An East Coast interloper on the Great Western Mainline! Virgin East Coast 800101 passes South Marston on 12 June 2017 with the 5X32 11:02 Reading West Junction to Swindon test run. Note the Azuma branding, which is what Virgin have decided to christen their fleet (it means East in Japanese). I'm sure enthusiasts will eventually think up different names for these high tech DMUs! Just 18 minutes earlier one of the GWR's new five car units also passed this spot, on its delivery run from the Newton Aycliffe factory.

Running on diesel power, 800102 passes Fenwick on 22 April 2019 with the 5Q21 11:05 Retford to York crew training run. This is my first picture of one of these Hitachi bi-mode units in LNER livery, and I have to say that is an infinitely better colour scheme compared to GWR's drab dark green livery, although probably a lot less easy to keep clean!

Running 24 minutes late, 800102 passes Cromwell Moor on 29 June 2019 with the 1A43 17:14 Leeds to Kings Cross LNER service. It is just crossing over the public footpath crossing that leads from the village of Cromwell to (according to the Ordnance Survey) nowhere at all!

'Celebrating Scotland' liveried 800104 approaches Sandy on 2 October 2019 with the 1Y86 14:02 York to Kings Cross LNER service. This is the first variation of LNER's colour scheme on these new units. No doubt in time there will be others.

'Celebrating Scotland' liveried 800104 speeds past Fenwick Common on 14 September 2020 with the 1E16 13:00 Edinburgh to Kings Cross LNER service. As this is a close up picture of a very fast moving subject, taken on a very bright (and unseasonably warm) early autumn day, I thought it was the ideal opportunity to try out my camera's 1/8000sec shutter speed.

My first photo of an East Coast Mainline Class 800 in revenue earning service, and not a very auspicious start! 800106 limps past Cromwell Moor on 29 June 2019 with the 1A40 16:15 Leeds to Kings Cross LNER service. This had come to a stand south of Retford, and after a lengthy delay, which caused several trains to back up behind it, eventually moved off, only to be terminated at Newark North Gate with a 'problem with the train'. It was 37 minutes late when it passed me, and it took ages for all the following delayed trains to pass by. I had an unexpected second chance to photograph this unit, as half an hour later, after having turfed off all the passengers at Newark, it headed back north in disgrace as the 5A40 18:10 Newark North Gate to Doncaster IEP Depot ECS. This just proves that the train company's naive mantra that new trains are always more reliable is just wishful thinking!

I didn't expect to see this again quite so soon! Just half an hour after 800106 headed south with the 1A40 16:15 Leeds to Kings Cross LNER service, it heads north again at Cromwell Moor on 29 June 2019 in disgrace, after having failed in service, and delaying at least four other southbound trains. This is the 5A40 18:10 Newark North Gate to Doncaster IEP Depot ECS. I wonder if any of the passengers who were kicked off the train at Newark continued south in the following Class 800, or waited for the next Class 91 and Mk4 set, hoping for a greater change of getting to London, and on less hard seats!

'You Belong' liveried 800106 passes Little Heck on 30 March 2024 with the 1A39 15:44 Leeds to Kings Cross LNER service. This is the view looking north from Little Heck Common Lane. The train is just crossing over the Hensall to Gowdall road.

800107 heads south at Balderton Crossing, Claypole, on 22 July 2019 with the 1B87 15:56 Newark North Gate to Kings Cross LNER service. It may look stylish, but apparently not as comfortable to ride in as the HSTs that it replaces!

800108 passes the farmyard clutter at Balderton Crossing, Claypole, on 22 July 2019 with the late running 1D18 14:33 Kings Cross to Leeds LNER service. The muck spreader on the right indicates that this is not the most fragrant spot on a hot afternoon!

The new order on the East Coast Mainline, as Class 800 EMUs replace loco hauled and HST services. 800108 speeds past Burn on 17 September 2019 with the 1Y86 14:02 York to Kings Cross LNER service.

An Azuma meeting near Sandy on 2 October 2019. 800108 heads towards London with the 1E14 12:00 Edinburgh to Kings Cross LNER service. Heading in the other direction is the 1D20 15:33 Kings Cross to Leeds, formed from 801110 (nearest camera) & 801104.

A wave from the driver of 800111, as it passes Frinkley Lane (near Grantham) on 13 September 2019 with the 1Y86 14:02 York to Kings Cross LNER service. This location is on an old road that formerly linked the villages of Hougham and Honington.

Summer 2019 sees the introduction into passenger service of LNER's Class 800 EMUs, but there are also still numerous ECS moves taking place. 800111 passes Burn on 17 September 2019 with the 5Q22 13.04 York To Newark North Gate crew training run. It would later head back north as the 5Q23 14:21 Newark North Gate to Craigentinny.

800112 approaches Barnby Lane Crossing, Claypole, on 22 July 2019 with the 5Q05 12:19 Retford to Peterborough LNER crew training run. In the foreground is Claypole's down loop. The up loop is situated a short distance to the south. Just visible between the grey cabin and the mast (at least on the original hi-res picture) is the local landmark of Newark-on-Trent's church spire.

The new order on the East Coast Mainline. 800112 approaches Barnby Lane Crossing, Claypole, on 22 July 2019 with the 5Q06 13:14 Peterborough to York LNER crew training run. Much better acceleration on electric power compared with a HST, but not so when running on diesel.

Late evening at Hougham on 13 September 2019, and 800112 heads north with the 1D23 17:03 Kings Cross to Leeds LNER service. New motive power, and also new power generation on the hillside in the background!

800112 passes Burnmouth on 16 September 2019 with the 1E22 16:00 Edinburgh to Kings Cross LNER service. They may not be as interesting from the enthusiast's point of view as the HSTs or Class 91s that they are replacing, but with their sleek design, and LNER's excellent livery, this certainly makes an impressive picture, especially with the colour contrast between the train, the dark blue North Sea, and the golden stubble field. Just think how dreary this picture would look if this was one of GWR's awful dull dark green Class 800s!

Pictured just to the south of Temple Hirst Junction, 800112 heads towards London on 14 March 2022 with the 1E03 05:26 Stirling to Kings Cross LNER service. Note that unlike GWR practice, the pantograph at the rear of the train is raised, rather than the one at the front.

LNER in the Cotswolds! An exceedingly rare event took place on 21 June 2019, when one of the East Coat Mainline's new bi-mode units traversed the 'Golden Valley' route between Cheltenham and Swindon, a line more accustomed to GWR's depressingly drab dark green liveried units. 800113 certainly stands out amid the summer green foliage, as it passes Chalford with the 5Q80 08:00 Long Marston to Doncaster Carr IEP Depot ECS. The unit had been on display at the Rail Live event at Long Marston, and was presumably heading back to Doncaster via this devious route, due to the more direct route via Birmingham not being cleared for Class 800s.

800113 passes Claypole on 22 July 2019 with the 5Q23 15:04 Peterborough to York LNER crew training run. Although the largely white livery may not be the most practical choice for railway vehicles, at least at the moment this brand new unit looks spotlessly clean, and an object lesson in aesthetics for GWR, whose universally hated drab dark green livery just looks plain awful compared with this colour scheme.

Early December 2019 already sees the Aberdeen to London trains worked by Class 800 units, with trains from Inverness set to follow shortly. 800113 passes Rossington on 4 December 2019 with the 1E11 07:52 Aberdeen to Kings Cross LNER service.

800202 passes Gamston on 3 November 2018 with the 5Q23 12:27 York to Peterborough crew training run. Although obviously it's not intended as such, this is a much more attractive 'livery' than GWR's hideous dark green colour scheme, which I am more used to seeing nearer home!

800202 passes Scrooby on 23 February 2019 with the 5Q13 13:22 Doncaster Carr IEP Depot to Kings Cross crew training run. This had left 43 minutes late, but had already knocked 10 minutes off that deficit, and passed Peterborough one minute early.

The new order on the East Coast Mainline, pictured in stunning light at Askham on 21 December 2019. 800208 heads south with the 1A22 09:36 Harrogate to Kings Cross LNER service, having just passed 800110, which is heading north with the balancing 1D08 09:33 Kings Cross to Harrogate working.

A very brief burst of sunshine on a mostly cloudy morning provides perfect illumination for 800301, as it passes Uffington on 1 May 2020 with the 1A16 10:30 Bristol Temple Meads to Paddington GWR service. Less than half of GWR's trains were operating, due to the ongoing coronavirus crisis.

800301 speeds past Grove on 26 September 2020 with the 1A12 08:44 Bath Spa to Paddington GWR service. Weekend engineering work had altered this from the normal 1A12 08:31 Bristol Temple Meads to Paddington train.

Superb autumn colours at Purton on 6 November 2020, as 800301 approaches Collins Lane level crossing with the 1Z19 14:18 Paddington to Swansea GWR service. Although Class 800s regularly travel this route, there were double the number on this day, as South Wales trains were being routed via Gloucester, as the Severn Tunnel line was closed for major bridge reconstruction at Patchway.

800301 passes Challow on 24 September 2021 with the 1A17 11:00 Bristol Temple Meads to Paddington GWR service. The bridge in the background was always my preferred spot to take photos until the electrification of the route forced me down into this field!

800301 approaches Uffington on 2 March 2023 with the 1L08 06:28 Swansea to Paddington GWR service. Although this is my local line, this is the first time that I have visited this exact spot, being one field further away from the road, compared to my already usual long walk!

800302 passes South Marston on 26 September 2018 with the 1B35 12:15 Paddington to Swansea GWR service. I had just arrived at this location, and naturally so had the cloud. A few minutes after taking this sunny picture, the clouds blotted out the sun!

800302 passes Moredon in crisp early morning light on 21 May 2019 with the 1L16 06:30 Cheltenham Spa to Paddington GWR service. At the moment the houses on the left mark the limit of Swindon's urban sprawl, but it probably won't be long before this is all houses!

Superb evening light at Wolvercote on 10 August 2019. 800302 runs along the newly reinstated down relief line with the 1W08 18:22 Paddington to Hereford GWR service. It won't be many years before the newly planted trees on the right will be casting shadows over the line on summer evenings such as this.

800302 speeds past Uffington on 4 June 2021 with the 1A12 07:23 Taunton to Paddington GWR service. A dull morning has allowed a picture to be taken from the north side of the line, for a change of viewpoint.

800302 approaches Moreton-in-Mash in torrential rain on 12 September 2023 with the 1W25 12:53 Paddington to Worcester Foregate Street GWR service. It is passing 67027, which is sat in Moreton's down refuge siding, whilst working the 0Z41 11:49 Worcester to Westbury route learner. The rain is so heavy that Dunstall Bridge in the background is only just visible!

800302 passes Uffington on 17 November 2023 with the 1L11 07:43 Swansea to Paddington GWR service. Mid November and over half the foliage in the wood behind the train is still green. Autumn seems to get later each year!

New train, same old rubbish timekeeping! Running 28 minutes late, 800303 passes Uffington on 19 October 2018 with the 1C16 13:30 Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads GWR service. It would get even worse, finally arriving at Bristol 43 minutes behind time!

800303 passes Chilson on 30 April 2019 with the 1P18 06:42 Hereford to Paddington GWR service. I hadn't intended to photograph this here, but went to this location for the earlier 2E92 06:53 Worcester Foregate Street to Didcot Parkway two car Class 165, but that passed in thick fog, the remnants of which can be seen in the background.

800303 races past Challow on 19 October 2020 with the 1B15 12:48 Paddington to Swansea GWR service. There is some variation with the colour of the door nearest the front end on these units, some like this one are grey, like all the others, while on other units they are green.

800303 passes Culham on 14 January 2022 with the 1P29 14:02 Oxford to Paddington. The background of pylons may not be very photogenic, but the lack of lineside vegetation means there are no distracting shadows for a mid-winter picture.

800303 passes Shorthampton on 14 April 2024 with the 1P41 09:58 Great Malvern to Paddington GWR service. Over a decade after all the vegetation was cleared when the line was redoubled, and the greenery is taking over again.

800303 pulls out of Kemble station on 21 April 2024 with the 1L66 15:00 Cheltenham Spa to Paddington GWR service. Probably a well photographed train, as plenty of photographers were out waiting to photograph LMS 'Black Five' 4-6-0 44871, which was running directly behind it.

800304 passes a rather scrappy field of peas near Stonesfield on 2 July 2018, as it heads down the Cotswold Line with the late running 1P12 05:28 Hereford to Paddington GWR service. With the Hereford trains starting to be taken over by Class 800s, the end is definitely approaching for HSTs in the Cotswolds!

At little more than walking speed, 800304 passes Hinksey Yard on 23 July 2018 with the 1P36 15:22 Worcester Shrub Hill to Paddington GWR service. This had managed to traverse the Cotswold Line exactly on time (no mean achievement in 2018!), but had then become involved in the massive delays caused by problems with the newly laid track at Oxford. On the left are the wagons of the 4L40 16:42 Morris Cowley to Purfleet BMW Mini car carriers, while just visible in the background is the 6Z71 15:00 Swindon European Metal Recycling to Aldwarke scrap train.

800304 passes Hinksey Yard on 23 July 2018 with the late running 1W36 17:52 Paddington to Worcester Shrub Hill GWR service. There is certainly plenty of capacity increase on the Cotswold Line with these new nine car units, but replacing HSTs with DMUs doesn't exactly seem like an improvement!

On the evening of 2 August 2018, whilst photographing at Wolvercote, I noticed that the cows on Port Meadow had wandered across to the near the track, so decided to take a wider view, to include them in the picture. This works up to a point, but they are not exactly facing the right way for the camera! 800304 runs along the new down relief line with the 1W36 17:52 Paddington to Worcester Shrub Hill GWR service. This was running 23 minutes late, due to signalling problems near Slough. In view of this, I decided not to wait for the following 1W03 18:22 Paddington to Hereford train, which was probably just as well, as that was twice as late!

In 2018 there are still many more five car Class 800s compared to nine car units, with the result that a lot of services on the Great Western Mainline are operated using a pair of five car units. Here however, one of the few nine car units (800304) passes Uffington on 25 September 2018 with the 1L50 10:36 Cheltenham Spa to Paddington GWR service.

