73126 Kent & East Sussex Railway leaves Wittersham Road station on 27 May 1991, whilst en-route from Tenterden to Northiam. The Network SouthEast loco had been named a few day's earlier, and was the star attraction at the Kent & East Sussex Railway over the Bank Holiday weekend.

A scene that was totally taken for granted at the time, but has now long ago become history. Work stained 56095 Harworth Colliery passes Burton Salmon on 25 October 1995 with a loaded MGR for one of the Aire Valley Power Stations.

59201, the last Class 59/2 to retain DB red livery, passes Hungerford Common on 1 December 2023 with the 6C31 10:08 Theale to Whatley Quarry stone empties. A dull day has allowed a picture to be taken from the north side of the line, with Hungerford Common as the backdrop, rather than the sewage works!

Running slowly, prior to entering the loop, 59205 & 66531 pass Hungerford Common on 1 December 2023 with the 7A17 10:49 Merehead Quarry to Colnbrook stone train. This train was not booked to use the loop, but on this occasion it was running nearly an hour early.

Rebuilt West Country Class 4-6-2 34046 Braunton passes Hungerford Common in miserable light on 1 December 2023 with the Steam Dreams 1Z46 07:00 Bury St Edmunds to Bath Spa 'Bath Christmas Market' railtour. D1924 (47810) Crewe Diesel Depot is bringing up the rear, but there was no possibility of a picture of that, as Braunton's exhaust completely obscured it! In the background the early running 7A17 10:49 Merehead Quarry to Colnbrook stone train can be seen waiting in the loop.

A frosty morning at Heyford on 30 November 2023. 70001 Powerhaul heads south with the 4O14 06:41 Crewe Basford Hall to Southampton Maritime freightliner. I had hoped for some early morning sun, but that didn't happen for another hour. At least there was no fog here, although there was only a few miles away.

43055 passes through Heyford station on 30 November 2023 with the Midland Pullman 1Z43 05:40 Ulverston to Bath Spa 'Bath Christmas Pullman' railtour. 43047 is out of sight on the rear of the train. The man steering the Wild Goose narrowboat on the right is taking no notice of the train, but he is obviously concentrating, as he passes close to the other two boats!

Due to signalling problems on the Cotswold Line on 29 November 2023, a couple of trains were diverted via Cheltenham and Swindon. 800017 is pictured passing Bredon with the diverted 1P28 11:57 Great Malvern to Paddington GWR service. Better than being cancelled, but not much use for passengers at Worcestershire Parkway, Pershore, Evesham, Honeybourne, Moreton-in-Marsh, Kingham, Charlbury, Hanborough and Oxford!

37800 Cassiopeia passes Bredon on 29 November 2023 with the 5Q80 07:58 Allerton Depot to Newport Docks (Sims Group), taking former Northern EMU 319378 on its final journey. It is slightly ironic that the 37 is nearly twice as old as the unit it is taking for scrap!

66536 passes the site of Ashbury Crossing, Shrivenham, on 28 November 2023 with the 6C58 10:11 Oxford Banbury Road to East Usk Yard stone empties. After a sunny start to the day, unfortunately the clouds were now building up rapidly.

Running 36 minutes late, 47749 City of Truro passes the site of Ashbury Crossing, Shrivenham, on 28 November 2023 with the 5Q86 06:32 Eastleigh to Long Marston, conveying brand new South Western Railway EMUs 701519 & 701517 for storage. It is slightly ironic that one of the ten car 701s went the other way a couple of weeks earlier!

The 3S31 21:46 Swindon Transfer to Cheltenham Lansdown Loop Rail Head Treatment Train passes a frost covered field at Bredon's Norton on 25 November 2023, with 67027 leading and 67023 Stella bringing up the rear. Both locos are so filthy that you can hardly tell that they are wearing different liveries. This train usually runs early, and was 93 minutes early on this occasion.

