Eastleigh Lakeside Railway is one of the very few dual gauge railways open to the public. As the track can accommodate both 7 1/4 inch and 10 1/4 inch gauge stock it has proved very popular for visiting locomotives.
The line is open at weekends all year round plus Bank Holidays, school holidays and for special events. The railway is about a 10-15 minute walk from Southampton Airport Parkway station.
At the time of our visit, trains were being double-headed by ‘6220’ and ‘Florence’. ‘6220’ is a 10 1/4 inch gauge 4-6-2 ‘Coronation’ built by Ernest Dove in 1946 and which previously operated at Christchurch and more recently Syon Park. No 92 ‘Florence’ is an 0-6-0 10 1/4 inch gauge diesel loco built in 1999.
As always a number of other locomotives were on display in the sheds including No 7 ‘Sandy River’ a 10 1/4 inch gauge 2-4-2 steam locomotive.
D1994 ‘Eastleigh’ a 10 1/4 inch gauge Bo-Bo diesel locomotive built in 1994 was on standby outside the main station.
Jonathan James
‘Florence’ piloting Coronation Scot ‘6220’ on the dual gauge Eastleigh Lakeside Railway. Picture by Jonathan James.
‘Sandy River’ on display at Eastleigh. Picture by Jonathan James.
Coronation Scot ‘6220’ working at Eastleigh Lakeside Railway. Picture by Jonathan James.
