A fine display of vintage semaphore signals at Fenny Compton, pictured on the glorious sunny evening of 19 June 2000. Two upper quadrant, and three lower quadrant arms are clearly visible. 57001 Freightliner Pioneer heads northwards with the 4S59 15:13 Millbrook to Coatbridge freightliner. 57001 was the first of Freightliner's General Motors conversions, being rolled out of the Brush Works at Loughborough on 21 July 1998. It was formerly 47356.

The Draycote and Carling lorries pass each other on the Oxford ring road, as 57001 Freightliner Pioneer approaches Wolvercote Junction on 21 May 2001 with the 4S59 15:13 Millbrook to Coatbridge freightliner.

57001 Freightliner Pioneer passes Culham on 21 June 2001 with the 4M98 18:28 Southampton to Trafford Park freightliner. At this time the new Freightliner Class 66/5s were arriving in the country, but in the Oxford area Class 47s & 57s continued on these workings for a couple of years.

Double headed Freightliner Class 57s were never particularly common, but here we see both the first and the last of the original batch on the same train. 57001 Freightliner Pioneer & 57012 Freightliner Envoy pass Kings Sutton with the late running 4S59 15:12 Southampton to Coatbridge freightliner on 20 June 2003. Presumably 57012 had failed prior to departure, as it was certainly noted running with both locos at Eastleigh.

57001 Freightliner Pioneer passes Hampton Gay on 6 August 2003 with the 4S59 15:12 Southampton to Coatbridge freightliner. The extremely slender spire of St Mary's church at Kidlington can just be seen in the distance. This location got progressively more grown up over the years, being finally ruined by the inevitable palisade fencing.

57001 Freightliner Pioneer passes Bourton on 8 September 2006 with the 4O51 10:02 Wentloog to Southampton freightliner. Class 66s would soon take over all freightliner workings, but these re-engined Class 47s were only ever seen as a stop gap measure by Freightliner, pending the arrival of the new locos.

57001 moves very slowly along the up relief line at Grove on 12 July 2011, approaching its booked twenty minute stop at Wantage Road, with the Royal Scotsman 1Z30 14:59 Bath to Oxford 'Grand Tour of Britain' luxury charter (a bargain at £8,270!). This is part of a seven day tour, with today's route including Hereford, Bath and then on to the Nene Valley Railway. 37685 can just be seen on the rear of the train. As the weather was poor, I was going to photograph this train at Uffington, but realising that I did that in 2010, I opted for this little used location instead.

57001 leads the Statesman Rail 1Z91 06:20 Preston to Bristol Temple Meads 'Bath & Bristol Christmas Statesman' Pullman special past Heyford on 10 December 2011. It is difficult to find locations for a late morning shot between Banbury and Oxford, as the line runs roughly north to south. However for half a mile between Steeple Aston and Heyford the angle of the line is more favourable.

57002 Freightliner Phoenix passes South Moreton on 26 July 2001 with the late running 4M99 16:47 Southampton to Crewe Basford Hall freightliner. This sadly missed location used to be one of my favourite spots for evening photography, as long as the train came along the relief line, of course!

One rebuilt, and one original! A Class 57/47 combination passes South Moreton (Didcot East) on 16 April 2002. 57002 Freightliner Phoenix has 47150 dead in tow, as it heads along the Great Western Mainline with the 4O17 15:50 Lawley Street to Millbrook freightliner.

57002 Freightliner Phoenix approaches Totton on 9 April 2005 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z37 05:04 Derby to Weymouth 'Solent Syphons' railtour. 60091 An Teallach is bringing up the rear. The bridge in the background carries the A35 over the River Test.

57002 Rail Express passes Hungerford Common on 12 April 2021 with the 6Z86 08:55 Fairwater Yard to West Ealing Plasser Sidings, conveying a rake of YDA 'Octopus' Ballast Distribution Train Hoppers. This was just about to enter Hungerford Loop, which allowed another, and better lit, picture at Kintbury.

57002 Rail Express passes milepost 58¾ at Kintbury on 12 April 2021 with the 6Z86 08:55 Fairwater Yard to West Ealing Plasser Sidings, conveying a rake of YDA 'Octopus' Ballast Distribution Train Hoppers. I was using a short telephoto lens to accentuate the curve and the canal bridge in the background. This was very fortunate, as just as the loco passed the milepost it met a cloud coming the other way, and the lights went out!

In superb evening light on 21 April 2010, 57003 & 57009 pull slowly out of the Daventry International Railfreight Terminal (DIRFT) with the 4S47 18:49 Daventry to Coatbridge 'sugarliner' and pass Barby Nortoft. A welcome improvement on a Class 66 for this train! The huge white building in the background is part of the DIRFT complex.

57004 Freightliner Quality catches the very last rays of the setting sun, as it passes Hinksey Yard on 8 July 1999 with the late running 4O29 14:15 Trafford Park to Southampton freightliner. The loco had only been in service a few months as a Class 57, having been rebuilt from 47347.

57004 Freightliner Quality passes Lower Basildon on 26 July 1999 with the 4M99 16:47 Southampton to Crewe Basford Hall freightliner. This location was only really of any photographic use for northbound trains on the relief line. Now of course, with the completion of the electfrication, it is no use for trains on any line!

57004 Freightliner Quality passes Hinksey Yard on 6 June 2000 with the 4M99 16:47 Southampton to Trafford Park freightliner. This looks like a rural location, but twenty years earlier it was possible to see just how close the houses of Oxford's suburbs really are.

57004 Freightliner Quality passes Yarnton on 12 August 2003 with the 4M99 16:19 Southampton to Trafford Park freightliner. The occupation crossing in the foreground has subsequently been closed, although it lasted for a while, even after the new footbridge, from which this photo was taken, was opened.

57005 Freightliner Excellence approaches the site of Ashbury Crossing at Shrivenham on 8 August 2006 with the 4O51 10:02 Wentloog to Southampton freightliner. Although this train appears to be lightly loaded, this is in fact quite a good load for this service! Within a few months Class 57s would be replaced on this train by the ubiquitous 66s.

