0913 Poole-Southampton Central stopping service

[nw1]

Just noticed this service which is an additional service to the main stopping pattern.

However I'm a bit puzzled as to why this service runs. It calls all stations to Brockenhurst then fast to Southampton and doesn't appear to have a balancing down working. It's like a peak additional - but runs after the main peak.

Is it another "route learning" service which, perhaps because there is no path for it to run fast, stops at most stations?

Another oddity at this time appears to be that the 1000 fast out of Southampton (an ex-Weymouth) is formed by 450s, perhaps the only fast of the day to do so - I'm guessing there are no spare 444s at this time, being just after the morning peak?

With all these "route learning" services, workings seem to be a lot more complicated than previously. I'm sure in the 80s and 90s we didn't get these sorts of workings like we do now.

 

[Eagle]

However I'm a bit puzzled as to why this service runs. It calls all stations to Brockenhurst then fast to Southampton and doesn't appear to have a balancing down working. It's like a peak additional - but runs after the main peak.

Is it another "route learning" service which, perhaps because there is no path for it to run fast, stops at most stations?

Well, one clue could be the fact that the unit forming it then runs ECS to Woking via Havant (a route learning move if ever I saw one).

 

[AndyLandy]

Another oddity at this time appears to be that the 1000 fast out of Southampton (an ex-Weymouth) is formed by 450s, perhaps the only fast of the day to do so - I'm guessing there are no spare 444s at this time, being just after the morning peak?

I've often wondered about that one myself. These days, I just make an effort to not be departing for London at 1000.

Do we know what's booked on the 0955 stopper to London? It's not uncommon for that service to be a 444 these days.

 

[Tom]

Just noticed this service which is an additional service to the main stopping pattern.

However I'm a bit puzzled as to why this service runs. It calls all stations to Brockenhurst then fast to Southampton and doesn't appear to have a balancing down working. It's like a peak additional - but runs after the main peak.

Is it another "route learning" service which, perhaps because there is no path for it to run fast, stops at most stations?

This service forms a route learning service. In its passenger form, it is mainly used by Brockenhurst College students.

Another oddity at this time appears to be that the 1000 fast out of Southampton (an ex-Weymouth) is formed by 450s, perhaps the only fast of the day to do so - I'm guessing there are no spare 444s at this time, being just after the morning peak?

This service and the previous one you mention swapped origins a couple of years ago. The 0820 Weymouth-Waterloo used to be an 0907 Poole-Waterloo. And the 0913 used to be the 0825 Weymouth-Southampton.

The reason why this is a 450 is that it is formed off the 0540 Basingstoke-Weymouth. This is a 450 due to the fact that all the 444s head off into London early doors, and few 444s stable around Basingstoke anyway

 

[nw1]

Thanks for the replies. Seems there are a lot of route-learning services at that time in the morning, two going off along the coast line out of Southampton destined for the Portsmouth Direct within 15 minutes or so of each other. On a related note - does anyone know which previous service forms the stock for the 1044 stopper Southampton-Portsmouth? The inbound service has for a number of years been (unusually for that line) a 158 or 159 (not sure which) attaching to the Salisbury stopper necessitating a 450 to appear from somewhere to cover the 1044. The working timetable says it's out of the sidings but what about before that?

It had been my assumption that the rear portion of the 0839 from Waterloo would form the 1044 before I recently found out it was used on a route-learning service instead (see recent thread). It can't be the 0739 from Waterloo as that appears to be 444s. I do seem to remember that one unit from one of the down semi-fasts did used to form the 1044 a couple of years ago, though may be wrong about that.

 

[swt_passenger]

It had been my assumption that the rear portion of the 0839 from Waterloo would form the 1044 before I recently found out it was used on a route-learning service instead (see recent thread). It can't be the 0739 from Waterloo as that appears to be 444s. I do seem to remember that one unit from one of the down semi-fasts did used to form the 1044 a couple of years ago, though may be wrong about that.

The stock for the 1044 runs empty from Waterloo.
5B17 0758 to Southampton up goods loop 0931.

AFAICT it splits in the loop and two of the three units form the front of the 1000 fast to Waterloo, which is unusually operated by 450s. The single remaining unit then forms the 1044.

The 1038 arrival from Portsmouth is diagrammed as 159.