40001 approaches Oxford with the Severn Valley Railway Association York to Weymouth 'Wessex Whistler' railtour on 21 May 1983, which the Class 40 worked as far as Westbury. The tour was worked forward from Westbury by 33113 & 33118. Unfortunately it was a very dull day, nevertheless this is the only picture I have of this particular locomotive, which was withdrawn just over a year later and cut up at Swindon in 1987.

I do not normally photograph light engine movements, but had to make an exception in this case as I failed to see this particular locomotive actually on a train! The final Class 40s were withdrawn in January 1985, with the exception of D200 which was retained for railtour duties. However, four locomotives were subsequently reinstated into the departmental fleet to help with the Crewe remodeling project. As such they received departmental numbers in the 97 series and were used on ballast and general engineering trains. 97407 is pictured here ambling along towards Basford Hall Junction on 3 July 1985 with not only its original 40012 number clearly displayed on the nose, but also a painted representation of its former Aureol nameplate on the side.

212 Aureol passes Soldridge on 5 August 1995 with the 12:55 Alton to Alresford service, during the loco's brief visit to the Mid Hants Railway. A slight chronological mix up here, with an early 1970s livery on the loco, with 1950s and Network SouthEast liveried coaches!

212 Aureol passes Bishop's Sutton on 5 August 1995 with the 14:00 Alresford to Alton to Alresford service. The loco was on a short visit to the Mid Hants Railway, and the combination of unusual motive power, and a warm sunny day was certainly attracting the enthusiasts.

Under a perfect blue sky, 212 Aureol passes Ropley's up distant signal with the 15:01 Alton to Alresford service on 5 August 1995, during the loco's brief visit to the Mid Hants Railway. White wheels certainly look smart, but would not usually have been seen on a Class 40 in BR service!

D213 Andania on display at the Basingstoke Rail Show on 27 September 1987. The loco had been withdrawn (as 40013) in January 1985, and by the time it reached Basingstoke, it had already been displayed at numerous locations, including Blackburn, Southport and Kidderminster.

D213 Andania passes Preston Boats (near Shrewsbury) on 8 August 2018 with the 5Z90 09:30 Crewe to Telford Central ECS. This was D213's first mainline loaded test run, and its first train on the national network since January 1985. D1935 (47805) Roger Hosking MA 1925 - 2013 is on the rear of the train.

D213 Andania storms through Albrighton station on 8 August 2018 with the 5Z91 12:42 Telford Central to Crewe ECS. This followed on from the 5Z90 09:30 Crewe to Telford Central run. These were loaded test runs, in preparation for the loco's forthcoming second mainline career. This was running four minutes early, but it's a pity it wasn't four minutes and 20 seconds early, as then it would have passed in full sun!

With the Cotswold Hills in the background, D213 Andania passes Fiddington on 3 June 2021 with the Saphos Trains 1Z72 16:03 Bristol Temple Meads to Lancaster 'Welsh Marches Whistler' railtour. This was slightly misnamed, as the Welsh Marches section of the tour was worked by LMS Steam locos 45231 & 46100 Royal Scot, with D213 merely tagging along on the rear. After the train had passed, I had the surreal experience of getting a lift back down the very rough track to where my car was parked in a 1943 ex US Army Dodge command truck! The owner had driven over the bridge in the vehicle just before the tour arrived, and had stopped on the way back to watch the train!

D213 Andania passes Standish Junction in gloomy conditions on 1 July 2021 with the Saphos Trains 1Z40 07:40 Bangor to Bristol Temple Meads 'The Bristol Forty' railtour. The tour returned in the afternoon behind LMS steam locos 46100 Royal Scot & 45231 Sherwood Forester.

Running as the 0Z42 15:47 Bristol West Junction to Crewe light engine, D213 Andania passes Bredon on 1 July 2021. As the sun would be on the back end, I decided to do a going away shot. Naturally the sun disappeared just at the critical moment!

Looking and sounding absolutely superb in the crisp autumnal light, D213 Andania & D345 pass Pandy on 30 October 2021 with the Inter City 1Z40 06:25 Preston to Plymouth 'Devonian Double' railtour. Its been a long time since a pair of Class 40s worked a train on the mainline, and I certainly wasn't going to miss this. Hidden by the bushes at the rear is 47828, which matches the livery of first class Mk3 coaches. The train was a couple of minutes early here, but it was delayed by over an hour after Bristol, due to single line working, caused by flooding at Flax Bourton.

D213 Andania passes Brockhampton on 13 September 2022 with the Saphos Trains 1Z40 06:00 Lancaster to Bristol Temple Meads 'Bristol Forty' railtour. The loco is displaying the Royal Train headcode, to mark the passing of HM Queen Elizabeth II. I had not previously visited this location, and chose it as with no prospect of any sun, it was worth investigating some different viewpoints.

40022 slogs up the bank towards Chinley with the 6H42 08:21 Oakleigh to Tunstead ICI stone empties train on 20 October 1983. This was one of the few named Class 40s, receiving the name Laconia at Crewe Works in 1962. By the time this photo was taken it had long since lost its nameplates, but painted representations of the plates had been added by the early 1980s, as seen here. 40022 only had another 5 months left in traffic, and was broken up at Doncaster in late 1984. The 1930s built vacuum braked bogie hopper wagons seen here surprisingly lasted another fourteen years on this service.

40024 passes Marshfield on 28 April 1984 with the Severn Valley Railways 1Z39 06:45 Leeds to Carmarthen 'South Wales Whistler' railtour. The highlight of the tour was of course the use of the 40 from Yorkshire to Swansea, but 37267 was also employed for the last few miles to Carmarthen, and in the evening 31160 was used on the final leg from Doncaster to Leeds. Note that 40024 is carrying a painted representation of the original Lucania nameplate. The bolts for the original crest can also just be seen above the name. The loco had only another few weeks left in traffic.

40029 Saxonia passes Chinley on 20 October 1983 with the Cleethorpes to Manchester Red Bank empty newspaper vans. The locomotive is carrying an unofficial painted nameplate in place of the original which had been removed as long ago as 1971. On the original Kodachrome slide the original bolts for the large nameplate with crest can be seen above the painted version. 40029 was only to survive in traffic for another six months and was cut up shortly afterwards. If the chain link fence on the right looks new, that's because it is only a few hours old! When I arrived only the posts were in situ, and during my stay on the footbridge British Rail workers completed the job.

