Several Class 101 twin sets received Network SouthEast livery in the late 1980s. On 4 May 1990, L201 (51212 & 54070) is pictured passing Wolvercote Common with the late running 17:56 Oxford to Banbury service. This is the site of Wolvercote Siding, and the footpath crossing used to be an excellent place to observe northbound trains in the evening. Unfortunately this is another location that is no longer possible, as the footpath has been closed.

Until the mid 1990s this distinctive cottage stood next to the crossing at the south end of Tackley station (between Oxford and Banbury). Although unoccupied it still looks in good order as L202 (54372 & 51225) approaches with the 19:23 Oxford to Banbury Network SouthEast service on 23 July 1990. Sadly it was demolished soon afterwards. L202 has not faired any better, being cut up at Gwent Demolition, Margam in 1994.

L205 (53155 & 51443) is pictured near Charlton-on-Otmoor on the Bicester to Oxford line on 31 March 1990 with the 11:48 Bicester Town to Oxford Network SouthEast service. The tall white structure visible in the background is in connection with the construction of the M40 motorway. The bridge crossing this line would shortly be built just where the track disappears from view. L205 was withdrawn two years later and cut up at MC Metal Processing, Glasgow in 1993.

To emphasise how much passenger growth there has been in the Thames Valley in recent years, here is a view of Radley station on 21 July 1990 with just a solitary Mini parked in the car park! L205 (51443 & 54385) pulls away with the 06:30 Reading to Bicester Town Network SouthEast service. Note the passengers on the up platform awaiting the arrival of the 07:15 Oxford to Paddington service, the first train of the day in that direction, unless you count the one just after midnight!

Network SouthEast liveried L700 (53296, 59128 & 53207) arrives at Waterbeach with the 08:27 Kings Lynn to Cambridge service on 14 September 1991. Waterbeach station has staggered platforms either side of the level crossing. This unit was withdrawn a few months later and quickly scrapped with the set number being reused.

Just ahead of an approaching storm, C811 (51801 & 51519) approaches Purton (between Kemble and Swindon) with the 10:30 Cheltenham to Swindon service on 20 July 1985. This unit was withdrawn in 1989 and cut up at Mayer Newman at Snailwell the following year. In common with a lot of Western Region units it had already lost its intermediate trailer (59548) by the mid 1980s.

B812 (51462, 59530 & 51530) passes Stoke Orchard with the 14:57 Worcester Shrub Hill to Gloucester service on 13 March 1982. Note the plated over square section under the centre windscreen - the site of the former two character route indicator panel. On this unit the destination blind is missing, revealing the three bulbs used for illumination! This location is now spoiled by ubiquitous palisade fencing, which together with much lineside vegetation makes this view impossible now. In the 1980s a young couple could take their son to the lineside to watch the trains go by, with just a simple concrete post and wire fence between them and the line.

C812 (51462, 59530 & 51530) is clearly not going to Chepstow, as it leaves Kemble station on 15 December 1984. It is in fact working the 11:52 Cheltenham to Swindon service. The fine Great Western Railway station survives, but all three vehicles of this DMU have now been recycled into who knows what!

How would you fancy a 128 mile trip in a Class 101 DMU? However, despite Crewe being displayed in the destination blind, this is in fact the 15:40 Cardiff Central to Shrewsbury service, a mere 95 miles of rattling and vibration! Western Region sets C814 (53335, 59123, 53319) & C806 (51808, 51799) pass Ponthir on 4 September 1986. This was before the modern housing development encroached on the scene, although even here the JCB on the left looks ominous.

C821 (51513, 59050, & 51509) arrives at Stonehouse with the 09:30 Cheltenham to Swindon service on 29 October 1983, not that you would know it as the destination blind is missing, revealing three bulbs! This is the former Great Western station at Stonehouse on the Golden Valley line. Originally there was another station on the former LMS line to Gloucester. All three vehicles of set 821 have now been scrapped, 51513 & 59050 at Mayer Newman, Snailwell, and 51509 at Sims Metals, Cardiff.

822 (51495, 59096, & 51510) passes Little Haresfield (near Gloucester) with the 10:30 Cheltenham to Swindon service on 24 April 1986. The blotchy yellow on the front end is not the fault of the early Fujichrome slide (sometimes noted for bizarre colour), but is the result of some inexpert touching up of the paintwork. 822 was split up in 1988 and withdrawn shortly afterwards. 51495 and 59096 were cut up at Mayer Newman, Snailwell, and 51510 ended its days at Vic Berry's, Leicester.

