Really enjoyed this. As a young drivers assistant at Eastleigh the Fawley branch was my second home in the late seventies. At 36 mins 19 seconds there’s a small brick building on the left in the overgrowth. This is where the remote token equipment for the then passing loop at Frost Lane was stored. Once a train coming from Fawley hand handed in their token at Frost Lane box the signaller would release a token from this machine so a southbound train could proceed. Also used to drive Thumpers for a couple of years when I went to Fratton so enjoyed the soundtrack.😄👍
I’m not a railway buff but I found this video very entertaining. Very relaxing to watch and very informative. I must say, for a disused line, the track looks in a remarkably good state regarding encroaching vegetation.
I love these videos. They’re superbly made, they’re embellished with „footnotes“ of local and railway history, and they sound fantastic. Many thanks from Germany
I remember travelling on this line with my Dad taking oil wagons into the refinery. Think we were on a Brush class 47. It was a long time ago and I was still at school but got to go to work with my Dad, great adventure. My brother has corrected me. We were hauling with 2 cromptons
The sound is superb! Love how we can hear the switchwork, the diesel reving and taking load, the fans going on and off. Yes, the scenery is lovely, but nothing sounds like one of these old DEMUs! BZ!
I was on board for this run . Was really good to remember the sounds and feels of an old Thumper . I remember the low hanging branches too , at some point I think a branch broke off which stopped us . All in all this was great to be with this little unit as it brought a few good memories back. Then I stayed at Southampton and watched it from there throughout the day. Thanks for an enjoyable day
Thank you. It was quite fraught with the sheer number of people who boarded at Totton, I was the on-board manager & it seemed as if there would never even be seats for everyone, but actually it all worked out OK in the end. Glad you enjoyed!
@@hastingsdiesels you are so welcome. I may have met you as I was with my son and friend on there . Was great to be on board a mainline Thumper at last . Was a nice run . Thanks for a nice day
I remember hearing the Ashford thumper going through Hampden Park every morning when I was younger, I also heard it miles away up in Old Town as well many times. I love that sound, the raw power you hear from these engines is quite something.
You do know that high efficiency means they put a crap low powered motor in that isnt up to the job. That does mean the machine has a shorter life. The same is true of the buses - smaller engine means less emissions but the buses do struggle up the hills as a result and sound just like that train!
"New Forest National Park" is the very first reference I've ever heard to a national park system in the UK. I'm in the US, but I've watched *a lot* of TV shows, documentaries, and UA-cam videos from the UK. I just checked Google, 15 national parks (10 in England, 3 in Wales and 2 in Scotland). Nice. Greetings from Arkansas (The Natural State)
@@cliffbird5016 Actually, it's older than that. In medieval times, a 'forest' was a royal hunting area, governed by very severe anti-poaching laws, not necessarily an area with lots of trees. There are not many trees in the Forest of Bowland in Lancashire. The New Forest goes back to Norman times - William the Conqueror's son William Rufus was killed - some say murdered - in a hunting accident/incident in the forest.
The National Park Service opened its first National Park in 1951 at the Peak District, there are now fifteen National Parks and The National Park Service took its name from The US National Park Service.
Wow. Nice journey. The way the tree branch snapped off after hitting the windshield of the train, that was something. First time I've witnessed such a minor event.
I used to live right next to the Jacob's Gutter Lane crossing and it was nice to see what it's like going down the track to the end. Also it was nice to see a different perspective of the line from Southampton Central to Totton which I travelled on hundreds of times. Many thanks for the upload.
Another really interesting video. It's nice to see this old fellow still running. I first saw unit 1001 while trainspotting at Clapham Junction probably in 1957. At the time 1001 was running on the down fast line from Waterloo. Possibly this was an initial test run before use on the Hastings line.
Thank you. As illustrated at the top of our History page, www.hastingsdiesels.co.uk/history/ , 27 February 1957 saw unit 1003 at Factory Junction, and 1001's first test-run was the previous month. So it's very probable!
Marchwood military port is run by the RCT. Royal Corps of Transport. Its where the army keeps its transport ships. My unit used to go there a lot to use the ships to go to other countries for training excersises for amphiboius assults when we were not using planes to parchute in. Sir Tristram and Sir Gallahad were based there that were used during the falklands war. The army still use the line to transport tanks and heavy weapons to marchwood mainly to take them to Norway for arctic warfare training during the winter. Used to use those ships to take us to Hong Kong for jungle training as well.
Thank you, viewed your Dover, Canterbury, enjoyed it, the added dialogue of geographical feature helped to place where we where, just viewed Southampton to Fawley, very interesting, thank you. Patrick Northamptonshire
At 7.56, where the blue and white screens or boxes [whatever?], used to be Redbridge signal box. The tarmac on the right was a crossing gate leading into Redbridge Sleeper works on the left where the trees are. It was huge. I know, as my childhood friend used to live in the terraced houses behind the New build on the right. We did some of our 1963 train spotting at that gate.
Fascinating. Not a very scenic route, though. I haven't seen so much foliage in the path of trains since I last used Microsoft Train Simulator! I do like your productions- informative and enjoyable.
My father used to work at Fawley Refinery from the early 50s until the 70s. there was an outing by train for the esso employees children I went about 3 times late 50s early 60s we got on at Fawley station. From 1962 onwards throughout the 60s were I worked at Hythe the oil trains used to go by my place of work, there is something i regret now I wasn't as interested in trains as I am now and I never took any photos, never thought of it, but there were lots of other attractions then to take your mind off things like trains. Very nostalgic video for me.
at 40.04 there is the severed stump of Fawley's Down Distant marked by the 2 large silver birch trees so at some point from 2010 on wards it was cut down.
