L&NWR 'Coal Tank' 0-6-2T 1054 basks in a brief sunny period between heavy rain and snow showers at Ingrow West on 10 March 2019. The loco had just arrived as the 16:20 Keighley to Ingrow West light engine, during the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway's Spring Gala. As denoted by the headboard, this 1888 Crewe built locomotive is in the care of the Bahamas Locomotive Society.

Photographers attending the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway's Spring Gala on 10 March 2019 get their pictures of Ivatt Class 2 2-6-2T 41241, as it arrives at Oxenhope in a very un spring like snow shower. The train is the delayed 09:30 service from Keighley. The loco's maroon livery was originally applied when the Worth Valley line opened in 1968, as BR at the time did not want preserved locos featuring their then current colour scheme.

Ivatt Class 2 2-6-2T 41241 & BR 2MT 2-6-0 78022 approach Ingrow West on 13 March 2022 with the late running 12:35 Keighley to Oxenhope service, during the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway's Steam Gala.

Two centenarians take water at Keighley, on the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway. Midland Railway half cab 1F 0-6-0 41708 & L&NWR 'Coal Tank' 0-6-2T 1054 were built in 1880 and 1888 respectively, that means these locos were a mere 117 and 109 years old when photographed on 7 September 1997!

5MT Class 2-6-0 2968 approaches Greet Tunnel on 8 October 1995 with the 12:40 Far Stanley to Toddington service. The loco was visiting the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway for the following weekend's Steam Gala.

On the glorious autumn afternoon of 8 October 1995, 5MT Class 2-6-0 2968 emerges from the 693 yard long Greet Tunnel with the 13:50 Far Stanley to Toddington service. The loco was visiting the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway for the following weekend's Steam Gala.

5MT Class 2-6-0 2968 approaches Droitwich on 31 August 1996 with its first mainline outing, consisting of a run from Kidderminster to Gloucester and back. Note the very non-standard fence separating the railway from the coal yard! Trees and a huge radio mast have now obscured this view.

5MT Class 2-6-0 2968 passes Stowe (near Knighton) with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z30 05:20 Newport to Llandrindod Wells 'Central Wales Adventurer' railtour on 3 January 1998. It was certainly an adventure, and perhaps I should have paid more attention to the floods in the valley of the River Teme, seen in the background here. The tour was booked to traverse the entire length of the Central Wales Line, continuing south after an hour and a half's break at Llandrindod Wells. In the event, due to the line being flooded further to the south, the tour retraced its steps, heading back tender first. Apologies for the poor technical quality of this picture, but the terrible weather was really pushing 35mm Fujichrome 100 to the limit.

Ivatt Class 4 2-6-0 43106 passes the Severn Valley Railway's diesel shed, as it arrives at Kidderminster on 22 July 2021 with the 10:10 service from Bridgnorth. 43106 was one of the very last steam locomotives in service with BR, missing out in the last day of steam operations on the national network by just two days.

Ivatt Class 4 2-6-0 43106 pictured amongst some of the Severn Valley Railway's other steam locomotives, on shed at Bridgnorth on 25 September 2022. This is the sole survivor out of a class of 162 locomotives, and has been at the Severn Valley Railway since 1968.

'Black Five' 4-6-0 44767 George Stephenson storms past Heamies (near Norton Bridge) on 22 November 1997 with the Crewe to Guildford 'Pines Express' railtour. Completely invisible on the rear of the train is Class 33 D6593, on its first mainline outing.

'Black Five' 4-6-0 44871 & BR 7P 4-6-2 70000 Britannia pass Gossington on 8 April 2010 with the Railway Touring Company 1Z86 10:06 Bristol Temple Meads to Preston 'Great Britain III' railtour. This was day three of a massive nine day itinerary, literally traveling from one end of the country to the other. Given the fact that this is one of the few locations where the sun is on the front at this time of day, I was astonished to find that I was the only photographer at this reasonably well known footpath crossing! I know a lot of photographers don't like walking even a short distance from their cars, but the main road is only a short distance away by the bridge in the background.

'Black Five' 4-6-0 44871 & Southern N15 4-6-0 30777 Sir Lamiel are pictured between Little and Great Bedwyn on 22 May 2010 with the Railway Touring Company 1Z27 08:06 Paddington to Weymouth 'Royal Wessex' railtour. A convenient gap in the hawthorn bushes at just the right place on the curve made the walk across the field worthwhile.

'Black Five' 4-6-0 44871 passes Churchill Heath on 12 December 2018 with the Steam Dreams 1Z24 09:48 Victoria to Worcester Shrub Hill 'Cathedrals Express' railtour. The loco was substituting for the unavailable LNER B1 4-6-0 61306 Mayflower. Unfortunately the earlier intermittent sunshine had now given way to miserably dull conditions.

'Black Five' 4-6-0 44871 passes Tackley on 11 December 2021 with the Railway Touring Company 1Z14 07:06 Paddington to Shrewsbury 'Birmingham & Shrewsbury Christmas Express' railtour. My original intention was to photograph this from the other side, but unbelievably just as it was approaching, the sun started to come out. Although it was only weak, I would be looking straight into it, so I switched sides. As there was virtually no wind, I didn't expect the exhaust to blow down, but clearly it did! Naturally as soon as the train had passed it was back to full dull again!

'Black Five' 4-6-0 44871 passes Knighton on 21 November 2023 with the Railway Touring Company 1Z33 07:05 Victoria to Cardiff Central 'Cardiff Christmas Express' railtour. 47802 is bringing up the rear. Luckily the trees in Knighton Copse were providing enough shelter to prevent the exhaust blowing down over the train. Photo taken from a very little used public footpath crossing.