In early 2008 Cotswold Rail acquired two Class 57s from Freightliner, and on 22 January 57005 made the second appearance for the class over the Cotswold Line (the first appearance being the previous day, which was unfortunately in appalling weather). In a welcome bit of sunshine 57005 arrives at Long Marston with the 0Z98 09:10 Gloucester to Long Marston light engine which had come to collect the rake of TDA tankers on the left of the large collection of stock visible in the yard. A member of the Motorail Logistics staff has just opened the gate, so unlike previous occasions the loco crew were not kept waiting at the gate until someone came to let them in!

Complete with 'Advenza Freight' headboard, 57005 waits in the yard at Long Marston while the TDA wagons are given a final check before working the 6Z98 12:30 Long Marston to Bescot on 22 January 2008. This long lens picture certainly emphasises the amount of freight stock stored here, and also highlights the almost lawn like grass growing around and between the tracks, which I am told is not as smooth at it looks thanks to the local rabbit population!

57005 leaves Long Marston with the 6Z98 12:30 Long Marston to Bescot on 22 January 2008, conveying a rake of fifteen TDA tanks. Note the unsightly patch on the loco's bodywork at the far end showing where the Freightliner Excellence nameplate has been removed, prior to the loco's sale to Cotswold Rail. Fortunately the sun, which had been disappearing into cloud while the train was in the yard, decided to come out at the critical time. Over the years I have noted the sign on the left gradually deteriorating, one wonders if it will survive for much longer.

57005 arrives at Honeybourne with the 6Z98 12:30 Long Marston to Bescot on 22 January 2008. It had to wait a short while for the Cotswold Line to be clear, before proceeding on towards Evesham. The bright start to the day hadn't lasted, and now there was only a trace of sun, which had gone completely by the time the train moved across onto the main line.

57005 shines in the morning sunshine as it approaches Wickwar with the 5Z69 Gloucester to Yeovil Junction ECS move conveying Mk 2 coaches 1211 & 5797 on 30 January 2008. It was originally envisaged that this train would go to Meldon conveying the rake of seven Mk 2 coaches that 31454 brought out of Long Marston the previous day. That consist would just about have fitted in this sunlit stretch of track perfectly, instead five of the coaches were left behind at Gloucester.

The very last of the evening light illuminates 57006 Freightliner Reliance as it passes the mixed upper and lower quadrant semaphore signals at Fenny Compton on 19 June 2000. It is working the 4M99 16:47 Southampton to Trafford Park freightliner. This unusual combination of signals has seen been replaced by the ubiquitous colour light.

Arty photography at Tackley on 4 June 2001. The brightly painted fence in the foreground contrasts with the fading Network SouthEast red lampposts, as 57006 Freightliner Reliance approaches the station with the 4S59 15:13 Millbrook to Coatbridge freightliner. The quaint lineside cottage has since been demolished.

57006 Freightliner Reliance passes Worting Junction on 16 July 2001 with the 4M50 07:35 Southampton to Crewe Basford Hall freightliner. A pair of Class 159s can be seen disappearing into the distance with the 07:52 Waterloo to Salisbury South West Trains service.

57006 Freightliner Reliance passes Great Bourton on 26 June 2002 with the 4S59 15:12 Southampton to Coatbridge freightliner. This was shortly before Class 66s took over. However, as this was an ideal subject for a summer evening's photography, and despite having lots of pictures of the working, I continued to photograph it, even when Class 66 hauled.

57006 Freightliner Reliance emerges from the bushes at Baulking with the 4O51 10:08 Wentloog to Millbrook freightliner on 12 October 2006. At first sight not much of a location, and definitely a grab shot as I was waiting for 6B33 coming the other way. However, this is the whole train, just nine containers followed by the customary long rake of flats. This picture is taken from a footpath that parallels the Great Western Mainline.

57006 passes Claydon with the 6Z72 10:25 Stockton-on-Tees to Cardiff Tidal Advenza Freight scrap train on 13 May 2008. Luckily it was running 30 minutes early, which meant that the sun was still just on the front of the loco. Plenty of may blossom in the picture along with the fresh greens of spring enhance the photo. All too soon the countryside takes on the all over drab green of June - possibly the worst month for photography. Two hours later the balancing working passed the same location heading north.

57008 Freightliner Explorer passes the derelict shell of Aynho Junction signal box, as it heads north on 14 August 2001 with the 4S59 15:13 Millbrook to Coatbridge freightliner. The loco had been rebuilt a couple of years earlier from the shell of 47060.

57008 Freightliner Explorer passes Circourt Bridge, Denchworth on 9 October 2003 with the 4O51 10:08 Wentloog to Southampton freightliner. This train held out for a long time with Class 57 haulage in a sea of 'Freds', and was still regularly hauled by the class right up to the time that Freightliner finally dispensed with their services.

57009 Freightliner Venturer passes Marshfield on 4 March 2006 with the very lightly loaded 4V50 04:59 Southampton to Wentloog freightliner. At the time the Class 57s were not popular, as the replaced their body donor class, the 47s. However, now that they themselves have been replaced on intermodal trains by Class 66s, they don't seem quite so bad!

Before the footbridge was built over the Oxford to Banbury line near Yarnton, there was a footpath crossing from which there was a reasonable view of northbound trains. On 10 April 2002, 57010 Freightliner Crusader heads north with the 4S59 15:12 Southampton to Coatbridge freightliner. Note the clamp on the broken rail in the foreground.

57011 Freightliner Challenger leans into the curve at Heyford on 8 April 2002 with the 4O17 15:50 Lawley Street to Millbrook freightliner. Just visible to the right of the loco is the Oxford Canal, which closely parallels the line between Banbury and Oxford.

