37425 passes Troedrhiwfuwch on 16 April 2005 with the 2R30 13:59 Cardiff Central to Rhymney service. The village of Troedrhiwfuwch (between Tirphill and Pontlottyn) was almost completely abandoned in the 1980s, due to fears that the mountain behind the village was moving. Fearing another Aberfan, all the residents were moved out, and all but two houses were demolished.

37038 & 37197 pass Alstone (on the edge of Cheltenham) in miserable light on 16 March 2002 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z37 05:40 Sheffield to Onllwyn 'Valley Voyager' railtour. The former Midland Railway goods shed in the background was demolished the following year.

L411 (51346, 59498 & 51388) approaches Oxford on 18 July 1990 with the 2C66 17:35 Reading to Bicester Town Network SouthEast service. The industrial estate in the background occupies the site of the former Great Western Railway goods yard. The large goods shed was demolished in 1983, but a few sidings survived a little longer.

56113 approaches Whitacre Junction on 8 September 1996 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z56 08:38 Bristol Temple Meads to Felixstowe 'Great Eastern Grid' railtour. There was a worrying few moments here, as something almost as interesting was approaching from the opposite direction.

47793 Saint Augustine drags 90005 past Whitacre Junction on 8 September 1996 with the 1G21 09:45 Euston to Wolverhampton service, which it was assisting between Nuneaton and Birmingham New Street. Passing by in the opposite direction is 56113 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z56 08:38 Bristol Temple Meads to Felixstowe 'Great Eastern Grid' railtour.

D172 Ixion passes Summerseat on 11 July 1998 with the 14:40 Bury to Rawtenstall service, during the East Lancashire Railway's Diesel Gala. At this time Ixion was a common sight n the mainline, as well as preserved lines, having beaten the infamous BR diesel ban four years earlier.

Only a light engine pair, but Class 20s were always worth a picture. 20151 & 20210 pass through Water Orton station on 17 March 1989. Both these locos were withdrawn in 1993. 20210 was broken up later the same year, but 20151 survived until 1995.

Shortly after leaving Oxford station, 47465 passes Hinksey Yard on 3 March 1984 with the 1O15 09:20 Manchester Piccadilly to Poole service. The light grey mud behind the rusty fence is contaminated spoil on the site of Oxford's gas works.

47482 passes Hinksey Yard in failing light on 3 March 1984 with the 1A40 15:15 Paddington to Oxford service. In the 1980s it was still possible to take pictures here in the late afternoon, but tree growth in the last few decades has now caused problems with shadows.

60054 Charles Babbage passes New Barnetby on 27 July 1996 with the 6K22 09:30 Santon to Immingham iron ore empties. With a constant procession of Class 56s & 60s on freights, this location along with the bridge at Melton Ross in the background, were never short of photographers in the 1990s!

142016 leaves Goole on 19 June 1999 with the late running 13:49 Hull to Sheffield Arriva Trains Northern service. Note the temporary replacement for a defective headlamp. In the background 60025 waits to move into the up goods loop with the stock off the Pathfinder Tours 1Z90 05:49 Bristol Temple Meads to Goole 'Spinning Spectre' railtour, but only after the passage of the 14:28 Goole to Doncaster Pacer, which can be seen in the distance.

A hybrid Pacer leaves Goole on 19 June 1999 with the 15:28 Arriva Trains Northern service to Doncaster. Northern Spirit liveried 55762 (from unit 142066) is paired with Regional Railways 55724 (from unit 152074). In the background 60025 stands in the up goods loop with the stock off the Pathfinder Tours 'Spinning Spectre' railtour, which had arrived a little earlier as the 1Z90 05:49 Bristol Temple Meads to Goole, and would later leave as the 1Z91 15:50 Goole to Bristol Temple Meads.

