My train journey from Southampton Airport to Wareham was broken with spells at Southampton and Bournemouth stations. The doyen of the class 66 revolution, 66001, has cleared Southampton Tunnel and approaches the station. 20/1/2016
The loco is in the house colours of owner DB Schenker trading as DB Cargo. The working is 4O43 0643 MX Birch Coppice to Southampton Western Docks Intermodal.
Desiro unit 444035 comes to a stand in platform 4 with 1W63 1105 Waterloo to Weymouth service. These class 444 sets replaced the class 442 5WES sets which in turn replaced the mkI slam door units.
Over in platform 2A, Electrostar unit 337439 in Southern Railway livery, sets out with 1N16 1232 Southampton to Brighton.
The train had arrived at its Southampton destination a short time earlier, a quick turn round and the train is away again.
South West Trains operated sprinter 158886 makes its station stop in platform 1 with a class 2 local service from Salisbury to Romsey via Southampton, 2R42 1156 off.
158886 passes below the pedestrian bridge located at the eastern end of the station. It provides a fine vantage point to photograph the railway from, I will get to it another day.
A few minutes after the previous sprinter had departed, another one arrives. 158890 forms 2S31 1207 off Romsey to Salisbury and runs into the station.
Once the preserve of OVS Bulleid's mighty Merchant Navy or light pacifics, the Weymouth to Waterloo trains are now formed by 5 coach class 444 Desiro units. 444017 makes its stop with 1W16 1103 off Weymouth to Waterloo.
Another member of the Desiro family is the class 450 four coach units designed for shorter runs than the class 444 sets. 450094 leaves the tunnel behind with 2E32 1138 from Portsmouth and Southsea to Southampton.
After a short dwell time, 450094 is made ready to depart and head back to Portsmouth as 2E33 1244 off Southampton.
444023 leaves the 528 yard long tunnel with 2B27 1039 Waterloo to Poole all stations stopper.
The low winter sun catches the side of the unit as it takes the turn out into platform 3A.
450094 gets away and heads into the double track tunnel which is bi-directionally signalled on both roads.
With the station work complete, 444023 glides away along the island platform that is split into two for terminating trains.
66543 emerges from the gloom of Southampton Tunnel. The western portal resembles that of a canal tunnel which is ironic as the remains of the Salisbury to Southampton Canal tunnel lies just a few feet below the railway tunnel at the point where the railway passes at an angle over the canal. The canal was derelict by 1808, 40 years before the railway opened.
66543's train is 4O15 0743 MX Hams Hall to Southampton Maritime Intermodal. It is routed through platform 4.
The Maritime sidings are just over 2 miles away and journey's end for 66543 which is looking rather shabby around the No2 end cab.
The double track tunnel does form a bottle neck for the four platform station but there were no issues whilst I was there. Class 221 Super Voyager 221126 leaves the tunnel and is routed into platform 4.
221126 comes to a stand with its working, 1O10 0827 Manchester Piccadilly to Bournemouth.
Moving to the west end of Southampton station and my first train is 4M61 1254 Southampton Maritime to Trafford Park Freightliner. The loco is former DRS 66420 which was taken on by Freightliner along with 66411-66419 when DRS put them off lease in 2011.
158798 is a three car sprinter set and wears a distinctive advertising livery, but what it is portraying I did not notice. The units forms 1F18 1223 Portsmouth Harbour to Cardiff.
Another Voyager unit comes into view with 220030 approaching on the up fast with 1M50 1245 Bournemouth to Manchester Piccadilly.
The four coach class 220 set slows for its booked stop, all passenger trains are booked to stop at Southampton.
444038 slows to come to a stand at platform 3B with 2B31 1139 Waterloo to Poole which in the event terminated at Branksome. The train is booked to sit here for several minutes to allow a faster class 1 working to overtake.
220020 has terminated at Southampton with its train from Newcastle. Now it forms 5S52 1322 Southampton to Southampton Up Goods Loop ECS. The set will recess in the loop for 15 minutes clearing the station.
444029 clears the station and clatters over the pointwork of the western throat as it speeds away with its train 1W65 1205 Waterloo to Weymouth. This is the train that 444038 was waiting for and will follow.
As 444029 heads away, 220020 takes the turnout into the Up Good Loop for its recess period.