Green, grey, green. 57012 Freightliner Envoy, 47289 & 47193 approach Banbury on 12 August 2000 with the 4O31 14:35 Leeds to Southampton freightliner. This was booked for a Class 57/47 combination at the time, but to get three locos was a definite bonus.

With 31108 acting as a brake translator, 57012 Freightliner Envoy approaches Hay Bridge, near Chelmarsh, with the 13:30 Kidderminster to Bridgnorth service on 30 September 2000, during the Severn Valley Railway's Diesel Gala. From the noise it seemed that the 31 was doing more work than the 57!

57301 Goliath approaches the site of Ashbury Crossing, near Shrivenham, on 18 November 2019 with the 5Q78 10:19 Ilford EMU Depot to Newport Docks (Sims Group), conveying 315858 & 315814 to their appointment with the scrapman. Note the variation in livery, with the leading unit formerly belonging to Transport for London, and the rear one to their sister company, London Overground. At less than forty years old, these EMUs surely have many years of life left in them, but they are being replaced my new Class 345 & 710 trains.

57301 Goliath passes Wolvercote on 6 March 2020 with the 5M59 10:48 Eastleigh Arlington to Leicester, conveying barrier vehicles 6378, 6379, 6344 & 6340. These had been used on an Ely Papworth Sidings to Eastleigh Class 442 EMU move the previous day.

57302 Virgil Tracy climbs out of the Severn Tunnel and approaches Pilning on 27 April 2010 with the 2C79 14:00 Cardiff Central to Taunton First Great Western service. Classmate 57309 Brains brings up the rear. Recent major trackwork here has seen the removal of the signal gantry that always seemed to get in photographer's way.

57302 Chad Varah passes Combe on 20 September 2014 with the 1Z54 08:15 Hereford to Bath Northern Belle luxury private charter. 47790 is bringing up the rear. The tour was organised by St. Richard's Hospice, a Worcestershire cancer charity. This almost aerial view is from Grintleyhill Bridge, on a bridleway between the villages of Combe and East End. Although a dull and misty morning, the weather was actually much better than was forecast. The Met Office had predicted heavy rain, and the local paper was warning of 'Potential disruption to transport and outdoor activities becoming dangerous.' Not much danger standing here on a surprisingly warm morning with not a breath of wind!

Running nearly an hour late, Virgin 'Thunderbird' 57303 Alan Tracy climbs out of Patchway Tunnel, near Bristol with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z64 06:18 Worcester Foregate Street to Penzance 'Virgin Territorial' railtour on 16 September 2006. 57303 is the former 47705. Patchway Tunnels are two single bores at different levels, the lines diverging at Cattybrook, coming together again near Patchway station.

57304 Pride of Cheshire passes Yarnton on 13 January 2023, running as the 0Z10 10:15 Crewe Gresty Bridge to Eastleigh Arlington light engine. This was in preparation for taking a few container flats in the opposite direction the following day.

57305 Northern Princess passes Challow on 4 December 2015 with the 5Z73 07:00 Pengam to Birmingham International Pullman ECS, with 57301 Goliath on the rear. This would then work the Birmingham New Street to Chester Northern Belle Christmas Lunch special. Had this being running to time, it would probably have been in the sun, but it was unfortunately running 34 minutes early, which meant it passed me in atrocious light. I had deliberately chosen this location, as the light angle would have been perfect, and with virtually no shadows to cause problems!

Not quite the sunny morning that the weather forecast had predicted! 57305 Northern Princess passes Claydon (Gloucestershire) in abysmal light on 4 December 2017 with the 5Z57 08:25 Kidderminster Severn Valley Railway to Newport ECS. This would later form the 1Z57 12:40 Newport to Fishguard Belmond Northern Belle Christmas Lunch special.

Still wearing Pullman livery, but with the former 'Northern Belle' wording painted out, 57305 Northern Princess passes Challow on 15 November 2018 with the 5Q32 09:41 Portbury Automotive Terminal to Manchester International Depot (Longsight) ECS, conveying another set of Spanish built Mk 5 coaches for the forthcoming Trans Pennine loco hauled services. Presumably after reports of previous convoys being damaged by vegetation on the Portbury branch, this set has been shrink wrapped in plastic!

57305 Northern Princess worked a couple of barrier vehicles north through Oxford on Sunday 24 March 2019, but at such an awkward time for photography, that virtually everywhere was impossibly backlit. A short section of the line near Heyford is marginally less backlit than the rest, so that is where I went. A large pile of tree prunings adds some foreground interest to the picture, as the debranded Northern Belle liveried loco heads north with the 5M59 09:08 Eastleigh Arlington to Leicester.

57305 Northern Princess passes Thrupp on 6 February 2020 with Arlington Fleet Group's barriers 68501 & 68504 (former Gatwick Express class 489 DMLVs). This was running as the 5O86 08:21 Castle Donington to Eastleigh Arlington, but was unfortunately running nearly an hour early at this point, which was certainly not ideal for the light. Despite the head on lighting, the painted out Northern Belle livery can still be seen. How much longer before it gets a coat of Rail Operations Group blue?

57305 approaches the site of Ashbury Crossing, Shrivenham, on 14 April 2021 with the 5Q76 09:33 Ely Papworth Sidings to Newport Docks (Sims Group), conveying former Greater Anglia EMUs 317658 & 317650 for scrapping. An unused rusty remnant of the Great Western Mainline electrification project can be seen lying in the grass just to the left of the loco.

What a waste! 57305 passes Uffington on 10 May 2021 with the late running 0Q76 07:45 Belmont Down Yard to Newport Docks (Sims Group), conveying former LNER electric locos 91129, 91113, 91126 Darlington Hippodrome & 91102 City of York for scrapping. This is particularly ironic, as on this day virtually all passenger services on this line were cancelled, as GWR's Class 800 units had been discovered to be developing underframe cracks, an exceedingly worrying state of affairs on brand new rolling stock.

