A day out on the Croydon Tramlink. The SEG organised a private tram to run over the complete Tramlink system including a visit to he depot at Therapia Lane. 2532 was the tram used for the trip.

A Day out with UK Railtours Harwich Hook. The Train ran from Hook in Hampshire to Dollands Moor and Harwich. 92026 was attached at Dollands Moor to the run via Wembley European Freight Operating Centre and Temple Mills to Ipswich and Harwich.

Thought I would try out a Hitachi Javelin from St Pancras to Ebbsfleet International. This service is part of South Eastern's trial Service prior to full service starting later in the year.
395003 worked the 16.37 St Pancras to Ebbsfleet and 395004+005 worked the 17.05 Ebbsfleet - St Pancras.
On Arrival the pair of 395's worked out with the 17.37 to Ashford International

Knights Rail Services - New operator for the former Eastleigh Railway Works - celebrated 100 years of the works being in existence. The open day featured numerous locomotives and units some associated with the building of the works over the last 100 years.

A rare outing behind 35028 Clan Line to the Eastleigh Works Open Day. Leaving Waterloo at 07.15 we had a non stop run to Overton for a water stop. The train then ran via Laverstock and Redbridge to Southampton. The return run was via Fareham, Haslemere, Guildford and Epsom to London Victoria

The Annual Swanage Railway Diesel Gala Featuring a number of visiting loco's. These were 20107, 26007, 31108, 45060 and 55022.
Local locos 33103 & 33111 also supported

A Visit to the Mid Hants Steam Railway for their Big Four Steam Gala. Loco's running were GWR 5029+4936, SR 34007, LMS 41312+41241, LNER 60019 and BR 75069.
Good weather for most of the day, until a heavy shower in the afternoon helped make it a good day out.
I will add descriptions later.

The VSOE and a Vintage Trains Railtour to Weymouth ran, The VSOE first on a lunchtime special which reveresed at Basingstoke, then in the eveninig it returned to London but preceeded by the Vintage Trains Charter from Weymouth to Birmingham Railway Museum. The VSOE had T & T 67020 & 67006 and the Vintage Trains tour had 50049+47773

The EWS Executive made only its second appearence in Basingstoke working ECS to/From Toton to Andover where the train then formed a special for MOD/EWS staff to Marchwood Military Port for the signing of the new MOD/EWS Contract Train used the Headcodes 5Z05 & 5Z06 passed Basingstoke.

Images from Pathfinder Tours 'The East Anglian' taking a Class 40 back to one of there regular haunts East Anglia. I joined train at Swindon and alighted at Birmingham New Street in the evening.
The train ran via the North London Line, a fast run up the Great Eastern Mainline to Ipswich followed by a pleasent run up the Mid Suffolk Line to Lowestoft.
After a 2hr break the train returned via Thetford, Ely, Peterborough & Loughborough to Birmingham.

A few Photos taken at a popular location with others - Lower Basildon. This was my first visit there and I will be back when time allows.

A late season fall of Snow created a pleasant white scene for Basingstoke in the morning.
I then traveled up to London for a meeting stopping off on the way at Wimbledon & Wimbledon Park for photos of SWT services diverted via the District Line Wimbledon to East Putney Branch.

Images taken at Basingstoke during 2008.
Images of the EWS Executive train running ECS to Andover taken on 21st April 2008

I took a trip out today on the West Coast Mainline. I started with the 9.00am Euston - Holyhead as far as Chester.

This produced the site of a Class 57 at Crewe coupling up to a Pendolino for the run across the North Wales Coast. Following a quick run to Chester I headed back South to Rugby via Crewe.

A quick break at Crewe produced a Class 31 propelling a test train with one of the former Anglia DBSO's at its head.
The work on the WCML is taking place on a number of fronts so I choose Rugby as this one of the most dramatic area's of change.

Stobart Rail launched their new charter train today. The train named the Stobart Pullman and formed of Mk 3's was formed from the DRS train launched last year.
Ironically the loco chosen to lead the train was 47712 the same loco used in the launch of the former Hertfordshire Railtours Blue Pullman 2 years ago.
I wonder what future holds for this train.......

Hertfordshire Railtours last advertised tour ran from London Victoria to the Mid Hants Railway with a pair of GBRf class 73's assisted by a class 33 on the Mid Hants Railway.

