165039 passes Charlton-on-Otmoor on 30 May 2020 with the first up working of the day, the 1Y01 06:09 Oxford to Marylebone Chiltern Railways service. There had been a small group of Belted Galloway cattle in the field on the right, but just prior to the train coming, all bar one of them wandered out of the picture!

165033 passes Charlton-on-Otmoor on 30 May 2020 with the 1Y02 06:42 Oxford to Marylebone Chiltern Railways service. Although there was almost unbroken sunshine throughout the day, at this time of year only early morning and late evening produces ideal photographic lighting.

Crisp early morning light at Oddington on 30 May 2020. 165031 passes the site of the former level crossing, as it accelerates away from its recent stop at Islip station (just beyond the footbridge in the background). This is the third up working of the morning, the 1Y05 07:09 Oxford to Marylebone Chiltern Railways service.

66741 Swanage Railway passes Yarnton on 30 May 2020 with the 4E34 05:48 Southampton Western Docks to Doncaster Iport intermodal. This was running 50 minutes early, and I had anticipated that this expected early running would be enough for the sun to still be on the front. Not quite! The filthy state of the front end doesn't help either.

37608 Andromeda is mostly hidden from the platforms of Honeybourne station by the buddleia bushes, as it takes the Long Marston branch on 30 May 2020 with the 5Q94 09:08 Northampton EMD to Long Marston, conveying EMU 350122 for repairs.

37608 Andromeda approaches the public footpath crossing near Broad Marston on 30 May 2020 with the slightly early running 5Q91 13:40 Long Marston to Northampton EMD, hauling EMU 350125. Very harsh overhead midday lighting, but on the plus side, no chance of any clouds spoiling the picture!

Andromeda Rations! The placing of 37608's Andromeda nameplate above the Rail Operations Group wording on the loco's bodyside gives a slightly odd effect when a tightly cropped picture is taken. Note the Andromeda Constellation star map on the left of the nameplate. This is the first time that I have taken a nameplate picture whilst the train was moving. As the loco passed Broad Marston on 30 May 2020 with the 5Q91 13:40 Long Marston to Northampton EMD EMU move, I used a long lens to take this close up shot. A high shutter speed was obviously required, even though the train wasn't moving particularly fast, and some serious perspective correction in Photoshop was needed, but it worked surprisingly well.

47813 Jack Frost passes Evesham Signal Box on 29 May 2020 with the 5V94 10:18 Crewe Carriage Sidings to Long Marston, conveying four Transport for Wales Mk3 coaches for storage. Not the prettiest of locations, with all the lineside clutter, but I wanted to photograph this train at an identifiable Cotswold Line location, and this was the nearest!

66531 passes Challow on 28 May 2020 with the 4L36 07:45 Wentloog to Felixstowe North freightliner. The train has just moved over onto the up relief line, to allow the 1A14 09:30 Bristol Temple Meads to Paddington GWR IET to overtake.

Still looking immaculate, several weeks after being the first Class 59 to be painted into Freightliner's new orange livery, 59206 John F. Yeoman Rail Pioneer passes Hungerford Common on 28 May 2020 with the 6M20 10:38 Whatley Quarry to Churchyard Sidings stone hoppers. This was running 14 minutes early.

60011 passes Purton Common on 28 May 2020 with the 6M53 16:16 Swindon Stores to Toton Up Sidings steel empties. The private road approaching Hills Waste Solution's pit can be seen on the left, and the row of waste containers in the background marks the site of the former Purton brickworks, which closed in 1977.

Harsco YZA Multi Purpose Stoneblower DR80302 trundles along the up main line at Circourt Bridge, Denchworth, on 27 May 2020, running as the 10:00 Little Mill Junction to Woking Up Yard. Although it is a hideous eyesore, at least the overhead catenary doesn't get in the way of such a short train.

Another waste of perfectly good resources. 47815 Lost Boys 68-88 runs along the down relief line at Circourt Bridge, Denchworth, on 27 May 2020 with the 5Q76 07:36 Ely Papworth Sidings to Newport Docks (Sims Group). While GWR's customers now have to put up with the hard seats of the Class 800 EMUs, these superior quality Mk3 HST coaches are going for scrap.

