Which to visit, Didcot or Basingstoke?

[ntanswell]

Hi,

I would like your advice on which location to visit next Tuesday. I know what passenger traffic runs through Didcot and Basingstoke, but am in the dark when it comes to non-stop running and freight. Does much freight visit Basingstoke? Roughly how frequent? Does much Freight visit Didcot Parkway? Which location has more freight? Which location has a bigger volume of passenger trains?, how much traffic runs fast through Didcot Parkway?

Many thanks

Nathan

[trains2]

I can give you a low-down on Basingstoke:

Passenger wise - there is always something about, the Basingstoke - Waterloo and Basingstoke - Reading services hang about for 15mins or so in the platforms, and passing trains are probs a couple every 5 mins in either direction. You'll get 450s, 444s, 442s, Voyagers, 166s, 159s & 170s.

Freight wise - all freight coming up from the Eastleigh area has to go through Basingstoke, there are normally about 3 or 4 Freightliners an hour, and there are about 6 EWS engineers during the day, Hoo Jnc, Hinksey and Wembley, they all appear around lunchtime, and the returns in the late afternoon. You'll also get the GBRf Gypsum south at about 3.30. You also get the occasional light engine moves from Eastleigh/Maritime.

Rich

[cardiffcroupier]

Quite a bit of freight runs through Basingstoke, mainly from coming from the Southampton direction and heading up the reading line.

With the upcoming signalling works at Basingstoke however, there appears to be a bit more night time ballast and rail movements from Eastleigh (?) to Basingstoke and towards Woking. Where from, and where for is a mstery as I do not follow freight actively and all these comments are purely base on observations, but may be of help.

CC

[salopiangrowler]

where ever you go your gona get non stop train photing if you photograph everything that moves.

[allypally]

Didcot has a lot of stuff too - stone trains from Westbury way, coal from the PS and so on.

[ForburyLion]

The only frieht I've seen passing though Basingstoke has been the Freightliners to/from Southampton and they actually pass though Didcot as well.

Didcot is the place to go for freight, you tend to have EWS loco's parked up near to the platform and the power station is nearby so look out for coal trains.

I'm assuming your going to wander about and not just stay on the platform?

If you fancy a trip down to Reading you should catch some 59's on Yeoman/Hanson trains and maybe a 60 on the Murco petrol train - Destination being Theale sidings so expect to see the 59's return after unloading.

[arabiandisco]

There's a bit more than that through Basingstoke - I see car trains pretty regularly to Southampton (I think!). Didcot will have a wider variety of freight cargoes, but I expect a lot of them (plus all the vermins) will take the avoiding lines behind the museum and not be visible from the station. But then they'll all be rancid sheds anyway.

The staple diet is EMUs though, so if you want lots of Desiro/442 action, Basingstoke is the place to be. I do know that most of the staff are pretty happy with cranks knocking around the place, but there are some awkward types... (I think one of them made the national news for ejecting a spotter).

Didcot has lots of stuffed & mounted kettles, Basingstoke sees more than it's fair share of Kettlexes.

[ntanswell]

Thanks all, does anything run through Basingstoke fast (e.g 60mph plus). Earlier when driving the 0654 Weymouth-Waterloo activity, i belted through at about 100mph through the platforms, to me this seemed far to fast to charge through a busy station!

Nathan

[allypally]

You should see Cheddington on the WCML - 125mph through there.

[arabiandisco]

speed limit through Basingstoke platforms is 65mph I believe.

Woking is full line speed (90mph?) and there are pleny of 125mph platforms around - Stevenage springs to mind.