Eastleigh Works

Eastleigh owes its origins as a railway town and was for many years the principal employer in the area with both a locomotive and a separate carriage works.

Although both were amalgamated into one site many years ago, and despite under serious threat of complete closure, the former locomotive works has not only survived but now thrives as an independent workshop repairing and maintaining locomotives and rolling stock that might otherwise be found working almost anywhere in the country.

£16.50

EASTLEIGH WORKS

‘Eastleigh Works’ is one of a series of 12 books being released in 2025 showcasing railway works and centres to commemorate ‘Rail 200’.

EASTLEIGH WORKS

Images at and accessable to the Transport Treasury archive

EASTLEIGH WORKS Images at and accessable to the Transport Treasury archive

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© Images: Transport Treasury or as credited. Design: The Transport Treasury 2025. Text Hector Maxwell.

ISBN 978-1-913251-92-5 First published in 2025 by Transport Treasury Publishing Ltd. 16 Highworth Close, High Wycombe, HP13 7PJ Totem Publishing, an imprint of Transport Treasury Publishing.

The copyright holders hereby give notice that all rights to this work are reserved.

Aside from brief passages for the purpose of review, no part of this work may be reproduced, copied by electronic or other means, or otherwise stored in any information storage and retrieval system without written permission from the Publisher. This includes the illustrations herein which shall remain the copyright of the copyright holder. www.ttpublishing.co.uk Printed in Taxien, Malta by Guttenberg Press Ltd. Front cover - High in the air within the locomotive works. Over 80 tons of Bulleid Pacific, this example No 34032 Camelford is hoisted within the Erecting Shop during repair work in 1953. (S C Townroe) Frontispiece - Despite being built by the Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Works, the Class 33 locomotives, although as they were originally known the ‘D65xx’ type will forever be associated with Eastleigh. Here No D6508 appears fresh from works and with an appropriate ‘OK’ headcode on display.

Rear cover - Eastleigh maintained its tradition of maintaining locomotives after steam has ceased. Here are two examples of machines associated with both Eastleigh and indeed what was then the Southern Region, Class 07 shunter No 07007 and ‘ED’ (Class 73) No 73119. (Andrew Royle) Copies of most of the images within this book are available direct from The Transport Treasury. Please quote the book title, page number and image reference.

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INTRODUCTION ‘Eastleigh Works’ is the first of a series of 12 books published monthly in 2025 to celebrate ‘Railways 200’.

Railways may well have had their origins in the industry of the North East but the tentacles of success quickly spread south with merchants and government alike, quick to recognise the advantage the iron rail had over the horse and the canal.

Indeed it might even be argued that the Surrey Iron Railway of 1802 was one of the first ‘rail’ routes although we have to admit this was more of a horse drawn plateway than what we would recognise as a railway. Plateways and tramways were in fact relatively commonplace in the south perhaps more associated with mining in the south west. In fact beating the Stockton & Darlington by some years was the Cornish inventor Richard Trevithick with his (un-named) working steam locomotive of 1802 which ran on rails.

Unfortunately it was seen more as a novelty than having any real practical use - how time would change that!

Railways proper came to what we can describe as the Southern area with the proposed London & Southampton company of 1831.

This resulted in an Act of 1834 (and a change of name in 1838 to the London & South Western Railway).

As the name of the original company refers, the aim was for a line from London, and a terminus at Nine Elms on the banks of the River Thames to be absolutely accurate, to Southampton. Even before the first sections were open however, there were eyes to expansion; Bristol perceived as an important destination. Hence the London and South Western route took it as far west as it dared before turning south, and which is why even today the railway heads north east from Southampton to Basingstoke before turning abruptly east to London. A ‘branch’ from Basingstoke to Bristol was destined never to be built.

But even if the aspiration of reaching Bristol had been thwarted by the rival Great Western, there was another prize to be had at Portsmouth, and a line to Gosport was opened even if it terminated on the opposite side of the harbour.

For the remainder of the 19th century development followed on in piecemeal fashion, often by absorbing smaller concerns until by the turn of the 20th century the LSWR now had the monopoly in Hampshire, Surrey, Dorset and not inconsiderable interests in Devon and Cornwall.

To both achieve and maintain this position, a well tuned operation was required. This was controlled from offices at the new London terminus at Waterloo, whilst locomotive and carriage construction and maintenance was for many years centred on works at Nine Elms - on what was the opposite side of the now main line to the original Nine Elms passenger terminus (since Waterloo had opened this was now a major goods depot).

It followed that as London had expanded so the opportunity for developing the locomotive and carriage works were limited and a move was made to a greenfield site at Eastleigh; in 1891 for carriage and wagon production and for locomotive building and maintenance in 1910 - not well known is that the LSWR had investigated Winchester as a possible location for their carriage works in 1891 !