57305 passes Engine Common on 7 July 2022 with the 0Z51 14:07 Worcester Shrub Hill to Taunton DRS route learner. The plain blue colour scheme is certainly a lot brighter than the standard BR blue livery of yesteryear!

57306 runs along the down relief line at Circourt Bridge, Denchworth, on 1 October 2015 with the 1Z31 11:55 Paddington to Cardiff Central rugby special. Classmate 57310 is on the rear of the train. This was one of three special trains run in connection with the Rugby World Cup Wales v Fiji game at the Millennium stadium. In the background, 66748 can be seen slowly running along the other relief line with the 6M40 11:56 Westbury to Stud Farm ballast empties.

57306 Her Majesty's Railway Inspectorate 175 passes Chalford, as it climbs Sapperton Bank on 13 May 2016 with the 1Z10 06:34 Sheffield to Bristol Temple Meads 'Northern Belle' luxury charter. It may have been Friday 13th, but I had some good luck rather than bad, as this passed in one of the few sunny spells. The state of the line here is unbelievable, with trees and bushes sculpted to the shape of the trains, and the down line so overgrown that the sleepers can hardly be seen! It's hard to believe that this is a mainline, such is Network Rail's total neglect of the track.

57306 Her Majesty's Railway Inspectorate 175 & 57303 Pride of Carlisle pass Hanborough on 2 May 2017 with the 5Z40 16:18 Eastleigh Arlington to Kidderminster ECS, conveying DRS livered Mk2 coach 5919 & Northern Belle Mk1 325, Mk2 3267 & Mk3 10729. As the Severn Valley Railway has now been awarded a ten year contract to service and store the Northern Belle coaches at Kidderminster, it seems that workings like this will become more frequent. Hanborough station platform can just be seen by the rear of the train. In the background is the Oxford Bus Museum, which by pure coincidence I had visited the previous day, and had revived childhood memories by travelling on AEC Renown FWL 371E.

57306 Her Majesty's Railway Inspectorate 175 passes Kennington on 9 September 2017 with the Belmond Northern Belle 1Z57 06:21 Kidderminster to Hove luxury charter. 57301 Goliath is out of sight on the rear. The two most suitable local locations to photograph this were either here, or Oxford North Junction. As I realised that only the loco and first coach would be free of shadows at Oxford North, I chose Kennington, despite it being a rather head on viewpoint.

57306 brings up the rear of the Branch Line Society 1Z52 12:57 Birmingham International to Swindon 'Nosh & Slosh' dining railtour at Churchill Heath on 21 July 2024. D1015 Western Champion is out of sight at the front of the train. There used to be an excellent viewpoint from the nearby bridge over the line, but now there is only this distant view across the field.

57306 brings up the rear of the Branch Line Society 1Z53 16:47 Swindon to Birmingham International 'Nosh & Slosh' dining railtour at Fiddington on 21 July 2024. D1015 Western Champion is at the front of the train. I almost went to either Eckington or Defford for this, but at the  very last minute, as I was approaching Ashchurch, I decided on Fiddington. Looking at the background I think this might have been a very wise move!

57308 Jamie Ferguson heads north at Claydon on 4 April 2023 with the 0Z31 14:23 Bristol Temple Meads to Crewe Gresty Bridge route learner. Note the unusual sight of a light aircraft parked in the field in the background.

57309 Brains speeds past Pilning on 27 April 2010 with the 2U14 11:02 Taunton to Cardiff Central service, with 57302 Virgil Tracy just visible on the rear. To the non enthusiast (and observant passenger!) this must be a conundrum. A First Great Western service operated by Virgin locomotives with former Anglia Railways coaching stock!

57310 Pride of Cumbria passes Tackley on 18 June 2015 with the 1Z62 18:25 Ascot to Manchester Victoria 'Ladies Day' Northern Belle race special. 57306 can just be seen on the rear of the train. This loco looked a lot better in its previous form as 47831, before the front end was mutilated by the addition of the plastic bag covered Dellner coupler!

57310 Pride of Cumbria & 57002 pass Standish Junction on 8 July 2015 with the 6V73 04:33 Crewe to Berkeley nuclear flasks. Note the two different DRS colour schemes. The two Magnox reactors at Berkeley Power Station were decommissioned in 1989, and the nearby Oldbury Power Station also closed in 2012. Decommissioning at Oldbury will take a number of years, and so the sight of pairs of DRS locos (20s, 37s or 57s) working flasks through Gloucestershire will continue for some time.

57310 Pride of Cumbria brings up the rear of the 1Z31 11:55 Paddington to Cardiff Central rugby special at Circourt Bridge, Denchworth, on 1 October 2015. Classmate 57306 is the lead locomotive. This was one run in connection with the Rugby World Cup Wales v Fiji game at the Millennium stadium.

57310 Pride of Cumbria brings up the rear of the Belmond Northern Belle 1Z51 11:58 Coventry to Birmingham International (via Swindon and Oxford) Mother's Day Lunch special at Kemble Wick on 24 March 2017. More in keeping with the Pullman liveried coaching stock, 57312 Solway Princess is the lead locomotive.

Another former Greater Anglia Class 317 EMU made its final journey on 18 March 2022, running as the 5Q86 09:51 Ely Papworth Sidings to Newport Docks (Sims Group). 317709 is pictured here under an impressive sky, passing Uffington behind 57310 Pride of Cumbria.

57311 Parker passes Brock with the 6J37 13:27 Carlisle to Chirk timber train on 8 May 2008. This was a rush shot, as I saw the train coming in the distance as I was walking across the field, this being necessary as a large radio mast has been positioned next to the road bridge. I quickly dropped the camera bag and stepladder and ran across the field getting to the fence just in time, although with hindsight it might have been a good idea to keep hold of the ladder. At least the camera was set to the correct settings, as there was no time to alter anything!

