A welcome change from the Cotswold Line's omnipresent green Class 165s. 166221 Reading Traincare Depot is just starting out on its journey, when photographed approaching Dunstall Bridge, Moreton-in-Marsh, on 18 May 2018 with the 1P14 0710 Moreton-in-Marsh to Paddington GWR service.

165120 heads south from Moreton-in-Marsh on 18 May 2018 with the 2E92 06:53 Worcester Foregate Street to Didcot Parkway GWR service. It has just passed underneath the recently rebuilt Dunstall Bridge. The harmonious appearance of this bridge just shows that Network Rail can design a bridge rebuild that doesn't look hideous!

Two blue power cars sandwich a complete rake of green coaches at Dunstall Bridge, Moreton-in-Marsh on 18 May 2018. 43070 The Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers leads the 1P18 06:42 Hereford to Paddington GWR service away from Moreton-in-Marsh station (just visible beyond the bridge in the background).

Splitting one train into two at Moreton-in-Marsh on 18 May 2018. 165108 & 165106 had arrived a few minutes earlier with the 1W16 07:50 Paddington to Great Malvern GWR service, and now 165106 is continuing on its way on its own, leaving 165108 to form the 1P23 09:50 Moreton-in-Marsh to Paddington service. This was busier than usual on this particular morning, as the earlier 1P22 08:25 Worcester to Paddington had been cancelled.

GWR ancient and modern. 165108 stands at Moreton-in-Marsh station on 18 May 2018 with the 1P23 09:50 GWR service to Paddington service. Note the difference between the original GWR's classic Art Deco insignia, and the modern franchise's reworking.

Contrasting technologies at Moreton-in-Marsh on 18 May 2018. 800024 arrives at the station with the 1P25 09:54 Great Malvern to Paddington GWR service, passing one of Moreton's classic Western Region lower quadrant semaphore signals.

Not ideal lighting, with the sun still too head on, but you don't pass up the opportunity to photograph 43185 Great Western! The heritage repainted power car speeds past Challow on 17 May 2018 with the 1L28 07:08 Worcester Shrub Hill to Paddington GWR service.

59004 Paul A Hammond runs along the up relief line at Challow on 17 May 2018 with the diverted 7A09 06:26 Merehead Quarry to Acton Mendip Rail 'jumbo' stone train. Engineering works in the Newbury area resulted in the Westbury to London stone trains travelling via Swindon throughout the week.

70806 passes Challow on 17 May 2018 with the 6M50 07:55 Westbury to Bescot engineers train, which on this occasion includes Volker Rail Kirow KRC1200UK 125 tonne diesel hydraulic crane DRK81613. This is the start of the four track section to Wantage Road.

No passengers on this one! 43128 races past Challow on 17 May 2018 with the 3B35 09:43 Bristol Parkway to Paddington GWR ECS. There are occasional empty stock workings on the route, but usually, like this one, they are one off workings to a VSTP (Very Short Term Planning) schedule.

Not having being signalled onto the relief line, 66599 was passing Challow at some considerable speed, when photographed on 17 May 2018. It is working the 4L31 09:03 Bristol to Felixstowe North freightliner.

43078 passes underneath the recently reconstructed road bridge at Challow with the 1L42 07:22 Carmarthen to Paddington GWR service on 17 May 2018. The former bridge bisected Challow station's platforms, so the stinging nettles in the foreground mark site of the eastern end of the down platform.

59005 Kenneth J Painter approaches Steventon on 15 May 2018 with the diverted 7A09 06:26 Merehead Quarry to Acton Mendip Rail 'jumbo' stone train. This was running a few minutes early, in contrast to the previous day's one hour late running. This was probably due to the train being considerably less 'jumbo' than normal! The train's normal route would be via the Berks & Hants line.

43172 Harry Patch - The last survivor of the trenches approaches Steventon on 15 May 2018 with the 1L36 08:31 Cheltenham Spa to Paddington GWR service. Post electrification, this is now one of the few usable photographic locations on the Swindon to Didcot line. Various views are possible by walking up and down the farm track that borders the line.

