Brown Boveri gas turbine locomotive 18000 stands in the yard at Toddington, on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway on 3 June 2010. It was taking in part in the GWR 175 celebrations and is pictured here next to unrestored 'Barry hulk' GWR 28xx 2-8-0 3845. Ordered by the Great Western Railway in 1940, 18000 did not arrive in the UK from Switzerland until after nationalisation. Although often viewed as just another example of the GWR trying to be different, the idea of using a gas turbine (in effect a jet engine) for rail traction seemed an obvious one in the 1940s, as it offered far higher power than diesel engines at the time. Although 18000 performed extremley well when it was working, it reliability was always a problem, and no further locomotives were built.

Brown Boveri gas turbine locomotive 18000 stands in the yard at Toddington, on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway on 3 June 2010. Although in fine external condition, it certainly isn't going to move anywhere under its own power as the gas turbine was removed prior to it being repatriated to Switzerland in the 1960s. Note the increased width of the bodywork over the bogie at this end, a modification carried out during its later career as a SNCF test loco. This unfortunately renders it out of gauge for the UK rail network.

During the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Summer 2009 Diesel Gala, the National Railway Museum's Class 02 D2860 was used for a series of brakevan rides within Toddington station limits. With Class 03 D2182 on the left waiting to take out the 16:10 train to Winchcombe, the little Yorkshire Engine Co. 0-4-0 sets off with another brakevan full of passengers on the 15:48 trip. These little 170 hp Rolls Royce engined locos were built during 1960 & 1961 and the class survived in BR use until 1973, with many seeing further industrial use.

The National Railway Museum's Class 02 D2860 was used for a series of brakevan rides at Toddington during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's 'Shunterfest' on 10 July 2009. During busy periods when both platforms at Toddington were occupied the little shunter backed its brakevan up the headshunt towards Stanway Viaduct and waited at the signal seen in the background here. When all was clear it headed back to the station, which is what it is doing here, ready for its 16:40 trip up the station yard.

Looking very smart in its original black livery with red buffer beams and coupling rods, Class 04 11215 (D2245) slowly approaches Market Bosworth, on the Battlefield Line with the 14:00 Shackerstone to Shenton service on 10 March 1996 during the line's Diesel Gala. Introduced in November 1956, this loco was originally allocated to Neville Hill, later moving briefly to Selby, before transferring to York in 1959. In 1967 it moved to Goole, from where it was finally withdrawn on 28 December 1968. It was initially preserved at the Derwent Valley Light Railway before moving to the Battlefield Line in 1978.

Immaculate D3668 (09004) passes through Blunsdon station on 16 March 2014 with the 14:06 Hayes Knoll to Taw Valley Halt service, during the Swindon & Cricklade Railway's Diesel Gala. As Blunsdon station only has one platform, southbound trains cannot call at the station, whilst a northbound train (in this case Class 207 unit 1302) is in the platform.

D4100 Dick Hardy, pictured at Kidderminster on 17 April 2016. New to Ashford depot in 1961, D4100 (later 09012) stayed faithful to the Southern Region until it was allocated to Old Oak Common in 1995. It was withdrawn in 2010, moving to the Severn Valley Railway three years later.

09014 rests between duties at Knottingley depot on 19 July 1992. In the background are 08583 & 56079. Everything in this view is British built. Unfortunately that would not be the case if a similar picture was taken here today!

09014 passes Burton Salmon on 25 October 1995 with 8K77 Knottingley to Milford trip, conveying 12 repaired wagons. Unfortunately I never got a picture of the defective wagons heading in the opposite direction, which would have been much more photogenic, both in terns of the background, and the lighting, as on this occasion the loco returned to Knottingley light engine.

09015 rests at Ebbw Junction on 24 July 1996 between spells of work in Alexandra Dock Yard. In common with all the original build of Class 09s, 09015 spent all its early life on the Southern Region, only moving to Cardiff Canton in March 1989. It is seen here in the drab engineers grey livery, a shade of paint that if this view is anything to go by was also used extensively to paint various lineside buildings, to say nothing of signaling equipment cabinets (top of picture)!