57312 passes Compton Beauchamp on 23 February 2012 with the 5D66 11:44 Bristol St Philips Marsh to Eastleigh Network Rail snow train. The 57 is doing its best to brighten up the otherwise dull scene with its custard yellow livery. Even more unusual than either the 57, or the snow clearance wagons is the presence of 73208 on the rear of the train - extremely unusual traction for the former Great Western Mainline.

The only two visiting locomotives at the Swanage Railway's 2012 Diesel Gala were 57312 & 73136 Perseverance. The duo are pictured arriving at Harmans Cross on 13 May with the 11:05 Norden to Swanage service. The 73 is acting as a brake translator. Obviously the headboard is a comment on the non-arrival of the other booked visiting locos!

After seeing 57312 & 73136 Perseverance arrive at Harmans Cross station on 13 May 2012 with the 11:05 Norden to Swanage service, a quick sprint up the long path to the roadbridge secured this second picture of the pair departing. Network Rail's 'custard yellow' former Class 47 is certainly an unusual visitor to the Swanage Railway.

With 73136 Perseverance tucked inside acting as a brake translator, 57312 approaches Corfe Castle on 13 May 2012 with the 16:00 Norden to Swanage service, during the Swanage Railway's Diesel Gala. Norden station is a short distance beyond the former clay sidings bridge in the background.

A fine end to a perfect day's photography on the Swanage Railway. 57312 & 73136 Perseverance leave Corfe Castle and head for Norden with the 17:30 train from Swanage on 13 May 2012, during the line's Diesel Gala. Although there was constant a bank of cloud to the north, not once did one of them stray into the path of the sun. I wish that happened every time!

57312 Solway Princess passes Oaksey on 4 March 2016 with the Belmond Northern Belle 1Z10 11:55 Coventry to Birmingham International (via Swindon and Oxford) Mother's Day Lunch special (two days early!). 57310 Pride of Cumbria is bringing up the rear. This location was chosen as the sun angle would have been perfect. That of course ensured that there wasn't any!

57312 Solway Princess passes Kemble Wick on 24 March 2017 with the Belmond Northern Belle 1Z51 11:58 Coventry to Birmingham International (via Swindon and Oxford) Mother's Day Lunch special. 57310 Pride of Cumbria is on the rear. This train ran on exactly the same route, and with the same traction, as the previous year, but due the vagaries of the religious calendar was three weeks later on this occasion, although the train was still two days early for Mothering Sunday!

I knew this was going to be a very short train, but not this short! 57312 Solway Princess & 57305 Northern Princess pass Bredon on 26 October 2017 with the 0M56 13:41 Berkeley to Crewe, which should have been the 6M56, conveying a couple of low level nuclear waste containers. Problems with both the loading equipment and one of the Class 57s resulted in a pair of Class 37s being sent down from Crewe to Berkeley later in the day.

57312 Solway Princess tows Great Northern EMU 313026 on it final journey on 8 April 2019, seen here passing Baulking, running as the 5Q56 10:54 Hornsey EMU Depot to Newport Docks. Despite the awful weather, I wanted a picture of this train, as not only was it being hauled by a debranded Northern Belle Pullman liveried loco, but it is also the first of Great Northern's Class 313s to be sent for scrapping. Ironically, it was only a week earlier that I photographed my first Class 313. In view of the poor light, I took this picture from the north side of the line, a location that would not be possible with the sun out. With so few locations to choose from, it makes no sense to keep going back to the same spots, when you have the opportunity to try something different.

Freshly painted in the slightly odd looking Rail Operations Group livery, 57312 passes Wolvercote on 3 January 2020, running as the 0M59 10:30 Eastleigh Arlington to Leicester light engine. This is the fourth colour scheme that the loco has carried since it was converted from a Class 47 in 2003.

After waiting in the loop just around the corner for 20 minutes, 57312 gets underway again at Abbotswood on 23 January 2020 with the 5Q76 05:29 Tyne Yard to Newport Docks (Sims Group) ECS, conveying former LNER HST Mk3 coach set NL65 for scrap.

57312 passes Uffington on 8 March 2021 with the 5Q76 08:50 Worksop Down Reception to Newport Docks (Sims Group) ECS, conveying former LNER Mk4 DVT 82202, and Mk4 coaches 11302, 11299, 10302, 12302, 12448, 12450 & 12232 for scrapping. This location not only benefits from being relatively clear of 25kV supports, but also the beech tree next to the loco adds a touch of autumn colour to a sunny spring day.

Running 47 minutes late, 57312 passes Sheenhill Crossing, Honeybourne, on 27 October 2021 with the 5Q76 11:30 (12:16 actual) Long Marston to Newport Docks (Sims Group), conveying former East Midlands Trains HST power cars 43061 & 43075 for scrapping. Apart from the four power cars written off in accidents, these are the first Class 43s to be scrapped.

57312 passes Challow on 4 January 2022 with the 5Q76 11:04 Ilford EMU Depot to Newport Docks (Sims Group), conveying former TfL Rail EMUs 315854 & 315844 for scrapping. This was running exactly to time, which was very fortunate, as if it had been only a few minutes late, the sun would have been gone, as there was a large mass of cloud approaching from the west.

57312 passes some evidence of recent lineside vegetation clearance, as it brings up the rear of the 5Q94 10:31 Wimbledon Park Carriage Sidings Depot to Long Marston stock move at Cassington on 24 January 2022. 37611 Pegasus is leading the train, which is taking former South Western Railway EMU 458517 for storage.

57313 passes non-stop through Hereford station with the 1W91 16:15 Cardiff Central to Holyhead Welsh Assembly sponsored Arriva Trains Wales service on 2 June 2009. This set operates just one train each direction per day.

