442 End of the Line?

Well today was the last booked working of the Class 442 Wessex Electrics.(known as pigs) One unit was due to operate Waterloo-Fratton-Waterloo-Weymouth-Waterloo-Weymouth-Bournemouth. I travelled up to Woking to pick the train up to head down to Fratton. This train was well advertised on the South West Trains e-mail list and I was hoping that I would meet up with the guy who runs the list a chap by the name of Terry Wong-Ming. Sure enough it wasn’t difficult to spot him. Not many Chinese looking train spotters around. Down to Fratton, of to take pics of the buses that was working the rail replacement service down to Pompy and back up to Waterloo in the company of Terry. Really nice bloke, who knows his stuff. Was pointing out the different 455 units that were seen. They all look the same to me. Sat in the buffet car which I’ve never done in a pig, just to get the fully effect of the motors. They off to Weymouth, sat first class and was expecting the guard to charge us for the weekend first class upgrade but it was obvious that many SWT employees knew that it was an historic day and waved the charge. Despite being train mad and living in Bournemouth for 40 odd years have never done the line to Weymouth beyond Wareham. I’ve only done the Poole-Wareham section once, after a training course in Poole once. Quick dash around Weymouth. Took a few bus pictures, added another picture of a church to my collection. Got fish and chips and back on the train heading up to Waterloo. First class again. Was in some good company that day. Got back to Waterloo and the driver was letting people sit in the cab. I chance I wasn’t going to turn down. He even took a photo of me. Pity I didn’t smile. Then home on another PIG. Got off at Winchester and watch the train disappear into the distance. Good bye old friend..