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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

20132 & 20118 Saltburn-by-the-Sea pass Uffington on 3 July 2026 with the 5Z61 11:38 Bishops Lydeard to Southall Loco Services Ltd, conveying LNER B1 4-6-0 61306 Mayflower, which was in light steam. Support coach M35333 is bringing up the rear. A pair of Railfreight liveried Class 20s towing a steam loco on the Great Western Mainline was definitely worth photographing, despite the high sun and backlighting.

Mk1 support coach M35333 brings up the rear of the 5Z61 11:38 Bishops Lydeard to Southall Loco Services Ltd at Uffington on 3 July 2026. 20132 & 20118 Saltburn-by-the-Sea are hauling LNER B1 4-6-0 61306 Mayflower. The train is just approaching the footbridge that seems to be almost exclusively used by railway photographers!

66143 passes Uffington on 3 July 2026 with the 6B33 13:52 Theale to Robeston empty oil tanks. A bizarre signalling decision saw this train let out of the loop at Challow right in front of the 1C18 14:30 Paddington to Weston-super-Mare GWR service, which was severely delayed, and then crawled by at slow speed a few minutes later.

Running 24 minutes late, but not quite late enough to get the sun fully on the front, 66005 Maritime Intermodal One passes the site of Ashbury Crossing, Shrivenham, on 2 July 2026 with the 6C03 09:57 Northolt Sidings to Severnside Sita Binliner.

59001 Yeoman Endeavour passes the site of Ashbury Crossing, Shrivenham, on 2 July 2026 with the 6C48 12:50 Appleford to Whatley Quarry stone empties. This was running 14 minutes late, after waiting for the 6B12 11:43 Merehead Quarry to Wootton Bassett stone train to clear the loop at Swindon.

Running an hour late, 66518 passes Yarnton on 2 July 2026 with the 4S59 14:57 Southampton Maritime to Coatbridge freightliner. Despite this very late running, it actually managed to arrive at its Scottish destination 19 minutes ahead of time!

Running 28 minutes early, 66605 Tribute Remembering our Freightliner Colleagues and Friends passes Yarnton on 2 July 2026 with the 6M50 14:02 Machen Quarry to Lawley Street stone train. The lineside bushes are starting to be a problem at this location.

One revenue earning train and one with no passengers. 165024 passes through Islip station on 2 July 2026 with the 5M98 18:32 Bletchley High Level to Oxford route learner, while in the background 165032 & 165020 accelerate away into the distance, having just called at the station with the 1Y74 18:49 Oxford to Marylebone Chiltern Railways service.

Viewed through a very long lens in order to avoid the shadows enveloping the station in the foreground, 66428 Carlisle Eden Mind approaches Islip on 2 July 2026 with the 4V46 18:29 Daventry to Wentloog Tesco liner. In the background is the footbridge near Brookfurlong Farm, and behind that the road overbridge at Oddington.

Catching the last of the evening light, 66139 approaches Islip on 2 July 2026 with the 4O56 19:10 Northampton Gateway to Southampton Maritime intermodal. Unfortunately, as is often the case, there are no boxes near the front of the train.

47425 passes South Moreton on 6 May 1992 with the 1F52 18:08 Paddington to Oxford Network SouthEast service. This was just a couple of months before the end of NSE loco hauled trains out of Paddington, when they were replaced by the then brand new Class 165 Turbo units.

47236 passes South Moreton on 6 May 1992 with the 4O34 11:38 Garston (Speke) to Eastleigh Ford Transit vans. This location, and the farm occupation bridge in the background, used to be my favourite spots for an evening's photography in the Didcot area. Unfortunately all now lost under a sea of 25kV wires.

47492 runs light engine through Severn Tunnel Junction station on 27 August 1998. The disused platform on the left had its track reinstated in 2010, when the trackwork layout was modified prior to electrification. The water tower in the background was removed in 2002.