57313 races through Kingham station on 23 November 2013 with the 1Z68 07:11 Scarborough to Oxford charter. Luckily this Arriva blue loco was leading, rather than the drab WCR maroon 57314, which was thankfully out of sight at the rear. Note the leaves being thrown up all along the length of the train, hardly surprising, as I would estimate that it must have been traveling at around about its top speed of 95mph, In fact, I cannot recall seeing any other train pass this location at such a speed. All normal service trains stop here. I had originally gone to Shorthampton to photograph this train, but when the sun came out and my chosen spot was in shadow, I made a move. I first headed towards Charlbury, but it seemed cloudier in that direction, so went to Shipton. That wasn't ideal, so I chose Kingham. An inspired choice, as there was more autumn colour here than I expected, and the inclusion of the GWR nameboard certainly adds to the picture. The cloud approaching from the Charlbury direction got here a few minutes after the train passed!

57313 speeds through Kingham station on 16 April 2016 with the Nenta Train Tours 1Z43 17:35 Worcester Shrub Hill to North Walsham 'Cotswolds Adventurer' railtour. 47851 is on the rear of the train. Coincidentally I had photographed this same locomotive and this same spot in 2013, although from platform level, as this view is from a newly constructed footbridge. Not only was that picture in much better light, but the loco was in a much better livery. That wouldn't be hard, as West Coast Railway's 'sludge brown' livery is the most disliked colour scheme on the national network!

Still accelerating away from its brief stay in Haresfield Loop, 57313 passes Standish Junction on 24 September 2016 with the West Coast Railtours 1Z55 06:12 Skegness to Weston-super-Mare 'Spirit of the Lakes' railtour. 57316 is on the rear of the train. Photo taken from a public footpath crossing.

57313 passes Wolvercote on 30 June 2018 with the 1Z21 17:35 Bristol Temple Meads to Manchester Victoria Northern Belle luxury charter. 57314 is bringing up the rear. At least West Coast Rail's sludge brown livery doesn't look quite so bad in the crisp evening light, and it does almost match the coaches!

57313 passes Stonesfield on 15 March 2019 with the 1Z67 08:00 Paddington to Evesham Northern Belle Cheltenham Gold Cup special. 57314 is on the rear. Although very local to me, I'm not really sure if it was worth going out for this, as both locomotives are in West Coast's awful sludge brown livery, and they do not show up at all well in the awful weather. However, the rarity of loco hauled trains on the Cotswold Line makes it noteworthy.

57313 approaches Kemble on 31 March 2019 with the Northern Belle 1Z78 13:23 Swindon to Coventry charter. A dull day is not ideal for photographing West Coast's sludge brown locos, but it does prevent this view of the cutting approaching Kemble Tunnel from being impossibly backlit.

57313 Scarborough Castle passes Thrupp on 5 June 2021 with the 1Z10 05:14 Liverpool Lime Street to Bristol Temple Meads Northern Belle charter. Lineside vegetation clearance has improved this view, although unfortunately the clearance hasn't been thorough enough to allow a wider view than this.

57313 Scarborough Castle brings up the rear of the Northern Belle 1Z08 12:34 Gloucester to Oxford luxury dining charter at Moreton-in-Marsh on 8 December 2022. 47812 is leading. As the sun had already disappeared behind clouds, I definitely wasn't going to try to photograph the returning 1Z09 15:10 Oxford to Gloucester in the dark!

57313 Scarborough Castle passes Whitehill (between Combe and Finstock) on 17 March 2023 with the Northern Belle 1Z15 08:34 Paddington to Evesham 'Gold Cup Special' charter. 47812 is bringing up the rear. This was running 25 minutes late, owing to having to wait for a late running GWR IET to clear this long single track section of the Cotswold Line.

A pair of Castles on the Cotswold line, but not as exciting as that suggests! 57313 Scarborough Castle brings up the rear of the Northern Belle 1Z29 11:24 Bristol Temple Meads to Oxford 'Christmas Lunch' charter at Moreton-in-Marsh on 16 December 2023, as 57601 Windsor Castle powers the train towards Oxford.

57313 Scarborough Castle passes Chilson on 15 March 2024 with the Northern Belle 1Z24 08:45 Paddington to Evesham 'Gold Cup Special' charter, with 57601 Windsor Castle bringing up the rear. Just as in the previous year, this was running late, owing to having to wait for a late running GWR IET to clear the single track section of the Cotswold Line between Charlbury and Wolvercote Junction. For me this was good news, as at the booked time it was very dull, but after a short period of rain, the sun came out briefly just as the rain passed.

Debranded (almost!) Arriva Trains liveried 57314 beings up the rear of  the Railway Touring Company 1Z39 05:02 Cardiff Central to Llandrindod Wells 'Heart of Wales' railtour at Rousham on 13 April 2013. The lead locomotive, 57601 can just be seen disappearing behind the bushes.

57314 passes Goring on 6 July 2015 with the 5Z24 06:28 Southall to Weston-supper-Mare ECS. 57313 is on the rear. The pair would later work the Saltburn Railtours 1Z24 10:01 Weston-super-Mare to Saltburn 'Saltburn Ciderman' railtour. As can be guessed from the tour promoter's name, this is the return working. The outward journey was made on 3 July.

57314 passes Steventon on 3 October 2016 with the 5Z43 13:09 Bristol Kingsland Road to Southall West Coast Rail ECS. Amazingly there are still no electrification masts in this view, despite the installations of these eyesores both to the east and west of this location.

57314 passes Steventon on 24 February 2019 with the 1Z35 12:00 Paddington to Swindon Northern Belle luxury charter. On arrival at Swindon, the train immediately became the 1Z36 13:57 Swindon to Paddington, and carried straight on, accessing the Berks & Hants line via Melksham and Trowbridge.

57315 The Mole approaches Heyford with the 1Z57 09:55 Kensington Olympia to Chester private charter on 14 September 2007. Sister loco 57316 FAB 1 was on the rear of the train. The coaching stock is the 'Queen of Scots' rake, which includes various vintage coaches, the most notable of which is the 1891 built observation car, seem here coupled directly behind the loco.

57315 comes out of the darkness and into the early morning sunshine at Compton Beauchamp on 8 June 2013, as it works the Statesman Rail 1Z87 05:00 Newport to Canterbury West 'Golden Arrow Statesman' railtour. 57316, which is on the rear of the train, came off at Willesden in favour of Southern Railway 4-6-2 34067 Tangmere.

