure.
Keywords: Bournemouth signal box

444044, SW 12.33 London Waterloo-Weymouth (3W25, 1L), Bournemouth station
444044 leaves Bournemouth station forming the 12.33 Waterloo to Weymouth service. I am standing in the expansive station car park that now occupies the site of the former steam shed (70F) that closed in the summer of 1967.
Keywords: 444044 12.33 London Waterloo-Weymouth 3W25 Bournemouth station SWR South Western Railway

Notice, Pokesdown station
Following the suspension of the damaging industrial dispute between the unions and management of South Western Railway, things have not got back to normal! There were a number of these somewhat hurriedly written notices placed around Pokesdown station. During our quick visit there were some security operatives around the station. Andy spoke briefly with them and they said that they were patrolling local stations due to an increase in suicide incidents. They also stated that Pokesdown was going to be closed and locked in between trains so as to secure the station and prevent suicide bids.
Keywords: Pokesdown station South Western Railway industrial action strike SWR

444004, SW 14.03 Weymouth-London Waterloo (1W22, RT), Christchurch station
444004 arrives at Christchurch station with the 14.03 Weymouth to London Waterloo. The station is located a considerable distance to the north-west of the town making it not the most convenient location for the seasonal visitors to the town who choose to use the train.
Keywords: 444004 14.03 Weymouth-London Waterloo 1W22 Christchurch station South Western Railway SWR

444037 & 444012, SW 13.35 London Waterloo-Weymouth (3W27, 24L), New Milton station
It's now 15.30 in the afternoon and the light is absolutely appalling pushing the camera's capabilities to the limit! 444037 and 444012 arrive at New Milton station working the 13.35 Waterloo to Weymouth service. In the background is New Milton's famous 1900 built mock Tudor style water tower constructed from locally sourced, cut and finished orange-red coloured bricks.
Keywords: 444037 444012 13.35 London Waterloo-Weymouth 3W27 New Milton station SWR South Western Railway

444043, SW 14.20 Weymouth-London Waterloo (1W64, 1L), New Milton station
Andy eagerly collects the coach numbers from SWR's 444043 as it slows for its stop at New Milton station. In the dreadful afternoon light it is working the 14.20 Weymouth to Waterloo.
Keywords: 444043 14.20 Weymouth-London Waterloo 1W64 New Milton station South Western Railway SWR

Frontage, New Milton station
The frontage of New Milton station still looks very smart despite it being an empty building now and with its most recent residents appearing to have moved on. It was built in 1888 to a sort of pseudo-Tudor style rather like New Milton's famous water tower whose turrets can be seen behind to the far left of the image. The building was subject to a planning application for it to be turned into a museum.
Keywords: New Milton station London and South Western Railway

Planning application notice, New Milton station
New Forest District Council are in receipt of a planning application with reference to New Milton's 1888 former station house. In what can only be seen as a positive move, the empty and rather run-down property is hopefully going to be turned into a museum.
Keywords: Planning application notice New Milton station

450080, SW 15.57 Lymington Pier-Brockenhurst (1J40, RT), Lymington Town station
I am glad that 450080 is just leaving Lymington Town station as the best shutter speed that I could get was 1/250th second and even then with an ISO of 8000! The unit was working the 15.57 Lymington Pier to Brockenhurst, a journey of some five miles and twenty-nine chains with just this intermediate stop. The question to be asked is why does this service carry the reporting number of 1J40? A class one is 'Express Passenger' service and this one is far from this! When I last visited Lymington Town station the land now covered by the flats was occupied by warehousing. However, that was fourteen years ago when my son was five and he is now at university. Where has the time gone?
Keywords: 450080 15.57 Lymington Pier-Brockenhurst 1J40 Lymington Town station South Western Railway SWR

450033, SW 13.39 London Waterloo-Bournemouth (2B39, RT), Sway station
I really like the atmosphere conveyed by this image that is somewhat of a surprise as it was a grab shot taken in the pouring rain using the parapet of the bridge to steady the camera. The image shows 450033 standing at Sway station working the 13.39 Waterloo to Bournemouth service. Sway is a small village in the middle of the New Forest just west of Brockenhurst ninety-five miles from Waterloo. Notice the ominous and somewhat sinister dark shapes of the trees towering above the station contrasting with the clear white illumination from the station's LED lighting. Also, note that the modern lighting directs all of its lumens downwards with very little escaping into the night sky thus not contributing towards the scourge of light pollution.
Keywords: 450033 13.39 London Waterloo-Bournemouth 2B39 Sway station New Forst South Western Railway SWR

Class 444, SW 15.20 Weymouth-London Waterloo (1W66, 19L), Brockenhurst station
At Brockenhurst station in the middle of the New Forest, a Class 444 leaves with the 15.20 Weymouth to Waterloo service. I like images such as this taken at night that convey a completely different atmosphere.
Keywords: Class 444 15.20 Weymouth-London Waterloo 1W66 Brockenhurst station South Western Railway SWR

220021, XC 17.00 Bournemouth-Manchester Piccadilly (1M66, 1L), Brockenhurst station
222021 pauses at Brockenhurst station near to the start of its two hundred and fifty miles journey as the 17.00 Bournemouth to Manchester Piccadilly. Since I last visited Brockenhurst station a huge new footbridge with lifts has been constructed that can be seen in this image above the Voyager.
Keywords: 220021 17.00 Bournemouth-Manchester Piccadilly 1M66 Brockenhurst station Cross Country Trains Voyager

220026, XC 12.27 Manchester Piccadilly-Bournemouth (1O18, 6L) & 220021, XC 17.00 Bournemouth-Manchester Piccadilly (1M66, 1L), Brockenhurst station
A meeting of CrossCountry services at Brockenhurst station. Whilst 220021 is leaving near to the start of its journey from Bournemouth to Manchester, 220026 is approaching the end. The latter is forming the 12.27 from Manchester to Bournemouth where it will arrive in about fifteen minutes' time. Notice the guard looking at me from the last door of 220026 wondering what this strange chap is doing in the rain and the dark on the second day of the new year!
Keywords: 220026 12.27 Manchester Piccadilly-Bournemouth 1O18 220021 17.00 Bournemouth-Manchester Piccadilly 1M66 Brockenhurst station Cross Contry Trains XC Voyager

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