800304 passes Oaksey on 25 September 2018 with the 1G38 13:36 Paddington to Cheltenham Spa GWR service. The company always used to blame their 'old' trains for the frequent delays. However, this train is brand new, so why is it still late?

With the pantograph still lowered, after running through the non-energised section of line through Steventon, 800304 heads west on 24 February 2019 with the 1C13 12:03 Paddington to Weston-super-Mare GWR service. By this date these EMUs had mostly replaced the iconic HSTs on this route.

Not as photogenic as the displaced HSTs, but worth a picture when the abundant hawthorn blossom counteracts the drabness of the Class 800's drab livery. 800304 passes Up Hatherley on 13 May 2019 with the 1G11 07:36 Paddington to Cheltenham Spa GWR service.

800304 passes Churchdown on 5 July 2019 with the 1G11 07:36 Paddington to Cheltenham Spa GWR service. The fact that there was once four tracks here is now partly hidden by Network Rail's unintentional buddleia nature reserve!

This is not quite the mundane GWR passenger service that it appears to be. 800304 passes Challow on 1 December 2020 with the 5Z70 09:30 Stoke Gifford to North Pole IEP Depot ECS. This was VSTP working, which left late, and maintained an approximate quarter of an hour deficit throughout its journey.

800304 passes underneath the road bridge at West Hewish on 26 March 2022 with the 1C10 10:32 Paddington to Weston-super-Mare GWR service. Although the top section of the bridge is relatively new, it utilises the brick base of the old bridge, and therefore the road is still narrow, and controlled by traffic lights.

800304 passes Compton Beauchamp on 3 March 2023 with the 1A22 13:30 Bristol Temple Meads to Paddington GWR service. A dreary afternoon, but this picture would not be possible otherwise, as it is taken from the north side of the line.

The new order on the Cotswold Line. 800305 passes Ascott-under-Wychwood with the 1W36 17:52 Paddington to Worcester Shrub Hill GWR service on 29 June 2018. Whether five underfloor engines is an improvement over the HST's engine at either end is open to question!

The new order on the Berks & Hants Line. 800305 pulls slowly away from Bedwyn station (hidden by the trees), as it works the 1J91 17:07 Paddington to Frome GWR service on 2 July 2018. The cow is not impressed! The well used footpath crossing connects Great Bedwyn Village with the Kennet & Avon Canal.

Just as the sun starts to appear from behind the clouds on 1 February 2020, 800305 passes Circourt Bridge, Denchworth, with the 1A10 06:57 Taunton to Paddington GWR service. Photo taken from the newly constructed (but virtually unused) footbridge.

800305 passes Grove on 5 November 2020 with the 1A14 09:30 Bristol Temple Meads to Paddington GWR service. I hadn't noticed it at the time, but the moon can be seen in the top right hand corner of the picture.

800305 just manages to avoid the clouds, as it approaches the site of Ashbury Crossing, Shrivenham, on 18 February 2021 with the 1B15 12:48 Paddington to Swansea GWR service. Even this ideal winter light, the dark green livery sill looks drab!

Superb early morning light at Purton Common on 27 May 2022. 800305 heads towards Swindon, and ultimately London, with the 1L62 05:53 Cheltenham Spa to Paddington GWR service. A new private road provides the elevated vantage point.

Weak early morning sunshine near Stonesfield on 19 July 2022. 800305 heads down the Evenlode Valley, on one of the single track sections of the Cotswold Line, with the 1P01 04:49 Hereford to Paddington GWR service. This would turn out to be the hottest day ever recorded in the UK, but at 06:28 it was still a relatively cool 24°C!

800305 passes Steventon on 9 December 2022 with the 1C13 12:02 Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads GWR service. The steam visible in the background is from the gas fired Didcot B Power Station. The coal fired Didcot A Power Station was decommissioned in 2013.

800305 approaches Little Bedwyn on 8 September 2023 with the 1C88 16:03 Paddington to Penzance GWR service. It was full sun when I set off, but naturally that faded out into high cloud when I got to the Berks & Hants line!

The view from Circourt Bridge, Denchworth, is still reasonably open, despite the 25kV catenary. 800305 heads westwards on 24 November 2023 with the 1C14 12:30 Paddington to Weston-super-Mare GWR service.

The new type of premium train on the Cotswold Line. 800306 approaches Dunstall Bridge, Moreton-in-Marsh, on 21 June 2018 with the 1W29 14:21 Paddington to Worcester Foregate Street GWR service. The five car Class 800/0s started operating Cotswold Line services on the last day of 2017, but the nine car Class 800/3s did not come on stream until June 2018.

800306 Harold Day DSC passes Uffington shortly after sunrise on 28 January 2019 with the 1L28 07:08 Worcester Shrub Hill to Paddington GWR service. The white stripes below the windows contain the names of 2,500 GWR employees who were killed in the First World War.

800306 Allan Leonard Lewis VC / Harold Day DSC accelerates away from Moreton-in-Marsh on 31 March 2019 with the 1P57 13:32 Hereford to Paddington GWR service. This unit is immediately identifiable from a distance by the grey bands along the sides of the coaches, which are in fact panels containing the names and details of the 2,500 Great Western Railway employees who were killed during the First World War.

First World War commemoratively liveried 800306 Harold Day DSC passes Challow on 1 April 2019 with the 1L32 06:59 Swansea to Paddington GWR service. I particularly like the line of Lombardy Poplars in this view, as they partially compensate for the ugliness of the overhead catenary.

With the sun just managing to find a small hole in the clouds, First World War commemoratively liveried 800306 Harold Day DSC passes Circourt Bridge, Denchworth, on 15 July 2019 with the 1B28 11:45 Paddington to Swansea GWR service.

Easily distinguishable by its bodyside graphics, 800306 Allan Leonard Lewis VC / Harold Day DSC passes South Marston on 10 September 2020 with the 1A13 07:57 Taunton to Paddington GWR service. How long before the constant sprawl of new houses from Swindon reaches these fields?

800306 Allan Leonard Lewis VC / Harold Day DSC passes Uffington on 6 October 2022 with the 1A17 11:00 Bristol Temple Meads to Paddington GWR service. Because of the bodyside graphics, this unit is easily identifiable at a distance.

800306 Allan Leonard Lewis VC / Harold Day DSC passes Grove on 26 February 2023 with the 1L42 08:35 Swansea to Paddington GWR service. This unit is instantly recognisable, due to its First World War commemorative graphics.

800306 Allan Leonard Lewis passes underneath the private road bridge at Purton Common on 15 June 2023 with the diverted 1L04 05:28 Swansea to Paddington GWR service. The train's normal route via the Severn Tunnel was closed for engineering works.

800306 Harold Day DSC passes Chilson on 15 March 2024 with the 1W17 08:51 Paddington to Great Malvern GWR service. This unit's distinctive bodyside graphics do not really show up well in this rather head on viewpoint.

A location that I had been meaning to visit for over three decades, but somehow never go around to! 800307 crosses Ledbury Viaduct on 5 August 2018 with the 1W02 10:36 Paddington to Hereford GWR service. The 31 arch brick viaduct was built in 1859 for the Worcester and Hereford Railway.

The new and the old at Ledbury on 5 August 2018. Brand new 800307 leaves the station with the 1P63 14:32 Hereford to Paddington GWR service, passing a pair of vintage lower quadrant signals, and the 133 year old Great Western Railway signal box.

Brand new 800307 passes the equally brand new signal gantry at Hinksey on 11 August 2018, as it heads towards London with the 1P31 07:13 Hereford to Paddington GWR service. Unfortunately the Class 800s have already replaced HSTs on the Hereford trains at the weekend.

800307 passes underneath the farm occupation bridge at Churchill Heath on 25 August 2018 with the 1P31 07:13 Hereford to Paddington GWR service. The bridge also carries a little used footpath. This picture is taken from another footpath crossing, a little further to the south.

800307 approaches Standish Junction on 8 September 2018 with the 1G11 08:15 Paddington to Cheltenham Spa GWR service. Despite the inevitable increase in lineside vegetation, this is still an excellent location to photograph trains approaching from the Swindon line. Not so the Bristol line, on the right!

800307 approaches the site of Yarnton Junction on 28 January 2019 with the 1P25 09:54 Great Malvern to Paddington GWR service. Although I probably felt the same way when HSTs took over from Class 50s on the Cotswold Line, I imagine that from now on I will be taking far less pictures on my local line!

A contrast between modern rolling stock, and vintage signaling at Moreton-in-Marsh on 31 March 2019. 800307 pulls out of the station with the 1P63 14:32 Hereford to Paddington GWR service. Note also the vintage bullhead track.

800307 passes the site of Coates station (formerly Tetbury Road) on 21 May 2019 with the 1G47 15:36 Paddington to Cheltenham Spa GWR service. The cloud formation really makes this picture, as otherwise the dark green DMU is no pictorial match for the blue HST that would formerly have worked this train.

My first railway photograph of the new year. 800307 speeds past Challow on 4 January 2022 with the 1C15 13:02 Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads GWR service. The four tack section of line ends a few hundred yards behind where I am standing.

Passing evidence of some recent extensive embankment strengthening weeks, 800307 speeds eastwards, near Baulking on 5 January 2022 with the 1L68 08:59 Cheltenham Spa to Paddington GWR service.

800307 passes West Hewish on 22 August 2023 with the 1C20 15:28 Paddington to Weston-super-Mare GWR service. This was running 14 minutes late, due to a combination of a late start, and signalling problems near the level crossing in the background.

Brand new 800308 passes the site of Oaksey Halt on 3 July 2018 with the 5Z30 14:17 North Pole IEP Depot to Swindon (via Gloucester) crew training run. After reversal at Gloucester, it would return an hour and a half later.

After reversing at Gloucester, 800308 passes Oaksey for the second time on 3 July 2018 with the 5Z30 14:17 North Pole IEP Depot to Swindon crew training run. Apart from the awful livery, these new trains look quite stylish. Unfortunately however, they are not as comfortable to travel in compared to a HST, mainly due to the very basic hard seats.

800308 passes underneath the wires that it still can't use at Uffington on 25 September 2018, as it heads towards London with the late running 1L38 07:59 Swansea to Paddington GWR service. At least it can run on diesel, but I thought one of the usually quoted advantages of electric traction was that it was lighter, because it doesn't have to carry heavy engines around!

800308 passes the distinctive line of Lombardy Poplars near the site of Challow station, as it heads towards the capital on 1 April 2019 with the late running 1A08 06:28 Exeter St Davids to Paddington GWR service.

800308 passes Wolvercote on 28 June 2019 with the 1P31 12:09 Hereford to Paddington GWR service. Although Network Rail did some vegetation clearance when the track layout was remodeled here, as is usual no regular maintenance is being carried out, with the result that the tree growing on the extreme left of this picture nearly brushes the side of northbound trains. One more growing season and it definitely will hit the trains. There is no excuse for this not being removed, as it isn't even growing on the railway side of the fence, and could therefore be trimmed without a track procession. Of course, as Network Rail do not do any of this kind of small scale work, it will just get pruned by passing trains to the loading gauge, just like the bush formerly at Chilson!

800308 passes Hungerford Common on 24 September 2021 with the 1A76 06:05 Penzance to Paddington GWR service. Note the repair works that has just started on the bridge in the background. As the weeks went by, the scaffolding around the bridge would increase considerably.

800308 passes West Hewish on 26 March 2022 with the 3A85 11:27 Stoke Gifford to Exeter St Davids GWR ECS. Obviously with no passengers involved, this train doesn't have to leave on time. On this occasion it had actually left Stoke Gifford 28 minutes early.

800308 passes Uffington on 4 November 2022 with the 1B16 13:18 Paddington to Cardiff Central GWR service. Although there was varying amounts of cloud, and some quite dramatic lighting, this combination of sun and near total cloud cover only lasted for a short while.

800308 passes Evenlode on a rather damp 22 December 2022, as it heads north up the Cotswold Line with the 1W02 11:50 Paddington to Hereford GWR service. Recent vegetation clearance has once again opened up this viewpoint.

Viewed from Circourt Bridge, Denchworth, 800308 heads west along the Great Western Mainline on 16 January 2024 with the 1C14 12:30 Paddington to Weston-super-Mare GWR service. No sign of the resident horses in the field today!

The sheep take no notice of 800308, as it approaches Hungerford Common on 20 November 2024 with the 1C82 13:03 Paddington to Plymouth GWR service. This was running 28 minutes late, a delay which would only get worse as the journey progressed.

The capped electrification mast steel pile in the foreground indicates that this view will not be available for much longer. 800309 passes through Severn Tunnel Junction station on 7 October 2018 with the 1B35 12:33 Paddington to Swansea GWR service.

800309 passes Daylesford on 25 February 2019 with the 1P31 12:59 Worcester Shrub Hill to Paddington GWR service. This should of course have been the 12:09 train from Hereford, but an earlier broken down train had blocked the line between Worcester and Hereford. It didn't even leave Worcester on time, but because this train is booked to stop at Moreton-in-Marsh for ten minutes (which must annoy passengers from further north!), it was virtually back on time here.

800309 passes South Marston on 11 April 2019 with the 1C19 15:00 Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads GWR service. With only the occasional mast on the south side of the line, this is one of the better photographic locations on the electrified Great Western Mainline.

800309 passes Shrivenham on 4 July 2019 with the late running 1L36 08:32 Cheltenham Spa to Paddington GWR service. At least there is still a view of sorts at this location, but the palisade fence in the foreground certainly doesn't makes things easy!

800309 passes South Marston on 12 March 2020 with the 1B15 12:48 Paddington to Swansea GWR service. Note the trace of a rainbow in the background. There was a much brighter rainbow arc visible off to the left of this picture.

800309 passes a field of oilseed rape near Uffington on 26 April 2021 with the 1C16 13:32 Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads GWR service. Just a few weeks later the whole fleet would be grounded, when cracks were discovered in the underframe of some units.

800309 passes Baulking on 23 August 2023 with the 1C12 11:28 Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads GWR service. Note the variety of overhead gantry types here, a feature of the Great Western Mainline electfrication.

