| XC 47 Stop – The Winter 2001/2 timetable was a turning point forhe Virgin Trains cross-country operation. The Pines Express as well as the Blackpool – Portsmouth service were thereafter 'booked Voyager', with Brighton services soon to follow; south of Reading Virgin loco-haulage was fast heading for extinction. However, for just over two weeks the 1O71, 07.35 Blackpool North to Portsmouth & Southsea, and 1M32 return, saw the semi-regular use of 'top and tail' 47s. The penultimate day of normal Pompey line class 47 operation precedes plety of lineside action of the 'Swansong' period, as well as a trip aboard one of the last loco-hauled service trains to traverse the route. The Prologue; since its electrification in 1937 most loco-hauled trains using the 'Pompey Direct' have been Bournemouth main line 'diverts', so appropriately this provides our core route. But Portsmouth too has its Inter-Regional past, albeit patchy until Virgin provided the Naval port with its best long distance service ever. A resumé of this sets the secne for a trio of cab-rides. 27th September 2001; we begin on Eastleigh shed joining 47722, The Queen Mother, for the light engine trip to Portsmouth & Southsea, ready to work the 1M32 to Blackpool North. The view ahead is cut with shots of the driver as we traverse 'the Botley Road', pass Fareham and diverge at Cosham for Portsmouth where 47826 arrives on the in-bound duty. Remaining with 47722, the journey is ilustrated in full to Farlington Jn and from Guildford to Reading, with all intermediate stops on the standard Virgin service also shown. 7th April 2002; we join the diverted Pines Express with Norman Bodger at the controls of 47854, Womens Royal Voluntary Service. Starting in Southampton, and diverging from the Bournemouth main line at St Denys, the route continues via Netley, up the 1 in 81 Swanwick Bank, through Fareham to Havant, before a non-stop run up the switch-back route to Guildford Over 50 lineside sequences are included within this video, with 27 class 47s illustrated, notable are Fragonset's 47701, Freightliner's 47224, (on 'shunt-release' duty), 4 of the EWS-Virgin 47s, two RES machines and 47853 in XP64 colours…but perhaps the best was saved for the last, rail-blue superstar, North Star, reached Portsmouth Harbour on 9th June 2000. Saluté. No Detailed Contents Listing. Please see Description Continent: Europe
Country: UK
Area: UK Hampshire |