I will add captions later

Pathfinder ran another of their Buffer Puffer series trains today. This one - 6.0 ran around various haunts on the former southern region including East Grinstead & Uckfield.
I spent the morning following it in the London Suburbs. The train was hauled throughout by 37401 & 37422.
The Train is due to repeated in four weeks time unders the guise of No 6.1.

Steam Loco 35028 Clan Line hauled the Orient Express to Southampton Docks today.

I photographed the loco as she passed Basingstoke. Whilst waiting I photographed the other trains working through Basingstoke.

Please note these photographs were taken from a private location in Basingstoke with NO public access.

Today I traveled to Toddington for the Winter Steam Gala on the Gloucester & Warwickshire Railway.

It was billed as a Five Engine Gala and featured GWR locos 3440 City of Truro & 7903 Foremark Hall, GER J15 No 65462, BR 9F 92203 Black Prince and recently restored Andrew Barclay Austerity No 2183.

3440, 7903 & 92203 worked the main trains with 65462 & 2183 working a shuttle between Toddington & Winchcombe.

The day was very successful with packed trains and good weather and every train ran to time. This made for one of the best gala's I have been to in a long time.

Today I popped into Medstead & Four Marks on the day of their 'Christmas Leave' Steam up. They had two locos in steam BR Standard 5 No 73096 and SR Pacific 34007 Wadebridge which is visiting various Steam Lines at present. These photos show the 2 trains in service crossing at Medstead.

On th 16th December LUL ran a farewell trip to the East London Line. The train formed of former Northern Line 1938 stock ran from Ealing Broadway via the District Line to the East London Line. The train ran 2 return trips before returning to Ealing Broadway

Due to a track circuit failure on the Reading lines at Basingstoke a FGW service was diverted to the mainline platforms at Basingstoke. The train arrived in Platform 2 but had to shunt via the up fast to Platform 3 to enable it to return to Reading. The train departed as the late running 16.37 service to Reading.
There images were caught on a mobile phone hence the quality is not superb.

A visit to the Northampton Iron stone Railway - which was closed! Still a few photos from outside the fence of this unusual location.

Due to its location the railway is not open that much but it does have some interesting stock, including 1 vehicle from the former southern region double deck stock and 3 vehicles from 4-EPB 5176.

Pictures from the Pathfinder/Silverlink Railtour celebrating the end of the Silverlink Franchise.
The train featured top and tail Class 37's 410+417 plus Bletchley Depot Shunter 08849 and a visit to all the Silverlink Depots.

This weekend various Steam runs took place to celebrate the end of steam on the Southern Region of BR.
34067, 30850 & 35028 all took part and all images are taken at Basingstoke.

The Northern Line celebrated it's Centenary today. LU highlighted this by running a series of trains with 38 tube stock between Golders Green & Charing Cross/Kennington.

Sarah Siddons made a successful return to the London Underground Network today.

She had been returned to Service by Metronet Rail and was being handed back to London Underground her owner's.
She ran a short VIP special for invited guests from Harrow on the Hill to Amersham returning Via Watford.

At Amersham there were a series of short presentations to LU from Metronet to represent the handover of the No 12 to LU.

It is hoped that No 12 will return to the LU network again in the near future.

I will add photo descriptions later.

Kind thanks to Metronet for allowing me to be aboard.

2nd October 2004
2 Charters ran today the first was 67005 wih 1Z84 Victoria - Brockenhurst for Hertfordshire Railtours followed 2 hours later by A4 60009 on the VSOE with 1Z82 to Southampton Docks
18th December 2004
Not quite Hampshire but still as charter 67002 with Hertforshire Railtours Oxford Christmas Luncheon at Twyford followed by 50049 Top & Tailing 50031 with Pathfinders Christmas Special at Basingstoke.
24th February 2006
D1015 worked from Waterloo to Oakhampton via Salisbury, the train seen passing Basingstoke in the Morning.
28th April 2006
LMS Interloper 6233 Duchess of Sutherland worked the Cuneo Centenial from Waterloo to Salisbury.

This selection of photographs was taken in 25th March 2006 when I visited the Crich Tramway Museum. I spent most of the time round the depot and workshop before taking a ride up and down the line to the quarry.
As I am not a tram expert I will not add descriptions this time

The Blue Pullman Photographs are now set up in a seperate Gallery - please click the appropriate link !