If it wasn't for the yellow front end, you would almost think that this was a monochrome photograph, such is the drabness of the surroundings and the weather! 304012 heads north at Slade Heath on 10 March 1984 with the 09:35 Birmingham New Street to Stafford local service. Although I prefer to take pictures in full sunshine, I believe it is important to take a few in less than ideal conditions to give a sense of variety. In any case, I have very few pictures of Class 304s and as they were all withdrawn by 1996 and scrapped by 2000, I am not likely to get any more!

The LNER designed Class 306 units were introduced in 1949 for London suburban services and originally used the 1500V DC system, being converted to 25kV AC operation in the early 1960s. The class was withdrawn in the 1980s, with one unit escaping the cutter's torch. In an approximation of the original green livery, preserved 306017 (with DMSO E65217 leading) rounds the sharp curve from Witham station on the Braintree branch with the 13:28 Witham to Braintree service on 4 October 1998. The use of this vintage train on this particular Sunday was to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Braintree line which was constructed by the Eastern Counties Railway.

The Class 309 'Clacton' units spent most of their life in Essex, hence their nickname, but at the end of the class's career some of the units moved north and ended their days working for Regional Railways North West. On 10 June 1994, shortly after their relocation, 309624 arrives at Holme Chapel with the 17:16 Manchester Piccadilly to Crewe service. The Network SouthEast livery is hardly appropriate for the Manchester area, and even though the units only had a limited life left, they were soon repainted into more fitting colours.

312793 arrives at Wrabness with the 10:13 Manningtree to Harwich Town Network SouthEast service on 26 August 1991. This class of EMU was introduced in 1975 and was the last to be built with slam doors and consequently they were replaced by more modern units before their intended design life was up. The entire class (49 units) was withdrawn by 2003 and virtually all vehicles were scrapped the following year.

317343 leads the 07:22 Peterborough to Kings Cross service past Abbots Ripton on 16 August 1988. The Class 317s were the first class of 25kV units built using the Mk3 bodyshell, and were originally introduced onto the St Pancras to Bedford route, displacing the Class 127 diesel hydraulic units. However, the 317s didn't stay there long, and soon took up duties on the ECML.

321424 speeds through Cheddington station with the 13:36 Birmingham New Street to Euston Network SouthEast service on 28 April 1990. As this is not a stopping service, and was traveling at its top speed of 100 mph, this was taken at 1/2000sec on my battered old 1970s vintage totally mechanical Canon F1.

321425 arrives at Hemel Hempstead with the 12:49 Northampton to Euston Network SouthEast service on 2 September 1990. Then only a few months old, the 321s were introduced on these outer suburban services to replace the older Class 310 & 317 units. The P suffix to the number at this end of the unit indicates that this DTSO vehicle contains a small parcels area that can be locked off by an internal sliding door. The DTCO vehicle at the other end of the unit does not have this feature.

With Church Lawford church visible in the background, 321435 heads east with the 08:33 Birmingham New Street to Northampton London Midland service on 20 April 2009. Church Lawford is quite a good photographic location, considering it is on an overhead electrified line. Various different viewpoints are possible for eastbound trains from a field close to the A428.

Ironically consecutively numbered with the train running exactly an hour before, 321436 passes Church Lawford on 20 April 2009 with the 09:33 Birmingham New Street to Northampton London Midland service. Note that all branding has been removed from this former Silverlink unit. Such is the pace of change with some franchises that the liveries don't always reflect the current operator!

323218 slows down for the stop at Berkswell, whilst working the 16:34 Coventry to Wolverhampton Regional Railways service on 25 April 1996. This used to be one of the more readily available vantage points on the electrified lines in the Midlands. Easily accessible, as it just involved looking over the station car park fence! The view is still possible, but with more vegetation in the way.

325008 Peter Howarth CBE leads classmates 325014 & 325013 past Barby Nortoft on 21 April 2010 with the 1S96 16:26 Willesden to Shieldmuir postal service. Thankfully after the demise of mail trains on the national network in 2004, the Class 325s only had to bide their time before another operator stepped in and reinstated a limited service, in this case First GBRf.

350104 & 350114 pass Church Lawford on 20 April 2009 with the 09:53 Birmingham New Street to Euston London Midland service. These dual voltage units are gradually replacing Class 321s on services to the Midlands.

In its rather plain livery, devoid of all branding, 350109 passes Watford (on the Northampton loop line) on 21 September 2006 with the 14:48 Birmingham New Street to Northampton Central Trains service. Gradually with the acquisition of these units by London Midland the following year, a more distinctive livery was applied.

350232 & 350237 pass Wootton Green on 20 April 2009 with the 14:54 Euston to Birmingham New Street London Midland service. I was standing on the stump of recently pollarded ash tree to take this picture, which added a bit of useful height. Otherwise at this location the field on the right is considerably lower than the track and therefore useless for photography.

350240 passes Barby Nortoft on 21 April 2010 with the 17:56 Northampton to Birmingham New Street London Midland service. This is a well known photographer's viewpoint, to the extent that there are two carefully crafted holes in the roadside hedge - one for each direction!

365509 & 365520 pass Langford with the 09:15 Peterborough to Kings Cross First Capital Connect service on 12 May 2008. next stop Stevenage. This seems to be a very strange variation of the First corporate livery, with small blurred coloured lines as part of the design. The 'smiley face' front end design originates from when the class was fitted with cab air conditioning.

365517 shows off its happy smiling face as it passes Offord Cluny on 16 August 2007 with the 11:44 Peterborough to Kings Cross First Capital Connect service. This picture is taken from a well used public footpath crossing, which admittedly gives a better view of northbound trains.

390004 speeds past Wootton Green on 20 April 2009 with the 14:45 Wolverhampton to Euston Virgin West Coast service. Note the lorry in the background unloading its cargo at the woodchip factory situated adjacent to the a452 Leamington Spa to Birmingham road. This picture is taken from a very quiet farm occupation bridge.

Catching the evening sun, 390013 passes Wootton Green (near Balsall Common) with the 15:23 Euston to Wolverhampton Virgin West Coast service. Not quite a substitute for the former Class 86 & 87 loco hauled trains, but more photogenic than the majority of units.

In 2006, 390029 was 'decorated' with vinyls to mark the release of the film 'Superman Returns'. In this guise it is pictured passing Watford (near Northampton) with the 14:45 Manchester Piccadilly to Euston Virgin West Coast service on 21 September 2006. I'm not sure whether its an improvement or not, but from a distance it definitely looks like a graffiti attack by vandals!

390047 sweeps round the curve near the site of Banbury Lane level crossing with the 09:15 Manchester Piccadilly to Euston Virgin West Coast service on 22 April 2009. 390047 originally carried the name Virgin Atlantic but was renamed Heaven's Angels on 22 September 2006 as part of a non-stop Glasgow Central to London record speed attempt.