SWT442

When You Play A Country Song Backwards - Rascal Flatts

This is not confirmed, but it's hoped that the 444's/450's will go to Bournemouth for repainting once the 442's are all in service. There's not enough pit space at the moment to have 442's being worked on and Desiros split apart for painting. Anyway, here's some more mundane units! Rushing up through Micheldever, 444006 works a London Waterloo bound service - 14.08.2013 Just over a month later, 444006 rolls towards Brockenhurst on a miserable day - 28.09.2013 444016 leads a 10-car service down through Potbridge - 28.12.2015 444021 leads another unit through Worting Junction, near Basingstoke - 24.02.2015 444045 rolls past a quiet Millbrook container terminal with a London bound service - 29.11.2012 450002 leads an 8-car service through Millbrook station, as a Class 158 on the 'Romsey Rocket' makes a stop - 23.04.2013 An unidentified 444 and 450 pass each other on Christchurch bank - 26.02.2013 Southerns' 455818 slows for the stop at Clapham Junction - 15.09.2015 455913 leads 455859 through Millbrook as they work 5B39 Wimbledon CSD to Bournemouth TCD - 13.05.2014

I'll have what you're smoking! The crowdfunders haven't walked away from anything, literally nothing has been asked for beyond the first payment. If you're the PR Department, no wonder it's all doomed... Andy.

Here's a couple of shots of 442's on shed, with bonus ED! A week to go now until the first few are in service, might pop out to catch one even though I'm surounded by them, be nice to see one moving at more than 10mph!

This project must be dead, surely? I mean, newsletter #1 (Nov 30th, 2018) said the 2nd deposit was due "in the next few days". Then, newsletter #3 (Feb 9th) said it was due "in 6 to 8 weeks" and newsletter #4 (March 11th) said it was 2 weeks away. Don't know about you guys, but we're now between 2 & 6 months from the 2nd deposit suposedley being due, and I've not been asked for anything. I'm not entirely sure I'd be willing to stump up the cash now, to be honest. I had every hope for this project to come to fruition, but so much has been promised (across the board) and yet not a lot has been delivered. And that announcement that wasn't a few weeks back has kind of killed my enthusiasm for any of this. Sorry to say, but I think my money is going to be on Accurascale. At least they have delivered on all that they've promised so far... Andy.

Yup, did that in my Chrysler. Misjudged just how low the intake was, and that was it. Was taking it easy, with the revs at just over 1,000RPM and wound up snapping a conrod in half and bent another! Asked the guys in the garage if I would've been better going through quicker, and was told that I'd have likely put a piston through the block if I had. Engine was rebuilt and I got to keep these as a reminder. Took me about a year before I dared to drive it in the rain again! Andy.

The ITV report seemed a bit better than the BBC one, as they seemed to put a negative spin on it. Though, the ITV guys had to re-take a part of their report as we'd fired up a Class 159 for testing in the middle of it! Oops! Nice to see the pics of them out and about too. Andy.

High School Never Ends - Bowling for Soup

There's been a few out and about during the last week or so, mainly for guard and driver training. By the looks of things, 8 should be availible for services to start on May 19th. That'll be 6 in use and 2 spares. Andy.

Down - Suede

Pleasant Valley Sunday - The Monkees

Kelly Watch the Stars - Air

Four units (two 10 cars) were wanted for driver and guard training, but not doable unfortunately. Managed two for the Monday, with a 3rd given the ok. There's been some issues, so a fourth unit hasn't materialised as yet. It's all a little bit up in the air, as an issue was discovered two weeks ago that needs checking and addressing. Won't say anymore than that at the moment! @adb968008 The two units yesterday might well have been 442408 & 442411. Andy.