I really enjoyed watching this video.Surely,the time is right now to reopen the line with the oil Terminal now being history and large scale housing and shops being planned.
Who said the refinery was history?! It's processing ~270,000 barrels of crude a day!! The reason there are no trains anymore is ExxonMobil decided it was more economical to move finished product by road and ships!
@@davidknowles3459 Well actually NO David. The product that was moved by rail never had pipeline connections to those destinations; ie Plymouth, Bristol, Margam, Stoke on Trent. This all went over to road transport! The two pipelines from Fawley run to the Midlands and Heathrow terminal and have been doing so since the early 1960's thereby running in conjunction with rail born traffic.
There are actually plans to reopen the line for passengers this year or next year with 2 new stations, Marchwood and Hythe and 3 level crossing upgrades, Jacobs Gutter Lane, Marchwood and School Road
There was talk some years back of reinstating a passenger service from Hythe to Southampton to ease the traffic congestion, needless to say it never came to anything. There's still the Hythe ferry which is fine in the summer but not so good in the winter when it's necessary to brave the elements on Hythe pier.
Fantastic video! For some background, I grew up in Eling and went to Hounsdown secondary school 1980-84. It's situated to the right, just after Jacobs gutter Lane level crossing (15.33). When I was there there were no trees and bushes blocking the view of the line. You'd have an unobstructed view of all the rail movements, both fuel from Fawley and military heading to Marchwood military port. I well remember all the trains heading to Marchwood for the Falklands conflict. Many terminally boring maths lessons were brightened watching the trains from the second floor of the building!
Thanks for this - lots of good will and hope that this line will be reinstated particularly necessary with proposed Fawley development. Good to see the West Street crossing from the other angle.
The disused section of track was to the International Synthetic Rubber plant , Hardley Halt was not intended for ESSO but the large industrial sites located up the hill from the railway halt
Indeed. I worked for the successor to ISR for many years. Although they stopped shipping by rail many years ago, the old diesel shunter was donated to the Didcot preservation railway in 2009.
@@paulbaker654 I too worked for ISR in the late 1970's and chemicals were brought in by rail rather than product going out! Polimeri Europa took over and closed the plant around 2013 and raised the whole site to the ground - it makes a sad site today. Many a good memory of my early working life!
telmas We stopped manufacturing in March 2014 and demolition started in early 2015. I took voluntary redundancy in early 2016. The terms were reasonably generous.
@@paulbaker654 Hi Paul, Thanks for that! I worked in the control lab up by the gatehouse for 2 1/2 years from May 1978 until Nov 1980 when I joined Esso retiring in March 2010 I'm sure there's a few names we are both familiar with?!
I believe the line closed in the 60’s/70’s to passenger traffic, as did many other lines as a result of the beeching cuts, however the line continued to carry oil and petroleum freight trains to and from fawley refinery until 2016 and now the line only serves runs as required freight services to the military marchwood port. There are plans by network rail for the route to be reopened with 2 stations reopened.
Loved it I rode this line back in 1989 on "The Wessex Adventurer". Happy times it's was one of the very last runs of 45106 as she suffered a fire shortly after.
That's superb footage and audio, thank you for uploading it. It's also interesting that you mention a lot of places that used to be very much part of my early life - Woking (where I used to train spot in the 1960s); Redhill; Basingstoke; and later on Tunbridge Wells, where I not only lived but worked at the Land Registry there. I even knew a Sue Griffin who worked there, though I doubt there is any connection with your good self!
I spent all my childhood holidays in Gurnard on the Isle Of Wight often looking over at the flames coming out of the big chimney at Fawley and wondering what it would be like to go there.
I work for Hythe and waterside tours and we are based in Hardley industrial estate opposite Gate 1 of the refinery. We do constant contract work for Exxon and have been in and out of Fawley oil refinery for years. I have operated staff shuttles in the refinery. The entire layout of the road system is American. Similar to Milton Keynes (If you've ever been there) the roads in the refinery are squarely gridded like New York Manhatten island. It allows fast and easy access to tanks, pipes and maintainance and any emergency work. Each of these roads are usually wide enough to accommodate a lorry or a bus incase a fire engine is needed. Each road is called an 'Avenue' so you have Central avenue running through the middle of the site then the side roads leading off central avenue are called 2nd/3rd/4th/8th avenue etc etc. Then you have the outside perimeter road which runs parallel to the fence. Each 'Avenue' has pipes which 'Arch' over the road like a low train bridge, you pass under them. Some are low, some are high, some are super heated steam. The large white cylinder tanks you see are all numbered tanks and vary in size and type. You have numbers 358, 353, on them etc. They carry fuel or water in them and they sit in huge grass pits. If the tanks burst the pits are designed to contain the entire contents of the tank without flooding over and the only contamination they will absorb under the grass and soil is about an inch. The yellow flames you see from your window don't come from a chimney. They come from one of four flare stacks dotted around the refinery. Fawley refinery has four of them. If the flares are lit and burning yellow it can mean too much gas has been produced from a bi product and the refinery has run out of available storage so they have to flare off the excess as a flame. They also flare off incorrect gas mixtures of gas which could be dangerous, toxic or highly flammable if released as gas into the atmosphere. You'll see the yellow glow for miles. There's a lot more I could tell you but if you are interested in the Fawley refinery or are fascinated by it and wish to explore it the refinery offer guided tours where waterside coaches drive you round the site with an expert who will be able to tell you about Fawley in great detail. If you can PM me I might be able to find out how to get you on a guided tour?
it's sad that our railways get too much bad press these days . just view the track section from 14.40 to 40.00 . track laying precision and hypnotic vibe .
