Observation Evening at Eastleigh

9 members gathered at Eastleigh station on the afternoon and early evening of 18th June for the Solent Branch’s annual observation evening. The 2024 report referred to a number of Class 444 and 450 pairings being seen on Weymouth line workings. This year there were no such combinations. It was noted that all the Cross Country workings seem between 15:45 and 19:30 were formed of 5-car Class 221s, including four units that were recently transferred to that company from Avanti.

There were two occasions when consecutively numbered locomotives could be seen. 66562 was in charge of 16:58 Southampton - Leeds Freightliner which was in the station at the same time as 66563 on 13:24 Wentloog - Southampton, and later 66053 was on 17:19 Southampton Western Docks - Wakefield with 66054 stabled opposite the station. There were no special workings, but the lengthy 17:25 Westbury - Eastleigh Yard engineering train was hauled by 69001 with 66777 and 66790 dead in train