D345 passes Bredon's Norton on 25 November 2023 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z40 07:07 Burton-on-Trent to Salisbury 'Winchester Christmas Excursion' railtour, with 47848 bringing up the rear. This was running 16 minutes late, and I was getting a little worried that the superb frosty foreground would disappear. However, although the whole field was now in the sun, luckily it wasn't yet strong enough to melt the frost.

D345 approaches Uffington on 25 November 2023 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z40 07:07 Burton-on-Trent to Salisbury 'Winchester Christmas Excursion' railtour. 47848 is hidden by the bushes, on the rear of the train.

47848 brings up the rear of the Pathfinder Tours 1Z40 07:07 Burton-on-Trent to Salisbury 'Winchester Christmas Excursion' railtour at Uffington on 25 November 2023. Although not ideal, as the front of the train, with leading loco D345 is hidden by lineside bushes, this location does include plenty of autumn colour. Just 14 minutes later, another Class 47 on a railtour appeared from the opposite direction.

D1935 (47805) Roger Hosking MA 1925 - 2013 passes Uffington on 25 November 2023 with the Statesman Rail 1Z88 05:43 Chesterfield to Bath Spa 'Bath Christmas Statesman' railtour. Hidden by the bushes at the rear of the train is 47712 Lady Diana Spencer.

47712 Lady Diana Spencer brings up the rear of the Statesman Rail 1Z88 05:43 Chesterfield to Bath Spa 'Bath Christmas Statesman' railtour at Uffington on 25 November 2023. An inconveniently positioned bush is hiding D1935 (47805) Roger Hosking MA 1925 - 2013 at the front of the train.

66005 Maritime Intermodal One passes Uffington on 25 November 2023 with the 6C03 09:28 Northolt Sidings to Severnside Sita Binliner. Although this is definitely a container train, I don't think boxes full of rubbish was what Maritime Transport Ltd had in mind for this loco!

Running nearly four hours early, 66622 passes Uffington on 25 November 2023 with the 6V28 13:06 (10:30 actual) West Drayton Frays Sidings to Whatley Quarry stone empties. Shortly after this the up line just to the west of here at Bourton was closed, and single line working was instigated. This was after local residents had contacted Network Rail about a noise that had been going on all night, and turned out to be a broken rail. The fact that members of the public have to inform Network Rail about a broken rail is extremely worrying!

Colas Rail Plasser & Theurer Unimat 09-4x4/4S Dynamic Tamper DR75010 Roger Nicholas runs along the down relief line at Circourt Bridge, Denchworth, on 24 November 2023. This was the 6Q58 12:21 Reading Triangle Sidings to Swindon Transfer, running 24 minutes late.

66525 runs slowly along the down relief line at Circourt Bridge, Denchworth, on 24 November 2023 with the 6C50 12:45 Oxford Banbury Road to Whatley Quarry stone empties. It was only booked to wait at Challow for a few minutes, but on this occasion would spend an additional half an hour there, waiting for a path.

47746 Chris Fudge 29.7.70 - 22.6.10 passes Circourt Bridge, Denchworth, on 24 November 2023 with the West Coast Railways 5Z23 11:50 Southall to Bristol Kingsland Road ECS. This was in preparation for the following day's Bristol to Chester railtour using LMS 'Black Five' 4-6-0 44871.

The shadows are lengthening at Circourt Bridge, Denchworth, on 24 November 2023, as 66738 Huddersfield Town heads west with the 6V32 10:22 Tilbury to Trostre Works steel empties. With no lineside bushes, the only thing that shades the line here is unfortunately the ones on the road embankment!

DB Class 60 sunset? With just a few days to go before rumour has it that DB's last four Class 60s will be withdrawn, 60040 The Territorial Army Centenary passes Circourt Bridge, Denchworth, on 24 November 2023 with the 6B33 13:49 Theale to Robeston empty oil tanks.

