45xx 2-6-2T 4566 passes Hailes on 9 April 1995 with the 14:20 Toddington to Far Stanley service. The loco, which was built in 1924, was visiting the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway from the Severn Valley Railway.

43423 & 43467 look startlingly different in their matt blue 'livery' with patches of filler! The former East Midlands Railway pair are pictured passing Bretforton on 15 May 2024, running over an hour early with the 5Q77 15:29 (14:22 actual) Long Marston to Kirkdale Carriage Sidings, conveying MerseyRail EMUs 777045 & 777043. Out of sight at the rear of the train are Rail Adventure HST power cars 43468 & 43480.

68023 passes Clayfield Road Crossing, Bretforton, on 15 May 2024 with the 5Q94 08:58 Longsight to Long Marston, taking another rake of former TransPennine stock for storage. This was running 144 minutes late, after being held at Worcester, waiting for the 5Q77 15:29 Long Marston to Kirkdale Carriage Sidings (which was thankfully running over an hour early).

37417 Highland Region runs alongside the A55 dual carriageway at Penmaenmawr on 9 August 1995 with the 1K63 11:31 Bangor to Crewe service. Unfortunately 37417 has gone the way of most of the road vehicles seen here. It was cut up at Booths, Rotherham, in 2013.

8P 4-6-2 71000 Duke of Gloucester has plenty of steam to spare, as it drifts down the gradient through Harbury cutting on 6 May 1991 with the late running Pathfinder Tours 17:11 Didcot Parkway to Stratford-upon-Avon 'Royal Shakespeare Shuttle' railtour.

Having just left the 1,401 yard long Wickwar Tunnel, 43008 passes Rangeworthy on 13 August 1994 with the 07:09 York to Paignton service. By this date virtually all HST power cars were in this InterCity 'Swallow' livery.

47283 Johnnie Walker passes Engine Common on 5 July 1990 with the 6M29 14:00 Taunton to Bescot Speedlink. It may be a wagonload service, but on this occasion it was effectively a block load, with the IZA twin van, and rake of VGA vans conveying cider from Taunton Cider's factory at Norton Fitzwarren.

66306 SCS Logistics passes Heyford on 11 May 2024 with the 4M16 05:44 Southampton Western Docks to Ditton (O'Connor) intermodal. I knew that at this location the rear of the train would be cut off by bushes, but by a pure fluke I have managed to photograph the whole loaded portion of the train! The eight boxes seen here constitute the entire load, with just a long string of flats behind. The white panel on the side of the loco mentions the Skanska Costain Strabag Joint Venture (SCS) connection with the construction of the HS2 project. The loco failed in the Birmingham area, and had to be rescued by classmate 66731 Captain Tom Moore, which resulted in a delay of over four hours.

Almost ready for the first trains. The brand new A4421 bridge at Launton, pictured on 11 May 2024. The new double track mainline is part of the East West Rail project, linking Oxford with Milton Keynes. This location was formerly a single track normally freight only line, and had become very overgrown, so much so that the slightly more head on view from 2018 is totally unrecognisable!

Two new rail projects in one picture at Calvert. In the foreground the newly realigned road from Calvert passes underneath the reconstructed East West Rail line, while in the background a crane marks the site of the HS2 project, crossing the East West Rail line at angle. When the East West Rail line was a single track freight line, the road in the foreground was a few yards to the right of this picture, and crossed the line by an overbridge. 11 May 2024.

The Perry Hill Overbridge, near Calvert, under construction on 11 May 2024. This bridge on the new HS2 route will carry a minor road over the high speed line. At this point the new line is very close to the course of the former Great Central Railway, which closed in 1966.

Lots of diesel is required to build a so called environmentally friendly electric railway! A pair of excavators stand next to the Perry Hill Overbridge, near Calvert, on 11 May 2024. Admittedly the Volvo in the foreground is a hybrid vehicle, but not so the Caterpillar behind it, or many of the other thousands of items of plant used in the line's construction.

