Rail Rover: Wessex Ranger

Before their recent title Hampshire Freight, John Dedman and Pete Nurse covered parts of rail traffic in Southern England through their book Rail Rover: Wessex Ranger. In this week's article, they offer up a selection of images from the book including both steam and diesel.

This then is my first attempt to set out on a trip through my photograph collection and showcase them as a journey from Portsmouth Harbour westwards to Weymouth, with a few diversions. Using the nom de plume Wessex Ranger, with apologies to Tonto and his lonely partner, we range along the lineside illustrating the trains that could be seen from the eighties to the present day and the noughties. There is one aberration on my part which I will own up at the very start and that is that is that I failed to record dates. I hope this doesn't detract from your enjoyment of the book. However John Dedman is a much better author than I am as his captions are much more concise and informative than my musings can be.

I started quite late into the photographic quest when I purchased a Zenith SLR which I think was made from tank armour and weighed as much. Through the lens metering was a dream then and lots of spoiled films followed until a eureka moment when a lesson was learned.

A desire to have a break from the office found me watching trains by accident at the lineside in Portsmouth most lunchtimes. My interest grew and I built up a collection and there it stayed until John Dedman asked if he could scan my negatives into Digital format. I didn't know much about carpets but I agreed and some of the results are on parade here. My eternal thanks to him for the long hours he must have spent, or the pictures would be in the back of my album cupboard. John has an amazing portfolio from nationwide travels and I am honoured to share these pages with his.

The book covers most of the lines through Hampshire's coastal lines when diesels were the prime movers, a few views of steam and electric, also are included. We are thankful to some other people who have allowed the use of some earlier photographs and views of the Weymouth area. So hop aboard and relive memories from the recent past as witnessed by the enthusiasts who ranged along the tracks and recorded the passing scene for your enjoyment of what often became a life long hobby and a very rewarding one at that.

Buffered up to the stock of the Plymouth to Brighton Train is one of the really useful Class 73s. In the background can be seen the masts of H.M.S. Warrior which had arrived at its permanent home after restoration at Hartlepool. The ED looks tidy in its Intercity livery and the red coupling is a nice touch. (PN) Approaching the Harbour with the Plymouth to Portsmouth portion of the Plymouth to Brighton train we see 50045 Achilles . Looking very nice in its Large logo livery, its grey roof discoloured by the soot from its four exhaust ports. The houses to the left of the loco would be best occupied by people with a liking for Railways I would think. (PN) Talking of Inter-city livery and a nice view of 47586 Northamptonshire in the later version dubbed ‘Intercity Swallow’ as it is about to pass under our old friend Somers Road bridge with a Portsmouth Harbour to Birmingham New Street train with one blue grey coach this time. I had a day off and took this train to its destination for a day of photography, somewhat spoiled by the dark and gloomy New Street platforms. (PN) We move on to another favourite spot albeit a testing pedal from the Dockyard. A nice view of 207 010 as it crosses Port Creek and is about to take the left hand line towards Cosham with a Reading train. Only problem is that my back is to the A27 where it joins the M27 and it was impossible to hear the trains approaching because of the traffic noise. A pretty spot though. (PN) In the summer of 1985 Class 45 Peaks were regular power for the Severn Tunnel to Eastleigh Speedlink and return working. On 16 August 45041 minus its Royal Tank Regiment nameplates is heading 6V83, the 16:10 return working from Eastleigh Yard to the station where it will run round and then take the Chandlers Ford route to South Wales. In the background is the 6E30 17:19 Speedlink departure to Dringhouses Yard. (JD) 33057 and 33107 have charge of 7V84, the 06:15 Three Bridges to Meldon Quarry empty ballast wagons, this was the main source of ballast for the Southern Region of British Rail. This train reached Eastleigh at 09:15 from the Fareham route and staged in the North Yard where the locos run round, then departed Eastleigh at 12:35, seen here after passing through Southampton Central station. 11 April 1988. (JD) 47582 County of Norfolk is in the original Network SouthEast livery. It has just departed from Southampton Central with the 07:45 Newcastle to Poole where it will arrive at 16:15. 11 April 1988. (JD) A surprising sight of two of the EWS liveried class 60 locomotives on 6O41, the Westbury to Eastleigh Engineers service on 5 September 2013. 60045 The Pernament Way Institution and 60049 seen passing the Southampton Maritime Freightliner, at this time there were only three of the class still working in this livery, the other one being 60065. (JD) 60103 Flying Scotsman on its first visit to Southampton since it was recently overhauled and put back into service on the main line. It is approaching Redbridge with 1Z82 which was a Salisbury to Salisbury trip via Southampton. Although the weather was unfortunately wet there were large crowds out to watch it pass. 21 May 2016. (JD) On 4 July 2013 60074 is passing the semaphores and level crossing at Marchwood with 6B93, the 09:38 Eastleigh to Fawley tanks. 60074 is in a special light blue livery and named Teenage Spirit in support of the Teenage Cancer Trust. (JD) General Motors 59203 has just passed Beaulieu Road station with 7O51, the 06:11 Westbury to Hamworthy loaded stone wagons on 4 May 2018. This was usually a once a week service and was the last regular freight working through the New Forest as it has ceased to run since this date. The loco was one of six originally built for National Power in 1995 and since taken over by DB Cargo and carrying their red livery. The New Forest ponies are oblivious as 33104 passes with the empty VSOE Pullmans of the Beaulieu Belle heading for Bournemouth for servicing. It has just departed from Brockenhurst where the passengers were transferred to coaches for their afternoon visit to Beaulieu and the National Motor Museum . 27 August 1983. (JD) The Swanage Railway ran a Bulleid Steam Gala in the spring of 2017 with five Bulleid Pacifics working passenger and freight trains. There were two rebuilt locos, 34052 Lord Dowding (renumbered from 34046) and 34053 Sir Keith Park, the other three were originals, 34070 Manston, 34081 92 Squadron and 34092 City of Wells. Resident Battle of Britain Manston is making a steamy departure from Harmans Cross with the 13:40 Swanage to River Frome, the first coach is Car No. 14 one of the two ex Devon Belle Pullman observation cars. 1 April 2017 (JD)

Rail Rover: Wessex Ranger with images like those above, is available to purchase via Amberley Books: https://www.amberley-books.com/rail-rover-wessex-ranger.html