In 1982 Gateshead depot specially prepared a pair of Class 40s for railtour duties, with a full repaint including red buffer beams and silver buffers. On 8 May 1982, 40057 & 40084 were used on the Class Forty Preservation Society's 1Z78 08:12 York to Paddington 'Cotswold Venturer' railtour. Unfortunately by the time the tour got to Moreton-in-Marsh the sun was head on, throwing both sides of the train into shade. Despite this, the immaculate pair make a fine sight as they enter the station for a photo stop.

40057 & 40084 stand next to Moreton-in-Marsh signal box on 8 May 1982 with the Class Forty Preservation Society's 1Z78 08:12 York to Paddington 'Cotswold Venturer' railtour. This was an old style photo stop for the tour participants, with photographers wandering everywhere. There was a line of photographers where I am stood right across both running lines! No way would today's health and safety zealots allow this, even though the train is stationary and obviously nothing can come from the other direction!

With what seems like virtually every railtour passenger hanging out of a window, savouring the noise, 40057 & 40084 accelerate away from Moreton-in-Marsh on 8 May 1982 with the Class Forty Preservation Society's 1Z78 08:12 York to Paddington 'Cotswold Venturer' railtour. The tour would later return via the Swindon to Gloucester 'Golden Valley' route.

40057 & 40135 race through Pilning station on 28 May 1984 with the T & N Railtours 1Z26 06:30 Preston to Paignton 'Devonian' railtour. 40135's steam heat generator is obviously working well, but then it probably needs to be as seemingly every window in the front of the train is open! Although 40135 survived into preservation, 40057 was not so lucky, being withdrawn less than two months after this picture was taken. It was cut up at Crewe in 1988.

40063 was withdrawn in in April 1984, but instead of being cut up like so many of its classmates, it enjoyed a brief reprieve as an exhibition loco. After first being put on display at Stourbridge, it was moved to Worcester Shrub Hill in November 1984. Unfortunately it was parked in rather an awkward spot for photography, but is seen here in the company of cinema coach ZDW150353 (former Mk1 restaurant coach 1012) on 24 November 1984. And no, the graffiti in the cab window is nothing to do with me!

40086 races through Chinley on 19 June 1984 with the Cleethorpes to Manchester Red Bank empty newspaper vans. Unfortunately this corresponded with one of the few cloudy periods during an otherwise perfect summer's day. However, as I have so few pictures of Class 40s in regular service, it is worth including. Note the panel just behind the loco's number flapping about in the wind. I hope it didn't hit anything en-route!

40086 is pictured passing Circourt Bridge, Denchworth in golden autumnal light on 3 November 1984 with the Lancashire Loco Society 1Z29 08:29 Bolton to Swindon 'Swindon Ambassador III' railtour. The tour was running very late at this point because 40086 had run out of fuel at Didcot and had been taken to Reading for fuel by 58017, borrowed off an MGR train. At least in those days these out of course events were dealt with relatively quickly. No doubt if the same thing happened today, the tour would have passed me after dark, or else been cancelled, such is today's railways inability to deal with the unexpected. 40086 was withdrawn in January 1985 and cut up the following month.

40086 & 40118 pass Ashchurch in miserable light on 24 November 1984 with the Hertfordshire Railtours 1Z56 07:25 Euston to Meldon Quarry 'Devon Quarryman' railtour. This doesn't seem an obvious route from London to the West Country, but it had travelled via the West Coast Mainline to Birmingham (behind 81009), picking up at Watford, Bletchley, Rugby and Coventry.

The driver of 40091 phones the signalman after being held at signals at Great Hale on 11 August 1984, whilst working the 1E67 08:15 Manchester Piccadilly to Skegness. It's a pity he stopped so far back from the signal, as it leads to a rather unbalanced composition. It is equally unfortunate that when the train moved off, a small cloud decided to pass in front of the sun at the crucial moment! However, it is still an interesting record of the 40's trip to the seaside, in what would be their final year on such duties.

40091 passes Evedon on 11 August 1984 with the 1M54 13:24 Skegness to Manchester Piccadilly service. I don't know why I chose this ridiculously backlit location, or why I didn't travel to the area more than just this once, for what was the last year of the Class 40s passenger trips to the east coast resort.

D306 Atlantic Conveyor passes Castor on 19 March 2000 with the 13:56 Peterborough to Wansford service, during the Nene Valley Railway's Diesel Gala. Near the rear of the train is the well used public footpath crossing leading to the River Nene.

D306 Atlantic Conveyor passes Castor on the Nene Valley Railway in superb late afternoon light on 19 March 2000 with the 15:56 Peterborough to Wansford service, during the line's Diesel Gala. D306 gained some notoriety in BR days when as 40106 it survived into 1976 in very tatty green livery, and then surprisingly in the corporate blue era, emerged from a repaint in a fresh coat of green! It then became a celebrity machine, much requested for railtours, a role it handed over to D200 in 1983. 

D306 Atlantic Conveyor passes Kimberley Park's distant signal, on the Mid Norfolk Railway, with the 1W13 14:30 Dereham to Wymondham Abbey service on 5 April 2014. The loco was visiting the railway for their spring Diesel Gala.

D306 Atlantic Conveyor passes Danemoor Green on 5 April 2014 with the 1D14 15:35 Wymondham Abbey to Dereham service, during the Mid Norfolk Railway's Diesel Gala. Unfortunately the sunshine earlier in the day had by this time been replaced by thick cloud.

40106 Atlantic Conveyor crosses over the River Irwell, as it arrives at Burrs Country Park station on 5 November 2017 with the 2L61 12:35 Heywood to Rawtenstall service. This was during the line's DMU Gala, which explains why the stock is formed from Class 110 DMU set 51813, 59701 & 51842. The Class 40 had been added to the train at Bury.

Something I am both too young, and too southern to have ever seen in the old days! 40106 Atlantic Conveyor recreates the loco towing a failed DMU scenario, as it passes Burrs on 5 November 2017 with Class 110 'Calder Valley' set 51842, 59701 & 51813, during the East Lancashire Railway's DMU Gala. The train is the 2J62 13:55 Rawtenstall to Heywood service.

40106 Atlantic Conveyor leaves Kidderminster station on 16 May 2019 with the 11:05 departure for Bewdley, during the Severn Valley Railway's Diesel Gala. The loco had moved to the SVR from the East Lancashire Railway the previous year.