In order to accommodate the new nine car Class 800/3 DMUs, several Cotswold Line stations have had their platforms lengthened during 2018. The up platform at Kingham has received a short extension, so that it now matches the length of the down platform,. 800310 passes the new extension on 22 December 2018, as it arrives at the station with the 1P47 12:06 Worcester Foregate Street to Paddington GWR service. It's hard to believe that the tracks serving the Banbury to Cheltenham line once occupied the space where the trees are now!

800310 passes Oaksey on 25 March 2019 with the 1L28 07:08 Worcester Shrub Hill to Paddington GWR service. Despite appearances, this picture is taken from a public footpath crossing, which has recently been upgraded with new approach fences.

800310 passes Moredon on 20 August 2019 with the 1L16 06:30 Cheltenham Spa to Paddington GWR service. The light coloured buildings in the background are part of the formerly rail served Bremell Sidings oil depot.

800310 passes Kennington on 22 November 2021 with the 1P25 12:02 Oxford to Paddington GWR service. The dense thicket of willow trees in the background hides the Morris Cowley branch line from view.

800310 Wing Commander Ken Rees passes Challow on 4 January 2022 with the 1B17 13:48 Paddington to Swansea GWR service. What appears to be a grey band underneath the unit's name is in fact a list of other Second World War heroes, along with the VE 75 1945-2020 logo.

Running 13 minutes late, 800310 passes Denchworth on 23 January 2023 with the 1A12 07:23 Taunton to Paddington GWR service. Although I have been visiting the nearby Circourt Bridge since 1973, this is the first time that I have been to this particular spot!

800311 passes Evenlode on 7 June 2023 with the 1W33 17:46 Oxford to Worcester Foregate Street GWR service. This train would normally start from Paddington, but this was in the final week of the Didcot to Oxford line blockage, when repairs were being carried out to Nuneham Viaduct, which had been quietly sliding into the River Thames! Evenlode used to be one of my favourite Cotswold Line locations for summer evening pictures, but roadside vegetation had blocked this view for a couple of decades. Recent clearance has opened up the view once again.

800311 passes Thingley on 15 June 2023 with the 1A14 09:30 Bristol Temple Meads to Paddington GWR service. Vegetation is slowly starting to colonise the side of the cutting, after some recent bank stabilisation work.

With the view from the concrete footbridge at the site of Ashbury Crossing, near Shrivenham, now compromised by the 25kV overhead wiring, the view from underneath the bridge will have to suffice. 800312 heads westwards on 27 February 2019 with the 1C12 11:30 Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads GWR service.

The bi-directional signalling at work at Wolvercote on 10 August 2019. The red tail lights clearly show that 800312 is heading away from the camera in the up direction, on what is normally the down line. The train is the 1P75 17:45 Great Malvern to Paddington GWR service. A little while later it passed through Oxford station on the through line, then reversed back into the down platform, no doubt to the surprise of any regular travellers. It then continued southwards from the 'wrong' platform.

The overhanging oak tree branches, and the yellow oilseed rape in the foreground, make a perfect frame for 300312, as it passes Uffington on 26 April 2021 with the 1H23 12:45 Paddington to Weston-super-Mare GWR service.

800312 passes the mini forest of stop boards, as it arrives at Charlbury station on 8 June 2021 with the 1P16 06:43 Worcester Shrub Hill to Paddington GWR service. I wonder how long the HST stop boards will remain, now that those trains no longer use this route.

800312 passes Challow on 6 October 2021 with the 1A15 10:00 Bristol Temple Meads to Paddington GWR service. As this is well away from any major settlement, there clearly isn't yet a need for an ugly intrusive palisade fence!

800312 passes underneath the roadbridge at Steventon on 5 August 2022 with the 1C13 12:02 Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads GWR service. Note the white painted sighting patch on the bridge, from the days of semaphore signalling.

800312 approaches Didcot North Junction on 10 October 2022 with the 1P21 09:59 Oxford to Paddington GWR service. Heading in the opposite direction, past the masts of the abandoned electfrication scheme, is 165136 with the 2L20 10:06 Didcot Parkway to Oxford train.

Running 11 minutes early, 800312 passes Tumpy Green on 27 July 2024 with the 3G66 06:37 Stoke Gifford to Cheltenham Spa ECS. This would later form the 1L66 07:58 Cheltenham Spa to Paddington GWR service.

800313 runs along the long straight section of the Cotswold Line between Combe and Finstock on 1 November 2018, with the 1W25 12:21 Paddington to Worcester Shrub Hill GWR service. This is the view from Whitehill Bridge, with the extremely tall Grintleyhill Bridge just visible in the distance.

800313 passes Churchill Heath on 12 December 2018 with the 1W25 12:21 Paddington to Worcester Shrub Hill GWR service. This particular unit seems to be stuck on this train, as I photographed it on the same service a few weeks earlier.

800313 passes Coates on 21 May 2019 with the 1L80 16:20 Cheltenham Spa to Paddington GWR service. A nondescript train, but full sun, and an impressive cloud formation. Photo taken from a public footpath crossing.

800313 speeds past Shrivenham on 4 July 2019 with the 1L38 07:59 Swansea to Paddington GWR service. The bridge in the background was one of many on the route that had to be rebuilt to accommodate the 25kV overhead wires.

800313 passes Oaksey on 22 October 2019 with the 1L67 14:36 Cheltenham Spa to Paddington GWR service. This should have been a picture of the 1Q15 Derby RTC to Swansea Network Rail test train, but I arrived just as the train was passing. This is a consolation picture in the stunning afternoon light.

800313 races past Uffington on 19 September 2020 with the 1C17 14:00 Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads GWR service. The footbridge in the background seems to be primarily used by railway photographers!

Just after crossing over the Fernham to Uffington road, on a mile long section of embankment near Uffington, 800313 heads westwards through the Vale of White Horse on 1 October 2020 with the 1B17 13:48 Paddington to Swansea GWR service.

800313 passes Grove on 25 November 2021 with the 1L10 07:20 Swansea to Paddington GWR service. Note the graphics on the leading two vehicles: 'Train travel reduces carbon emissions by up to 7.7 million tonnes in the UK every year.' and 'This train removes up to 500 cars from our roads.'

A damp and gloomy day in the Cotswolds. 800313 is still accelerating away from Charlbury station, as it passes Shorthampton on 18 January 2022 with the 1W25 12:50 Paddington to Worcester Foregate Street GWR service.

800313 speeds past Circourt Bridge, Denchworth, on Sunday 7 August 2022 with the 1A10 08:29 Weston-super-Mate to Paddington GWR service. On this occasion the train started from Bristol Temple Meads at 09:00. According to Realtime Trains, this service was partially cancelled due to an unknown cause. Somebody must know!

800313 passes Hungerford Common on 25 November 2022 with the 1A76 06:05 Penzance to Paddington GWR service. The graphics on the leading two vehicles read: 'Train travel reduces carbon emissions by up to 7.7 million tonnes in the UK every year.' and 'This train removes up to 500 cars from our roads.'

800313 passes Shrivenham in fine evening light on 5 June 2023 with the 1B28 18:18 Paddington to Swansea GWR service. The 3000 year old Uffington White Horse hill figure can be seen on the extreme right of the picture.

800313 passes a herd of cows at Berkley on 18 September 2023, as it heads westwards with the 1C88 16:03 Paddington to Penzance GWR service. This is the first time that I have been back to this location in nearly two decades, and was surprised to find that this evening viewpoint has hardly changed. Not so the other side, unfortunately!

A wave from the driver of 800313, as it passes South Marston on 28 September 2024 with the late running 1A14 09:30 Bristol Temple Meads to Paddington GWR service. Its getting to the time of year when shadows are becoming a problem at this location.

800314 passes Steventon on 24 February 2019 with the 1B35 12:33 Paddington to Swansea GWR service. The houses of Steventon village can be seen in the background, along with the tall chimney of the disused Didcot Power Station.

800314 passes Circourt Bridge, Denchworth, on 29 April 2019 with the 1L24 06:29 Swansea to Paddington GWR service. It is overtaking the 6L39 05:00 Bridgend Ford Sidings to Dagenham vans, which is slowing down on the approach to a red signal on the relief line.

800314 passes Chalford on 21 June 2019 with the 1L40 09:20 Cheltenham Spa to Paddington GWR service. To show just how awful this dark green livery is, compare it with LNER's 800113, which most unusually passed this way 15 minutes later.

800314 passes Manningford Bruce on 24 March 2020 with the 1A72 05:53 Plymouth to Paddington GWR service. Although the electricity poles are not really in the way, this would be an almost perfect photographic location if they weren't there!

800314 passes Uffington on 26 February 2021 with the 1B15 12:48 Paddington to Swansea GWR service. The young oilseed rape plants indicate the prospect of a yellow panorama here in a few months time.

800314 slowly approaches Honeybourne station on 16 June 2021 with the late running 1W25 12:50 Paddington to Worcester Foregate Street GWR service. Just visible in the distance, Vivarail hybrid DMU 230010 can be seen disappearing around the corner on the Long Marston branch, with the 14:24 Honeybourne to Long Marston Rail Live shuttle service.

800314 Odette Hallowes heads past Challow in some unexpected snow on 29 November 2021 with the 1L10 07:20 Swansea to Paddington GWR service. The snow was very localised, there being none at Swindon, a few miles to the west.

Superb lighting at Baulking on 23 March 2023, as 800314 Odette Hallowes heads towards London with the 1A14 09:30 Bristol Temple Meads to Paddington GWR service. Considering how much cloud there was, the sun managed to stay out for quite some considerable time.

Under an impressive cloudscape, that was unfortunately making the chance of getting a picture in the sun tricky, 800314 passes Circourt Bridge, Denchworth, on 6 April 2023 with the 1B14 12:18 Paddington to Cardiff Central GWR service.

I arrived at Uffington on 7 December 2019 just as the sun, which had been shining most of the morning, disappeared into thick cloud. So here for the record is 800315, pictured in the very last of the fading sun, with the dark clouds approaching in the background. The train is the 1A13 10:30 Bristol Temple Meads to Paddington GWR service.

800315 passes Wolvercote on 6 March 2020 with the 1P24 09:54 Great Malvern to Paddington GWR service. The high speed junction on the left allows trains leaving Oxford station to use either route, for operational flexibility.

With the clouds rapidly building up from the west, 800315 catches some of the fast diminishing sunshine, as it speeds past Challow on 1 August 2020 with the 1A13 07:57 Taunton to Paddington GWR service.

800315 passes Stoke Orchard on 2 June 2021 with what would ordinarily be the 1G01 05:35 Paddington to Worcester Shrub Hill GWR service. On this occasion the train had started from Swindon at 06:33, due apparently, to an issue with the train crew. The yellow leaved conifer in the foreground is guaranteed to grow rapidly and block this view!

800315 passes South Marston on 13 January 2022 with the 1B15 12:48 Paddington to Swansea GWR service. This superb lighting was not countrywide, as I have seen a picture of this train in Wales in dark and foggy conditions.

800315 passes Eckington in fine evening light on 8 June 2023 with the diverted 1W03 17:31 Paddington to Hereford GWR service. This was diverted via Swindon and Cheltenham due to the closures in April of the Didcot to Oxford line for urgent repairs to Nuneham Viaduct. The line reopened to traffic the following day.

Once a rare sight, now a commonplace occurrence. With nose cone doors open, 800315 passes West Hewish on 14 June 2023 with the 1C22 16:28 Paddington to Taunton GWR service. The doors are supposed to automatically close above a certain speed, so presumably this is something else that is rapidly failing on these units, like lots of the very fragile interior trim!

800316 passes Purton on 20 October 2018 with the 1L50 11:00 Cheltenham Spa to Paddington GWR service. At least here there are no overhead wires to bring down! Just a few days earlier, one of the new Class 802 fleet (identical to the 800s, except for a different engine rating) managed to rip down 500 metres of overhead wiring near Hanwell. This was bad enough, given how many decades 25kV pantograph technology has been with us, but far worse was the fact that it shut down all lines into Paddington for most of the day! Apart from more seats and quicker acceleration (only on electric power) these new units offer no advantages over the HSTs they replace. Their hard seats have been universally condemned, and now their ability to totally devastate a section of railway is something the HSTs would find extremely difficult to do!

800316 passes Up Hatherley on 4 December 2018 with the 1G21 09:36 Paddington to Cheltenham Spa GWR service, just as 158818 heads off into the distance with the 2G55 11:46 Cheltenham Spa to Cardiff Central Transport for Wales service.

800316 passes the muddy field at Lower Moor on 20 January 2019 with the 1W25 12:21 Paddington to Worcester Shrub Hill GWR service. Despite the absence of any obvious underground workings, the wooded hill in the background is known as Tunnel Hill.

800316 takes the Swindon line at Standish Junction on 26 March 2019 with the 1L67 14:36 Cheltenham Spa to Paddington GWR service. The actual junction is just the other side of the bridge that can be seen in the background.

800316 passes Compton Beauchamp on 31 May 2019 with the 1C25 18:00 Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads GWR service. The lack of masts on the north side of the line here still allows a picture of sorts on summer evenings.

A poor substitute for a HST, but unfortunately the Cotswold Line is now a 100% DMU operated railway. 800316 climbs away from Evesham, and passes Aldington on 2 September 2019 with the 1P31 12:09 Hereford to Paddington GWR service.

800316 accelerates away from Moreton-in-Marsh station, and approaches Dunstall Bridge on 5 September 2021. The train is the 1P73 16:58 Great Malvern to Paddington GWR service, which was probably photographed much more than would normally be the case during its journey, as 69002 Bob Tiller CM&EE & 69001 Mayflower were following behind with the GBRf 1Z35 16:00 Bescot Up And Down Goods to Paddington 'This Time It's Personal' railtour.

800316 passes Chilson on 6 May 2022 with the 1P16 06:43 Worcester Shrub Hill to Paddington GWR service. The recently planted trees behind the train are already starting to obscure the view of Ascott-under-Wychwood Mill in the background.

800316 passes Kemble on 8 July 2022 with the late running diverted 1L08 06:28 Swansea to Paddington GWR service. Recent vegetation clearance has opened up this view from above the entrance to Kemble Tunnel, although at this time of the morning, a long lens is still required to avoid the foreground shadows.

