As each week comes and goes we just keep getting busier!
We had our second public tour on Thursday 20th which went down well with the 27 participants. All being well, we should be releasing tour dates for early 2012 in early November.
With the recent departure of 73119 we've seen 08933 in use as second shunter as part of its testing following repairs. We've also received, on loan from Northumbria Rail, two ex DB (German Railways) Kof Class 323 shunters. These are a lot different to normal British designs so should attract some attention once up and running.
Big news at the moment is Network Rail's investment in new 'Snow Trains'. Eastleigh's playing it's part in this with modifications and repaints to the three De-Icing GLVs and NR's recently acquired Class 57 locomotives, all of which were (briefly) on site on Thursday 20th.
Another 'first' (at least in this era of the Works) is the expected arrival of a railtour (1Z37 Routes and Branches III) into the Works later today, top 'n' tailed by Class 37s. Expected to be onsite for less than 10 minutes!
As always, you can see the goings on on my photo website www.carlswatson.com/trains.html
Cheers,
Carl.
Saturday, 22 October 2011
Monday, 26 September 2011
All change
Well, the news is out and I'm afraid its true. Our celebrity loco 73119 Borough of Eastleigh is leaving us for pastures new.
However, whilst I will be sad to see it go, its actually very good news for the loco which will be joining the GBRf fleet hauling services trains over the south of England.
Given that we purchased 73119 as a non runner some years ago, the fact that it can enter service with a freight operator at short notice is a sign of how much the condition of the loco has been improved under our care. The engineers from GBRf came to view the loco some days ago and commented that it was better than quite a few of the others in their operational fleet.
So why sell it?
Well the truth is that we don't have the length of line to do justice to a 90mph loco, despite the fact that its been a good performer with us. I've always believed that the best way to "preserve" a machine is to use it for what it was intended and by selling 119 we are ensuring its continued maintenance over the coming years.
So whilst we are all sad to see it leave us, you can be sure we will be seeing it again over the coming years as it does the job it was designed for. It's come a long way from the water logged loco that had spent years in the north of Scotland with its cab windows open to the elements.
We have several plans in the pipeline for a replacement loco, more suited to our activities. Watch this space
I'm also glad to announce that the first of the Charity Works visits was a success, both for the visitors and for us. All parties agreed it was a good day all round and we raised £100+ for charity. The remaining dates for the rest of the year are filling up nicely and our target of £1000 in 3 months is likely to be surpassed.
We also welcomed two new residents to the Works this week. Eastleigh built Merchant Navy class 35005 Canadian Pacific has come home to stay with us, whilst we can add a new class to the list of vehicles that have been to the Works since it re-opened in in 2006, with the arrival of the first of what will be a few class 150 DMUs on Friday. It promises to be a busy time in October with numerous mainline runs for trains based at the Works, as well over 50 more vehicles arriving.
Having spent the summer laying new lines and repairing the roof of the main shops, we can now get on with doing the work that pays our wages. I will try to do more regular posts as there will be a lot happening between now and Christmas (There, I said it)
Meanwhile thanks for the continued interest in our little corner of the railway world.
However, whilst I will be sad to see it go, its actually very good news for the loco which will be joining the GBRf fleet hauling services trains over the south of England.
Given that we purchased 73119 as a non runner some years ago, the fact that it can enter service with a freight operator at short notice is a sign of how much the condition of the loco has been improved under our care. The engineers from GBRf came to view the loco some days ago and commented that it was better than quite a few of the others in their operational fleet.
So why sell it?
Well the truth is that we don't have the length of line to do justice to a 90mph loco, despite the fact that its been a good performer with us. I've always believed that the best way to "preserve" a machine is to use it for what it was intended and by selling 119 we are ensuring its continued maintenance over the coming years.
So whilst we are all sad to see it leave us, you can be sure we will be seeing it again over the coming years as it does the job it was designed for. It's come a long way from the water logged loco that had spent years in the north of Scotland with its cab windows open to the elements.
We have several plans in the pipeline for a replacement loco, more suited to our activities. Watch this space
I'm also glad to announce that the first of the Charity Works visits was a success, both for the visitors and for us. All parties agreed it was a good day all round and we raised £100+ for charity. The remaining dates for the rest of the year are filling up nicely and our target of £1000 in 3 months is likely to be surpassed.
We also welcomed two new residents to the Works this week. Eastleigh built Merchant Navy class 35005 Canadian Pacific has come home to stay with us, whilst we can add a new class to the list of vehicles that have been to the Works since it re-opened in in 2006, with the arrival of the first of what will be a few class 150 DMUs on Friday. It promises to be a busy time in October with numerous mainline runs for trains based at the Works, as well over 50 more vehicles arriving.