‘Eastleigh Works’ is a photographic celebration of 100 years of railway construction in the town; impossible to do justice to in just 80 sides but hopefully capturing the flavour of a railway town that even today continues to play a major part in railway maintenance both local and further afield.

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The former offices at Eastleigh still stand although when photographed in 2009 were being offered for outside use. Here in the early years of the 20th century, the fearsome Scot Dugald Drummond, Locomotive Superintendent of the London & South Western Railway reigned supreme; a time when a misdemeanour could easily result in dismissal. The lines leading to the works pass behind the offices, that in front leading to the former locomotive shed; now storage sidings. (Andrew Royle)

Class 57/3 No 57301 outside the works in January 2012. The locomotive had at one time carried the name Scott Tracey from the children’s’ ‘Thunderbirds’ (International Rescue) puppet series. Originally a Class 47, a new engine and alternator improved reliability with No 57301 seen outside what is now the Arlington paint shop in its new role as a rescue locomotive. (Andrew Royle)

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Outside the rear of the works. One of the hallmarks of privatisation has been the multitude of colourful liveries applied by operators to their rolling stock.

Several of this design of EMU worked in the Merseyside area but others could be seen on the SR electric lines, Great Northern and London Overground services. The last operational sets ceased work in January 2024. Alongside is a former Virgin Trains Mk 2 coach. (Andrew Royle)

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For some years after the end of steam, Eastleigh had almost 100% involvement in maintaining the fleet of Southern Region third-rail electric stock together with diesel and electric locomotives working on the region and some locomotive hauled stock. Here stock from a VEP set is seen together with a locomotive hauled Mk 2. The stored wheelsets and other items were typical of those to be found at most works. The view was taken during an open day in September 1992. (Andrew Royle)

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Left: Back in time to when the railway literally dominated the Eastleigh area - and this does not even include the 12road engine shed that is out of sight at the bottom of the page. Starting at the bottom, the houses are on either side of Campbell Road, all originally railway properties their only access to the ‘rest of the world’ was via the one road bridge, seen with its two right-angle bends. To the right of the properties is the main works with its various shops. Those to the left include the millwrights and boiler shops whilst centre is the erecting shop. It is possible to pick out the offices previously seen. Above this is the vast expanse of the carriage (and wagon) works whilst between the two are various sidings and the line from Eastleigh to Fareham and Gosport. We should not ignore the main London and Southampton railway running north south and the Chandlers Ford route curving off to the left as well as the various yards. All in all Eastleigh was a true railway town.

Right Top: Urie 4-6-0 No 749 built at Eastleigh in September 1922 and later named Iseult (a member of the ‘King Arthur’ class). The engine appears in lined works grey livery customary at the time for locomotives of all companies and which allowed for the best reproduction with contemporary photographic process. (Often the photographic studio would painstakingly remove the background to such views so highlighting the engine even further.) No 30749, as it became under British Railways ownership in 1948, would have a service life of 34 years 9 months and 22 days before being declared redundant and surplus to requirements, superseded by more modern engines as well as the drive towards the elimination of steam.

Right Bottom: This a Drummond design 4-4-0 of his D15 class seen here rebuilt by Drummond’s successor, Robert Urie with an extended smokebox. Both views were taken outside the front of the works and unusually show engines facing away from the works - most arrived smokebox first and emerged in similar fashion. No 464 is recorded in full LSWR livery and would have a working life of 42 years from 1912 to 1950.

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Both pages: January 1941 and the first of Mr Bulleid’s ‘mixed traffic’ Merchant Navy class engines, No 21C1 Channel Packet being named and also admired at Eastleigh. Clearly far more than a ‘mixed traffic’ design, No 21C1 and its sister 21C2 had almost provoked a strike within the works at a time when the workforce felt they should be concentrating more on war work. Subsequently the pair and the engines that followed did contribute towards hauling some massive trains in those dark days. One cannot help but draw attention to the stance of the young boys dominant in the view above.

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Post WW2 Eastleigh was responsible for the conversion of a number of engines to burn oil, this at a time when coal supplies were ever restricted with coal being one of the few exports Britain was able to sell and in consequence earn valuable foreign currency in exchange. The idea was that the alternative fuel would be cheaper and in anticipation a considerable sum was spent on oil fuelling facilities at Fratton, Eastleigh and Exmouth Junction (Exeter). The converted engines were mostly popular with the crews, certainly there was less work for the fireman and at the end of the journey there was no firebox, ashpan and smokebox to clean out.