With the spire of St Paul's church dominating the background, L840 (53322, 59117 & 53311) pulls away from Wokingham station on 17 July 1993 with the 18:50 Reading to Gatwick Network SouthEast service. Unfortunately I have few pictures taken on this route, which has had an interesting variety of traction over the years, starting with the Class 206 'Tadpole' DEMUs, which took over from steam in 1965. Class 119s replaced the thumpers in 1980 and were gradually replaced by Class 101s during the late 1980s. Heritage traction finally gave way to Class 165 'Turbos' shortly after this picture was taken.

Network SouthEast liveried L841 (53332 & 53312) is a long way from its former home as it passes the site of Agecroft Junction (near Salford) with the 07:31 Buxton to Soutport service on 10 June 1994 in the company of a more appropriately liveried Regional Railways Class 101 unit. L841 had been ousted from its Thames Valley workings by the introduction of Class 165 Turbo units a couple of years previously. In the mass shuffling of heritage units in the mid 1990s the repainting into new colour schemes took a low priority on what was considered to be stop gap traction.

P872 (53247 & 53646) rattles past Aller with the 12:45 Exmouth to Paignton service on 7 December 1988. An interesting route for a local service, from one seaside resort to a another, requiring a reversal at Exeter St Davids. Laira's P872 was one of the many 'lash up' DMU sets formed in the late 1980s, in this case made up of two entirely different classes. While the lead vehicle here (53247) is a Metro Cammel Class 101, the second vehicle is a BR Class 108! In this form P872 had a comparatively short life, with 53247 being withdrawn in late 1990 and cut up at Meyer Newman at Snailwell, while 53646 soldiered on for a couple more years until eventually being scrapped at Gwent Demolition in May 1992.

With the 1883 built Stracey Arms Drainage Mill prominent in the background, 101653 (51426 & 54358) crosses the flat expanse of Halvergate Marshes with the 15:20 Great Yarmouth to Norwich Regional Railways service on 29 August 1992. 101653 managed to survive into the 21st Century, one of the few 'heritage' units (as they had by then become known!) to do so. At the time this picture was taken the unit was allocated to Cambridge depot, but like the other survivors of the class it migrated to the north west for its final years in traffic.

101656 (54056 & 51230) approaches Mobberley on 20 July 1996 with the 08:23 Chester to Manchester Piccadilly Regional Railways service. 101656 managed to hang into the new Millennium, being withdrawn in November 2001. Strangely, after having run around together for a number of years these two vehicles were sent their separated was for disposal. 54056 being cut up in Rotherham, and 51230 meeting its end in Caerwent.

101678 approaches Great Crakehall on the Wensleydale Railway with the 13:30 Leyburn to Leeming Bar service on 14 May 2005. As can be seen from the different bodyside profile and door configuration, the centre vehicle is in fact a Class 117 vehicle (59509). 51210 is leading, with 53746 at the rear. This unit has subsequently been repainted into the railway's own colour scheme.

101678 (53746 & 51210, running with former Class 117 centre car 59509) emerges from the woods at Great Crakehall on the Wensleydale Railway with the 14:30 Leeming Bar to Redmire service on 14 May 2005. 101678 was one of the final 'heritage' DMU on the national network, finally being withdrawn in December 2003. It has since been repainted into a non authentic dark blue and cream Wensleydale Railway colour scheme, but is seen here in a rather faded Provincial Railways livery.

The weak early morning sun only just starts to burn through the mist as Tyseley set TS403 led by DMCL 50336 approaches Wolvercote Junction on 27 March 1982 with the late running 07:15 Oxford to Great Malvern service. It had just worked in with the 05:15 Worcester Shrub Hill to Oxford train, arriving 20 minutes late, which presumably explains why a Midland 101 set is being used instead of the customary Western Class 117 or 119. Obviously a last minute replacement for a non available unit. Both these services were the first trains in their respective directions over the Cotswold Line at the time. 50336 was renumbered 53336 before eventually being withdrawn in May 1989, and almost immediately being cut up at Vic Berry's, Leicester.

Norwich Crown Point's set 59 (51442 & 54073) approaches Whittlesea station with the 13:50 Cambridge to Peterborough service on 20 May 1991. By this date the majority of passenger trains in East Anglia were operated by Sprinters, with only purely local stopping services such as this continuing to use heritage traction. The signal box in the background has subsequently been repainted into a rather odd mustard and green colour scheme.

54340 leads a lengthy DMU formation at speed (well, 75mph!) past the Great Northern Railway somersault signal (long since removed) at Havenhouse on 14 June 1986. It is working the 12:40 Skegness to Derby Saturdays only service, which was a real express service, stopping only at Boston and Nottingham. 54340 was withdrawn in April 1991 and cut up almost immediately.