165125 arrives at Heyford station on 11 May 2024 with the 2V27 11:34 Banbury to Didcot Parkway GWR service. It's a little difficult to see from this angle, but the light green foliage at the back of the station platform is the station's name spelled out in neatly clipped topiary.

70016 passes underneath Aynho Flyover on 10 May 2024 with the slightly early running 4O14 06:41 Crewe Basford Hall to Southampton Maritime freightliner. The flyover carries the down Chiltern line over the Oxford to Banbury line.

Castle Class 4-6-0 7029 Clun Castle passes underneath Aynho Flyover on 10 May 2024 with the Vintage Trains 1Z46 08:30 Birmingham Snow Hill to Bristol Temple Meads 'The Great Western Railway' railtour. This was the first day of a two day itinerary. From Bristol it would work the 1Z47 15:47 Bristol Temple Meads to Plymouth, returning the following day with the 1Z48 09:31 Plymouth to Bristol Temple Meads (during which it unfortunately stalled on Hemerdon Bank), 1Z48 15:33 Bristol Temple Meads to Paddington, and 1Z49 18:51 Paddington to Birmingham Snow Hill.

66585 passes South Marston on 9 May 2024 with the 4L36 08:12 Wentloog to Felixstowe North freightliner. On this occasion it was a fully loaded train. This is not always the case, and often the only boxes are at the back of the train.

800026 is the first of the Class 800/0 fleet to have its original green vinyl wrap replaced by a coat of green paint. The 36 members of the 800/0 subclass were easily identifiable from the rest of the 800s and the Class 802s, as their original white livery could be seen around the doors, where the vinyl wrap ended. The difference can be seen here, as the white around the doors of the rear unit (800003 Queen Elizabeth II) can be seen, even at this distance. The train is the 1L12 07:23 Carmarthen to Paddington GWR service, pictured passing South Marston on 9 May 2024.

An hour late and going in the wrong direction! On 9 May 2024 there should have been a 6Q54 10:21 Swindon Transfer to Swindon Transfer (via Reading and Yatton) track machine move. Instead at short notice it turned into the 6Q54 10:00 Reading Triangle Sidings to Swindon Transfer, which confused Realtime Trains totally! Plasser & Theurer 09-2X-D-RT Tamper / Liner DR73121 passes South Marston, running 15 minutes early on the new schedule.

800029 Christopher Dando leaves Oxford station on 9 May 2024 with the 1P33 16:00 GWR service to Paddington. The train is weaving across from the down platform, where it had arrived a little earlier with the 1D28 14:23 Paddington to Oxford service.

800033 Martin Heath leaves Oxford station on 9 May 2024 with the 1P35 17:00 GWR service to Paddington. Note the works compound at the back of the car park. This is in connection with the replacement of the adjacent Botley Road underbridge.

43047 passes through the centre road of Oxford station at high speed on 9 May 2024 with the Locomotive Services Ltd 3Z43 14:51 Crewe to Paddington ECS. This was in connection with the Midland Pullman 1Z43 18:44 Paddington to Bath Spa Railway Industry Association 'Railway Children' charity charter. The headboard reads: '2024 Midland Pullman For Railway Children'. On the left work is underway to add a new track, and a fifth platform to the west side of the station.

In order to move D1015 Western Champion from the Severn Valley Railway to the Swanage Railway for their diesel gala, the loco traversed the Cotswold Line light engine on 8 May 2024, running as the 0Z52 11:10 Kidderminster Severn Valley Railway to Eastleigh Arlington. Due to the ASLEF strike, this was the only train of the day over the Cotswold Line, and with nothing to get in its way it was 33 minutes early when I photographed it approaching the Burleigh Road bridge at Cassington.

Corris Railway 0-4-2ST No.7 arrives at Corris station with empty stock from Maespoeth, prior to working the first passenger train of the day on 6 May 2024. The railway here squeezes between the farm access road on the left, and the church on the right.

Talyllyn Railway 0-4-2T 7 Tom Rolt leaves Quarry Siding on 6 May 2024 with the 11:35 Nant Gwernol to Tywyn Wharf service. A new carriage shed now occupies the site of he old quarry, which formerly supplied ballast for the railway. The rough track leading from the farm occupation crossing in the foreground, descends very steeply to the Tywyn to Abergynolwyn road, which can just be glimpsed on the left.