Still sporting its pseudo Great Western livery, from its abortive time in the West Country, 142017 approaches Tapton Junction on 11 September 1990 with an unidentified southbound working. The Sheffield destination blind is clearly wrong, as that is in the direction it has come from! Chesterfield's then brand new Sainsbury's supermarket is on the right.

58010 runs alongside the M40 motorway at Rowington on 28 July 1992 with the 6E53 16:05 Didcot Power Station to Worksop MGR empties. The newly planted trees visible near the fence have now grown to form a green barrier between the railway and the road.

L415 (51351, 59503 & 51393) passes the site of Chipping Campden station on 2 June 1984 with the 2A75 18:45 Hereford to Paddington service. Anyone contemplating the full journey could knock nearly an hour off the trip by changing into a faster train at Oxford, otherwise the journey took 4 hours 34 minutes! The flat grassy area on the left is the site of the formerly rail connected Chipping Campden Gas Works.

Yorkshire Engine Company 0-6-0 396 rests between duties at Cooper's Metals, Highworth Junction, Swindon, on 25 June 1996. The loco, which was formerly based at GKN in Cardiff, was on hire to Cooper's at the time. Built in 1959 with works No.2761, it formerly carried the name Lemanis. The rusty patch above the front two side grilles shows where the nameplate was attached. Neither the Volkswagen or Suzuki pickups in the foreground have survived. More surprisingly, the classic Vespa scooter is also no longer on the road

158844 passes Sileby on 18 August 1992 with the 11:47 Skegness to Leicester Regional Railways service. The British Gypsum plant at Barrow-upon-Soar, which can be seen in the background, had only just opened when this picture was taken.

153311 John Constable passes over Station Road level crossing, as it approaches Haughley Junction on 25 July 1996 with the 18:07 Ipswich to Peterborough Regional Railways service. In a few yards it will diverge to the left, taking the line towards Bury St Edmunds. The line heading straight on leads to Norwich. The building on the left is the former Haughley station, which closed in 1967.

47052 passes through Pangbourne cutting on 28 April 1993 with the 4S59 12:32 Southampton Maritime to Coatbridge freightliner. The residents of the blocks of flats in the background certainly had a superb view of trains passing through the station. Now of course the view is obstructed by the 25Kv electrification wires and gantries.

37029 passes Norton on 23 July 2000 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z90 07:49 Crewe to Llandrindod Wells 'Heart of Wales Line Excursion'. After encountering a delay in the Birmingham area, the train was now running 95 minutes late, a delay which would unfortunately persist throughout the day. The trees and the Ragwort covered fields in this scene have now been replaced by the newly built Worcestershire Parkway station, making this view no longer possible.

25243 slowly reverses the 6M52 14:44 King's Cross Goods Yard to Tring Cutting empty cement tanks into Pitstone Cement Works (Tring Cutting) on 8 September 1982. This is a very poor picture, not only because of the almost impossible position due to all the 25Kv infrastructure, but also because this is from a film that Kodak messed up in the processing. Kodachrome occasionally suffered from dodgy processing, and on this occasion this one roll of film was returned severely underdeveloped and with a very strong magenta cast, so it has taken a lot of work to get this result. As I have not seen another picture of a train entering the works, I have included it, despite the faults. Also, I have very few pictures of a loco with the headcode wound back to four zeros.

Viewed from high up on Salter's Hill, D8137 passes Hailes on 19 October 2002 with the 11:15 Toddington to Gotherington service, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Autumn Diesel Gala. The road bridge at Hailes seems remarkably free of photographers! Toddington station can be seen in the centre of the picture.

Viewed from high up on Salter's Hill, 37324 Clydebridge passes the chicken farm near Winchcombe on 19 October 2002, as it returns from Gotherington to Toddington, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala.

A rake of IFA point carriers gives a bright yellow foreground to this view of Hinksey Yard on 9 January 2025. In the background 165121 passes by with the late running 2L23 11:04 Oxford to Didcot Parkway GWR service. The two crows sitting on the noise reduction fence are obviously well used to passing trains!