I like how there's only three positions for throttle: "idle", "load" and "accel". I also like the "load-on" throttle gap and lag between the load and revs update. Gives an impression of a Lister genee on wheels.
I hope your paintwork wasn't damaged too much by offending branches! This line does have potential for passenger re-instate, but this Drivers View does verify the news reports in that a lot of money would need to be spent on it to make it up to standard. Foot crossings would have to probably go in particular. SWR do have the structure for the actual service though, no extra rolling stock needed because you could extend the existing figure of 6 service to a new "Backwards S" service: Salisbury, Dean, Mottisfont Dunbridge, Romsey, Chandlers Ford, Eastleigh, Southampton Airport Parkway, Swaythling, St Deny's, Southampton Central, Millbrook, Redbridge, Totton, Marchwood, Hythe. Class 158 Diesel Route.
Yes. As they say you don't get owt for nowt. Having seen the transformation of the Oxford to Bicester route (was single-track with many level crossings, now double-track with 0 LCs), anything is possible if the investment is there.
@@hastingsdiesels Chiltern improvement work are inspiring. My Aunt & Uncle now always use Oxford to Marylebone and have abandoned GWR - cheaper and due to said improvements. !
Very nice video again. I am finding these to be very interesting. You think they might check train tracks more for falling trees or leaning tree limbs that hit the train. I if I was you since people can't seem to read description would somehow add audio in back cab in title some how. Seems to be lots of comments below mine asking about it. Funny I read all the descriptions first on all videos to see if I would like to see it or not. Hmm. Thanks for sharing with us. God bless.
Thanks for your comments. Every action has an associated cost - will it cost more to send a team of people out to check for leaning tree-branches than it would cost to have the train run at a slower speed? That's the problem. As to people not reading the description, I tried putting 'back cab audio' in the title but (a) there is a character-limit in the title, and (b) people still don't read it!
My uncle and aunt had this bungalow on a massive piece of land near Fawley paid for by driving petrol tankers back in the 60s and 70s when I was just a little kid, and I could hide in that garden and never be found. I live in Totton now and hate it.
There are worse places in the world than Totton, David. The Forest is on your doorsetep and the whole area is steeped in modern and ancient history. Get yourself out and start photographing it. That said, your uncle and aunt's bungalow sounds like a great memory.
Apparently no lorries, just ships, have replaced the oil trains. I have my doubts. There were talks of possible reinstatement of passenger services, now uncertain.
The line in good nick sinces its only used for goods and specials, and marchwood station and junc, im surprised at amount of signalling and a box to control it all still use would be rationlised
i suspect it's kept in usable condition as a just in case strategic measure as the branch also serves marchwood military depot. also there are plans afoot to restore passenger services on the line as preliminary studies have shown it would be viable.
Thank you for video! I'll be in the market for OO gauge models of the Hastings DEMUs on a shelf diorama... I've watched the first part of Fawley Forester cab ride; Woking to Basingstoke; but you haven't posted the section between Basingstoke and Southhampton Central: Quoting, "Better 2018 footage coming."
I really enjoyed that although I'm not really a railway enthusiast. Tell me, why wasn't the audio coming from the front cab?! Would I be right in guessing that you rail enthusiasts wanted to hear the soothing sounds of the diesel engine at the back?!
Thank you. The audio from the front cab was not publishable because the driver was being 'talked over the route' (with which he was unfamiliar) by a Route Conductor; regardless of what they actually said, it is a condition of publishing these videos that conversations are not included. Hence the audio from the back cab.
It might seem silly and I'm not sure of the costs but wouldn't it be fairly easy to reopen a passenger service from Hythe and Marchwood into Southampton
@@hastingsdiesels Cool, I just looked up the line on Wikipedia, could be well served by a battery powered train, recharge at Southampton on the turn around.
Having a Senior Moment thinking I was going from Southampton to Hastings!? Well I realise now that is not the case and instead found the single line ride a little boring - why has the Fawley Terminus station never reopened - seems a shame? But very good film production despite my ramblings - well done "Hastings DMU cab-ride".
Thank you. Fawley terminus station is deep inside the Oil Refinery site and as such is not accessible to the public - so no point in it being reopened.
What you're describing is a Trap Point. Its purpose is to derail a train (at low speed) which has overrun a signal at Danger. This is preferable to a head-on collision further down the line. The Trap Point is controlled and interlocked with the signalling system, so unless it is correctly set for the safe passage of trains then the signals cannot be cleared.
Thank you David for this. You're quite right, my excuse is that on the Landranger mapping there's a grid-line that crosses through the "5" of A35 near Ashurst in just such a way as to lead me to that error. I've added an Erratum note to the description.
They need to get this line open to passengers especially now the hithe ferry isnt being subsidised anymore and esso now pipe their oil Doesnt look like a lot of work to do (rebuild a few stations).
I'm a German railway fan and found this video at random. I saw many trainspotting people. Most of them at platforms, near level crossings, sometimes on bridges. But never I've seen one of them close to the track more then 20 yards from a level crossing. What is the reason? Please tell me.
I'll ask in an other way. Why stands nobody at any desired point except crossings close to the track. Is this in Britain forbidden? In Germany you see everywhere near the track trainspotting people. Sometimes too close. Only in such cases the police (Bundespolizei) starts activities.
