Slamdoors and semaphores

A misty morning at Brockenhurst station and a pair of class 442 5WES units 2414 and 2413 roll in with 1W32 0848 SuO Weymouth to Waterloo service.

1499 is a renumbered class 421 4CIG unit with a coach removed to make it a 3CIG set. Two were reconfigured soley for the Lymington branch. 1499 heads away from Brokenhurst with 2P17 1029 SuO Brokenhurst to Lymington Pier.

A class 423 4VEP unit 3539 runs into Brokenhurst with grafitti on the front corridor connection door. The working is 1B36 1005 SuO Bournemouth to Waterloo.

The new order for South West Trains, Desiro class 450 unit 450030 makes its station stop with a down train, 0754 SuO Waterloo to Bournemouth.

A Bournemouth bound unknown Cross Country working slows for its Brokenhurst stop formed of a pair of Voyager units, tilting 221141 and non tilting 220029.

I had returned to the carpark to move away from the station when my phone rang. It was the driver of the Lymington train, Phil. He had seen someone on the platform and wondered if it was me, it was. So I returned and took a trip down the branch. 1499 returns with 2P20 1044 SuO Lymington Pier to Brokenhurst.

1499 stands at platform 4b and Phil can be seen walking away to make a cup of tea before heading back to Lymington. To the left in platform 2 is 220003 working 1M70 1040 SuO Bournemouth to Crewe Cross Country.

1499 stands at Lymington Pier and will return at 1114 with 2P11 SuO back to Lymington. The journey takes 10 minutes. The branch headcode is 97. In the background is the ferry to Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight.

Back at Brockenhurst and Desiro units 450035 and 450030 have returned from Waterloo working 1B40 1105 SuO train to Bournemouth.

Out in the New Forest and 1499 heads back to Brockenhurst from Lymington with 2P24 1144SuO departure. This unit and sister 1498 were bought by SWT for use on the branch.

The earlier mist had burnt off into a warm sunny day. Phil takes 1499 back to Lymington, 1159 off Brockenhurst, 2P23 Sundays Only.

Class 423 4VEP units 3405 and 3458 depart Brockenhurst with a working I believe to be 1B23 1036 SuO Woking to Bournemouth.

An over bridge near Bottramsley and 1499 approaches forming 2P25 1229 SuO Brockenhurst to Lymington Pier. The set passes one of the common concrete p. way huts produced en-mass by the SR plant at Exeter. Mileposts 95 and 94 3/4 miles from Waterloo are visible.

Another move and to Lymington itself. Bathed in warm sunshine but with a cold wind, 1499 crosses the viaduct over the Lymington River with 2P27 1259 SuO off Brokenhurst. The set has just left Lymington Town station for the very short run to the pier.

Phil has put up the 97 headcode for one last time as he gets away from Lymington's Pier station with 2P30 1314 SuO off to Brokenhurst. He will have one more return run then goes home to Bournemouth on the cushions.

Another move and an unknown class 170 Turbostar passes over the River Itchen at St. Denys forming 1Y48 1519 SuO Southampton to Portsmouth and Southsea.

Under a cloudless sky a class 450 Desiro unit crosses the viaduct over the Itchen between Bitterne and St Denys stations. The unit is deployed on 2E44 1422 SuO Portsmouth and Southsea to Southampton all stations stopper.

Another move and another viaduct. Class 421 4CIG 1398 rumbles over the Hamble River Viaduct at Burlesdon with 2E48 1542 SuO Portsmouth and Southsea to Southampton class 2 local service.

Desiro class 450 unit 450045 passes the disused ex LSWR signalbox at Botley with a stopping service 1T43 1624 SuO Eastleigh to Portsmouth Harbour.

With fast fading light, class 423 4VEP units 3811 and 3536 slow for its Micheldever stop forming 1B51 1654 SuO Waterloo to Bournemouth service. Set 3811 leads.

The guard on board back set 3536 looks back at me as his train departs the otherwise deserted station.

A new day and a new location. Worting Junction to the west of Basingstoke is where the Salisbury and Exeter line bears right from the Southampton and Bournemouth road. An unknown class 221 Super Voyager passes by with 1O04 0505 from Manchester Piccadilly to Bournemouth running about 20 minutes late.

A twelve coach, 3 unit train passes heading for Basingstoke. 4VEP units 3811, 3534 and 3405 form 1G22 0745 Portsmouth Harbour to Waterloo.

A foot bridge passes over the railway here and forms a perfect viewpoint for traffic on the line below. 5WES cl;ass 422 unit 2410 forms 1B26 0755 Poole to Waterloo commuter service.