'Black Five' 4-6-0s 44871 & 45407 The Lancashire Fusilier pass Minety on 13 April 2024 with the Railway Touring Company 1Z31 10:03 Margate to Cheltenham Spa 'The Great Britain XVI' railtour. This was day one of a mega nine day round Britain trip. Out of sight at the rear is 47812. This was running 15 minutes late, and although the lighting was a lot better than at the booked time, it was a pity that the train wasn't just a few minutes later, as the sun appeared briefly as I was walking back to the car!

'Black Five' 4-6-0 44871 passes Kemble on 21 April 2024 with the Railway Touring Company 1Z47 15:28 Gloucester to Paddington 'The Great Britain XVI' railtour. This was the final day of a nine day tour of Britain. It was booked to be double headed, but classmate 45407 The Lancashire Fusilier had been removed from the train with brake issues. Fortunately it was running a couple of minutes early, as shortly after it passed the sun disappeared behind a large cloud!

Prototype 'Black 5' 4-6-0 5000 approaches Eardington Halt on 18 June 1984 en-route from Bridgnorth to Bewdley. The final section of the line to Kidderminster opened the following month. It looks like the trees in the background have been scorched by a lineside fire at some point.

'Black Five' 4-6-0 5407 crosses Ribblehead Viaduct with a northbound railtour on 25 November 1989. This was the era when steam photographers were outraged at the inclusion of an ex Class 25 Ethel (Electric train heating ex locomotive) in the consist, made worse by the fact that it was painted in InterCity livery! On this occasion 97252 (ex 25305) is officiating. The Settle & Carlisle and fine weather are not normally something I associate, the weather in the fells always seems to be poor when I venture up there, even when there is unbroken sunshine everywhere else! However this late autumn day proved the exception and provided a number of excellent pictures.

'Black Five' 4-6-0 45110 catches some weak autumnal sunshine as it passes Slindon with the Past Time Rail Euston to Chester 'Staffordshire Terrier' railtour on 7 November 1998. 86419 had worked the first part of the tour, as far as Birmingham International. Currently this locomotive is not quite in such fine condition. Not only is not on the main line, but it is no longer in steam, and resides, tender less at Barrow Hill Roundhouse.

'Black Five' 4-6-0 45212 passes Hanborough station on 15 May 2018 with the Steam Dreams 1Z64 09:43 Victoria to Worcester Shrub Hill 'Cathedrals Express' railtour. As expected, with it being such a hot day, there is no trace of exhaust.

'Black Five' 4-6-0 45212 passes the site of Oaksey Halt on 15 May 2018 with the Steam Dreams 1Z67 17:52 Worcester Shrub Hill to Victoria 'Cathedrals Express' railtour. I had expected to get a nice glint shot here, but the train was running 42 minutes late, and while the light would have been fine at the booked time, the sun had by now sunk into some high cloud, and all but disappeared.

On 27 March 1999, 'Black Five' 4-6-0 45407 rounds the normally freight only curve between Brocklesby Junction and Ulceby South Junction, passing the impressive signal box named after the latter. The Pathfinder Tours 1Z40 08:01 Crewe to Cleethorpes 'Lancs-Lincs' railtour started out behind 37412, with 45407 being attached at Castleton East Junction.

'Black Five' 4-6-0 45407 The Lancashire Fusilier (masquerading as 45157 Glasgow Yeomanry) & BR 4MT 2-6-0 76079 slog up the gradient towards Sugar Loaf Tunnel on the Central Wales Line with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z27 04:36 Crewe to Llandrindod Wells (via Newport) 'Heart of Wales Observer' railtour on 20 September 2003. With over four miles of 1 in 60 gradient to reach this point, the pair could certainly be heard approaching for a long time!

Although the sun was trying to break through the high cloud, it was still a drab grey morning on 22 April 2007, when 'Black Five' 4-6-0 45407 The Lancashire Fusilier worked the Pathfinder Tours 1Z76 07:50 Cardiff Central to Gloucester 'Severnside Rambler' railtour, part of a series of mini-tours taking in the Dean Forest Railway and the Sharpness branch. It is seen here climbing out of the Severn Tunnel and approaching Pilning, with the approach road to the new Severn Bridge visible in the background. The short tunnel behind the train takes the line under the A 403 road, the entrance to the four mile long Severn Tunnel being just beyond.

'Black Five' 4-6-0s 45407 The Lancashire Fusilier & 44871 pass South Marston on 13 May 2011 with the Steam Dreams 1Z27 09:20 Carmarthen to Victoria 'Cathedrals Explorer' railtour. From Victoria the tour would travel on to Canterbury and then back to Kensington Olympia behind former Southern Railway pacific 34067 Tangmere. This was the final day of a mammoth eight day tour of the United Kingdom, featuring a wide variety of locomotives. The track leading off to the right in this picture leads to Swindon's Honda factory.

Viewed from Goathland Moor, 'Black Five' 4-6-0 5428 Eric Treacy passes Fen Bog on 6 May 1995 with the North Yorkshire Moors Railway's 11:50 Grosmont to Pickering service. The loco was withdrawn from BR in 1967 after 30 years of service, and went straight into preservation.

Jubilee 4-6-0 45596 Bahamas runs alongside the River Severn at Purton on 23 April 1994 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z18 07:13 Trowbridge to Crewe 'Welsh Marches Express' railtour. It might seem that the train is going in the wrong direction here, and indeed it was a convoluted route, heading northwards initially via Bristol and Cheltenham to Worcester, before retuning to Gloucester and on to Severn Tunnel Junction (hence the picture here). It then headed north via Pontypool and Hereford to Crewe. Bahamas worked the train between Worcester and Crewe.

Jubilee 4-6-0 45596 Bahamas storms past Abergavenny on 23 April 1994 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z18 07:13 Trowbridge to Crewe 'Welsh Marches Express' railtour. Bahamas worked the train between Worcester and Crewe, and this was my second picture of the day, having earlier seen the train by the side of the River Severn at Purton.

