Eastleigh Lakeside Steam Railway started in 1992 on temporary track with a more permanent track the next year following the granting of a three year lease. In 1998 after considerable negotiations with Eastleigh Borough Council a long lease was obtained and permission granted for the construction of Parkway and Monks Brook Halt stations opened in 1999. Major extensions in 2000 brought the route as it is today, although the tunnel wasn't constructed until 2003. Double track almost throughout gives a continuous journey of 1¼ miles. Lakeside café and extended station complete with full toilet facilities were completed in February 2005. To make room for the new shop and café the workshop was moved and greatly extended giving perhaps the finest facilities for a railway of this size in the country. Apart from the usual machine tools there is an overhead crane and wheel drop.
The locomotive fleet consists of 19 steam locos all but 4 belonging to the railway; 2 diesel hydraulic and the battery powered Eurostar. Steam locos nos. 1001 & 1002 were built in 1932 & 1933 respectively and are quite important historically, no. 1908 is also pre-WWII. The two diesels were built by the railway likewise Eurostar, although in co-operation with Southampton University.
Information from the Eastleigh Lakeside Steam Railway website
This cache is placed near to the main station and ticket office on the Lakeside Steam Railway. The location will be in public view at busy times, so please use stealth as appropriate and ensure that the cache is replaced and covered as found. Finding the container will be easy but accessing the log may prove challenging, the nearby benches may provide somewhere to rest while you do this. You will need to bring your own pen to sign the log. Due to the challenge required, you must sign the paper log sheet within the inner container. Online logs not matching the physical log may be removed without warning.
This cache belongs to the SideTracked series. For more information, please see the SideTracked website.