Talyllyn Railway 0-4-2ST 3 Sir Haydn arrives at Quarry Siding on 6 May 2024 with the 12:20 Tywyn Wharf to Nant Gwernol service. Note the bluebells growing right next the track in the foreground. The 1013 feet high peak of Foel Wyllt dominates the background, with the valley of the Afon Fathew visible through the bushes on the right.

158821 & 158830 pass Dolfach in the rain on 6 May 2024 with the 1I20 13:30 Aberystwyth and Pwllheli to Birmingham International Transport for Wales service. 158821 had worked the train from Pwllheli, with 158830 being added at Machynlleth. 158832 would later be added at Shrewsbury.

158831 & 158841 pass the lineside cottage at Dolfach on 6 May 2024 with the 1J15 12:08 Birmingham International to Aberystwyth and Pwllheli Transport for Wales service. This is approximately halfway between the closed stations of Talerddig and Llanbrynmair.

37668 & 37518 An Gearasdan pass Kennington on 4 May 2024 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z65 05:53 Dorridge to Penzance 'Spring Cornish Explorer' railtour. The West Coast Railways livery is very drab, but the uniform rake of blue and grey stock improves the picture. Unfortunately the forecast sunny morning hadn't materialised, although at least the earlier fog had mostly disappeared!

A rainy day at Culham on 3 May 2024. 165128 calls at the station with the 2L28 11:34 Didcot Parkway to Oxford GWR station. The platform in the foreground is no longer used, as a new platform for up trains has been constructed on the site of a former siding, directly behind where I was stood to take this picture.

D6515 (33012) Lt Jenny Lewis RN passes through Culham station in the rain on 3 May 2024 with the Branch Line Society 1Z32 09:21 Eastleigh to Hinksey Reception Lines 'Return Of The Shedi' railtour. The stock is the London Underground red liveried Class 438 4-TC set 428. After reversing at Hinksey, the train would return 45 minutes later, this time hauled by 66205 & 66114.

66205 & 66114 pass the Brunel designed station building at Culham on 3 May 2024, as they head south with the Branch Line Society 1Z33 12:24 Hinksey Reception Lines to Gloucester 'Return Of The Shedi' railtour. 45 minutes earlier the train had headed north hauled by D6515 (33012) Lt Jenny Lewis RN, which can now be seen on the rear of the train. This picture was within a few seconds of being completely ruined by 802109 heading in the opposite direction with the 1W02 11:52 Paddington to Hereford GWR service.

Class 442 4-WES 2418 accelerates away from Winchester station on 28 June 1991 with the 14:45 Poole to Waterloo Network SouthEast service. This view has altered considerably since this picture was taken. The buildings have been replaced, the station has gained a footbridge, and a radio mast now sits inconveniently near the car park.

A4 4-6-2 60009 Union of South Africa runs parallel with the then relatively new A49 Leominster bypass at Wharton on 28 December 1991, as it heads south with the Flying Scotsman Services Crewe to Newport 'Welsh Marches Express' railtour.

47350 passes Cholsey on 3 July 1991 with the 6E30 17:18 Eastleigh to Haverton Hill Speedlink. As this was during the final week of the Speedlink wagonload freight service, I decided to get a second picture of the train at Culham, as I could easily drive around Didcot while it was stopped in the station.

47350 passes Culham on 3 July 1991 with the 6E30 17:18 Eastleigh to Haverton Hill Speedlink. I had photographed the train a little earlier at Cholsey. With small loads such as this, it was no surprise that the Speedlink service was about to be axed.

A mystery working at Cheltenham on 17 November 1982. 33049 calls at the station with an unidentified northbound train. This does not match up with anything in the working timetable. The loco returned light engine a couple of hours later.

66549 & 59202 Pride of Ferrybridge pass Froxfield on 30 April 2024 with the 7A40 08:40 Merehead Quarry to Hanwell Bridge Loop stone train. The train would spilt at Hanwell into the 7L42 12:43 to Harlow Mill, and the 6O44 12:58 to Purley.