68012 passes Yarnton on 23 November 2023 with the 6Z66 10:40 Crewe Coal Sidings to Eastleigh Arlington, conveying just two PFA four wheel freightliner flats. I was undecided whether to go for this, or Colas 37116 on the Stroud to Swindon line with the 3Q64 10:15 Canton Taff Vale Sidings to Canton Taff Vale Sidings test train. However, as I had not previously photographed a Chiltern Railways liveried Class 68 on anything other than passenger trains, this won!

66124 passes Yarnton on 23 November 2023 with the 4O21 09:20 Trafford Park to Southampton Western Docks intermodal. This was supposed to be a completely cloudy day, but for once the weather forecast being totally wrong was most welcome!

On 21 November 2023, the 6X50 08:01 Westbury to Bescot consisted of 70814 hauling a single Railway unit, but also with 56078 dead in tow. The yellow an orange ensemble is pictured passing Knighton, running 26 minutes early. I had suspected that it might miss out its booked stop at Swindon Stratton Green, so luckily I had arrived at the public footpath crossing just in time.

'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.

47802 brings up the rear of the Railway Touring Company 1Z33 07:05 Victoria to Cardiff Central 'Cardiff Christmas Express' railtour at Knighton on 21 November 2023. ' Black Five' 4-6-0 44871 at the front of the train has just given a pleasant surprise to a group of rail workers doing some vegetation clearance in the distance.

60046 William Wilberforce passes Knighton on 21 November 2023 with the 6Z52 06:50 Tytherington to Willesden DC Rail Sidings, with another load of stone for HS2. A very dull day, but the autumn foliage helps to brighten up the scene.

37800 Cassiopeia passes Claydon on 20 November 2023 with the 5Q80 09:20 Allerton Depot to Newport Docks (Sims Group), conveying former Northern EMU 319375 for scrap. At least they aren't going to waste thousands of pounds converting this unit into a bi-mode Class 769, an idiotic idea which turned out to be a complete disaster.

319375 makes its last journey on 20 November 2023, as it is hauled by 37800 Cassiopeia en-route the breaker's yard, as the 5Q80 09:20 Allerton Depot to Newport Docks (Sims Group), seen here passing Claydon, with the Cotswold Hills in the background.

58002 Daw Mill Colliery passes Didcot North Junction on 22 June 1989 with the 6M06 18:55 Didcot Power Station to Mantle Lane MGR empties. The water tower and coaling stage at the Great Western Society's Didcot headquarters can be seen in the background.

55030 (L130) leaves Oxford station's platform 1 on 25 September 1987 with the 2M63 08:48 Network SouthEast service to Banbury. This view of the north end of the station shows the bridge over the Sheepwash Channel (a backwater of the River Thames), with the remnants of Oxford shed (81F) in the background. The houses in Abbey Road on the left were built in the nineteenth century for railway employees.

800010 Paddington Bear & 800012 pass a fine display of autumn foliage at Uffington on 17 November 2023, as they head towards London with the 1L10 07:20 Swansea to Paddington GWR service. When the Class 800s were first introduced I hardly ever saw one running with its nose cone open, now it is a fairly common occurrence.

Yet another picture of the 4L36 08:10 Wentloog to Felixstowe North freightliner passing Uffington! Running 14 minutes late, 66549 makes a fine picture in the autumn light, as it passes the colourful oak trees, although a few more boxes near the front of the train would have been nice!

Another load of stone from Gloucestershire heading for the HS2 construction project. 60028 passes Uffington on 17 November 2023 with the 6Z52 06:20 Tytherington to Willesden DC Rail Sidings. The wagons would then work forward as the 6Z53 13:47 Willesden DC Rail Sidings to Quainton Railhead.

56078 passes Kemble Wick on 16 November 2023 with the 3S32 11:07 Cheltenham Lansdown Loop to Swindon Transfer Rail Head Treatment Train, with 66846 bringing up the rear. This Class 56/66 combination was a one off substitute for the usual Class 67s, as 67027 was having its wheel flats attended to. As is often the case, this was running an hour early.