800024 & 800011 approach Steventon on 15 May 2018 with the 1L38 07:54 Swansea to Paddington GWR service. Using steel rods to reinforce concrete fence posts is fine until the water gets in and rusts the steel. The expansion then destroys the posts. Note how some of these posts have virtually no concrete left on them!

66560 approaches Steventon on 15 May 2018 with the 4L31 09:03 Bristol to Felixstowe North freightliner. Behind the trees in the background is the former rail connected Steventon Army Depot. It is now a totally non rail connected private storage facility.

43131 approaches Steventon on 15 May 2018 with the 1A77 05:41 Penzance to Paddington GWR service. This was travelling relatively slowly, as it was right behind the 4L31 09:03 Bristol to Felixstowe North freightliner. Now that all the electfrication masts are in place, I wonder how long this collection of surplus steel piling tubes will be left lying on the trackside?

Looking even more drab without any GWR branding, 802101 approaches Steventon on 15 May 2018 with the 5Z92 10:36 Bristol Parkway to Paddington test run. This is the point where sidings formerly diverged to the right to serve the Steventon Army Depot.

Running 20 minutes late, 66536 passes Steventon on 15 May 2018 with the 4V31 07:53 London Gateway to Bristol freightliner. This was the last westbound train to pass for a while, as shortly after this a HGV struck Steventon Causeway level crossing barriers, resulting in severe delays while trains were hand signalled across.

With the level crossing a short distance ahead having just been struck by a lorry, 43002 Sir Kenneth Grange slowly approaches a red signal at Steventon on 15 May 2018 with the 1A79 06:47 Penzance to Paddington GWR service. And yes, the left hand mast really is leaning considerably to the left. More shoddy Network Rail work!

The Causeway level crossing at Steventon was struck by a lorry just before midday on 15 May 2018, causing severe delay to trains, which were being held at a red signal, and then slowly hand signalled over the crossing. There was no need to use a fast shutter speed, as the trains were now travelling so slowly, so I was able to stop the lens down to f16, to provide sufficient depth of field to include all of this abundant patch of cow parsley in sharp focus. 43029 approaches the incident with the 1L50 10:36 Cheltenham Spa to Paddington GWR service.

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

Running 25 minutes late, 43018 passes Oaksey at speed on 15 May 2018 with the 1G60 17:36 Paddington to Cheltenham Spa GWR service. Recent vegetation clearance has revealed that this location would at one time have been obstructed by a telegraph pole. Note the stump lurking in the grass in the foreground.

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

My first picture of a nine coach Class 802. 802101 speeds underneath Circourt Bridge, Denchworth, on 14 May 2018 with the 5Z90 07:39 Stoke Gifford to Reading test rum. Note that the relatively new bridge in the background is already going rusty. Nothing will probably done about this, as Network Rail do not seem to know what paint is. They replace rather than maintain.

59202 Alan Meddows Taylor MD, Mendip Rail Limited slowly traverses the relief line at Circourt Bridge, Denchworth, on 14 May 2018 with the late running diverted 7A09 06:26 Merehead Quarry to Acton Mendip Rail 'jumbo' stone train. This problem of sending this massive 45mph freight along the Great Western Mainline during the morning peak was presumably known, but it caused chaos on this particular day, with six trains stacking up behind it at one point as it slowly approached Swindon. This late running caused it to have a much longer layover in the loop here, and allowed me to get an unexpected second picture of it a little later at Grove.

800020 & 800008 pass Grove on 14 May 2018 with the 1A10 09:00 Bristol Temple Meads to Paddington GWR service. Just visible in the background is 59202, which is stopped at a red signal on the up relief line with the late running diverted 7A09 06:26 Merehead Quarry to Acton Mendip Rail 'jumbo' stone train.

Now running over an hour late, after being held at a signal in the distance, 59202 Alan Meddows Taylor MD, Mendip Rail Limited slowly gets under way again at Grove on 14 May 2018 with the diverted 7A09 06:26 Merehead Quarry to Acton Mendip Rail 'jumbo' stone train. I had already photographed this train near Circourt Bridge, Denchworth, and was surprised to be able to get to this location in plenty of time for this second picture, bearing in mind the lengthy walk back along the footpath to my car in Denchworth village.

