Hi automotivehistorian,
I expect that's Brian as he meantioned another loco on the opposite track so this is obviously the Marchwood train. The signalman usually makes a brew and I never had a bad one. Mostly pretty good chaps here.
I have been retired now for about 18 months so don't know what little changes may have taken place since then. However, I have gone wrong road from Totton to Redbridge a number of times and I have been taking notice of the discussions going on in this Forum in regard to what moves can be made there. You can go wrong road from Totton sidings up to the ''fixed' red signal outside the station. From there you can go three ways by the Calling-on, Shunt Ahead, or Warning signal! This type of signal contains all three movements under M.A.S. whereas, in the semaphore days you had a slightly different arm for the three moves, so we just accept that we are being called forward as far as the line is clear and go quietly towards the next signal or points. One move is into Redbridge Sidings, the second move is up the up/down goods line to Maritime, where you can go back onto the mainlines, but you can continue on the goods all the way to Southampton Station, which I have done many times.
With the Marchwood train you tend to go wrong road to Redbridge when the down main is clear but a fast is due on the up main. You then usually go up to the fixed red signal,on the causway, where you then get a shunt ahead signal to take you wrong road through Redbridge station and then cross over to the Up main just beyond the platforms. However, if there is a train near Redbridge that is going towards Romsey then you can only go right road over the causway from Totton as that is the correct protection signal for that movement.
I think someone (on this forum) said that you can get a 'yellow at that signal (by the causway) but as there is only a single aspect, which is always red, I am not sure how that would be, unless the signal has a filter colour change inside, but I feel certain this isn't so, but could be wrong. Just because I never saw it ocurr, doesn't mean that it may only be used under special arrangments that I have never been involved with.
You should perservere trying to get Rail Magazine to do a piece on the branches. As you say, they are very interesting and still have a lot of chraracter and the odd 'classic' equipment or two, in places. I always enjoyed going to Marchwood and only wish that I had managed to get through to fawley. Back in the 60's and into the 70's, we worked 'Long Tom' the petrol train from Fawley to Bromford Bridge (Birmingham). We either worked it too and from Didcot and Bromford Bridge, or from Didcot to Eastleigh, but never got through to Fawley.
Having worked over these lines since the steam days I have lots of memories of how they were and working over most of the lines in and around Southamptom and remember the building of and opening of the electrification and M.A.S. through Basingstoke to Southampton. We had regular work to Southampton Central (Parcel trains) and goods into Northam yard, or into the old docks.
The Fawley-Bromford train was worked with 2 x 56's (Class 33's). Here is a photo I took of the locos while waiting for the train to be unloaded at Bromford Bridge Sidings, about 1965/6.
Cheers.
BillEWS.