40106 Atlantic Conveyor passes Northwood Lane on 21 May 2022 with the 14:15 Bridgnorth to Kidderminster service, during the Severn Valley Railway's Diesel Gala. It was very fortunate that this was running ten minutes late. At the booked time it was completely cloudy, but the late running luckily corresponded with a few minutes of sunshine.

A jogger tries to keep up with 40106 Atlantic Conveyor, as it approaches Foley Park Tunnel on 1 October 2022 with the 09:45 Bridgnorth to Kidderminster service, during the Severn Valley Railway's Diesel Gala. There was a lot of cloud about, and annoyingly most trains managed to miss the sun.

40106 Atlantic Conveyor passes Eardington on 20 May 2023 with the 17:30 Kidderminster to Bridgnorth service, during the Severn Valley Railway's Diesel Gala. This was running an hour late, but I wasn't complaining, as the late evening light has produced a superb picture. The white hawthorn blossom adds the finishing touch to my favourite picture from the gala.

40106 Atlantic Conveyor leaves Kidderminster station on 4 October 2024 with the 10:55 train to Bridgnorth, during the Severn Valley Railway's Diesel Gala. Lurking underneath the water tower is 58023 Leicester Depot, with 20142 Sir John Betjeman alongside.

40106 Atlantic Conveyor passes Eardington on 4 October 2024 with the 13:00 Bridgnorth to Kidderminster service during the Severn Valley Railway's Diesel Gala. This was just about the last of the sunshine, the day having turned from 100% blue sky to 90% cloud in less than an hour.

40118 passes through Kemble station on 15 December 1984 with the Class 40 Preservation Society 1Z25 07:25 Bolton to Bristol Temple Meads 'Christmas Cracker III' railtour to the obvious delight of everyone in the first coach! I must apologize for the poor technical quality of this picture, but with only Kodachrome 64 available, and the light rapidly fading due to the tour being an hour late, I am actually surprised that it looks this good. What had been a sunny day when the tour should have come had detiorated into a dull misty afternoon. 40118 was withdrawn the following month, but was reinstated as departmental 97408, before finally being preserved.

D200 passes Stenson Junction on 2 June 1984 with the R.E.S.L. Waterloo to Crewe 'Midland Executive' railtour. Not the only railtour to pass this spot on this day, as the same organiser was also running the Midland Engineer, worked by a Class 115 DMU.

D200 (40122) heads north through Oxford on 8 September 1984 with the Railway Enthusiasts Society Limited Victoria to Carlisle 'Solway Forth Express'. I do not seem to have much luck with Class 40s at this location, as the weather is just as grim as when I photographed 40001 from the same bridge, but heading in the other direction the previous year.

D200 heads south along the Midland Mainline at Milton Ernest with the Traintours 1Z26 'Corby Cutler' railtour on 4 May 1987. D200 was the first Class 40 to enter service in the Spring of 1958, the first of 200 locos, which although ridiculously heavy for a loco producing only 2000hp, nevertheless proved to be reliable performers on both passenger and freight. The tour was a fairly straightforward Preston to London St. Pancras run via Toton. D200 was repainted into its original green livery in 1983, albeit with full yellow ends. This assured it celebrity status, and resulted in it outlasting all its classmates by over three years, as it was retaining for special workings such as this.

D200 catches the last of the evening sun as it passes Bromham on 4 May 1987 with the Traintours 1Z26 St Pancras to Preston 'Corby Cutler' railtour. At this time D200 was the last remaining Class 40 on the mainline, retained primarily for railtours such as this. It would retire the following year, after 30 years of service.

With the Newport transporter bridge just visible through the drizzle in the background, 40122 (D200) approaches Park Junction on 23 May 1987 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z37 Crewe to Ebbw Vale 'Gwent Valley Explorer' railtour. The tour also visited Barry Island and Machen, working top'n'tail up the branches with 37280, with the exception of the Machen line where 37220 was used. The line the loco is on here leaves the mainline at Gaer Junction, whilst the lines in the background come from Ebbw Junction, thus forming a triangle.

D200 passes Weston-on-Trent on 31 May 1987 with the Hertfordshire Railtours 1L02 09:38 St Pancras to Hammersmith (Midland Railway Centre) 'Coalville Scrutator' railtour. I've no idea why I chose this extremely backlit location!

D200 passes Trowel on 31 May 1987 with the Hertfordshire Railtours 1L02 17:07 Hammersmith (Midland Railway Centre) to St Pancras 'Coalville Scrutator' railtour. This was the return working of a special taking people to the Coalville Open Day. 33027 & 33056 would take over the train from D200 at Leicester. Note the causal attitude to lineside trespass that was still quite common in the 1980s. Although clearly in a perfectly safe position, well away from the running lines, these photographers would certainly be in trouble today. Even the dog is in on the action!

D200 is in unfamiliar territory as it negotiates the single track West of England line at West Hatch (between Salisbury and Gillingham) on 31 August 1987 with the Traintours 1Z37 (although of course it should really be 1Z40) Preston to Exeter St Davids 'Desert Songster' railtour. As the tour was running nearly an hour late the lighting was getting a little more head on than I would have liked, but of course as always in these cases you daren't move to a different location for fear of missing it!

Something very definitely out of the ordinary at Oxford on 25 September 1987! 40122 (D200) approaches the station from the north with 25244 and a short rake of stock, including a couple of TPO vehicles. The convoy is en-route to the following day's Basingstoke Rail Show. I had no idea that this was coming, and just happened to be in the right place at the right time. Also, the weather couldn't have been better, especially with the dark sky in the background. Clearly not many other people knew about this, as I have yet to see another picture of this working.

D200 passes through Overton station on 27 September 1987 with the 2Z18 11:15 Basingstoke to Ludgershall 'Ludgershall Limited' mini-tour, run in connection with the Basingstoke Rail Show. D200 would be replaced by S&DJR 7F steam locomotive 53809 at Andover.

D200 passes Abergele in the rain on the 2 April 1988 with the Hertfordshire Railtours 1T07 Euston to Blaenau Ffestiniog 'Tubular Belle' railtour. This could only be the North Wales coast. I'm not referring to the weather, but the fields of sheep mixed with caravans as far the horizon!