The driver of 70808 reapplies power, as the signal in front of him changes from amber to green at Grove on 14 May 2018. The train is the 6X50 07:55 Westbury to Bescot point carriers. Photo taken from a public footpath crossing.

Maytime! 43189 Railway Heritage Trust passes Grove on 14 May 2018 with the 1A12 07:48 Paignton to Paddington GWR service. When the hawthorn comes into flower in early May, the stunning white blossom makes an excellent picture. However, the flowers soon start to turn to a mucky off white colour, so this prime specimen just had to be photographed.

43182 passes underneath the as yet unenergised wires at Grove, that will eventually see it made redundant. The train is the 1A13 10:30 Bristol Temple Meads to Paddington GWR service, and the date is 14 May 2018.

802101 passes Grove on 14 May 2018 with the 5Z92 10:36 Bristol Parkway to Paddington test run. This higher powered version of the Hitachi IEP fleet is not destined for this route, but will instead be used for the West of England line, via Newbury.

66594 NYK Spirit of Kyoto passes Grove on 14 May 2018 with the 4E18 09:47 Fairwater Yard to Doncaster Wood Yard concrete sleepers. A different kind of wires used to disfigure this location. Before the 25kV wires were installed, a high voltage power line crossed the railway here.

59004 Paul A Hammond passes Grove on 14 May 2018 with the diverted 6A17 09:41 Whatley Quarry to Acton Mendip Rail stone train. The 1C43 11:27 Paddington to Penzance GWR HST only just got out of the way in time!

802101 runs along the down relief line (as booked) at Challow on 14 May 2018 with the 5Z93 12:17 Paddington to Bristol Parkway test run. I had already photographed the earlier 5Z90 & 5Z92 runs. I didn't bother with the 5Z91, 5Z93 or 5Z95! Note the lack of any GWR branding.

66712 Peterborough Power Signabox very slowly traverses the down relief line at Challow on 14 May 2018, prior to waiting at the end of the loop for nearly an hour with the 6V32 10:51 Tilbury to Trostre Works steel empties.

Now this is something completely different! 20205 & 20189 haul 73136 Mhairi, 4-TC set 428 & (hidden by the post) 20142 Sir John Betjeman & 20007 past Challow on 14 May 2018, running as the 5Z20 11:15 Ferme Park to Kidderminster, in preparation for the Severn Valley Railway's Diesel Gala. This was booked to use the relief line here, but as it was running late, and more importantly because 66712 Peterborough Power Signalbox was sat in the loop just behind me, it was routed along the main, and certainly seemed to be doing at least its booked 60mph. Although I have photographed Class 20s on most of my local lines, I think this may be my first picture of the class in the Vale of White Horse. A pity I had to wait until the route was disfigured by overhead catenary!

20142 Sir John Betjeman & 20007 bring up the rear of the 5Z20 11:15 Ferme Park to Kidderminster at Challow on 14 May 2018. 20205 & 20189 were at the head of the train. 73136 Mhairi & 4-TC set 428 were also in the consist, which was heading to the Severn Valley Railway, for their Diesel Gala.

Diverted away from its usual route via the Berks & Hants line due to electfrication work, 59001 Yeoman Endeavour passes Challow on 14 May 2018 with the 6C77 12:38 Acton to Merehead Quarry Mendip Rail stone empties.

43129 races past Challow on 14 May 2018 with the 1C18 14:30 Paddington to Weston-super-Mare GWR service. The wires here are still not energised, with the whole electfrication project running years behind, and massively over budget.

I almost didn't bother with this, it being a Class 66 in less than ideal light. However, 66014 is hauling the diverted 6C76 14:04 Acton to Whatley Quarry Mendip Rail stone empties at Challow on 14 May 2018, so maybe worth a record shot.

In 2018 the two daily trains that serve Ascott-under-Wychwood station are formed of very different stock. The early morning up train utilises a two car Class 165, while the evening down train uses one of the newly built Class 800 units. 800028 arrives at the station on 14 May 2018 with the 1W33 16:22 Paddington to Great Malvern GWR service.