09016 trips four wagons out of the Milton Distribution Centre and heads towards Foxhall Junction at Didcot on 13 March 1997. The wagons would later be attached to the 6M18 15:36 Eastleigh to Carlisle Enterprise service, scheduled to arrive at Didcot Yard at 16:55. Up until 1997 the depot at Milton had only seen very sporadic use.

The most unusual feature of the Pathfinder Tours 1Z33 05:35 Bristol Temple Meads to Eastbourne 'Southern Coasterman' on 20 April 1996 was the 1 mile 28 chains of Class 09 haulage between Preston Park and Brighton station. Normally shunter haulage on railtours is a rare event for obvious reasons, but with a top speed of 27mph and a distance of only a little over a mile, there would be no disruption to normal services in this case. Pictured approximately half way through its moment of fame 09025 trundles along the main line in the sunshine. Class 71 electric loco E5001 was on the rear of the train. The other notice on the front of the loco above the headboard reads 'Crane swings. Keep well clear' (stuck on upside down for no obvious reason!).

In the 1990s a railtour visiting Brighton would often employ a shunter to haul the train from Preston Park to Brighton station. thus giving the railtour participants 1 mile 28 chains of Class 09 haulage! This happened on 12 December 1993, when the 1Z60 09:30 Bristol Temple Meads to Newhaven Marine 'Southern Mariner' railtour was entrusted to 09026 William Pearson. It is pictured here in the pouring rain, halfway through its moment of glory. I photographed the same move, only in much better light, behind 09025 in 1996.

09106 parked up between shunting duties at Goole Docks on 11 October 2004. This is one of the later Class 08 to 09/1 conversions, having originally been D3927, and latterly 08759. It was converted to a Class 09 in 1993.

With rods off, and all three axles out of sync, Class 10 shunter D4067 Margaret Ethel - Thomas Alfred Naylor stands at Loughborough Central on 11 May 2001. The loco was withdrawn from BR service in 1971, and sold to the National Coal Board. It was subsequently bought privately for preservation, and moved to the Great Central Railway, where it was named after the owner's parents.

Looking very smart in its freshly applied coat of National Coal Board blue paint, Class 10 shunter D4067 Margaret Ethel - Thomas Alfred Naylor stands outside Rothley carriage shed on 3 September 2022, on static display during the Great Central Railway's Autumn Diesel Running Weekend. The open bodyside doors give a glimpse of what makes this loco different to the more ubiquitous Class 08 shunter. Instead of an English Electric engine, this class is fitted with the Lister Blackstone ER6T engine.

Class 11 12052 stands underneath the road bridge at Bridge of Dun on 21 March 2003. This loco entered service in April 1949, and was used by BR until 1971, when it was sold to the National Coal Board. It entered preservation in 1988, and arrived at the Caledonian Railway in 2002.

Class 11 12099 moves a rake of coaches from the Severn Valley Railway's carriage shed at Kidderminster towards the station on 17 April 2016, passing the new diesel depot building. 12099 dates from 1951, and has had three careers - BR, the National Coal Board, and now preservation. The Class 11s have smaller wheels than the standard 08, and a slightly higher top speed. One of the railway's other shunters, Class 09 D4100 Dick Hardy can just be seen on the extreme right.

The unique Clayton Type 1 D8568 passes Wainhill Halt on the Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway with a Thame Junction to Chinnor working on 16 April 1995, with Class 08 D3018 on the rear of the train. Wainhill Halt was a number of track level platforms on the former Watlington Branch opened with the intention of increasing passenger traffic in the 1920s. Unfortunately it didn't help, and the line was closed in 1957, with just the section to Chinnor left open for cement works traffic.

D8568 accelerates away from Chinnor on 21 April 2013 with the 2W01 09:20 Chinnor to Wainhill service, during the Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway's Diesel Gala. Although the signal provides an excellent addition to the picture, the house directly behind the loco does not really help the composition! Also, to make things even more difficult, the viewpoint couldn't be altered much, as there is an electricity pole just out of the picture to the right.