Jubilee 4-6-0 45596 Bahamas pulls away from Hereford station on 23 April 1994, after taking on water whilst working the Pathfinder Tours 1Z18 07:13 Trowbridge to Crewe 'Welsh Marches Express' railtour, which it worked between Worcester and Crewe. During the water stop someone has changed the 'Welsh Marches Express' headboard, as seen a little earlier at Abergavenny, to one that reads 'Alan's 40th Birthday Special'! 56052 can be seen in the background sitting in the centre road during its long layover with the 6M86 11:00 Margam to Dee Marsh steel coils.

Jubilee 4-6-0 45596 Bahamas visited the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway for their Spring Gala in 2019. The immaculate loco is pictured in front of Haworth shed on 10 March 2019, prior to working its first train of the day.

Jubilee 4-6-0 45596 Bahamas passes Little Haresfield on 27 August 2022 with the Railway Touring Company 1Z52 07:13 Paddington to Worcester Shrub Hill 'Cotswold Venturer' railtour. Out of sight on the rear of the train is 33025. After a foggy start, the sun was just stating to break through the clouds.

Jubilee Class 4-6-0 5690 Leander crosses the River Cherwell near Heyford with the Great Western Society Paddington to Bridgnorth 'Jubilee Castle' railtour on 6 October 1984, which was steam hauled from Didcot. As hinted at in the railtour name, the return from Saltley was behind GWR 4-6-0 5051 Drysllwyn Castle.

Jubilee Class 4-6-0 45690 Leander passes Baulking on 23 August 2023 with the Railway Touring Company 1Z75 06:30 Shoeburyness to Bristol Temple Meads 'Essex Avon Express' railtour. This was running 47 minutes late, after encountering a delay in the Willesden area. It was working hard here, accelerating away from Challow, after its water stop.

Jubilee Class 4-6-0 45690 Leander blasts out of Kemble Tunnel on 26 August 2023 with the Railway Touring Company 1Z90 08:19 Paddington to Gloucester 'Cotswold Venturer' railtour. This train was originally planned to go to Worcester, but Shrub Hill station was closed due to RMT strike action.

Jubilee Class 4-6-0 45690 Leander passes Kemble Wick on 26 August 2023 with the Railway Touring Company 1Z91 15:03 Gloucester to Paddington 'Cotswold Venturer' railtour. This was running 17 minutes late, which was a little worrying, as the shadows were advancing rapidly!

Looking and sounding superb, despite the dismal weather, Jubilee Class 4-6-0 45699 Galatea heads north from Banbury on 5 June 2016 with the Steam Dreams 1Z45 08:31 Paddington to Pwllheli 'Cambrian Coast Express' railtour. I wasn't entirely surprised to be the only photographer at what is quite a decent location, as it does require a long walk, which effectively prevents any chance of chasing the train, and for anyone shooting video, the adjacent M40 is a constant source of noise! Unfortunately the Met Office's predicted sunny morning was nowhere to be seen, although naturally it was a completely sunny afternoon!

Jubilee Class 4-6-0 45699 Galatea approaches Culham on 2 July 2016 with the Railway Touring Company 1Z46 07:02 Paddington to Worcester Shrub Hill 'Cotswold Venturer' railtour. The chimney and partially collapsed turbine hall of Didcot Power Station dominated the background on the right, whilst on the left the bridge over the River Thames can be seen. With a strong westerly wind, there was some concern that the exhaust would blow down and obscure the train. Thankfully it didn't, so the full length of the train can clearly be seen, and for once the stock matches the loco!

Jubilee Class 4-6-0 45699 Galatea passes the site of Yarnton Junction on 2 July 2016 with the Railway Touring Company 1Z46 07:02 Paddington to Worcester Shrub Hill 'Cotswold Venturer' railtour. The worst possible conditions for photography, with extreme backlighting and a high summer sun. Typically the sun only appeared from behind a cloud just as the train was approaching!

Jubilee Class 4-6-0 45699 Galatea passes Daylesford on 2 July 2016 with the Railway Touring Company 1Z48 16:34 Worcester Shrub Hill to Paddington 'Cotswold Venturer' railtour. I know a lot of steam photographers don't like walking very far from their cars, but I was still a little surprised to be the only photographer at this location, as the bridge is only a very short distance from the road, along a well signposted public footpath.

Royal Scot Class 4-6-0 46100 Royal Scot passes through Sonning cutting on 26 April 2016 with the Railway Touring Company 1Z82 08:44 Victoria to Plymouth 'Great Britain IX' railtour. This was day one of a mammoth nine day tour of the whole country. The train was booked to be hauled by 46100 & 44871, but the 'Black Five' had failed. Strangely, this is the first time in nearly 40 years of railway photography that I have seen either of the two preserved Royal Scots! This picture was extremely lucky on two counts. The sun had only just reappeared from behind a very large cloud, and the fine exhaust seen here had only just recommenced, after a minor shut off by the bridge in the background. 57316 can just be seen on the rear of the train.

Royal Scot Class 4-6-0 46100 Royal Scot passes South Marston on 26 April 2017 with the Steam Dreams 1Z62 16:36 Bristol Temple Meads to Horsham 'Cathedrals Express' railtour. It is passing the junction for the disused South Marston Industrial Estate branch. The steam loco would work the train as far as Willesden. This picture was taken in extremely gloomy conditions, just after a hail storm, which is probably preferable to the sunny conditions that probably occurred just after I had driven away, as the sun would have been very low, and right behind the train.

Royal Scot Class 4-6-0 46100 Royal Scot passes Daylesford on 28 October 2017 with the Railway Touring Company 1Z70 07:04 Paddington to Worcester Shrub Hill 'Cotswold Venturer' railtour. This was deputising for LNER A3 60103 Flying Scotsman, which had suffered a hot axle box a couple of weeks earlier. Not good for a loco that has just had £4.2 million spent on refurbishment!