@@roststab it's a fineable offence to tresspass on the railway ( for good reason its dangerous to be near the tracks so stations, crossings and footbridges are as close as people can get.
Thanks for this explanation. In Germany a distanc of three meters is usually neglected. But sometimes the drivers get scared and call via radio the police. In this case there may be a punishment of fine. But if you are 4 or 5 meters away from the track mostly nothing happens.
There is another difference, completely independent from safety issues: I might be simplifying it, but in Germany you may go almost everywhere if it is not clearly marked as private property (including fields, forests, river banks etc.). This is completely different in Britain, where almost everything apart from national parks may not be entered without permission from the owners. This can be quite an obstacle if you try to walk through the countryside like we are used to in Germany!
Oil trains last ran to/from Fawley Refinery in 2016, and traffic continues to run to the Marchwood facility. The 30 mph limit is to allow the level of maintenance to be reduced - it's a cause, not an effect.
This may sound like a stupid question from across the pond, but why is the third rail electrification not protected in the UK? Here in the states (or at least here on the east coast), our third rails are protected with wood over the rail about a foot above the top of the rail. Just curious...
I din’t think there’s space on the trains to accommodate this. Every train would have to be designed to have a recessed area along both sides where the board could pass. If it had been designed in from the start, that might be different.
@@hastingsdiesels Interesting note. I'd never really thought about the lack of covers on the third rail in the UK. In North America the contact shoes are indeed designed to allow the cover to pass over top.
Why is there 2 Hythe in England? One Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch fame and the other on this line not all that far away (by Australian standards) on the river test?
Same as you've got a Guildford in Perth and a Guildford in Sydney. :-) In both cases, at the time they were given their names, they were far enough apart (several days' travel) that there would be no likelihood of confusing them.
Interesting video. I've often wondered about the engine air filter, if fitted, on these old units. Could you advise the air filter media please, if applicable.
The louvres on the offside of the engine room allow outside air to be drawn in by the turbocharger; as it passes through the louvres it also passes through a filter; I'm afraid I don't know the exact type of material.
These signs are provided in locations where the driver will receive an AWS horn that relates to movement in the other direction. The sign instructs the driver to cancel the AWS and disregard its operation on this occasion.
Really enjoyed this. As a young drivers assistant at Eastleigh the Fawley branch was my second home in the late seventies. At 36 mins 19 seconds there’s a small brick building on the left in the overgrowth. This is where the remote token equipment for the then passing loop at Frost Lane was stored. Once a train coming from Fawley hand handed in their token at Frost Lane box the signaller would release a token from this machine so a southbound train could proceed.
Also used to drive Thumpers for a couple of years when I went to Fratton so enjoyed the soundtrack.😄👍
I’m not a railway buff but I found this video very entertaining. Very relaxing to watch and very informative. I must say, for a disused line, the track looks in a remarkably good state regarding encroaching vegetation.
I love these videos. They’re superbly made, they’re embellished with „footnotes“ of local and railway history, and they sound fantastic. Many thanks from Germany
Thank you Philip, I'm glad you enjoy them!
+ One on the footnotes. They give a nice flavor of documentary, yet don't ruin whole cabride experience.
Jay Swarrow exactly right!
I remember travelling on this line with my Dad taking oil wagons into the refinery. Think we were on a Brush class 47. It was a long time ago and I was still at school but got to go to work with my Dad, great adventure. My brother has corrected me. We were hauling with 2 cromptons
The sound is superb! Love how we can hear the switchwork, the diesel reving and taking load, the fans going on and off. Yes, the scenery is lovely, but nothing sounds like one of these old DEMUs! BZ!
Why was i sitting here and waving to the people taking photos at 21.48 !!!!!!! nice to have the sound. enjoyed the ride.....
Thanks for your videos man
Fascinating footage , makes you appreciate what a what a green and pleasant land we live in , thanks for posting .
What a fantastic cab ride.Thanks for posting!!! 👍🙂
I don't normally enjoy these but I have to say your commentary was most compelling and I enjoyed learning about the line very much - thanks!
Thank you, glad you enjoyed it!
I was on board for this run . Was really good to remember the sounds and feels of an old Thumper . I remember the low hanging branches too , at some point I think a branch broke off which stopped us . All in all this was great to be with this little unit as it brought a few good memories back. Then I stayed at Southampton and watched it from there throughout the day. Thanks for an enjoyable day
Thank you. It was quite fraught with the sheer number of people who boarded at Totton, I was the on-board manager & it seemed as if there would never even be seats for everyone, but actually it all worked out OK in the end. Glad you enjoyed!
@@hastingsdiesels you are so welcome. I may have met you as I was with my son and friend on there . Was great to be on board a mainline Thumper at last . Was a nice run . Thanks for a nice day
Excellent! Also very informative, great historic facts. Thank you, I enjoyed watching this.
Fantastic cab ride! This line has huge potential to turn into a preserved railway!
I remember hearing the Ashford thumper going through Hampden Park every morning when I was younger, I also heard it miles away up in Old Town as well many times. I love that sound, the raw power you hear from these engines is quite something.
Thanks richard That would make a good footpath and cycle track ,and room for trains
Fantastic video which could (hopefully not) become historic footage. Many thanks.
This locomotive sounds just like my high efficiency clothes washer struggling with a big load. Nice video.
Also sounds like a bus.
