Eastleigh Observation Evening

8 members and 3 guests attended the informal Solent Branch observation evening on 19 June. In the period 14:55 to 18:45 nine freights were seen.   The 5 Freightliner workings were all in the hands of Class 70s and were well loaded. The DB intermodal services from Trafford Park and to Wakefield between 16:00 and 16:30 had respectable payloads and were inevitably hauled by Class 66s.  In contrast, GBRf’s 14:21 Southampton Western Docks - Trafford Park was lightly loaded.  Celebrity loco 66793 in BR trainload construction livery was in charge of 12:22 Mountfield - Southampton Western Docks empty gypsum wagons which passed the station at 17:24, some 76 minutes late.

At shortly before 18:00, 69002 Bob Tiller CM&EE was seen in the distance arriving at Eastleigh East Yard with 14:13 from Hoo Junction engineers train. It returned on 19:59 to Hoo Junction.

Class 444 and 450 pairings used to be comparatively rare but are now much more common. Four such workings were noted on Weymouth line services. In all cases the Class 450 was at the London end of the train. At 15:37, 221125 arrived as empty stock and proceeded to Eastleigh Depot. This was the stock from 11:25 Manchester - Bournemouth which was terminated at Winchester.