D9539 stands in Toddington Yard on 7 August 1993. This loco, along with classmates D9537 & D9553 were the mainstay of the diesel fleet in the early days of the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway, but have all since departed to pastures new. D9539 moved to the Ribble Steam Railway in 2005

321415 passes Soulbury on 28 April 1990 with the 12:10 Northampton to Euston Network SouthEast service. The British Rail Engineering Ltd built Class 321/4s had been introduced onto the route the previous year, replacing the earlier Class 317s.

Bagnall 0-6-0ST 2655 Byfield No.2 is prepared for its day's work at Toddington on 10 October 1992. The loco later moved to the Plym Valley Railway, and is currently in a disassembled state. Standing next to it are Class 14s D9553 & D9537, both of which have now also left the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway.

A historic view of Oddington, on the Oxford to Bicester line, when it was a sleepy backwater with just a couple of freight trains per day. Passenger trains had been withdrawn in 1967, and would not be reintroduced until 1987. This 26 April 1984 view shows Oddington level crossing, which was without barriers, and with a 10mph restriction for trains. The former crossing keeper's cottage still survives, but everything else has now changed. The single line of 95lb bullhead rail has been replaced by double track, and the level crossing replaced by a bridge.

170522 passes Up Hatherley on 28 April 2007 with the 07:45 Cardiff Central to Nottingham Central Trains service. Later in the year the Central Trains franchise would pass to CrossCountry, who would then operate these trains for the next two decades.

170104 emerges from the mist at Alstone on 14 April 2007, as it prepares to call at Cheltenham station with the 07:00 Nottingham to Cardiff Central service. The unit is wearing the former Midland Mainline livery, modified with Central Trains branding.

Still wearing Midland Mainline livery, albeit with Central Trains branding, 170104 passes Defford on 10 April 2007 with the 13:00 Nottingham to Cardiff Central service. A lucky sunny shot, with the sun constantly disappearing behind the clouds.

47659 passes Stoke Gifford on 6 May 1989, as it accelerates away from Bristol Parkway station with the 1M56 12:00 Plymouth to Manchester Piccadilly service. With hindsight I should have taken more pictures at this location, and earlier in the day with a better lighting angle! As can be seen, in the 1980s there was hardly any vegetation on the sides of the cutting. Even before the 25kV arrived, the bushes had started to grow, so it looks a bit different now!

In the late 1980s, despite the introduction of the new InterCity and Network SouthEast liveries, there were still plenty of trains with both loco and coaches in BR blue livery. 47557 rounds the curve at Duffryn on 15 August 1987 with the 1M70 07:45 Swansea to Manchester Piccadilly service. The bridge in the background is the B4239 Newport to Cardiff (via St Brides Wentlooge) road.

47558 Mayflower passes Quedgeley on 18 August 1984 with the early running 3A42 09:15 Gloucester to Swindon newspaper empties. Photo taken from a public footpath crossing, on the site of the former Naas Lane level crossing.

A phenomenon of the 1970s and 1980s was the BR organized special excursion, otherwise known as an Adex (Advertised Excursion). 47559 Sir Joshua Reynolds passes Abbotswood on a very dull and misty 17 March 1984 with a Leicester to Plymouth Adex.

800310 passes Stoke Orchard on 27 June 2026 with the early running 3G16 05:23 Bristol Parkway to Great Malvern GWR ECS. There was formerly a station here, which the Midland Railway chose to name Cleeve, despite the village of Bishop's Cleeve being much further away than the village of Stoke Orchard. Cheltenham's tallest building, the 1968 built 15 storey Eagle Tower can be seen in the distance.

37521 & 37667 Flopsie look superb in their new black livery, as they pass Stoke Orchard on 27 June 2026 with the Statesman Rail 1Z51 04:50 Derby to Penzance 'Cornish Riviera & Mazey Day Statesman' railtour. This was a great day for photographing Class 37/5s, as an hour later another pair headed for the same destination.