Having spent the summer laying new lines and repairing the roof of the main shops, we can now get on with doing the work that pays our wages. I will try to do more regular posts as there will be a lot happening between now and Christmas (There, I said it)
Meanwhile thanks for the continued interest in our little corner of the railway world.
Friday, 2 September 2011
Want to Visit the Works?
You asked and we listened! Each month for the rest of 2011 we will hold guided visits around the Works. If these are successful then we'll continue into 2012.
Full details can be found on the KRS Website www.rail-services.net/visiting.html
Much has changed since the Eastleigh 100 celebrations so take the opportunity to come and find out for yourself.
Only 20 places are available on each visit so download your application form and apply now to avoid disappointment.
A charge of £10 per person will be made with all proceeds going to the Mayor of Eastleigh's charities.
We look forward to seeing you.
Full details can be found on the KRS Website www.rail-services.net/visiting.html
Much has changed since the Eastleigh 100 celebrations so take the opportunity to come and find out for yourself.
Only 20 places are available on each visit so download your application form and apply now to avoid disappointment.
A charge of £10 per person will be made with all proceeds going to the Mayor of Eastleigh's charities.
We look forward to seeing you.
Sunday, 21 August 2011
New Sidings
The School Holidays normally represent a bit of a quieter time with staff taking much needed Holidays to recharge their batteries and spend time with their families - even the MD has had some time off!
Despite this, work has still been going on completing the new sidings, both inside Bay 5 and outside at the south end of the site. These will shortly be completed and give us an additional 250 metres of under cover siding space and another 200 metres of outside siding space and if the commercial demand is there then more track can and will be laid.
Bay 5 is already host to five sets of underground cars and one of the external sidings already has six bogie tanker wagons on it! We try not to let the grass grow under our feet, or should that be tracks!
It's worth keeping an eye on the KRS website, especially the Latest News section (www.rail-services.net/news.html), as that is updated regularly and will often be the first place you'll see new developments.
Despite this, work has still been going on completing the new sidings, both inside Bay 5 and outside at the south end of the site. These will shortly be completed and give us an additional 250 metres of under cover siding space and another 200 metres of outside siding space and if the commercial demand is there then more track can and will be laid.
Bay 5 is already host to five sets of underground cars and one of the external sidings already has six bogie tanker wagons on it! We try not to let the grass grow under our feet, or should that be tracks!
It's worth keeping an eye on the KRS website, especially the Latest News section (www.rail-services.net/news.html), as that is updated regularly and will often be the first place you'll see new developments.
Wednesday, 6 July 2011
End Of An Era ( and start of another )
It was with a bit of sadness today that we moved the last remaining traverser at Eastleigh Works for its final journey. At one stage there were at least three on site, one at the London end (perversely labelled no 2, although referred to as number 1) and two more at the Southampton end of the site.
These last two were chopped up during Alstom's scorched earth policy when they were retreating from site in 2006, but the last one soldiered on to live under KRS operations. Despite a hiccup when a demolition lorry managed to bring down the catenary stanchions, it remained in working order, albeit little used in recent years.
Why so?
Well, for moving large volumes of single vehicles, a traverser is a jolly useful bit of kit to have around. The problem is that most of our trains are now either in fixed car formations or only need to cross over the traverser to the opposite line. In this case it becomes a hindrance to shunting, somehow always managing to be in the wrong position.
The writing was on the wall when we laid a turnout into Bay 4 to allow longer trains to access a road that previously could only be reached by the traverser. This meant that it now couldn't reach the other two roads so we plain tracked them as well.
The discovery of tin worm in the deck supports in 2008 didn't help. Although the main structure was still sound, the cost of re-decking a piece of kit that we didn't need meant that it just sat in position on the road into Bay 5 ( the former C1 road)
What has finally killed it is the winning of a contract to maintain tube trains on site. The traverser has a series of idler rollers between the rails that are high enough to foul the centre shoe of these trains, and as the new storage sidings for them are on the line served by the traverser, it had to go.
We've seen it off in dignified style though. This morning at 7.30 we connected it up and drove it to the end of the lines to a position where it will be cut up. It worked perfectly, despite not having moved since Eastleigh 100 in May 2009. A small audience of us watched it happen and solemnly agreed that they knew how to build things in England in the past.
It's not all doom and gloom though. Within 12 hours the space where the traverser was sitting has been fitted with new shiny concrete sleepers (with Gucci Pandrol Fastclip fixings for those who know or care about such things).