800020 passes Dorn (near Moreton-in-Marsh) on 25 May 2020 with the 1P34 15:18 Worcester Foregate Street to Paddington GWR service. After GWR Castles, BR Hymeks, Class 50s and HSTs, the Cotswold Line is now reduced to a DMU only railway!

Underground in the Cotswolds! Vivarail's battery/diesel hybrid former London Underground D78 unit 230006 passes Dorn on 25 May 2020 with the 15:11 Stourbridge Junction Goods Loop to Moreton-in-Marsh mileage accumulation run. The train was approaching a red signal, which changed to amber as it got nearer. The striking red and white Transport for Wales livery certainly shows up well in the all over green late spring landscape.

230006 leaves Moreton-in-Marsh on 25 May 2020 with the 16:37 mileage accumulation trip to Worcester Shrub Hill. Surprisingly, after over forty years of taking photos in the area, I had never previously taken a picture from this particular spot. Moreton-in-Marsh station can be seen through the arch of the bridge in the background.

230006 heads away from Moreton-in-Marsh on 25 May 2020 with the 16:37 Moreton-in-Marsh to Worcester Shrub Hill mileage accumulation run. This was one of a large number of test runs undertaken with the battery/diesel hybrid unit, before its entry into service with Transport for Wales.

800009 John Charles passes underneath the farm occupation bridge at Dorn on 25 May 2020 with the 1P05 15:18 Hereford to Paddington GWR service, which on this occasion had started from Great Malvern, due to a track circuit failure.

37612 passes South Marston on 21 May 2020 with the 1Z23 06:13 Bristol High Level Siding to Tyseley Network Rail test train. This was running 33 minutes late, but would have been a lot later had it not missed out the Severn Tunnel Junction to Newport section of its planned route.

37612 passes Aldington on 21 May 2020 with the 1Z23 06:13 Bristol High Level Siding to Tyseley Network Rail test train. 37610 should have been leading at this point, but it is still on the rear, as the booked reversal at Didcot didn't take place due to late running. Instead the train bypassed Didcot, via the west curve.

Having just come to a stand, after performing a brake test just this side of the bridge in the background, 230006 gets under way again at Aldington on 21 May 2020 with the 13:23 Honeybourne Sidings to Evesham West Junction mileage accumulation run. This is one of five battery/diesel hybrid units being built for Transport for Wales.

230006 approaches Clayfield level crossing, Bretforton, on 21 May 2020 with the 14:33 Honeybourne to Evesham West Junction mileage accumulation run. In order to fully test the unit, before delivery to Transport for Wales, numerous test runs have been undertaken, not just between Honeybourne and Evesham, but also including trips to Moreton-in-Marsh and Stourbridge Junction. Note the toy dinosaur behind the windscreen!

Transport for Wales 230006 heads away from the camera at Bretforton on 21 May 2020 with the early running (but still not reported on Realtime Trains!) 15:13 Evesham West Junction to Honeybourne mileage accumulation run.

230006 passes Bretforton on 21 May 2020 with the 15:32 Honeybourne to Evesham West Junction mileage accumulation run. The unit is on test, prior to entering service with Transport for Wales. This dramatic low level picture is taken from a public footpath crossing.

Running 145 minutes early, 60011 approaches Eckington on 21 May 2020 with the 6M53 16:16 (in theory) Swindon Stores to Toton Up Sidings steel empties. At the booked departure time it had already traversed the entire 'Golden Valley line, and had passed Standish Junction!

Smoking profusely, 66605 passes Eckington on 21 May 2020 with the 6V55 12:55 Radlett Redland Roadstone to East Usk Yard stone empties. The speed restriction sign in the foreground is for trains entering Eckington loop.

56103 passes Uffington on 20 May 2020 with the 5Z20 08:14 Bristol Barton Hill to Wembley ECS, conveying Chiltern Railways Mk3s 12617 & 12618. The photo was taken from the footbridge for a change of viewpoint, but also because the farmer was spraying the field where I would normally stand!