You do know that high efficiency means they put a crap low powered motor in that isnt up to the job. That does mean the machine has a shorter life. The same is true of the buses - smaller engine means less emissions but the buses do struggle up the hills as a result and sound just like that train!
How well I remember the occasions when I would take a break from my task of the day at our allotment, to wave to the driver of the oil train!!
the noise that thing makes, along with the 30mph speed limit would have put me to sleep very quickly.
"New Forest National Park" is the very first reference I've ever heard to a national park system in the UK. I'm in the US, but I've watched *a lot* of TV shows, documentaries, and UA-cam videos from the UK. I just checked Google, 15 national parks (10 in England, 3 in Wales and 2 in Scotland). Nice. Greetings from Arkansas (The Natural State)
Yep, the UK is not a big country size wise but we have a number of national parks.
the new forest was created by henry the VIII to supply wood to build the Royal Navy ships. even though it says new its older than the USA.
@@cliffbird5016 Actually, it's older than that. In medieval times, a 'forest' was a royal hunting area, governed by very severe anti-poaching laws, not necessarily an area with lots of trees. There are not many trees in the Forest of Bowland in Lancashire. The New Forest goes back to Norman times - William the Conqueror's son William Rufus was killed - some say murdered - in a hunting accident/incident in the forest.
The National Park Service opened its first National Park in 1951 at the Peak District, there are now fifteen National Parks and The National Park Service took its name from The US National Park Service.
Excellent Filming ,didn’t know I would be going to Fawley tonight,thank you for posting
Great video! I remember the Fawley refinery from my MN days many years ago. Australia.
I really really love this video and the info given. Amazing footage! Thanks for this.
Wow. Nice journey. The way the tree branch snapped off after hitting the windshield of the train, that was something. First time I've witnessed such a minor event.
Thank you richard for another fine video,Love the on screen info,Kind regards bob.
I used to live right next to the Jacob's Gutter Lane crossing and it was nice to see what it's like going down the track to the end. Also it was nice to see a different perspective of the line from Southampton Central to Totton which I travelled on hundreds of times. Many thanks for the upload.
fantastic video, great for railway modeller like myself
Another really interesting video. It's nice to see this old fellow still running. I first saw unit 1001 while trainspotting at Clapham Junction probably in 1957. At the time 1001 was running on the down fast line from Waterloo. Possibly this was an initial test run before use on the Hastings line.
Thank you. As illustrated at the top of our History page, www.hastingsdiesels.co.uk/history/ , 27 February 1957 saw unit 1003 at Factory Junction, and 1001's first test-run was the previous month. So it's very probable!
At 14.47 legend should read: "A35 dual carriageway". The A36 is the Salisbury Road.
Yes, you're right. This was already written as an ERRATUM note in the video description.
Marchwood military port is run by the RCT. Royal Corps of Transport. Its where the army keeps its transport ships. My unit used to go there a lot to use the ships to go to other countries for training excersises for amphiboius assults when we were not using planes to parchute in. Sir Tristram and Sir Gallahad were based there that were used during the falklands war.
The army still use the line to transport tanks and heavy weapons to marchwood mainly to take them to Norway for arctic warfare training during the winter.
Used to use those ships to take us to Hong Kong for jungle training as well.
Thank you, viewed your Dover, Canterbury, enjoyed it, the added dialogue of geographical feature helped to place where we where, just viewed Southampton to Fawley, very interesting, thank you. Patrick Northamptonshire
At 7.56, where the blue and white screens or boxes [whatever?], used to be Redbridge signal box. The tarmac on the right was a crossing gate leading into Redbridge Sleeper works on the left where the trees are. It was huge. I know, as my childhood friend used to live in the terraced houses behind the New build on the right. We did some of our 1963 train spotting at that gate.
Fascinating. Not a very scenic route, though. I haven't seen so much foliage in the path of trains since I last used Microsoft Train Simulator! I do like your productions- informative and enjoyable.
My father used to work at Fawley Refinery from the early 50s until the 70s. there was an outing by train for the esso employees children I went about 3 times late 50s early 60s we got on at Fawley station. From 1962 onwards throughout the 60s were I worked at Hythe the oil trains used to go by my place of work, there is something i regret now I wasn't as interested in trains as I am now and I never took any photos, never thought of it, but there were lots of other attractions then to take your mind off things like trains. Very nostalgic video for me.
at 40.04 there is the severed stump of Fawley's Down Distant marked by the 2 large silver birch trees so at some point from 2010 on wards it was cut down.
I lived Dibden Purliue and used to hear DMUs going down that track taking Esso oil refinery staff to and from work around !.00 am
I really enjoyed watching this video.Surely,the time is right now to reopen the line with the oil Terminal now being history and large scale housing and shops being planned.
Who said the refinery was history?! It's processing ~270,000 barrels of crude a day!! The reason there are no trains anymore is ExxonMobil decided it was more economical to move finished product by road and ships!
@@telmas7183 Yes,by pipeline,not using the railway now
@@davidknowles3459 Well actually NO David. The product that was moved by rail never had pipeline connections to those destinations; ie Plymouth, Bristol, Margam, Stoke on Trent. This all went over to road transport! The two pipelines from Fawley run to the Midlands and Heathrow terminal and have been doing so since the early 1960's thereby running in conjunction with rail born traffic.
There are actually plans to reopen the line for passengers this year or next year with 2 new stations, Marchwood and Hythe and 3 level crossing upgrades, Jacobs Gutter Lane, Marchwood and School Road
Nearly 40 years ago I sent enough trains to Fawley, nice to see where they went.