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Unfortunately there was also disadvantages, the smell was one, another the oil itself needing to be at sufficient temperature before it became viscous enough to flow whilst raging heat one moment and nothing the next created additional stress and with it maintenance to fireboxes. There were also occasions when unburnt oil might leak into the ashpan creating an explosion when the fire was relit. An amusing incident was reported of a train to Southampton where the fireman had deliberately let the burner go out and neither he nor the driver had a match on them to relight the oil - an unscheduled stop at the nearest signal box was called for. The whole conversion exercise had not even been completed before the government cancelled the project, having come to realise they did not have enough foreign currency available to purchase the necessary oil. The Southern, as well as the authorised work done by the GWR, LMR and LNER were compensated out of central funds.

Steam experiment - 1. Mr Bulleid’s controversial ‘Leader’ class prototype steam engine, No 36001 seen at Eastleigh in July 1949. Built at Brighton in 1948/49 this engine visited Eastleigh several times as well as running trials from the nearby running shed in 1950. In many respects ahead of its time, it nevertheless failed to live up to its designer’s expectations as well as spending much time in the works here for repairs and modifications. It was scrapped

by British Railways in 1951. (S C Townroe)

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Left: The appearance of No 21C1 from Eastleigh in 1941 has already been mentioned, other important work during those difficult years being the conversion of former GWR Dean Goods 0-6-0 locomotives for service overseas and the building of a batch of LMS Stanier 2-8-0 locomotives. Post war, the Southern found itself with a shortage of suitable engines for dock shunting with the result that in 1946 14 0-6-0 American design shunting engines were purchased from the dump at Newbury (Racecourse) and taken in batches to Eastleigh where they became Nos 61-74, BR Nos 30061-74. One additional engine was later purchased for spares. After necessary modifications to make them suitable for their intended work, they found employment at Southampton Docks and later on, shed pilot and departmental duties at Lancing, Redbridge, Guildford, Ashford and Eastleigh.

Some would survive to the end of Southern steam in July 1967 with examples entering preservation.

Right Top & Bottom: One of the highlights of the railway year was the annual works open day which saw a number of newly overhauled engines on display outside the works and with access to the footplate. In the top view No 34090 Sir Eustace Missenden, Southern Railway (named after the former SR General Manager) is the centre of attention and whilst the crowd is indeed mainly male there are some females present; this at a time when railways and the associated ‘train spotting’ craze was at its height with little else in the way of free entertainment available. In the lower view, quite possibly posed, a small group are surveying the inside of the smokebox, perhaps No 34090. Health and Safety was not such a priority in the 1950s and there were few accidents ever reported at these events.

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The original Bulleid Pacific type had a marked propensity to catch fire at times; caused by slivers of hot metal coming off the brake blocks and being thrown upwards onto oil soaked lagging under the casing; this lagging having become oil soaked as a result of leaks from the oil bath with which these engines were fitted. Temporarily seen at the nearby running shed pending a call to works for repairs is No 34061 73 Squadron.

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After a somewhat larger conflagration, No 34057 Biggin Hill awaits entry to the erecting shop and necessary repairs. The centre casing on these engines could almost be removed as a single item when required and it was not unknown for such items to be seen stored - or as scrap material - outside the rear of the works. (Ken Wightman)

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Left: As will be gathered Eastleigh was also responsible for out of course repairs such as accident and incident damage. Here rebuilt Bulleid No 34024 Tamar Valley is seen as a result an unknown altercation - we might wonder how the other party came off? Unfortunately no details are available as to the cause or location but we can say the engine survived until the end of steam.

Bottom: Steam experiment - 2. Over the years Eastleigh was called upon to produce some strange modifications to engines, none more so than when Mr Bulleid instructed that King Arthur class No 783 Sir Gillemere be fitted with three chimneys. (An earlier trial had seen the same engine with two chimneys.) The object was to disperse steam faster and so reduce the chance of a train being spotted from the air. It was not a success, the only tangible result being the engine returning covered in soot as the blast was now hitting underbridges and tunnels from new angles. No 783 was quickly returned to normal.

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Possibly taken at the same time as the image on page 17, here we have various spare chimneys and dome covers plus odd components. Perhaps the strangest addition is what appears to be the safety valve bonnet from the GWR tank engine although Eastleigh was involved in the overhaul of several former GWR pannier tanks then in use by London Transport in the early 1960s. (Ken Wightman)

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Inside the erecting shop with various Standard classes in varying stages of repair. The driving wheels seen have the number ‘73039’ chalked thereon whilst those on the right are from ‘75027’. in the background are the overhead cranes Someone has chalked ‘Fireball XL5’ on the cab on the engine nearest left; a reference to the popular children’s television series of the early 1960s. (Peter Gray)

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This time it is a mixture of Southern types in addition to at least one standard design. No 34079 141 Squadron the only engine that may be individually identified. All those seen are minus tenders, the tender having been detached and sent separately to the tender shop for attention. Sometimes engines of similar type may not always have been matched with the same tender once the overhaul / repair was complete, it would depend entirely upon the progress of repair of each unit. (Roy Hobbs)