If You've Never Been In Love With Anything - Embrace

American Eulogy: Mass Hysteria/Modern World - Green Day

Up All Night - Matt Willis

Jackson Park Express - "Weird Al" Yankovic

Cheers for the comments guys! About time for an update. Work has been done here and there, but mostly not been documented. The main focus has been the Virgin CrossCountry HST, which has now seen the dummy power car renumbered and named, it becoming 43103 "Helston Furry Dance". The coaches have all been numbered as per a rake (found on Flickr) photographed at Stafford in the early 2000's. An additional TSO joined the rake, to make it a proper 2+7 formation. All the MK3's have had an underframe and roof weathering, as photos show the sides were kept fairly clean. The rake is finished bar painting out the first class stripe on the buffet coach. The model club I belong to is in the process of redoing a layout, Mossbank Yard, which has been on the exhibition circuit since the early 1990's. The layout is being converted into a roundy-roundy type, which means more stock and especially passenger workings, can be run. For this, some stock has been picked up as the layout will represent the period from 1995 to 2000. Hornby's first release of Virgin DVT was had for a bargain price at an exhibition last year, and has since been redone as 82127 with its eye-catching "Abraham Darby" bodyside vinyl graphics and original Virgin 'Flying Lady' motifs. This will be used on a West Coast MK3, as and when Oxford can be bothered to release their Virgin MK3's and will be shoved by a Hornby Virgin 87. I was fortunate to be in the right place at the right time, and pick up a Heljan InterCity and Virgin Class 86 and a Hornby InterCity DVT for less than their new prices, and a damn sight less than the going rate of eBay! One of the 86's and DVT will be earmarked for the 'commuter' MK2 set with MK3 buffet, while the other 86 will be used on a MK2 CrossCountry rake. Nothing has been done to the locos or DVT at the moment, but the CrossCountry MK2 rake is being weathered and detailed at the moment, not that I've photo'd them on the bench! The Hattons Warwells have seen some work, with the couplings having been modified to lesson the gap and detailing started. The wheels have had a disc brake added to alternating sides as per the real thing and the wheel faces have been weathered. Some model Warrier tanks by EasyModel were found on Amazon by a friend, so a pair were duly ordered as loads. Some cradles need scratch building and the wagons weathered. And bringing it somewhat up to date period wise, a model of DCR's 31190 in it's BR Green livery was found on eBay a little while back. It's since been fitted with a TTS sound chip and recieved some wire loop couplings. With most of the locos being fitted with wire loops, I've made up a hook to allow two to couple together. Whether it'll work or not remains to be seen as I've not tested it yet! Looks good though! Other things done but not noted has been the renumbering of 2 of the Colas 70's featured up thread. One has been weathered, but even being careful and using the most miniscule drop of thinners to help the paint run into the panel gaps saw it take some of the branding off on one side! Some more work has been done on the second Class 456, with it being in a runnable condition now. Underframes and additional detailling needs doing before it's weathered. Next onto the bench once the Virgin CrossCountry MK2's are done will be a Brittania Pacific Models Class 305. Again, right place right time saw this fully assembled and motorised unit picked up for £100! Bargain of a lifetime I think! The plan for this is to replace the tension locks for Kadees and fully detail the cab fronts, along with some roof and underframe weathering. This will be used to bolster the passenger fleet on Mossbank Yard. Until the next update, cheers! Andy.

Under Direction - Stakka Bo

On The Roof Again - Eve6

Coming Clean - Green Day

The New You - The Vandals

Some more of the mundane in the form of Class 444 and Class 450 Desiro's at various points along the SWML. All of these shots would have been taken while waiting for something 'interesting'! 444006 leads a classmate through Millbrook - 04.08.2014 444009 leads a 10-car formation through Andwell, to the North of Basingstoke - 28.12.2015 A pair of Class 444's and 450's pass at Potbridge - 28.12.2015 444023 heads away from the camera at Foxhills, near Ashurst New Forest - 30.06.2017 444040 passes 43187 & 43188, at the time the only HST in GWR Green, at Old Basing during the period when Reading was shut and GWR diverted services to Waterloo - 28.12.2015 450115 leads a 12-car service through the New Forest at Beaulieu Road - 08.09.2018 Andy.

A few pictures of Class 442's before they came back home. 442404 sits in the carriage sidings at Eastbourne - 20.08.2016 442407 flys through Clapham Junction with a London Victoria bound working - 15.09.2015 442415 & 442418 are seen on home turf as they race through Denny Londge (Nr Ashurst New Forest) with 1Z42 London Waterloo to Poole excursion - 28.09.2016 Heading through Bishops Dyke (Nr Beaulieu Road), 442415 & 442418 return with 1Z43 Poole to London Waterloo - 28.09.2016 Having had a good thrash along the SWML, 442415 & 442418 return to warm storage at Eastleigh Works, working 5Z44 from London Waterloo - 28.09.2016 442422 & 442417 roll into Clapham Junction working 1U09 Gatwick Airport to London Victoria during the evening rush hour - 15.09.2015 Andy.