57315 passes Standish Junction on 31 August 2013 with the Statesman Rail 1Z47 06:15 Crewe to Kingswear 'English Riviera Statesman' luxury charter. 47786 can just be seen on the rear. Fortunately this was running half an hour late, which meant the sun had come round enough to fully to light the front of the loco.

57315 approaches Ardley on 5 April 2014 with the Statesman Rail 1Z60 06:23 High Wycombe to Carlisle 'Settle & Carlisle Statesman' railtour. Classmate 57314 is on the rear. I definitely wouldn't normally bother to photograph one of West Coast Rail's awful liveried locos in such poor light, but as I was passing the bridge anyway, and it was merely a case of waiting a few minutes, why not. At 07:10 there are very few cars on this otherwise busy road, which is just as well, as there is no footpath, and it is a very dangerous spot to stand for any length of time!

57315 brings up the rear of the Class 40 Preservation Society 1Z41 16:50 Oxford to Castleton Hopwood 'East Lancs Stalwart' railtour at Kingham on 7 June 2014. Class 40 345 (40145) is on the front of the train. This photo is taken from the public footpath crossing just north of the station.

57315 passes Shorthampton on 3 July 2015 with the 5Z19 20:25 Charlbury to Carnforth Pullman ECS. This had just worked the 1Z18 16:54 Victoria to Charlbury private charter. I had considered trying to get a photo of 1Z18, and then driving round to this location for the ECS. However, as the roads either through or around Charlbury are not conducive to high speed driving, I thought it might not be possible to get both pictures. Therefore I opted for this location, as loco hauled empty coaching stock moves are even more unusual on the Cotswold Line than charters, and a Charlbury to Carnforth working must be exceedingly rare, if not unique! Unfortunately the very poor light and the typically filthy 'sludge brown' liveried Class 57 do not make for a particularly good picture, but it is an acceptable record of a very unusual working.

57315 passes Uffington on 3 June 2017 with the 1Z63 15:00 Victoria to Cardiff Central football special, run in connection with the UEFA Champions League Final at the Millennium Stadium. 47237 is on the rear of the train.

57316 brings up the rear of the Railway Touring Company 1Z82 08:44 Victoria to Plymouth 'Great Britain IX' railtour at Sonning on 26 April 2016. Hidden by one of the few trees to escape the recent vegetation clearance, LMS Royal Scot Class 4-6-0 46100 Royal Scot leads the train under the lofty London Road bridge.

Running half an hour late due to an extended stop at Birmingham International, 57316 passes Wolvercote Junction on 17 February 2019 with the 1Z54 11:32 Derby to Swindon Northern Belle luxury charter. I initially wasn't going to bother with this, but as it was still mainly sunny at midday, and with the prospect of a Pullman liveried loco on appropriate stock, I ventured out. Needless to say the sun immediately disappeared, and the Pullman liveried loco was on the rear. West Coast Railway's sludge brown 57s look awful at the best of times, but the livery looks particularly dire in this atrocious light, To add insult to injury the sun came out again when I got back home!

57316 brings up the rear of the Northern Belle 1Z43 08:30 Paddington to Evesham 'Gold Cup Special' at Shorthampton on 13 March 2020. 57601 Windsor Castle is the lead locomotive. I don't mind going out to my local line for a picture of one of West Coast Railway's 'sludge brown' locos, but I wouldn't normally travel any distance to see one. This is precisely why I abandoned my plans to travel from here to Yorkshire for the Branch Line Society's three day railtour featuring Colas traction, which at the last minute had seen the substitution of a pair of WCR's depressing locos.

57316 brings up the rear of the Railway Touring Company 1Z30 07:02 Victoria to Cardiff Central 'Gloucester Christmas Market & Cardiff' railtour at Hailey Wood (between Kemble and Sapperton) on 23 November 2021. LMS Coronation Class 4-6-2 6233 Duchess of Sutherland is the cause of all the smoke!

Recently named 57316 Alnwick Castle passes Chilson on 18 March 2022 with the 1Z45 08:30 Paddington to Evesham Cheltenham Gold Cup race special. Unfortunately the much more photogenic 47815 Great Western is hidden at the rear of the train. This is probably the only spot on the train's entire journey where the sun would be on the front.

57601 shows off its bizarre Porterbrook livery as it approaches Thingley Junction with the 1A45 08:20 Penzance to Paddington First Great Western service on 20 June 2001. This was a prototype conversion with ETH which was being evaluated by FGW. Eventually they ordered four of their own locomotives and returned this hired in locomotive back to Porterbrook Leasing.

57601 passes Broken Cross (between Gloucester and Lydney) on 29 February 2004 with the 1Z78 07:22 Bolton to Cardiff football special. I had much better luck with the sun on the flowing 1Z37 08:03 Manchester Piccadilly to Cardiff football special

A quick dash across the busy road at Burton Salmon, to get a picture of 57601, as it brings up the rear of the PMR Tours 1Z62 09:13 Leicester to York 'Coronation Pullman' railtour on 9 October 2004. LMS Coronation Class 4-6-2 6233 Duchess of Sutherland  is at the front of the train.

57601 brings up the rear of the Spitfire Railtours 1Z41 06:42 Weston-super-Mare to Holyhead 'Holy Oakes' railtour at Fiddington on 26 March 2011. 37685 & 37676 Loch Rannoch head into the mist at the front of the train.

57601 speeds through Kingham station on 16 March 2013 with the 1Z86 07:00 Carnforth to Oxford private charter. Hidden behind the footbridge on the rear of the six Pullmans is 47760. I had chosen this location as it was a cloudy day, and the trees on the left usually make it very difficult for photography if the sun is out. Just as the train came into view in the distance, the sun decided to come out! The shadows were just about clear of the up line, so I thought I was in for a bonus. However, just as quickly as the sun had appeared, it disappeared again, and so back to square one.