66846 brings up the rear of the 3S32 11:07 Cheltenham Lansdown Loop to Swindon Transfer Rail Head Treatment Train at Kemble Wick on 16 November 2023, with 56078 leading. This view clearly shows why these trains are needed, although because Network Rail no longer control the lineside vegetation, the wheel slip problem is largely of their own making!

800017 passes Kemble Wick on 16 November 2023 with the 1G17 13:31 Paddington to Cheltenham Spa GWR service. Note the Low Rail Adhesion Site Commencement Sign, the cause of which is plain to see at this time of year, although as this is some way along what is clearly a very overgrown cutting, the word 'commencement' doesn't seen appropriate!

Running 43 minutes late, 47739 passes Kemble Wick on 16 November 2023 with the 5Q46 11:45 Long Marston to Eastleigh ECS, taking South Western Railway EMU 701004 back home after its summer holiday in storage at Long Marston! Eight months earlier I photographed this unit going in the opposite direction. As these units are now nearly four years late entering service, they must rate as one of the most mismanaged fleet introductions in history!

165137 passes Brockhampton on 15 November 2023 with the 2M81 06:35 Salisbury to Worcester Foregate Street GWR service. The distinctive Midland Railway crossing keeper's cottage, white fence, and crossing lights make an excellent frame for the picture.

The 3S31 22:01 Swindon Transfer to Cheltenham Lansdown Loop Rail Head Treatment Train passes the Midland Railway built crossing keeper's cottage at Brockhampton on 15 November 2023, with 67027 leading, and 67023 Stella bringing up the rear, both now in filthy 'RHTT livery'. This is often running over an hour early at this point, but on this occasion it was only 27 minutes early, which hasn't helped the lighting angle at all.

With just five wagons in tow, 66725 Sunderland passes Badgeworth on 15 November 2023 with the early running 6M42 09:20 Avonmouth Hanson Sidings to Penyffordd cement tanks. As well as the nameplate this loco also features a Sunderland scarf motif on the bodyside.

Rebuilt West Country Class 4-6-2 34046 Braunton passes Badgeworth on 15 November 2023 with the late running Saphos Trains 1Z46 05:30 Peterborough to Worcester Shrub Hill 'Cotswold Explorer' railtour. Class 47 D1924 (47810) Crewe Diesel Depot is bringing up the rear.

D1924 (47810) Crewe Diesel Depot brings up the rear of the Saphos Trains 1Z46 05:30 Peterborough to Worcester Shrub Hill 'Cotswold Explorer' railtour at Badgeworth on 15 November 2023. Rebuilt West Country Class 4-6-2 34046 Braunton is at the front of the train. This location is now too overgrown for a shadow free picture at this time of year, unless it is a going away shot like this. The traffic lights on the bridge made the dash across the very busy road a bit less risky!

47335 passes Marshfield on 27 August 1998 with the late running 6B03 09:18 Swansea Burrows to Newport Alexandra Dock Junction Enterprise service. With its faded Trainload Distribution livery and missing depot plaque, it definitely looks like this loco was living on borrowed time. It lasted for a few more months, but was withdrawn in February 1999. It then managed to hang around another seven years before being cut up.

37679 approaches Foxhall Junction on the very dull morning of 13 March 1997 with a short departmental working. The train is running on the up relief line. Behind it is the little used line to the Milton Distribution Centre.

47767 Saint Columba passes Coalpit Heath in the rain on 23 April 1998 with the 1S81 12:44 Plymouth to Shieldmuir parcels. Behind the loco groundwork for a new industrial estate is taking place. This would also see the replacement of the small building in the background with a much larger industrial unit.

47707 Holyrood passes Monxton on 27 July 1991 with the 2V08 07:52 Waterloo to Exeter St Davids Network SouthEast service. Another one of my 1991 trips to the West of England line to photograph the last few months of loco haulage. Thankfully the weather got better later in the day!

