Southampton Boat Trains

[montyburns56]

I couldn't find a suitable existing thread to post these so.....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[montyburns56]

 

 

 

 

 

This picture isn't very visually exciting, but I just thought that what was going on was interesting.

 

 

[62613]

I take it, in the first one, the tanker was laid up?

 

[bigP]

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Edited February 1, 2021 by bigP
Deleted

[eastglosmog]

Thanks for posting those Montyburns.  Reminded me of my youth when I spent many hours watching trains and ships at Southampton (although most of those post date my time).

[dvdlcs]

Interesting pictures.

 

Hadn't realised that at least one GUV received NSE livery.

 

Also the two 4 wheel vans (PMVs? CCTs?) being passed by a 33/1. Were they revenue, departmental, or internal user vehicles by then?

 

The final picture looks like a 802nn courier vehicle. Presumably that was the best place to load / unload whatever was being moved in or out of the cage held by the fork lift. The maroon livery and EWS logos may even make it possible to identify the individual vehicle.

 

Someone will know why boat trains were formed of first class coaches? Was that simply part of the package - you booked your ticket and that covered first class carriage?

[Enterprisingwestern]

6 minutes ago, dvdlcs said:

 

Someone will know why boat trains were formed of first class coaches? Was that simply part of the package - you booked your ticket and that covered first class carriage?

 

Bear in mind that the passengers on the boat train weren't the entire listing for the ship, it was BR's (and their predecessors) standalone way of offering a premium service to those who wished to avail themselves of it.

 

Mike.

[montyburns56]

6 hours ago, dvdlcs said:

Interesting pictures.

 

Hadn't realised that at least one GUV received NSE livery.

 

Also the two 4 wheel vans (PMVs? CCTs?) being passed by a 33/1. Were they revenue, departmental, or internal user vehicles by then?

 

The final picture looks like a 802nn courier vehicle. Presumably that was the best place to load / unload whatever was being moved in or out of the cage held by the fork lift. The maroon livery and EWS logos may even make it possible to identify the individual vehicle.

 

Someone will know why boat trains were formed of first class coaches? Was that simply part of the package - you booked your ticket and that covered first class carriage?

 

Funnily enough it was my curiosity about a picture that someone else posted of a NSE GUV that inspired my search for the Waterloo boat trains.

 

 

 

[Simon Lee]

23 hours ago, 62613 said:

I take it, in the first one, the tanker was laid up?

 

Yes Tantalus owned by Blue Funnel an OBO carrier laid up 1982 - 1984, sold then damaged in the Iran - Iraq war and broken up in China 1986.

[balders]

11 hours ago, dvdlcs said:

Interesting pictures.

 

Hadn't realised that at least one GUV received NSE livery.

 

Also the two 4 wheel vans (PMVs? CCTs?) being passed by a 33/1. Were they revenue, departmental, or internal user vehicles by then?

 

The final picture looks like a 802nn courier vehicle. Presumably that was the best place to load / unload whatever was being moved in or out of the cage held by the fork lift. The maroon livery and EWS logos may even make it possible to identify the individual vehicle.

 

Someone will know why boat trains were formed of first class coaches? Was that simply part of the package - you booked your ticket and that covered first class carriage?

There were four ex SR vans based in Eastleigh Dorset sidings in 1987. Two were still allegedly active Departmental with the ME dept. and two were internal users, one an old (1930's diag) PMV, and a BY. Both of these look rather careworn. The right hand van has ME branding although the left hand end looks like it may have the small internal user number painted by the door. A bit blurry to discern when blown up. They both look like the flaking paint is the only thing holding them together!

 

Regards.

 

Guy

Edited April 16, 2020 by balders

[Bomag]

On 16/04/2020 at 12:44, dvdlcs said:

The final picture looks like a 802nn courier vehicle. Presumably that was the best place to load / unload whatever was being moved in or out of the cage held by the fork lift. The maroon livery and EWS logos may even make it possible to identify the individual vehicle.

 

 

The baggage car in the last photo is a NIA superBG - either 94515 or 94538

[SP Steve]

Peter Watts Publishing produced a series of books in the early 1980s which gave details for loco hauled services throughout the UK. From 1983 onward, a section gave details for restricted public services which included Ocean Liner Boat trains to & from Southampton Docks (East and West).

 

The last one I have is 1987 which listed the following services running on a 'Q' basis (as required):

 

1B40 M-S 10:05 Southampton Eastern Docks - Waterloo

 or             10:04 Southampton Western Docks - Waterloo

 

1B42 M-F 11:05 Southampton Eastern Docks - Waterloo

 or             11:04 Southampton Western Docks - Waterloo

 

1B42 SO  10:53 Southampton Eastern Docks - Waterloo

or             10:49 Southampton Western Docks - Waterloo

 

1B44 M-F 19:37 Southampton Eastern Docks - Waterloo

 

1B43 M-F 07:57 Waterloo - Southampton Eastern/Western Docks

 

1B45 M-S 14:52 Waterloo - Southampton Eastern/Western Docks

 

1B47 M-S 15:22 Waterloo - Southampton Eastern/Western Docks

 

1B49 M-S 15:52 Waterloo - Southampton Eastern/Western Docks

 

I have an extensive collection of window labels amongst which I have the following NSE examples ( I also have a larger one somewhere which carries a "Queen Elizabeth 2 Boat Train" title).

 

 

 

 

Edited March 31, 2022 by SP Steve

[DY444]

"The Ocean Liner Boat Train from Southampton Docks has just passed Clapham Junction and will arrive at platform 11 in approximately 6 minutes". 

 

Cue a stampede of porters down the carriage road.  Happy days.

Edited April 21, 2020 by DY444

[montyburns56]

 

 

[john new]

This may have been posted before into other threads. This is my own shot of a  down boat train at Shawford, service unknown although I recall photographing it because we had been told on the grapevine it was a royal service. Late 1960s through to mid 1972 at latest. If anyone knows more please add it.
 

I do know that:-

a) IT IS NOT the train of 1 May 1969 in connection with the QEII's maiden voyage as sufficient details differ from published photos of that train to exclude that working from any list of possibles.

b) Assuming the correct code is being displayed (and sometimes it wasn't) 96 is for Southampton Western Docks.