Crisp early morning light at Purton Common on 14 July 2022. 800316 heads towards Swindon with the 1L62 05:53 Cheltenham Spa to Paddington GWR service. I wonder how long it be before this location gets too overgrown for photography?

800316 races past Circourt Bridge, Denchworth, on 7 August 2022 with the 1L34 07:55 Swansea to Paddington GWR service. Although it is not clearly visible from this angle, just next to the first passenger window of the leading vehicle is the recently applied It's Come Home! Lionesses vinyl logo, celebrating the England Women's Football Euro 2022 win over Germany.

800316 leaves Moreton-in-Marsh station on 8 August 2022 with the 1Z21 09:07 Moreton-in-Marsh to Paddington GWR additional service. This was run in connection with the Wilderness Festival, held at Cornbury Park, near Charlbury. The festival finished the previous day, and GWR arranged several extra trains to take the festival goers home. This unit had arrived a little earlier as the 5Z21 07:05 North Pole IEP Depot to Moreton-in-Marsh ECS, and is pictured using the crossover to access the up line from platform 1. It may as well have still had the 5Z21 headcode as far as Charlbury, because I couldn't see a single passenger in the entire nine coach train!

800316 passes Knighton on 9 August 2022 with the 1C13 12:02 Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads GWR service. This was running 24 minutes late, after coming to a stand and waiting near Challow for some unexplained reason. This is the third consecutive day that I have photographed this unit!

800316 passes Little Bedwyn on 3 April 2023 with the 1C91 17:36 Paddington to Plymouth GWR service. The road bridge really does have a slope on it, something which isn't really apparent when you are stood on it!

800316 passes West Hewish on 14 June 2023 with the 1C20 15:28 Paddington to Weston-super-Mare GWR service. This is one of those rare locations that has actually improved, after a tree that formerly blocked this view was removed.

800316 passes Bretforton on 15 May 2024 with the 1W02 11:52 Paddington to Hereford GWR service. The cloudy sky makes a better picture than if it had been jist plain blue, but it does mean an anxious time hoping the sun will be out for each picture!

800316 passes Churchill Heath on 21 July 2024 with the 1P59 13:58 Great Malvern to Paddington GWR service. With the exception of the unit's front end, and the ballast, everything is more or less the same shade of green!

800316 passes Manningford Bruce on 16 August 2024 with the 1A77 08:35 Plymouth to Paddington GWR service. This location is fine for eastbound trains, but a radio mast severely compromises the view of westbound trains.

800317 negotiates the reverse curves near Ham Mill on 17 December 2018 with the 1L58 12:36 Cheltenham Spa to Paddington GWR service. Although I obviously knew this would be a Class 800, I thought it was worth a picture, as I was passing by the location, and the sun was out. Naturally as soon as I had walked up the hillside, the sun went in! Stanton's Bridge, on the partially restored Thames & Severn Canal, can be seen on the right.

800317 passes Uffington on 28 January 2019 with the 1A10 09:00 Bristol Temple Meads to Paddington GWR service. The isolated tree adds interest to the foreground, but unfortunately the 25kV overhead electrification does little to enhance the view!

Modern Oxford! With the exception of the brick terraces on the right, virtually everything in this picture is relatively new. 800317 leaves the station on 2 February 2019 with the 1P45 13:01 GWR service to Paddington. The eyesore in the background is the Saïd Business School. Tourists getting off the train and seeing this must think they have been lied to when reading about Oxford's 'Dreaming Spires'! It is also slightly ironic that it sits on the site of the much more attractive former LMS Rewley Road station, which being Grade II listed, was thankfully dismantled and reassembled at the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre.

With the well known location of Circourt Bride in the background, 800317 passes Denchworth on 1 February 2020 with the 1L10 07:22 Swansea to Paddington GWR service. The main lines may be well engineered, but note the dip in the track under the bridge on the down relief line.

Early morning at Moredon on 1 June 2021. 800317 passes the new houses of Swindon's ever expanding urban sprawl, as it approaches the town with the 1L61 04:27 Hereford to Paddington GWR service. This was a special working via the Stroud line rather than via the more normal Cotswold Line.

800317 passes Kennington on 9 June 2021 with the 1P16 06:43 Worcester Shrub Hill to Paddington GWR service. On the right is the well used Oxford to Abingdon cycle track, part of the Sustrans national cycle network.

800317 Freya Bevan passes Uffington under a threatening sky on 9 March 2022 with the 1L11 07:43 Swansea to Paddington GWR service. As can be guessed from this picture, the sun didn't stay out for much longer!

800317 uses the crossover at Moreton-in-Marsh on 8 August 2022, as it leaves the station with the 1Z23 10:09 Moreton-in-Marsh to Paddington additional GWR service. This was in connection with the Wilderness Festival, held at Cornbury Park, near Charlbury. The train had arrived a little earlier as the 5Z23 09:22 Oxford to Moreton-in-Marsh ECS, and consequently had to use the crossover to change from the down line to the up line..

800317 Freya Bevan passes Uffington on 4 November 2022 with the 1A16 10:30 Bristol Temple Meads to Paddington GWR service. I wouldn't have thought leaving short lengths of rail in the middle of a 125mph line was a good idea!

800318 approaches Circourt Bridge, Denchworth, on 3 February 2019 with the 1A08 08:15 Bristol Temple Meads to Paddington GWR service. Surely this little bit of snow can't be affecting the newly installed overhead electfrication. This wasn't the only Class 800 that I saw pass by with pantograph down, clearly running on diesel.

800318 catches a small patch of weak winter sunshine (at least the front half of the train does!), as it passes Daylesford on 6 March 2019 with the 1P37 1551 Worcester Foregate Street to Paddington GWR service. This is one of just a handful of Cotswold Line trains that will not be stopping at Kingham, a short distance further south.

800318 approaches Steventon on 30 March 2019 with the 1C14 12:30 Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads GWR service. This seemed to be struggling to get up to line speed after the Didcot stop, three miles away . With a poorer power to weight ratio when running on diesel, when compared to a HST, this is probably hardly surprising.

800318 passes Uffington on 13 November 2019 with the 1L32 06:59 Swansea to Paddington GWR service. This has become my default Vale of White Horse photographic location, purely because there are no masts on the south side of the line.

800318 races past Grove on a bright but cold 5 November 2020 with the 1A15 10:00 Bristol Temple Meads to Paddington GWR service. This location is just a little to the east of the little used footpath crossing.

800318 passes Uffington on 8 March 2021 with the 1C16 13:32 Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads GWR service. Note how the single tree is still displaying some autumn colours, amongst the otherwise bare braches in the lineside wood.

800318 passes South Marston on 5 September 2023 with the 1C18 14:28 Paddington to Weston-super-Mare GWR service. Until early September the summer had been mainly cool and damp, which explains why the countryside is still largely green.

800318 emerges from the fog at Uffington on 6 December 2023 with the 1B10 10:18 Paddington to Cardiff Central GWR service. The open nose cone is now quite a common sight on the Great Western Mainline.

800318 passes Fairfield Crossing Cottage, near Little Bedwyn, on 16 September 2024 with the 1C88 16:03 Paddington to Penzance GWR service. As the nose cone doors are supposed to close above a certain speed, the high number of units running around with them open implies that this is something else that doesn't work on these units!

800319 passes Badgeworth on 4 December 2018 with the 1G11 07:36 Paddington to Cheltenham Spa GWR service. In the low winter light the dark green unit almost looks photogenic, although give me a HST any day! Probably most of the passengers are saying the same, whereas once they travelled in a HST, now they get a DMU!

Viewed from the new footbridge in the field just to the west of the site of Uffington station, 800319 speeds towards London on 19 September 2019 with the 1A09 07:12 Taunton to Paddington GWR service. The same train two years earlier was a lot more interesting!

Even one of Great Western's dreary dark green Class 800s looks acceptable in lighting this dramatic! 800319 passes Wantage Road on 11 November 2019 with the 1L54 11:56 Cardiff Central to Paddington GWR service. This was one of those typical situations where I left home in more or less full sunshine, only for it to immediately start clouding up. Then, after walking a considerable distance across the fields to get to this location, it seemed like it would be totally cloudy for the rest of the day. Luckily however, the cloud soon largely dispersed.

800319 passes Uffington on 7 February 2020 with the 1L10 07:20 Swansea to Paddington GWR service. As is often the case, the sun, which had been out all the time on the drive to this location, promptly went in when I got to the line. This was the only picture that I got in the sun.

800319 approaches Challow on 8 February 2020 with the 1C16 13:30 Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads GWR service. This is the view at the far end of the field next to the main road, a considerable muddy walk in wintertime.

800319 passes Shorthampton on 25 March 2020 with the 1P24 09:54 Great Malvern to Paddington GWR service. Although beginning to get a bit more grown up, this is one of the very few Cotswold Line locations that is still more open than it was in the 1980s.

800319 passes Baulking on 19 October 2020 with the 1B17 13:48 Paddington to Swansea GWR service. This used to be an excellent spot for photography, now there is just this severely restricted and cluttered viewpoint for westbound trains, with no view at all for eastbound services.

800319 comes out of the darkness, and into the light at Uffington on 23 September 2021, as it heads west with the 1B15 12:48 Paddington to Swansea GWR service. On this occasion everything from London was running half an hour late, and this was no exception.

800319 races past Grove on 17 November 2021 with the 1C13 12:02 Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads GWR service. A small gap in the lineside bushes next to Hanney Bridge allowed this view, on what is otherwise quite an overgrown stretch of line.

800319 leaves Moreton-in-Marsh station on 7 May 2022 with the 1P69 15:31 Hereford to Paddington GWR service. Note the bus waiting on the left. Several bus routes serving nearby villages connect with trains at this station.

In addition to the view from the footbridge, there is also a decent view from track level at South Marston. 800319 is pictured heading west on 19 January 2023 with the 1C15 13:02 Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads GWR service.

800319 passes Wolvercote on 27 March 2023 with the 1W02 11:50 Paddington to Hereford GWR service. Waiting in the background is 66127 with the 4M71 09:51 Southampton Western Docks to Birch Coppice intermodal.

800320 passes through the snowy landscape near Baulking on 3 February 2019 with the 1A12 09:53 Bristol Temple Meads to Paddington GWR service. The overhanging branches of the tree certainly improve the picture, and even makes the Class 800 look presentable!

Unfortunately early 2019 sees the last remaining Cotswold Line HST services downgraded to DMU operation. 800320 passes Lyneham on 25 February 2019 with the 1W27 13:22 Paddington to Worcester Foregate Street GWR service.

800320 passes South Marston on 19 September 2020 with the 1L10 07:20 Swansea to Paddington GWR service. It's a pity that the footbridge from which this picture is taken didn't exist in pre-electfrication days, but at least the view corresponds with a reasonable gap between the posts.

800320 speeds past Challow on 16 August 2022 with the 1C17 14:02 Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads GWR service. It may only be hazy sunshine, but like most of the summer of 2022, it was extremely hot!

800320 rounds the curve at Norton on 15 January 2024 with the 1P28 11:57 Great Malvern to Paddington GWR service, which on this occasion started from Worcester Shrub Hill at 12:17, due to the late arrival of the inbound train.

800320 passes South Marston on 9 May 2024 with the 1A15 09:29 Weston-super-Mare to Paddington GWR service. This picture is taken from the steps of a footbridge that seems to be only used by railway photographers!

800320 passes Shorthampton in the rain on 8 August 2024 with the 1W02 11:52 Paddington to Hereford GWR service. Although this left on time, it was running 13 minutes late here, and by the time it got to Great Malvern it was 22 minutes behind time. As is often the case with late running Cotswold Line trains, this led to it being terminated there.

With the houses of Stroud in the background, 800321 passes Bowbridge on 11 April 2019 with the 1L58 12:36 Cheltenham Spa to Paddington GWR service. The Stroud Valley was well known in steam days for its many excellent scenic locations. These were mostly gradually lost over the years to extensive lineside vegetation. Only now have some long lost vistas been opened up again.

'Face Mask' liveried 800321 passes Uffington on 1 October 2020 with the 1B15 12:48 Paddington to Swansea service. GWR have finally got their chronic timekeeping under control, so much so that this train was actually running three minutes early!

Even trains have to wear face masks during the coronavirus pandemic! 800321 passes Grove on 2 January 2021 with the 1C12 11:30 Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads GWR service. The company applied the vinyl face mask design to the unit to highlight the obligatory wearing of masks on its trains and stations. It may only be just after midday, but this was the very last of the day's sunshine. Just visible in the background is the recently reconstructed Hanney Bridge.

'Face Mask' liveried 800321 passes Uffington on 7 April 2021 with the 1L14 09:22 Swansea to Paddington GWR service. Unfortunately the early morning sunshine had long since disappeared, and it was now unremittingly dull and cold.

800321 speeds past Uffington on 6 September 2021 with the 1U18 14:15 Paddington to Bristol Parkway GWR service. The front end design is supposed to be a face mask, but it reminds me of a cat's face with whiskers!

'Face Mask' liveried 800321 speeds past Grove on 8 September 2021 with the 1A19 12:00 Bristol Temple Meads to Paddington GWR service. Just visible in the background (at least on the hi-res original!) is the 4E18 09:42 Fairwater Yard to Doncaster Wood Yard concrete sleeper train, waiting on the up relief line behind the orange pairing of 66623 & 66413 Lest We Forget.

'Face Mask' liveried 800321 passes Circourt Bridge, Denchworth, in superb light on 15 November 2021 with the 1C15 13:02 Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads GWR service. The weather at this point was much better than forecast, but as can be guessed from the clouds in the background, it didn't last!

800321 heads away from the camera at Honeybourne on 10 February 2022 with the 1P34 15:16 Worcester Foregate Street to Paddington GWR service, passing the stop board on the freight only Long Marston branch line.

800321 passes Challow on 8 March 2022 with the 1C06 08:32 Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads GWR service. A going away shot, but one that clearly shows the 'Face Mask' livery addition, and some damage to the valance just below it.