D8568 passes Bledlow on 21 April 2013 with the 2T07 11:15 Chinnor to Thame Junction service, during the Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway's Diesel Gala. The loco has just passed over the middle of the three footpath crossings in the village. This picture is taken from a little used road behind Bledlow church.

The sole surviving Class 17, D8568 approaches the footpath crossing at Bledlow on the Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway, as it works the 2C08 11:44 Thame Junction to Chinnor service on 21 April 2013, during the line's spring Diesel Gala.

D8568 leaves Chinnor station on 5 October 2013 with the 2S29 10:54 shuttle service to the yard. These very short distance trips were part of the Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway's 'Haversham & Friends' special event.

Class 17 'Clayton' D8568 needs all of its 900 hp to lift seven well filled coaches up the 1 in 115 gradient at Foley Park, on the Severn Valley Railway, on 2 October 2015. The visiting locomotive was the star attraction at the line's Autumn Diesel Gala. The train is the 13:47 Kidderminster to Bridgnorth service.

The star attraction at the 2015 Severn Valley Railway Diesel Gala was the unique Class 17 'Clayton' Bo-Bo D8568, which was visiting from the Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway. It is seen here drifting down Eardington Bank on 2 October 2015 with the 16:06 Bridgnorth to Kidderminster service.

The Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway's unique Clayton D8568 leaves Chinnor on Sunday 26 March 2017 with the 12:15 departure for Thame Junction. GWR 64xx 0-6-0PT 6412 is on the rear of the train.

Class 17 D8568 stands at Horsenden Lane Crossing, near Thame Junction, with the 11:00 train from Chinnor on 9 April 2017. Members of the train crew will shortly walk forward to open the gates, to allow the train to proceed to the end of the Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway's line.

Class 17 D8568 passes Horsenden Lane, and approaches Thame Junction on 9 April 2017 with the 11:00 train from Chinnor. GWR 64xx 0-6-0PT 6412 can be seen on the rear of the train, and would work the train back to Chinnor. After running approximately north east for most of the route, this curve takes the Chinnor & Princes Railway's line onto a more easterly approach to Princes Risborough.

The sole surviving Clayton Class 17 was in use during the Severn Valley Railway's Spring 2022 Diesel Gala, providing a shuttle service between Highley and Bewdley, working top'n'tail with Class 14 D9551. D8568 is seen here passing Northwood Lane on 21 May 2022 with the 14:25 Highley to Bewdley service.

A small train for a small loco. Sole surviving Class 17 D8568 passes Eardington on 20 May 2023 with the 17:05 Hampton Loade to Bridgnorth shuttle, during the Severn Valley Railway's Diesel Gala. Due to their chronic unreliability, most of the class had very short lives on BR, but some did survive long enough to get a coat of blue paint, so this is not a fictitious livery.

Class 17 D8568 brings up the rear of the 18:30 Bridgnorth to Kidderminster train at Eardington on 20 May 2023, during the Severn Valley Railway's Diesel Gala. 50035 Ark Royal has disappeared into the trees with at the head of the train.

The star attraction at the Mid Norfolk Railway's 2016 Diesel Gala was prototype HST power car 41001, recently immaculacy restored, along with three Mk3 coaches by the 125 Group Project Miller team. It is seen here passing Crownthorpe with the 10:40 Wymondham to Dereham service on 2 April 2016. Unfortunately the other Class 41 power car, 41002, was scrapped in 1990, so a complete prototype HST can never be recreated, but this 'half HST' is certainly a unique preservation project.

Prototype HST power car 41001 rounds the curve at Kimberley Park, on the Mid Norfolk Railway, with the 13:00 Wymondham to Dereham service on 2 April 2016, during the line's Diesel Gala. The largely white livery certainly looks impressive, but one can't help thinking that it would be a bit difficult to keep clean on the real railway!

The star attraction at the Mid Norfolk Railway's 2016 Diesel Gala was prototype HST power car 41001, It is seen here at Kimberley Park on 2 April 2016 with the 15:20 Wymondham to Dereham service. Unfortunately the sun dipped very slightly just as this approached, slightly taking the edge of the light. Naturally it was back to full light just after it had passed! 45133 is on the rear of the train. Just visible in the background are the level crossing gates next to Kimberley Park station.