Another load of stone being diesel hauled many miles across country for the so called 'green' HS2 project! 60029 Ben Nevis passes Froxfield on 30 April 2024 with the 6Z51 06:49 Tytherington to Appleford Sidings.

For over three decades 59104 Village of Great Elm and its classmates have been working stone trains over the Berks & Hants line. On 30 April 2024 it is pictured passing Crofton with the 6A18 09:18 Whatley Quarry to Oxford Banbury Road. Just the right location for this short train, although the pile of white bags doesn't improve the picture!

60028 passes the historic Crofton Pumping Station on 30 April 2024 with the 6Z60 10:40 Willesden DC Rail Sidings to Merehead Quarry stone empties. This was running 96 minutes late, after spending over two hours in Kennet Bridge Loop, at Reading, due to a points failure at Southcote Junction. Several GWR trains were diverted away from the Berks & Hants line, and travelled via Swindon. Of course there was no mention of this on the GWR website, which implies that their 'Travel Updates' feature is not telling the whole story!

56038 Western Mail passes Shrivenham on 10 December 1987 with the 6V17 10:00 Allington to Stoke Gifford ARC stone empties. This was a bitterly cold winter day, with plenty of sunshine, although the fog never really cleared from the background.

47201 passes South Moreton (Didcot East) on 11 December 1991 with the 6V16 10:37 Willesden Brent to Morris Cowley RfD service. This was one of the trains that managed to survive the demise of Speedlink, and would later be branded Connectrail. Unfortunately loadings were not always this healthy!

60045 The Permanent Way Institution passes Llangewydd on 16 March 2002 with the 6V05 09:55 Round Oak to Margam steel empties, which was running over two hours early. A tall radio mast now disfigures the background of this view.

60036 Sgurr na Ciche passes Grovesend Colliery Loop (on the freight only line between Morlais Junction and Court Sart Junction) on 2 October 1993 with eastbound steel empties. This Saturday train doesn't seem to match up with anything in the working timetable.

A pair of Transrail liveried Class 60s pass Melton Ross light engine on 11 October 2003. 60066 John Logie Baird & 60082 have obviously been used on Immingham to Santon iron ore trains, and are now heading off for some weekend maintenance.

60046 William Wilberforce catches the late afternoon light, as it heads north at Cossington on 24 February 1992 with Ely to Peak Forest RMC stone empties. Note the missing bridge in the background. Work was underway to replace the bridge deck.

37042 approaches Pontlottyn on 26 June 1999 with the 2R21 12:50 Cardiff Central to Rhymney service. Loco hauled trains were operating to a revised timetable in connection with the inaugural rugby match at the new Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.

47761 calls at Kemble station on 29 August 1994 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z27 09:00 Swindon to Paignton 'Torbay Pullman VSOE' railtour. This attracted a lot of local interest, with some people expecting a steam loco, after hearing it was the Orient Express! The train reversed at Gloucester, allowing another picture to be taken at Standish Junction.

47761 passes Standish Junction on 29 August 1994 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z27 09:00 Swindon to Paignton 'Torbay Pullman VSOE' railtour. I had photographed this an hour earlier at Kemble, since when the train had reversed at Gloucester. This was one of Pathfinder's 'Executive' series of charters, which predominately used Class 47s.

With a toot from the driver, 66848 & 59003 Yeoman Highlander pass Yarnton on 25 April 2024 with the 6M50 07:13 Westbury to Bescot departmental working. 59003 is on long term hire to Colas, and has had its GBRf lettering removed, to be replaced by a Colas logo.

Because its normal route via the Cotswold Line was closed for engineering works, the 1Z23 06:45 Bristol Kingsland Road to Derby RTC Network Rail test train was diverted via the Oxford to Banbury line on 25 April 2025. It is pictured here passing Yarnton, with 43274 leading, and 43357 bringing up the rear.