We have used the down-time created by the civil engineering necessary to install the new sidings, to sort this whole section of track out in one fell swoop.
When its all finished in a couple of weeks we will have two newly built turnouts and over 200 metres of covered road, in what was once a derelict space.
The approach tracks will be smooth and level and quite up to the job of repeated shunting of underground cars
So sadness of the loss of an old bit of Works history, but combined with new installation and growth in our business. If it had to go, that's a pretty good reason.
These last two were chopped up during Alstom's scorched earth policy when they were retreating from site in 2006, but the last one soldiered on to live under KRS operations. Despite a hiccup when a demolition lorry managed to bring down the catenary stanchions, it remained in working order, albeit little used in recent years.
Why so?
Well, for moving large volumes of single vehicles, a traverser is a jolly useful bit of kit to have around. The problem is that most of our trains are now either in fixed car formations or only need to cross over the traverser to the opposite line. In this case it becomes a hindrance to shunting, somehow always managing to be in the wrong position.
The writing was on the wall when we laid a turnout into Bay 4 to allow longer trains to access a road that previously could only be reached by the traverser. This meant that it now couldn't reach the other two roads so we plain tracked them as well.
The discovery of tin worm in the deck supports in 2008 didn't help. Although the main structure was still sound, the cost of re-decking a piece of kit that we didn't need meant that it just sat in position on the road into Bay 5 ( the former C1 road)
What has finally killed it is the winning of a contract to maintain tube trains on site. The traverser has a series of idler rollers between the rails that are high enough to foul the centre shoe of these trains, and as the new storage sidings for them are on the line served by the traverser, it had to go.
We've seen it off in dignified style though. This morning at 7.30 we connected it up and drove it to the end of the lines to a position where it will be cut up. It worked perfectly, despite not having moved since Eastleigh 100 in May 2009. A small audience of us watched it happen and solemnly agreed that they knew how to build things in England in the past.
It's not all doom and gloom though. Within 12 hours the space where the traverser was sitting has been fitted with new shiny concrete sleepers (with Gucci Pandrol Fastclip fixings for those who know or care about such things).
We have used the down-time created by the civil engineering necessary to install the new sidings, to sort this whole section of track out in one fell swoop.
When its all finished in a couple of weeks we will have two newly built turnouts and over 200 metres of covered road, in what was once a derelict space.
The approach tracks will be smooth and level and quite up to the job of repeated shunting of underground cars
So sadness of the loss of an old bit of Works history, but combined with new installation and growth in our business. If it had to go, that's a pretty good reason.
Monday, 27 June 2011
KRS Website Updates
After a bit of a lull, so much going on there's not been time to keep the News page updated!
Now bang up to date, the KRS Latest News page gives an insight into what's happening and links to some pictures and videos
With so much more in the pipeline I'll try and keep the News page updated more regularly.
Cheers,
Carl.
Now bang up to date, the KRS Latest News page gives an insight into what's happening and links to some pictures and videos
With so much more in the pipeline I'll try and keep the News page updated more regularly.
Cheers,
Carl.
Saturday, 25 June 2011
All Change please
June is turning out to be an interesting month in our corner of Hampshire. Not only has Test Cricket arrived at the nearby Rose Bowl (it rained, quelle surprise) but there has also been a game of musical chairs with the rolling stock at the Works.
The Observer Corps contingent on Campbell Road bridge have seen a variety of comings and goings, some by rail and others by road. Apart from the usual swap over of wagons for repair and overhaul, we have also seen some long stored wagons leaving for further use. Freightliner,DBS, DRS and GBRf locos have been on site to collect rolling stock and a number of wagons have been scrapped for component recovery.
Even one of our long stored 508s had a day out to Working recently, in company with the sparkling Arlington liveried translators and a GBRf 66.
But perhaps the most telling sight has been the delivery of ex Victoria Line tube stock by road. Unlike previous deliveries of mainly derelict vehicles, these ones are straight out of service and in good condition.
Without going into commercial details, we are expecting quite a few more of these over the coming weeks and are preparing the site to accept them, including providing new sidings. Although this is not the first time we have laid new tracks, in the past this has been limited to putting back pieces of line removed by Alstom. Now we are investing in some serious new facilities including 250 metres of under cover roads in what used to the the Works machine shop. Two brand new turnouts are being manufactured in Wales for us and these will arrive on site shortly.
To be honest the old machine shop area (or C1 road as it was recently known) has been a bit of a dead space for us since it was stripped of useful equipment in the Alstom closing down sale. Now a 120 x 15 yard space has been prepared for the new roads to be installed, with one hundred years of accumulated dust and rubbish being removed.