'Face Mask' liveried 800321 approaches Standish Junction on 24 April 2022 with the 2G09 15:30 Swindon to Cheltenham Spa GWR service. It would be briefly held at the next signal, in order to allow 220034 to cross the junction with the 1V58 10:39 Newcastle to Bristol Temple Meads CrossCountry train.

800321 passes Grove on 26 April 2022 with the 1A14 09:30 Bristol Temple Meads to Paddington GWR service. Just visible in the distance is 66559, waiting on the up relief line with the 4L36 07:39 Wentloog to Felixstowe North freightliner.

A slightly different and more arty viewpoint for this picture of 800321, as it approaches the public footpath crossing near Grove on 22 September 2022 with the 1B16 13:18 Paddington to Cardiff Central GWR service.

Now devoid of its 'Face Mask', and looking just like every other Class 800/3, 800321 passes Baulking on 14 February 2023 with the 1C15 13:02 Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads GWR service. The venerable oak tree certainly improves the picture.

800321 passes Circourt Bridge, Denchworth, on 10 August 2023 with the 1L11 07:43 Swansea to Paddington GWR service. The trees and bushes in the background now completely hide Upper Circourt Farm from view.

With a plume of spray flying off the pantograph, 801101 & 801105 pass Arksey in the rain on 20 December 2019 with the 1E12 11:01 Edinburgh to Kings Cross LNER service. This was running 20 minutes late. I thought all such delays were supposed to be banished with their shiny new trains!

My first picture of one (or two in this case) of the electric only Class 801s, as apposed to the more common Class 800/802 variants. 801105 & 801106 approach Sandy at speed on 2 October 2019 with the 1A34 14:15 Leeds to Kings Cross LNER service.

801109 leads an unidentified classmate past Burn on 14 March 2022 with the 1E08 09:00 Edinburgh to Kings Cross LNER service. Not an improvement over a Class 91 and Mk 4s, but apparently slightly more comfortable than GWR's Class 800s!

801111 & 801106 pass Hambleton on 12 November 2022 with the 1Y86 14:03 York to Kings Cross LNER service. This was running exactly to time here, but it wasn't to last. Delays started at Peterborough, and just got worse and worse. Arrival in London was over two hours late!

Dormer Green level crossing, at Thorpe Grange, is normally locked, and any farm vehicles requiring to use it have to wait for a Network Rail employee to arrive by car to unlock it. Presumably this is a very rare occurrence, but there is a tiny hut provided. Note the crudely applied BR double arrow on the side of the hut. Thorpe Grange Farm is in the background of this 18 July 2022 view, as 801203 approaches at high speed with the 1E05 07:30 Edinburgh to Kings Cross LNER service.

801204 passes Hambleton on 12 November 2022 with the 1E14 12:00 Edinburgh to Kings Cross LNER service. For a change, I chose this more distance viewpoint, which is neatly enhanced by the oak tree on the left.

801211 passes Hambleton on 14 March 2022 with the 1E10 10:00 Edinburgh to Kings Cross LNER service. This picture is taken from the now truncated Field Lane, and if you were so inclined, you wouldn't need to get out of your parked car for this view!

801214 catches the late afternoon sun, as it passes over Little Heck Common Lane on 30 March 2024 with the 1S22 15:00 Kings Cross to Edinburgh LNER service. This road now sees very little traffic. It was quiet enough when Heck Ings level crossing was open, but since that was closed it doesn't actually lead anywhere!

Viewed from the public footpath crossing at Fenwick Common, 801217 speeds along the East Coast Mainline on 14 September 2020 with the 1Y86 14:03 York to Kings Cross LNER service. Not quite as photogenic as the HSTs that they replaced, but a lot better in this livery compared with GWR's universally derided dark green colour scheme!

801222 approaches Joan Croft Junction on 18 July 2022 with the 1E06 06:48 Glasgow Central to Kings Cross LNER service, which on this occasion had started from Edinburgh at 08:00 due to a crewing issue. Due to the extreme heat it was running at reduced speed, and was already 20 minutes late. It would arrive in London 48 minutes behind time. The following day was even hotter, with the UK recording the highest ever temperature, and as a consequence, all LNER East Coast Mainline trains were cancelled, with almost no trains passing this point throughout the entire day.

Superb evening light at Little Heck on 14 September 2020. 801223 heads towards London with the 1E21 15:30 Edinburgh to Kings Cross LNER service. The train is just passing over the Hensall to Gowdall roadbridge.

801227 passes Hambleton on 12 November 2022 with the 1E12 11:00 Edinburgh to Kings Cross LNER service. The sun had just come out after a lengthy cloudy spell, and although the sun then stayed out for most of the rest of the day, this superb combination of full sun and dark clouds obviously didn't last very long.

In dramatic lighting, less than a minute before the dark clouds in the background caught up with the sun, and put the lights out, 801228 passes Hambleton on 14 March 2022 with the 1E12 11:01 Edinburgh to Kings Cross LNER service. The train is passing underneath a pair of concrete bridges. The first one carries three large pipes, while the one in the background carries Field Lane, a road between Hambleton and Thorpe Willoughby, now cut off by the A63 Selby bypass.

801230 passes Joan Croft Junction on 18 July 2022 with the late running 1S09 09:00 Kings Cross to Edinburgh LNER service. The new flyover in the background provides a direct link for freight trains from Knottingley to Hatfield & Stainforth and beyond.

A 25kV AC EMU on the 750V DC network! 801230 passes Worting Junction on 12 August 2024, hauled by 66738 Huddersfield Town, running as the 5X81 09:41 Eastleigh Works to Reading, for onward movement to Ferme Park. This was running over an hour late.

My first picture of a Class 802 - the version of the IEP bi-mode unit with more powerful engines. 802001 & 802002 pass Grove on 30 November 2017 with the 5Z19 09:34 North Pole Depot to Taunton Signal E483 test run. Note the complete lack of any GWR branding.

802001 & (hidden by trees off to the left the picture) 802004 pass Hungerford Common on 25 November 2022 with the 1A78 07:10 Penzance to Paddington GWR service. I wonder how much performance is lost by leaving the front coupling cover open. It certainly completely ruins the aerodynamics!

Moreton-in-Marsh's outer home signal is off, as 802001 approaches from the south on 8 December 2022 with the 1W02 11:50 Paddington to Hereford GWR service. This is the view from Dunstall Bridge, a farm occupation and footpath bridge, which gives uninterrupted views in both directions.

Framed by a conveniently positioned oak tree, 802001 passes Baulking on 20 April 2023 with the 1L68 08:59 Cheltenham Spa to Paddington GWR service. Also convenient is the rebuilt section of embankment, which gives just enough of a clear view for a five coach train.

802001 passes Brimscombe on 20 April 2023 with the 1G13 11:28 Paddington to Cheltenham Spa GWR service. There were once many photographic locations in the Stroud Valley, but this is one of the few that have not succumbed to rampant lineside vegetation.

802001 passes Lower Wick on 9 September 2023 with the 2T42 08:52 Worcester Shrub Hill to Bristol Temple Meads GWR service. There is a Lower Wick, Middle Wick and Upper Wick, all of which are just few farms and houses.

802001 approaches Moreton-in-Marsh on 16 December 2023 with the 1W25 12:53 Paddington to Worcester Foregate Street GWR service. This is the view looking south from Dunstall Bridge. The earthworks are for flood drainage work in connection with a large new housing development being built just to the north. The fields between the A429 Fosse Way and the railway are soon to be lost to the southwards expansion of Moreton-in-Marsh.

802002 & 802001 pass Uffington on 26 April 2018 with the late running 5Z90 07:49 Stoke Gifford to Reading test run. These are the high powered variant of the IEP fleet, with 2820hp available per set, as opposed to 2250hp on a Class 800. Once in passenger operation (from July 2018) they will principally work on the West of England Line.

802002 passes Fiddington on 27 May 2023 with the 2T42 08:52 Worcester Foregate Street to Bristol Temple Meads GWR service. As both the train and the landscape are green, it is left to the brick farm buildings of Fiddington to add some colour contrast!

Yet another instance of an IET running with the nose cone doors open. 802002 leaves Kemble station on 17 July 2024 with the 1L78 13:59 Cheltenham Spa to Paddington GWR service. The train is just about to enter the very short Kemble Tunnel.

802003 slowly pulls away from Kintbury station on 23 August 2019 with the 1K12 12:06 Paddington to Bedwyn GWR service. These new DMUs had replaced the former Class 165 Turbo units on these trains a few months earlier.

802003 passes Daylesford on 8 October 2023 with the 1P49 12:53 Moreton-in-Marsh to Paddington GWR service. The Cotswold Line north of Moreton-in-Marsh was closed for Sunday engineering works. This location was cleared of bushes several years earlier, but is now starting to become overgrown again.

802004 approaches the public footpath crossing, just to the east of Collins Lane level crossing, near Purton, on 29 September 2020. It is working the 1G15 12:28 Paddington to Cheltenham Spa GWR service. At the moment this location is nearly a mile away from the edge of Swindon, but given that town's rapid expansion, there may well be houses around here in a few decade's time!

802004 & 802014 pass Challow on 11 April 2021 with the 3C10 08:15 Stoke Gifford to Paddington GWR ECS. This being a Sunday, this was the first up train of the day. 111 miles of empty stock running, before they pick up their first passengers - very efficient!

802005 passes Chilson on 14 December 2018 with the 1P22 08:25 Worcester Foregate Street to Paddington GWR service. The logs in the foreground are a clue that this location has recently seen a long overdue visit from the Network Rail maintenance gang. The view has been opened up considerably, as previously the bridge in the background was not visible from this spot.

The farmer starts another circuit of his field in the background, as 802005 passes Edington on 26 March 2020 with the 1C81 12:36 Paddington to Castle Cary GWR service. This train would normally carry on to Exeter St Davids, but the line was closed for engineering works between Castle Cary and Taunton.

802006 passes through Shipton station on 22 March 2023 with the 1P24 09:54 Great Malvern to Paddington GWR service. Only two trains in each direction call at this station, and this isn't one of them. Passengers accessing the down platform have to watch out for manoeuvering lorries in Matthews Flour Mill yard!

802007 & 802011 pass Woodborough on 25 June 2020 with the 1C84 14:02 Paddington to Penzance GWR service. Apart from the ballast and the unit's yellow front end, everything else in the picture is some shade of green!

802007 slowly approaches Standish Junction on 15 May 2023 with the 1G03 06:31 Paddington to Cheltenham Spa GWR service. It would return just over an hour later with the 1L68 08:59 Cheltenham Spa to Paddington train.

Surrounded by an abundance of flowering hawthorn bushes, 802007 takes the Swindon line at Standish Junction on 15 May 2023 with the 1L68 08:59 Cheltenham Spa to Paddington GWR service. Next stop Stonehouse, just around the corner.

802007 passes the site Coates goods station on 1 June 2023 with the 1G21 15:31 London to Cheltenham Spa GWR service. Note the two different shades of yellow on the fixed and movable parts of the nose cone.

In the last of the light, just before the sun disappeared into a bank of cloud, 802007 leaves Moreton-in-Marsh station on 8 October 2023 with the 1P63 15:53 GWR service to Paddington. The line north of here was closed for engineering works, which explains why it is departing from the down platform.

802007 & (hidden by the footbridge) 802022 pass Woodborough on 18 April 2024 with the late running 1A78 07:10 Penzance to Paddington GWR. The wagons of the 6A50 10:26 Whatley Quarry to Hanwell Bridge Loop stone train can just be seen in the loop in the background.

802008 passes Shorthampton on 23 May 2019 with the 1P29 11:57 Worcester Foregate Street to Paddington GWR service. Note how the recent vegetation clearance only extends a certain distance back from the track.

Running 15 minutes early, 802008 RNLB Solomon Browne passes Croome on 29 June 2019 with the 5L28 06:25 Worcester Hereford Sidings to Cheltenham Spa ECS. This would later form the 1L28 07:32 Cheltenham Spa to Paddington GWR service.

802008 & 802005 pass Grove on 26 March 2020 with the 1Z76 08:12 Plymouth to Paddington GWR service. The closure of the line between Taunton and Castle Cary for engineering works was the reason these Class 802s were venturing into what is normally mostly Class 800 territory. Just visible in the distance is the 1Z23 07:08 Bristol High Level Siding to Tyseley Network Rail test train.

802008 passes Bretforton on 29 March 2021 with the 1W02 11:50 Paddington to Hereford GWR service. The Cotswold Hills are in the background on the right, while on the left, the rather smaller Sheen Hill can be seen.

Kemble station is shrouded in fog on 25 September 2021, as 802008 RNLB Solomon Browne pulls away with the 1L64 06:49 Cheltenham Spa to Paddington GWR service. Kemble station retains one short siding and headshunt.

802008 Rick Rescorla approaches Ashchurch on 2 June 2022 with the 1L66 07:24 Worcester Shrub Hill to Paddington GWR service. I'm not sure of the reason, but the upper section of front end appears to be a lighter shade of yellow, compared with the coupling cover below.

802008 RNLB Solomon Browne & 802012 approach the site of Bremell Sidings on 9 June 2022 with the 1L62 05:53 Cheltenham Spa to Paddington GWR service. A very long lens was required here, in order to clear extensive foreground shadows.

802008 RNLB Solomon Browne calls at Pewsey station on 20 June 2024 with the 1A77 08:35 Plymouth to Paddington GWR service. Why does the paintwork on the headlight surrounds suffer so much worse than on the rest of the unit?

What's the point of the hugely expensive and incredibly ugly Great Western Mainline electfrication, if half the trains don't use it? During just over an hour at the lineside at Baulking on 28 March 2019, nearly 50% of the trains (in both directions) were running on diesel power. One such is illustrated here. 802009 & 802011 Capt. Robert Falcon Scott make no use of the wires, as they head west with the 1C15 13:00 Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads GWR service.

802009 passes Hungerford Common on 28 May 2020 with the 1A78 07:10 Penzance to Paddington GWR service. Due to reduced passenger demand owing to the coronavirus pandemic, a single five car set was being used.

802010 & 802019 pass Grove on 25 February 2019 with the 1L34 07:29 Swansea to Paddington GWR service. The pantograph will shortly be lowered to pass through the dead section at Steventon. Only in Britain would we have lengthy dead sections on an electrified line!

