7MT 4-6-2 70000 Britannia approaches Heyford with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z39 08:10 Cardiff Central to Stratford-upon-Avon 'William Shakespeare' railtour on 11 April 1993. The BR pacific had worked the tour from Didcot. Just visible behind the loco are the newly planted trees which soon obliterated the view of Rousham church which can be seen in the background gloom. A mere fourteen years later the location is hardly recognisable.

7MT 4-6-2 70000 Britannia finds a lucky patch of sunshine as it passes Circourt Bridge, Denchworth, on 25 July 1993 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z41 08:10 Taunton to Worcester Shrub Hill 'Cotswold Venturer' railtour. The tour had worked up to Didcot behind 47573 an hour earlier and was now retracing its steps, before heading to Worcester via the 'Golden Valley' route. Note the recently relaid but not yet commissioned down relief line. The up relief line which has also now been reinstated at this point had not yet been started at this time.

7MT 4-6-2 70000 Britannia passes through Shipton station on 25 July 1993 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z41 16:00 Worcester Shrub Hill to Taunton 'Cotswold Venturer' railtour. Britannia would hand over to a diesel loco at Didcot for the remainder of the journey to Taunton.

7MT 4-6-2 70000 Britannia passes Shrivenham on 11 September 1994 with the Flying Scotsman Services 09:00 Paddington to Worcester Shrub Hill 'Cotswold Venturer' railtour. This wide viewpoint gradually disappeared over the years, as the lineside vegetation grew up. This was removed in 2016, just in time for the view to be ruined forever by the route's electfrication!

7MT 4-6-2 70000 Britannia swings round the curve at Fenny Compton on 12 March 1995 with the Flying Scotsman Services Paddington to Sheffield 'South Yorkshireman' railtour. Britannia worked the train from Didcot to Sheffield, and as a far as Derby on the return trip.

On 7 April 2011 there was the very unusual sight of an early morning southbound steam special originating from Oxford. Just getting into its stride, 7MT 4-6-2 70000 Britannia passes Hinksey with the Steam Dreams 1Z71 09:22 Oxford to Canterbury West 'Cathedrals Express' railtour. The slightly incongruous background is provided by the empty car carriers of the 4V40 03:49 Purfleet to Cowley service, which is waiting to gain access to the Cowley Branch at Kennington Junction.

7MT 4-6-2 70000 Britannia passes the site of Bletchingdon station on 23 April 2011 with the Steam Dreams 1Z41 17:00 Stratford-upon-Avon to Paddington 'Cathedrals Express' railtour. This train was originally scheduled to run via the Chiltern Line, but engineering works saw it take the Oxford route instead. Of all the possible locations between Banbury and Oxford, this offers very nearly the best combination of 'sun on the nose' and freedom from shadows this late in the evening, but even here I was glad the train was on time, as the shadows were encroaching rapidly.

7MT 4-6-2 70000 Britannia runs alongside the Kennet & Avon Canal near Crofton on 8 August 2015 with the Railway Touring Company 1Z70 08:06 Paddington to Minehead 'West Somerset Steam Express' railtour. This turned out much better than I expected, with a perfect exhaust that stayed well clear of the coaches.

7MT 4-6-2 70000 Britannia passes through Heyford station at high speed on 26 November 2022 with the Saphos Trains 1Z73 05:43 Crewe to Bristol Temple Meads 'Great Western Christmas Envoy' railtour. Canal narrowboats and some golden autumn foliage add to the scene, augmented by some weak sunshine (not forecast). The only slight annoyance is the perfect reflection of the moored boats on the right has been spoiled by the wash form the narrowboat Nirvana, which is manoeuvring into the boat yard. The man on the boat's tiller is obviously momentarily distracted!

7MT 4-6-2 70013 Oliver Cromwell passes Compton Beauchamp in atrocious light (but thankfully not the rain of earlier in the day) on 7 July 2012 with the Railway Touring Company 1Z72 16:10 Worcester Shrub Hill to Paddington 'Cotswold Venturer' railtour.

7MT 4-6-2 70013 Oliver Cromwell passes Shorthampton on 6 October 2012 with the Railway Touring Company 1Z71 08:05 Paddington to Worcester Shrub Hill 'Cotswold Venturer' railtour. Most locations on the southern end of the Cotswold Line are completely hopeless for a train running at this time of day, due to extreme backlighting. However, this section from Charlbury to Ascott-under-Wychwood is better than most, which explains why I have chosen this location yet again, after seeing a similar tour hauled by 60163 just a few months previously.