Just two weeks before it was withdrawn from traffic and transferred to the National Railway Museum, D200 visited North Wales with the Hertfordshire Railtours 1T07 Euston to Blaenau Ffestiniog 'Tubular Belle' railtour on 2 April 1988. It is pictured here passing Roman Bridge in the inevitable rain with slightly inappropriate Network SouthEast coaches.

With the snow capped peaks of the Snowdon mountain range disappearing into the cloud in the background, D200 traverses the reverse curves at Dolwyddelan in the rain on 2 April 1988 with the Hertfordshire Railtours 1T07 14:10 Blaenau Ffestiniog to Euston 'Tubular Belle' railtour.

D200 speeds past Gissing on 16 April 1988 with the 1G20 09:58 Liverpool Street to York (via Norwich), a special train organised by BR InterCity to mark the locomotive's withdrawal from service. The headboard is a modified version of that carried in 1958 to mark the launch of the diesel hauled service to Norwich. Unfortunately the weather was terrible, and actually got worse throughout the day, with heavy rain by the time I saw the train again at Eccles Heath.

D200 was withdrawn from service on 16 April 1988, almost exactly 30 years after first entering service with the Eastern Region. To mark the occasion, BR InterCity organised a special train from Liverpool Street, via Norwich to take the locomotive to its new home at the National Railway Museum at York. Sporting a large headboard, which was a subtle reworking of a headboard carried in 1958 to mark the launch of the diesel hauled service, D200 is pictured passing Eccles Heath (between Attleborough and Thetford) with the 1G20 09:58 Liverpool Street to York (via Norwich). The weather was miserable all day, and at this point was raining heavily, but I think the Kodachrome 200 has done a nice job of capturing the atmospheric conditions!

To celebrate the 200th issue of Rail Magazine, a special train was organised to visit the North Yorkshire Moors Railway on 8 May 1993, where D200 (appropriately!) would haul the train over the entire length of the line. The train was worked from the Midlands as the 1Z09 07:02 Birmingham New Street to Grosmont by 37408. The National Railway Museum's 'Whistler' then took over for the run to Pickering. D200 is pictured here at Eller Beck, running as the 1Z09 12:50 Grosmont to Pickering.

D200 passes Eller Beck on 8 May 1993 with the NYMR/Rail Magazine 1Z09 14:50 Pickering to Grosmont special, organised to mark the 200th edition of Rail Magazine. The train had arrived at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway earlier in the day, and would soon be heading back to Birmingham behind 37408. Prominent in the background are the three 'Golf Balls' of RAF Fylingdales early warning station. These well known local landmarks were removed shortly afterwards. Their replacement, the Solid State Phased Array Radar, can already be seen on the right.

D200 leaves Goathland station on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway with the 13:45 Grosmont to Pickering service on 3 June 2006. This had been specially arranged to be hauled by D200 to connect with the Pathfinder Railtours 'Esk Invader' railtour, thus giving tour participants who didn't wish to carry on to Whitby the chance of some additional Class 40 haulage. After a brief period in the National Railway Museum, D200 now spends it retirement on the NYMR, and free from the restrictions of the national network, can no wear its original green livery, unspoilt by yellow ends.

Prior to its repainting into inauthentic large logo livery in 2007, 40145 had had already carried the livery, along with the even more optimistic number of 40445. For short while in 1992 it was in this livery whilst on the East Lancashire Railway. D335 is seen here at Burrs double heading with 40145 (40445) with an afternoon Bury Bolton Street to Rawtenstall service on 4 October 1992, during the line's Diesel Gala. Naturally this spectacular and colourful double header didn't correspond with one of the sunny spells!

D335 passes Ewood Bridge on 10 June 1994 with the 09:00 Bury to Rawtenstall service, during the East Lancashire Railway's Diesel Gala. I'm not quite sure what the significance is of the bloke 'playing' the kid's electric guitar out of the coach window!

D335 passes Ewood Bridge on 10 June 1994 with the 10:00 Rawtenstall to Bury service, during the East Lancashire Railway's Diesel Gala. This is the site of Ewood Bridge & Edenfield station, clearly identified by the goods shed on the left.

40135 & D5518 pass Nuttall on 18 June 1995 with the 13:20 Rawtenstall to Bury Bolton Street service, during the East Lancashire Railway's Diesel Gala. Ramsbottom church, Holcombe Mill chimney, and the smaller Britannia Soap Works chimney stand out above the trees in the background.

40143 rests between duties on Buxton shed on 19 June 1984, in the company of 20191. This is my only picture of a split box Class 40 in BR service. 40143 entered service (as D343) in May 1961. When photographed it had just made its last depot move, from Crewe to Longsight. It was one of the last of the class to be withdrawn, succumbing, like the rest of the fleet apart from the few departmental locos, and D200, in January 1985.

The first ever double headed Class 40 passenger working on a preserved line. 40145 & D335 have an appreciate audience as they pass Burrs on 7 October 1990 with the 15:00 Bury to Ramsbottom service, during the East Lancashire Railway's Diesel Weekend.

40145 has spent a number of years on the mainline in large logo livery, a colour scheme that the class might have carried had they survived in traffic a little longer. However, many years before it became a main line loco, it carried this large logo livery which went one stage further by having the loco running as 40445, the number it would have carried in the unlikely event it was fitted with ETS! It is pictured here leaving Rawtenstall on 4 October 1992 with the 12:00 service to Bury, during the East Lancashire Railway's Diesel Gala.

2,002 horse power! 2,000 on the track and two in the field! 40145 accelerates away from Irwell Vale station on 18 June 1995 with a Bury Bolton Street to Rawtenstall service, during the East Lancashire Railway's Diesel Gala.

40145 approaches Irwell Vale on 18 June 1995 with a Rawtenstall to Bury Bolton Street service, during the East Lancashire Railway's Diesel Gala. The Network SouthEast stock is a long way from home, and not the most appropriately coloured vehicles to be hauled by a Class 40!

40145 approaches Stogumber on the West Somerset Railway on 1 October 1995 with the 13:50 Norton Fitzwarren to Minehead service, during the line's Diesel Gala. As you can see there is a very restricted view at this location, but at least there was plenty of audible warning of the whistler's approach!

