Changing Trains in the 1980’s

Our first meeting of the 2024/25 season was held on 18 September when we returned to our former venue of the Eastleigh Railway Institute building for Keith Butcher’s presentation on Changing Trains in the 1980s. Beginning in his local area of Fareham, and then venturing along the south coast to Southampton and Eastleigh, Keith illustrated Class 31s on the Portsmouth - Cardiff route which gave way to Class 33s, followed by Class 155s. Local services were in the hands of Hampshire units or occasionally Oxted line Class 207s. At Southampton we witnessed the variety of formations used on the Bournemouth line expresses as the REPs were withdrawn, and were reminded of the impressive signal gantry at the west end of the station. Changes in the infrastructure and skyline at Eastleigh were illustrated such as the rebuilding of the front of the station which took over the former up loop platform.

After the interval Keith took us further afield to Devon where we witnessed Motorail trains and the Class 50s which gave way to HSTs. This was followed by a trip to Cardiff to see iron ore trains hauled by Class 37s which gave way to Class 56s. In the Midlands, Class 150s in their original Provincial Services livery were taking over local services. A wide variety of motive power was seen at Bescot and Crewe. A visit was then made to Wales and its narrow gauge lines so that we could see the changes taking place there.  Finally we visited Yorkshire where refurbished first generation dmus in their white and blue livery worked services radiating from Leeds before being displaced by Sprinters and Pacers.