37612 passes through Shipton station on 20 May 2020 with the 1Z22 08:20 Tyseley to Bristol High Level Siding Network Rail test train. Harsh overhead midday lighting, but a Class 37 on the Cotswold Line is always worth photographing. The round sign on the building on the left proclaims 'Matthews Cotswold Flour'. The Edwardian mill building is just off to the left of the picture.

20118 Saltburn-by-the-Sea & 20132 Barrow Hill pass Bourton on 20 May 2020 with the 5Q76 07:36 Ely Papworth Sidings to Newport Docks (Sims Group), conveying another rake of former GWR HST coaches for scrap. I had arrived at this location in what I thought was plenty of time, but before getting out of the car I checked where the train was, and was astonished to find it had passed Uffington. A quick sprint across the A420 and into the field allowed me to get this shot with just a minute to spare. As I had not visited this location since the line was electrified I was relieved to find there was still a view, of sorts. The train was running 31 minutes early, and would shortly be going off route, via Gloucester, to avoid the chaos caused by a couple of trains hitting some cows near Wootton Bassett.

37612 passes Hungerford Common on 20 May 2020 with the off route 1Z22 08:20 Tyseley to Bristol High Level Siding Network Rail test train, with 37610 bringing up the rear. This would normally travel via Swindon, but due to two Class 800 EMUs hitting some cows near Wootton Bassett, it was diverted via the Berks & Hants line. Luckily I was watching the train's progress, and as soon as I noticed it heading east from Didcot, I drove from Challow to Hungerford, arriving just a few seconds before the train came into view!

37610 brings up the rear of the diverted 1Z22 08:20 Tyseley to Bristol High Level Siding Network Rail test train at Hungerford Common on 20 May 2020. 37612 is leading the train. The diversion was caused by the line being blocked at Wootton Bassett, due to a couple of Class 800 EMUs hitting some cows.

Every time I go to Hungerford Common, 59004 Paul A Hammond turns up! On 20 May 2020 it heads west with the 7C77 12:41 Acton to Merehead Quarry Mendip Rail stone empties. Unfortunately this was running 40 minutes early, so the sun still isn't on the nose.

66610 passes Hungerford Common on 20 May 2020 with the 6C58 11:45 Oxford Banbury Road to Whatley Quarry stone empties. This was running 79 minutes early, but would sit in Woodborough loop for over an hour and a half, putting it virtually back on time.

A striking livery combination whose days are numbered, as Freightliner get on with painting their 59/2s orange. 59002 Alan J Day & 59204 pass Great Bedwyn on 20 May 2020 with the 6C64 15:26 Acton to Merehead Quarry Mendip Rail stone empties. As it was such a cloudless evening, I was surprised to be the only photographer present at this location.

Golden Valley or Green Valley? The so called 'Golden Valley' of the River Frome, to the east of Stroud, certainly doesn't live up to its name in this view of 800016 near Ham Mill on 19 May 2020. The train is the 1G21 15:28 Paddington to Cheltenham Spa GWR service. Ham Mill Halt was formerly situated where the track curves away into the bushes in the background.

With a fanfare on the horn, the driver of 60011 applies the power at Ham Mill on 19 May 2020, as he pulls away from a short stop at the signal in the background, with the 6M53 16:16 Swindon Stores to Toton Up Sidings steel empties. This was running 25 minutes early, and I correctly guessed that it would not wait in Haresfield Loop for the booked hour, so I decided not to try for a second picture to the north of Cheltenham. A good decision, as it went straight past Haresfield, and was therefore 86 minutes early passing Cheltenham. The buttercups in the foreground of this view, and the houses of Brimscombe in the background, help to break up the overall green which unfortunately dominates landscape views at this time of year.

Photographing a green locomotive in the almost totally green late spring landscape is not going to produce a decent picture, so I deliberately stood close to this large patch of Cow Parsley (Anthriscus sylvestris), near Uffington on 18 May 2020, in order to relieve the monotony. 66501 Japan 2001 heads east with the 4L32 09:47 Wentloog to Felixstowe North freightliner.