70014 passes Hinksey Yard on 9 January 2025 with the 4O90 06:04 Leeds to Southampton Maritime freightliner, passing the 6M50 12:07 Hinksey to Bescot ballast, which had just moved up to the signal, from the other end of the yard.

47593 Galloway Princess passes Hinksey Yard on 9 January 2025 with the 5Z47 08:34 Crewe to Eastleigh Arlington Locomotive Services Ltd ECS. There was a moment of panic among the assembled photographers, as 802103 was approaching from the opposite direction with the 1W02 11:52 Paddington to Hereford GWR service. Hoping for the best, I fired off a short ten frame per second burst. This picture was within less than a second of being ruined, as two frames later the nose of IET was in the picture!

Running 19 minutes early, 165025 approaches Launton on 9 January 2025 with the 5F97 14:16 Milton Keynes Central to Bicester Village Chiltern Railways route learner. This is one of a series of crew training runs over the reinstated Milton Keynes to Bicester East West line, prior to its reopening. The unit's full itinerary, which runs throughout January is: 5Y90 08:23 Banbury Depot Reception to Oxford, 5F91 09:10 Oxford to Milton Keynes Central, 5F92 10:16 Milton Keynes Central to Bicester Village, 5F93 10:54 Bicester Village to Milton Keynes Central, 5F94 11:39 Milton Keynes Central to Oxford, 5F95 13:11 Oxford to Bicester Village, 5F96 13:27 Bicester Village to Milton Keynes Central, 5F97 14:16 Milton Keynes Central to Bicester Village & 5U98 14:53 Bicester Village to Banbury Depot Reception.

33019 Griffon & 33002 Sea King approach Cullompton on 22 June 1996 with the 1Z33 17:22 Penzance to Birmingham New Street 'Penzance Flyer' railtour. Thus used to be my default location for photographing railtours returning from the West Country, as it was on my way home, and as can be seen here, right next to the M5 motorway.

60073 Cairn Gorm ambles through the impressive rock cutting near Dove Holes Tunnel on 8 February 2003. The loco has just emerged from the 2,984 yard long tunnel. This is on the freight only line from Chinley to Peak Forest.

60029 Ben Nevis passes Uffington on 7 January 2025 with the 6Z52 07:04 Tytherington to Appleford Sidings stone train. After this there should have been a 26 minute wait for the 5Q87 09:20 Eastleigh to Long Marston stock move. Unfortunately that turned out to be a nearly two hour wait in the cold due to late running!

66565 passes Uffington on 7 January 2025 with the 6V53 10:38 Oxford Banbury Road to Stoke Gifford stone empties. The blue sky gives a false impression here, as behind me the clouds were building up from the west.

47727 Caisteal Dhun Eideann / Edinburgh Castle takes South Western Railway EMU 701030 on its second trip to Long Marston! It is pictured passing Uffington on 7 January 2025 with the 5Q87 09:20 Eastleigh to Long Marston, running 93 minutes late, after being held up by a track circuit failure near Micheldever. This late running had improved the light angle, but had increased the possibility of the picture being ruined, as there was masses of dark clouds to the west. 701030 made its first trip to Long Marston on 5 April 2023, returning to Eastleigh on 25 July 2024.

Superb late evening light at Coedkernew on 20 July 2000. 66240 heads west with what is presumably a Llanwern to Cardiff Docks slag train. Apart from a little bit of material visible in the third wagon, it almost looks like an empty train. A well timed picture, capturing one of the sporadic bursts of steam from the industrial buildings in the background.

47582 County of Norfolk passes the site of Ashbury Crossing, near Shrivenham, on 18 March 1989 with an unidentified westbound working. Network SouthEast locos were not common on this line, but an hour later there was another one, as 47573 The London Standard  headed in the opposite direction with another six coach train, the 1A32 09:10 Swansea to Paddington service.