155335 approaches Dorn on 9 September 1990 with the 2B44 17:38 Oxford to Great Malvern Regional Railways service. It is accelerating away from Moreton-in-Marsh, which can just be glimpsed in the background. The width of the cutting clearly shows that this was once a double track railway, which thankfully it is again now.

43004 Caerphilly Castle brings up the rear of the 2E53 07:38 Bristol Temple Meads to Worcester Foregate Street GWR service at Claydon on 11 November 2023. 43153 Chûn Castle is leading. Looking at the background, it's a good job that I decided not to go to Ashchurch for this, as that area is clearly under some unforecast early morning clouds.

The 3S31 21:46 Swindon Transfer to Cheltenham Lansdown Loop Rail Head Treatment Train passes Claydon on 11 November 2023, with 67027 leading, and 67023 Stella bringing up the rear. This was running 36 minutes early. 165103 has just arrived at Ashchurch station in the background with the 2E55 08:38 Bristol Temple Meads to Worcester Foregate Street GWR service.

43004 Caerphilly Castle accelerates away from Ashchurch station on 11 November 2023 with the 2T43 09:52 Worcester Foregate Street to Bristol Temple Meads GWR service. This is the view from the level crossing at Natton. Note the tree branch sticking out of the roof at the rear of the power car. Presumably this has been snagged from some overhanging tree somewhere on Network Rail's badly maintained network. I can think of a number of locations where the trains brush aside the vegetation!

800020 Bob Woodward negotiates the reverse curves near Ham Mill, in the Stroud Valley, with the 1L74 11:59 Cheltenham Spa to Paddington GWR service on 11 November 2023. The houses on the hillside and the various shades of autumn colour in the trees makes this an excellent photographic location, despite a couple of intrusive lineside bushes.

67023 Stella approaches the site of Ham Mill Halt (closed in 1964), as it climbs up the Stroud Valley on 11 November 2023 with the 3S32 10:50 Cheltenham Lansdown Loop to Swindon Transfer Rail Head Treatment Train. 67027 is bringing up the rear. This was running 56 minutes early, which was very fortunate, as there was a lot of cloud rapidly building up behind me.

A Railfreight Distribution convoy at Clay Mills (Hargate). 47306 The Sapper, 47218 United Transport Europe, 47363 & 47125 head north on 28 March 1997. Only the plain colour scheme of 47363 spoils the livery uniformity, although two of the locos could certainly do with a wash!

47292 approaches Culham on 27 July 1991 with the 4O81 07:00 Coatbridge to Southampton Maritime freightliner. The short load was typical of this train at the time. This picture is taken from a bridge on Thame Lane, an old road that used to run from Culham village to Nuneham Courtney, until it was blocked by the construction of RNAS Culham in the 1930s.

58040 Cottam Power Station passes through Heyford station on 24 May 1990 with the 7V60 15:06 Baddesley Colliery to Didcot Power Station MGR. The footbridge has been replaced, Didcot Power Station has been closed, so no coal trains now pass this way, but the Oxford Canal boatyard still thrives.

43257 passes Shorthampton in the rain on 8 November 2023 with the 1Z22 07:49 Derby RTC to Bristol Kingsland Road Network Rail test train. 43274 is bringing up the rear. The weather had been getting gradually brighter, then all of a sudden, just before the train was due, it got really dark and started raining again.

43274 brings up the rear of the 1Z22 07:49 Derby RTC to Bristol Kingsland Road Network Rail test train, as it passes Shorthampton in terrible weather conditions on 8 November 2023. 43257 is leading. The bridge in the background is a disused and now inaccessible farm occupation bridge.

59204 passes Manningford Bruce on 7 November 2023 with the 6A09 07:12 Merehead Quarry to Acton stone train. After driving to this spot in almost continuous sunshine, I was not impressed when lots of clouds starting blowing in from the west!

