66528 Islip 25 April 2021

Spectacular lighting at Islip on 25 April 2021, as 66528 Madge Elliot MBE - Borders Railway Opening 2015 brings up the rear of the 07:20 Bicester Gavray Junction to Hinksey ballast empties. Engineer's trains returning from overnight possessions usually run early, and I was prepared for this, and had arrived at Islip nearly two hour hours before it was booked to pass at 09:18. However, as I was walking across the field towards the footbridge, I could hear it approaching, 107 minutes early. Not only was there no sun as the lead locomotive (66541) passed by, but I wasn't in a position for a decent photo of that end of the train. Luckily by the time the rear loco was passing me, the sun had come out from behind the dark clouds. Victory snatched from the jaws of defeat! The buildings and lighting towers behind the train are part of the former Islip oil depot.