The late afternoon shadows are lengthening at Standish Junction on 6 October 2012, as 7MT 4-6-2 70013 Oliver Cromwell takes the 'Golden Valley' route with the Railway Touring Company 1Z73 16:10 Worcester Shrub Hill to Paddington 'Cotswold Venturer' railtour. It will shortly be doing battle with the notorious Sapperton Bank.

7MT 4-6-2 70013 Oliver Cromwell storms through Kingham station in the rain on 10 February 2018 with the Railway Touring Company 1Z50 08:08 Paddington to Worcester Shrub Hill 'Cotswold Venturer' railtour. The train could plainly be heard for several minutes before it came into view, as it climbed up the Evenlode Valley. Plenty of locals have braved the cold and the rain to witness the spectacle, less than a month before the loco retires temporarily from the national network at the end of its current main line certificate.

"This is how it works". Some salient feature of 7MT 4-6-2 70013 Oliver Cromwell is pointed out at Toddington on 2 June 2018, as the loco waits to leave with the 10:00 service to Cheltenham Racecourse. The loco had arrived at the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway for the previous weekend's Cotswold Festival of Steam.

After a protracted restoration from a derelict Barry hulk, confounding the critics who said it couldn't be done, 8P 4-6-2 71000 Duke of Gloucester made a triumphant return to the main line on 7 April 1990 when it worked the 'Red Dragon' railtour from Didcot to Derby. It is pictured here passing Oxford with a fine smoke effect. Note the smoke being pushed forward of the chimney lip, which seems to be a characteristic of this particular locomotive.

Unlike its inaugural mainline run two weeks earlier, the unique 8P 4-6-2 71000 Duke of Gloucester's 21 April 1990 Marylebone to Nottingham 'Mid-Day Scot' railtour took place in miserable conditions. It is seen here emerging from the mist at Bucknell, on the Chiltern Line, which at that time was still a single track backwater. This picture is taken from a farm occupation bridge, which has since been demolished.

8P 4-6-2 71000 Duke of Gloucester approaches Culham on 29 April 1990 with the Great Western Society's Ealing Broadway to Derby 'Midlander II' railtour. Duke of Gloucester had taken over the train at Didcot, and was just getting in to its stride here, hence the customary heavy clag. This was only three weeks after its triumphant return to the main line. Didcot Power Station dominates the background, which in contrast to the locomotive is not emitting anything!

8P 4-6-2 71000 Duke of Gloucester has plenty of steam to spare, as it drifts down the gradient through Harbury cutting on 6 May 1991 with the late running Pathfinder Tours 17:11 Didcot Parkway to Stratford-upon-Avon 'Royal Shakespeare Shuttle' railtour.

Running 18 minutes late, 8P 4-6-2 71000 Duke of Gloucester passes Clay Mills (Hargate) in miserable light on 17 May 1991 with the Flying Scotsman Services 09:10 Ealing Broadway to Sheffield 'South Yorkshireman' railtour. 47801 had worked the train between Ealing Broadway and Didcot.

8P 4-6-2 71000 Duke of Gloucester passes Smardale on 5 February 1994 with the Flying Scotsman Services Carlisle to Bradford Forster Square 'Cumbrian Mountain Express;' railtour. Terrible light, and a very poor quality 35mm slide, but a perfect exhaust.

8P 4-6-2 71000 Duke of Gloucester rounds the curve at Armathwaite, on the Settle & Carlisle line with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z29 12:40 Carlisle to Didcot Parkway returning 'Cumbrian Mountain Express' railtour on 29 April 1995. The Duke worked the tour between Carlisle and Crewe. A fine sight despite the gloomy weather!

8P 4-6-2 71000 Duke of Gloucester crosses Dent Head Viaduct in typically dire Settle & Carlisle weather with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z29 12:40 Carlisle to Didcot Parkway 'Cumbrian Mountain Express' railtour on 29 April 1995.

8P 4-6-2 71000 Duke of Gloucester tries its best to obscure the train with smoke at Brampton on 16 December 1995, but thankfully doesn't quite manage it! The train is the Pathfinder Tours 1Z27 12:50 Carlisle to Didcot Parkway 'Festive Cumbrian Mountain Express' railtour, which the Duke worked as far as Crewe.

8P 4-6-2 71000 Duke of Gloucester turns golden as it basks in the setting sun at Garsdale on 16 December 1995, during a water stop whilst working the Pathfinder Tours 1Z27 12:50 Carlisle to Crewe (with diesel onwards to Didcot Parkway) 'Cumbrian Mountain Express'. The long shadows in the foreground gives away the fact that there were quite a few photographers about!

