Why are the lights at Woolston station painted green and white rather like the Lymington Branch? (although the rest of the station is NSE/SWT... in fact most stations between Swanick and Southampton are in a sorry state...)
Woolston's colour scheme was done at the request of the local planning authority, specifically to match the new green footbridge, this was done as it impinges on the station building which is listed.
I saw a 444 at Havant today and was surprised as I noted the set during the morning peak when I thought only 450s run. It also got me thinking... are the 444s diagrammed to run only fast services on the London-Portsmouth via Guildford route?
Railway mythology put about by the complaining people of Portsmouth, and their local newspaper. Going by the current diagrams, services to/from Portsmouth in both the peaks and throughout the working day are shared almost equally by 444s and 450s. 444s are also just as likely to be found on the 'via Basingstoke' route. The only day when nearly all the trains are 450s is Saturday, for some reason.
Some SWT stations have new signage mostly where it was really needed like Hilsea and the entrance to Portsmoutyh Harbour... can anyone confirm will all stations recieve the new signage...?
Yes - but only gradually. There have been indications that the 'white on navy blue' for station signs is to be a national policy, it comes form Adonis's time IIRC.
I saw several 158s on the Portsmouth line... where do these run to (Sailsbury?) was interesting seeing a 158 call at St Denys to.
As well as the obvious Salisbury Romsey service run by 158s, over the course of a day you'll see a mixture of 158s and 159s used on various peak only (ie extra to the normal clockface) services such as Portsmouth - Basingstoke, Portsmouth - Fareham, Winchester - Totton (this has to be a DMU because of dwell time in Totton yard). Also various Eastleigh - Portsmouths. A single return service from Southampton to Portsmouth and return uses a 159 in the morning, this was done to release a 450 for another service at that time.
Collectively the DMU services over the third rail are often referred to by SWT as the South Hampshire locals. Some of them are remnants of the old Basingstoke - Brightons - some timetable slots were diverted to/from Portsmouth in the peaks. A visit to Eastleigh very early, or very late will show 158s and 159s on a wide mix of odd short workings, most of which are fully in the third rail area.
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Yet more 450s on the Porstmouth line will not be welcomed... It is a shame the 458s can't be used on the Portsmouth line
If they did at least it would solve the 'we want white trains not blue trains' complaints.
Problem is the internal layout in standard is still 2+3 seating so pax would still complain like mad.
That is after all the real complaint, not the body colour...
At least the number of webchat questions about the issue was down on last time - one of the longest on Portsmouth 450s appeared to come from serial questioner 'Peter Skuce' of GN fame...
Personally I'd filter out anything on the subject now, it got boring about 2 years ago...