Ascott-under-Wychwood Signal Box, pictured on 14 May 2018. This makes an interesting comparison with the picture I took (from a slightly different angle) in 1983. The principal change over 35 years has been the replacement of the windows.

'Each A Glimpse' (with apologies to Colin Gifford). 43018 passes the flowering hawthorn bushes at Ascott-under-Wychwood on 14 May 2018, as it heads up the Cotswold Line with the 1W02 17:22 Paddington to Hereford GWR service. I was keen to try this more pictorial view here, especially with the abundant blossom, and nice evening light. The only problem was the very small gap, with no margin for error in firing the shutter. 1/2000sec shutter speed and some good luck secured the picture!

43161 catches the last of the evening light, as it passes Lyneham on 14 May 2018 with the 1W03 18:22 Paddington to Hereford GWR service. This was running 23 minutes late, a not uncommon experience on the Cotswold Line in recent years.

170113 passes Burbage Common on 12 May 2018 with the 1K07 08:52 Birmingham New Street to Leicester CrossCountry service. The brown, silver and red livery of these units provide a welcome colour contrast to the all pervading green of the countryside in late spring.

Running 37 minutes late (how appropriate!) due to being diverted via the Sutton Park line because of cows on the line in the Trent Valley, 37219 Jonty Jarvis 8-12-1998 to 18-3-2005 & 37116 pass Burbage Common with the Branch Line Society / 565 Charters 1Z56 05:44 Carnforth to Norwich '565 Special Take 2' railtour on 12 May 2018.

800026 accelerates away from Hanborough station in the rain on 12 May 2018 with the 1W07 17:22 Paddington to Worcester Foregate Street GWR service. Although there has been a welcome clearance of lineside vegetation here, making photography possible once more, unfortunately the traction is not as interesting as it was three decades earlier!

67018 Keith Heller approaches Hanborough in the pouring rain on 12 May 2018 with the UK Railtours 1Z87 17:30 Worcester Shrub Hill to Letchworth 'Worcester Sorcerer' railtour. I had intended to photograph the outward leg of this tour, on my way back from seeing 37219 & 37116 hauling the Branch Line Society / 565 Charters 1Z56 05:44 Carnforth to Norwich '565 Special Take 2' tour. However, that ran late, and so I missed it. Needless to say the weather was a lot better earlier in the day, but I like the way the coach roofs glisten in the rain, and at least I have caught the loco's windscreen wipers in mid wipe, to prove that it definitely is raining!

43035 passes Cassington on 11 May 2018 with the 1P07 04:47 Hereford to Paddington GWR service. This is yet another Cotswold Line location that has been opened up for photography after decades worth of lineside tree growth has been removed.

165117 heads north along the Cotswold Line near Cassington on 11 May 2018. This is not quite the normal scene that it appears to be, as it is in fact the 5W11 07:20 Oxford to Moreton-in-Marsh ECS. This started out as the 1W11 05:12 Paddington to Oxford GWR service, but at Oxford there was apparently an issue with the train crew (presumably the lack of a guard), and so it carried on as empty stock. As the unit also came back from Moreton-in-Marsh as empty stock, the whole trip north of Oxford seems to have been a complete waste of time!

165137 passes Cassington on 11 May 2018 with the 2E92 06:53 Worcester Foregate Street to Didcot Parkway GWR service. I had carefully positioned myself here in order to leave just enough room for the two coach train, whilst also giving an unobstructed view of the picturesque brick arched bridge. I just about got it right!

165117 passes underneath the roadbridge at Cassington on 11 May 2018 with the 5P14 07:50 Moreton-in-Marsh to Oxford ECS. This was in place of the 1P14 07:10 Moreton-in-Marsh to Paddington GWR service, but as the earlier northbound train to Moreton-in-Marsh was also empty stock, it begs the question, who was this actually run for?

43185 Great Western speeds underneath the roadbridge at Cassington on 11 May 2018, as it heads along the Cotswold Line with the 1P18 06:42 Hereford to Paddington GWR service. This close up viewpoint clearly shows the slightly wobbly red and white lines on this recreation of the classic InterCity 'Swallow' livery.