In the early 1990s there were a couple of northbound van trains booked to pass Oxford within a few minutes of each other. The first of these to pass Hinksey Yard on 1 August 1991 was the 1E45 16:30 Swindon to Newcastle Royal Mail vans, hauled by 47479 Track 29. A little later 47488 Rail Riders passed by with the 1S04 14:20 Tonbridge to Edinburgh, also comprising just six vans.

47488 Rail Riders passes Hinksey Yard on 1 August 1991 with the 1S04 14:20 Tonbridge to Edinburgh Royal Mail vans. This was following a few minutes behind the very similar looking 1E45 16:30 Swindon to Newcastle vans, hauled by 47479 Track 29. The booked passing times for these trains at Oxford was 17:21 and 17:39 respectively.

170101 approaches Lakenheath station on 27 November 2006 with the 10:12 Cambridge to Norwich service. At the time these trains were operated by the stupidly named One franchise. The leading vehicle of this hybrid unit is from 170101, and is still in Central Trains colours, while the rear coach is from One liveried 170407. Unfortunately the impressive semaphore signals have now been removed.

158837 heads away from the camera at Llangelynin (between Tywyn and Barmouth) on 20 May 2006 with the 14:33 Birmingham New Street to Pwllheli Arriva Trains Wales service. The ground slopes away abruptly to the left towards Cardigan Bay.

800036 Dr Paul Stephenson OBE passes Bretforton on 3 January 2025 with the 1P24 09:55 Great Malvern to Paddington GWR service. I wonder how much the fuel consumption is increased by the huge difference in aerodynamics when driving with the nose cone open!

37884 Cepheus passes Bretforton on 3 January 2025 with the 5Q42 10:47 Long Marston to Crewe, conveying former Transport for Wales bi-mode unit 769421. Not a brilliant location, but I was more concerned about getting a good picture of the unit, which is a lot rarer on the Cotswold than 37884 Cepheus!

769421 is towed past Bretforton on 3 January 2025 by 37884 Cepheus, running as the 5Q42 10:47 Long Marston to Crewe. This failed design of bi-mode unit resulted from the idiotic idea of slinging diesel generators sets underneath 30 year old EMUs. Overheating, chronic unreliability and poor performance blighted the units that actually made it into traffic.

West Midlands Railway's 196102 passes the former crossing keeper's cottage at Clayfield Road, Bretforton, on 3 January 2025, heading for modification work at Long Marston. This was running as the 5Q94 09:41 Tyseley to Long Marston.

Running 70 minutes late, 47727 Caisteal Dhun Eideann / Edinburgh Castle passes Bretforton on 3 January 2025 with the 5Q87 12:34 Long Marston to Reading West Junction (for onward movement to Wimbledon), conveying South Western Railway EMU 701013. This unit has been at Long Marston since 16 May 2023, when it was brought in by the same locomotive.

165026 passes Charlton-on-Otmoor on 2 January 2025 with the 1Y25 09:04 Oxford to Marylebone Chiltern Railways service. Islip church can just be seen in the distance. A decade after this line was totally rebuilt, and this location is amazingly still completely free of lineside vegetation.

With a toot from the driver, 165035 & 165006 pass Charlton-on-Otmoor on 2 January 2025 with the 1T14 08:11 Marylebone to Oxford Chiltern Railways service. The first day of 2025 was dull with continuous rain in the Oxford area, but the second day was cloudless from dawn to dusk.

Perfect winter light at Charlton-on-Otmoor on 2 January 2025. 165005 & 165018 pass Holts Farm with the 1T17 09:06 Marylebone to Oxford Chiltern Railways service. This photo is taken from the new farm access road, which replaces a former level crossing, which was situated by the fences in the background.

68010 Oxford Flyer passes over the yet to be reopened Bicester to Bletchley line near Bicester South Junction on 2 January 2025, as it slows for the approach to Bicester North station with the 1R21 10:02 Marylebone to Birmingham Moor Street Chiltern Railways service. The footpath burrows underneath the railway, connecting Bicester with the nearby village of Launton.

