Not 100mph, but more like 10mph! 165137 leaves Ashchurch for Tewkesbury station on 29 July 2026 with the 2M81 06:35 Salisbury to Worcester Foregate Street GWR service. Full cloud here, but there wasn't a cloud in the sky when I left home!

43050 Loch Morar passes Ashchurch on 29 July 2026 with the Midland Pullman 1Z44 05:24 Hull to Paignton 'Torbay Riviera Pullman' railtour. 43055 is bringing up the rear. This was running three minutes late. It's a pity it wasn't four minutes, as then it would have been in sun!

26043 just manages to avoid the shadows at Stanton on 29 July 2026, as it heads south with the 10:15 Broadway to Cheltenham Racecourse service. The Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway was using diesels for all trains, due to the increased fire risk caused by the dry weather.

The extremely hot weather in late July 2026 caused the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway to impose a steam ban, in order to avoid the possibility of lineside fires. With plenty of resident diesel locos, this did not really present a problem. 47105 is pictured passing Little Buckland on 29 July 2026 with the 10:15 Cheltenham Racecourse to Broadway service.

47105 passes Little Buckland on 29 July 2026 with the 11:35 Broadway to Cheltenham Racecourse service. All Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway trains were being operated by diesels, due to the fire risk caused by the series of exceptional heatwaves.

A very unusual working took place on 29 July 2026, after 66507 failed at Banbury whilst working the 4O99 10:48 Leeds to Southampton Maritime freightliner. The train was rescued by 68019, which just happened to be in the area, running as the 0O86 15:03 Wembley to Eastleigh light engine. The sight of a Chiltern Railways loco helping out Freightliner was not to be missed, but unfortunately I was in a location where only a going away shot was possible. The unusual ensemble is pictured at Culham, moving very slowly away from an unscheduled stop, running over two hours late. Apparently the problem with 66507 was failed cab air-con.

66710 Karen Harrison passes Culham on 29 July 2026 with the 4M46 14:19 Southampton Western Docks to Trafford Park intermodal. This was running 108 minutes late, after standing on Didcot's east curve for two hours. The delay meant that the sun was almost (but not quite!) on the front of the loco.

With a series of blasts on the horn for the benefit of the small group of photographers, 66515 passes Culham on 29 July 2026 with the 4S59 14:57 Southampton Maritime to Coatbridge freightliner, running two hours late.

165118 slows down on the approach to Culham station on 29 July 2026 with the 2M56 18:30 Didcot Parkway to Banbury GWR service. This was running 23 minutes late. Its previous working had started from Oxford instead of Banbury.

43055 passes Culham on 29 July 2026 with the Midland Pullman 1Z45 15:38 Paignton to Hull 'Torbay Riviera Pullman' railtour. 43050 Loch Morar is bringing up the rear. The last few boxes on the late running 4O32 15:56 Hams Hall to Southampton Western Docks intermodal can just be seen disappearing into the distance.

47376 Freightliner 1995 passes Laverton on 26 July 2026 with the 2C16 16:30 Broadway to Cheltenham Racecourse service, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala. 25262 & 26043 are bringing up the rear. Although pictures from ground level (or 3 feet high on a stepladder in this case) don't often include much of the landscape, they do include a lot of sky, which is great when the cloudscape is as photogenic as this.

25262 & 26043 bring up the rear of the 2C16 16:30 Broadway to Cheltenham Racecourse service at Laverton on 26 July 2026, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala. 47376 Freightliner 1995 is at the front of the train. 25262 is carrying the headboard from the F&W Railtours 'Snowdonian II' railtour of 24 August 1986, which took 25037 & 25201 to Pwllheli.

45149 passes Laverton on 24 July 2026 with the 2W17 17:18 Broadway to Toddington service, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala. The 'Broadway Greeter' headboard has a logo featuring Broadway Tower and the entrance to Greet Tunnel.

26043 & 25262 bring up the rear of the 2B!6 16:25 Cheltenham Racecourse to Broadway service at Laverton on 26 July 2026, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala. 27056 & 24081 are leading the train. Unfortunately this superb lighting had disappeared by the time all four locomotives returned at the head of the last train of the day.

This must surely be the first time a train has been worked by a Class 24, 25, 26 & 27! Wearing a 'Grouser' headboard, 24081 leads 27056, 26043 & 25262 at Laverton on 26 July 2026 with the 2T18 18:15 Broadway to Toddington service. This was the final train of the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's three day Diesel Gala. After standing in full sun for nearly two hours, the inevitable happened and the dark clouds in the west moved in and blotted out the sun ten minutes before the train was due.