Royal Scot Class 4-6-0 46100 Royal Scot & 'Black Five' 4-6-0 45231 Sherwood Forester pass Bredon on 1 July 2021 with the Saphos Trains 1Z44 16:03 Bristol Temple Meads to Bangor 'The Bristol Forty' railtour, so named for the loco that took the train south in the morning.

Royal Scot Class 4-6-0 46100 Royal Scot passes through Heyford station on 4 September 2021 with the Saphos Trains 1Z70 07:00 Crewe to Salisbury 'Magna Carta' railtour. 47614 is bringing up the rear. The narrowboats on the Oxford Canal make an interesting background, as does the station's name picked out in topiary hedging at the rear of the platform.

Royal Scot Class 4-6-0 46100 Royal Scot passes Yarnton on 4 September 2021 with the Saphos Trains 1Z74 16:20 Salisbury to Crewe 'Magna Carta' railtour. This was running half an hour late, after an extended water stop at Milton, followed by an unscheduled stop in Oxford station. At the booked time there was almost a chance of a little weak evening sun, but instead the train passed in the gathering darkness.

Royal Scot Class 4-6-0 46100 Royal Scot passes Tackley on 8 September 2021 with the Saphos Trains 1Z60 06:02 Paddington to Kidderminster 'Severn Valley Enterprise' railtour. Admittedly this location is a short walk from the nearest road, but I was still surprised to be the only person here.

Royal Scot Class 4-6-0 46100 Royal Scot approaches Challow on 6 October 2021 with the Saphos Trains 1Z60 06:40 Kidderminster to Bristol Temple Meads' Great Western Envoy' railtour. This was already running 40 minutes late, but after a prolonged water stop just a few yards further on, it left the Challow 76 minutes behind time. This was running 13 minutes behind Merchant Navy Class 4-6-2 35028 Clan Line on another railtour.

Royal Scot Class 4-6-0 46100 Royal Scot is the centre of attention, as it runs round its train at Oxenhope on 13 March 2022, during the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway's Spring Steam Gala. This is the southernmost point of the railway's line.

Royal Scot Class 4-6-0 46100 Royal Scot passes Churchill Heath in failing light on 16 March 2024 with the Saphos Trains 1Z48 15:50 Worcester Shrub Hill to Northampton 'Cotswold Explorer' railtour. This had obviously made a vigorous ascent of Campden Bank, as although the departure from Worcester was 21 minutes late, it was only running 9 minutes behind time when it passed me. D1935 (47805) Roger Hosking MA 1925 - 2013 is bringing up the rear.

Princess Royal Class 4-6-2 6201 Princess Elizabeth makes a spirited departure from Skipton on 27 October 1990 with the Friends of the NRM / Flying Scotsman Services 'Cumbrian Mountain Express' railtour from Kings Cross to Appleby, which the pacific took over at Leeds. Unfortunately it was a typical dull and dreary autumnal day, but at least the exhaust stands out clearly against the grey sky, and the silver birch trees in the foreground are not yet tall enough to get in the way, and add a splash of seasonal colour to the foreground.

Miserable weather at Baulking on 19 June 2010, as Princess Royal Class 4-6-2 6201 Princess Elizabeth heads west along the Great Western Mainline with the Vintage Trains 1Z53 07:06 Solihull to Swansea 'Red Dragon' railtour. 47773 can just be seen on the rear of the train. 6201 had taken over from GWR Castle Class 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe at Foxhall Junction, Didcot. The train is still accelerating, after waiting briefly on the relief line at Challow. Obviously the wait was shorter than intended, because at this point the train is running ten minutes ahead of schedule.

An unbelievably lucky picture at Chilson on 1 December 2012. Princess Royal Class 4-6-2 6201 Princess Elizabeth heads westwards with the Railway Touring Company 1Z71 08:05 Paddington to Worcester Shrub Hill 'Worcester Anniversary Christmas Fayre' special. LMS locomotives have never been common on the Cotswold Line, not even in preservation days, so I was keen to get a picture of this. Unfortunately, for most of its route the train would be coming directly out of the sun. Only for a short stretch from Shorthampton to Ascott-under-Wychwood would the sun be on the front. The sun had been out for a long time while I stood in this field at Chilson, but shortly before the train was due a huge bank of cloud rolled in from the north. As I could hear 'Lizzie' approaching it was very dull, but miraculously as the train came into view the sun found a small hole in the cloud, resulting in this fantastic lighting, with the exhaust standing out superbly against the dark menacing clouds in the background. As the back of the train passed me, the clouds won and the lights went out!

Princess Royal Class 4-6-2 6201 Princess Elizabeth disturbs the peace of the Cherwell Valley as it passes Tackley with the Steam Dreams 1Z70 07:10 Slough to Chester 'Cathedrals Express' railtour on 4 December 2012. This was never going to be as good as the picture I got of this loco just three days previously, but despite the severe backlighting I thought it was worth the trek across the fields to one of my favourite local locations.

Princess Royal Class 4-6-2 6201 Princess Elizabeth runs alongside the Kennet & Avon Canal near Crofton on 23 August 2016 with the Steam Dreams 1Z46 08:42 Victoria to Minehead 'Cathedrals Express' railtour. The red livery contrasts nicely with the greenery, but a very hot day ensured that there was no trace of an exhaust.

Princess Royal Class 4-6-2 6201 Princess Elizabeth approaches a footbridge full of photographers at the site of Ashbury Crossing, Shrivenham, on 5 October 2016. It is working the Steam Dreams 1Z60 07:33 Horsham to Gloucester 'Cathedrals Express' railtour.

