Exclusive access to Eastleigh Works

In the early 1990s I worked at Eastleigh Depot in Hampshire with some excellent railway engineers.  I hadn’t seen one of them, Barry Stephens, for over twenty-five years but lately social media kept us in touch. Eastleigh Depot is just across the road from Eastleigh Works. Barry is the Managing Director and was instrumental in putting Eastleigh Works back on the railway map. I had seen him being interviewed in one of Michael Portillo’s Great Railway Journeys where he toured the vast workshops.

Eastleigh Works offices

Visiting

Barry kindly extended an invitation to visit him at the works. I took my friend Phil Jones from the Somerset and Dorset in Midsomer Norton and visited in March 2017.  We were met at the entrance to the Works offices by Director John Campbell with whom I’d also worked with at Eastleigh Depot. Walking up the steps of this fine old building brought back memories of my time in Crewe Works at the former General Offices. It also reminded me of the Chief Mechanical and Electrical Engineers London Midland Region headquarters at Nelson Street Derby.

Typical railway staircase

We were shown into the Works Manager’s office and I needed no introduction to the boss, Barry Stevens. Twenty-five years just disappeared as we talked about people we knew and where they are now. Barry talked enthusiastically about the work of Arlington Fleet Services at Eastleigh Works and many aspects of railway engineering.

Professionals

As professional engineers, Barry and John certainly know their subject. They have developed good business acumen that has brought Eastleigh Works back into the rail industry. They both have a passion for the Works to produce a quality product. 

A view of Eastleigh works yard from the offices

Workshop Tour

Phil and I were keen to see today’s products so Barry and John took us on a tour of the vast workshops. 

One of the first vehicles we encountered was class thirty seven 37611 (formerly D6871 built in 1963). The locomotive had received repairs to the lower part of the nose and had been de-branded from its previous owners.

Class 37 number 37611 (built as D6871 by Vulcan Foundry in 1963. ) in Eastleigh Works 24 March 2017

Moving into another workshop, we sighted a more familiar Eastleigh Works visitor in the shape of a class 438 4TC unit which is owned by London Underground. In recent years, this was used with steam on the Metropolitan line. 

Class 438 4TC unit number 8028 owned by London Underground

Alongside it, on another road, was class 411 number 7105 a CEP unit. This is the subject of a preservation attempt to convert it back to its pre 1979 refurbishment condition including a return to incandescent bulbs and sliding rather than Hopper windows. Find out how to help with this historic project by visiting https://www.cep7105.co.uk/

Arlington Fleet Services handle a variety of vehicles including modifications to wagons in the type shown below used for carrying cars. A long standing issue on this type of wagon is the difficulty of fully opening car doors. There is a program to modify the vehicles by positioning grilled mesh on brackets welded to the sides of the vehicles. This takes into account the limit of industry tolerances or the kinematic envelope as those with a knowledge of railways will be familiar.

Car carrier wagon with widened sides

Numerous Class 08 shunting locomotives were in for work’s attention including Mendip Rail’s vehicle 08650 formally D3817. 

Mendip Rails Class 08 numbers 08650 in for overhaul

A brace of Class 08’s in the workshop

For me, a familiar sight in railway workshops is that of Sulzer engine cylinder heads on pallets awaiting overhaul. This demonstrated to me the variety of work undertaken in Eastleigh works.

Sulzer engine cylinder heads await overhaul

Not far away was a sight to gladden the heart of any Bulleid loco fan.  A set of box pop driving wheels were present alongside a class 50 bogie awaiting overhaul. The wheel set was from 35005 Canadian Pacific and I could see its frames were nearby. This locomotive was built in Eastleigh works in December 1941.

Bullied Pacific wheels and Class 47 bogie

Many of you will have heard of the Swanage railways plans to operate into Wareham station using heritage DMUs. Class 117 vehicles are currently being worked on in Eastleigh Works. Modifications will include the fitting of secondary door locks to the slam doors. Unlike the normal bolt arrangement used on local hauled coaches, the secondary door locks on these Class 117 units is an electromagnet located behind a lower extension panel to the external doors. 

Secondary door locks fitted to Class 117 DMU

Another reminder of my time at Crewe Works was a Class 47 in for overhaul in the massive workshop. 47810 is owned by Arlington Fleet Services and is no stranger to Southern metals. In its later years was it used on Cross Country services between the North and South coast resorts. This locomotive as D1924 also had the distinction of working the final up Bournemouth Belle train in July 1967. (reference Class47.co.uk)

Arlington Fleet Services Class 47 number 47810 in for Works attention

Into the yard

Exiting the workshops, we noted a class 07 locomotive 07007, originally built for shunting in Southampton docks, moving a Class 455 unit. 

Former Southampton Docks BR Class 07 number 07007 shunts stock in Eastleigh Works yard

In the bright sunshine there were also some Mark 1 coaches in immaculate crimson and cream livery – a superb sight.

Carmine and cream liveried Mark 1

The familiar sound of an electro diesel engine was heard. Class 73 Number 73201 Broadlands resplendent in its BR blue livery was receiving attention in the workshop yard by another former colleague form my Eastleigh days, Andy Keys, now Technical Manager for Arlington Fleet Services.

The final workshop we visited contained two class 50’s. One of them 50026 Indomitable was in immaculate Network South East livery. It contrasted sharply with its classmate 50021 Rodney which is being restored. During my time at Eastleigh depot with Barry, John and Andy, the Class 50’s worked the West of England Waterloo-Exeter services. Five of them would arrive on to the depot for servicing each night. In those days, I had a footplate pass and often I would ride in the cab of a  Class 50 from Waterloo. I would talk to the driver about the performance of these locomotives in service and then I fed back the technical information I had received. This would greatly help us to maintain these fine machines.

Class 50’s 50026 Indomitable and 50021 Rodney

With our talk concluded we thanked and said goodbye to our hosts Barry and John. We left feeling very positive about the future for Eastleigh Works and the team there to which we wish all the best and look forward to meeting you again in the near future.

If you want to see more of Eastleigh Works this DVD from Amazon covers the open day in 2009.  There are a few copies left at the time of writing.

If you have enjoyed this post you might also like to read about my visit to Herston Works and the Swanage Railway