Two years out of date! '90 Glorious Years' liveried 43027 passes Chilson on 10 May 2018 with the 1P12 05:28 Hereford to Paddington GWR service. Unveiled to mark HRH Queen Elizabeth's 90th birthday in 2016, 43027 should really have had a little alteration to its vinyl lettering by now to make it read '92 Glorious Years'!

Cow Parsley is in full bloom on the roadside at Chilson on 10 May 2018, as 165123 passes by with the Cotswold Line's early morning local stopping train - the 2E92 06:53 Worcester Foregate Street to Didcot Parkway GWR service. This has just called at Ascott-under-Wychwood station.

43035 passes Chilson on 10 May 2018 with the 1P18 06:42 Hereford to Paddington GWR service. This view, which has hardly changed at all since I have been taking railway photos, will soon be completely different, as young trees have been planted in the section of the field just behind the power car.

67024 passes Cassington on 9 May 2018 with the Belmond Pullman 1Z25 09:28 Victoria to Worcester Shrub Hill 'Historic Worcester' VSOE charter. Most locations on the southern end of the Cotswold Line are extremely backlit around midday, but I wanted to take this here, as the recently cleared vegetation has opened up the view, and the overhanging branches provides a nice frame. At least the lighting was better on 67021, which was bringing up the rear.

67021 brings up the rear of the Belmond Pullman 1Z25 09:28 Victoria to Worcester Shrub Hill 'Historic Worcester' VSOE charter at Cassington on 9 May 2018. The other Pullman liveried Class 67, 67024 was leading the train.

The Network Rail worker takes a break from feeding branches into the shredder, as 43002 Sir Kenneth Grange passes Cornbury Park on 9 May 2018 with the 1P40 17:38 Moreton-in-Marsh to Paddington GWR service. This is the only southbound train of the day not booked to call at Charlbury station. The station is just out of sight around the corner, and consequently this was travelling at some speed. Network Rail's massive vegetation clearance has come in for severe criticism, especially as it is taking place during the nesting season. Rather than routine maintenance, which was practiced until the 1980s, nothing at all was done on the Cotswold Line (and other locations) until the lineside got so bad that in many places the bushes were touching the train.

Track workers acknowledge the passage of 67021, as it passes Cornbury Park (near Charlbury) on 9 May 2018 with the Belmond Pullman 1Z96 16:36 Worcester Shrub Hill to Victoria 'Historic Worcester' VSOE charter. 67024 is on the rear. This picture neatly shows the 'before and after' effect of the vegetation clearance that is taking place at many locations on the Cotswold Line.

67024 brings up the rear of the Belmond Pullman 1Z96 16:36 Worcester Shrub Hill to Victoria 'Historic Worcester' VSOE charter at Cornbury Park (near Charlbury) on 9 May 2018. 67021 is leading the train. Note the evidence of recent vegetation clearance, with piles of shredded branches, and blue painted tree stumps.

Shortly after dawn on 8 May 2018, 43162 Exeter Panel Signal Box 21st Anniversary 2009 passes Stonesfield with the 1P07 04:47 Hereford to Paddington GWR service. Even at this distance, the large red backed nameplate is clearly visible. A much travelled name, first appearing on 43163, and then 43012. As both locos have moved to Scotland, it is now 43162's turn to carry the plates!

43070 The Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers passes Fawler on 8 May 2018 with the 1P18 06:42 Hereford to Paddington GWR service. Luckily the power car does not match the coaches, as the blue livery provides a contrast to the green of the spring landscape, as does the cultivated field in the foreground, which definitely improves the composition of the picture. The houses in the foreground are part of the small hamlet of Fawler, while those on the hillside in the background are in the village of Finstock.

43027 brings up the rear of the late running 1G21 09:36 Paddington to Cheltenham Spa GWR service at Chalford on 8 May 2018. I wasn't initially going to bother taking this going away shot, but when I saw which power car it was, I changed my mind!

43079 starts the ascent of Sapperton Bank at Chalford on 8 May 2018 with the 1L50 10:36 Cheltenham Spa to Paddington GWR service. The buildings directly behind the power car mark the site of Iles Mill, one of many former woolen mills in the Stroud Valley. Just visible in the background is the signal box at St. Mary's Crossing.