8P 4-6-2 71000 Duke of Gloucester drifts past Panteg with the Steamy Affairs Watford to Bristol (via Hereford) 'Welsh Marches Express' railtour on 28 May 2005. 71000 is deputising for the unavailable 60009 Union of South Africa. Pontypool's Folly Tower can just be seen on the hillside directly above the locomotive.

8P 4-6-2 71000 Duke of Gloucester passes Smardale on 3 September 2005 with the Kingfisher Railtours 1Z71 13:05 Appleby to Crewe 'Dalesman' railtour. It was only possible to get this side view, as I was waiting for the much more noteworthy D1015 Western Champion coming from the opposite direction less than two minutes later with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z29 06:20 Bristol Temple Meads to Carlisle 'Western Heights' railtour.

5MT 4-6-0 73096 approaches Heyford on 24 April 1999 with the 07:07 Alton to Worcester Shrub Hill 'Worcester Standard' railtour. There was a lot of cloud around, but I was lucky with the sun both here, and for the second picture, of the train departing Banbury after the water stop.

5MT 4-6-0 73096 accelerates away from Banbury on 24 May 1999, after taking water in the station, whilst working the 07:07 Alton to Worcester Shrub Hill 'Worcester Standard' railtour. A perfectly matching train, with the loco's Brunswick green almost exactly matching the Southern Region green coaches.

Didcot Power Station's cooling towers dominate the background, as 5MT 4-6-0 73096 passes Steventon on 25 September 2004 with the Daylight Limited Railtours 1Z96 06:20 Alton to Avonmouth 'Avonmouth Adventurer' railtour. The terrible weather did at least mean that I could take this picture from the north side of the line, for a change of viewpoint.

4MT 4-6-0 75014 Braveheart approaches Bishop's Cleeve on 4 April 2023 with the 15:45 Cheltenham Racecourse to Broadway service. The loco is on three month loan to the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway from the Dartmouth Steam Railway.

4MT 4-6-0 75014 Braveheart passes Dixton on 7 April 2023 with the 10:00 Cheltenham Racecourse to Broadway service. The loco is on loan to the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway from the Dartmouth Steam Railway. The apparently conflicting signal in the background indicates that Gotherington Signal Box is switched out.

4MT 4-6-0 75014 Braveheart approaches Hayles Abbey Halt on 13 May 2023 with the 7B56 16:01 Cheltenham Racecourse to Broadway freight, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Steam Gala. As is often the case with the intensive train service on gala days, timings had started to slip, and this was running 40 minutes late.

There was still a token steam service operating during the Severn Valley Railway's Diesel Gala on 14 October 1989. Here, BR Standard 4 4-6-0 75069 pulls away from the Sterns speed restriction with the 14:00 Bridgnorth to Kidderminster service.

Mass trespass at Kemble on 2 March 1985! No evidence of modern health & safety rules as 4MT 4-6-0 75069 blasts out of the station with the SLOA Newport to Swindon 'Red Dragon' railtour. A few minutes earlier the 8 coach tour had climbed up the Golden Valley route from Gloucester, entering Sapperton Tunnel with some wheel slip at 13mph. This tour was a prelude to a number of steam specials over the route later in the year in connection with the GW150 celebrations.

Just a few miles into its return journey, BR Standard 4 4-6-0 75069 passes Purton in failing light on 2 March 1985 with the SLOA Swindon to Newport 'Red Dragon' railtour. The group of people (and especially the dog) make this picture, but given the fact that the line is right next to the road, and there is nothing other than a low fence in the way, I cannot understand why some people have chosen to view the train from the wrong side of the fence!

When BR Standard 4 4-6-0 75069 left Gloucester on 21 August 1985 with the 14:00 Gloucester to Swindon GW150 special, the weather was atrocious, so the only decent picture I got was of the loco backing onto its train. So, for the record, here it is in some fleeting sunshine!

BR Standard 4 4-6-0 75069 is just getting into its stride as it passes Bremell Sidings on 1 September 1985 with the 15:55 Swindon to Gloucester GW150 special. This was the final day of special workings over the route, which had for obvious reasons been mostly worked by Great Western locos. Quite what connection 75069 has with the GWR is unclear.

BR Standard 4 4-6-0 75069 heads south past Eardington on 3 June 1990 with a short parcels train. 75069 was built in 1955, and was initially allocated to Dover Marine. It spent its entire life on the Southern Region, being withdrawn from Eastleigh shed in 1966. It was rescued from Woodham's scrapyard at Barry in 1973 by the Severn Valley Railway.