Princess Royal Class 4-6-2 6201 Princess Elizabeth passes some superb autumn colours, as it travels through the cutting near Stonesfield on 29 October 2016 with the Steam Dreams 1Z82 06:43 Rainham to Worcester Shrub Hill 'Cathedrals Express' railtour. This was a very dull morning, with not a breath of wind, and therefore I decided to visit this location, which would not really be suitable in any other conditions. Surprisingly nobody else turned up (at least not until afterwards!), and I can only assume that most people do not know that vegetation clearance has created this new view.

In miserable light, Princess Royal Class 4-6-2 46203 Princess Margaret Rose rounds the curve at Wilmorton, on the outskirts of Derby with the John Player Railway Club Derby to Sheffield 'Richard Levick Memorial' railtour on 2 June 1990. This was a day of intermittent heavy rain. I had already got soaked waiting for this train, as it was running late.

Princess Royal Class 4-6-2 46203 Princess Margaret Rose passes Toton Yard on 2 June 1990 with the John Player Railway Club Derby to Sheffield 'Richard Levick Memorial' railtour. Just visible on the extreme right are some of the Class 20s, which even as late as 1990 were still a common sight at this depot.

Princess Royal Class 4-6-2 46203 Princess Margaret Rose passes a cloudy Shrivenham on 27 March 1994 with the Flying Scotsman Services 1Z17 08:40 Paddington to Crewe 'Cheshireman' railtour. This was really a positioning move to get the locomotive to Crewe for future commitments. The train was diesel hauled to Didcot, from where Princess Margaret Rose allegedly became the last steam locomotive to work on BR - as the network was privatised on 1 April.

Princess Royal Class 4-6-2 46203 Princess Margaret Rose heads south down the Settle & Carlisle near Kirkby Thore on 16 September 1995 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z27 12:50 Carlisle to Didcot Parkway 'Cumbrian Mountain Express' railtour. The tour had worked up to Carlisle via the WCML diesel hauled, and would revert to diesel haulage at Crewe.

Princess Royal Class 4-6-2 46203 Princess Margaret Rose passes Birkett Common on 16 September 1995 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z27 12:50 Carlisle to Didcot Parkway 'Cumbrian Mountain Express' railtour. I had hoped for better weather here, after seeing the train in poor light near Kirkby Thore, but unfortunately the curse if the Settle & Carlisle struck again, and there was no sun at the required time!

Coronation Class 4-6-2 46229 Duchess of Hamilton has steam to spare as it approaches Banbury on 4 May 1985 with the SLOA 1Z69 'South Yorkshireman' railtour. The train had worked up to Yorkshire in the morning from St Pancras behind 45135, and with hindsight I should have ventured across to the Midland Mainline for a picture of that, despite the gloomy weather. 46229 took over at Sheffield, for the return to Marylebone. Unfortunately, despite being virtually on time heading north, the return trip got steadily more behind time, and was nearly an hour late at Banbury.

Coronation Class 4-6-2 46229 Duchess of Hamilton crosses Ribblehead Viaduct on 14 August 1993 with the SLOA Carlisle to Euston 'Cumbrian Mountain Express' railtour. Apparently the spirited performance of the Duchess over the Settle & Carlisle (a new record at the time), was in marked contrast to 47531's poor performance after the diesel had taken over at Bradford.

Coronation Class 4-6-2 46229 Duchess of Hamilton swings round the curve near Aldermaston on 6 November 1994 with the FSS Railtours Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads 'Bristolian' railtour. Not quite sure what the steam purists would make of the InterCity liveried Mk 1 coaches, or indeed the chocolate and cream liveried support coach directly behind the LMS loco!

Coronation Class 4-6-2 46229 Duchess of Hamilton steams through Malton in appalling light with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z29 06:10 Swindon to Scarborough 'Scarborough Sovereign' railtour on 7 October 1995. The pacific had taken over the train from 47709 at York. St Mary's priory church at Old Malton can just be seen in the gloom on the right.

Coronation Class 4-6-2 46229 Duchess of Hamilton passes Duffield on 8 June 1996 with a NRM York to Crewe railtour. A very mixed rake of stock, but at least the two maroon coaches are at the front of the train, next to the maroon liveried loco.

Coronation Class 4-6-2 6233 Duchess of Sutherland slogs up to the summit at Diggle in the rain on 9 March 2002 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z46 07:58 Liverpool Lime Street to York 'Yorkshire Coronation' railtour. Despite the 1 in 125 gradient and the wet rails the loco is making fine progress. The lock gates on the Huddersfield Canal can just be seen above the loco's cab.

Coronation Class 4-6-2 6233 Duchess of Sutherland passes Fairburn on 9 March 2002 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z46 07:58 Liverpool Lime Street to York 'Yorkshire Coronation' railtour. The large lake is part of the Fairburn Ings RSPB nature reserve.

Coronation Class 4-6-2 6233 Duchess of Sutherland passes Burton Salmon on 9 October 2004 with the PMR Tours 1Z62 09:13 Leicester to York 'Coronation Pullman' railtour. 57601 can just be seen on the rear of the train, as the line curves away towards Ferrybridge.

Coronation Class 4-6-2 6233 Duchess of Sutherland approaches Tackley on 26 May 2006 with the PMR Tours 1Z20 07:20 Manchester Victoria to Didcot 'Oxfordshire Express' railtour, which the steam loco had worked from Derby. There are few spots around Oxford that are ideal for a southbound train around lunchtime, with the sun being virtually head on. I thought this would be irrelevant anyway, as there was extensive cloud cover when I walked across the field to this location. However, just as the train appeared around the corner the sun came out!

Coronation Class 4-6-2 6233 Duchess of Sutherland approaches Callow Hill (just west of Wootton Bassett) with the Vintage Trains 1Z33 08:39 Solihull to Bristol Temple Meads 'Duchess Bristolian' railtour on 1 September 2007. For once I was glad that the sun wasn't out, as this is taken from the north side of the line. The M4 motorway can just be seen in the background.