Running as the 0V71 08:53 Derby RTC to Bicester MoD light engine, 37608 Andromeda crosses over the soon to be reopened Bicester to Bletchley line on 2 January 2025. A few hundred yards further on it would reverse at Bicester South Junction, and head for the army depot via Gavray Junction.

Having just reversed at Bicester South Junction, 37608 Andromeda traverses the line between Bicester South Junction at Gavray Junction on 2 January 2025, running as the 0V71 08:53 Derby RTC to Bicester MoD light engine. The line here is fully bi-directionally signaled, so this is not really a 'wrong line' move.

Recycled vegetable oil powered 68014 provides the power on the rear of the 1H41 11:45 Birmingham Moor Street to Marylebone Chiltern Railways service, as it accelerates away from Bicester North station, and approaches Bicester South Junction on 2 January 2025.

165017 & 165012 negotiate the sharply curved and steeply descending chord between Bicester South Junction (in the distance on the extreme right of the picture) and Gavray Junction on a perfectly sunny 2 January 2025. The train is the 1T33 13:06 Marylebone to Oxford Chiltern Railways service. The huge DHL warehouse dominates the background. Just visible in the field, a deer carries on eating the grass, and takes no notice of the train.

57603 Tintagel Castle leaves South Marston Euro Terminal on 30 December 2024 with the 3Z51 09:46 South Marston Euro Terminal to Reading Traincare Depot GWR sleeper ECS. The stock had been stored in the secure compound over the Christmas period. It was a good job that I had arrived in plenty of time, as this left 43 minutes early. It arrived at Reading at more or less its departure time from South Marston!

After a brief stop by the compound gates in the background, 57603 Tintagel Castle gets underway from South Marston Euro Terminal on 30 December 2024 with the early running 3Z51 09:46 South Marston Euro Terminal to Reading Traincare Depot GWR sleeper ECS. 57605 Totnes Castle can just be seen bringing up the rear of the train.

57605 Totnes Castle brings up the rear of the early running 3Z51 09:46 South Marston Euro Terminal to Reading Traincare Depot GWR sleeper ECS, as it leaves South Marston Euro Terminal on 30 December 2024. Hidden by the bushes, leading loco 57603 Tintagel Castle is just about to join the Great Western Mainline, the overhead wires of which can be seen in the background.

66030 passes through Barnetby station on 31 December 2001 with the 6Z89 11:48 Immingham to Clitheroe coal in MEA wagons. Just a few of Barnetby's famous and sadly missed semaphore signals are visible in this view, these being controlled from Barnetby East Signal Box, which can be seen in the background.

60091 An Teallach heads north at Sileby on 18 August 1992 with a loaded MGR. Sileby station was formerly situated towards the rear of this train, but was closed and demolished in 1968. A replacement was opened on the same site on 27 May 1994.

43021 passes Bourton on 13 November 2004 with the 1A22 07:40 Bristol Temple Meads to Paddington First Great Western service. Compared with the later plain blue colour scheme, I have got very few pictures of HSTs in this earlier livery.

The Great Central Railway's resident Class 10, D4067 Margaret Ethel - Thomas Alfred Naylor, engages in a spot of shunting at Swithand Sidings on 24 September 2001. 146 Class 10s were produced between 1955 and 1962, differing from the much more ubiquitous Class 08 only by having a Blackstone engine, rather than an English Electric one.

A close up view of 66208, as it passes Baulking light engine on 27 August 2001. This loco, along with most its classmates in the 66201 to 66250 number range, was later exported to France. With DB Cargo's shrinking UK workload, it is unlikely to return.