26043 & 25262 pass Didbrook on 25 July 2026 with the 1C08 08:45 Toddington to Cheltenham Racecourse service, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala. This was the first train of the day, and not booked to call at either Winchcombe or Gotherington.

20228 & 20137 pass Didbrook on 25 July 2026 with the 2C09 09:30 Toddington to Cheltenham Racecourse service, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala. There's a striking contrast between 20228's immaculate blue livery, and the faded green worn by 20137. Apart from the domino headcode, this could be a scene from the mid 1970s.

D6948 passes Hayles Abbey Halt on 25 July 2026 with the 2B39 09:45 Winchcombe to Broadway service, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala. The headcode is almost correct! During the gala there were four sets of coaches in use, plus a DMU.

Looking immaculate after its recent repaint, 27056 passes Didbrook on 25 July 2026 with the 2C10 09:40 Broadway to Cheltenham Racecourse service, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala. The livery is a recreation of the colour scheme the loco wore in November 1983, when it was used to take Prince Charles in the Royal Train to the IBM factory at Greenock. The white bodyside stripe, red buffer beam, silver buffers and white wheel rims certainly makes the loco stand out.

25262 & 26043 pass Hayles Abbey Halt on 25 July 2026 with the 2B69 09:40 Cheltenham Racecourse to Broadway service, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala. 25262 was visiting from the South Devon Railway. It was one of the last few Class 25s in traffic, surviving until the last week of regular BR operations in March 1987.

During the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's 2026 Diesel Gala, resident 'bubble car' W55003 was used on a series of Toddington to Winchcombe shuttles, neatly fitted in between the intense loco hauled timetable. It is pictured here passing Didbrook on 25 July 2026 with the 2W10 10:40 Toddington to Winchcombe service. The wooded slopes of Alderton Hill dominate the background.

D6948 emerges from Greet Tunnel on 25 July 2026 with the 2C40 10:30 Broadway to Cheltenham Racecourse service, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala. The 693 yard long tunnel takes the line under a spur of high ground on the edge of the Cotswolds.

27056 approaches Greet Tunnel on 25 July 2026 with the 2B11 11:10 Cheltenham Racecourse to Broadway service, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala. The flat area of land behind the loco is the site of a navvy camp, which was in use when the line was being constructed between 1900 and 1906.

24081 & 25262 pass Dixton on 24 July 2026 with the 2B69 09:40 Cheltenham Racecourse to Broadway service, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala. The Class 25 was visiting from the South Devon Railway.

Just a few hundred yards into its journey, 37215 passes Southam on 24 July 2026 with the 2B10 10:25 Cheltenham Racecourse to Broadway service, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala.

26043 rounds the curve at Southam on 24 July 2026 with the 2C10 09:40 Broadway to Cheltenham Racecourse service, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala. This location was relatively free of vegetation a few months earlier, but the bushes have grown considerably, despite the lack of rain.

26043 passes Southam on 24 July 2026 with the 2B11 11:10 Cheltenham Racecourse to Broadway service, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala. Unfortunately this was the last picture I took in full sun, as for the rest of the day the sun was struggling to break through high cloud, at least at the locations that I chose to visit!

D7108 passes Southam on 24 July 2026 with the 2C11 11:15 Broadway to Cheltenham Racecourse service, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala. This is the third preserved Hymek to visit the line.

D7108 passes Southam on 24 July 2026 with the 2B12 12:40 Cheltenham Racecourse to Broadway service, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala. The Rosebay Willowherb and well controlled lineside vegetation make this an excellent photographic location. Just imagine what it would look like if Network Rail owned it. You would probably hardly see the train!

27056 passes Stanton on 24 July 2026 with the 2C13 13:30 Broadway to Cheltenham Racecourse service. The immaculately turned out loco was visiting the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway from the Great Central Railway.

Resident 26043 & visiting 25262 approach Stanton on 24 July 2026 with the 2C16 15:00 Broadway to Cheltenham Racecourse service, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala. This is the view from the B4632 Broadway to Toddington road.

20228 & 20137 approach Stanton on 24 July 2026 with the 2C45 15:45 Broadway to Cheltenham Racecourse service, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala. Class 20s were famously used on Summer Saturday trains to Skegness in the 1970s & 80s, so 20228 is carrying a 'Skegless Pair' headboard, complete with Jolly Fisherman.