D4 Great Gable & 45133 head through the dappled sunlight at Golden Valley with the 11:35 train from Butterley during the Midland Railway Centre's Diesel Gala on 23 July 1994. The similarity in the classes is immediately obvious, although of course Class 44s can easily be identified by the presence of headcode discs.

D4 Great Gable arrives at Rothley on the Great Central Railway with the 09:30 Loughborough to Leicester North service on a slightly misty 31 March 1995, during the line's Diesel Gala. Note that this was before the completion of the double track which can be seen in the background, but is not yet connected to the main running line in the foreground.

D4 Great Gable catches the evening sun as it approaches Kinchley Lane on the Great Central Railway with a Leicester North to Loughborough service on 2 April 1995, during the line's Diesel Gala. Note the newly installed double track, which at this time was not yet in use, hence the impression that the Peak is running wrong line. A blessing as far as photography is concerned, just look how much more shaded the near track is at this time of day.

D4 Great Gable passes Eardington on 21 May 2022 with the 09:50 Kidderminster to Bridgnorth service, during the Severn Valley Railway's Diesel Gala. The lack of anything other than extremely weak sun meant that this different viewpoint could be attempted.

Fresh from its recent restoration and repaint, 46010 leaves Kidderminster station on 16 May 2019 with the 10:40 departure for Bridgnorth, during the Severn Valley Railway's Diesel Gala. Whilst twelve of the very similar Class 45s entered preservation, 46010 is one of only three preserved Class 46s.

Sandwiched between 25080 and a line of derelict Class 45s, 46023 waits its fate in Toton Yard on 16 October 1986. After a further two years it was towed to Leicester, and then Crewe, where after component recovery, it was finally cut up in 1994. Even amid all the other withdrawn locos at Toton, it has noticeably faded paintwork.

The only Class 46 to acquire a name whilst in BR service, 46026 Leicestershire and Derbyshire Yeomanry, passes Stormy on 15 June 1983 with an eastbound freight train. Vintage vacuum braked hoppers and a brake van on the rear were even in 1983 becoming a less common sight, as the air braked revolution was by then in full swing.

One of the few decent pictures I managed to get of a Class 46 in service was on the slightly premature farewell railtour! 46026 Leicestershire and Derbyshire Yeomanry (or Lady as she was known) passes Micheldever at speed with the Pleasure Rail 'Class 46 Tribute' railtour on 17 June 1984. This loco, the only named member of the class, managed to survive until the remainder of the class were withdrawn in November 1984, being broken up at Doncaster the following year.

Class 46 97403 Ixion stands next to Class 44 D4 Great Gable at the Basingstoke Rail Show on 27 September 1987. Most Class 46s led a fairly mundane life, which usually ending with an appointment with the scrapman in the late 1980s. 46035 however not only was preserved, but also went on to become the first preserved diesel loco to be allowed back onto the mainline. Prior to that however, it could be seen in this guise, as a departmental locomotive, based at the Derby Railway Technical Centre.

D172 Ixion tops the Lickey Incline at Blackwell on 27 May 1995 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z46 07:09 Bristol Temple Meads to Newcastle 'Severn Tyne Express' railtour. The veteran Brush was having some assistance to climb the 1 in 37 bank, with 47765 giving a shove at the rear.

D172 Ixion heads north past Nuttall on 18 June 1995, en-route from Bury to Rawtenstall, during the East Lancashire Railway's Diesel Gala. The train has just emerged from the 115 yard long Nuttall Tunnel, just the other side of which is the 423 yard long Brooksbottoms Tunnel.

D172 Ixion passes the site of Cullompton station on 23 September 1995 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z46 05:30 Coventry to Penzance 'Cornishman' railtour. At the time the old down platform was an ideal spot to photograph southbound trains. However, this picture would be impossible to recreate today, as the whole station site has now be redeveloped as a motorway service station.

D172 Ixion rounds the curve at Coombe (near St Austell) on 23 September 1995 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z46 05:30 Coventry to Penzance 'Cornishman' railtour. One of the unmistakable Cornish china clay waste tips can been seen in the background.