Loaded and empty coal trains at Stenson Junction on 11 September 1990. 56006 heads south with a loaded MGR, while 58019 Shirebrook Colliery waits at a red signal with empties from nearby Willington Power Station. The day had started with some weak sunshine, but by this time in the afternoon it had unfortunately become very dull and misty.

47573 The London Standard heads south light engine past Kings Sutton on 17 March 1990. This view shows just how open the location was in the 1990s, with just a low post and wire fence separating the track from the completely accessible former goods yard.

Class 423 4-VEP 3536 and an unidentified classmate accelerate away from Mortlake station (just visible in the background) on 24 February 2001 with the 12:48 Waterloo to Waterloo (via Kingston) South West Trains service.

47376 & 47105 accelerate away from Winchcombe on 26 October 2003 with the 12:20 Cheltenham Racecourse to Toddington service, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala. 47376 had arrived at the railway a few months earlier, to join 47105, which had been resident since 1994.

37893 & 37890 pass Dragonby in failing light on 8 November 2003 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z27 06:26 Bristol Temple Meads to Roxby Gullet 'Roxby Renegade' railtour. Out of sight on the rear of the train is 60022. This location may look a little overgrown, but it is nothing compared with the complete jungle that blocks the view in both directions now!

47426 passes Berkswell on 28 September 1986 with the 1M34 06:50 Brighton to Manchester Piccadilly service, which it would work as far as Birmingham New Street. Berkswell station is actually in the village of Balsall Common. Berkswell is nearly a mile away, to the north.

47426 Dibatag passes South Moreton on 15 August 1991 with the 1F40 16:20 Paddington to Oxford Network SouthEast service. The train would shortly cross over from the down main to the down relief line, before turning right at Didcot.

37903 approaches Gaer Junction on 11 September 1997. This is the only picture that I took at this location, which is now impossible to repeat, as the whole scene is dominated by a forest of electrification masts and wires. It is the view from the B4237 Duffryn to Newport road, looking towards Gaer Junction and Hillfield Tunnel.

66016 runs alongside the Kennet & Avon Canal at Crofton on 17 February 2001 with the 6W55 Westbury to Didcot Foxhall Junction engineer's train. Crofton Lock No.62 can be seen in the background. This is one of nine closely spaced locks in the area.

66057 heads north at Cossington on 11 May 2001 with empty Redland stone hoppers, destined for nearby Mountsorrel. The 18:43 Nottingham to Leicester Midland Mainline Class 170 DMU heads in the opposite direction. Lineside vegetation now prevents a picture from being taken from quite this far to the side.

47744 The Cornish Experience passes Pilning on 7 March 1998, as it descends towards the Severn Tunnel with the Hertfordshire Railtours 1Z27 07:30 Paddington to Llandrindod Wells 'Heart of Wales' railtour. The headboard (which was carried on a number of tours around this time) reads: 'Hertfordshire Rail Tours Merrymaker Rail Charter Partnership'.

Prior to electrification, there used to be an uninterrupted view from the north side of the line at Circourt Bridge, Denchworth, on summer evenings. With the recently reconstructed Denchworth Road Bridge in the background, and the newly installed relief lines freshly ballasted, 43017 heads west on 28 June 1994 with the 1B56 18:03 Paddington to Cheltenham Spa service.

25313 & 26004 arrive at Carrog station on 18 April 1998 with the 10:00 train from Llangollen, during the Llangollen Railway's Diesel Gala. Note the absence of any nearby houses. The village of Carrog is on the other side of the River Dee, and the station is actually nearer to the small village of Llidiart y Parc.

800005 Aneurin Bevan NHS 1948-2023 passes Lyneham on 14 December 2024 with the 1W25 12:53 Paddington to Worcester Foregate Street GWR service. This is a particularly good location for winter photograph, as there is nothing to shade the train, and the bright red branches of the willow trees on the left add a splash of colour.