20118 Saltburn-by-the-Sea & 20132 Barrow Hill pass Uffington on 18 May 2020 with the 5Q76 07:36 Ely Papworth Sidings to Newport Docks (Sims Group), conveying yet another rake of off lease GWR HST coaches for scrap, including in this rake one that has only relatively recently been painted in GWR's latest green livery. This is an almost criminal waste of perfectly good rolling stock, and if there is any future complaints about lack of capacity, then this short sighted rush to scrap high quality coaches should be made known to the general public.

Running 28 minutes early, 66622 passes Uffington on 18 May 2020 with the 6B91 11:10 Hayes & Harlington to Stoke Gifford stone empties. It's hard to believe, but the Wilts & Berks Canal formerly ran through the field in the foreground, passing quite close to the railway boundary approximately where the loco is, before moving off to the right. The canal was abandoned in 1914.

43191 passes Shrivenham on 10 December 1987 with the 1B28 12:00 Paddington to Swansea service. Bright winter sunshine in the foreground, but the background is lost in the mist. The concrete footbridge in the background marks the site of the former Ashbury Crossing.

An extremely rare DMU for the Cotswold Line. C941 (51562, 59694 & 51922) leaves Moreton-in-Marsh station on 27 June 1987 with the 2A26 08:08 Hereford to Oxford service. Normally the DMU diagrams on the Cotswold Line at the time were covered by Class 117 or 119s, with occasional appearances by Classes 101 & 121. This use of a Class 108 unit would in itself be very unusual, but this particular set includes a Class 110 'Calder Valley' centre car! Most of these were scrapped when the Class 110s were reduced to two car units in 1983. I took the going away shot, as the red buffer beam and silver painted buffers and multiple working connectors only featured on this end.

D8137 passes Dixton on 4 October 1997 with the 15:00 Toddington to Gotherington service. The Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's resident Class 20 had just been painted into BR green, and although working bonnet first on a passenger train would have been extremely unlikely for a Class 20 in 1966, this ex-works loco and train combination does show what may possibly have happened somewhere!

20137 shunts an engineer's train at Toddington on 7 August 1995, prior to working a demonstration freight train during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Week. Note the outline of the former Thornaby depot kingfisher logo on the forward engine bay door.

37704 & 37889 pass Grovesend Colliery Loop on 2 October 1993 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z16 05:20 Preston to Cwmgwrach 'Neath Navigator' railtour. 37068 Grainflow & 37108 are bringing up the rear. The tour was returning from Coed Bach Washery.

37068 Grainflow & 37108 bring up the rear of the Pathfinder Tours 1Z16 05:20 Preston to Cwmgwrach 'Neath Navigator' railtour at Grovesend Colliery Loop on 2 October 1993. 37704 & 37889 are leading the train, and are just about to pass underneath the M4 motorway, which at this point is just three miles from its western end.

56103 passes Up Hatherley on 15 May 2020 with the 5Z60 10:08 Cardiff Canton to Long Marston ECS, conveying seven Transport of Wales Mk3 coaches for storage. Slightly ironic, in that I have recently been photographing Mk3s going the other way, heading for Cardiff for scrapping!

Running 22 minutes early, 37716 passes the site of Ashbury Crossing, near Shrivenham, on 14 May 2020 with the 5Z38 08:42 Norwich Crown Point to Newport Docks (Sims Group), taking a rake of ex Greater Anglia Mk3 stock for scrap. The train comprises: DVT 82102, coaches 10262 &12153, and DVTs 82105, 82152, 82132 & 82103.

66756 Royal Corps of Signals passes Thrupp on 14 May 2020 with the 4O69 13:27 Hams Hall to Southampton Western Docks intermodal. Hampton Gay church, which stands apart from the few houses that make up the village, can be seen in the background.