D172 Ixion rounds the curve at Lowgill on 16 December 1995 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z27 05:00 Cardiff Central to Carlisle 'Festive Cumbrian Mountain Express' railtour. Although presumably a lot of passengers travelled on this train for the then quite novel main line use of a preserved diesel loco, probably a lot more were interested in the return working, which saw the unique BR Standard 8P 4-6-2 71000 Duke of Gloucester haul the train over the Settle & Carlisle line.

D172 Ixion passes Aisgill with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z91 13:15 Carlisle to Salisbury 'Cumbrian Mountain Express' railtour on 20 July 1996. A ban on steam haulage on the Settle & Carlisle line resulted in the 'Peak' substituting for LMS 4-6-2 46229 'Duchess of Hamilton'. Although a little hazy in the distance, I shouldn't really complain, as most of my visits to the S&C usually involve rain or snow, and not the bright sunshine seen here!

D172 Ixion pulls out of Rhyl station on 26 August 1996 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z46 07:10 Swindon to Holyhead 'North Wales Coast Explorer' railtour. If you think the clouds in the background herald a change in the weather, you are dead right! Within ten minutes the sun had gone and the rain had arrived. Despite this, I stayed on to see 37417 pass in a monsoon!

Viewed from high above Fairburn Tunnel, D172 Ixion heads east along the Castleford to Milford Junction freight line with the Past Time Rail 1Z54 07:28 Euston to Scarborough 'Napier & Sulzer Pioneer' railtour on 5 July 1997. Unfortunately the small patch of very weak sun has just managed to miss the locomotive! The lakes in the background form part of the Fairburn Ings RSPB nature reserve, an important winter refuge for numerous species of wildfowl.

In connection with the inaugural rugby match at the new Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on Sunday 26 June 1999, the 1V77 08:33 Manchester Piccadilly to Cardiff Central service was due to be worked by preserved Class 37 37029 instead of the normal Sprinter unit. In the event 37029 only worked as far as Crewe, where it was removed after suffering low power. D172 Ixion then worked the train on towards Cardiff and is seen here passing Cwmbran. I doubt if many of the rugby fans appreciated their train having two different heritage locos at the front!

D172 Ixion crosses the River Weaver at Frodsham with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z63 02:24 Cardiff Central to Edinburgh Waverley 'Royal Edinburgh' railtour on 10 July 1999. Not quite the perfect reflection I was hoping for, principally caused by someone in a power boat going up and down the river at intervals!

D172 Ixion races through Gargrave station on 4 August 2001 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z85 15:47 Keighley to Cardiff Central (via Carnforth) 'Worth While' railtour. The station has managed to retain its original 1849 built stone shelters on both platforms.

46035 passes Walton Well Road, Oxford, on 23 February 2002 with the Pathfinder Tours 'Western Pathfinder' railtour. Ordinarily a blue 'Peak' would be the highlight of any tour, but as the tour's name suggests, something even better was to work the next leg of the tour - a Class 52 'Western', making a return to the mainline after 25 years. The tour is here running as the 1Z46 06:28 Crewe to Paddington. Typically the sun vanished at the critical moment, but at least it was out for the 'Western'!

D182 slogs up the gradient at Heap Bridge on 3 July 2011 with the 2H60 09:06 Bury to Heywood service, during the East Lancashire Railway's Diesel Gala. Bury can be seen spread out over the hillside in the background. This was the only train of the day that started from Bury, rather than either Rawtenstall or Ramsbottom.

The sheep take no notice, as D182 does its bit for the environment, as it climbs Eardington Bank on 19 May 2016 with the 12:59 Kidderminster to Bridgnorth service, during the Severn Valley Railway's Diesel Gala. D182 (46045) has been painted in the early version of BR's corporate blue livery, with a slightly different shade (chromatic blue), and a small yellow panel.

D182 (46045) brings up the rear of the 0Z45 10:06 Butterley Midland Railway Centre to Swanage loco convoy at Yarnton on 3 May 2022. D4 (44004) Great Gable & 37703 are the other two passengers in this ensemble, which is being led by 31128 Charybdis.

