69. Southern England Circular-21.12.15

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-2015 > 69. Southern England Circular-21.12.15

On the shortest day of the year, Andy and I undertook a wide circular trip of southern England in my Combo van after calling in at my late father's house in Wiltshire. The weather was appalling but this is not unexpected at this time of year I suppose!

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Images 1-21 of 21 displayed.

153305, GW 08.53 Weymouth-Bristol TM (2V88), Westbury station
A hybrid DMU pairing pauses at Westbury station. With single car 153305 leading a Class 150 they will work forward as the 08.53 Weymouth to Bristol Temple Meads. Whilst it is not yet raining, the grey and leaden sky is a portent of things to come for the rest of the day!
Keywords: 153305 GW 08.53 Weymouth-Bristol TM 2V88 Westbury station

150234, GW 10.25 Warminster-Westbury (2C12), Westbury station
Looking a little tatty on the front end with rather chippy hi-viz paintwork 150234 has just arrived with the 2C12 10.25 service from Warminster and terminated. According to the destination blind, it will work forward back whence it has just come and onwards to Southampton.
Keywords: 150234 GW 10.25 Warminster-Westbury 2C12 Westbury station

Class 66s & class 70s, stabled, Westbury yard
Westbury yard remains a very important hub for freight linked to the nearby Mendip quarries and this has been the case for many years back to when I was young spotter on the station back in the 1970s, see.... https://www.ontheupfast.com/p/21936chg/C296307204/x4-westbury-27-03-76 Today the depot has gone that used to undertake basic maintenance of Westerns and Class 47s to be replaced by straightforward stabling sidings. On this dismal December day, there are two Colas Class 66s and three Class 70s.
Keywords: Class 66s class 70s stabled Westbury yard

159005 & 159011, SW 10.25 Exeter St. David's-London Waterloo (1L40), Andover station
South West's 159005 and 159011pause at Andover station working the 10.25 Exeter St. David's to Waterloo service. In common with many station rationalisation over the years has reduced the size of the station with, for example, the removal of the twin centre through roads.
Keywords: 159005 159011 SW 10.25 Exeter St. David's-London Waterloo 1L40 Andover station South West Trains

159011 & 159005, SW 10.25 Exeter St. David's-London Waterloo (1L40), Andover station
159011 and 159005 leave Andover station in the pouring rain working the 10.25 Exeter st. David's to London Waterloo train. For once it is good to see that a decent length service composed of six through connected carriages working a service such as this. Even when the Class 50s and 47s were hauling these services back in the 1980s trains were often shorter than this.
Keywords: 159011 159005, SW 10.25 Exeter St. David's-London Waterloo 1L40 Andover station

Sidings, Andover station
With some of the sidings still extant in the old good yard most of the land is now the home to a haulage company as seen in this image. The disused platform in the foreground still has tracks laid to it but these only see occasional use by military traffic from the Ludgershall branch. There are also plans for an open-access operator to run shuttle services to and from Ludgershall on light railway basis that I presume would use this platform?
Keywords: Sidings, Andover station

66055, 01.53 Briggs Sidings-Southampton Up Yard (6Z16), Andover station
In such dull, dreary and wet weather I had to push the camera a little in order to capture 66055 passing at some speed through Andover station. It is seen leading the 01.53 Briggs Sidings (Peak District) to Southampton Up yard sone train. This 6Z16 working has travelled through the night and is now relatively close to its destination.
Keywords: 66055 01.53 Briggs Sidings-Southampton Up Yard 6Z16 Andover station EWS

159017, SW 12.47 Salisbury-London Waterloo (1L42), Whitchurch station
159017 passes through Whitchurch station working the 12.47 Salisbury to Waterloo. At least the bright livery carried by South West Trains lightens the tone of the almost monochrome grey December day!
Keywords: 159017 SW 12.47 Salisbury-London Waterloo 1L42 Whitchurch station South West Trains

159104, 12.20 London Waterloo-Bristol Temple Meads (1V33), Whitchurch station
159104 leads another member of the class at speed through Whitchurch (Hampshire) station. The train is running as the 1V33 12.20 Waterloo to Bristol Temple Meads SWT service. The train will split at Salisbury with one set working through to Bristol. The leading set is one of the former TransPennine Express Class 158s that was converted to a 159 about ten years ago. It's a little known fact that despite having the same engines as their Class 159/0 cousins that the 159/1 are slightly less powerful having 350bhp compared to 400bhp. I deliberately chose to position the train slightly early so as to include the attractive former London and South Western Railway station building that unfortunately is disused with its windows boarded up.
Keywords: 159104 12.20 London Waterloo-Bristol Temple Meads 1V33 Whitchurch station SWT South West Trains

165205, GW 14.08 Reading-Basingstoke (2J39), Bramley station
In foul weather at Bramley station 165205 pauses with the 14.08 Reading to Basingstoke shuttle service. I am really not convinced that the new GWR livery applied to their stock is the very best? In poor lighting such as this, it looks somewhat bland but I suppose that it was considered to be 'classy' by those involved in its design!
Keywords: 165205 GW 14.08 Reading-Basingstoke 2J39 Bramley station

Class 220, XC 13.46 Southampton-Edinburgh (1S52), Bramley station
In torrential rain and appalling lighting I thought it appropriate to take a going-away photograph of voyager - can somebody please email me and advise why I did this! So for the record, an unidentified Class 220 heads over Bramley level crossing from the platform end with the 13.36 Southampton to Edinburgh Waverley.
Keywords: Class 220 XC 13.46 Southampton-Edinburgh 1S52 Bramley station CrossCountry Voyager