Running a staggering 151 minutes late, 20311 & 20314 pass Thrupp on 14 May 2020 with the 5O86 10:40 (13:03 actual) Leicester to Eastleigh Arlington barrier move. This late running was very fortunate, as at the correct time the lighting would have been straight down the track, and totally useless. Also, I was elsewhere at the time, and hadn't taken any notice of this working. Only the timely text from a friend allowed me to go out again, just after I had arrived home.

With a toot from the driver, 168217 & 168113 pass Kings Sutton on 20 June 2003 with the 17:55 Marylebone to Kidderminster Chiltern Railways service. 168217 is just two months old, and still in its original two car configuration. A centre vehicle was added in July 2005, and it then ran for a few months as a three car unit. In March 2006 the centre coach was removed, to be inserted into 168106. 168217 then acquired two new centre coaches, making it a four car unit!

58013 passes Didcot North Junction on 3 May 1990 with the 6M06 18:55 Didcot Power Station to Mantle Lane MGR empties. There is now a modern replacement for the footbridge in the background, but unfortunately this wide view is no longer possible due to lineside vegetation.

58031 crosses the bridge over the River Cherwell at Hampton Gay on 11 July 1989 with the 7V60 15:06 Baddesley Colliery to Didcot Power Station MGR. The bridge deck in the foreground formerly carried the Kidlington to Woodstock branch line.

47798 Prince William passes Lowdham on 23 June 2002 with the 5Z48 17:13 Lincoln Central to Toton Northern Belle ECS, while 156411 heads in the opposite direction with the late running 17:42 Nuneaton to Lincoln Central Trains service.

Race special meets coal empties at Foxhall Junction, Didcot, on 13 March 1997. 47787 Victim Support heads west with a Cheltenham Gold Cup special, while 60086 Schiehallion waits at the signal with the 6C67 09:43 Didcot Power Station to Avonmouth MGR empties. It will shortly move forward to run round, then follow the 47 towards Swindon.

Looking stunning in the low evening light, remarkably clean 43176 passes underneath the roadbridge at Chilson on 1 August 1995 with the 1B48 17:10 Paddington to Hereford service. At the time there wouldn't have been many cameras that could successfully take this kind of close up view of a fast moving HST. Most cameras at the time had a top shutter speed of 1/1000sec, which would be insufficient to completely freeze the movement of this train. Generally only top of the range 35mm cameras boasted a higher shutter speed. This was taken on an old style Canon F1 on Fujichrome 100 at 1/2000sec f3.5.

43183 passes Crookwood (near Urchfont) on 13 April 2002 with he 1A71 14:48 Paignton to Paddington 'Torbay Express'. I didn't like First Great Western's 'fag packet' livery at the time, but it looks a lot better than their current totally uninspired dark green colour scheme!

New Year's Day 1995 dawns bright and (mostly) clear at South Marston. 43185 Great Western passes the site of the former sidings with the 1A14 08:00 Cardiff Central to Paddington service. The sidings were installed in 1942, and continued in use until the mid 1960s.

58022 slowly negotiates Foxhall Junction on 29 February 1996 with the 4C13 11:21 Calvert to Bristol Avon binliner empties. The water tower at the Great Western Society's Didcot Railway Centre can be seen in the background.

58041 Ratcliffe Power Station passes Twerton on 21 June 1996 with the 4C13 11:21 Calvert to Bristol Avon Binliner empties. It has just dropped off some of the containers for loading at Oldfield Park. This used to be a very well known photographic location on the edge of Bath. Totally useless now, for a number of reasons!

A rare piece of track for a Class 58, so even a light engine warrants a picture. 58005 Ironbridge Power Station passes Songar (on the Hatton to Bearley line) on the frosty morning of 14 December 1996, heading for Stratford-upon-Avon, where it would take over the Pathfinder Tours 1Z56 07:07 Bristol Temple Meads to Guildford 'Rooster Booster' railtour.

20118 Saltburn-by-the-Sea & 20132 Barrow Hill pass Grove on 11 May 2020 with the 5Q76 07:36 Ely Papworth Sidings to Newport Docks (Sims Group), conveying another rake of off lease GWR HST coaches for scrap. This is the first time that I have taken a picture from this particular vantage point. In the background is the new Hanney Bridge, which replaced the original bridge just before the line was electrified. In the old days there used to be good view from the bridge looking west. Because of the wires there is now no clear view in any direction, which, even before I checked it out is what I expected, and why I chose this viewpoint from the adjacent field.