Coronation Class 4-6-2 6233 Duchess of Sutherland passes the site of Uffington station with the Steam Dreams 1Z82 08:45 Victoria to Worcester Shrub Hill 'Cathedrals Express' railtour on 27 August 2008, after just having stopped in the loop at Challow for water. It was a really dull day, which did at least allow this picture to be taken from what would otherwise be the wrong side for the light. We will gloss over the fact that the 'Cathedrals Express' should by rights travel to Worcester via Oxford and the 'Cotswold Line' rather than the 'Golden Valley' route via Stroud!

Coronation Class 4-6-2 46233 Duchess of Sutherland passes Yarnton on 23 May 2015 with the PMR Tours 1Z52 06:51 Manchester Victoria to Didcot 'The Oxfordshire Express' railtour. The Duchess took over the train at Derby.

Coronation Class 4-6-2 46233 Duchess of Sutherland passes Wolvercote on 23 May 2015 with the PMR Tours 1Z53 16:38 Didcot to Manchester Victoria 'The Oxfordshire Express' railtour, which it would take as far as Derby. The line of fresh ballast on the right marks the course of the former down goods loop, which is being reinstated as a new running line. However, whilst the connection with the main line was installed some while ago, along with the short section of track up to the stop plank in the foreground, all work seems to come to a halt for over a year.

A couple of track workers get a surprise at Denchworth on 4 September 2016, as Coronation Class 4-6-2 46233 Duchess of Sutherland passes by with the 5Z47 11:00 Bristol St Philips Marsh to Tyseley loco and support coach move. At the moment the electrification masts here are just an ugly annoyance, but once they are completed, and the wires go up, this view will not be possible.

Coronation Class 4-6-2 46233 Duchess of Sutherland passes Daylesford on 17 July 2017 with the Steam Dreams 1Z24 09:43 Victoria to Worcester Shrub Hill 'Cathedrals Express' railtour. The loco was still accelerating away from Kingham station, where unusually it had been booked for a 15 minute stop. The 1960s 'Cathedrals Express' operated daily over this route, but never of course with a LMS pacific!

Coronation Class 4-6-2 46233 Duchess of Sutherland passes Eckington on 17 July 2017 with the Steam Dreams 1Z26 17:22 Worcester Shrub Hill to Victoria 'Cathedrals Express' railtour. The impressive cloudscape certainly makes up for the fact that there is not a trace of exhaust. I was slightly surprised to be on my own at this fairly well know location, with just one other photographer in the nearby field. The tower of Eckington parish church can just be seen above the third coach.

Coronation Class 4-6-2 46233 Duchess of Sutherland passes Oaksey on 10 October 2017 with the Steam Dreams 1Z73 09:06 Southend to Gloucester 'Cathedrals Express' railtour. The loco was working well, and had already made up some time after the much longer than booked stop at Challow. Two things could possibly have gone wrong with this picture. It was a generally very dull day, so I had selected this location on the east side of the line. If the sun had come out (which it did shortly after the train had passed) the lighting would have been completely wrong. Secondly, there was a strong wind from the west, which threatened to blow the smoke down over the train. However, I correctly judged that the trees on the right would stop that happening.

Running 20 minutes late, Coronation Class 4-6-2 6233 Duchess of Sutherland passes Fiddington on 24 August 2019 with the Railway Touring Company 1Z24 07:40 Paddington to Worcester Shrub Hill 'Cotswold Venturer' railtour. GWR Castle Class 4-6-0 7029 Clun Castle had passed by in the opposite direction a little earlier.

Coronation Class 4-6-2 6233 Duchess of Sutherland has obviously had no trouble at all ascending Campden Bank, as it passes Moreton-in-Marsh nine minutes early with the Railway Touring Company 1Z27 16:31 Worcester Shrub Hill to Paddington 'Cotswold Venturer' railtour on 24 August 2019.

Coronation Class 4-6-2 6233 Duchess of Sutherland passes Badgeworth on 30 October 2021 with the Vintage Trains 1Z50 07:51 Tyseley to Bristol Temple Meads 'Midland Bristolian' railtour. I had considered going to Standish Junction for this, but it was a good decision to come here, as the exhaust blew down and partly obscured the train at Standish.

Coronation Class 4-6-2 6233 Duchess of Sutherland passes Kennington on 22 November 2021 with its support coach, running as the 5Z34 11:00 Tyseley to Southall ECS. This was in preparation for the following day's railtour to Cardiff.

Coronation Class 4-6-2 6233 Duchess of Sutherland passes through Hailey Wood (between Kemble and Sapperton) with the Railway Touring Company 1Z30 07:02 Victoria to Cardiff Central 'Gloucester Christmas Market & Cardiff' railtour on 23 November 2021.

Coronation Class 4-6-2 6233 Duchess of Sutherland passes Uffington on 14 September 2022 with the Belmond British Pullman 1Z28 08:49 Victoria to Bristol Temple Meads 'Historic Bath By Steam' luxury charter. Although the loco could be heard for some time as it approached, and it appeared to be working well, it didn't seem to be travelling very fast, and in fact delayed the following GWR train, which followed at little more than walking speed.

Coronation Class 4-6-2 6233 Duchess of Sutherland passes Uffington on 22 November 2022 with the Railway Touring Company 1Z80 08:22 Victoria to Cardiff Central (via Gloucester) 'Cardiff Christmas Express' railtour. This was running 84 minutes late, after a massively extended stop in the loop at Challow. This was caused by the driver's paperwork giving an incorrect stopping position to take water, with the result that the train had to reverse back up the relief line. This wasn't a problem, as 47813 was on the rear. The 47 also seemed to be working hard here, presumably helping the Duchess to make up some time! The late running was actually a bonus, as the light was much better than at the booked time.

