Reading Diversions December 2010

Although this is strictly not about Southern Electric rolling stock it does concern a period of significant special workings over Southern Electric territory!

Between Christmas 2010 and New Year 2011 there was a blockade of Reading (General to those of us with a historical perspective!) station vicinity to commence the major redevelopment of the station and its approaches. This blockade was principally about major work on bridges either side of the station. Learning from the very extended West Coast Main Line modernisation debacle the railways have finally got the message that passengers would rather endure an extended journey on the same train rather than bustitution. So a week of diversions was arranged, which also served to provide rare routings/photo opportunities for gricers!

For First Great Western services to and from Wales and the west the revised routing (but not the stopping pattern) was Paddington - Old Oak Common - the Wycombe Single Line - West Ruislip - Banbury (reverse) - Oxford - Didcot > Wales & west. For FGW services to and from the south west the routing (but not the stopping pattern) was south west> Westbury - Salisbury - Basingstoke - Chertsey - Ashford and then up trains via the Hounslow Loop, down trains via Richmond - Clapham Junction - Waterloo. Obviously the latter is of interest to us, bringing regular HSTs to Waterloo for a few days.

	43040 leading, 43034 trailing, top and tail the 06:00 Plymouth to Waterloo service through platform 2 Putney on 29th December 2010. Routings via Hounslow/Richmond were necessary because a location on the main line between Weybridge and Clapham Junction is out of gauge for HSTs. photograph by James Dixon
	43034 and 43040 again on the balancing working, the 11:33 Waterloo to Plymouth service, approaching Putney on 29th December 2010. photograph by James Dixon

The next day, 30th December 2010 and further down country 43165 is leading 43141 into Basingstoke with the 05:50 Plymouth to Waterloo service photograph by Don Benn
Two West of England destinations from platform 2 at Basingstoke on 30th December, the first via a very roundabout route, the other by the more direct Southern line. photograph by Don Benn
The diverted First Great Western service notifed above (the 08:33 from Waterloo to penzance) is approaching Basingstoke. 43033 is leading 43146. photograph by Don Benn
The same pair of power cars as on the previous day. Vauxhall on 30th December 2010 and 43034 is leading 43040 out of Waterloo with the 10:33 to Penzance. photograph by Colin Duff