D345 (40145) runs alongside the A55 at Mochdre on 30 November 2002 with the Pathfinder Tours / Class Forty Preservation Society 1Z45 07:00 Crewe to Holyhead 'Christmas Cracker IV' railtour. This was the first Class 40 on the national network since D200 ran its final railtour in 1988. The weather was awful on both occasions!

The triumphant return of a Class 40 to the main line occurred on 30 November 2002 when D345 (40145) worked the Pathfinder Tours / Class Forty Preservation Society 1Z45 07:00 Crewe to Holyhead 'Christmas Cracker IV' railtour. The weather was very poor, but had brightened up a little when the train reached the North Wales coast. It is seen here running between the A55 road and Conwy Bay at  Penmaenmawr. With three headboards even a non railway enthusiast would recognise this as a railtour!

D345 passes Milford Junction in atrocious lighting conditions on 5 April 2003 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z40 05:50 Birmingham International to Newcastle 'Whistling Tynesider' railtour, complete with inappropriate 'East Lancs Venturer' headboard. The 40 had taking over from 90031 at Crewe. Despite the miserable weather, I wasn't going to miss seeing a Class 40 on the mainline!

D345 passes Docker on 12 July 2003 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z40 07:12 Birmingham International to Carlisle 'Pennine Fellsman' railtour. The 40 had taken over the train at Liverpool Lime Street. I am not really happy with this view, as the return wire gets in the way, but I didn't have time to find another location. Even the cow appears to be unimpressed!

D345 crosses Lunds Viaduct on 12 July 2003 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z41 14:49 Carlisle to Birmingham International 'Pennine Fellsman' railtour. Note the footbridge on the left, which in addition to allowing a footpath to cross the line, is also the sole access to a house, just out of view to the left. This explains the blue car in the field!

40145 passes through East Garforth station (near Leeds) with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z40 07:15 Rawtenstall to York 'East Lancs Envoy' railtour on 24 January 2004. Despite the perfect winter lighting, it was still freezing cold waiting on the footbridge! Unusually, the train traversed the full length of the East Lancashire Railway with classmate 40135 assisting at the rear, before joining the national network via the Castleton link.

The long stretch of straight track between Selby and Hull is emphasized by the use of a telephoto lens, as 40145 passes Hemingbrough with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z41 13:03 York to Scarborough 'East Lancs Envoy' railtour on 24 January 2004. Note the vintage cast iron milepost in the foreground. This railtour had started from Rawtenstall, and after traversing the East Lancs Railway, traveled via Hebden Bridge to York. A visit to Scarborough then followed, before heading back to the East Lancs Railway via Stalybridge.

After getting two decent pictures of the Pathfinder Tours 1Z41 13:03 York to Scarborough 'East Lancs Envoy' railtour on 24 January 2004, the third proved more difficult, with the line from Bridlington to Scarborough proving to be particularly difficult for photographic locations, and with the sun getting low on a January afternoon, the options were becoming even more limited. Eventually I found this spot at Cayton, just in time to catch 40145 before the sun finally disappeared. Although not normally a fan of low level trackside pictures, it certainly makes the loco look impressive in this case.

40145 passes Cockwood Harbour on 22 May 2004 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z41 16:18 Plymouth North Road to Crewe 'Western Whistler 2' railtour. This view has since been compromised by a totally pointless fence running along the top of the embankment.

40145 traverses a typical Fenland landscape at Westry with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z40 07:41 York to Liverpool Street 'Silver Jubilee' railtour on 22 January 2005. The lack of overbridges on the Peterborough to March section of line resulted in most photographers congregating on this bridge (the A141 March to Wisbech road). Unfortunately, although the sun was out both before and after the train came, just at the critical time some squiffy cloud knocked the edge of the light.

40145 is pictured crossing Cow Common, just after passing through Manea station, with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z40 11:35 York to Kings Cross 'Silver Jubilee' railtour on Sunday 23 January 2005 (not Saturday, as this picture was captioned in Rail magazine!). In contrast to Saturday's picture of the same railtour, this location was blessed with full sun. It is not very often I do a 230 mile round trip to photograph the same railtour two days running, with the final locations only being a few miles apart! This location has the added advantage on a winter's day with a strong wind in that it could be taken from the car window while parked near the level crossing!

40145 passes Defford with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z51 05:36 Bristol Temple Meads to Blaenau Ffestiniog 'Whistling Slater' railtour on 4 June 2005. Unfortunately the forecast bright start had failed to materialize, but the weather forecast became even more inaccurate when the tour got to Wales!

Dominated by a huge mountain of slate waste, 40145 passes the old station at Blaenau Ffestiniog in the pouring rain with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z51 05:36 Bristol Temple Meads to Blaenau Ffestiniog 'Whistling Slater' railtour on 4 June 2005. The new station is a little further on, next to the terminus of the narrow gauge Ffestiniog Railway. Rhododendrons are at least adding a bit of colour to the overgrown goods yard in the foreground.

The horse in the shed takes no notice of 40145 as it approaches Dolwyddelan in the rain on the return form Blaenau Ffestiniog with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z52 13:26 Blaenau Ffestiniog to Holyhead 'Whistling Slater' railtour on 4 June 2005. I had seen the tour depart Blaenau Ffestiniog and was not sure I would get another picture along the branch. However, seeing photographers still waiting as I drove past Roman Bridge, prompted me to head to this spot, arriving just in time to see the 40 approaching.

40145 passes Llangaffo, on the Isle of Anglesey, with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z52 13:26 Blaenau Ffestiniog to Holyhead 'Whistling Slater' railtour on 4 June 2005. Note the crossed spades on the front of the loco. Unfortunately the landscape on Anglesey is not very dramatic, certainly not compared with Snowdonia, which on a clear day could be seen in the distance.

40145 approaches Llanfair PG (or if you prefer the full Welsh name, Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch) with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z53 16:54 Holyhead to Bristol Temple Meads 'Whistling Slater' railtour on 4 June 2005. The A55 Holyhead trunk road can be seen in the background.

In failing light, at exactly 21:00 on 4 June 2005, the Pathfinder Tours 1Z53 16:54 Holyhead to Bristol Temple Meads 'Whistling Slater' railtour passes Spetchley on the last leg of its journey. Some idea of how dark it was can be judged from the brightness of the marker lights and the fact that ISO 1600 was necessary in order to use the required 1/1000sec shutter speed. Despite the poor conditions, I waited for this tour purely because my route home from North Wales was across the bridge in the background, so no next extra mileage was involved in getting the picture!