802010 Corporal George Sheard passes Ascott-under-Wychwood Signal Box on 6 May 2022 with the 1P22 08:56 Great Malvern to Paddington GWR service. The level crossing is on the road that leads from the village to the A361 Burford to Chipping Norton road.

802010 Corporal George Sheard arrives at Kemble station on 20 April 2023 with the 1L82 15:59 Cheltenham Spa to Paddington GWR service. There can't be many locations where a steam age water tower still dominates the present day railway scene!

802010 Kieron Griffin & 802013 approach Little Bedwyn on 26 May 2023 with the late running 1C89 16:35 Paddington to Plymouth GWR service. The drab dark green livery still looks dull, even in late afternoon light!

802010 Corporal George Sheard passes Manningford Bruce on 7 November 2023 with the 1A73 05:03 Penzance to Paddington GWR service. The wood in the background is unimaginatively named the Plantation!

802011 Sir Joshua Reynolds & 802009 pass Uffington on 29 March 2019 with the 1A13 10:30 Bristol Temple Meads to Paddington GWR service. As with a lot of these bi-mode units on this route, it is running on diesel, in preparation for the dead section at Steventon.

802011 Sir Joshua Reynolds & 802022 pass Woodborough on 20 September 2019 with the 1A81 07:41 Penzance to Paddington GWR service. Waiting to follow it out of the loop is 59103 Village of Mells with the 7A17 Merehead Quarry to 10:28 Colnbrook Mendip Rail stone train. A tamper occupies the siding in the background.

The greens of summer are turning into the golden tints of autumn at Chilson 16 October 2021, as 802011 Sir Joshua Reynolds sweeps round the curve with the 1P17 08:48 Great Malvern to Paddington GWR service. The driver is not waving for my benefit, but to acknowledge a couple of Network Rail workers who had turned up on the bridge.

802011 Capt. Robert Falcon Scott passes Kemble Wick on 17 April 2023 with the 1G21 15:28 Paddington to Cheltenham Spa GWR service. A very dull day, but this view would be extremely backlit if the sun was out, and probably mostly in shadow!

802011 Capt. Robin Falcon Scott passes the site of Ashbury Crossing, Shrivenham, on 5 June 2023 with the 1G25 17:34 Paddington to Cheltenham Spa GWR service. The dark green livery may be drab, but the graffiti hasn't improved it!

The driver of 802011 seems to have used a bit too much screenwash! The unit heads south at Fiddington on 21 July 2024 with the 2T49 17:52 Worcester Foregate Street to Bristol Temple Meads GWR service. For 20 minutes I was stood in brilliant sunshine, while the bridge at Claydon in the background, and Bredon Hill in the distance, were under a dark cloud.

Running 30 minutes late, 802011 approaches Shipton station on 17 October 2024 with the 1P28 11:57 Great Malvern to Paddington GWR service. This had actually started from Worcester Foregate Street, due to the 1W17 08:51 Paddington to Great Malvern train being over an hour late by the time it got to Worcester. Great Malvern passengers are used to this kind of poor service, but for once this wasn't GWR's fault, but was caused by a track circuit failure.

Another of GWR's drab green IETs has acquired some colourful additions. With 'Would you know how to spot a vulnerable child at this station?' graphics, 802012 passes Lock Wood, Culham, on 23 March 2022 with the 1P29 14:02 Oxford to Paddington service.

802012 pulls away from Hanborough station on 16 June 2022 with the 1W02 11:50 Paddington to Hereford GWR service. This location was cleared of vegetation a few years back, but now is almost as overgrown as it was before!

With its nose cone open, 'Would you know how to spot a vulnerable child at this station?' branded 802012 passes Uffington on 22 August 2023 with the late running 1L07 06:28 Swansea to Paddington GWR service.

Running in the now fairly common 'non-streamlined' mode, with open nose doors, 802012 takes the Swindon line at Standish Junction on 14 September 2024 with the 1L72 10:59 Cheltenham Spa to Paddington GWR service.

My first picture of a Class 802 on the Cotswold Line, not that there is any physical difference between this and a Class 800! 802013 approaches Grintleyhill Bridge, Combe, on 11 December 2018 with the 1P25 09:54 Great Malvern to Paddington GWR service. Note the evidence of recent trackside vegetation clearance in the background.

802013 passes Purton under an impressive cloud formation on 29 September 2020, as it heads towards Swindon with the 1L76 12:58 Cheltenham Spa to Paddington GWR service. The location is just east of Collins Lane level crossing.

802013 & 802015 pass through Hungerford station on 6 March 2024 with the 1A78 08:38 Liskeard to Paddington GWR service. Only the rear unit had travelled all the way from Liskeard, with 802013 being added at Plymouth.

802013 passes Ascott-under-Wychwood Signal Box on 20 May 2024 with the 1P22 0856 Great Malvern to Paddington GWR service. The sign is a clue that this picture was taken from the end of Ascott station's down platform.

802013 passes the site of Bremell Sidings (near Swindon) on 29 July 2024 with the 1G19 14:32 Paddington to Cheltenham Spa GWR service. Although no longer rail served, the oil depot in the background is still used.

802014 & 802018 pass Hungerford Common on 20 July 2021 with the 1A78 07:08 Penzance to Paddington GWR service. This was running one minute ahead of schedule here, but it was not to last. Just a few miles down the line at Newbury problems were encountered. Whether this was due to the switch from diesel to electric I'm not sure, but it left 57 minutes late, and it just got worse from there on. It limped into Reading over two hours late, and unsurprisingly was terminated there. Brand new trains, but first manufacturing defect cracks were discovered, now the same old reliability problems!

The clouds are starting to build up at Grove, as 802014 speeds eastwards on 26 July 2021 with the 1A13 09:12 Bristol Temple Meads to Paddington GWR service. This is one of the few surviving decent photographic locations in the Vale of White Horse, especially for a short five coach train.

The sheep are clearly used to passing trains, and take no notice of 802014 & 802004, as they approach Hungerford Common on 12 January 2022 with the 1C82 13:04 Paddington to Plymouth GWR service. This was running 16 minutes late, and would soon get even further behind time.

My first picture of a Class 802 working in multiple with a Class 800, something which I had been led to believe was either not possible, or only possible under certain circumstances. 802014 & 800034 Jo Prosser pass Manningford Bruce on 25 February 2022 with the 1A73 05:05 Penzance to Paddington GWR service. You can clearly see the difference between the leading Class 802 unit with its fully painted door recesses, and the Class 800, where the white base colour of the unit shows in the door recesses, as they are not covered by the dark green vinyl.

By the end of 2018, with most services on the Cotswold Line operated by IETs, there seems to be a seemingly random mix of Class 800, and the slightly more powerful Class 802s in use. Here we see 802015 passing Chilson with the 1W19 09:21 Paddington to Worcester Foregate Street GWR service on 14 December 2018.

802015 & 802009 approach Little Bedwyn on 30 July 2020 with the late running 1C88 16:04 Paddington to Penzance GWR service. Unfortunately the small patch of purple Rosebay Willowherb does not really compensate for the overall greenness of the scene.

A brand new pair of GWR's de-wiring units! Less than a week after classmate 802016 disgraced itself by ripping down 500 metres of overhead wiring, when the pantograph was raised at too high a speed, or when it was still partly strapped down (according to which source you believe), they are taking no chances here, as yet to be introduced 802018 & 802017 move slowly along the up relief line at Grove, under adverse signals, with the 5Z20 09:10 Stoke Gifford to North Pole IEP Depot test run on 22 October 2018.

802016 & 802003 pass Hungerford Common on 15 January 2020 with the 1C82 13:04 Paddington to Plymouth GWR service. In superb lighting like this, even GWR's drab green liveried stock almost looks good!

Verdant spring greenery at Kemble on 21 April 2024, as 802016 leaves the station with the 2B09 14:01 Cheltenham Spa to Swindon GWR service. This was running 16 minutes late, due to the late running of the unit's previous workings - the 5G04 11:10 North Pole IEP Depot to Swindon ECS, and the 2G04 12:30 Swindon to Cheltenham Spa service.

802017 passes Manningford Bruce on 24 March 2020 with the 1A74 08:52 Castle Cary to Paddington GWR service. This would normally be the 1A74 07:10 Paignton to Paddington train, but engineering works had closed the line between Taunton and Castle Cary.

A perfect summer evening on the Berks & Hants line near Little Bedwyn on 30 July 2020. 802017 & 802003 head west with the 1C89 16:37 Paddington to Plymouth GWR service. No problem of access here, as a public footpath runs along the side of the line.

The red berries on the hawthorn bush on the right provide the first sign of autumn, as 802017 takes the Swindon line at Standish Junction on 1 September 2020 with the 1L72 10:58 Cheltenham Spa to Paddington GWR service.

802017 emerges from Sapperton Tunnel on 9 October 2021 with the 1L74 11:59 Cheltenham Spa to Paddington GWR service. There were formerly a couple of sidings on the right, as well as two more on the other side of the bridge from which this picture was taken.

802018 & 802019 pass Wolfhall on 17 January 2019 with the 1Z81 10:56 Exeter St Davids to Paddington GWR service. This should have been the 1A81 07:41 Penzance to Paddington HST, but unfortunately a fatality near Starcross trapped the HST in Devon, so this was a last minute replacement.

802018 passes Shorthampton on 23 May 2019 with the 1W23 11:20 Paddington to Worcester Foregate Street GWR service. Extensive vegetation clearance has opened up this view considerably, but what a pity the Cotswold Line is now a totally DMU operated railway

802018 Donovan & Jenifer Gardner passes Yarnton on 20 April 2022 with the 1W02 11:50 Paddington to Hereford GWR service. Yarnton Junction (where the Fairford Line diverged from the Cotswold Line) was formerly situated by the tall trees in the background.

802019 passes a flowering blackthorn bush, as it heads eastwards at Uffington on 20 April 2021 with the 1L66 07:23 Worcester Shrub Hill to Paddington GWR service. As usual, there are numerous fields of oilseed rape in the Uffington area, one of which can be glimpsed on the right.

802019 passes Dorn on 18 July 2022 with the 1P04 13:18 Hereford to Oxford GWR service. Normally this train would continue on to Paddington, but there was an amended timetable in operation due to the extremely high temperature (36°C at nearby Brize Norton).

802019 emerges from the fog at Ascott-under-Wychwood on 1 December 2022 with the late running 1W02 11:59 Paddington to Hereford GWR service. Another example of a streamlined DMU being not quite so streamlined, due the nosecone doors being left open!

802019 passes the site of Coates goods station on 29 May 2023 with the 1L82 15:59 Cheltenham Spa to Paddington GWR service. The public footpath in the foreground leads from the nearby road to a crossing just behind the rear of the train. The path then crosses the fields to Thames Head, the source of the River Thames.

802019 passes Eckington on 8 June 2023 with the late running 2E70 16:39 Bristol Temple Meads to Worcester Foregate Street GWR service, just as 166214 speeds by in the opposite direction with the 2T50 17:55 Worcester Shrub Hill to Bristol Temple Meads train.

802019 & 802006 pass Hungerford Common on 12 February 2024 with the 1J74 06:37 Plymouth to Paddington GWR service. It was only running a few minutes late here, but in true GWR fashion it would soon encounter more delays, and it ended up arriving in London 23 minutes late.

802019 heads north at Fiddington on 22 August 2024 with the 2E70 16:39 Bristol Temple Meads to Worcester Foregate Street GWR service. The posts in the field on the left is yet another solar farm under construction.

There is not much colour variation, either in the train or the landscape here! 802020 & 802017 pass Great Bedwyn on 20 May 2020 with the 1C88 16:04 Paddington to Penzance GWR service. Think how much better these units would look in chocolate and cream!

Making a welcome change from the rest of the depressingly drab dark green fleet, 'To All Our Key Workers - The Nation Says Thank You' liveried 802020 passes Uffington on 22 July 2020 with the 1L72 10:58 Cheltenham Spa to Paddington GWR service. The special livery includes messages in 116 languages. The 'Diolch Yn Fawr' message under the driver's side window is Welsh for 'Thank You Very Much'. Although it resulted in the picture being taken with the lens almost wide open, a shutter speed of 1/4000sec was used here, as it is a fairly wide and close up view, and the unit was travelling at close to 125mph.

'To All Our Key Workers - The Nation Says Thank You' liveried 802020 passes Cornbury Park on 3 November 2021, as it accelerate away from Charlbury station with the 1P24 09:54 Great Malvern to Paddington GWR service.

The 'To All Our Key Workers - The Nation Says Thank You' livery of 802020 certainly stands out amid the yellows and greens of the countryside, as it passes Stonesfield on 19 July 2022 with the 1W11 05:50 Paddington to Great Malvern GWR service.

802020 passes Chilson on 19 July 2022 with the 1P22 08:56 Great Malvern to Oxford GWR service. This train would normally continue on to Paddington, but a revised timetable was in operation due to the extreme heat. Later in the day the UK would record its highest ever temperature. Trains were travelling noticeably slower than usual because of the heat, and although this train was on time, most trains later in the day ran late, with several cancelled. Despite the heat, I went out especially for this, as I had previously managed to miss photographing it sun on several occasions.

'To All Our Key Workers - The Nation Says Thank You' liveried 802020 passes Combe on 20 November 2022 with the 1P41 09:55 Great Malvern to Paddington GWR service. Combe church and nearby former rectory can be seen in the background, but what really makes this picture stand out is the line of (mainly Larch) trees in full autumn colour.

802020 passes through Shipton station on 22 January 2023 with the 1P41 09:55 Great Malvern to Paddington GWR service. I hadn't initially planned on going out this morning, but the heavy frost presented an ideal photographic subject, even if there was little prospect of any sun. When I noticed that the 'To All Our Key Workers - The Nation Says Thank You' liveried unit was on the Cotswold Line, I decided that the short journey to Shipton was well worth while, especially as the station is surrounded by trees, which even at 11:00 were luckily still covered in frost.