47848 passes Badsey on 9 May 2020 with the 5Q94 09:12 Northampton EMD to Long Marston ECS, conveying London Northwestern Railway EMU 350125 for repair. 47815 Lost Boys 68-88 is bringing up the rear. Both locos feature 'Thank You NHS' branding.

Taking London Northwestern Railway EMU 350125 for repair, 47815 Lost Boys 68-88 brings up the rear of the 5Q94 09:12 Northampton EMD to Long Marston ECS at Badsey on 9 May 2020. 47848 is the leading locomotive. The train is approaching the site of Littleton & Badsey station (closed in 1966).

You get more interesting lineside vegetation on a heritage railway! D1842 passes the trackside lupins near Nuttall on 18 June 1995, as it heads north whilst en-route from Bury to Rawtenstall, during the East Lancashire Railway's Diesel Gala.

47192 approaches Basford Hall Junction, near Crewe, on 3 July 1985 with the 4D58 15:13 Lawley Street to Holyhead freightliner. Unfortunately the Holyhead freightliner terminal closed in 1991. 47192 was the first Class 47 to be preserved, and a decade later I photographed it again, at a very different location.

56036 approaches Hooton on 28 January 1995 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z27 05:20 Swindon to Gladstone Dock 'Gladstone Bag' railtour. 33025 Sultan & 33116 Hertfordshire Railtours are on the rear, and would soon be heading the tour down the nearby line towards Frodsham, after reversing at Hooton station.

33025 Sultan & 33116 Hertfordshire Railtours bring up the rear of the Pathfinder Tours 1Z27 05:20 Swindon to Gladstone Dock 'Gladstone Bag' railtour at Hooton on 28 January 1995. 56036 is leading the train at this point. The train would shortly reverse at Hooton station (which can just be seen in the distance), and then traverse the line to Frodsham, behind the bushes on the right. The flooded area on the left shows that not only was this once a four track mainline, but there was also once an extensive area of sidings.

56036 brings up the rear of the Pathfinder Tours 1Z27 05:20 Swindon to Gladstone Dock 'Gladstone Bag' railtour, as it accelerates away from its reversal at Hooton on 28 January 1995. Out of sight around the corner, at the front of the train, are 33025 Sultan & 33116 Hertfordshire Railtours.

47339 passes Whitnash on 8 August 1998 with the 4O27 05:00 Coatbridge to Southampton freightliner. This loco was withdrawn the following year, and after a long period in store, was cut up by C.F. Booth of Rotherham in 2005.

Running 20 minutes early, 47359 passes Radley on 14 March 1991 with the 4O81 11:25 Basford Hall to Southampton freightliner. Its difficult to tell whether the tree on the right survived the drastic pruning, as the lineside garden now contains many others, that mostly block out the view of the field in the background.

170634 passes Tupton on 7 April 2002 with the 12:53 Liverpool Lime Street to Norwich Central Trains service. The scrubby woodland in the background is the site of Avenue Sidings, a once extensive area of lines serving the nearby Avenue Coking Works.

66553 passes South Marston on 6 May 2020 with the 4L32 10:00 Wentloog to Felixstowe North freightliner. A lot of freight trains have been cancelled during the coronavirus crisis, but most freightliners still run, often, as in the case, running early.

20314 & 20311 pass South Marston on 6 May 2020 with the 5Q76 07:36 Ely Papworth Sidings to Newport Docks (Sims Group), conveying another rake of off lease GWR HST coaches for scrap. Class 20s have never been common on the Great Western Mainline, but I never imaged years ago that I would see them on a job like this!

800030 approaches Clayfield level crossing, near Bretforton, on 5 May 2020 with the 1W02 11:50 Paddington to Worcester Shrub Hill GWR service. The lineside vegetation, which was completely cleared here, has already started to re-grow and restrict the view from the crossing.

