John Oram's photos with the keyword: Fratton

Class 155/0 Super Sprinter 155314 at Fratton. The Fratton of today (April 2020) is very much reduced from the sprawling site in the early 1980s and before. Even in this 1988 picture there is evidence of the lifting of some of the track. Much of the wider site now has commercial property on it. 880526_010588E

Looking at my various reference books, I can say with some confidence that DTC 76487 from Class 423 (4-VEP) unit 3079 was withdrawn by the time I photographed it at Fratton. The site itself was contracting as evidenced by the signs of lifted track in the foreground. The Fratton of today (April 2020) is very much reduced from the sprawling site in the early 1980s and before. Much of the wider site now has commercial property on it. 880527_010588E

Looking at my various reference books, I can say with some confidence that DTC 76487 from Class 423 (4-VEP) unit 3079 was withdrawn by the time I photographed it at Fratton. The site itself was contracting as evidenced by the signs of lifted track in the foreground. The Fratton of today (April 2020) is very much reduced from the sprawling site in the early 1980s and before. Much of the wider site now has commercial property on it. 880525_010588E

Class 155/0 Super Sprinter 155304 at Fratton. The Fratton of today (April 2020) is very much reduced from the sprawling site in the early 1980s and before. Even in this picture there is evidence of the lifting of some of the track. Much of the wider site now has commercial property on it. 880210_310388E

In posting this final picture from 1986, I have created a mystery which, at the time of posting, I can not solve. Based on what I can see on a picture which is admittedly very fuzzy when blown up, I do not correlate what I think I can read with the marking 054 and the listing in Ian Allan Motive Power Combined Volume 1989 which is the nearest suitable date amongst the volumes I have. It is clear that this is former Class 414/3 2-HAP unit in a long line of, presumably, withdrawn stock at Fratton. Departmental units were normally numbered quite neatly and I am instinctively suspicious of the 0 before the 54. The ADB number(s) listed for the erstwhile (932)054 do not match what I think I can read off. Update 23 April 2020: Kind friends on FB have directed me to the wonderful bloodandcustard.com which shows that the above unit was once 6116. The ADB number which I think I can read as 977207 was formed into the unit at one stage of its many lives. www.bloodandcustard.com/br-2hap.html?fbclid=IwAR28CsWZivi... 862035_091186E

Southeastern Class 395 Javelin 395017 'Passchendaele Javelin' stands at Fratton with UK Railtours' 'The Victory Javelin' bound for Portsmouth Harbour and, after reversal there, Southampton. 'The Victory Javelin' was the fifth and final charity railtour commemorating successive years of the First World War each having been run with an appropriately numbered unit. Today's 395017 was attached to 395018 also in special markings which I did not have time to observe. 200_3_P1080548R

Now 30 years old, the much re-purposed Class 442 units introduced by Network SouthEast now find themselves with South Western Railway for services between Waterloo and Portsmouth Harbour which are currently in the charge of Classes 444 and 450 Desiros, some of which can be seen in the background. 442402 is seen at Fratton Traincare Depot in an intermediate livery before receiving the full livery of the franchise which began operations in 2017. 200_3_P1080558E

Now 30 years old, the much re-purposed Class 442 units introduced by Network SouthEast now find themselves with South Western Railway for services between Waterloo and Portsmouth Harbour which are currently in the charge of Classes 444 and 450 Desiros, some of which can be seen in the background. 442402 is seen at Fratton Traincare Depot in an intermediate livery before receiving the full livery of the franchise which began operations in 2017. 200_3_P1080557

Southeastern Class 395 Javelin 395017 'Passchendaele Javelin' stands at Fratton with UK Railtours' 'The Victory Javelin' bound for Portsmouth Harbour and, after reversal there, Southampton. 'The Victory Javelin' was the fifth and final charity railtour commemorating successive years of the First World War each having been run with an appropriately numbered unit. Today's 395017 was attached to 395018 also in special markings which I did not have time to observe. 200_3_P1080552E

Southeastern Class 395 Javelin 395017 'Passchendaele Javelin' stands at Fratton with UK Railtours' 'The Victory Javelin' bound for Portsmouth Harbour and, after reversal there, Southampton. 'The Victory Javelin' was the fifth and final charity railtour commemorating successive years of the First World War each having been run with an appropriately numbered unit. Today's 395017 was attached to 395018 also in special markings which I did not have time to observe. 200_3_P1080553E

Southeastern Class 395 Javelin 395017 'Passchendaele Javelin' stands at Fratton with UK Railtours' 'The Victory Javelin' bound for Portsmouth Harbour and, after reversal there, Southampton. 'The Victory Javelin' was the fifth and final charity railtour commemorating successive years of the First World War each having been run with an appropriately numbered unit. Today's 395017 was attached to 395018 also in special markings which I did not have time to observe. 200_3_P1080556RC

Displaying one of two liveries in service at the time of the franchise change, former South West Trains Class 444 Desiro emu 444035 operates the South Western Railway 0857 (0848 ex Portsmouth Harbour) service from Fratton to Waterloo. 200_3_P1020957R

In this awkward shot across the sun, Great Western Railway Class 150 dmu 150216 is seen at Fratton. 200_3_P1020956E

Invariably on a Sunday there are a lot of trains at rest at Fratton. On this occasion, the emus of the former South West Trains were all in the livery of the defunct franchise as the changes arising from the advent of South Western Railway, around three weeks previously, were just beginning. Class 450 Desiro unit 450027 was amongst those at the much reduced site, the former expanse of which was some years ago replaced by commercial properties and new roads. 200_3_P1020952R

On 4 September 2017, the slightly delayed transfer of the franchise operated by South West Trains took place. South Western Railway is owned jointly by FirstGroup and MTR Corporation. It is going to take a fair chunk of the planned investment referred to on the poster to make Fratton even slightly salubrious. The poster holder has been tagged as seems inevitable for both the times and the area. 200_3_P1020954