Thoroughly enjoyed this video. Many thanks.
There was talk some years back of reinstating a passenger service from Hythe to Southampton to ease the traffic congestion, needless to say it never came to anything. There's still the Hythe ferry which is fine in the summer but not so good in the winter when it's necessary to brave the elements on Hythe pier.
Fantastic video! For some background, I grew up in Eling and went to Hounsdown secondary school 1980-84. It's situated to the right, just after Jacobs gutter Lane level crossing (15.33). When I was there there were no trees and bushes blocking the view of the line. You'd have an unobstructed view of all the rail movements, both fuel from Fawley and military heading to Marchwood military port. I well remember all the trains heading to Marchwood for the Falklands conflict. Many terminally boring maths lessons were brightened watching the trains from the second floor of the building!
6:38 ... 1847! By heck, that line is a tribute to good maintenance over the years.
That's a surprisingly rural looking line isn't it, once on the branch. Interesting how industrial branches often are.
Thanks for this - lots of good will and hope that this line will be reinstated particularly necessary with proposed Fawley development. Good to see the West Street crossing from the other angle.
The disused section of track was to the International Synthetic Rubber plant , Hardley Halt was not intended for ESSO but the large industrial sites located up the hill from the railway halt
Indeed. I worked for the successor to ISR for many years. Although they stopped shipping by rail many years ago, the old diesel shunter was donated to the Didcot preservation railway in 2009.
@@paulbaker654 I too worked for ISR in the late 1970's and chemicals were brought in by rail rather than product going out! Polimeri Europa took over and closed the plant around 2013 and raised the whole site to the ground - it makes a sad site today. Many a good memory of my early working life!
telmas We stopped manufacturing in March 2014 and demolition started in early 2015. I took voluntary redundancy in early 2016. The terms were reasonably generous.
@@paulbaker654 Hi Paul, Thanks for that! I worked in the control lab up by the gatehouse for 2 1/2 years from May 1978 until Nov 1980 when I joined Esso retiring in March 2010 I'm sure there's a few names we are both familiar with?!
@@telmas7183 Paul Harrison? Mike Nichols? Dick Page?
Has this line closed full time. If it has, I'm glad it hasn't been turned into a cycle route as most other have.
I believe the line closed in the 60’s/70’s to passenger traffic, as did many other lines as a result of the beeching cuts, however the line continued to carry oil and petroleum freight trains to and from fawley refinery until 2016 and now the line only serves runs as required freight services to the military marchwood port.
There are plans by network rail for the route to be reopened with 2 stations reopened.
Loved it I rode this line back in 1989 on "The Wessex Adventurer". Happy times it's was one of the very last runs of 45106 as she suffered a fire shortly after.
Terrific video :)
It would be interesting to see this go down the Roxby or Hull Docks Branch :D
Excellent sound recording!
Used to go into Marchwood, when I was in the RFA (doesn't happen any more). Never saw a train at all on the line. This was good to watch
Excellent cab ride, love the information on the way through, well done.
Thank you, glad you appreciate it.
Awesome Diesel, sound, railway and landscape.
The platform at Marchwood station looks in great condition to say its not had a service in over 50 years
Very interesting video! I would be great to see passenger train return to this line on a regular basis!
Very informative and interesting thanks for sharing
That's superb footage and audio, thank you for uploading it. It's also interesting that you mention a lot of places that used to be very much part of my early life - Woking (where I used to train spot in the 1960s); Redhill; Basingstoke; and later on Tunbridge Wells, where I not only lived but worked at the Land Registry there. I even knew a Sue Griffin who worked there, though I doubt there is any connection with your good self!
I used to drive from WYKO in Nottingham to Fawley ESSO occasionally to pick up and deliver flame proof electric motors for repair :)
I spent all my childhood holidays in Gurnard on the Isle Of Wight often looking over at the flames coming out of the big chimney at Fawley and wondering what it would be like to go there.
I work for Hythe and waterside tours and we are based in Hardley industrial estate opposite Gate 1 of the refinery. We do constant contract work for Exxon and have been in and out of Fawley oil refinery for years. I have operated staff shuttles in the refinery. The entire layout of the road system is American. Similar to Milton Keynes (If you've ever been there) the roads in the refinery are squarely gridded like New York Manhatten island. It allows fast and easy access to tanks, pipes and maintainance and any emergency work. Each of these roads are usually wide enough to accommodate a lorry or a bus incase a fire engine is needed. Each road is called an 'Avenue' so you have Central avenue running through the middle of the site then the side roads leading off central avenue are called 2nd/3rd/4th/8th avenue etc etc. Then you have the outside perimeter road which runs parallel to the fence. Each 'Avenue' has pipes which 'Arch' over the road like a low train bridge, you pass under them. Some are low, some are high, some are super heated steam. The large white cylinder tanks you see are all numbered tanks and vary in size and type. You have numbers 358, 353, on them etc. They carry fuel or water in them and they sit in huge grass pits. If the tanks burst the pits are designed to contain the entire contents of the tank without flooding over and the only contamination they will absorb under the grass and soil is about an inch. The yellow flames you see from your window don't come from a chimney. They come from one of four flare stacks dotted around the refinery. Fawley refinery has four of them. If the flares are lit and burning yellow it can mean too much gas has been produced from a bi product and the refinery has run out of available storage so they have to flare off the excess as a flame. They also flare off incorrect gas mixtures of gas which could be dangerous, toxic or highly flammable if released as gas into the atmosphere. You'll see the yellow glow for miles. There's a lot more I could tell you but if you are interested in the Fawley refinery or are fascinated by it and wish to explore it the refinery offer guided tours where waterside coaches drive you round the site with an expert who will be able to tell you about Fawley in great detail. If you can PM me I might be able to find out how to get you on a guided tour?
