Diesels at Deepcut

[leslie10646]

I thought that to differentiate between my "Trainspotting" on the Western and my search on the Southern (near the family home) for semi-interesting trains, that I'd start a new Thread.

"Deepcut" refers to the Deep Cut through a ridge in the local hills to get the Basingstoke Canal (1794) through. When the London and Southampton Railway was opened in 1840, they had to build a wall 8ft high between the railway and the canal so that the horses were not frightened! You can see in some of my videos  taken at The Curzon Bridge - two bridges East of the actual DEEPCUT BRIDGE from which the first of these shots was taken. It is a VERY high bridge, as the railway is at a lower level than the canal which climbed over the ridge by courtesy of a ladder of FOURTEEN locks. The canal is a lovely place to walk, was it not for the cyclists, who don't seem to have heard of bells! Oh, and the occasional military men out keeping fit - the Curzon Bridge leads into the former Guards' Depot at Pirbright. It's all within two miles of the house!

So first, a light engine movement this morning from Tonbridge to Eastleigh - no less than the Electro-diesels (nearly sixty years old) 73109 + 73213. They are on the Fast Line as there's work going on on the slow line. They are just approaching the top of the ten mile 1 in 300 or so climb to milepost 31 from London - the white box by the track almost marks the spot.

Next today was a mysterious "Empty Coaching Stock" shown as timed for an electric multiple unit, maximum speed 33 mph - I'm only quote from "Realtime Trains". This one is filmed from the Curzon Bridge a mile to the east.

Guess what turned up, a PULLMAN-liveried Class 67 (67.021) doing 75/80 I'd say - 

After a nice walk from Lock 25 at the Curzon Bridge down to Lock 19 and back, I video'd the good old boring Mountfield Sidings (near Robertsbridge in Kent) to Eastleigh empty stone train. A real Accurascale benefit - I think that these are wagons which they've produced? The Basingstoke Canal is behind the trees on the left (you can't see the wall, which IS 8ft high) for the overgrown vegetation!).

 

 

 

[K801]

loved 73109 + 73213, not sure how up to date wiki is but shows 27 still in service