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One of the five big ‘H16’ class 4-6-2T locos, this one is No 30517 undergoing what is at least a bottom half overhaul, wheels, axleboxes and cylinders plus valves having been removed. Such work could take anything from three to six weeks, sometimes longer, it was all dependent upon the workload in other shops where items might have to be seen. This type was built in 1921 for the purpose of goods trip working and shunting. Most of the life of No 30517 was spent in the London area although it was allocated to Eastleigh shed in 1960/61. It ceased work from Feltham in 1962. (Roy Hobbs)

A similar situation for Class 5 No 73088 Joyous Guard, a name once carried by No 30741 a ‘King Arthur’ class engine. Again the cartoon graffiti will be noted as well as the designation ‘hot’ in several places. We may date the view as being between 1962 and 1965 when the engine was allocated to ‘70A’ Nine Elms. In the background a Class 33 is also receiving attention. (Henry Priestley)

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Like most of the railway workshops, there were few tasks the works could not turn their hand to. Ingots or plate steel or other metal received in and then cut or cast into whatever was required. In this example molten iron is being poured into the casting for a cylinder in June 1954. (We are not told what class of engine this was for.) (S C Townroe)

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Here the casting is for a bedplate - again without further detail, July 1954. The men protected to a degree from the heat emanating from the crucible by corrugated iron. Whether this number would ordinarily be standing around or are present because of the photographer is not certain. What we can say is this is these are some of the very few images taken of this process at Eastleigh. (S C Townroe)

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Once more within the Iron Foundry in 1954, which was located on the south side of the main works. The information available advised this is the ‘continuous casting plant’. (S C Townroe)

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Within the wheel shop, 1954. A pair of ‘Merchant Navy’ class wheels are being run up to speed for balancing purposes. The process is not dissimilar to that used for a car wheel with, in this case an axle run up to speed, at the end of which it would be stopped and weights added as necessary bit by bit until the best balance was achieved. Not having a balalnced wheelset could result in vibration when running and in an extreme example, failure. (S C Townroe)

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Tyre fitting on to a Bulleid wheel. This is a gas tyre heater, the wheel tyre placed into the heater which would expand the type at which point the wheel set could be placed inside. When the tyre cooled it was held securely on to the wheel. Eastleigh wheel shop, 1953. (S C Townroe)

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In 1955 members of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers paid a visit to the locomotive works. This included a visit to the brass shop where examples of the output could be seen. This included a ‘West Country’ class nameplate and backing shields (the latter from a different engine), gauges, bearings, a whistle and sundry other components. (S C Townroe)

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In the process of repair, No 34106 Lydford is positioned on the rollers ready for valve setting. The exterior casing is also yet to be added. (Ken Wightman)

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Stranger in the camp - 1. BR No 92020, one of ten class members originally fitted with a Franco-Crosti pre-heater intended to improve efficiency. In service, the advantages gained were considered insufficient to warrant retaining the equipment and all reverted to a conventional outline. No 92020 is seen here undergoing repair at Eastleigh: one of several views which show unusual, non Southern allocated types, receiving attention at the Hampshire works.

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West Country No 34005 Barnstaple in the process of rebuilding on 16 June 1957. This was the first of the class to be modified with the removal of the exterior air-smoothed casing and substitution with conventional cladding and likewise conventional valve gear. This was similar to that undertaken to the larger ‘Merchant Navy’ class. The intention had been to rebuild all 110 members of the ‘West Country/ Battle of Britain’ type but the accelerating demise of steam meant just 60 were dealt with. (S C Townroe)

Stranger in the camp - 2. A Former GWR pannier tank in London Transport livery under repair at Eastleigh. Without a date it is impossible to identify the original GWR number as two former pannier tanks carried the same L90 number. The GWR engines involved were No 7711 which became L90 in 1956 and was scrapped in 1961, and the second the former No 5752 which took the number L90 in 1961 and lasted with LT until 1971. Also visible is a rebuilt Bulleid and a BR Sulzer Type 2 of the batch then allocated to the Kent Coast lines.

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Stranger in the camp - 3. Inside the works with in the foreground the frames of a Bulleid engine in the course of rebuilding. More interesting is the engine in the background, an LMS ‘Black Five’ or an LMS 8F whch has arrived at Eastleigh for overhaul. The Southern Railway had built a total of 105 LMS 8F engines during WW2, Eastleigh producing 23. (S C Townroe)

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‘Lord Nelson’ class 4-6-0 Howard of Effingham (but seen here temporarily without its wheels) inside the works and reported to be in July 1952. The date is relevant as on 20 July 1952 this engine had derailed at Shawford. No 30854 was not recovered for some days after which it was taken into works for repair. Assuming the date of the image to be correct then this view depicts the loco receiving attention sometime later. (S C Townroe)

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Another engine on the rollers for valve setting is E2 No 32106. The engine also appears to be in the process of being painted as the bunker has yet to be attended to, as well as the brakegear and parts of the underframe. The smokebox numberplate has also yet to have its number digits picked out in white.