Less spectacular but just as useful, we are also reinstating two sidings at the bottom end of site that used to serve no2 traverser (long gone).
The investment by Knights Rail will top £100K for these new works and is a further sign of our confidence in the business at Eastleigh. I've even moved into a new office in the main office block. Of course its a complete coincidence that the room is the one that Mr Drummond had for his own use in 1909 (yeah right). It is very useful to be able to look out of the window and see what is going on in the yard.
So its all go at the Works, with new trains coming in and other long standing residents leaving us. One I will be both sad and happy to see leave this week is the NRM owned 306 unit, which is going back to the heart of the Great Eastern. We've even managed to get it moved by rail which means it will enjoy a scoot on its old stamping grounds through Shenfield on Tuesday evening. My first job on BR was working on these (we called them rattlers) so its good to have been able to help this historic survivor find a good home. I will of course have to visit it at the famed Chappel Beer Festival in September. Only for research purposes, you understand.
There's still a lot to do in the coming weeks. The contractors move in shortly to start digging up the floor to take the new tracks in the C1 road and our forgotten ex MOD Ruston LSSH will be seeing the light of day for Arlington to do their magic on it. Having used an 08 recently I appreciate what a good design the Ruston is and two are always better than one.
So a long post this time as there's been a lot of news to cover. We've got a visit by the great and good from the NRM coming up shortly and maybe even some more steam news in the offing. Meanwhile its back the mundane work of sorting out the latest leaks in the roof (I blame the cricket for the weather) and doing our bit to keep the trains running in the south of England, just as the place has done for 100 years.
The Observer Corps contingent on Campbell Road bridge have seen a variety of comings and goings, some by rail and others by road. Apart from the usual swap over of wagons for repair and overhaul, we have also seen some long stored wagons leaving for further use. Freightliner,DBS, DRS and GBRf locos have been on site to collect rolling stock and a number of wagons have been scrapped for component recovery.
Even one of our long stored 508s had a day out to Working recently, in company with the sparkling Arlington liveried translators and a GBRf 66.
But perhaps the most telling sight has been the delivery of ex Victoria Line tube stock by road. Unlike previous deliveries of mainly derelict vehicles, these ones are straight out of service and in good condition.
Without going into commercial details, we are expecting quite a few more of these over the coming weeks and are preparing the site to accept them, including providing new sidings. Although this is not the first time we have laid new tracks, in the past this has been limited to putting back pieces of line removed by Alstom. Now we are investing in some serious new facilities including 250 metres of under cover roads in what used to the the Works machine shop. Two brand new turnouts are being manufactured in Wales for us and these will arrive on site shortly.
To be honest the old machine shop area (or C1 road as it was recently known) has been a bit of a dead space for us since it was stripped of useful equipment in the Alstom closing down sale. Now a 120 x 15 yard space has been prepared for the new roads to be installed, with one hundred years of accumulated dust and rubbish being removed.
Less spectacular but just as useful, we are also reinstating two sidings at the bottom end of site that used to serve no2 traverser (long gone).
The investment by Knights Rail will top £100K for these new works and is a further sign of our confidence in the business at Eastleigh. I've even moved into a new office in the main office block. Of course its a complete coincidence that the room is the one that Mr Drummond had for his own use in 1909 (yeah right). It is very useful to be able to look out of the window and see what is going on in the yard.
So its all go at the Works, with new trains coming in and other long standing residents leaving us. One I will be both sad and happy to see leave this week is the NRM owned 306 unit, which is going back to the heart of the Great Eastern. We've even managed to get it moved by rail which means it will enjoy a scoot on its old stamping grounds through Shenfield on Tuesday evening. My first job on BR was working on these (we called them rattlers) so its good to have been able to help this historic survivor find a good home. I will of course have to visit it at the famed Chappel Beer Festival in September. Only for research purposes, you understand.
There's still a lot to do in the coming weeks. The contractors move in shortly to start digging up the floor to take the new tracks in the C1 road and our forgotten ex MOD Ruston LSSH will be seeing the light of day for Arlington to do their magic on it. Having used an 08 recently I appreciate what a good design the Ruston is and two are always better than one.
So a long post this time as there's been a lot of news to cover. We've got a visit by the great and good from the NRM coming up shortly and maybe even some more steam news in the offing. Meanwhile its back the mundane work of sorting out the latest leaks in the roof (I blame the cricket for the weather) and doing our bit to keep the trains running in the south of England, just as the place has done for 100 years.
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