Having taken over from 50031 at Bradford Interchange, 40145 rounds the curve at Church Fenton on 26 August 2005 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z40 06:55 Birmingham New Street to Kyle of Lochalsh 'Whistling Scotsman' railtour. This is the only hint of sunshine I saw on the entire trip!

40145 races past Meikle Cantly (between Huntly and Keith) with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z40 06:55 Birmingham New Street to Kyle of Lochalsh 'Whistling Scotsman' railtour on 27 August 2005. The train had stabled overnight in Aberdeen and was now making its way to Inverness via Dyce and Huntley. In contrast to the Highlands and even the Southern Uplands, the north east of Scotland does not posses any spectacular scenery, much of the line being through nondescript farmland such as this.

The landscape around Elgin is not particularly inspiring and after getting stuck in a horrendous traffic jam in the town, which for some reason doesn't have a bypass, I had no time to search for another location. 40145 passes Whitefield (approximately 3 miles west of Elgin) with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z40 06:55 Birmingham New Street to Kyle of Lochalsh 'Whistling Scotsman' railtour on 27 August 2005. The train had spent the night at Aberdeen, leaving the Granite City at 10:30.

After passing 40145 in the loop at Forres with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z40 06:55 Birmingham New Street to Kyle of Lochalsh 'Whistling Scotsman' railtour on 27 August 2005, I realised I only had a few minutes to find a location, as the tour was only booked to cross a unit. Naturally under such circumstances all the spots were completely overgrown! This was the best available, with some serious gardening needed! 40145 is pictured passing Brodie (between Forres and Nairn). Since this picture was taken the offending bushes on the left have been removed.

As the Pathfinder Tours 1Z40 06:55 Birmingham New Street to Kyle of Lochalsh 'Whistling Scotsman' railtour headed west onto the Kyle of Lochalsh line on 27 August 2005, the rain that had been threatening all morning started with a vengeance. The bushes in the foreground bend in the strong wind as 40145 crosses the bridge between Loch a' Chuilinn and Loch Achanalt. All to familiar Scottish weather, as the mountains in the background are veiled in slanting rain!

40145 arrives at a rain soaked Achnasheen station with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z40 06:55 Birmingham New Street to Kyle of Lochalsh 'Whistling Scotsman' railtour on 27 August 2005. A single engineer's siding remains at this remote crossing point, which like most of the intermediate stations on the Kyle line just serves a handful of roadside cottages.

With the mountains enveloped in cloud and the rain beating down, 40145 pulls away from Achnasheen on 27 August 2005 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z40 06:55 Birmingham New Street to Kyle of Lochalsh 'Whistling Scotsman' railtour.

With the mountains in the background shrouded in cloud 40145 accelerates away from the level crossing at Balnacra with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z40 06:55 Birmingham New Street to Kyle of Lochalsh 'Whistling Scotsman' railtour on 27 August 2005. This is an obvious spot to wait for the train when chasing by car towards Kyle of Lochalsh, as this picture is taken from the side of the road, so no walking involved!

By the time 40145 returned from Kyle of Lochalsh and arrived back at Achnasheen on 27 August 2005 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z45 18:10 Kyle of Lochalsh to Inverness 'Whistling Scotsman' railtour, it was getting quite dark. It is pictured entering the station for a 20 minute photo stop.

40145 pulls away from Achnasheen with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z45 18:10 Kyle of Lochalsh to Inverness ''Whistling Scotsman' railtour on 27 August 2005. During the 20 minute photo stop the assembled photographers on the hillside could see the train in the distance (by the white house above the second coach) but had to wait as the light level slowly dropped, to the extent that this picture is taken in near darkness!

40145 has just crossed the 29 arch 1898 built Culloden Viaduct with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z40 09:48 Inverness to Birmingham New Street 'Whistling Scotsman' railtour on 28 August 2005. The early morning rain had given way to still murky conditions, which meant the midges appeared, making the wait for the 'whistler' very unpleasant! Torrential rain and 40mph traffic on the A9 after this shot meant this was the day's only picture of the tour.

Catching a lucky bit of autumnal sunshine, 40145 passes Husborne Crawley (near Ridgmont on the Bedford to Bletchley line) with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z40 06:30 Liverpool Lime Street to Euston 'Capital Crusader' railtour on 5 November 2005. The train has just passed under the A507 road. Unfortunately the recent modernisation of this line has swept away many picturesque locations featuring manually operated crossing gates and semaphore signals.

40145 rounds the curve at Triley Mill on 25 February 2006 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z47 06:01 Crewe to Cardiff Central 'Welsh Whistler' railtour. It is just starting to slow down in preparation for its booked stop at Abergavenny. Just visible through the exhaust haze is the remnants of an earlier snowfall on the distant Black Mountains.

40145 passes Nunthorpe, on the single line between Middlesbrough to Whitby via Battersby Junction with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z40 'Esk Invader' railtour on 3 June 2006. With the frequent use of 40145 on railtours in the last few years, I have now got more decent pictures of this one locomotive than all other members of the class added together. A little more traveling in the early 1980s would have been a good idea with hindsight! On a botanical note, as a consequence of being 200 miles further north, the Hawthorn blossom is out at its peak here, whereas in my native Oxfordshire, it was already past its best.

Having missed out the timetabled loco run round at Battersby Junction in favour of running 40145 around at York, the Pathfinder Tours 1Z45 16:33 Whitby to Crewe 'Esk Invader' railtour is pictured passing through Church Fenton on 3 June 2006, running 50 minutes early. 37229 Jonty Jarvis 8-12-1998 to 18-3-2005 is the other locomotive.

40145 passes Thrupp in the pouring rain on 25 November 2006 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z40 05:54 Manchester Piccadilly to Salisbury 'Son of Christmas Cracker' railtour. Apologies for the terrible quality of this image, but it was taken in what seemed like near darkness. At least I got a picture, as if I had gone to my other local line, between Didcot and Swindon, I wouldn't have seen it, as it was diverted via Newbury due to flooding in the Swindon area. Flooding shouldn't have been a surprise, given the conditions!

40145 causes mass panic in the lambs near Kinsham on 3 March 2007. They sprint off to find mum, as 2,000 hp of English Electric power roars past with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z47 05:44 Crewe to Llandrindod Wells 'Welsh Central Liner II' railtour. I had decided to try for a different location for this tour, and so trekked across the fields between Bredon and Ashchurch, a task made difficult by the fact that heavy overnight rain had caused the nearby brook to flood out into the fields.