This engine was built at Brighton in 1915 and became Southern Railway stock in 1923. It was allocated to Southampton Docks in May 1961 but after just 18 months service there was withdrawn and scrapped in late 1962. (S C Townroe)

Receiving what was probably a final major overhaul at Eastleigh in 1954, G6 No 30266 sits in the erecting shops just before or just after lifting. Various other locomotives may be identified around, including a ‘700’ class 0-6-0 and the tender from a Pacific. Note the use of asbestos on the dome which would have been received dry and then mixed with water and applied as insulation. (S C Townroe)

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Here we have three tender engines, minus tenders inside. No 35010 Blue Star with the limpet board casing, identified by the horizontal line running above the nameplate, behind an H15 4-6-0 and in the centre Standard Class 4 No 76019. On the extreme right is the front corner of another Bulleid. In the middle foreground the metal ‘cage’ with lifting handles has the number 35... chalked thereon. When engines were stripped as the initial part of the overhaul process, small components would be placed in here and then taken to the ‘bosh’ an acid bath which would remove all traces of dirt and grease. A number of springs may also be seen on the ground behind.

No 35004 Cunard White Star in original condition in the final stages of overhaul / repair.

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We move now to Eastleigh in the early 1960s. Two D65xx series (later Class 33) diesel/ electric locos are off their bogies and receiving attention. A total of 98 of these machines were delivered to the Southern Region between 1960 and 1962. The first 86 were delivered as seen with the final twelve D6586 to D6597 having a narrower profile allowing them to work through tunnels in Kent and Sussex, these 12 earning the nickname ’Slim Jims’. All were subsequently renumbered in the 33xxx series, excepting No D6502 which was written off early in its career due to accident damage at Itchingfield Junction.

Rebuilt West Country No 34025 Whimple is having what is an intermediate overhaul with attention to wheels, axleboxes and motion; the boiler remaining in-situ. Built at Brighton in March 1946 it originally carried the name Rough Taw but substituted to that seen in April 1948. It was rebuilt in the form seen at Eastleigh in October 1957 after which it worked out of Bournemouth shed until the end of steam working.

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Where steam was once dominant..... diesel power is instead being dealt with, the foreground space literally filled to capacity with bogies from the new traction. However steam is not quite dead; witness the Bulleid wheel centre left.

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Close examination reveals one Class 73 electro-diesel and no less than five ‘Cromptons’ (the other name for the D65xx / Class 33 design, one of the latter seemingly having received some fairly major body repairs. The diesel types had one disadvantage and which was the limited protection offered to the crew in the event of a front end collision, a facet not just applicable to Southern types.

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Stranger in the camp - 4: Bulleid types keep company with an ex LMS 8F sent to Eastleigh for repair due to lack of capacity at Crewe Works. Of the engines seen on the left is No 34018 Axminster, the 8F and ‘Battle of Britain’ not identified.

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Stranger in the camp - 5: GWR 2-8-0 No 2818 inside Eastleigh works in late 1965 or early 1966. Withdrawn by the Western Region from Neath in November 1963 it found its way to Swindon by the following month, after that languishing around the works area and dump until late 1965. It was then selected for preservation and taken to Eastleigh for a full cosmetic overhaul to GWR livery and now resides at its spiritual home in the STEAM museum at Swindon.

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Above: Stranger in the camp - 6: Looking far from pristine, Ivatt Class 4 No 43155 has arrived at the nearby Eastleigh shed and will soon be taken around to the works for overhaul, another machine the LMR had insufficient capacity to deal with. Once restored to full working order the engine would be runin on various local services before being returned home. ‘Running-in’ could well mean engines were borrowed for quite a few days to help a desperate Southern motive power department who were themselves feeling the pinch when it came to available steam locomotives. (As an example, a repaired LMR 8F was seen working in and out of Waterloo on a passenger train!) This was a time when overhauls were no longer being authorised and engines withdrawn should defects arise.

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Opposite: Steam heyday, Standard and Southern types receiving attention. During peace time weekend work especially on a Sunday was rare, hence this image was probably taken at a quiet time.

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Repaired diesel power units with generators and looking considerably more pristine than the body shells waiting to receive them. Having a large class of 98 Class 33 locomotives meant is was feasible to carry a number of spare power units and main generators with the result down time was kept to a minimum.