57601 leads the Railway Touring Company 1Z39 05:02 Cardiff Central to Llandrindod Wells 'Heart of Wales' railtour past Rousham on 13 April 2013. Arriva liveried 57314 can just be seen on the rear of the train. Cardiff to Llandrindod Wells via Oxford is not the obvious route, but the highlight of this tour was the steam hauled section from Shrewsbury, though Llandrindod Wells to Pengam. On this occasion the Met Office correctly predicted a couple of hours of sunshine, before thick cloud and rain followed later in the day.

A pair of West Coast Railway's 'sludge brown' liveried machines - one shiny, one not! 57601 & 47760 pass Bredon on 29 June 2013 with the Statesman Rail 1Z49 04:49 Derby to Penzance 'Cornish Riviera Statesman' charter. A pair of freshly painted silver buffers hardly compensate for the sheer drabness of the loco's livery.

57601 passes Baulking on 5 July 2013 with the Saltburn Railtours 1Z71 08:10 Saltburn to Torquay 'Saltburn Riviera' charter. 57313 can just be glimpsed on the rear of the train. The all day journey was very generously timed, hence the early arrival in Devon.

57601 passes Somerton on 28 November 2015 with the Statesman Rail 1Z82 04:12 Aberystwyth to Bath 'Bath Christmas Statesman' luxury charter. 57313 is hiding behind the bushes, on the rear of the train. Photo taken in the very last of the weak sunshine, before the cloud and rain moved in from the west.

57601 Windsor Castle passes Shorthampton on 13 March 2020 with the Northern Belle 1Z43 08:30 Paddington to Evesham 'Gold Cup Special', taking racegoers to the final day of the Cheltenham Festival. 57316 is bringing up the rear. The farm occupation bridge in the background has recently acquired fences on either end, to prevent access. This is no hardship, as before the vegetation clearance of a few years ago, the totally impenetrable mass of brambles on the bridge completely prevented any access!

Superb evening light at Wolvercote on 17 July 2021. 57601 Windsor Castle heads north with the Northern Belle 1Z62 17:10 Winchester to Hull 'Winchester At Leisure' luxury charter. Thankfully the less inspiring plain brown liveried 57316 was on the rear. This was travelling very slowly, as not only was it approaching a temporary 20mph speed restriction, but it was also following right behind the late running 1M66 18:15 Reading to Manchester Piccadilly CrossCountry Voyager, and so was consequently approaching a red signal that protects Wolvercote Junction.

57601 Windsor Castle passes Yarnton on 31 July 2021 with the Northern Belle 1Z51 17:10 Winchester to Derby railtour. A little while earlier there had been a really heavy downpour, which judging by the background, had now moved south to cover Oxford!

57601 Windsor Castle passes Moreton-in-Marsh on 16 December 2023 with the Northern Belle 1Z29 11:24 Bristol Temple Meads to Oxford 'Christmas Lunch' charter. 57313 Scarborough Castle is bringing up the rear. I wouldn't normally bother with one of West Coast Railway's trains in such awful light, but I happened to be passing the location just before the train was due.

57601 Windsor Castle brings up the rear of the Northern Belle 1Z24 08:45 Paddington to Evesham 'Gold Cup Special' charter at Chilson on 15 March 2024. 57313 Scarborough Castle is at the front of the train. This was running 17 minutes late, due to a late running southbound GWR service. After a brief downpour the rain had cleared and the sun had come out, but with a dark background in both directions, it was obvious that the patch of sunshine only extended a few hundred yards in each direction, so clearly I had picked the right location!

57601 Windsor Castle passes Lyneham on 14 December 2024 with the Northern Belle 1Z25 11:15 Bristol Temple Meads to Oxford (via Worcester) 'Christmas Lunch' charter. 57315 is hiding behind the bright red branches of the willow trees, as it brings up the rear of the train. I was very lucky to get this in such superb light, as the large bank of clouds in the background was also creeping ever nearer the sun, and I felt sure that the light was going to die at any minute. Somehow the light managed to hang on for the train, and even a few minutes after, but I'm glad that the it was running seven minutes early, as the light had definitely gone at the booked time. This is my first picture of this annual festive train in sun, after three years of trying!

57602 Restormel Castle passes Compton Beauchamp on 30 June 2011 with the 5Z30 11:15 Old Oak Common to Old Oak Common (via Bristol Temple Meads) First Great Western sleeper stock move. 57603 Tintagel Castle is on the rear of the train. Unfortunately the train was running half an hour late at this point. Had it come at the correct time, it would have been in full sunshine, instead this rare daylight outing for the FGW sleeper stock passed in what seemed little better light than the time of day it normally runs!

A pair of Castles on the Great Western Mainline - just as it should be. Wait a minute though, something's wrong here, these aren't steam and they've got GM engines! They may not be proper Castles, but this is a noteworthy daylight working for the First Great Western sleeper coaching stock. 57602 Restormel Castle & 57603 Tintagel Castle pass Compton Beauchamp in terrible light on 30 June 2011 with the 5Z30 11:15 Old Oak Common to Old Oak Common ECS, heading back to London from Bristol.

57603 Tintagel Castle runs along the down relief line at Circourt Bridge, Denchworth, on 7 February 2022 with the 5C99 11:00 Reading Traincare Depot to Penzance GWR sleeper ECS. A pity it wasn't the slightly less drab green 57604 Pendennis Castle!

Following the failure of the previous evening's 1A40 21:45 Penzance to Paddington GWR sleeper with loss of air, the empty stock had to be worked to London on 12 July 2018 in order to work that evening's down train. As the Berks & Hants line was closed for engineering works, the train was diverted via Swindon. 57605 Totnes Castle is pictured passing Grove with the 5C99 10:01 Laira to Reading Traincare Depot ECS. Unfortunately the dark green livery does not photograph well in the midday summer sun, but this unusual working just had to be recorded!