60028 passes Manningford Bruce on 7 November 2023 with the 6Z52 06:20 Tytherington to Willesden DC Rail Sidings, conveying another load of stone for the HS2 project. The stone would be later moved to the railhead at Quainton Road. With many hundreds of such diesel hauled stone trains, and thousands of lorry movements, the HS2 line is never going to be carbon neutral, despite what the publicity says!

70803 passes Grove on 5 November 2023 with the 6C21 21:10 Wootton Bassett Junction to Westbury spent ballast. I am used to trains returning from a works site running late, but this was exceptional, as it was almost 12 hours late! The other trains from this possession were also late: 6Y44 106 minutes, 6C22 418 minutes, 6Y45 477 minutes, 6Y47 384 minutes & 6Y48 280 minutes!

66587 As One We Can passes Grove on 5 November 2023 with a lengthy rake of JNA wagons full of spent ballast returning from an engineering possession. This is the 6Y44 08:24 Wootton Bassett Junction to Westbury, which was unfortunately running 106 minutes late. This meant that the sun was no longer on the front, although at least it was still a few minutes ahead of the rapidly advancing bank of clouds.

37682 & 37685 pass West Drayton on 22 June 1991 with the Class 37 Group 1Z21 07:58 Manchester Piccadilly to Brentford Goods 'Brentford Bard' railtour. The distinctive industrial building between the railway and the Grand Union Canal has since been removed, and this view is now swamped by overhead electrification wiring.

47549 passes South Moreton (Didcot East) on 13 October 1985 with the 1M03 11:59 Portsmouth Harbour to Manchester Piccadilly service. The former wartime marshalling yard behind the train had been lifted in the late 1960s, and would become increasingly overgrown until the site was requisitioned for use as an engineering depot for the electrification of the route in 2011.

47587 passes Waltham St Lawrence on 2 June 1989 with the 1F09 06:35 Oxford to Paddington Network SouthEast service. I used to think that this large signal gantry spoiled the view, but that's nothing compared with the mass of posts and wires that spoil the view now!

33027 Earl Mountbatten of Burma passes Potbridge in the rain on 13 September 1986 with the 1L08 12:10 Salisbury to Waterloo Network SouthEast service. Several of the Southern's named Class 33s carried this revised livery from the early 1980s. The white roof and red buffer beam certainly improved their appearance.

Cambridge set 07 (51221 & 54396) approaches Manea station on 4 November 1986 with the 13:13 Peterborough to Cambridge service. Like the vast majority of trains passing this spot, it would not be stopping. Although the formation didn't alter, this become set 52 a few months later.

Semaphores and slam door stock in deepest Kent. Class 423 4-VEP 3585 brings up the rear of the 10:06 Charing Cross to Margate Connex South Eastern service, as it passes through Wye station on 10 October 1998. The semaphore signals were replaced by colour lights in 2003, and the slam door stock disappeared from the network a couple of years later.

37350 & 37215 pass Cholsey on 16 August 1991 with the late running 6B27 16:00 Theale to Robeston Murco oil empties. Although it is not immediately obvious what colour it is, due to the loco's filthy condition, 37350 is wearing original 1960s BR green livery, applied three years earlier.

47565 approaches Culham on 12 May 1987 with the 1F12 08:20 Paddington to Oxford Network SouthEast service. Didcot Power Station was not yet half way through its 43 year life when this picture was taken, and at the time it seemed like it would be a local landmark for ever!

47547 passes Fiddington in slightly misty conditions on 1 September 1987 with the 1Z45 13:48 York to Newton Abbot relief. Extra trains like this were quite common until the 1980s, but would be impossible to organise on today's fragmented railway network. Even if the stock was available, which it isn't, being able to arrange something at short notice is not usually possible.