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Class 33 and Class 09 diesel shunter receiving attention. The Class 09 was visually almost identical to the Class 08 but with the former geared for a slightly higher speed. Even so it was a requirement that two men be in the cab of a shunter whenever it was being transferred from one location to another. This also normally only occurred at night when there was less chance of the slow speed running disrupting other services.

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We move now to the exterior of the works and where the Eastleigh breakdown crane has been temporarily fitted with its extension jib. The extra height would allow it to deal with any replacement of the millwright chimneys - seen in the background. Adding or removing this extension would occupy one day after which the crane was considered unavailable for any derailments, with Salisbury or Guildford affording cover until the extension had been removed.

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Shunting in the carriage works. USA 0-6-0T No 30064 has a load of components, wheelsets included whilst alongside is a newly overhauled ‘Hampshire‘ DEMU set No 1109. The black triangle on the yellow warning panel indicated to station staff which end of the set contained space for luggage.

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Steam experiment - 3. Smoke and steam clearance was never good on the original Bulleid Pacific design and various experiments were attempted to improve lifting.

One of these involved No 34035 Shaftesbury seen here with the deflectors turned inwards. It did not display any significant improvement and the engine later reverted to ‘conventional’ form.

No 34055, formerly named Fighter Pilot outside the front of the works, serving out its last months as a test for repaired safety valves. The engine had been one of the first Bulleids to be withdrawn in June 1963 after having failed with a cracked middle cylinder whilst working a Plymouth to Brighton train. It was taken to Eastleigh and with repairs not authorised found a final use as seen until scrapped in May 1964. In the condition seen it had also carried the smokebox door from another withdrawn engine, No 34043.

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Generational locomotives outside the front of the works in August 1954. At the rear is Boxhill. AN LBSCR ‘Terrier’ built in 1880 it survives as part of the National Collection at York. In front is No 30458 Ironside built by the contractor Hawthorn Leslie for the Southampton Dock Co. in 1890. This diminutive engine managed to survive into British Railways days ending its time on shed pilot duties at Guildford in June 1954. It was scrapped soon after the photograph was taken. The modern engine of the trio is No 13010 built at Derby in 1952. The diesel was allocated new to the Southern Region at Hither Green and came to work at Eastleigh in 1954.

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Doomed engines (almost). Left is No 32327 formerly carrying the name Trevithick (further back from this it was a tank engine with the name Charles C McCrae), here at Eastleigh having been condemned following the Woking accident of 23 December 1955 when it ran into the rear of another train. It was deemed beyond economical repair and scrapped.

Interestingly at the front of No 32327 are the frames of one of the former USA tank engines purchased by the SR and referred to previously. This is likely to be the spare engine purchased for parts.

Right are the frames for T9 No 30732, the boiler and wheels absent. Taken in 1955, it would be reasonable to assume this too was not long for this world but No 30732 was re-assembled and survived until 1959. On the wagon in front is the fuel tank from an oil burning engine.

List of steam locomotives built at Eastleigh: Class

S14 P14 T14 M7 D15 H15 N15 S15 G16 H16 Lord Nelson V U1 W Q Merchant Navy 8F West Country

0-4-0T 4-6-0 4-6-0 0-4-4T 4-4-0 4-6-0 4-6-0 4-6-0 4-8-0T 4-6-2T 4-6-0 4-4-0 2-6-0 2-6-4T 0-6-0 4-6-2 2-8-0 (for LMS) 4-6-2

x 2 x 5 x 10 x 10 x 10 x 11 x 59 x 45 x 5 x 5 x 16 x 40 x 20 x 5 x 20 x 30 x 23 x 6

The above list does not including rebuilding work, modifications, overhauls, repairs or accident damage.

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Most scrapping took place at the rear of the works. Usually the first stage was the removal of the connecting and coupling rods, which would make the engine easier to move into the required position with less resistance from the pistons. Then any parts that might be required to be salvaged were taken off, followed by a gradual reduction from the top down. Opposite No 30753 formerly named Melisande is being stripped of parts, above an unidentified 4-6-0 will soon be reduced to pieces that will be craned into wagons and sold off for scrap.

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Sister to the damaged No 32327 illustrated on page 55, this is No 32331 Beattie awaiting its fate on 25 August 1957 having been withdrawn one month before. No 76027 may well have been awaiting repair as it would remain in service until October 1965. (R C Riley)

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One of the two 0-6-2T engines that had originally been part of the Plymouth, Devonport and South Western Junction system. This their former No 5 formerly carrying the name Lord St Levan which spent most of its working life in the Plymouth area, before spending the final six months at Eastleigh from where it was withdrawn at the end of 1956. Already the rods have been removed along the dome cover and nameplates although the smokebox number survives. These latter items would become much sought after in later years. (L R Freeman)