45149 passes Laverton on 24 July 2026 with the 2C16 16:30 Broadway to Cheltenham Racecourse service, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala. Although the sun had disappeared into high cloud, this was obviously fairly local, as it was full sun on the drive home!

The 5O19 08:05 Kings Norton On Track Plant Depot to Eastleigh Arlington passes Uffington on 22 July 2026, with 20007 leading and 20205 brining up the rear. Between the two locos are barrier vehicles 96603 Oliver & 96605 Ernest. This was going to Eastleigh in order to move two vehicles from EMU 395008 to Ashford the following day.

20205 brings up the rear of the 5O19 08:05 Kings Norton On Track Plant Depot to Eastleigh Arlington barrier vehicle move at Uffington on 22 July 2026. 20007 is at the front of the train. This was running a few minutes late, as it was held up at Swindon by the late running 1A14 09:30 Bristol Temple Meads to Paddington GWR service.

165126 pulls away from Culham station on 21 July 2026 with the 2M16 08:34 Didcot Parkway to Banbury GWR service. Note the staggered platforms. The platform in the foreground was constructed in 1993 to replace the original up platform in front of the Grade II listed station building. The old platform was at a lower level, and could not be easily altered without affecting the listed building. The old platform is still there, but is now fenced off.

It definitely is a 2 car! Passing an appropriate platform message, 56051 Survival & 66549 pass through Culham station on 21 July 2026, unfortunately not  with the 6O24 Hinksey to Eastleigh engineer's working, but instead running as the 0O24 09:26 Hinksey to Eastleigh light engine.

950001 heads north at Culham on 21 July 2026 with the 2Q08 08:53 Reading Triangle Sidings to Reading Triangle Sidings (via Morris Cowley and Fenny Compton) Network Rail test train. The going away picture was not only because the lighting angle was better, but also because the late running 2L17 09:35 Oxford to Didcot Parkway GWR DMU was in the platform, blocking the view.

66309 Charley Wallace passes through Culham station on 21 July 2026 with the 6F06 09:56 Hinksey to Wootton Bassett Junction concrete sleepers. Note the small gap between the old lower height platform in the foreground, and the 1993 built standard height replacement platform behind.

165122 calls at Culham station on 21 July 2026 with the 2L22 10:12 Didcot Parkway to Oxford GWR service. Culham is a well used station, despite the fact that it is over a mile from Culham village. Clifton Hampden village is actually slightly nearer, but the large science park and industrial estate right next to the station obviously generates most of the traffic.

Freight meets passenger at Culham on 21 July 2026. Heidelberg Materials green liveried 66791 Settle & Carlisle 150 heads north with the 6M26 08:56 Eastleigh East Yard to Mountsorrel ballast empties, just as 165126 arrives at the station with the 2V19 09:42 Banbury to Didcot Parkway GWR service.

37510 Orion passes through Culham station on 21 July 2026 with the 5Q87 09:42 Bicester MoD to Wimbledon Park Depot Sidings, conveying South Western Railway EMU 701513. With just a few units remaining in Bicester, the long sorry saga of the storage of these new units seems finally to be coming to an end.

800306 Allan Leonard Lewis VC passes Ascott-under-Wychwood Signal Box on 20 July 2026 with the late running 1P16 08:18 Worcester Shrub Hill to Paddington GWR service. As only two car DMUs stop at the station, the stop board by the box is strangely positioned. Although there would be no need for a train to stop partly on the crossing, the barriers are of course lowered long before a train actually arrives at the station.

800008 Alan Turing passes through Ascott-under-Wychwood station at high speed on 20 July 2026 with the 1P18 08:56 Great Malvern to Paddington GWR service. I was taking a chance here, as the 1W17 08:51 Paddington to Great Malvern train was due at the same time. I could already see it approaching behind me, and it blocked out this view just a few seconds later!

After a brief stop, 1013 (with S60118 Tunbridge Wells leading) departs Moreton-in-Marsh station on 18 July 2026 with the Branch Line Society 1Z13 06:10 Hastings to Minehead 'Cotswold and Exmoor Explorer' railtour. Extremely backlit, but so were most locations on the southern end of the Cotswold Line. This tour was originally advertised as returning from the West Somerset Railway via the same route, but this was changed to the more direct route via the Berks & Hants line. Apparently passengers from Oxford, Moreton, Honeybourne and Worcester were offered free travel back from Reading on the 1W39 19:50 Paddington to Great Malvern GWR service.