57601 Windsor Castle passes Lyneham on 14 December 2024 with the Northern Belle 1Z25 11:15 Bristol Temple Meads to Oxford (via Worcester) 'Christmas Lunch' charter. 57315 is hiding behind the bright red branches of the willow trees, as it brings up the rear of the train. I was very lucky to get this in such superb light, as the large bank of clouds in the background was also creeping ever nearer the sun, and I felt sure that the light was going to die at any minute. Somehow the light managed to hang on for the train, and even a few minutes after, but I'm glad that the it was running seven minutes early, as the light had definitely gone at the booked time. This is my first picture of this annual festive train in sun, after three years of trying!

47621 Royal County of Berkshire emerges from Harbury Tunnel on 10 May 1989 with the 1M12 12:40 Paddington to Birmingham New Street service. Just five minutes later 47653 passed by in the opposite direction with the 1O12 07:50 Glasgow Central to Poole 'Wessex Scot'.

47653 climbs towards Harbury Tunnel on 10 May 1989 with the 1O12 07:50 Glasgow Central to Poole 'Wessex Scot'. Because Network Rail no longer control lineside vegetation, this view is now totally obscured by full grown trees. And they wonder why they have such problems with leaves on the line in the autumn!

58031 passes Wolvercote on 10 July 1987 with the 7V60 14:02 Baddesley Colliery to Didcot Power Station MGR. Photo taken from a long since closed footpath crossing, which linked the village of Upper Wolvercote with Wolvercote Common.

58003 passes Burton Salmon on 12 March 1997 with MGR empties. Terrible light, and a filthy loco, but it seems to be the only time that I photographed this particular locomotive, so this picture is included for completeness.

59205 adds a bit of colour to the dull and misty morning at Compton Beauchamp on 12 December 2024, as it heads east along the Great Western Mainline with the diverted 7A40 08:45 Merehead Quarry to Hanwell Bridge Loop stone train. The train's normal route via the Berks & Hants line was closed for engineering works.

60055 Thomas Barnardo passes Compton Beauchamp in miserable conditions on 12 December 2024 with the 6Z52 07:34 Tytherington to Quainton Railhead stone train. I chose this location because of the lack of masts on this side of the line.

Rail Adventure's 43480 has two classmates in tow, as it passes Compton Beauchamp in very dull and misty conditions on 12 December 2024 with the 5Q44 07:05 Laira to Wymondham Mid Norfolk Railway Siding stock move. The train is made up of off lease and debranded former GWR power cars 43162 & 43160, along with the Caledonian Sleeper Mk3 coaches 10563 & 10551. 43468 is bringing up the rear.

802017 passes Whitehill on 10 December 2024 with the 1W15 07:50 Paddington to Great Malvern GWR service. Just to the right of this picture is the North Leigh Roman Villa, one of several villas which were situated in the Evenlode Valley, near to where the Roman road from Cirencester to St Albans (Akeman Street) crossed the river.

Running at 40mph, 37901 Mirrlees Pioneer passes Whitehill (Between Combe and Finstock) in miserable light on 10 December 2024 with the 5Q99 06:27 Wimbledon Park Carriage Sidings Depot to Long Marston stock move, taking South Western Railway EMU 458531 for storage. 37510 Orion is bringing up the rear.

37510 Orion brings up the rear of the 5Q99 06:27 Wimbledon Park Carriage Sidings Depot to Long Marston stock move at Whitehill (between Combe and Finstock) on 10 December 2024. Between the two barrier vehicles is South Western Railway EMU 458531. 37901 Mirrlees Pioneer is at the front of the train.

47105 approaches Circourt Bridge, Denchworth, on 27 October 1982 with the 1A01 08:02 Worcester Shrub Hill to Paddington service. This loco had a 30 year lifespan on the national network, a record that has been exceeded by its second life in preservation!

37709 passes Defford on 11 February 1998 with the 6Z35 Didcot to Long Marston MoD stores. These military trains varied enormously, often with a large number of VGA vans. This one has a particularly interesting and varied load.