50049 Defiance, 50031 Hood & 45041 pass Chalford on 18 May 2018, en-route from the Severn Valley Railway to the Swanage Railway, in preparation for their diesel gala. The convoy was running as the 0Z45 10:21 Kidderminster to Swanage.

43144 approaches the footpath crossing at Chalford on 8 May 2018 with the late running 1G29 11:36 Paddington to Cheltenham Spa GWR service. Chalford's distinctive parish church can be seen amid the trees n the left.

'90 Glorious Years' liveried 43027 passes Chalford on 8 May 2018 with the 1L58 12:36 Cheltenham Spa to Paddington GWR service. This section of line runs through what is known as the 'Golden Valley', although at this time of year 'Green Valley' would be more appropriate. The monotone green and the high overhead lighting certainly do not improve the photograph.

43192 passes through Islip station on 7 May 2018 with the diverted 1C22 15:27 Paddington to Penzance GWR service. HSTs were being diverted via the Chiltern Line, and then south to Oxford via the new Bicester chord, due to Crossrail engineering works in London.

168217 speeds through Islip station on 7 May 2018 with the 1T45 16:00 Marylebone to Oxford Chiltern Railways service. Like the majority of trains on the route, this service is not booked to call at Islip. The signal at the end of the platform marks the point where, prior to the line's upgrading, a siding branched off to the left to serve a small oil depot.

168327, 172103 & 172102 pass through Islip station on 7 May 2018 with the 1T47 16:31 Marylebone to Oxford Chiltern Railways service. Note the difference in liveries. All of Chiltern's Class 168s carry the newer silver livery, whilst all the Class 172s still retain the largely white colour scheme.

Unfamiliar territory for a HST. 43092 passes through Islip station on 7 May 2018 with the diverted 1C24 16:27 Paddington to Penzance GWR service. Given the rarity of the traction at this location, and the guaranteed sunshine, I was surprised that there were so few photographers around. Even more strange considering the iconic HSTs are not likely to feature in many more such diversions.

168323 & 168219 pass Islip on 7 May 2018 with the 1T49 17:00 Marylebone to Oxford Chiltern Railways service. The tower of Islip church can just be seen poking above the trees on the right. This picture is taken from a new footbridge near the site of the former Mill Lane level crossing.

Running 36 minutes late, 43175 GWR 175th Anniversary passes Water Eaton on 7 May 2018 with the diverted 1C26 17:27 Paddington to Plymouth GWR service. Crossrail engineering works in London were bringing the unusual sight of HSTs to this route. Northfield Farm in the background was formerly accessed by a bridge over the line near the trees in the background. The owners now have a longer drive, via a new road to the south, from which this photo is taken.

168321, 168324 & 168329 pass Water Eaton on 7 May 2018 with the 1Y61 19:07 Oxford to Marylebone Chiltern Railways service. Despite having left Oxford only a few minutes earlier at the correct time, this had already managed to become eight minutes late. Oxford Parkway station, and its adjacent stone terminal can be seen in the background.

Soft evening light at Water Eaton on 7 May 2018. 43160 Sir Moir Lockhead OBE heads towards Oxford with the diverted 1C28 18:27 Paddington to Plymouth GWR service. This new viewpoint was created when the Oxford to Bicester line was upgraded. It may last forever though, as numerous trees have been planted on the embankment on which I was standing to take this photo.

37601 Perseus passes Honeybourne on 5 May 2018 with the 5Q94 08:55 Northampton EMD to Long Marston, hauling EMU 350234 for corrosion repairs. This makes an interesting comparison with the same train, with the same locomotive, pictured here a couple of months earlier. The buddleia forest in the foreground has been completely removed, although I expect it will soon be back!

800029 approaches Honeybourne on 5 May 2018 with the 1W02 10:35 Maidenhead to Hereford GWR service, just as 37601 Perseus moves off after a brief pause on the Long Marston branch, as it hauls EMU 350234, running as the 5Q94 08:55 Northampton EMD to Long Marston. Engineering works meant that all Cotswold Line trains were starting from Maidenhead. Note the recent trackside clearance on the right.