66131, 09.15 Trafford Park-Southampton (4O21), Bramley station
The camera has struggled to keep things under control in this photograph with the chronically bad lighting! Close examination of the dark areas revealed a lot of digital noise that I had to work on to make the image acceptable. 66131 passes through Bramley station leading the 09.15 Trafford Park to Southampton Freightliner service. I was hoping to get back to the van at this point until Andy pointed out that something far more interesting was due in the other direction...... https://www.ontheupfast.com/p/21936chg/29360076004/x13-66520-13-28-eastleigh-yard-hinksey
Keywords: 66131 09.15 Trafford Park-Southampton 4O21 Bramley station Freightliner EWS

66520, 13.28 Eastleigh Yard-Hinksey Yard (6V27), Bramley station
It's twenty-five minutes to three in the afternoon on the shortest day of the year and it's absolutely pouring with rain; please forgive the quality of this photograph! 66520 leads the 13.28 Eastleigh yard to Hinksey yard (Oxford) infrastructure working through Bramley station. Behind the locomotive are five flats carry varying numbers of track panels then further back a rake of loaded ballast wagons. With no more trains due, Andy and I were relieved to be able to return to the Combo van for shelter as there was nothing to protect passengers from the elments on Bramley station!
Keywords: 66520 13.28 Eastleigh Yard-Hinksey Yard 6V27 Bramley station Freightliner Infrastructure working

166205, GW 14.37 Basingstoke-Reading (2J40), Mortimer station
With a cheery wave from the driver of 166205 as it arrives at Mortimer station. He was probably waving as he felt sorry for us as we had photographed his train in equally poor weather not very long ago at Bramley station, see..... https://www.ontheupfast.com/p/21936chg/29360075404/x165205-gw-14-08-reading-basingstoke He is returning to Reading as the 14.37 ex Basingstoke running as 2J40.
Keywords: 166205 GW 14.37 Basingstoke-Reading 2J40 Mortimer station Great Western Railway GWR

150002, GW 14.10 Reading-Basingstoke (2J41), Mortimer station
150002 leaves Mortimer station working the 14.10 Reading to Basingstoke local service. Mortimer is one of two intermediate stations between the two towns, a rail distance of just over sixteen miles. Once again, it is teeming with rain and the mid-winter light has all but gone.
Keywords: 150002 GW 14.10 Reading-Basingstoke 2J41 Mortimer station First Great Western Great Westen Railway Sprinter

166205, GW 14.37 Basingstoke-Reading (2J40), Mortimer station
With the guard looking on 166205 gets underway from Mortimer station working the 14.37 Basingstoke to Reading 2J40 service. Mortimer station is grade II listed for both the main building and matching smaller waiting shelter on the down platform. The station is a superb example of Brunel's Italianate pagoda buildings. These particular ones were in receipt of a major renovation in 1985 as part of the GWR 150 celebrations.
Keywords: 166205 GW 14.37 Basingstoke-Reading 2J40 Mortimer station Great Western Railway

450079, SW 14.12 London Waterloo-Basingstoke (2L41), Hook station
South West Trains' 450079 pauses at Hook station working the 14.12 Waterloo to Basingstoke service. In common with many stations, whilst Fleet does retain one through-line, it has lost the down through line evidenced by the large gap in the centre of the photograph.
Keywords: 450079 SW 14.12 London Waterloo-Basingstoke 2L41 Hook station Desiro

444041, SW 15.54 Basingstoke-London Waterloo (2L54), Winchfield station
Another variant of the Desiro family of trains is the Class 444 introduced during 2004. 444041 is one of forty-five sets constructed by Siemens Mobility's Vienna factory. It is seen here at Winchfield station working the 15.54 Basingstoke to Waterloo service. By now it has gone 15.30 and as its the shortest day of the year the station lights are all on and it's getting dark fast!
Keywords: 444041 SW 15.54 Basingstoke-London Waterloo 2L54 Winchfield station South West Trains Desiro

444011, SW 13.50 Poole-London Waterloo (2B52), Fleet station
444011 pauses at Fleet station working the 13.50 Poole to Waterloo SWT service. As can be seen, the rain has stopped and there is a little late brightness in the fast darkening sky. I am very glad that South West Trains' livery is composed of bright colours dominated by large areas of white that make the train stand out in this otherwise dark image.
Keywords: 444011 SW 13.50 Poole-London Waterloo 2B52 Fleet station SWT South West Trains Desiro

450009, SW 15.12 London Waterloo-Basingstoke (2L45), Fleet station
A feature of modern train unit builds is that one 'parent' design morphs many variants with a lot looking very similar. This creates huge cost savings for manufactures in terms of design and toolings costs but does make things a little more boring for enthusiasts! The Seimens Desiro is an excellent example of this integrated and family design with many variants to suit the needs of different operators. 450009 pauses at Fleet station working the 15.12 Waterloo to Basingstoke. SWT service.
Keywords: 450009 SW 15.12 London Waterloo-Basingstoke 2L45 Fleet station SWT South West Trains Desiro

450107, SW 16.15 Alton-London Waterloo (1A54), Brookwood station
In the darkness at Brookwood station 450107 pauses with the 16.15 Alton to Waterloo 1A54 service. Behind the looming trees in the background is the huge and famous Brookwood cemetery that is the final resting place of many notable people. A railway was constructed right into both the Nonconformist and Anglican cemeteries by the London Necropolis Railway that brought funeral corteges directly from London Waterloo into two stations withing the cemetery, North (serving the Nonconformist section) and South (serving the Anglican).
Keywords: 450107 SWT 16.15 Alton-London Waterloo 1A54 Brookwood station South West Trains

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