The early morning sunshine that greeting 40145 as it headed for Wales with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z47 05:44 Crewe to Llandrindod Wells 'Welsh Central Liner II' railtour on 3 March 2007 did not last once the tour reached the Central Wales Line. Sunny spells were interrupted by very heavy showers, one of which has just finished soaking me here, as the 40 passes through the rolling Welsh hills between Llanwrtyd Wells and Llangammarch Wells. The dark clouds in the background indicate more rain to come in the next few minutes.

The late afternoon booked departure of the returning Pathfinder Tours 1Z45 16:45 Llandrindod Wells to Crewe 'Welsh Central Liner II' railtour on 3 March 2007, meant that opportunities were limited for daylight photography. The sound of 40145 thrashing up the bank through Penybont was fantastic and the loco was still under full power (note the exhaust) as it emerged from Penybont Tunnel. Shortly before it came there was an interesting lighting effect in the cutting, as a shower of rain was backlit by the setting sun. Typically by the time the train arrived it was nearly dark.

40145 passes Closeburn with the SRPS 1Z11 05:28 Darlington to Stranraer railtour on 9 June 2007. The train is heading up the valley of the River Nith, before curving round towards the coast at Ayr. 47501 can just be seen on the rear of the train, and would be bringing the train back from Stranraer.

40145 darkens the sky as it pulls way from Barrhill station with the SRPS 1Z11 05:28 Darlington to Stranraer railtour on 9 June 2007. The noise was spectacular as the lumbering giant struggled to get to grips with the 1 in 67 gradient from a standing start in the station. Note Barrhill's up home signal on the wrong side of the line due to sighting problems caused by the sharp curve in the cutting. Apart from all the heads out of the windows this could well be a scene from the 1970s. Classic English Electric traction, semaphore signals, and bullhead track. Even the milepost has a bit more character than the standard ex BR item.

40145 passes Cample with the SRPS 1Z12 13:32 Stranraer to Darlington railtour on 9 June 2007, with 47501 brining up the rear. Considering this is one of the better locations on the Kilmarnock to Carlisle, I was surprised that I was the only person here to witness the railtour pass. Another photographer had been at the bottom of the field when I arrived, but he went home when the sun went in. Ironically it got considerably brighter just before the train came, and naturally the sun came out shortly afterwards!

Yet again the weather forecasters get it wrong! Saturday 8 September 2007 was supposed to be a warm sunny day, possibly with a little cloud early on. In reality there was a little sun early on, followed by totally cloudy skies. In the hope of a 'sun on the nose' picture I had gone to Langley Burrell to photograph 40145 East Lancashire Railway on the Pathfinder Tours 1Z55 06:39 Banbury to Kingswear 'Devonian' railtour, but unfortunately its appearance did not correspond with one of the diminishing sunny spells!

40145 East Lancashire Railway passes through the gorse lined cutting on the approach to the site of Edderton station with the Railway Touring Company 1Z23 08:10 Inverness to Thurso 'Autumn Highlander' railtour on 7 October 2007. Edderton station closed in March 1960 and is now a private residence. I bet this was a bit of a surprise for them!

40145 East Lancashire Railway passes through Golspie station with the Railway Touring Company 1Z23 08:10 Inverness to Thurso 'Autumn Highlander' railtour on 7 October 2007. The train would shortly spend two hours sat on the main line at Dunrobin Castle station, while the passengers visited the nearby castle and gardens. Such is the lack of traffic on the far north line that it is able to do this. Note the remains of the long disused down platform on the right.

40145 East Lancashire Railway climbs the 1 in 100 bank towards the long closed and very remote station at Loth (between Brora and Helmsdale) with the Railway Touring Company 1Z23 08:10 Inverness to Thurso 'Autumn Highlander' railtour on 7 October 2007. This location required a very long walk, but was definitely worth it, as even without the sun the carpet of golden bracken in the foreground and the hills rising up behind make an excellent picture. It was also a very pleasant spot to wait an hour for the train, with fantastic views over the North Sea just to the left. There was plenty of warning of the train's approach, as it could be seen leaving Brora, four miles away!

40145 East Lancashire Railway brings up the rear of the Railway Touring Company 1Z55 08:20 Inverness to Kings Cross 'Autumn Highlander' railtour at Tomatin on 8 October 2007. Just visible at the front of the train is 50049 Defiance.

I don't normally bother with going away shots, but this was too good to resist. 40145 East Lancashire Railway brings up the rear of the Railway Touring Company 1Z55 08:20 Inverness to Kings Cross 'Autumn Highlander' railtour on 8 October 2007, as 50049 Defiance leads the train into the gathering gloom near Crubenmore. I had initially planned to see the train at Drumochter Summit, but it was obvious as I was driving south along the A9 that the weather further south was a lot worse, and it certainly shows here as the train is illuminated by the final patch of sunshine. Once back in the car I was running parallel with the tour most of the way from Drumochter to Blair Atholl.

40145 worked the Pathfinder Tours 1Z40 05:15 Birmingham International to Lowestoft 'East Anglian' Railtour on 12 April 2008, to celebrate fifty years since the class was introduced onto passenger workings in East Anglia. As the I had already visited East Anglia when D200 celebrated the thirtieth anniversary (and coincidentally its final main line run), I felt disinclined to repeat the exercise, especially as two other tours could be seen by staying in my local area. Unfortunately this tour was routed down the relief line between Didcot and Reading, which is not very good photographically in the morning. However, the sun decided to go in at the crucial moment, so a quick dash over to the other side of the bridge at Goring resulted a slightly better picture.

40145 passes the site of the marshalling yard and motive depot at Severn Tunnel Junction, as it slows down for the station pickup whilst working the Pathfinder Tours 1Z40 06:29 Tame Bridge Parkway to Kingswear 'Torbay Whistler' railtour on 20 September 2008. The overgrown foreground and waste ground to the left is the site of the extensive marshalling yard, whilst a single building (to the left of the church) marks the site of Severn Tunnel Junction motive power depot. This is probably an appropriate site to take a picture of a Class 40 hauled railtour, as although the class was never common on the Western Region, they were reasonably frequent visitors to this depot.

