Marchwood Station Gallery 4:
5 November 1988 - 1 September 2016 .

Pathfinder Tours 'The Wessex Adventurer' stands at Marchwood on 5 November 1988 behind Class 33 locomotives Nos.33114 Sultan and 33102. At the rear of the 11-coach train was Class 45 No.45106 which had brought the train from Manchester Piccadilly to Southampton Central. After visiting the Fawley branch the Class 45 worked the train solo to Bournemouth where, the tour having visited Weymouth Quay with the Class 33s, she returned the tour to Manchester. No.33114 began life in November 1960 as D6532 and she received the name 'Sultan' at Eastleigh in April 1988. 'Sultan' was the name applied to several naval vessels over the centuries but in this case referred to the 'stone frigate' HMS Sultan, an engineering training establishment at Gosport which at the time of writing is also shared with Network Rail and EDF Energy. The crest below the nameplate was presented by the Royal Navy. As was so frequently the case with BR in later years, the name was not to last for long as the name of No.33114 was removed in December 1988. She became 'Ashford 150' in May 1992, the naming rigmarole taking place this time at London Bridge. The meaning of the chevrons and lettering on the cabside is unclear. She was withdrawn in February 1993 and scrapped, at Eastleigh, four years later. No.33102, which was never named during her main line career, was withdrawn in November 1992 and survived into preservation. The 33/1 class code denoted push-pull fitted, thus the clutter of jumpers and pipes seen on the front of No.33114. Of the Class 45, No.45106, which began life in June 1961 as No.D106 and had at one point late in her life carried the name 'Vulcan', painted on by Tinsley depot, was withdrawn in July 1988 but reinstated the following month. She failed at Wellingborough on 3 February 1989 and as a result of damage sustained was withdrawn later that same month. She made her final journey to C F Booth, Rotherham, three years later and was scrapped in April 1992. Her visit to the Fawley may have been the only occasion on which one of these overweight, lumbering monsters visited the branch with a passenger train.
Photo by Chris from his Flickr photostream


Signalman Steve Castle at work in Marchwood box on 1 September 2016. At top left can be seen the signal box diagram which shows the track layout as jurisdictioned from the box together with positions of points and signals and the numbers of the levers which control them. Below the diagram are various switches and indicators concerned with signals, points and track occupation. On the far wall is a map, apparently OS, of the line. Below that and in the same frame is what at first glance appears to be a gradient profile but actually looks to be some form of annotation; it is too unclear to confirm. Partly visible on the right is the Tyer's token instrument; this needs a broader explanation than can be accommodated in an image caption and such can be read here and at several other internet sites. Lever colours are: red -stop signals; black - points; blue - facing point locks; white -spare. The black and white levers are thought to be detonator placers. These usually have upward or downward pointing chevrons according to up or down line, so the style seen here probably applies to single track lines. Detonators are small explosive devices placed on the track, mechanically or manually where application by train crew is required, and when struck by the wheels of a train warn drivers of an obstruction on the line ahead - usually a failed or derailed train or vehicle. The devices seen placed over the handle of the white lever are simple and effective safety devices used to prevent a lever being pulled. Four can be seen here and their placing over the white lever will be simply a convenient means of storage. If anybody can clarify the more obscure details, such as the red/white levers, we would be most grateful. Click here for a larger view.