BR Standard 4 4-6-0 75069 passes Eardington on 6 October 2019 with the late running 14:32 Bridgnorth to Kidderminster service. This was on the last day of the Severn Valley Railway's Diesel Gala, when the there was a mixed steam and diesel service.

4MT 2-6-0 76017 arrives at Wittersham Road on 29 August 2024 with the 15:40 Tenterden to Bodiam service. The 1953 built loco is on loan to the Kent & East Sussex Railway for the 2024 season. Photo taken from the 15:35 Bodiam to Tenterden train.

4MT 2-6-0 76079 at Whitby on 16 August 2021. There was not much opportunity for photography whilst travelling on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, so this is purely a record shot as the loco runs round its train, after arriving with the 12:00 service from Pickering. 76069 is one of four preserved BR Standard Class 4 2-6-0s, a design primarily interned for medium weight freight trains.

4MT 2-6-0 76084 stands at Holt station, on the North Norfolk Railway, shortly after arriving with the 11:14 service from Sheringham on 30 May 2014. Built in 1957, 76084 had just over a decade of service on BR, before being consigned to Barry scrapyard in 1968. It was the final BR standard 2-6-0 to be withdrawn.

2MT 2-6-0 78019 & GWR Hall Class 4-6-0 7903 Foremarke Hall (masquerading as 6999 Capel Dewi Hall) call at Hayles Abbey Halt on 13 May 2023 with the 2C77 16:25 Broadway to Cheltenham Racecourse service, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Steam Gala.

2MT 2-6-0 78022 approaches Haworth in a blizzard on 10 March 2019, during the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway's Spring (!) Gala. The loco was new to Oswestry shed in December 1952, and was withdrawn 13 years later from Lostock Hall.

4MT 2-6-4T 80072 rounds the curve at Hailes on 26 May 2013 with the 11:55 Laverton to Cheltenham Racecourse service. It was taking part in the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's 'Cotswold Steam Celebration' event. This loco is one of the many that were saved from Dai Woodham's scrapyard at Barry. It was restored to working order at the Llangollen Railway.

Viewed from Chapel Lane bridge, 4MT 2-6-4T 80078 approaches journey's end at Wymondham on 14 August 2021 with the Mid Norfolk Railway's 13:15 Dereham to Wymondham Abbey service. 80078 was built at Brighton Works in 1954, and was initially an Eastern Region engine. It was reallocated to the Western Region in 1962, and withdrawn from Croes Newydd shed in 1965.

Plenty of prospective passengers at Arley on 4 July 1987 as 4MT 2-6-4T 80079 rolls in with the 12:40 Bridgnorth to Kidderminster service. This archetypical country station lost its passenger service in 1963, being reopened by the Severn Valley Railway in 1974.

4MT 2-6-4Ts 80079 & 80080 lay a smoke screen over Cockwood Harbour on 2 May 1994 as they head homewards with the Paignton to Exeter 'Torbay Explorer' railtour, which was run in connection with the Exeter Rail Day. From Exeter they would work the 'Semper Fidelis' railtour as far as Bristol Temple Meads.

4MT 2-6-4Ts 80079 & 80080 race the M5 motorway traffic at Cullompton on 2 May 1994 with the Flying Scotsman Services 1Z48 18:10 Exeter St Davids to Paddington 'Semper Fidelis' railtour, which they worked as far as Bristol Temple Meads. This was (an surprisingly still is) an excellent location for northbound trains in the evening, as there is nothing to shade the line.

The sheep scatter as 4MT 2-6-4Ts 80080 & 80079 approach Tiverton Parkway with the Flying Scotsman Services 1Z47 08:30 Paddington to Exeter St Davids 'Semper Fidelis' railtour on 1 May 1994, which was steam hauled between Bristol Temple Meads and Exeter St Davids, 47484 having worked the tour from Paddington. An easy location to get to if you are chasing something, as it is right next to Junction 27 on the M5 motorway.

4MT 2-6-4Ts 80080 & 80079 have just passed underneath the M5 motorway at Exminster on 2 May 1994, as they head south with the Exeter to Paignton 'Torbay Explorer' railtour. This was one of a number of special trains run in connection with the Exeter Rail Day.

Filling in for the missing visiting diesel locos at the Swanage Railway's Diesel Gala on 13 May 2012, 4MT 2-6-4T 80104 passes Corfe Common with the 09:15 Norden to Swanage service. The convoy conveying a Deltic, Warship and two Class 20s failed near Gloucester, and instead of heading to the coast, they were towed back to the Severn Valley Railway by 50049!