Another class of unit from the Desiro family is the class 444 five coach unit. 444030 and 444014 forms 1B19 0839 Waterloo to Southampton South West Trains service.

The sun was doing a fair job in making an appearance on this morning. It lights 220003 passing the "Worting Junction" sign on the left of the set. It is employed on 1M07 0846 off Bournemouth to Manchester Piccadilly.

The light had improved to allow the 300mm lens and the layout of the junction is shown. 66571 brings it train, 4E44 0901 Southampton Millbrook to Leeds Freightliner, off Battledown Flyover which carries the up line over the Salisbury route which uses the middle two roads looking left. On the far left is the down line to Southampton which goes straigh ahead.

On the up road, 450045 drops off Battledown Flyover with a Brighton to Basingstoke working, 1Y22, 0750 off the south coast town.

66568 was held and the signals visible at the back of the train to allow a passenger working to overtake. Now it has the road the driver powers his train, 4Z51 Cardiff Wentloog to Southampton Millbrook Freightliner, away from the signal stop.

Freightliner 66519 runs east towards Basingstoke and its next job, which is not known. Earlier it worked a train to Eastleigh Yard from Chichester, 6Z25.

South West Trains are one of many TOC's which operate the successful class 170 Turbostar units. Most are in two car formations and this example, 170302 forms 1O31 0955 from Reading to Brighton.

A pair of three car class 159 Sprinter units approach the overbridge with 1L23 0950 from Waterloo to Salisbury. The line the train is on will bear right under Battledown Flyover.

EWS 66104 has appeared off the Salisbury line running light engine from Ludgershall to somewhere as 0Y44. It had earlier gone to Ludgershall from Didcot as 6O19 0729 off so may well be heading back to Didcot

Despite the obvious two locos at the head of this Freightliner working, 57010 tucked up inside is being towed DIT to the terminal at Lawley Street, Birmingham. The train is 4M55 1000 off Southampton Maritime terminal.

EWS has managed to prise a gap in the Freightliner grip of intermodal traffic to and from Southampton, they have a train in each to Wakefield. 66016 works 4O53 0043 off Wakefield Europort to Southampton.

A single four coach 4VEP unit nears its journey's end having worked a class 2 local service from Fareham to Basingstoke, 2T34 1005 off.

A short time later the set reappeared heading back the way as 1Y33 1124 Basingstoke to Brighton.

This Freightliner working appears double headed but the weight of the train does not require it. 66536 has doyen Freightliner loco 66501 inside. This loco could have failed or more likely is being repositioned back to Southampton. The working is the lightly loaded 4O18 0719 Birmingham Lawley Street to Southampton Maritime.

Another lightly loaded working is this Manchester bound Freightliner service with 66570 fronting 4M58 1100 off Southampton to Trafford Park.

170303 has been routed onto the up fast at Worting Junction having come off Battledown Flyover. It forms 1J14 0957 Brighton to Reading and at Basingstole it will take the left junction to head onto Reading.

This rake of three class 423 4VEP emu's has been seen earlier in the morning working a Portsmouth to Waterloo service. Now a few hours later they head back to Portsmouth Harbour from Waterloo, 1109 off the London terminus station, train headcode being 1T29.

An EWS freight working approaches the foot bridge at Worting Junction with 66198 rostered to 6V38 1103 Marchwood to Didcot MOD stores. A variety of wagons form the payload from the MOD site at Marchwood off the Fawley branch, see later on.

Something different on the mkI stock front, a class 412 4BEP unit. 2315 leads familiar 4VEP 3468 with 1T38 1051 Portsmouth Harbour to Waterloo. 2315 was sold on withdrawal to the Eden Valley Railway in Cumbria!! No third rail there!!

A change from the EWS and Freightliner General Motors type 5 locos is 59005, one of the original GM imports. It fronts a string of 15 empty JNA bogie boxes.

A move to Basingstoke station now for a short while prior to taking a train towards London. Virgin Cross Country class 221 sprinter bears left and takes the Reading line with 1S71 1146 Bournemouth to Edinburgh.

Desiron class 450 EMU 450051 makes its station stop with 1B33 1205 Waterloo to Poole. These units are quite rapidly replacing the mkI sets.

A terminating service from the south coast resort of Brighton is formed by single class 421 4CIG unit 1881. The diagram is 1Y28 1057 off Brighton.

Another class 421 4CIG unit runs into the station. This is a down working 1T33 1209 off Waterloo to Portsmouth Harbour.