Loco hauled around Havant

[Sun Chariot]

My current photo "challenge", to capture the human factors of the railway:

A follow-on to post #90; Portsmouth Harbour's track renewal work progresses this week, through rain and shine (literally!).
Drier conditions for today's activity. Spot the WD-40 cans, in photo 3 - well, it's one way to reduce flange-squeal.

 

[Sun Chariot]

As we approach the 4th anniversary of UK's initial lock-down, here's my reflection of those strange times:

Covid retrospective (photo blog 2020-2021)

My rail-related photo-blog is "Loco Hauled Around Havant". - but, as we approach the fourth anniversary of UK's initial lock-down, here's a reflection of those strange times. My focus.was on the street life around me: the people, the signs & odd sights, plus the affected businesses.

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[Sun Chariot]

Intentions of capturing the 6 civil engineer workings over the Portsmouth Direct Line, the weekend just past, were foiled by two filthy days of near-constant downpour.

Partly compensated today, with cloudy sky easing just as the Chichester to Merehead empties reverses out onto the West Coastway main, then makes a smokey departure westwards.
The loco is booked into Eastleigh Arlington on 5th March, for a repaint.
(11th April) The travelworn Hanson livery has been replaced with Freightliner's house colours (orange, black, white).

Posts #79, #83 and #87 show the other various manoeuvres - shunting and runround - needed at this aggregates terminal.

 

[Sun Chariot]

Network Rail's infrastructure inspection units make regular appearances on circuits around this area. Today's working, however, is headed for Manningtree in Essex.

Liss Forest - on the Portsmouth Direct Line - offers several vantage points if full sunshine graces us. Today isn't one of those days...

 

[Sun Chariot]

Spring colours (ScotRail, InterCity, chocolate/cream, GBRf...):

The Snow & Ice Treatment Train - led by a distinctive former European example - returns from its Portsmouth Direct Line duties and approaches the junction with the West Coastway.

Shortly after, Statesman Rail's excursion to Portsmouth (via Winchester and Fareham) nears its junction for Portsea Isle.
A follow-up trip, 28th March, will use Portsmouth Direct Line.

(28th March) Photos thwarted. 1) Biblical rain & wind across the South Coast, until early afternoon; 2) Infrastructure fault at Portsmouth Harbour, resulting in all services truncated at Portsmouth & Southsea - and consequential hour's delayed departure of the return Statesman.

 

[Sun Chariot]

The debacle of Bedhampton Station bridge:

Preparatory work started early September 2023.. Trackside paint removal was undertaken at the start of October.
The notices advertised a completion date of 5th January.

4th January, the notices were hastily taken down - and the replacement notices quoted completion on 29th February. The sides of the bridge were primed and partially painted.
Work stopped again in mid-January - and still not resumed.

The lack of bridge's access, creates a bit of a scrum at West Street crossing, daily.
Now NR notifies that the work is suspended, due to "...severe structural damage".
(despite half the bridge already painted in green top-coat - and one obvious area of corrosion, has been like that for 2 years...)

 

[75A]

Particularly like the bridge shot, quite evocative.

 

[Sun Chariot]

Particularly like the bridge shot, quite evocative.

Thanks. The workforce were very obliging and they moved the scaffold gantries aside for me.

 

[Sun Chariot]

Shades of green (the sequel...)

26th January's intended shot of Freightliner's green variants, was thwarted by the Westbury to Crawley service running 80 minutes behind booked path.

So, here's what I'd intended:
Today's Westbury-Crawley with the Heidelberg Materials 59;
26th January's Westbury-Chichester, here reversing into the stone terminal, with a "banger green" 66 in charge.

 

[Sun Chariot]

March(wood) winds and April showers.

Having dropped off empty spine-wagons from MoD Kineton (post #20 has photos of that service), the regally-resplendent loco takes loaded containers from MoD Marchwood, bound for London Gateway (Tilbury / Thames Haven Port).

 

[Sun Chariot]

My current photo "challenge", to capture the human factors of the railway:

Marchwood branch's pilot - who accompanies the driver to Totton - and Marchwood's crossing controller, both ensure the safe passage of the train shown on post #100

 

[lostwin(m)]

My current photo "challenge", to capture the human factors of the railway:

Marchwood branch's pilot - who accompanies the driver to Totton - and Marchwood's crossing controller, both ensure the safe passage of the train shown on post #100

Excellent, I love the image with the guy closing the crossing gate. With the train in the background, there is an obvious cause/effect that creates the story.

Amazing to see semaphore signals still in situ outside of a preserved line. I’m a bit out of touch with the modern scene (apart from my daily commute), are these signals still operational?

 

[Sun Chariot]

Many thanks @lostwin(m) - and yes, from examples in this thread, I have a bit of a "thing" for photos of people at level crossings.

These shots are on the old Fawley refinery branch, down the coast from Southampton. It's the only location I know of with manual crossing gates and semaphores, down these parts. Train services are sporadic and often don’t travel the branch on their pathed times..

Totton-Marchwood operates as "one train in section" and the signals are not used. That being said, my shots for post #20, the peg was briefly set "clear" for the MoD spur; how I wish I caught that shot.