A rare mainline outing for Ivatt Class 2 2-6-0 46521. The diminutive locomotive, with suitably short train, passes through Kingham station on 12 December 1992 with a Didcot to Kidderminster railtour. Obviously there was not the widespread advanced information about special trains in those days, as not a single person can be seen on either platform at Kingham station!

A picture of anything in the refuge siding at Moreton-in-Marsh is noteworthy, but a steam loco especially so. Ivatt Class 2 2-6-0 46521 takes water on 12 December 1992, whilst working a Didcot to Kidderminster railtour. The signal has just been pulled off for the 14:35 Oxford to Great Malvern DMU.

Ivatt Class 2 2-6-0 46521 approaches the western entrance to Greet Tunnel on 7 August 1993. At this time the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway only extended from Toddington to Gretton, so the train is only just getting underway from the line's western terminus.

Ivatt Class 2 2-6-0 46521 approaches Winchcombe on 17 October 1993, en-route from Gretton to Toddington, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Steam Gala. This probably wasn't getting the attention it deserved, as what everyone had come to see was Flying Scotsman.

Ivatt Class 2 2-6-0 46521 & BR Standard 4MT 2-6-4T 80079 pass South Marston on 1 January 1995 with a Didcot to Stourbridge railtour. The grassy area in the foreground is the site of South Marston Sidings, which were installed during the Second World War.

New Year's Day, and the year's photography gets off to a bad start! Ivatt Class 2 2-6-0 46521 & BR Standard 4MT 2-6-4T 80079 pass Badgeworth on 1 January 1995 with a Didcot to Worcester railtour. A perfect sunny day, but unfortunately a north wind, which has resulted in the exhaust virtually obscuring the train. At least the rare mainline combination of locos can still be seen!

A very strange motive power combination at Long Marston on 29 July 1995. 3F 'Jinty' 0-6-0T 7298 heads off for a circuit of the Army depot with 47348 St. Christopher's Railway Home and the Hertfordshire Railtours 1Z33 07:18 Paddington to Long Marston 'Honey Monster' railtour. Its not clear how much assistance the 47 is providing here! The tour had arrived from Honeybourne behind 33057 Seagull & 33019 Griffon, which just be seen on the rear of the train.

Fowler Class 3F 0-6-0T 'Jinty' 47383 crosses the B4632 Winchcombe to Toddington road on 20 December 1998 with the 11:00 Toddington to Winchcombe Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway Santa Special. Winchcombe Pottery, as mentioned on the road sign, is an extremely old establishment. Originally known as Greet Pottery, it has been on the same site for over 200 years.

Fowler Class 3F 0-6-0T 'Jinty' 47383 accelerates away from Winchcombe on 20 December 1998 with one of the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Santa Specials. A bit less leaking steam would have been nice, but at least the exhaust didn't completely blow down and cover the train.

8F 2-8-0 48151 drifts past Lostock Hall Junction on 10 May 1997 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z27 05:49 Reading to Carlisle 'Cumbrian Mountain Express' railtour. 47634 Holbeck is obviously not what the diehard steam enthusiasts would want to see coupled behind the steam loco, especially with its bright red livery!

8F 2-8-0 48151 & 47634 Holbeck emerge from Blea Moor Tunnel in the rain on 10 May 1997 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z27 05:49 Reading to Carlisle 'Cumbrian Mountain Express' railtour. Despite the presence of the red Class 47, and the atrocious weather, which has resulted in a barely acceptable quality picture, I quite like this, as it has come out better than expected in very challenged (for 35mm Fujichrome) conditions. To emphasise how dull it was, you can clearly see red hot cinders being dropped onto the track from beneath the loco.

An interloper during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's GWR 175 Festival of Steam? It could of course be argued that William Stanier originally worked at Swindon! On 3 June 2010, 8F 2-8-0 8274 (masquerading as Swindon built 8476) passes Prescott with the 11:15 Toddington to Gotherington service. Because of a landslip near Gotherington, all trains were terminating there, hence the presence of GWR 0-6-0PT 4612 on the rear working top'n'tail.

8F 2-8-0 8274 passes Didbrook on 3 June 2010 with the 17:05 Toddington to Gotherington service, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's GWR 175 Festival of Steam. Fresh from a twenty year restoration project, It is masquerading as 8476, one of eighty members of the class built at Swindon. It was also one of the members of the class that saw service in Turkey. Owing to a landslip near Gotherington, all trains were being worked top'n'tail. GWR 2-6-2T 4160 can just be seen on the rear of the train.

8F 2-8-0 348 pulls away from Gotherington, and passes Dixton on 6 May 2013 with the 12:02 Cheltenham Racecourse to Toddington service. Since it has been based on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway, this loco has carried various numbers, but here we see it as originally built in 1940, with War Department No. 348. It very quickly became LMS No. 8274.

8F 2-8-0 8274 passes Toddington's fixed distant signal at Hailes on 26 May 2013 with the 11:55 Cheltenham Racecourse to Toddington freight. During the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's 'Cotswold Steam Celebration' an intensive service was in operation, using locomotives from all of the 'Big Four' companies, as well as BR. In addition to the normal passengers trains, a few of these demonstration freights were run, with room in the brake van for a few fare paying passengers.

8F 2-8-0 8274 passes Hailes on 29 September 2013 with the 10:55 Cheltenham to Toddington service. Waving the flag for the LMS, on the largely GWR Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway, this heavy freight loco is now a reliable passenger locomotive.

8F 2-8-0 8274 arrives at Winchcombe on 29 September 2013 with the 13:15 Cheltenham Racecourse to Toddington service. In 2013 this is the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's only operational non GWR steam locomotive, although of course the loco's designer, Sir William Stanier, was originally a Swindon man!