Very very interesting..Enjoyed the trip
I used to live in Dibden Purlieu i used to hear DMUs late at night i was told it was the train carrying staff working at Fawley
Thank you for the video.
LOVE THIS ❤️❤️❤️ I’ve got all now on library lol
it's sad that our railways get too much bad press these days . just view the track section from 14.40 to 40.00 . track laying precision and hypnotic vibe .
NICE RIDE ON THE TRAIN!
I like how there's only three positions for throttle: "idle", "load" and "accel". I also like the "load-on" throttle gap and lag between the load and revs update. Gives an impression of a Lister genee on wheels.
Thanks. There are 7 notches for power, though it may not sound like it!
I hope your paintwork wasn't damaged too much by offending branches! This line does have potential for passenger re-instate, but this Drivers View does verify the news reports in that a lot of money would need to be spent on it to make it up to standard. Foot crossings would have to probably go in particular. SWR do have the structure for the actual service though, no extra rolling stock needed because you could extend the existing figure of 6 service to a new "Backwards S" service: Salisbury, Dean, Mottisfont Dunbridge, Romsey, Chandlers Ford, Eastleigh, Southampton Airport Parkway, Swaythling, St Deny's, Southampton Central, Millbrook, Redbridge, Totton, Marchwood, Hythe. Class 158 Diesel Route.
Yes. As they say you don't get owt for nowt. Having seen the transformation of the Oxford to Bicester route (was single-track with many level crossings, now double-track with 0 LCs), anything is possible if the investment is there.
@@hastingsdiesels Chiltern improvement work are inspiring. My Aunt & Uncle now always use Oxford to Marylebone and have abandoned GWR - cheaper and due to said improvements. !
Very nice video again. I am finding these to be very interesting. You think they might check train tracks more for falling trees or leaning tree limbs that hit the train. I if I was you since people can't seem to read description would somehow add audio in back cab in title some how. Seems to be lots of comments below mine asking about it. Funny I read all the descriptions first on all videos to see if I would like to see it or not. Hmm. Thanks for sharing with us. God bless.
Thanks for your comments. Every action has an associated cost - will it cost more to send a team of people out to check for leaning tree-branches than it would cost to have the train run at a slower speed? That's the problem. As to people not reading the description, I tried putting 'back cab audio' in the title but (a) there is a character-limit in the title, and (b) people still don't read it!
My uncle and aunt had this bungalow on a massive piece of land near Fawley paid for by driving petrol tankers back in the 60s and 70s when I was just a little kid, and I could hide in that garden and never be found. I live in Totton now and hate it.
There are worse places in the world than Totton, David. The Forest is on your doorsetep and the whole area is steeped in modern and ancient history. Get yourself out and start photographing it. That said, your uncle and aunt's bungalow sounds like a great memory.
I wonder does the bungalow still exist? Sound great.
Very enjoyable indeed. Thanks for it. dj
Why don't they ship oil by rail anymore ?
Such a waste of a railway, needs a passenger service ASAP..
Bijzonder fraai treinstel !
Apparently no lorries, just ships, have replaced the oil trains. I have my doubts. There were talks of possible reinstatement of passenger services, now uncertain.
Fabulous , love it.
South Coast Level Crossings page has footage of the marchwood crossing being opened and closed during this trip
disused station? I'd live there hehe
The line in good nick sinces its only used for goods and specials, and marchwood station and junc, im surprised at amount of signalling and a box to control it all still use would be rationlised
i suspect it's kept in usable condition as a just in case strategic measure as the branch also serves marchwood military depot. also there are plans afoot to restore passenger services on the line as preliminary studies have shown it would be viable.
Thank you for video! I'll be in the market for OO gauge models of the Hastings DEMUs on a shelf diorama...
I've watched the first part of Fawley Forester cab ride; Woking to Basingstoke; but you haven't posted the section between Basingstoke and Southhampton Central: Quoting, "Better 2018 footage coming."
And so there is - I just haven't posted it yet.
I really enjoyed that although I'm not really a railway enthusiast. Tell me, why wasn't the audio coming from the front cab?! Would I be right in guessing that you rail enthusiasts wanted to hear the soothing sounds of the diesel engine at the back?!
Thank you. The audio from the front cab was not publishable because the driver was being 'talked over the route' (with which he was unfamiliar) by a Route Conductor; regardless of what they actually said, it is a condition of publishing these videos that conversations are not included. Hence the audio from the back cab.
Very good video!!👍👍📹🚅🚅
2:06 their nick name is dalek? That is the best thing ever
It might seem silly and I'm not sure of the costs but wouldn't it be fairly easy to reopen a passenger service from Hythe and Marchwood into Southampton
The Three Rivers Community Rail Partnership is encouraging precisely this.
@@hastingsdiesels Cool, I just looked up the line on Wikipedia, could be well served by a battery powered train, recharge at Southampton on the turn around.
Brilliant video. Such a shame that fawley is no longer ,and the big chimney,which is a landmark for locals,is soon to be demolished
I think you're getting mixed up with the power station chimney which is nothing to do with the refinery!
All those trainspotters! Clearly this was an historic occasion.
was expecting some to be jumping out of the bushes...bet there were a few Hiding...trespassing.