37669 & 37668 pass Stoke Orchard on 27 June 2026 with the Railway Touring Company 1Z36 06:31 Dorridge to Penzance 'Mazey Day Cornishman' railtour. An hour earlier another pair of Class 37/5s had also passed by en-route to Cornwall. This location doesn't seem to be as well used by photographers as certain other spots in the Cheltenham area, but even so I was surprised to be the only person here on this occasion.

Running 30 minutes late, 165012 & 165034 pass Oddington on 26 June 2026 with the 1T12 16:40 Marylebone to Oxford Chiltern Railways service. I had gone here to photograph the two evening freights, and the Belmond 1Z83 17:52 Victoria to Redhill charter. However, soon after this unit passed a lot of high cloud covered the sun, and as one of the freights and the charter had not left on time, I decided to call it a day. Needless to say as soon as I was back home the sun reappeared and the freights both ran. The charter also ran, but was an hour late, and presumably passed here after the light had gone.

66744 Heart of Wales passes Cholsey on 25 June 2026 with the Belmond 1Z75 05:50 Honeybourne Staff Hut to Victoria 'Britannic Explorer' luxury charter. 66748 St Michael's Mount is bringing up the rear. Normally I would have preferred to photograph this on the Cotswold Line. However, as that would be nearly two earlier, fully lit locations are now hard to find due to Network Rail's failure to manage lineside vegetation.

66729 Derby County passes Cholsey on 25 June 2026 with the 4O46 03:10 Trafford Park to Southampton Western Docks intermodal. This was just 15 minutes after another GBRf Class 66 had passed by with a much more prestigious train. The chimneys of Didcot B's gas fired power station can just be seen behind the locomotive, although they are nothing like as obvious as Didcot A's coal fired power station cooling towers and chimney used to be!

The 6J02 08:52 Newbury Racecourse Civil Engineer's Sidings to Newbury Racecourse Civil Engineer's Sidings (via Swindon) approaches Uffington footbridge on 25 June 2026. Colas Rail Plasser & Theurer 08-4x4/4S-RT Switch & Crossing Tamper DR73936 had actually left Newbury over two hours late. It was delayed even further at Reading, but to make up time it missed out the Reading to Langley section of the route. It was still over two hours late when it passed Didcot, but by the time I photographed it after its reversal at Swindon, it was half an hour early!

Mad railway photographers go out in the midday sun! My first picture of 59001 Yeoman Endeavour actually hauling a train since it was repainted into a variation of it original livery. In 36ºC heat, and with harsh overhead midday lighting, the 6C48 12:50 Appleford to Whatley Quarry stone empties passes Uffington on 25 June 2026, running 19 minutes early. It had left its booked stop at Challow early, due to the following 1B15 12:48 Paddington to Swansea GWR service running late.

66025 passes Newton Longville in lovely soft evening light on 24 June 2026 with the 4O56 19:10 Northampton Gateway to Southampton Maritime intermodal. As there are as yet no passenger services on this line, this was the only picture I got on this occasion. There should have been another freight, the 4V46 18:29 Daventry to Wentloog, but that ran over three hours late, in the dark, and long after I was back home!

170113 passes Stoke Prior on 23 June 2026 with the 1M01 08:45 Cardiff Central to Nottingham CrossCountry service. Dominating the background are the twin masts of the Droitwich transmitting station. The BBC's long wave service has been broadcast from this site since 1934, but was due to end just four days after this picture was taken. The vintage equipment consists of a pair of  Marconi B6042 transmitters, with a combined output of 500kW. Each unit has a pair of now very rare water cooled output valves, operating with an anode voltage of over 10kV!

196103 passes Stoke Prior on 23 June 2026 with the 1M61 09:40 Hereford to Birmingham New Street West Midlands Railway service. The twin 700ft tall masts of Droitwich transmitting station dominate the background. Suspended between the two masts are the aerials for BBC's long wave transmitter, which was due to be permanently switched off on 27 June.