832 Onslaught arrives at Rothley on 31 March 1996 with the 12:40 Loughborough to Leicester North service, during the Great Central Railway's Diesel Gala. The loco is early 1970s condition, wearing BR blue livery, but with original numbers, although after the removal of the D prefix, following the end of steam. This was the final livery for the Warships, as they didn't survive long enough to acquire TOPS numbers.

47712 Lady Diana Spencer has just arrived at Gillingham on 15 August 1991 with the late running 5V32 05:30 Eastleigh to Yeovil Junction ECS. Rather than cause even more delay to its next working, the 1O32 07:50 Yeovil Junction to Waterloo Network SouthEast service, the decision was taken to start the train from Gillingham. The tail lamp is being removed from the stock, as the loco runs round, seemingly being driven from the rear cab! The train left 25 minutes late.

With the well known Potbridge road bridge in the background, 47709 passes Shapley Heath on 21 July 1991 with the 1O35 09:28 Exeter St Davids to Waterloo Network SouthEast service. Because of the deep cutting, and the tall trees, this location is only useable in summer, if the sun is out.

An extremely colourful DMU combination at St Ishmael on 7 June 2003. At first glance it appears to be three single car units, but in fact the rear two vehicles belong to 150281, which at this time sported this unusual red/green 'Valley Lines' livery variation. 153303 is leading, wearing a striking  'Heart of Wales Line' advertising orange livery. The train is the 12:16 Pembroke Dock to Swansea Wales & Borders service. The tiny St Ishmael church can be seen amid the trees on the right,

58012 passes through Oxford on 18 July 1990 with the 7V60 15:06 Baddesley Colliery to Didcot Power Station MGR. The two sidings in the foreground (since removed) have obviously not seen any weedkiller in quite some time!

31308 & 31202 are pictured at the southern end of Whitemmor Yard on 16 August 1988. This huge marshalling yard just to the north of March was once the largest in Britain, but by 1988 had given up the northern end of the site for the construction of Whitemmor Prison.

31233 Severn Valley Railway runs light engine past Burton Salmon on 19 January 1998. This view clearly shows the raised cowl around the radiator fan, which was fitted to some Class 31s in an attempt to improve the cooling efficiency.

43190 arrives at Cheltenham station on 17 November 1982 with the 1E61 07:55 Plymouth to Leeds service. HSTs had taken over these inter regional workings earlier in the year. This is the site of Lansdown Junction, and on the left is the trackbed of the line that continued on to Malvern Road and St James stations (both closed in 1966), and then onwards to Stratford-upon-Avon.

47447 arrives at Oxford station on 25 September 1987 with the 1A10 06:04 Hereford to Paddington service. Although rebuilt in 1971, the station retained this section of Great Western Railway canopy at the north end of platform 1. At this time the bay platform on the right was not in regular passenger use, having previously been used for trains from Fairford, until that branch line closed in 1962. The water tower on the left marks the site of Oxford MPD (81F). A Class 47 can be seen on the stabling point.

It may be near the longest day, but at 20:35 on 16 June 1994 the sun is only just lighting up the scene, as 47237 approaches Banbury with the late running 6O95 16:33 Longbridge to Dollands Moor Rover cars for export. I doubt if any of the Metros on this train are still in inexistence, but as some of the Rover 200s used Honda engines, their survival is more likely!

47222 Appleby-Frodingham approaches Standish Junction on 30 May 1989 with the 6E48 07:40 Hallen Marsh to Immingham Norsk Hydro fertiliser empties. The concrete base in the foreground marks the site of a former permanent way hut, which was still in situ just a few years earlier.

165029 & 165009 pass through Heyford station on 29 October 2023 with the 5Y29 09:25 Banbury Depot Reception to Oxford Chiltern Railways ECS. This was in readiness to work the 1Y29 10:11 Oxford to Marylebone service. Luckily it was running a couple of minutes early. Had it been on time it wouldn't have been in the sun, as although there is unbroken blue sky in the background, behind me a large bank of cloud was approaching from the south.