43357 brings up the rear of the diverted 1Z23 06:45 Bristol Kingsland Road to Derby RTC Network Rail test train at Yarnton on 25 April 2024. 43274 is leading the train, which was diverted due to the closure of the Cotswold Line for engineering works.

450033 & 450020 heads eastwards away from Wokingham on 24 April 2024 with the 2C22 08:39 Reading to Waterloo South Western Railway service, as 455712 & 455909 head in the opposite direction with the 2C15 07:50 Waterloo to Reading train. This is the view from the recently  constructed William Heelas Way bridge. I had intended to photograph the BR blue liveried 455868 here, but when I arrived at the location I discovered that its working to Reading had been cancelled due to a crewing issue. It was then removed from the rest of the day's Reading diagrams!

800008 & 800026 pass Challow on 24 April 2024 with the late running 1L12 07:23 Carmarthen to Paddington GWR service. I was on my way home (via the bridge in the background) when I noticed a few bright patches amid the clouds, so stopped off here for a couple of pictures in some very lucky sun.

60046 William Wilberforce runs onto the up relief line at Challow in some very lucky sunshine on 24 April 2024 with the 6Z51 06:10 Tytherington to Appleford Sidings stone train. The green signal in the background was a bit worrying, as this indicated that the 1C09 10:00 Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads GWR service was only seconds away from completely blotting out this picture!

150246 passes Oxford North Junction on 19 August 1989 with the 2A59 07:10 Worcester Shrub Hill to Oxford Regional Railways service. After the reign of first generation units was over on the Cotswold Line, Class 155s, and then 150s briefly held sway, until Class 165 & 166 Turbo units arrived in 1992.

56038 Western Mail & 37891 take the Westerleigh line at Yate South Junction on 4 August 1991 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z64 17:06 Gloucester to Westerleigh Yard railtour. This was one of a number of specials run in connection with the Gloucester Rail Day. Apologies for the very poor quality of this image. Whilst it would be no problem for today's digital cameras, the failing light on this 1991 summer evening required an exposure of 1/250sec f1.4 on Fujichrome RF50. The bridge abutment on the right is part of the former flying junction, allowing northbound trains on the former Great Western Railway line to access the Midland Railway route without interfering with southbound trains. The former GWR line can be seen directly above the locomotives.

43145 passes Rangeworthy on 5 May 1986 with the 1E30 07:00 Plymouth to Newcastle service. Its amazing just how open this location was in the 1980s. Note the 1960s vintage Massey Ferguson combine harvester in the background, which was probably already out of use when this picture was taken.

A panoramic view of Didcot North Junction, when it was still surrounded by fields. L406 (51383, 59493 & 51341) heads north on 22 June 1989 with the 2C68 16:56 Reading to Oxford Network SouthEast service. It would return an hour later with the 2C69 19:27 Oxford to Reading train.

47623 Vulcan passes Cholsey on 31 January 1987 with the late running 1F24 14:17 Paddington to Oxford Network SouthEast service. With no motor drive to makes things easier, it was important to press the shutter at exactly the right moment in the old days. Clearly I left it a little late here!

Verdant spring greenery at Kemble on 21 April 2024, as 802016 leaves the station with the 2B09 14:01 Cheltenham Spa to Swindon GWR service. This was running 16 minutes late, due to the late running of the unit's previous workings - the 5G04 11:10 North Pole IEP Depot to Swindon ECS, and the 2G04 12:30 Swindon to Cheltenham Spa service.

'Black Five' 4-6-0 44871 passes Kemble on 21 April 2024 with the Railway Touring Company 1Z47 15:28 Gloucester to Paddington 'The Great Britain XVI' railtour. This was the final day of a nine day tour of Britain. It was booked to be double headed, but classmate 45407 The Lancashire Fusilier had been removed from the train with brake issues. Fortunately it was running a couple of minutes early, as shortly after it passed the sun disappeared behind a large cloud!

Exactly one hour after sunrise, the perfect low angled light illuminates 165017 & 165006, as they pass Wendlebury on 20 April 2024 with the 1Y10 06:45 Oxford to Marylebone Chiltern Railways service. The train has just passed underneath the M40 motorway.