For a change, here is a picture of 40145 East Lancashire Railway on its namesake railway, rather than out on the mainline. On 7 March 2010 is pictured swinging round the curve at Burrs with the 2J78 14:26 Rawtenstall to Heywood service, during the line's Diesel Gala.

In a lucky patch of evening sunshine on 16 May 2010, 40145 East Lancashire Railway passes Yarnton with the Class 40 Preservation Society's 1Z52 08:50 Penzance to Crewe 'East Lancs Champion' railtour. The good light was very brief and localised, as can be seen from the bank of dark clouds over Oxford in the background. The twenty minute stop at Oxford to remove D1015 Western Champion from the train had allowed me to get to this spot after seeing the train a little earlier at Compton Beauchamp.

On 7 June 2014, 345 (40145) accelerates away from a brief stop at Kemble station (just beyond the bridge in the background) with the Class 40 Preservation Society 1Z40 06:39 Castleton Hopwood to Oxford 'East Lancs Stalwart' railtour. It is just entering the single track section to Swindon. This will shortly have the second track reinstated, which explains the new crossover visible by the side of the fifth coach. Given the fact that this is an identifiable location, and is right next to the main road, with easy parking, I was surprised to be the only photographer present.

345 (40145) passes Kingham on 7 June 2014 with the Class 40 Preservation Society 1Z41 16:50 Oxford to Castleton Hopwood 'East Lancs Stalwart' railtour. 57315 is out of sight on the rear of the train. The trees directly behind the locomotive are hiding the embankment of the former Banbury to Cheltenham railway, which crossed the Cotswold Line at this point. This embankment was a very useful photographic vantage point in the 1980s, especially the one on this side of the line. Unfortuntley there is no longer any access. Although I stand to be corrected, I think this is the first Class 40 to traverse the Cotswold Line for over 31 years. The last occasion that I can remember was when 40195 returned the 1Z38 'Solent Explorer' from Eastleigh to Nottingham in May 1983.

40145 finds a very lucky patch of sunshine at Ribblehead on 12 September 2020, as it slowly approaches the station with the 1Z42 10:35 Appleby to Skipton 'Staycation Express'. When the train was on the viaduct (hidden by 47712 Lady Diana Spencer on the rear of the train), the whole scene was still under thick cloud

40145 brings up the rear of the 1Z43 12:18 Skipton to Appleby 'Staycation Express' at Dent on 12 September 2020. A very overgrown location, and not the best of pictures, but it is a Class 40 on the Settle & Carlisle line in full sun!

40145 passes Birkett Common on 12 September 2020 with the 1Z44 14:38 Appleby to Skipton 'Staycation Express'. 47712 Lady Diana Spencer is bringing up the rear. A fine panoramic Pennine view, with plenty of drystone walls in view.

40145 passes Gallansay in absolutely stunning light on 12 September 2020 with the 1Z46 17:58 Appleby to Skipton 'Staycation Express'. 47712 Lady Diana Spencer is bringing up the rear. This was the final working of the year's very successful Settle & Carlisle loco workings. Shortly before the train was due the cloudy conditions started to give way to some weak sun, which just got brighter and brighter. There was only a very small hole in the clouds, but thankfully this fantastic light held on just long enough for the very surprised assembled photographers to get their best shot of the day.

40145 passes Uffington on 7 April 2021 with the Locomotive Services Limited 1Z36 07:30 Kingswear to Euston private charter. The train had been hauled from Devon to Bristol Temple Meads by 37667 & 37688, and was part of a six day tour that had started from Crewe. It was unfortunately marred on the first day by the failure of LMS 4-6-0 'Black Five' 45231 with severe wheel flats.

D345 passes Fairburn on 12 November 2022 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z40 07:01 Burton-on-Trent to Newcastle 'Whistling Geordie' railtour. Although this location is now restricted to a fairly head on view, the high viewpoint, superb autumn foliage, and the inclusion of the lake, still make for an excellent picture.

D345 passes Kemble on 10 June 2023 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z40 07:01 Burton-on-Trent to Weymouth 'The Golden Anniversary' railtour, which as its name implies, was celebrating 50 years of F&W Railtours / Pathfinder Tours. To mark the occasion the loco is carrying the classic F&W Railtours headboard. Exactly 50 years earlier, on 10 June 1973, Peter Watts organised their first tour, the 1Z54 Gloucester to Pwllheli 'Snowdonian', utilising Class 47 1644, and Class 24s 5079 & 5087.

D345 passes Bredon's Norton on 25 November 2023 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z40 07:07 Burton-on-Trent to Salisbury 'Winchester Christmas Excursion' railtour, with 47848 bringing up the rear. This was running 16 minutes late, and I was getting a little worried that the superb frosty foreground would disappear. However, although the whole field was now in the sun, luckily it wasn't yet strong enough to melt the frost.

D345 approaches Uffington on 25 November 2023 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z40 07:07 Burton-on-Trent to Salisbury 'Winchester Christmas Excursion' railtour. 47848 is hidden by the bushes, on the rear of the train.

40168 could easily be recognised during its last year in traffic by the huge area of missing paint and rust on No.1 end, just below the headcode box. It is pictured here in the company of 47291, parked up at Hereford on the gloomy afternoon of 24 November 1984. Whether or not it had failed in traffic and had been dumped here, I'm not sure. What is certain however, is that it was withdrawn just five days later.

40174 pulls out of the loop at New Mills South Junction on 27 April 1984 with a rake of vacuum braked 16 ton open wagons, and a track machine sandwiched between a pair of brake vans. 40174 had less than a month left in traffic when this picture was taken, and had been cut up by the end of the year.

40195 passes Chilson on 29 May 1983 with the R.E.S.L. 1Z38 17:08 Eastleigh to Nottingham 'Solent Explorer' railtour. This was returning from a visit to the Eastleigh Works Open Day. Apologies for the exceedingly poor quality of this image, but it was taken in the late evening on a very dull day, which is not an ideal combination when using Kodachrome 64! However, it is no worse than the other images of this train that I have seen, and it is a record of one of only two occasions that I saw a Class 40 hauled train on the Cotswold Line, prior to the preservation era. Quite why I didn't photograph the tour on the outward leg, when it ran via Cheltenham, I cannot now recall. Note the two little bushes by the fence, the predecessors of the forest that now occupies this area!