The Branch Line Society 1Z13 06:10 Hastings to Minehead 'Cotswold and Exmoor Explorer' railtour heads north from Moreton-in-Marsh on 18 July 2026. S60119 is bringing up the rear of unit 1013. I have very few pictures taken here, as there is nowhere to stand safely on a very busy road. Also, it is now surrounded by trees, unlike the wide open view in the 1980s.

1013 (with S60119 leading) passes Claydon on 18 July 2026 with the Branch Line Society 1Z13 06:10 Hastings to Minehead 'Cotswold and Exmoor Explorer' railtour. After traversing the Cotswold Line, the train had just reversed at Worcester Shrub Hill. This was running a few minutes late, which was worrying, as 158798 with the 2E59 10:38 Bristol Temple Meads to Worcester Foregate Street GWR service could easily have spoiled the picture. Luckily that has just got out of the way!

220006 passes through Heyford station on 18 July 2026 with the 1V81 07:33 Birmingham New Street to Reading CrossCountry service. Two boat hire companies operate out of Heyford Wharf, which explains the large number of narrowboats in this picture.

165119 arrives at Heyford station on 18 July 2026 with the 2M16 08:34 Didcot Parkway to Banbury GWR service. It's hard to believe now, but there was once a wide open view from the bridge in the background. Now it is a dark tunnel of tall trees.

37240 races through Heyford station on 18 July 2026 with the Vintage Trains 1Z34 07:45 Birmingham Snow Hill to Portsmouth Harbour 'Cathedrals Express' railtour. Hidden by the bushes on the rear of the train is D1755 (47773). Not only does the sign on the left indicate the location, but the station's name is also spelled out in topiary on the other platform.

59204 passes Woodborough on 1 7 July 2026 with the 6A40 08:40 Merehead Quarry to Hanwell Bridge Loop stone train. Not ideal lighting, with the sun still a little too head on. This is the site of Woodborough station, which closed in 1966.

Network Rail Stoneblower DR80210 slowly reverses into the up loop at Woodborough on 17 July 2026. It had just arrived from the west as the 6U30 08:20 Swindon Transfer to Woodborough Up Sidings, passing this spot, and then coming to a stand at signal TR500. It would then run 'wrong line' down the up loop, and stable in one of the two engineer's sidings. Note the rail workers standing by the point levers in the background.

59103 Village of Mells & 66561 pull our of Woodborough loop on 17 July 2026 with the 6A12 09:18 Whatley Quarry to Appleford stone train. A pair of obsolete liveries. 59103 is the last of the class to wear the Hanson livery, and 66561 still carries Freightliner branding, even though it is now part of the Heavy Haul Rail fleet.

59005 Kenneth J Painter & 66616 pass Woodborough on 17 July 2026 with the 6A50 10:26 Whatley Quarry to Hanwell Bridge Loop stone train. This was running 16 minutes late, which meant that it did not need to use the loop, as booked.

A wave from the driver of 60099 Ben More Assynt, as it passes Woodborough on 17 July 2026 with the 6M51 10:20 Merehead Quarry to Quainton Railhead HS2 stone train. Distorted by the heat haze from 60099's exhaust is Network Rail Stoneblower DR80210, which had arrived a little earlier as the 6U30 08:20 Swindon Transfer to Woodborough Up Sidings.

A Class 168/165 combination at Charlton-on-Otmoor on the evening of 16 July 2026. 168111 & 165012 run alongside the new Holts Farm access road with the 1T52 17:45 Marylebone to Oxford Chiltern Railways service. Note the row of beehives against the hedge in the background on the right.

165033 & 165010 pass Charlton-on-Otmoor in superb evening light on 16 July 2026 with the 1T54 18:15 Marylebone to Oxford Chiltern Railways service. Although this location is some way from the village of Charlton-on-Otmoor, between 1905 and 1926 there was a halt here. It was situated near the start of the new barrier in the background. Access being down Mansmoor Road, just behind the hedge.

D1924 (47810) Crewe Diesel Depot passes Charlton-on-Otmoor on 16 July 2026 with the Steam Dreams 1Z73 18:13 Paddington to Princes Risborough 'Sunset Steam Express' railtour. D1645 (47830) is bringing up the rear. This was supposed to have been hauled by BR 8P 4-6-2 71000 Duke of Gloucester, but Network Rail had imposed a steam ban, due to the extreme heat. The tour should therefore really have been renamed 'Sunset Diesel Express'!