802020 brings up the rear of the 1L16 10:23 Swansea to Paddington GWR service at Uffington on 4 May 2023. Its 'To All Our Key Workers - The Nation Says Thank You' livery really shows up in the dull conditions, in marked contrast to its classmate 802005, which is leading the train.

802021 & 802001 pass Hungerford Common on 17 January 2019 with the 1A76 09:20 Taunton to Paddington GWR service. Hard seats, no corridor connection throughout the entire train, and just a basic buffet trolley service. Welcome to the stripped down railway experience of the 21st century!

Stop Look and Listen. 802021 passes the footpath crossing at Brimscombe on 19 September 2020 with the late running 1L70 09:58 Cheltenham Spa to Paddington GWR service. The path provides access to the Thames & Severn Canal towpath, from the A419 road.

802021 passes Circourt Bridge, Denchworth, on 19 April 2021 with the 1L68 08:59 Cheltenham Spa to Paddington GWR service. The public footpath from which this picture is taken (now provided with a footbridge) is virtually unused by anybody other than railway photographers!

802021 & 802018 pass Manningford Bruce on 24 March 2022 with the 1C82 13:04 Paddington to Plymouth GWR service. This picture gives a false impression as to how good the weather was. Although sunny when I left home, there was now lots of cloud above and behind me.

There was about 25 minutes of sunshine at Uffington on 12 November 2024, on an otherwise cloudy morning. The best of the light was at 10:09, when 802021 passed by with the 1L68 08:59 Cheltenham Spa to Paddington GWR service. Full sun, black clouds, and some autumn colour.

802022 passes Little Bedwyn on 26 April 2021, as it nears journey's end with the 1K20 16:07 Paddington to Bedwyn GWR service. After using the turnback siding as the 5K27 17:25 Bedwyn to Bedwyn ECS, it would then return to the capital as the 1K27 17:41 Bedwyn to Paddington.

802022 passes Moredon on 24 October 2023 with the 1L76 12:59 Cheltenham Spa to Paddington GWR service. Note the bush behind the train, which now blocks any chance of a morning picture from the other side.

My first picture of a nine coach Class 802. 802101 speeds underneath Circourt Bridge, Denchworth, on 14 May 2018 with the 5Z90 07:39 Stoke Gifford to Reading test rum. Note that the relatively new bridge in the background is already going rusty. Nothing will probably done about this, as Network Rail do not seem to know what paint is. They replace rather than maintain.

802101 passes Grove on 14 May 2018 with the 5Z92 10:36 Bristol Parkway to Paddington test run. This higher powered version of the Hitachi IEP fleet is not destined for this route, but will instead be used for the West of England line, via Newbury.

802101 runs along the down relief line (as booked) at Challow on 14 May 2018 with the 5Z93 12:17 Paddington to Bristol Parkway test run. I had already photographed the earlier 5Z90 & 5Z92 runs. I didn't bother with the 5Z91, 5Z93 or 5Z95! Note the lack of any GWR branding.

Looking even more drab without any GWR branding, 802101 approaches Steventon on 15 May 2018 with the 5Z92 10:36 Bristol Parkway to Paddington test run. This is the point where sidings formerly diverged to the right to serve the Steventon Army Depot.

A frosty morning at the recently cleared location of Chilson on 14 December 2018. 802101 heads up the Cotswold Line with the 1W01 10:22 Paddington to Hereford GWR service. This is my first picture of a nine car Class 802 on anything other than a test run.

Running eight minutes late due to an unexplained protracted stop at Hanborough, 802101 approaches Finstock on 20 February 2019 with the 1W27 13:22 Paddington to Worcester Foregate Street GWR service. This had been, until the previous week, one of the last bastions of HSTs on the Cotswold Line. Note the evidence of some very welcome extensive lineside tree clearance. Whilst waiting to take this picture, I saw three RAF Tornados jets flying in formation from Brize Norton to Marham, as part of their farewell flypast tour.

802101 takes the Swindon line at Standish Junction on 11 April 2019 with the 1L50 10:36 Cheltenham Spa to Paddington GWR service. It is passing underneath what always used to be known as the Black Bridge, which clearly now needs a new name!

802101 passes Manningford Bruce on 25 June 2020 with the late running 1C82 13:04 Paddington to Plymouth GWR service. Note the two forms of farming motive power in the background - ancient on the left, modern on the right!

A perfect spring morning at Uffington on 20 April 2021. 802101 heads towards London with the 1A13 09:00 Bristol Temple Meads to Paddington GWR service. It may not be so perfect for the passengers, who have to endure the hard seats and poor quality ride of these barely adequate HST replacements!

802101 rounds the curve at Shipton on 22 January 2023 with the 1W01 09:45 Paddington to Hereford GWR service. The previous day the fog hadn't cleared all day, but that has obviously helped provide this morning's fine display of frosted vegetation.

802101 passes Little Bedwyn on 3 April 2023 with the 1C88 16:04 Paddington to Penzance GWR service. This is an excellent location for an evening picture, but unfortunately the corresponding morning picture is now ruined by the beech hedge behind the train.

A picture that graphically illustrates Network Rail's lack of lineside maintenance. 802101 brushes past the willow trees at Wolvercote, as it heads towards the junction for the Cotswold Line on 17 August 2023 (the green signal with feathers can just be seen in the background). The train is the late running 1W02 11:52 Paddington to Hereford GWR service. This was terminated at Worcester Shrub Hill, apparently due to a problem with the unit's brakes. At least that can't have been caused by hitting the lineside vegetation!

Another instance the poor GWR travelling experience. On 26 January 2024 the 1J74 06:37 Plymouth to Paddington GWR service was cancelled, and replaced by the 3J74 ECS, running in exactly the same path. Extended stops were made at Taunton, Westbury and Reading, to keep it to time, as it missed out all the other stops! Passenger less 802101 Nancy Astor is pictured running alongside the Kennet & Avon Canal near Crofton. Pity the poor passengers at the stations where their train just passed through non-stop!

The new order on the Berks & Hants line. 802102 catches the evening sun on 1 June 2019, as it speeds past Great Bedwyn with the 1C92 18:03 Paddington to Penzance GWR service. A 5½ hour journey on those hard seats will have the passengers longing for a HST!

802102 approaches Great Bedwyn on 16 July 2021 with the 1A74 07:13 Paignton to Paddington GWR service. Just out of sight on the left is the Kennet & Avon Canal, which the railway parallels for some considerable distance.

802102 slowly approaches Honeybourne station on 22 June 2022 with the 1W25 12:50 Paddington to Worcester Foregate Street GWR service. I had hoped to include 168329 in this picture as it approached the station with the 14:10 Long Marston to Honeybourne connecting service, but it didn't appear around the corner until the Class 802 was underneath the bridge.

802102 passes Manningford Bruce on 5 February 2023 with the 1C81 12:02 Paddington to Penzance service. I don't think I would want to travel from London to the far west of Cornwall on a seat with virtually no padding!

As the sun starts to fade out into high cloud, 802103 passes Challow on 29 November 2021 with the 1C10 10:32 Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads GWR service. The snow was unexpected, and most unusual for November.

The sheep at Manningford Bruce obligingly form a line, to create the perfect composition, as 802103 passes by on 25 February 2022 with the 1A72 05:34 Plymouth to Paddington GWR service. Within minutes they had scattered to all corners of the field

802103 passes West Hewish on 26 March 2022 with the diverted 1C74 09:04 Paddington to Plymouth GWR service. This should have travelled via the Berks & Hants line, but for some reason was routed via Swindon and Bristol, and so consequently once it regained its booked route at Cogload Junction, it would be running 36 minutes late.

802103 leaves Moreton-in-Marsh station on 29 October 2022 with the 1P29 14:50 Great Malvern to Paddington GWR service. Just arrived at the station in the background is the Pathfinder Tours 1Z76 14:29 Banbury to Burton-on-Trent 'Cotswold Caper' railtour, with 37676 Loch Rannoch & 37668.

802103 passes Chilson on 29 April 2023 with the 1W01 10:46 Oxford to Hereford GWR service. Some vegetation clearance has improved this formerly very overgrown viewpoint, although it is still nothing like as open as it was in the 1980s.

It is often worth photographing diverted passenger trains, but this is only true up to a point here. 802104 approaches Circourt Bridge, Denchworth, on 4 May 2019 with the diverted 1C84 12:48 Paddington to Penzance GWR service. Class 802s are common on the Berks & Hants route (which was closed for engineering works), but Class 800s are more normal here. Of course unfortunately they look exactly the same!

One hour after sunrise, and still with a warm tint to the light, although there was nothing else warm about the day! 802104 passes Uffington on 18 January 2024 with the 1L09 06:57 Swansea to Paddington GWR service.

802104 passes Uffington on 8 March 2024 with the 1C16 13:30 Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads GWR service. This location is not as well known as the field by the footbridge a little further east. The main reason being it's long walk from the road.

802104 passes Circourt Bridge, Denchworth, on 13 November 2024 with the 1A15 09:29 Weston-super-Mare to Paddington GWR service. This was travelling quite slowly, as it was right behind the slow moving diverted 7A40 08:45 Merehead Quarry to Hanwell Bridge Loop 'jumbo' stone train. It had been on time until this point, but this caused a seven minute delay.

802105 approaches Appleford on 15 August 2019 with the 1P26 12:00 Oxford to Paddington GWR service. The villagers of Appleford don't get to use these new trains, having to make do instead with a very infrequent Class 165 Oxford to Didcot shuttle service.

802105 passes South Marston on 7 December 2022 with the late running 1B11 10:48 Paddington to Swansea GWR service. The uninterrupted view from this footbridge is luckily made possible by the lack of masts on the south side of the line.

802105 passes Grove on 26 February 2023 with the 1A13 09:00 Bristol Temple Meads to Paddington GWR service. This is taken from a public footpath crossing, which doesn't get much use, as it doesn't really connect with any other paths.

802106 speeds past Uffington on 24 July 2019 with the 1A12 07:48 Paignton to Paddington GWR service. What a pity the footbridge from which this photo was taken wasn't installed many years before the electfrication of the line!

802106 passes Uffington on 1 October 2020 with the 1C16 13:32 Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads GWR service. I would have preferred the old days, when this was an HST, but the lighting certainly makes up for the dull traction!

The superb photographic combination of sun and snow is something we usually associate with January or February, not November. However, on 29 November 2021, 802106 is pictured passing Challow in these ideal conditions with the 1A15 10:00 Bristol Temple Meads to Paddington GWR service.

802106 passes Uffington on 14 September 2022 with the late running 1C09 10:02 Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads GWR service. Lineside bushes have grown considerably in the last few years at this location, but there is still the possibility of this kind of 'train in the landscape' type of picture.

802106 passes South Marston on 16 September 2022 with the 1A13 09:00 Bristol Temple Meads to Paddington GWR service. As this is not very far from the edge of Swindon, I wonder how long it will be before another housing estate appears in these fields?

Pet food IET! 802106 passes Uffington on 9 November 2022, sporting its brand new Lily's Kitchen livery. The train is the 1A15 10:00 Bristol Temple Meads to Paddington GWR service. With its multi-coloured graphics, and various text, including 'Proper Food For Pets' and 'Santa Paws Express', this certainly stands out amongst GWR's otherwise uniformly drab fleet!

802106 approaches Uffington on 2 March 2023 with the late running 1L09 06:57 Swansea to Paddington GWR service. I was going to wait another hour for the 4L36 07:39 Wentloog to Felixstowe North freightliner, but the clouds were rapidly building up, so I went home. Although eventually it was a sunny afternoon, for a couple of hours it was almost totally cloudy.

802106 passes the site of Uffington loops (lifted in the late 1990s) with the 1B12 11:18 Paddington to Cardiff Central GWR service on 24 October 2023. Lots of cloud, but luckily it mostly stayed out of the way when the trains passed!

802106 passes a fine display of late autumn colour, as it heads westwards along the Great Western Mainline near Uffington on 25 November 2023 with the 1C12 11:30 Paddington to Weston-super-Mare GWR service.

802107 passes Cassington on 22 May 2019 with the 1P25 09:54 Great Malvern to Paddington GWR service. This will be the staple motive power on the Cotswold Line for some years to come, as the last HST traversed the line a few days earlier.

802107 passes Froxfield on 20 July 2020 with the 1A73 06:52 Plymouth to Paddington GWR service. Although the lineside vegetation has recently been cut back, you still cannot get a very wide view, unlike in the 1980s. The traction was more interesting then, as well!

This is obviously a location that would look a lot better in the winter, when the bare branches of the tree, and the general brown colour of the landscape would contrast with GWR's green trains. 802107 passes Adlestrop on 21 July 2020 with the 1P20 08:13 Worcester Shrub Hill to Paddington service.

The brightness of the yellow oilseed rape field compensates for the dullness of the dark green train livery. 802107 passes Uffington on 22 April 2021 with the 1A13 09:00 Bristol Temple Meads to Paddington GWR service.

802107 sweeps round the curve on the approach to Hungerford on 22 November 2021 with the 1J74 06:40 Plymouth to Paddington GWR service. This train will not call at Hungerford, there being no booked stops between Pewsey and Reading.

802107 passes Hungerford Common on 14 June 2022 with the late running 1C88 16:04 Paddington to Penzance GWR service. Although the elder bushes in the foreground are starting to become intrusive, at least at this time of year the abundant blossoms adds to the picture.

With clouds building up rapidly from the west, 802107 still manages to find some sunshine, as it passes Circourt Bridge, Denchworth, on 10 August 2023 with the 1A16 10:30 Bristol Temple Meads to Paddington GWR service.

802108 passes Manningford Bruce on 20 September 2019 with the 1A79 06:47 Penzance to Paddington GWR service. The rear of the 6C31 09:20 Theale to Whatley Quarry Mendip Rail stone empties can just be seen disappearing into the distance.

802108 passes Edington on 20 September 2019 with the 1C82 13:03 Paddington to Plymouth GWR service. Early autumn means there is at last some colour contrast, with the golden harvested fields being a counterpoint to the DMU's drab green livery.

802108 passes Hinksey Yard on 9 December 2019 with the 1P26 12:01 Oxford to Paddington GWR service. Even in low winter light, these dark green trains just look drab. Surely one of the most uninspired liveries ever!