The token steam presence during the Great Central Railway's 1995 spring Diesel Gala was 8F 2-8-0 48305, although even then it doubled headed with Class 20 D8098. The odd combination is pictured passing Woodthorpe on 2 April 1995 with the 15:00 Loughborough to Leicester service.

8F 2-8-0 48773 emerges from Foley Park Tunnel on 6 August 1994 with the 13:00 Kidderminster to Bridgnorth service. The dead bracken almost gives this an autumnal appearance, while in the background there has either been a lineside fire, or the Severn Valley Railway have been deliberately burning off the lineside vegetation.

8F 2-8-0 48773 makes a fine sight as it leaves Spetchley Loop after taking water whilst working the Past Time Rail 07:18 Paddington to Tyseley 'Midlander' railtour on 2 January 1999. The 8F worked the tour from Gloucester. The train arrived at Spetchley in good light, but I then had to wait while it clouded up and started raining, before eventually it left in miserable conditions. In view of the dire light it is lucky that it is only moving very slowly at this point.

A close up view of Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway 0-4-0ST 'Pug' No.51218 (masquerading as 51222), whilst engaged in a photographic charter in Goole Docks on 15 March 2003. Features to note include: the 1901 Horwich worksplate, the partially enclosed connecting rod, and the wooden dumb buffers.

A historic picture at Goole, taken as recently as 2003. Although of course the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway 0-4-0ST 'Pug' No.51218 (masquerading as scrapped classmate 51222) still survives, just about the only other surviving feature of this picture are the white silos in the background. In fact, not only have all the other buildings now been demolished, but a huge warehouse occupies the whole of the area where the 'Pug' and myself are standing. 15 March 2003.

The steam age returns to Goole Docks on 15 March 2003, as Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway 0-4-0ST 'Pug' No.51218 masquerading as scrapped classmate 51222 passes a couple of buildings surviving from the steam era as it approaches the site of Goole Goods Junction with a short freight. West Dock can be seen in the background, with the freighter Sea Kestrel moored at the quayside. Piles of Scandinavian timber, which is one of Goole's chief imports can be seen in the foreground.

During the Russ Hillier charter of 15 March 2003, Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway 0-4-0ST 'Pug' No.51218 (masquerading as 51222) emerges from the silver birch trees as it traverses the Goole Docks lines. Even here the immediately recognisable water towers in the background instantly identify the location as Goole.

Goole's 1883 and 1926 built water towers dominate the background, as Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway 0-4-0ST 'Pug' No.51218 (masquerading as 51222) pauses with its short freight train next to West Dock during the Russ Hillier photo charter on 15 March 2003. The motive power is absolutely right for the area, as these tough little locos were a regular sight in Goole until they were supplanted by diesel shunters in the early 1960s.

Under a cloudless sky, Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway 0-4-0ST 'Pug' No.51218 (masquerading as 51222) runs its short freight up and down the quayside at West Dock, Goole during the Russ Hillier photo charter on 15 March 2003. The building on the right has been considerably modernised and extended since this picture was taken.

More a ship picture than a railway one! The diminutive Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway 0-4-0ST 'Pug' No.51218 (masquerading as 51222) is completely dwarfed by the Husumer Schiffswerft built 'Scot Trader' cargo ship in West Dock, Goole on 15 March 2003. This ship now works out of Inverness, but you can just see the painted out original Hamburg location. Whereas 'Scot Trader' only dates from 1986, 51218 is just a little older, having emerged from the LYR's Horwich works in 1901.

On 15 March 2003, Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway 0-4-0ST 'Pug' No.51218 masquerading as scrapped classmate 51222 passes a couple of vintage lorries as it heads along the quayside past West Dock, Goole. 51222, or "Three Little Ducks" as it was affectionately known in Goole (from the shape of the number 2s on the numberplate) was one of the regular Goole Dock shunters for many years, and was in fact one of the last of the vintage class in service, finally being withdrawn from Goole shed in 1960.

Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway 0-4-0ST 'Pug' No.51218 (masquerading as 51222) charges along the quayside at West Dock, Goole on 15 March 2003, passing a carefully position vintage lorry. Until the early 1960s these Aspinall designed locos were the mainstay of the then considerable docks traffic at Goole. Although this section of track now sees virtually no use, other lines in the dock area are still used by revenue earning freight.

0-4-0ST 'Pug' No.51218 (masquerading as 51222) catches the last rays of the setting sun, as it shunts wagons during a photographic charter in Goole Docks on 15 March 2003. St John's parish church, and the dockside cranes dominate the background.

The sign on the crane in the background neatly explains where this is! Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway 0-4-0ST 'Pug' No.51218 (masquerading as Goole's scrapped classmate 51222) stands next to a Reader Brothers 1962 Leyland Octopus flatbed lorry in Goole Docks on the evening of 15 March 2003, during a private photo charter.

Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway 0-4-0ST 'Pug' No.51218, pictured inside the exhibition shed at Oxenhope, on the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway, on 13 March 2022. This was the first loco to arrive at the railway in 1965, having been withdrawn the previous year. It was one of the 'Pugs' that escaped from the north in the late 1950s, being allocated to Bristol, Swansea, and Neath.

One of the highlights of the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's 2023 Steam Gala was the visiting Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway 0-4-0ST 'Pug' 11243, from the East Lancashire Railway. The diminutive locomotive is seen here making a spirited departure from Winchcombe on 14 May 2023 with the late running 7T32 12:58 Winchcombe to Toddington freight.

Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway 0-4-0ST 'Pug' 11243 leaves Winchcombe on 14 May 2023 with the late running 7T32 12:58 Winchcombe to Toddington freight, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Steam Gala. The loco was built at Horwich in 1910. Originally numbered 19, it acquired the number 11243 under LMS ownership, before being sold into industrial use.