Not a wisp of steam or smoke as 4MT 2-6-4T 80104 passes Quarr Farm, near Harmans Cross on 13 May 2012 with the 11:30 Norden to Swanage service. The loco was helping out during the Swanage Railway's Diesel Gala, due to the non-arrival of most of the visiting diesel locos.

4MT 2-6-4T 80104 makes a spirited and very noisy departure from Harmans Cross on 13 May 2012 with the 14:05 Norden to Swanage service. It was helping out during the Swanage Railway's Diesel Gala, due the non-arrival of most of the booked diesel locos.

4MT 2-6-4T 80104 is getting into its stride after departing from Norden with the 16:45 train to Swanage on 13 May 2012. However, it is already approaching Corfe Castle, and will shortly be stopping at that station. The loco was helping out during the Swanage Railway's Diesel Gala.

4MT 2-6-4T 80135 passes Eller Beck on 8 May 1993, en-route from Grosmont to Pickering, on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. This is the only one of the 155 strong class to carry Brunswick Green livery, although only in preservation. In BR days the locos carried lined black livery.

9F 2-10-0 92203 Black Prince gets under way from Winchcombe station on 14 November 1998 with the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's 13:20 Toddington to Gotherington service. Like most of the 9Fs, this loco had a scandalously short life in BR service, in this case less than nine years.

David Shepherd's 9F 2-10-0 92203 Black Prince round the curve at Hailes on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway on 20 December 1998 with the 12:15 Toddington to Winchcombe Santa Special. Built in 1959 this loco had a ridiculously short life with British Railways, being withdrawn in November 1967 after having seen less than nine years use hauling the heavy freight trains for which the class was designed.

Golden late afternoon light at Hailes on 20 December 1998, as 9F 2-10-0 92203 Black Prince works the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's 15:00 Toddington to Winchcombe Santa Special. This loco was purchased direct from BR by David Shepherd for just £3,000, after a working life of just eight years. It was in excellent condition, as despite the fact that it was soon to be withdrawn, it had received a full overhaul at Crewe Works!

9F 2-10-0 92203 Black Prince engages in a spot of shunting, during a brief sunny spell at the Gloucestershire Warwickshire's headquarters at Toddington on 29 October 2005. In the background, Toddington Signal Box is looking in better condition than when I photographed it in 1979.

David Shepherd's 9F 2-10-0 92203 Black Prince leaves Winchcombe, and rounds Chicken Curve, on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway with the 11:47 Winchcombe to Toddington freight train on 24 May 2009, during the line's 'Cotswold Festival of Steam'. Certainly more appropriate than the passengers trains it normally operates, but I don't think in BR days a 9F would have been used on quite such a featherweight load!

This low viewpoint at Gotherington only goes to emphasise the size of 9F 2-10-0 92203 Black Prince as it arrives with the 12:25 train from Toddington on 3 June 2010, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's GWR 175 Festival of Steam. Although of course a BR design, the 9F is assured honorary GWR status by virtue of having been built at Swindon.

9F 2-10-0 92212 pulls away from Ropley station on the Mid Hants Railway with the 11:55 Alton to Alresford service on 2 January 2010. I had carefully planned this picture to include the tree on the left, which I thought would balance the column of exhaust which I assumed would go up to an equal height, given the fact that there was very little wind. With the typical contrariness of steam locos the exhaust stayed low, leading to a slightly unbalanced composition. At least the sky is blue!

Photographs of steam locos taken from the rear are usually unsatisfactory because of the tender, but what if the tender is removed? The tender of 9F 2-10-0 92214 has just been separated from the loco in Toddington car park on 31 May 2016, prior to the loco being collected by a low loader, and taken to the Epping & Ongar Railway, for their steam gala. The loco had been visiting the Gloucestershire & Warwickshire Railway for their 'Cotswold Festival of Steam' over the May Bank Holiday weekend. 92214 is incorrectly wearing lined BR green. The only 9F to wear this colour scheme was the final loco of the class, and the last steam loco to be built by BR, 92220 Evening Star.

My only picture of 9F 2-10-0 92220 Evening Star at work on the mainline. On a very dull 22 May 1982 it is pictured passing Wolvercote with the Didcot to Dorridge 'Salopian' railtour. Evening Star was of course the final steam locomotive constructed by British Railways, being named at Swindon Works on 18 March 1960 by Keith Grand of the British Transport Commission. Along with most of the class it had a criminally short life, lasting just five years. An earlier form of transport can just be glimpsed through the bushes beyond the field of buttercups. The Oxford Canal runs quite close to the railway from this point right into the city.