37601 Perseus slowly departs Long Marston on 5 May 2018 with the 5Q95 13:30 Long Marston to Northampton EMD, conveying EMU 350260, which had received attention to body corrosion. The fact that this was only cloudy bright, rather than full sun, was not too much of a problem, as sunny midday pictures at this time of year do not look good, owing to the very high sun angle.

Bovine indifference at Kintradwell Links (near Brora). 37416 & 37427 hug the seashore, as they head south with the Regency Railcruises 1Z37 Wick to Inverness 'Cock o' the North' railtour on 23 May 1999. The name Links doesn't refer to a golf course, but is here used in its original meaning, referring to a rough grassy area between the sea and the land. The word is derived from the Anglo-Saxon word 'hlinc'. Note the seabirds circling above the locomotives. Whilst I was waiting I was persistently dive bombed by a pair of Oyster Catchers, who obviously had a nest nearby.

37416 & 37427 approach Alness on 23 May 1999 with the Regency Railcruises 1Z37 Wick to Inverness 'Cock o' the North' railtour. The Cromarty Firth can be seen in the background, which is now dominated by the North Sea oil rig platform construction site at Invergordon.

37416 & 37427 pass Muir of Ord on 23 May 1999 with the Regency Railcruises 1Z37 Wick to Inverness 'Cock o' the North' railtour. Note the manicured greens of Muir of Ord Golf Course in the foreground on the left, and behind the locomotives. The fact that the course is bisected by the railway presumably adds a whole new set of hazards for the players!

37405 arrives at Bridge of Orchy station on 6 April 1998 with the 7Y45 08:43 Coatbridge to Corpach empty flats. These were the empties for the daily 7D54 11:54 Fort William to Coatbridge aluminium ingots, a traffic which sadly no longer travels by rail.

B802 (51521, 59550 & 51449) calls at Kemble station on 1 December 1979 with the late running 2B19 11:10 Worcester Shrub Hill to Swindon service. I have very pictures of DMUs in this short lived mostly white livery. Coincidentally, one of the others also happens to be at Kemble.

47844 Derby & Derbyshire Chamber of Commerce & Industry crosses the River Avon on 26 June 1995 with the 1V65 16:43 York to Bristol Temple Meads InterCity service. It may be 20:05, but just a few days away from the longest day, and on a cloudless day, there is still plenty of light.

800016 accelerates away from Moreton-in-Marsh on 2 May 2018 with the 1P42 17:26 Worcester Foregate Street to Paddington GWR service. Despite the fact that the field behind the train is obviously very boggy, how long will it be before developers cover it with even more housing estates, like the one in the background?

800030 approaches Moreton-in-Marsh on 2 May 2018 with the 1W33 16:22 Paddington to Great Malvern GWR service. This is the recently cleared view from Dunstall Bridge, which except for the awkwardly placed sign, is now just as good photographically as it was thirty years ago.

43078 approaches Moreton-in-Marsh on 2 May 2018 with the late running 1W02 17:22 Paddington to Hereford GWR service. This is the same mixed blue and green set that I photographed the previous day, on that occasion from the other end, with 43087 leading.

Viewed from the recently rebuilt Dunstall Bridge, just to the south of Moreton-in-Marsh, 165109 heads north along the Cotswold Line in fine evening light on 2 May 2018 with the 1W36 17:52 Paddington to Worcester Shrub Hill GWR service.

66543 approaches Moreton-in-Marsh on 2 May 2018 with the 6X04 14:00 Fairwater Yard to Honeybourne North Junction, conveying seventeen IFA wagons loaded with sleepers and several track machines, with 66536 bringing up the rear. This was the second of two trains running during this week in connection with track relaying on the Long Marston branch. As this was just 45 minutes before sunset, there were very few locations on the Cotswold Line that would be free of shadows, and indeed I had to change to a longer lens as shadows from trees one field away from the line were already beginning to intrude. This is also an ideal location to photograph a lengthy train such as this, and therefore I was surprised that no other photographers turned up.