D1645 (47830) just manages to avoid the worst of the shadows, as it brings up the rear of the Steam Dreams 1Z73 18:13 Paddington to Princes Risborough 'Sunset Steam Express' railtour at Charlton-on-Otmoor on 16 July 2026. D1924 (47810) Crewe Diesel Depot is at the front of the train.

168328 & 165023 pass Brookfurlong Farm, near Islip, on 16 July 2026 with the 1T23 10:40 Marylebone to Oxford Chiltern Railways service. Until 2026 it was quite unusual see Class 165 and 168s working in multiple, but it has now become fairly commonplace.

196012 approaches Islip on 16 July 2026 with the 5F24 11:48 Milton Keynes Central to Oxford Chiltern Railways route learner. Although all DMUs now have to have high intensity headlights, I can't help thinking that the very dark front of these new units makes them less visible. Certainly in the bright midday summer sun they show up less well in the distance, compared with units with the traditional yellow front.

D1645 (47830) passes Islip on 16 July 2026 with the Steam Dreams 1Z61 10:13 Paddington to Princes Risborough 'Spirit of Summer Lunch' railtour. D1924 (47810) Crewe Diesel Depot is bringing up the rear. D1645 was substituting for BR 8P 4-6-2 71000 Duke of Gloucester, as there was a ban on using steam locomotives on the mainline, due to the heatwave.

D1924 (47810) Crewe Diesel Depot brings up the rear of the Steam Dreams 1Z61 10:13 Paddington to Princes Risborough 'Spirit of Summer Lunch' railtour at Brookfurlong Farm, Islip, on 16 July 2026. D1645 (47830), which is deputising for BR 8P 4-6-2 71000 Duke of Gloucester, is at the front of the train.

168219 approaches Islip on 16 July 2026 with the 1T27 11:40 Marylebone to Oxford Chiltern Railways service. Just visible underneath the bridge in the distance is 196012, which is working the 5F27 12:40 Oxford to Milton Keynes Central route learner.

165025 & 165022 pass Brookfurlong Farm, near Islip, on 16 July 2026 with the 1T29 12:06 Marylebone to Oxford Chiltern Railways service. The field of yellow linseed on the right adds a bit of colour contrast to the scene.

Just managing to avoid the rapidly building up clouds, 66564 approaches Islip on 16 July 2026 with the 6B11 12:26 Hayes & Harlington to East Usk Yard stone empties. This train used to run via the more direct Great Western Mainline route.

The 5M71 08:50 Eastleigh to Stourbridge Junction Depot passes Chilson on 14 July 2026, with 68019 leading and 68030 bringing up the rear. Between the two locos is Mk3 generator van 6371. This vehicle was converted from a Mk3 sleeper coach in 1996 for the ambitious Nightstar Channel Tunnel sleeper project. When the whole project not unexpectedly collapsed before it had even started, 6371 and the other four converted coaches were put into store. In 2025 6371 found some use as a generator vehicle for the Rail 200 exhibition train.

68030 brings up the rear of the 5M71 08:50 Eastleigh to Stourbridge Junction Depot at Chilson on 14 July 2026. 68019 is leading. They are conveying former Nightstar and Rail 200 exhibition train Mk3 generator van 6371. This definitely ranks as one of the most unusual trains that I have photographed on the Cotswold Line!

D1924 (47810) Crewe Diesel Depot passes Hinksey on 12 July 2026 with the Loco Services Ltd 5Z63 14:15 Bicester Depot to Southall Loco Services Ltd ECS. This is the empty stock from the previous day's High Wycombe to Kingswear 'English Riviera Express' railtour. D1645 (47830) is bringing up the rear.

165030 passes Charlton-on-Otmoor on 11 July 2026 with the 1Y06 06:10 Oxford to Marylebone Chiltern Railways service. The road bridge at Oddington can be seen in the background, with the village of Islip in the far distance.

D1924 (47810) Crewe Diesel Depot passes Charlton-on-Otmoor on 11 July 2026 with the Saphos Trains 1Z61 05:40 High Wycombe to Kingswear 'English Riviera Express' railtour. Extremely backlit, but I was more interested in getting a well lit shot of D1645 (47830) on the rear. The severe backlighting shows up the numerous horizontal scratches all along the bodyside of D1924, caused by bushes hitting the side of the train on Network Rail's dangerously overgrown network.

