Trains at Southampton Central (SWML, WML, WCL) - 29/07/2024

The 234th video of my train spotting adventures.
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This video follows on from Brockenhurst, back up the mainline to the centre of Southampton, at Southampton Central railway station. A fair-sized, 5-platform (4 in use) DfT Category B "Regional Interchange" train station, it was originally opened as "Southampton West" in 1895, to replace the smaller nearby West End station; this was originally named "Blechynden" when it opened in 1847.
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The station was on the seafront, specifically the stretch of water known as West Bay, with the water reaching right up to the southern edge of the platforms at high tide. A series of land reclamation projects to expand the docks, largely funded by the London and South Western Railway, culminated in the building of the vast New Docks (now Western Docks) between 1927 and 1934, which led to all of West Bay being reclaimed and the station becoming landlocked. The new land and the demand for new lines allowed the station to be enlarged and redeveloped in 1934-1935 (from two platforms to four) and it became Southampton Central. The new station buildings were largely constructed from concrete in the art deco style.
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An air raid during WWII on 23 November 1940 damaged the buildings alongside platform one. The station was hit by two German parachute mines on 22 July 1941, which destroyed the ticket hall on platform four and damaged the island platform.
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In preparation for the closure of Southern Terminus station, near to the docks in 1966, alterations were made to the station's parcel handling facilities to allow it to handle increased volume. In 1967, soon after the closure of Southampton Terminus, the station was rebuilt, losing its clocktower which was replaced with an office block. At this point, it was renamed "Southampton", although it was once again renamed to "Southampton Central" in 1994.
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A partnership between Network Rail, South West Trains and Southampton City Council saw a £3 million investment in the refurbishment of the station entrances and improved passenger facilities which was completed in 2012.
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Filmed on the:
South Western Mainline
Wessex Mainline (terminus)
West Coastway Line (terminus)
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Services seen:
SWR) Services towards Southampton Airport Parkway, Eastleigh, Romsey, Salisbury, Brockenhurst, Bournemouth, Poole, Weymouth, Fareham, Cosham, Portsmouth & Southsea, Portsmouth Harbour, Havant, Guildford, Winchester, Basingstoke, Woking and onward to London Waterloo.
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SR) Services towards St Denys, Swanwick, Fareham, Portchester, Cosham, Havant, Chichester, Worthing, Hove and Brighton.
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XC) Services towards Bournemouth, Southampton Airport Parkway, Winchester, Basingstoke, Reading, Oxford, Banbury, Leamington Spa, Coventry and onwards to Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Stoke and Manchester.
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GWR) Services towards Fareham, Portchester, Cosham, Fratton, Portsmouth & Southsea, Portsmouth Harbour, Romsey, Salisbury, Westbury, Bath Spa, Bristol Temple Meads, Severn Tunnel Junction, Newport and Cardiff Central.
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Trains seen:
SWR) Class 450/444 Desiro, Class 158 Express Sprinter
SR) Class 377/387 Electrostar
XC) Class 220/221 Voyager
GWR) Class 158 Express Sprinter, Class 165/166 Networker
DB) Class 66
FL) Class 66, Class 70
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Thanks for watching :)

[@Desiro360]

Excellent video. Nice one. 😀