37059 & 37402 Stephen Middlemore 23.12.1954 - 8.6.2013 pass Bretforton on 5 May 2020 with the 5Z50 08:00 Mid Norfolk Railway Siding to Long Marston ECS, conveying ten ex Greater Anglia Mk3 coaches for storage. Ideally I would have liked to have travelled further north to a location where the sun would have been on the front. However, with the present restrictions, a more local and rarely visited location was chosen. At least this viewpoint does include the whole train, and there is certainly an impressive cloudscape in the background.

66507 approaches Uffington on 4 May 2020 with the 4L32 10:00 Wentloog to Felixstowe North freightliner. It is not immediately obvious from this low viewpoint, but the train is actually travelling 'wrong' line. This line is fully signalled for bi-directional running, but this is still an unusual occurrence. The train only travelled between Bourton and Uffington via the down line, before crossing back onto the up line. This location is certainly a good one to take my daily coronavirus lockdown walk, as it is a long way from any road, let alone any habitation.

With a toot from the driver, 20314 & 20311 pass Uffington on 4 May 2020 with the 5Q76 07:36 Ely Papworth Sidings to Newport Docks (Sims Group), conveying another rake of off lease GWR HST coaches for scrap. Luckily this was only running a couple of minutes late. Any later and the sun would have disappeared into a very large black cloud.

The vintage VSOE Pullman stock was used extensively during 1986 and 1987 for regular timetabled trips to various southern destinations. One of these was the 'Bournemouth Belle', which also allowed passengers to visit Broadlands (from Southampton) and Beaulieu (from Brockenhurst). Sometimes this train ran with a large headboard, but on 13 September 1986 no headboard was provided for 33016, which is pictured here passing Potbridge with the 1B11 10:35 Waterloo to Southampton.

33021 & 33050 Isle of Grain pass Waterside (near Goodrington) on 20 June 1992 with the 15:20 Kingswear to Paignton service, during the Paignton & Dartmouth Railway's Diesel Gala. The Trainload Construction liveried locos had arrived at the railway on a railtour from Paddington.

33103 Swordfish passes Soldridge on 23 May 2004 with the 11:36 Alton to Alresford service, during the Mid Hants Railway's Diesel Gala. The loco may have quite a drab livery, but that is certainly not the case with the multi-coloured train!

The secondman gets ready to hand over the single line token, as D5401 arrives at a rather damp Rothley station on 25 March 1994, whilst en-route from Leicester North to Loughborough, during the Great Central Railway's Diesel Gala.

47844 Derby & Derbyshire Chamber of Commerce & Industry passes Defford on 8 June 1993 with the 1M48 15:44 Plymouth to Derby service. The loco is carrying one of the thin cheap looking reflective style nameplates, which were briefly applied to locomotives in the 1990s.

47290 passes Defford on 8 June 1993 with the early running 6V70 17:18 Cliffe Vale to St Blazey china clay empties. I wonder if the small section of metal fencing just to the right of the first wagon is a remnant of the former Defford station?

47849 passes Didcot North Junction on 3 May 1990 with the 1M23 15:40 Poole to Manchester Piccadilly service. This clearly shows the order in which coaching stock was painted into the then new InterCity colours, with restaurant vehicles and BGs being the last in the line to be repainted.

57002 Freightliner Phoenix approaches Totton on 9 April 2005 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z37 05:04 Derby to Weymouth 'Solent Syphons' railtour. 60091 An Teallach is bringing up the rear. The bridge in the background carries the A35 over the River Test.

43139 brings up the rear of the 1P73 16:35 Hereford to Paddington First Great Western service, as it approaches Kingham station on 8 June 2003. The trees behind the train hide the route of the former Cheltenham to Banbury railway. Twenty years earlier there were no trees, and t was possible to take a photograph from the old embankment looking in the opposite direction.

47372 passes Kings Sutton on 27 July 1999 with the 4S59 15:13 Millbrook to Coatbridge freightliner. By this date a lot of Freightliner's Class 47s were starting to looking very tatty, so it was a pleasant surprise to see this remarkably clean loco.