Looking immaculate after a recent repaint, D1645 (47830) brings up the rear of the Saphos Trains 1Z61 05:40 High Wycombe to Kingswear 'English Riviera Express' railtour at Charlton-on-Otmoor on 11 July 2026. D1924 (47810) Crewe Diesel Depot is at the front of the train.

168216 passes Charlton-on-Otmoor on 11 July 2026 with the 1Y17 07:45 Oxford to Marylebone Chiltern Railways service. When the upgraded Oxford to Bicester line reopened in 2015, Class 168s were more numerous than Class 165s on the route. The position has now been reversed.

66501 Spirit of '65 Celebrating 60 years of Freightliner passes Wormleighton Crossing on 9 July 2026 with the 4O99 10:48 Leeds to Southampton Maritime freightliner. The Chiltern Railways 3Q78 15:44 Bicester North to Stourbridge Junction Depot ECS was rapidly approaching from the opposite direction.

68031 passes Wormleighton Crossing on 9 July 2026 with the Chiltern Railways 3Q78 15:44 Bicester North to Stourbridge Junction Depot ECS (note the 'Not in Service' destination display). The last few boxes of the 4O99 10:48 Leeds to Southampton Maritime freightliner can be seen disappearing in the background.

165036 passes Wormleighton Crossing on 9 July 2026 with the 1G39 14:36 Marylebone to Birmingham Snow Hill Chiltern Railways service. This was running 40 minutes late, and was cancelled at Birmingham Moor Street due to the extreme heat causing emergency speed restrictions. The abutments of the bridge that carried the former Stratford-upon-Avon to Towcester line can be seen in the background.

Running 32 minutes late, 66539 passes Wormleighton Crossing on 9 July 2026 with the 4S59 14:57 Southampton Maritime to Coatbridge freightliner. In the summer of 2026 this train seems to run late on most days, sometimes very late.

68022 passes Wormleighton Crossing on 9 July 2026 with what should have been the 1J47 16:37 Marylebone to Stourbridge Junction Chiltern Railways service. However, that was cancelled, and the same loco and coaches ran in the same path, but as the 5J47 16:37 Marylebone to Stourbridge Junction ECS. I wonder what intending passengers at stations en-route thought as their train passed by without stopping! Apparently the reason for the cancellation was 'a problem with the traction equipment', which is clearly not true!

20137 passes Southam on 9 July 2026 with the 10:15 Broadway to Cheltenham Racecourse service. The loco has now been a resident at the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway for longer than it was in service with BR.

20137 passes Dixton on 9 July 2026 with the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's 11:35 Cheltenham Racecourse to Broadway service. I'm not entirely sure, but would assume that 20137 had already received BR blue livery by the time its headcode was wound to zeros in 1976. However, the faded green paintwork with full yellow ends certainly recreates the early 1970s.

43277 Safety Task Force passes Aldington on 9 July 2026 with the 1Q23 06:43 Bristol Kingsland Road to Derby RTC Network Rail test train. This was running a couple of minutes early, despite being over an hour late at one point earlier in its journey. This was another bad day for the Cotswold Line, with numerous trains running late, and six evening trains cancelled.

66617 runs along the down relief line at Grove on 8 July 2026 with the 6Z27 18:52 Appleford to Stoke Gifford stone empties. This was running 50 minutes late, the delay being caused by the 0C50 20:58 Appleford Sidings to Westbury light engine being let out 86 minutes early in front of it. I wasn't complaining about the late running, as the light angle was getting better all the time.

Golden late evening lighting at Grove on 8 July 2026. 66735 Peterborough United runs along the down relief line with the 4V45 15:09 Quainton Railhead to Tytherington stone empties. 66797 can just be seen on the rear of the train. Rather like the earlier 6Z27 18:52 Appleford to Stoke Gifford train, this was running 50 minutes late, and in fact passed here later than the booked time for the 4Z46 17:39 Daventry to Wentloog Tesco liner, which I was also hoping to photograph. In the event that left over two hours late, and so passed here in the dark!

800032 approaches Ascott-under-Wychwood on 8 July 2026 with the 1P20 09:56 Great Malvern to Paddington GWR service. The front nose cone is supposed to close automatically once the unit reaches 15 mph, so there is obviously a fault here. A very common occurrence with the GWR fleet, but much less so with the LNER units.

