Old picture - Unusual working.

stationcat · Post by **stationcat** » Sun Mar 01, 2009 10:55 pm

I have just come accross an old photo that I took on 31 July 1976.
The photo is not of great quality due to being taken on an old Kodak instamatic. Hampshire DEMU is seen passing through Nailsea & Backwell on a return run possibly from W-s-M. This was the only time I saw one of these units working on this line. Follow the link to see picture. http://4dfots.fotopic.net/p56668998.html

Post by **James** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 6:19 pm

I asked about this on the Southern E-mail Group, and it's been suggested that this is a diverted Portsmouth - Bristol Temple Meads, as it is carrying the correct headcode for this service. That presumably meant a reversal at Westbury, and then another at Taunton, to gain the Bristol & Exeter route. Perhaps there was engineering work, or a failure on the Westbury - Bath route?

stationcat · Post by **stationcat** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 11:04 pm

I should have mentioned that I had seen the unit on its downward journey not that long before and photographed it on the return journrey. I thought it may have been on a test run to Worle Jn and return as was frequently done with locos which had been repaired at Bath Road.

Post by **James** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 11:35 pm

Ah ok!

Andrew · Post by **Andrew** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 10:55 am

stationcat wrote:I should have mentioned that I had seen the unit on its downward journey not that long before and photographed it on the return journrey. I thought it may have been on a test run to Worle Jn and return as was frequently done with locos which had been repaired at Bath Road.

Did Bath Rd service these units, and were Bath Rd men passed to drive them?