37709 slowly approaches the road bridge at Long Marston on 11 February 1998 with the late running 6Z35 Didcot to Long Marston MoD stores. The train had travelling via Cheltenham, and had just run round at Worcester. It would leave a little while later with the return 6Z36 train to Didcot.

37709 leaves Long Marston on 11 February 1998 with the 6Z36 Long Marston to Didcot MoD Stores. The loco had arrived a little earlier with the 6Z35 train from Didcot, which can be seen parked on the track on the left. A very dull day, but definitely worth recording.

60033 Tees Steel Express passes Melton Ross on 26 July 2003 with 6C74 12:18 Scunthorpe to Immingham MGR empties. Like a lot of the Class 60s, this loco had a ridiculously short life, in this case a mere 16 years.

66518 passes Uffington on 6 December 2024 with the 6A16 07:44 Whatley Quarry to Oxford Banbury Road stone train. This was running 19 minutes early, having missed out its booked stop at Swindon. The relatively short train fits nicely in the available clear space.

66598 passes Uffington on 6 December 2024 with the 4L36 08:12 Wentloog to Felixstowe North freightliner. For a change I decided to frame the train between the tree and road sign, risking the possibility of a car or van blocking the view at the critical moment. The flood warning sign refers to the noticeable dip in the road as it goes underneath the railway.

Loram rail grinders DR79301, DR79302, DR79303 & DR79304 pass Uffington on 6 December 2024, running as the 4Q01 09:53 Reading Triangle Sidings to Bristol St Philips Marsh. I had to recompose the picture slightly as it approached, in order to include the whole train, so there is a bit less overhanging oak tree than I had anticipated!

37893 & 37890 pass Immingham East Junction on 8 November 2003 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z27 06:26 Bristol Temple Meads to Roxby Gullet 'Roxby Renegade' railtour. Note the Connex EMU and trio of Class 86s awaiting scrapping in the background.

Humber Oil Refinery and its associated sidings dominate this view of 37893 & 37890, as they pass North Killingholme on 8 November 2003 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z27 06:26 Bristol Temple Meads to Roxby Gullet 'Roxby Renegade' railtour.

66127 passes Ystrad Mynach South Signal Box on 7 June 2003, as it heads down the Rhymney Valley with the Hertfordshire Railtours 1Z33 14:28 Cardiff Central to Finsbury Park 'Thames-Taff' railtour. 66158 is bringing up the rear of the train, which at this point was returning from Cwmbargoed.

66158 brings up the rear of the Hertfordshire Railtours 1Z33 14:28 Cardiff Central to Finsbury Park 'Thames-Taff' railtour at Ystrad Mynach on 7 June 2003. 66127 is hidden among the trees, at the front of the train.

56060 The Cardiff Rod Mill passes Barton-under-Needwood on 23 July 1994 with 6E07 16:38 Coedbach Washery to Immingham coal containers. The train is conveying coal duff (anthracite dust) in former Russells containers loaded on PFA flats. At Immingham the coal would be compressed into briquettes.

Following the King! Having brought the 08:40 Paddington to Cardiff Central 'Red Dragon' railtour from London on 30 January 1994, 47823 S.S. Great Britain was replaced at Didcot by GWR King Class 4-6-0 6024 King Edward I. The 47 then followed the train light engine. It is pictured here heading west at Circourt Bridge, Denchworth.

Sub-zero temperatures at Winwick on 30 December 2000. 156464 passes through the white landscape with the 13:36 Llandudno to Manchester Piccadilly First North Western service. With the light fading, I couldn't resist stopping off here for a picture, whilst travelling from North Wales to Yorkshire.

47664 approaches Water Orton on 17 March 1989 with the 1E30 09:24 Bristol Temple Meads to Darlington service. Long distance six coach inter regional trains (with full catering facilities) were quite common at the time. A few months later the loco was renumbered into the 47/8 long range fuel tank series.