Passenger overtakes freight at Circourt Bridge, Denchworth, on 24 October 2023. 66538 runs slowly along the down relief line with the 6C58 10:11 Oxford Banbury Road to East Usk Yard stone empties, while 800319 speeds past with the 1B10 10:18 Paddington to Cardiff Central GWR service.

56301 moves slowly along the down relief line at Circourt Bridge, Denchworth, on 24 October 2023 with the 4Z26 08:52 Willesden DC Rail Sidings to Bristol East Depot, conveying two JNA wagons. We were very lucky with the sun here, as it came out at the very last minute, although ironically only just enough for this very short train!

56301 passes Uffington on 24 October 2023 with the 4Z26 08:52 Willesden DC Rail Sidings to Bristol East Depot wagon move. The loco still wears debranded Fastline livery, well over a decade after the company ceased trading. It is now owned by the Class 56 Group. With just two wagons, this location seemed like the obvious choice, as it would be neatly framed by the 25kV gantry. The only downside would be the inevitable shadow from the mast, so I was surprised that there wasn't one. Checking the sequence of shots that I took revealed that the mast shadow fell exactly through the gap between the loco and first wagon. That saved me some work in Photoshop!

Running 77 minutes early, 67023 Stella passes Moredon on 24 October 2023 with the 3S32 11:07 Cheltenham Lansdown Loop to Swindon Transfer Rail Head Treatment Train. 67027 is bringing up the rear. Both these locos were acquired by GBRf from Colas in 2022, only to return a year later. 67023 merely had its Colas branding removed, while 67027 gained GBRf livery.

43277 Safety Task Force passes Moredon on 24 October 2023 with the 1Q15 06:48 Derby RTC to Landore Network Rail test train. 43251 is bringing up the rear. This was running 42 minutes late, but a quick reversal at Swindon saw nearly half an hour knocked off this deficit.

After having reversed at Swindon, the 1Q15 06:48 Derby RTC to Landore Network Rail test train passes the oil depot at Bremell for the second time on 24 October 2023, with 43251 leading, and 43277 Safety Task Force bringing up the rear.

155345 & 155347 pass Hemingbrough on 18 October 2023 with the 2R09 09:45 York to Bridlington Northern service. 155341 with the 2R04 08:15 Scarborough to York train can just be seen disappearing into the distance.

158756 crosses Hagg Lane level crossing, near Hemingbrough, on 18 October 2023 with the 2K12 10:17 Halifax to Hull Northern service. With a shutter speed of 1/8000sec there was no problem with freezing the movement of the train as it flashed across the frame. However, due to the way the camera's focal plane shutter works, there was a pronounced forward lean to the train, which I had to correct in Photoshop.

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

Viewed from a very conveniently positioned temporary footbridge, 155341 crosses the River Ouse at Selby on 18 October 2023 with the 2R13 11:45 York to Bridlington Northern service. The station's original footbridge is being rebuilt, and the temporary structure is much nearer the northern end of the station.

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

37425 Concrete Bob crosses Selby Swing Bridge on 18 October 2023 with the 3J51 09:50 York Thrall Europa to York Thrall Europa (via Scarborough and Hull) Rail Head Treatment Train. Very head on lighting, but I wasn't going to miss getting this picture, as it is taken from a temporary footbridge, that is already living on borrowed time. 37419 Driver Tony Kay 1974-2019 is bringing up the rear. The silos of Whitworth Bros. flour millers dominate he background.

The 3J51 09:50 York Thrall Europa to York Thrall Europa (via Scarborough and Hull) Rail Head Treatment Train stands in Selby station on 18 October 2023, during a crew change. 37425 Concrete Bob is leading, with 37419 Driver Tony Kay 1974-2019 bringing up the rear. 155347 waits in the opposite platform with the 2R99 14:43 York to Bridlington Northern service.