66536 brings up the rear of the 6X04 14:00 Fairwater Yard to Honeybourne North Junction PW train, as it approaches Moreton-in-Marsh on 2 May 2018. This was one occasion where a zoom lens might have been useful, but even so I easily managed to change prime lenses from a 100mm to a 60mm while the train was passing under the bridge, after photographing 66543 leading the train. If I had got up earlier the previous day, I could have got a picture of this train heading south at this location, presumably in weak early morning sunshine. However, as it was booked to pass 05:27 (before sunrise!) I didn't bother. In the event it passed nearly an hour late. Never mind, you can't win them all!

165118 arrives at Ascott-under-Wychwood on 1 May 2018 with the only up train of the day to call at the station - the 2E92 06:53 Worcester Foregate Street to Didcot Parkway GWR service. It is passing the 135 year old Great Western Railway signal box, which controls not only the level crossing in the foreground, but also via CCTV, the one at Bruern, two miles to the north.

Blue, green, blue, green, blue, blue, blue, green, blue, blue! GWR are obviously no longer making any attempt to keep their new green liveried coaches in complete rakes. In crisp early morning light on 1 May 2018, 43087 11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Regiment Royal Logistic Corps passes Chilson with the 1P18 06:42 Hereford to Paddington service.

Freight traffic on the southern end of the Cotswold Line is virtually non-existent, and although this is an infrastructure train, rather than a revenue earning working, it is still out of the ordinary. 66543 passes Stonesfield on 30 April 2018 with the 6X04 14:00 Fairwater Yard to Honeybourne North Junction, conveying materials for the much needed relaying of the Long Marston branch. Fourteen IFA wagons loaded with sleepers are followed by a selection of track machines. 66526 is bringing up the rear. Note the various coloured stanchions on the sleeper wagons. I deliberately chose this location, as recent tree clearance has opened up a lengthy vista, sufficient for an unobstructed view of this long train. Hiding in the trees in the background is the lofty bridge carrying the Stonesfield to North Leigh road.

D6515 (33012) Lt Jenny Lewis RN passes Greatmoor on 29 April 2018 with the London Transport Museum 1Z33 10:22 Harrow-on-the-Hill to Quainton Road (via Calvert) 'Class 20 Metropolitan' Railtour. 20227 & 20142 are on the rear. This location is approximately half way between Quainton Road and Calvert, and reached by a long and exceedingly muddy bridleway.

20227 & 20142 Sir John Betjeman pass Greatmoor (between Calvert and Quainton Road) on 29 April 2018 with the London Transport Museum 1Z33 10:22 Harrow-on-the-Hill to Quainton Road 'Class 20 Metropolitan' Railtour. Class 33 D6515 is bringing up the rear. Although this looks like a very rural location, and indeed can only be reached by a long walk, just off to the left of the picture is a huge new waste burning electricity generating facility.

D6515 (33012) Lt Jenny Lewis RN brings up the rear of the London Transport Museum 1Z33 10:22 Harrow-on-the-Hill to Quainton Road (via Calvert) 'Class 20 Metropolitan' Railtour at Greatmoor on 29 April 2018. 20227 & 20142 are at the front of the train. The train is just approaching the site of Grendon Underwood Junction, where the line to Ashendon Junction on the Chiltern Line diverged to the right. This was latterly cut back to the UKF fertiliser depot at Akeman Street. The line closed in in the early 1990s, and the trackbed has now been converted into a road to access a new waste disposal plant.

20227 was named Sherlock Holmes at the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre's Quainton Road station on 29 April 2018. It is seen here along with 20142 Sir John Betjeman just a few minutes later, as it passes the site of Waddesdon Manor station with the London Transport Museum 1Z20 15:05 Quainton Road to West Ruislip 'Class 20 Metropolitan' Railtour. Class 33 D6515 is on the rear.

A pair of thoroughbred 100 mph locos of markedly different design, seen here working at a quarter of their maximum speed. 402 & D9016 Gordon Highlander pass the caravans at Goodrington on 21 June 1992 with the 15:20 Paignton to Kingswear service, during the Paignton & Dartmouth Railway's Diesel Gala.