Great Western Coffee Shop

While I was walking past Sandhurst station this morning I heard a train that definitely didn't sound like a Turbo and just managed to catch a glimpse of what looked like an XC train travelling towards Reading. It's the first time I've seen something other than a Turbo on the line in ages.

I found this entry in RTT: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/C82784/2021-02-07/detailed (https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/C82784/2021-02-07/detailed) which corresponds with the timing.

I thought the Southampton to Piccadilly service normally go via Basingstoke. Is this route a regular service, or has it been diverted for some reason?

Are there any other non-Turbo services that currently use this part of the North Downs Line?

It's a diversionary route - used when engineering works are taking place on the usual route via Basingstoke, or if there's other problems.  It can be months between being used, and then used quite frequently when work is on.  There's usually the once daily XC service to and from Guildford that uses that route (though not since the Covid timetable), and an ECS Voyager service goes that way daily in each direction to maintain drivers route knowledge.

From Crosscountry  (https://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/media/4755/changes-to-train-times_sat_06_thu_11_feb_2021.pdf)
From SWR (https://www.southwesternrailway.com/plan-my-journey/planned-improvements/~/media/6f4a7cf900b049539e44e5bdaf8c64e3.ashx)

Thanks both for that information. I will have to remember to check for similar diversions in future and be ready to take some photos. I did find one photo I took back in May 2006 just to the west of the station, of a similar train but with a Virgin logo at that time. Unfortunately I wasn't quick enough so it's a bit blurred and there are several branches in the way :(

You need to look for a closure in the Basingstoke station area, because if the West of England line is available then XC would be able to reach Southampton via Andover and Romsey as it’s quicker.

Paul

The Guildford diversion was in use today, but yesterday the Andover route was in use. That's from ther EAS:

And that's an up-to-date one. In the past the EAS was complicated to download as a huge zip file, the only alternative being a PDF relying on automation features that never worked for me. But now there's a PDF per route per year. You still need to know what you are looking for (as well as how to read the tables in the file) of course:
This is the "Operational Rules" page on the NR web site. (https://www.networkrail.co.uk/industry-and-commercial/information-for-operators/operational-rules/)
Look down the page and click on "EAS 2021" (or "EAS 2022" for next year)
Choose V4 (I think it's just more recent that V2 ... but who knows?)
The file names start with a short version of the route name - WR for Western, WX for Wessex - and you want the one that ends with  "V7" (the big one).

Note that, strictly speaking, the EAS is a draft for discussion not the final plan That's why it has "Superseded by CPPP" stamped across it - that being the "Confirmed Period Possession Plan". In theory that's frozen 26 weeks in advance, but the current Wessex one was last edited on Wednesday.

Finally caught sight of a non-turbo today  :)

Edit: you need to be logged in to be able to see the attached photos.

I've noticed some discussion on RailUK forums which said that on several days this week, COLAS drivers have been out in 66850 doing route learning, as they will be the crews that will be carrying out the FFR (Fault Free Running) of the class 769 units.

The numbers on the cab doors are not very clear, but I assume that is the loco in my photos from yesterday.

CrossCountry trains from Southampton are again being diverted via Guildford today.

I've attached a couple photos of one of them, taken from the footbridge in Little Sandhurst.

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:G29900/2021-09-26/detailed (https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:G29900/2021-09-26/detailed)