Having a Senior Moment thinking I was going from Southampton to Hastings!? Well I realise now that is not the case and instead found the single line ride a little boring - why has the Fawley Terminus station never reopened - seems a shame? But very good film production despite my ramblings - well done "Hastings DMU cab-ride".
Thank you. Fawley terminus station is deep inside the Oil Refinery site and as such is not accessible to the public - so no point in it being reopened.
at 23.07 there is a switch that goes nowhere , does anyone know what this is for. if vandalism comes into play here it looks absolutely lethal.
What you're describing is a Trap Point. Its purpose is to derail a train (at low speed) which has overrun a signal at Danger. This is preferable to a head-on collision further down the line. The Trap Point is controlled and interlocked with the signalling system, so unless it is correctly set for the safe passage of trains then the signals cannot be cleared.
thanks for that .I've seen them before and I now know .
@@hastingsdiesels
So this line is not used at all any more ? Even for petroleum ?
Kepler Gso Abandoned now line sporadically used tho
Excellant video. Like n subscription issued....notification will be added shortly........thanx!
Excellent video, thank you. Only point are you sure that the double bridges at 14.54 are the A36....and not the A35 ?
Thank you David for this. You're quite right, my excuse is that on the Landranger mapping there's a grid-line that crosses through the "5" of A35 near Ashurst in just such a way as to lead me to that error. I've added an Erratum note to the description.
So the daul carridgeway WAS the a 35???
@@Mrfort Yep!
They need to get this line open to passengers especially now the hithe ferry isnt being subsidised anymore and esso now pipe their oil Doesnt look like a lot of work to do (rebuild a few stations).
And where the money coming from to do this you
This is actually happening now
There you go, Marchwood Military port. Now if that had been a railway station proper, loads of RFA and Army would have used it
I'm a German railway fan and found this video at random. I saw many trainspotting people. Most of them at platforms, near level crossings, sometimes on bridges. But never I've seen one of them close to the track more then 20 yards from a level crossing. What is the reason? Please tell me.
They are actually at footpath crossings which are hidden by the foliage.
I'll ask in an other way. Why stands nobody at any desired point except crossings close to the track. Is this in Britain forbidden? In Germany you see everywhere near the track trainspotting people. Sometimes too close. Only in such cases the police (Bundespolizei) starts activities.
@@roststab it's a fineable offence to tresspass on the railway ( for good reason its dangerous to be near the tracks so stations, crossings and footbridges are as close as people can get.
Thanks for this explanation. In Germany a distanc of three meters is usually neglected. But sometimes the drivers get scared and call via radio the police. In this case there may be a punishment of fine. But if you are 4 or 5 meters away from the track mostly nothing happens.
There is another difference, completely independent from safety issues: I might be simplifying it, but in Germany you may go almost everywhere if it is not clearly marked as private property (including fields, forests, river banks etc.). This is completely different in Britain, where almost everything apart from national parks may not be entered without permission from the owners. This can be quite an obstacle if you try to walk through the countryside like we are used to in Germany!
When was the last time this line was in use?
The track must be in bad shape if there is a 30mph speed limit.
Oil trains last ran to/from Fawley Refinery in 2016, and traffic continues to run to the Marchwood facility. The 30 mph limit is to allow the level of maintenance to be reduced - it's a cause, not an effect.
It was built as a light railway under the 1896 act which has certain stipulations for the running of the railway,
This may sound like a stupid question from across the pond, but why is the third rail electrification not protected in the UK? Here in the states (or at least here on the east coast), our third rails are protected with wood over the rail about a foot above the top of the rail. Just curious...
I din’t think there’s space on the trains to accommodate this. Every train would have to be designed to have a recessed area along both sides where the board could pass. If it had been designed in from the start, that might be different.
@@hastingsdiesels Interesting note. I'd never really thought about the lack of covers on the third rail in the UK. In North America the contact shoes are indeed designed to allow the cover to pass over top.
In the U.K., the railways are fenced off to prevent public access, and trespass is a punishable offence.
Mark Emanuele, it helps reduce the gene pool...
How do you think we get our rabbit stew and squirell soup
Some footage of your chartered diesel, clearly ancient, doing its thing, would have added much to this vid.
The video *consists* of our train doing its thing...
I watched this from beginning to end and my Studio gradually filled with diesel fumes . . . . . . . whew!
Why is there 2 Hythe in England? One Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch fame and the other on this line not all that far away (by Australian standards) on the river test?
Same as you've got a Guildford in Perth and a Guildford in Sydney. :-) In both cases, at the time they were given their names, they were far enough apart (several days' travel) that there would be no likelihood of confusing them.
Interesting video. I've often wondered about the engine air filter, if fitted, on these old units.
Could you advise the air filter media please, if applicable.
The louvres on the offside of the engine room allow outside air to be drawn in by the turbocharger; as it passes through the louvres it also passes through a filter; I'm afraid I don't know the exact type of material.
There seems to be something strangely odd about finishing at a ground signal and a gate roundal beyond. Relaxing journey.
Thanks for the interesting video. A side of UK railroading not often seen abroad.
What do the rectangular blue and white X signs mean?
A diagonal white cross on a blue background is an AWS cancelling board.
27:06 , 37:47
I don't really know what that means!
These signs are provided in locations where the driver will receive an AWS horn that relates to movement in the other direction. The sign instructs the driver to cancel the AWS and disregard its operation on this occasion.
@@hastingsdiesels People may not know what AWS stands for but presumably Advance Warning Signal \ System?