56108 passes Arpley Junction, Warrington, on 25 March 1993 with a loaded MGR for Fiddlers Ferry Power Station. Standing in this spot today, all you would see is a brief glimpse of the railway through a forest of bushes.

56098 & 58001 climb towards Alfreton Tunnel on 19 June 1999 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z90 05:49 Bristol Temple Meads to Goole 'Spinning Spectre' railtour. This 56/58 combination worked the tour between Toton and Worksop.

56098 & 58001 pass Kiveton Park on 19 June 1999 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z90 05:49 Bristol Temple Meads to Goole 'Spinning Spectre' railtour. The waste ground on the left marks the site of Kiveton Park Colliery, which was still operational when I photographed a very similar railtour at this location, a few years earlier.

58024 passes through Oxford station on 28 June 1991 with the 7V49 04:08 Barrow Hill to Didcot Power Station MGR. There were several coal trains booked through Oxford at this time, and this loco was still heading to the same destination, when photographed a week later, albeit on a slightly earlier working.

58024 passes Hinksey Yard on 5 July 1991 with the 7V32 05:42 Daw Mill Colliery to Didcot Power Station MGR. Coincidentally, this loco had been photographed a week earlier, a mile north of this spot, on a very similar train.

47705 approaches Didcot North Junction on 3 November 1990 with the 1F39 09:05 Oxford to Paddington Network SouthEast service. Appleford Crossing signal box can be seen in the distance, just to the right of the signal. The signal remains today, but the signal box is now long gone.

A week after the longest day, and the late evening sun has swung right round to the north side of the line at Circourt Bridge, Denchworth, on 28 June 1991. The warm low lighting highlights the Network SouthEast / InterCity combination of 47705 on the 1C77 19:45 Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads service. The original brick Denchworth Bridge can be seen in the background, with Didcot Power Station steaming away on the horizon. Although nothing like as extensive as what was to come later, the sprawl of Grove's housing estates can be seen in the distance on the right.

20132 Barrow Hill Depot & 20118 Saltburn-by-the-Sea pass Grove in the rain on 29 April 2020 with the 5Q76 07:36 Ely Papworth Sidings to Newport Docks (Sims Group), conveying another rake of off lease GWR HST coaches for scrap. I am used to seeing foxes and stoats walking alongside the railway (the latter often using the signal cable ducting as their own personal tunnel), but on this occasion a greyhound casually walked along the far side of the line, and disappeared off into the distance, taking no notice of me!

A multi-coloured train, 1990s style! 37332 The Coal Merchants Association of Scotland & 37248 Midland Railway Centre pass Eastrington on 31 March 1997 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z37 06:29 Reading to Scarborough 'Scarborough Maid' railtour.

31425 passes through Chinley station on 19 June 1984 with the 1E34 09:41 Manchester Piccadilly to Hull service. The once extensive four track layout here had been reduced to just two through liens a couple of years earlier.

150269 leaves Westbury station on 5 August 1991 with the 2V79 13:12 Weymouth to Bristol Temple Meads Regional Railways service. On this occasion, the only occupants of the extensive sidings in background are a Class 08 and a 56.

Having just traversed the Westbury avoiding line, 43134 approaches Fairwood Junction on 11 March 1986 with the 1C37 11:40 Paddington to Penzance service. Waiting to follow it on the left is departmental Class 101 55035 (ADB975659) with a crew training special. Although partly obscured by mist, the Westbury White Horse is just visible on the hillside in the background.

20311 & 20314 pass the site of Ashbury Crossing, near Shrivenham, on 27 April 2020 with the 5Q76 07:36 Ely Papworth Sidings to Newport Docks (Sims Group), conveying a rake of off lease GWR HST coaches for scrap. While these high quality Mk3s head for the cutter's torch, their barely adequate replacement can be seen disappearing into the distance, in the form of the 1A18 11:30 Bristol Temple Meads to Paddington Class 800 EMU. Interestingly, the locos pre-date the condemned stock that they are hauling by around 15 years!