165019 & 165024 pass Wendlebury on 20 April 2024 with the 1Y12 07:12 Oxford to Marylebone Chiltern Railways service. The farm access bridge near Charlton-on-Otmoor can be seen in the background, viewed through the M40 motorway bridge.

168106 passes Wendlebury on 20 April 2024 with the 1Y17 07:45 Oxford to Marylebone Chiltern Railways service. You can travel from Oxford to London via two different routes. The main difference being that if you travel by Chiltern your train is much more likely to be on time!

165016 & 165034 approach Wendlebury on 20 April 2024 with the 1Y21 0812 Oxford to Marylebone Chiltern Railways service. The 22¼ milepost is measured from the junction with the West Coast Mainline at Bletchley, although at present the section from Bicester to Bletchley is still being reconstructed as part of the East West Rail project.

70006 has 66952 dead in tow, as it passes Tackley on 20 April 2024 with the 4O27 06:49 Crewe Basford Hall to Southampton Maritime freightliner. I was investigating new locations, and this turned out to be quite a poor one!

47749 City of Truro passes Islip in the rain on 19 April 2024 with the 5Q75 09:21 Eastleigh to Bicester MoD, conveying brand new South Western Railway EMU 701530 for storage. Although a very tentative move has been made to introduce these new units into traffic, this only amounts to a few trains per day, and so there is the ridiculous sight of the recently delivered units being dragged miles away from their intended area of operation by a 60 year old diesel loco!

60046 William Wilberforce passes Woodborough on 18 April 2024 with the 6Z51 06:49 Tytherington to Appleford Sidings stone train. I was extremely lucky with this picture. Not only had a very large cloud just moved away from the sun, but a couple of seconds later 800315 blocked out the view, as it headed west with the late running 1J73 08:38 Paddington to Westbury GWR service.

After waiting in the loop at Woodborough for nine minutes, 66714 Cromer Lifeboat moves off again on 18 April 2024 with the 6Z59 02:35 Tytherington to Appleford Sidings stone train. This is another load of stone for the HS2 project, Appleford temporarily taking over from Quainton as an unloading point.

66616 slowly pulls out of Woodborough loop on 18 April 2024 with the 6A18 09:18 Whatley Quarry to Oxford Banbury Road stone train. Shortly before this a Network Rail worker had spent some considerable time taking pictures and video of the bushes on the left!

66415 You Are Never Alone & 66517 leave Woodborough loop on 18 April 2024 with the late running 6A50 10:26 Whatley Quarry to Hanwell Bridge Loop stone train. The reason for two locos is that the train splits at Hanwell, forming the 6M52 13:42 Hanwell Bridge Loop to Churchyard Sidings, and the 6L52 14:26 Hanwell Bridge Loop to Dagenham Dock.

66118 passes Coedkernew on 20 July 2000 with the 6B53 17:37 Llanwern to Port Talbot Grange Sidings MGR empties. Before the wires went up this used to be an excellent spot for late evening photography in the summer, with nothing to shade the line. A rural location, with a hint of industry on the horizon.

66095 passes Innerdunning (between Perth and Gleneagles) on 4 October 2001 with the 6D46 13:30 Inverness to Mossend Enterprise, conveying eight cement tanks, and, mostly hidden by the bushes, a rake of Safeway containers from Georgemas Junction. I'm not sure why I didn't find a better location, but I was probably running out of time!

A bright red shunter on a two coach train, is definitely something different, even for a diesel gala! D3014 passes Waterside (near Goodrington) on 21 June 1992 with the 17:15 Kingswear to Paignton service, during the Paignton & Dartmouth Railway's Diesel Gala.

After piloting 50029 Renown on the 1F12 08:20 Paddington to Oxford Network SouthEast service on 4 September 1987, 47557 immediately headed back to Old Oak Common, light engine. It is pictured here passing the backs of the houses on Mill Street, as it leaves the station. 1F12 was often used at the time to test locomotives after repairs at Old Oak Common.