Crisp early morning light at Daylesford on 21 July 2020. 802108 heads south along the Cotswold Line with the 1P02 05:23 Hereford to Paddington GWR service. This was my first visit to this particular spot, which requires a considerable walk from the nearest road.

802108 passes a field of oilseed rape near Uffington on 24 April 2021 with the 1C16 13:32 Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads GWR service. Not a location that gets visited very often, due to the long walk required from the nearest road.

802108 passes Uffington on 4 November 2022 with the 1C16 13:32 Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads GWR service. Clouds always improve a picture, provided of course that they don't get too near the sun!

A wave and a toot from the driver of 802108, as it passes Steventon on 9 December 2022 with the 1C18 14:32 Paddington to Weston-super-Mare GWR service. Didcot Power Station's iconic cooling towers and chimney may have gone, but the smaller gas fired plant is still in operation, as witnessed by the steam rising up in the background.

802108 catches a brief patch of sunshine at Compton Beauchamp on 7 March 2024, as it heads eastwards along the Great Western Mainline with the 1A12 07:24 Taunton to Paddington GWR service. This view clearly shows how this once excellent location has been ruined!

802108 passes Cassington on 23 May 2024 with the late running 1W02 11:52 Paddington to Hereford GWR service. The ploughed fields add a bit of colour contrast to what would otherwise be a mainly green picture!

802109 accelerates away from Stonehouse on 25 March 2019 with the 1L50 10:36 Cheltenham Spa to Paddington GWR service. The bridge in the background carries Brown's Lane over the railway. This just gives access to a few houses, and connects with various footpaths climbing nearby Doverow Hill. The photo is taken from a very rustic looking footbridge, on yet another local path. The Cotswolds are well provided with public rights of way!

802109 passes St Mary's Crossing on 16 April 2019 with the 1G21 09:36 Paddington to Cheltenham Spa GWR service. Note how close the sharp bend on the A419 Cirencester to Stroud road is to the railway, and how little protection there is between the two. St Mary's Crossing gives access to a few buildings on the south side of the valley. The bridge over the disused Thames & Severn Canal can be seen to the right of the white cottage.

The first signs of autumn at Churchill Heath on 6 November 2019, as 802109 accelerates away from Kingham station with the 1P40 09:54 Great Malvern to Paddington GWR service. Just a short while after some extensive lineside vegetation clearance, a bush, which was clearly only pollarded, is already growing right next to the track.

802109 passes a fine display of autumn foliage at Uffington on 18 November 2021, as it heads east with the 1A12 07:23 Taunton to Paddington GWR service. Note the change from full width gantries to single spans in the background.

802110 sweeps round the curve at Kintbury on 23 August 2019 with the 1A82 09:00 Penzance to Paddington GWR service. All the way from Penzance to London on one of these new unit's hard seats must be a real pain - literally!

802110 approaches Didcot North Junction on 12 February 2020 with the 1P21 09:59 Oxford to Paddington GWR service. It will be a while before these units can use their pantographs here, as the electfrication of the route has been abandoned, but not before some masts were erected in the background.

802110 passes Savernake on 18 July 2020 with the 1C74 09:04 Paddington to Plymouth GWR service. The Kennet & Avon Canal's Savernake Tunnel runs underneath the line here, at a slight angle to the railway.

802110 passes the lineside rhododendron bushes at Wootton Rivers on 15 June 2021 with the 1A74 07:13 Paignton to Paddington GWR service. The brightness of the flowers certainly compensates for the drabness of the train's livery!

802110 approaches Little Bedwyn on 21 July 2021 with the 1A90 15:10 Plymouth to Paddington GWR service. This was running seven minutes late, but the delay just kept getting worse. 15 minutes late at Newbury, 20 at Thatcham, 41 at Theale, and it finally arrived in London 51 minutes behind schedule.

802110 heads away from the camera at Challow on 4 January 2022 with the 1A21 13:00 Bristol Temple Meads to Paddington GWR service. For some reason this was operating on a VSTP (Very Short Term Planning) schedule, even though the timings were identical to its normal working. Although GWR's dark green livery is almost universally disliked, the graffiti vandal's attack on a couple of the coaches has not improved it!

802110 approaches Culham on 11 June 2022 with the 1W04 18:50 Paddington to Hereford GWR service. On the extreme right of the picture the bridge near Appleford, where the line crosses over the River Thames, can just be seen amid the bushes.

802111 runs slowly along the down relief line at Grove on 14 November 2019 with the 1G29 11:36 Paddington to Cheltenham Spa GWR service. For some reason a pair of track machines had been let out of the loop at Milton in front of this, only to come to a stand at a red signal at Challow, therefore a couple of passenger trains had to use the relief line to get past the obstruction. This train was terminated at Gloucester, due to severe flooding.

With masses of clouds that had not been forecasted building up from the west in the background, 802111 sweeps round the curve at Crofton on 20 August 2020 with the 1A74 07:13 Paignton to Paddington GWR service.

A wave from the driver of 802111, as it approaches Clayfield Crossing, Bretforton, on 4 November 2020 with the 1P20 08:13 Worcester Shrub Hill to Paddington GWR service. This was running 24 minutes late. The former crossing keeper's cottage makes a picturesque addition to the scene. Note the moon in the background.

802111 passes milepost 66, near Little Bedwyn, with the 1C91 17:36 Paddington to Plymouth GWR service on 26 April 2021. This is a location that I should have visited while HSTs were still used on the route, but better late than never!

802111 passes Evenlode on 5 September 2024 with the late running 1W02 11:52 Paddington to Hereford GWR service. I wasn't here to photograph this, but the 1Q23 06:45 Bristol Kingsland Road to Derby RTC Network Rail test train only got as far as Hinksey, and then went back via Swindon!

802112 speeds past South Marston on 11 April 2019 with the 1B42 14:15 Paddington to Cardiff Central GWR service. The palisade fence in the foreground hardly improves the view, and they haven't even painted it green!

802112 passes Oaksey on 23 July 2019 with the 1G47 15:36 Paddington to Cheltenham Spa GWR service. The Rosebay Willowherb marks the site of Oaksey Halt's down platform, which managed to survive intact until the line was redoubled in 2013.

A brief patch of sunshine amid the clouds at Culham on 5 June 2020. 802112 heads north with the 1D28 14:20 Paddington to Oxford GWR service. This was running ten minutes late, after encountered a delay at Slough.

802112 passes Uffington on 26 February 2021 with the 1C12 11:32 Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads GWR service, passing some farm machinery tracks that prove just how wet the field has been, despite it being at the top of a slope.

Running 15 minutes late, 802112 passes Uffington on 22 November 2022 with the 1B09 09:48 Paddington to Swansea GWR service. Luckily the clouds stayed in the background, and didn't cause a nuisance by being anywhere near the sun!

802112 passes Grove on 5 November 2023 with the 1L11 07:43 Swansea to Paddington GWR service. Why this foot crossing has not been replaced by a footbridge, like the much less used crossing a mile to the west is a mystery!

802113 pulls away from Moreton-in-Marsh station on 24 August 2019 with the 1P65 15:13 Hereford to Paddington GWR service. I suppose I am lucky to live so near a station that still has semaphore signals, but less lucky that all the trains are now in this depressing dull dark green livery!

802113 passes Great Bedwyn on 16 July 2021 with the 1C76 10:04 Paddington to Penzance GWR service. In the background, the 5T12 10:46 Bedwyn to Bedwyn Class 165 ECS can be seen waiting in the turnback siding. The platform of Bedwyn station can is just visible through the arch of the bridge in the distance.

With the Didcot to Swindon line closed for engineering work on Sunday 5 February 2023, there were twice as many trains on the Berks & Hants line, as GWR services to Bristol and Wales were diverted via Newbury. One of those diversions, the 1B35 11:53 Paddington to Swansea service, is seen here passing Manningford Bruce, being worked by 802113.

802113 passes Churchill Heath on 8 February 2023 with the late running 1W25 12:50 Paddington to Worcester Foregate Street GWR service. The train is just passing over the Bledington to Lyneham footpath crossing.

802114 passes Challow on 1 December 2020 with the 1A13 09:00 Bristol Temple Meads to Paddington GWR service. I never ventured to this location prior to electfrication, but there was no need to, as the view from the bridge in the distance was excellent for London bound trains until the wires went up.

Viewed from the excellent photographic location of Dunstall Bridge, 802114 leaves Moreton-in-Marsh on 4 March 2022 with the 1P34 15:16 Worcester Foregate Street to Paddington GWR service. This location is virtually unaltered from when I first visited in the early 1980s.

TransPennine Express on the North Sea Coast in Scotland. 802201 passes Burnmouth on 16 September 2019 with the 3N15 15:36 Edinburgh to Newcastle crew training run. This is in preparation for the extension of Liverpool to Newcastle trains to Edinburgh from December 2019.

802208 passes through Church Fenton station on 17 October 2023 with the 1P32 15:43 Newcastle to Manchester Piccadilly TransPennine Express service. Just visible in the distance is 68023 Achilles, which is pushing the 1U63 15:35 Manchester Piccadilly to Scarborough train towards York.

802301 was still accelerating away from its stop at Howden station, when pictured passing Brind on 19 January 2020 with the 1A93 11:19 Hull to Kings Cross Hull Trains service. This was already running late at this point, but had regained time by Doncaster, only to sit there for a whole hour! Because of Sunday engineering work, it was booked to go to London via Cambridge. In the event that is as far as it got, being terminated there at 15:22, 65 minutes late.

802301 Amy Johnson approaches Cliffe on 16 October 2023 with the ECS from the cancelled 1A94 12:33 Hull to Kings Cross Hull Trains service. Note how it very nearly ruined the picture of the approaching 3J51 09:50 York Thrall Europa to York Thrall Europa (via Scarborough and Hull) Rail Head Treatment Train, led by 37401 Mary Queen of Scots.

802301 Amy Johnson passes Hemingbrough on 18 October 2023 with the 1H02 09:48 Kings Cross to Hull service. Hull Trains have five of these units, which like their TransPennine classmates, but unlike the GWR operated ones, do not feature a yellow nose come.

802301 Amy Johnson crosses Selby Swing Bridge, and arrives at the station, on 18 October 2023 with the 1A94 12:33 Hull to Kings Cross Hull Trains service. The bridge was opened in 1891, and is still regularly swung open for river traffic today.

802302 brings up the rear of the 5H03 11:48 Kings Cross to Hull ECS at Goole on 12 March 2022. 802305 is leading the train, which was a last minute replacement for the 1H03 11:48 Kings Cross to Hull service. Supposedly this cancellation was due to a problem with the train, but as this empty stock ran in exactly the same path, that clearly isn't true!

Having been used to seeing yellow front ends on all locos and units since the 1960s, the new fleet of Hull Trains Class 802s with their black front ends are a bit of a shock. 802303 passes Wressle on 19 January 2020 with the 1H02 09:55 Kings Cross to Hull service, Brand new train, but still the usual Hull Trains late running (only ten minutes in this case).

802303 passes Fenwick Common on 14 September 2020 with the 1A95 15:08 Hull to Kings Cross Hull Trains service. With powerful headlights, there is no need for a high visibility yellow front end, so these trains have a low visibility black front end instead!

802303 passes Eastrington on 3 November 2020 with the 1H03 11:48 Kings Cross to Hull service. This Hull Trains service had just called at Howden station, which is situated in the far distance, so the train's bright headlights could be seen for several minutes, as it stopped there for two minutes, and then slowly picked up speed again.

802304 passes through Goole on 12 March 2022 with the diverted 1A93 10:33 Hull to Kings Cross Hull Trains service. This was diverted via Goole due to engineering works between Selby and Doncaster. The removal of couple of large conifer trees has opened up this view, with the station now being clearly visible in the background.

802304 William Wilberforce passes Hessle on 17 October 2023 with the 1A94 12:33 Hull to Kings Cross Hull Trains service. William Wilberforce is obviously a popular choice for railway namings, as it is also carried by DCR's Class 60 60046.

Hull Trains services were diverted via Goole on 12 March 2022 due to engineering work between Doncaster and Selby. However, the 1H03 11:48 Kings Cross to Hull train was cancelled and replaced by the 5H03 11:48 Kings Cross to Hull ECS. So even though the train ran, passengers couldn't use it. Extremely poor customer service! 802305 & 802302 are pictured passing through Goole with the completely empty train.

802305 passes Potters Grange Junction, Goole, on 12 March 2022 with the diverted 1A95 15:31 Hull to Kings Cross Hull Trains service. This was running two minutes early, which was very fortunate, as the sun was on the very edge of a large mass of black cloud that extended to the horizon. A minute later the lights went our! The lighting is certainly not ideal for the train, being extremely head on, but it definitely is ideal for the background, with Goole's 'Salt and Pepper Pot' water towers standing out clearly in the late afternoon light.

Yet another striking new livery on the East Coast Mainline. 803001 passes Burn on 14 March 2022 with the 1E82 09:11 Edinburgh to Kings Cross Lumo service. There are just five units in this class, which unlike other Hitachi units, do not have a back up diesel engines, relying on batteries for onboard back up services.

As the clouds start to break up as a prelude to a sunny evening, 803001 passes Little Heck on 30 March 2024 with the 1E84 12:56 Edinburgh to Kings Cross Lumo service. This was running 17 minutes late, after encountering delays in the Newcastle and Durham areas.

803003 crosses the bridge over the unusually named Ings and Tetherings Drain, near Temple Hirst Junction, as it speeds southwards on the East Coast Mainline on 14 March 2022 with the 1E80 06:14 Edinburgh to Kings Cross Lumo service. As this is a close up shot of a train travelling at high speed directly across the frame, a shutter speed of 1/8000sec was used.

The fine display of autumn colours at Hambleton is enhanced by the late afternoon light, as 803004 heads south along the East Coast Mainline on 12 November 2022 with the 1E84 12:56 Edinburgh to Kings Cross Lumo service.

An autumnal East Coast Mainline scene in sunny Yorkshire. Viewed between a hawthorn bush and a young oak tree, 803003 heads northwards at Hambleton on 12 November 2022 with the 1S95 12:18 Kings Cross to Edinburgh Lumo service.