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Wagonload scrap at the rear of the works, the engines seen already condemned and awaiting their fate. Cutting was a task for fitters, some who requested to work outside and others who were seconded from elsewhere. The work was also variable in intensity, at times a backlog in scrapping could see men temporarily transferred to assist although being out in all weathers was not universally popular. As time passed and the number of withdrawn engines outstripped the ability of the works to cut, so these were sold for scrap to merchants, most finding their way to South Wales, although some were cut up in Northamptonshire, Norfolk and even at Ringwood. In the background is Eastleigh South signal box on the Fareham line. (S C Townroe)

Looking out over the lines at the front of the works, across the line to Fareham, the carriage sidings and what was known as Tipton yard towards the carriage works. Here lines of items of rolling stock may be seen and displaying different liveries. Like the loco works, some new, some in for overhaul or repair and some condemned being stripped of anything useful - ‘twas ever thus. The engine is No 34003 Plymouth, a rebuilt ‘West Country’ fresh from rebuilding. (S C Townroe)

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Above: site plan of the carriage and wagon works.

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Opposite: The carriage and wagon works, together with the works at Lancing and Ashford, were responsible for the manufacture and maintenance of the fleet of Southern Railway and later Southern Region stock, this included both loco hauled and EMU vehicles. Long living in the shadow of the locomotive works, carriage building and maintenance might appear to not have had the glamour of its neighbour but it was nevertheless a vital part of the railway.

Here there was also a requirement for additional skills, notably carpentry and upholstery, the works also involved in producing the long carriage roof boards from which it was once possible to quickly identify the destination of a particular train. Redundant timber was available for staff purchase with numerous former carriage roof boards finding a new use forming the walls of garden sheds. (The loco works would sell old boiler tubes re-purposed as washing line posts.) The vehicles seen are not identified but include EMU stock and parts of a Hastings line DEMU with doors stood in the centre.

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July 1966 and a Portsmouth / Mid Sussex unit has been spray painted in the new BR blue livery. In the background a suburban set has received the same treatment. The hanging cable could supply power to the traction motors from an external source and so afford for limited movement as well as the checking of components. The carriage and wagon works was bombed during WW2 with some damage and loss of life. (S C Townroe)

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First and second class upholstery in the colours of the period. Motor coach 3078 may be identified on the left.

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Without doubt some of the strangest vehicles to ever emerge from the carriage works were the eight Tavern car sets that first took to the rails in 1949. A restaurant / bar combination they took as their theme an old English pub complete with oak beams. The exterior of the Tavern was no less unusual, part of the lower half ‘rendered; in pseudo brick work - well at least it was in the required ‘red and cream livery’! The interior of the restaurant portion - seen opposite - was no less unusual, diners seated longitudinally in a vehicle having only windows above eye level and intended to ensure that after the meal the passenger would vacate their seat quickly. Each pairing also carried a pub type name reproduced both externally and within; that above was ‘At the sign of the White Horse’.

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The eight pairs were set to work on the Southern and Eastern Regions where it would be fair to say they provoked howls of protest. Letters to the press, to British Railways and comments in the House of Commons soon followed, the Eastern Region complaining restaurant takings had fallen as diners refused to take meals. On the Southern Region the protests were perhaps muted and the cars settled down to regular working between Waterloo and Exeter and Waterloo and Bournemouth. Eventually though they were modified, to a standard livery and windows at conventional height provided although it would be a decade before all traces of the individuality of the designer Mr Bulleid had disappeared. It is perhaps a great pity none would survive into the preservation era.

Right: In 1938 Bulleid was responsible for the interior design of 12 buffet cars included in the formation of what were in effect 4Cor sets intended for the mid-Sussex route from Bognor to Victoria. These were classified as 4Buf units. The style was very original with contemporary art-Deco styling which was both brash yet contemporary. They consisted of a service compartment at one end after which came a bar area having 10 revolving stools and a saloon section. This saloon could seat 16 at 4-per table, the tables themselves having concave corners to maximise space. Strengthening (vertical) side ribs were added to the coach side and similarly scalloped to match the design of the tables and the bar top. The ribs proved a useful adjunct to those drinkers who needed a bit of support as well! Window space was kept to a minimum whilst in many respects the design mirrored what would follow with the Tavern cars a decade later. These buffet cars were in many respects the victim of their own success and it was not unknown for some selfish individuals to be seated at a table throughout the length of the journey consuming perhaps a single cup of coffee and so depriving others of enjoying the same facilities. Complaints were made to the General Manager by both those unable to enjoy the facilities themselves and also from the refreshment department who saw their takings fall.

As HAV states, ‘The latter (Bulleid) did not admit any error, but took very good note for the future.’ As CME, and in 1938 newly in post on the Southern, as such he was the overseer having set out to his design staff the criteria he wished to see adopted.