Viewed from the end of the station's platform, 47526 passes Cholsey at speed on 16 August 1991 with the 1F83 18:00 Oxford to Paddington Network SouthEast service. The weather beaten loco had just been transferred to Old Oak Common, a move which also entailed the removal of its former Northumbria nameplates, the site of which can clearly be seen on the bodyside.

D1015 Western Champion passes Shorthampton on 14 April 2024, running as the 0Z55 10:20 Kidderminster Severn Valley Railway to Paddington light engine. This was in preparation for the Pathfinder Tours 1Z56 13:52 Paddington to Birmingham New Street 'One Way Wizzo' railtour / loaded test run. As this is a Western, and not a Deltic, wouldn't 0Z52 have been a more appropriate headcode?

Running exactly on time, D1015 Western Champion passes Kings Sutton on 14 April 2024 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z56 13:52 Paddington to Birmingham New Street 'One Way Wizzo' railtour / loaded test run. Unfortunately the sun had disappeared just a few minutes before the train was due. This is a very popular location, but even so I was surprised at the number of photographers that turned up to see this. I was glad that I had arrived early, in order to claim my spot in the huge gallery!

D1015 Western Champion leaves Banbury on 14 April 2024, after its almost hour long photo stop in the station, whilst working the Pathfinder Tours 1Z56 13:52 Paddington to Birmingham New Street 'One Way Wizzo' railtour / loaded test run. Although the weather was now almost totally cloudy, naturally the sun had come out again by the time that I got back home!

'Black Five' 4-6-0s 44871 & 45407 The Lancashire Fusilier pass Minety on 13 April 2024 with the Railway Touring Company 1Z31 10:03 Margate to Cheltenham Spa 'The Great Britain XVI' railtour. This was day one of a mega nine day round Britain trip. Out of sight at the rear is 47812. This was running 15 minutes late, and although the lighting was a lot better than at the booked time, it was a pity that the train wasn't just a few minutes later, as the sun appeared briefly as I was walking back to the car!

47812 brings up the rear of the late running Railway Touring Company 1Z31 10:03 Margate to Cheltenham Spa 'The Great Britain XVI' railtour at Minety on 13 April 2024. LMS 'Black Five' 4-6-0s 44871 & 45407 The Lancashire Fusilier are providing the power at the front of the train. Until this train appeared, I hadn't noticed the very obvious change of gradient in the background.

800008 Alan Turing passes Cornbury Park, as it accelerates away from Charlbury station on 12 April 2024 with the 1P30 13:16 Worcester Shrub Hill to Paddington GWR service. Although now hidden by the encroaching vegetation, the train is negotiating the turnout at the end of the double track section of the Cotswold Line.

47828 passes the site of Purton station on 11 April 2024 with the Statesman Rail 1Z60 05:22 Stafford to Windsor & Eton Riverside 'Royal Windsor Statesman' railtour. 47712 Lady Diana Spencer is bringing up the rear. The 1960 built flat roofed former station building has been sheltering this couple of military vehicles for several years.

47712 Lady Diana Spencer brings up the rear of the Statesman Rail 1Z60 05:22 Stafford to Windsor & Eton Riverside 'Royal Windsor Statesman' railtour, as it passes Purton on 11 April 2024, headed by 47828. Worth recording, despite the dull and damp conditions.

43195 passes Defford on 10 August 1995 with the 1M38 15:50 Exeter St Davids to Sheffield service. The bales and the stubble field in the foreground certainly improve the composition, by adding some colour contrast. The wooded slopes of Bredon Hill dominate the background.

Ginsters liveried 158841 passes Spetchley on 20 September 2003 with the 17:00 Birmingham New Street to Cardiff Central Wales & Borders service, just as the 14:13 Plymouth to York Virgin CrossCountry Voyager heads in the opposite direction.

158777 crosses Coopies Lane level crossing, Morpeth, on 23 July 1999. The unit had just arrived at Morpeth station (the roof of which can just be seen above the Parceline van) with the 09:59 train from Metro Centre. The only reason for it crossing the road is in order to use the nearby reversing siding. Just a few minutes later it would head back the way it came, to form the 10:49 Morpeth to Newcastle service.