D182 (46045) brings up the rear of the 0Z33 06:10 Swanage to Kidderminster loco convoy at Moreton-in-Marsh on 10 May 2022. The other locos in the convoy are: D4 (44004) Great Gable, 37703, 31128 Charybdis & D6515 (33012) Lt Jenny Lewis RN. The 33 & 31 were providing the power. The train would shortly reverse into the down refuge siding, to allow a service train to pass.

Only the second Class 88 to visit the Oxford area, and the first on a passenger train. 88003 Genesis & 68034 pass Hinksey Yard on 13 April 2019 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z60 04:45 Tame Bridge Parkway to Penzance 'Springtime Cornishman' railtour. As this train passed Oxford shortly after sunrise, I realised that there would be very few places that would not still be in shade, and because of the angle of the line, even fewer where the sun would be on the front. I guessed that this spot would be about the only reasonably lit location, and whilst the whole train was never going to be lit, at least the front loco is in the sun. Once past Didcot, this train would be impossibly backlit, until it got to the Bristol area. Obviously 88003 is using its small 940hp diesel engine here.

Ruston & Hornsby departmental Class 97/6 97651 resides in its normal position outside Gloucester Horton Road shed on 17 September 1989. Originally numbered PWM651 (Permanent Way Machine 651), it was introduced in 1959, and spent most of its working life at Radyr, before moving to Gloucester in 1984. It later returned to Radyr and was finally withdrawn in 1996, before finally finding a home at the Northampton & Lamport Railway.

Iarnród Éireann 071 Class diesel electric Co-Co loco 077, pictured outside Inchicore Works on 23 May 2018. 077 was built by General Motors EMD at London, Ontario, Canada in 1976. Apologies for the poor quality of this image, but it was taken from inside a fast moving train, through a not very clean window. Numerous reflections have had to be removed in Photoshop.

Iarnród Éireann 201 Class 207 River Boyne / Abhainn na Bóinne stands at Belfast Central station on 23 May 2018, after having just arrived with the 07:35 Dublin Connolly to Belfast cross border 'Enterprise' service. Six locos of the class of 34 carry this livery, and in theory are dedicated to the trains operating between the Irish Republic and Northern Ireland.

Iarnród Éireann (Irish Rail) 201 Class 215 River Avonmore / An Abhainn Mhor approaches Newbridge station on 22 May 2018 with the 09:35 Dublin North Wall to Ballina liner. The track on the right leads to Newbridge's bay platform, where trains from Dublin Connolly terminate.

Iarnród Éireann 201 Class 218 River Garavogue / Abhainn na Garbhoige arrives at Portlaoise station on 22 May 2018 with the 11:00 Dublin Heuston to Cork service. The train had run non-stop up until this point, as Portlaoise is well served by stopping trains to and from Dublin, which reverse at the nearby DMU depot.

Iarnród Éireann 201 Class 222 River Dargle / Abhainn na Dargaile passes Roseberry (near Newbridge) on 25 May 2018 with the 11:00 Dublin Heuston to Cork service. This 34 strong class of locomotives was built by General Motors in Canada, and introduced in 1994.

Iarnród Éireann 201 Class 223 Abhainn Na Hainnire / River Anner approaches Newbridge station at speed in lovely evening light on 23 May 2018 with the 19:00 Dublin Heuston to Cork service. The Cork trains have utilised sets of Mk4 coaches since 2006, with a CAF built DVT at the north end of the formation.

Iarnród Éireann (Irish Rail) 201 Class 234 passes through Newbridge station on 21 May 2018 with the 09:35 Dublin North Wall to Ballina liner. The fact that the station lights are still on at 10:35 gives some idea as to how dull it was!

Iarnród Éireann 201 Class 234 passes Roseberry (near Newbridge) on 25 May 2018 with the 09:35 Dublin North Wall to Ballina liner. Just visible on the trackside towards the rear of the train is a vintage stone milepost. The Dublin to Cork line retains these old posts, which are neatly painted black and white. This is in marked contrast to the UK, as Network Rail do not know what paint is. They do not maintain any old infrastructure, but merely replace it when it becomes illegible, rusts away, disintegrates or gets lost in the undergrowth!