 

[Sun Chariot]

Monday evening's storm surge, combined with a spring high tide, resulted in numerous floods along Hampshire's coast.
Nine hours afterwards, Hayling Island's east side still showed floods at Northney and over the beachfront tourist railway.

This moped rider discovered - too late - that driving into flood water does not bode well for an internal combustion engine...
This photo also appears on BBC's news website, with a slightly more diplomatic caption.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-england-68766942

 

[Sun Chariot]

Smoking in public.

Diffused springtime sun blesses today's Merehead-Crawley aggregates working - seemingly with dragging brake toward the rear of the train (its slow progress and screeching from a smoking wagon, points to the culprit).
The near cabside's still missing its white cantrail stripe (see post #83 back on 24th January).

The previous day's working was in the hands of numerically-similar 59102, freshly repainted from its Hanson livery (post #93) into Freightliner's current scheme.

 

[Sun Chariot]

This weekend's track infrastructure work around Haslemere, has seen material flows down the Portsmouth Direct Line, to Eastleigh.
Network Rail's more usual motive power providers (Colas, DB & GBRf) are, this morning, complemented with a hire-in from Freightliner.

 

[lostwin(m)]

Smoking in public:

Diffused springtime sun blesses today's Merehead-Crawley aggregates working - seemingly with dragging brake toward the rear of the train (its slow progress and screeching from a smoking wagon, points to the culprit).
The near cabside's still missing its white cantrail stripe (see post #83 back on 24th January).

The previous day's working was in the hands of numerically-similar 59102; freshly repainted from its Hanson livery, into Freightliner's current scheme.

Lovely soft light and colours on this one. The loco has a brass bell hanging on the front, is that used as a warning whilst at the quarry?

 

[Sun Chariot]

Lovely soft light and colours on this one. The loco has a brass bell hanging on the front, is that used as a warning whilst at the quarry?

Many thanks - any sun is a bit of a bonus, on the un-sunny south coast.

The bell is ceremonial. General Motors (EMD) fitted them to just two of the class: this - 59201 - on delivery to its original owner, National Power; and 59001 when delivered to Foster Yeoman.

 

[Sun Chariot]

Bring me sunshine.

This morning's first two hours of clear sky was great for the early dog walk; but, by the time today's Merehead-Chichester aggregates working passed, it had mostly disappeared under a large encroaching bank of clouds.
Typically, five minutes later saw a further hour's sun. Such is the way of the railway photographer...

 

[75A]

Still, worth your time and effort. As good as ever.

 

[Sun Chariot]

Many thanks. I'll try that location once I can get better quality of light.
My fellow local photographer (see post #86) also intended a shot ar this spot; but he abandoned it due to the cloud-cover. So my only companion was a nearby lusty pheasant, calling raucously...

 

[Sun Chariot]

An inspector calls.

Network Rail's track inspection unit makes a rare trip down the former Fawley branch; pausing briefly at Marchwood's old station before retracing its steps. A fresh coat of yellow since its appearance on post #4 of this thread.
Difficult backlighting here; and I wish that the sun had  not been shining.

The personnel on board must have carried influence, as the signal is set to "clear" for the unit's departure.
The line operates as "one train in section" and, invariably, the signals remain set at "danger" when a train passes them.

 

[lostwin(m)]

Fantastic, perseverance paid off at this location to capture the signal in action. Presumably there is no signal box any more, would the signal be activated by a lever at the base?

 

[Islineclear3_1]

Just shows how much the greenery has been left to grow....

Not my pic... unsure of date, but maybe 1970s?

 

[Sun Chariot]

Fantastic, perseverance paid off at this location to capture the signal in action. Presumably there is no signal box any more, would the signal be activated by a lever at the base?

Thanks and it proves the mechanisms are still in working order The signal frame is housed within a small brick cabin added onto the former station, facing the platform.
You can see it pictured in posts #39 and #101.

 

[Sun Chariot]

Just shows how much the greenery has been left to grow....

Not my pic... unsure of date, but maybe 1970s?

Goodness, what a difference! And that was before a housing development sprung up, adjacent to Marchwood old station. Many thanks for sharing this fabulous view.

The home bracket in the distance, looks far more presentable than it did in my post #20...

 

[Sun Chariot]

Points failure in the Clapham Junction area, disrupted many services - including empty stock for today's excursion from Horsham to Bath and Bristol.
Running two and a quarter hours behind its booked path, B1 "Mayflower" accelerates hard (and with fabulous acoustics) toward Farlington Junction.
The passing SWR service was hidden as best as possible...

 

[lostwin(m)]

Fabulous picture - and fabulous sound no doubt. The Mk2 A/C carriage looks slightly incongruous in custard & cream!

 

[Sun Chariot]

Thanks R The loco has been used a few times, along the West Coastway and also the Portsmouth' Direct Line. It has always been wonderfully vocal.
Heartwarming to see people of all ages out to watch it pass and wave at it.

 

[Sun Chariot]

My current photo "challenge", to capture the human factors of the railway:

Emsworth's dedicated enthusiasts record the evening return of the excursion seen on post #117.