Running exactly one hour early, 47130 passes through Oxford station on 4 September 1987 with the 4V16 09:35 Washwood Heath to Morris Cowley cartics. 47130 carried this livery for well over a decade, and this picture shows what a white/light grey roof looks like after all that time!

A foogy day in the Thames Valley on 5 November 1983. 47103 approaches Goring with the 3A21 11:25 Malago Vale to Old Oak Common empty newspaper vans. As was often the case, this train includes some regular passenger stock. The second vehicle is a Mk1 BSK, which is clearly not using its passenger accommodation on this train!

37901 Mirrlees Pioneer passes Oddington on 8 April 2024 with the 5Q75 12:00 Bicester MoD to Lydney Up Goods Loop, conveying former Heathrow Express EMU 360203. 37611 Denise is bringing up the rear. Luckily the 1Y41 12:19 Oxford to Marylebone Chiltern Railways DMU has just managed to get out of the way in time!

37611 Denise brings up the rear of the 5Q75 12:00 Bicester MoD to Lydney Up Goods Loop at Oddington on 8 April 2024. 37901 Mirrlees Pioneer is leading the train, which is taking former Heathrow Express EMU 360203 to the Dean Forest Railway, for onward road movement to Onllwyn.

37901 Mirrlees Pioneer slowly approaches Standish Junction on 8 April 2024 with the 5Q75 12:00 Bicester MoD to Lydney Up Goods Loop, conveying former Heathrow Express EMU 360203. 37611 Denise is bringing up the rear. This was running 17 minutes late, after having to wait at Challow for a late running GWR service.

37611 Denise brings up the rear of the 5Q75 12:00 Bicester MoD to Lydney Up Goods Loop at Standish Junction on 8 April 2024. 37901 Mirrlees Pioneer is leading the train, which comprises former Heathrow Express EMU 360203, sandwiched between two barrier vehicles.

56053 Sir Morgannwg Ganol / County of Mid Glamorgan passes Iver on 22 February 1990 with the 6Z07 14:05 West Drayton to Whatley Quarry ARC stone empties. Iver station can be seen in the background, with the then relatively new concrete M25 motorway bridge just behind.

47828 heads south at Clay Cross on 9 August 1995 with the 1V65 16:43 York to Bristol Temple Meads service. It may only be the relief line, but the track on the left is in serious need of a visit from the weedkilling train!

47818 crosses the River Avon at Eckington on 19 June 1989 with the 1M79 15:30 Plymouth to Liverpool Lime Street service. This location is popular with fishermen, and as can be seen in the background, dog walkers.

With Class 202 S60118 Tunbridge Wells leading, 1001 passes Great Bedwyn on 6 April 2024 with the Hastings Diesels Ltd 1Z14 06:30 Hastings to Exeter Central 'Cogload Climber' railtour. Although it was mainly sunny when I left home, and again when I got back, it was completely cloudy the whole time that I was at the lineside!

Freshly painted 59102 Village of Chantry passes Great Bedwyn on 6 April 2024 with the 6V31 09:04 Wembley Receptions 1-7 to Merehead Quarry stone empties. The loco had been released from Eastleigh Works the previous day, after becoming the first Class 59/1 to receive the orange Freightliner livery. There were no GWR passenger trains running, due to an ASLEF strike, so with nothing in the way, this train had missed out its booked stop in Towney Loop, and was running 47 minutes early here.

With just over a mile of its journey left to go, 60026 Helvellyn passes Carlton on 2 April 2024 with the 6H12 06:24 Tyne Coal Terminal to Drax Power Station biomass. This was running 16 minutes early. It was a good job that it wasn't any earlier, as the sun had only just come out! This is the site of Carlton Towers station, which was opened by the Hull, Barnsley and West Riding Junction Railway in 1885. It was originally called Carlton, but was renamed Carlton Towers in 1922. That clearly didn't increase patronage, as it closed to passengers a decade later. Freight traffic survived until 1959. The impressive station building, seen here on the left, is now a private residence.