43277 Safety Task Force approaches Ascott-under-Wychwood on 8 July 2026 with the 1Q22 08:25 Derby RTC to Bristol Kingsland Road Network Rail test train. This train traverses the Cotswold Line every month, southbound on a Wednesday, returning northbound on a Thursday.

A pair of orange liveried Class 59/2s, one with Freightliner branding intact, and the other with it removed. 59204 & 59202 Pride of Ferrybridge pass Bonemill Lane, Newbury, on 7 July 2026 with the 6A40 08:40 Merehead Quarry to Hanwell Bridge Loop stone train.

59005 Kenneth J Painter passes Bonemill Lane, Newbury, on 7 July 2026 with the 6A50 10:26 Whatley Quarry to Hanwell Bridge Loop stone train. At the booked time the sun would have just still been on the front of the loco, but unfortunately this was running 48 minutes late!

60099 Ben More Assynt passes Bonemill Lane, Newbury, on 7 July 2026 with the 6M51 10:20 Merehead Quarry to Quainton Railhead HS2 stone train. This was running 42 minutes late, and the black haze above the loco shows that the driver has just applied the power, after seeing the red signal a short distance ahead change to yellow.

59001 Yeoman Endeavour runs along the down relief line at Circourt Bridge, Denchworth, on 7 July 2026 with the 6C48 13:38 Appleford to Whatley Quarry stone empties, This was running 23 minutes early, and I had only just arrived with a couple of minutes to spare. This is probably my briefest visit to this location, as I immediately drove to Baulking for a second picture.

59001 Yeoman Endeavour passes Baulking on 7 July 2026 with the 6C48 13:38 Appleford to Whatley Quarry stone empties. This was my second picture of this train, having seen it a few minutes earlier at Circourt Bridge, Denchworth.

A self explanatory location! 66723 Chinook passes Tackley on 6 July 2026 with the 4M46 14:19 Southampton Western Docks to Trafford Park intermodal. One of the notices on the board explains that the opposite (Oxford bound) platform is closed while a new footbridge is constructed.

Running 42 minutes late, 66732 GBRF The First Decade 1999 - 2009 John Smith MD passes through Tackley station on 6 July 2026 with the 4O32 15:56 Hams Hall to Southampton Western Docks intermodal. Only the platform on the left is in use, while a new footbridge is constructed. Unbelievably this is due to take nearly a year! Due to inadequate signage, walkers who have arrived along the footpath from the Kirtlington direction, are suddenly confronted with no way of crossing the railway! 

The 1Q46 07:12 Derby RTC to Rugby Depot Access Line Network Rail test train races through Tackley station on 6 July 2026, with 43357 leading and 43321 bringing up the rear. Unfortunately this was just after the sun had disappeared into a large mass of high cloud moving in from the west.

43321 brings up the rear of the 1Q46 07:12 Derby RTC to Rugby Depot Access Line Network Rail test train at Tackley on 6 July 2026. 43357 is leading. The roses on the left are a remnant from the garden of the former crossing keepers cottage, which was demolished in the early 2000s.

37227 approaches Market Bosworth on 16 September 2007 with the 10:00 Shackerstone to Shenton service, during the Battlefield Line's Diesel Gala. The houses on the left had just been built on the site of a former industrial estate.

43162 passes Shrivenham on 15 November 2007 with the 1B28 11:45 Paddington to Swansea First Great Western service. I used to think that this location had a very cluttered background, with the radio mast and the fencing, but that's nothing compared with the 25kV catenary that now spoils the view!

66175 Rail Riders Express approaches Launton on 3 July 2026 with the 4O56 19:10 Northampton Gateway to Southampton Maritime intermodal. This is an excellent spot for photography on a summer's evening, but judging by the rows of newly planted trees in the foreground, it won't be in a few year's time!

At 21:04, and with the light almost gone, 66431 Kingmoor TMD approaches Launton on 3 July 2026 with the 4V46 18:29 Daventry to Wentloog Tesco liner. This had actually left at 20:01, and was still 90 minutes late here. I was about to give up on this, but when I noticed it had left, I thought there might just still be enough light here for a picture, providing it didn't lose any more time.

66621 passes Uffington on 3 July 2026 with the 6Z42 11:27 Tytherington to Appleford stone train. Unusually for an aggregates train, not a single wagon has been attacked by graffiti vandals. Trains from Tytherington seem to escape the plight of trains from the Westbury area.