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 L205 was withdrawn two years later and cut up at MC Metal Processing, Glasgow in 1993.

I only managed to get a few pictures of refurbished first generation DMUs in their short lived white with blue stripe livery. Any livery with large areas of white is hardly a practical proposition on railway vehicles, and this livery was soon abandoned in favour of the standard blue and grey coach scheme. In gloomy weather conditions, Class 101 Metro Cammell unit B800 (51515, 59549 & 51445) stands at a deserted Kemble station on 26 August 1979 with the 17:05 Swindon to Cheltenham service.

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.