According to Sean Day-Lewis, Mrs Bulleid may also have had some input into the design. HAV takes matters one stage further by commenting that the scalloped edges of the tables had something to do with a story told to the young Bulleid many years before of a somewhat portly man who had to eat at such a table as it was the only way he might reach his food.

Below: Conventional BR suburban unit. This is 2Hap No 6172 built in 1963 from a 1957 design. The underframes for these units came from Ashford with Eastleigh responsible for the bodies. The ‘HAP’ designation referred to ‘half a lavatory (one coach only had access to a lavatory) and the set was fitted with the pneumatic brake’.

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Suburban unit, panel fitting.

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Roof components and welding.

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Door fitting.

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Carriage works output, 1930s and 1950s. Above is one of the centre vehicles for a Portsmouth or Mid-Sussex unit, the basic framework complete and now awaiting fitting out; interior panelling, doors etc and of course painting. This would appear to be a Trailer Third. Notice too the horsebox on the siding behind.

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Left: By the 1950s maximum use was being made of welding in what is clearly the early stages of completing the cab end of a suburban unit.

Right: Accident (or even wartime) damage awaiting repair. The vehicle is not positively identified but is of suburban origin with no end corridor connection.

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Left: ‘Hastings’ line (narrow profile) unit No 1031 in for repair/overhaul. The carriage works would only deal with the bodywork, any maintenance to the power units and traction motors dealt with in the diesel shop at the locomotive works.

Right: Motor coach from 4Cor No 3071 behind which is a BR Mk1 so proving units were disassembled at time of overhaul. The 4-Cor remains in green livery, which suited the Southern electric vehicles so well.

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Left: An interesting snapshot of the carriage and wagon output for 1949; the ‘Tavern Car’ sets referred to earlier will be included in these totals.

An interesting addition is the entry for ‘Engine Cabs’, the immediate assumption being this referred to steam but perhaps we should instead see it as meaning the motorman’s cabs in electric units. Taking the wagon total of 4,772, this equates to some 95 wagons repaired every week allowing for 50 working weeks. New carriages released at a rate of 7.4 per week again over the same time period.

Below: New third class restaurant car for a 4Cor type set.

Right: 500hp diesel locomotive power unit and electric generator awaiting installation in a new Hastings line unit in 1956/7.

The carriage works was closed and locomotive and carriage repairs merged into the former locomotive works in 1967.

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Southern electric loco No 20002 fresh after overhaul at Eastleigh; it will have been towed to Eastleigh over what were then un-electrified lines and will return to the Central division in like fashion. The view was taken on a works open day.

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Insert; Right up to date in the locomotive works, an electric loco pantograph from the 1960s. Whilst the Southern is rightly thought of as an electric railway having a ‘third rail’, there were small areas of goods yard, mainly in the South East, where overhead wires were provided as it would have been too dangerous to have a live rail in close proximity to shunters and the like. For this purpose the three SR/BR electric locos 20001-3 (as seen above) and the Southern Region Bo-Bo electric in the series E5001-24 (later Class 71/74) were all fitted with a single roof pantograph.

Refurbished electric and diesel/electric locos outside the loco works. No E5012 will be worked from Eastleigh in like fashion to No 20002, No D5007 will run under its own power. Eastleigh has undergone several reinventions over the years from a locomotive works to a maintenance depot under the auspices of what was then BREL (British Rail Engineering Limited) to a works under serious threat of complete closure, to one which today will take on almost any work, whether that be for current day operators or the owners of heritage equipment. Whilst the days of hundreds of bicycles emerging from both works at the end of shift are long gone the future remains bright; long may that continue.

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A short distance from both works was Eastliegh Station and where in May 1957 Merchant Navy class No 35009 Shaw Savill was recorded on a Waterloo - Bournemouth running intern following rebuilding at the locomotive works. No 35009 had entered service at Eastleigh in 1942, and following rebuilding remained in traffic until July 1964. The engine was subsequently sold to Woodham bros at Barry and languished there until 1984 when it was rescued.

At the time of writing it remains in a dismantled/derilict state but hopefully will steam again in the future. At this stage no AWS has been fitted.

(John Bell/Transport Treasury)

Eastleigh owes its origins as a railway town and was for many years the principal employer in the area with both a locomotive and a separate carriage works.

Although both were amalgamated into one site many years ago, and despite under serious threat of complete closure, the former locomotive works has not only survived but now thrives as an independent workshop repairing and maintaining locomotives and rolling stock that might otherwise be found working almost anywhere in the country.

£16.50

EASTLEIGH WORKS

‘Eastleigh Works’ is one of a series of 12 books being released in 2025 showcasing railway works and centres to commemorate ‘Rail 200’.

EASTLEIGH WORKS

Images at and accessable to the Transport Treasury archive