Prototype Sprinter unit, 150001 arrives at Droitwich with the 10:30 Birmingham New Street to Great Malvern service on 27 April 1991. 150001 had entered service in November 1984, heralding a mass DMU replacement programme that would eventually see the replacement (with the odd exception!) of the entire first generation DMU fleet. This process was not as quick as some would have liked, and it was nearly two decades from the emergence of 150001 until the final Class 101 Metro Cammell units were removed from service.

A picture I had been meaning to do for some time is the westbound view from the Bearley Aqueduct on the Stratford-upon-Avon Canal. On the way home from seeing 56311 & 56312 at Washwood Heath n 22 November 2008, a detour was made to visit the location. 150005 passes Silesbourne Farm and is about to pass under the aqueduct while working the 10:55 Stourbridge Junction to Stratford-upon-Avon London Midland service. The superb late autumn lighting didn't last long, as can be guessed by the ominous dark clouds in the background.

150011 passes Bishopton (near Stratford-upon-Avon) with the 16:24 Stratford-upon-Avon to Worcester Shrub Hill Central Trains service on 8 September 2001. Note the small Central Trains logos applied to the original livery in lieu of full repainting. An evening with intermittent cloudy spells and sunshine whilst waiting fro the steam hauled railtour. Very lucky with the sun on this one - note the shadow on the trees behind the last coach.

150013 pulls away from Kidderminster station on 6 August 1994 with the 08:04 Birmingham New Street to Hereford service. It is passing 50031, while 50044 can just be seen in the distance, underneath the water tower. Note the yellow end that is just visible on the centre car of 150013, indicating that this has been reformed from a two car unit. The centre coach was added from disbanded 150226 (whose other vehicle ended up in 150010). This alteration caused the original 150113 to be renumbered as 150013.

Running over twenty minutes late, 150022 arrives at Henley-in-Arden on 17 February 2007 with the 09:55 Stourbridge Junction to Stratford-upon-Avon Central Trains service. I don't think many people use the far end of the platform on the left, as it appears to have luxurious carpet of moss as the top surface!

A rare picture of passengers at Combe station on the Cotswold Line! 3 customers await the arrival of 150101 with the only up train of the day to call at the diminutive station - the 07:00 Worcester to Oxford service. This was on 17 March 1994, when the service was operated by Regional Railways, who had threatened to close both Combe and Finstock stations due to lack of patronage. Perhaps the locals were worried, as the platform fence had just been renewed, and the usual sign that a station is about to be closed is that some money is spent on it after years of neglect!

Finstock station provides three passengers for the 07:00 Worcester Foregate Street to Oxford Regional Railways service on 31 May 1994. 150102 calls with one of just two trains to stop at this diminutive station in the up direction (none at all at the weekends). At this time both Finstock and nearby Combe stations had just been reproved from closure (again)!

With the muddy River Wye in the background, ex-works 150102 is about to pass under the Severn Road Bridge with the 13:15 Birmingham New Street to Cardiff Central Trains service on 3 September 1999. The houses in the background are in the village of Beachley, which is situated on a peninsular of land between the mouth of the River Wye and the River Severn.

The signalman at Moreton-in-Marsh hands the single line token to the driver of 150104 on 2 May 1993. It is working the 2B44 17:35 Oxford to Great Malvern Regional Railways service. This picture was taken a little over half way through the forty year period that the Cotswold Line was single track between Moreton and Evesham. The early part of this period especially saw the line at a mere shadow of its former self, with a very infrequent service. Happily things have now improved considerably, hence the reinstatement of double track in 2011.

On a cloudless 31 August 1991, 150111 passes the site of Chipping Campden station (or Campden as the GWR called it) with the 14:24 Worcester Foregate Street to Oxford service, during the relatively short period that Class 150 units could regularly be seen on the Cotswold Line. Previously Class 155 units were employed, taking over from a succession of first generation units. The 150s were used after the 155s had been withdrawn to be converted to single car Class 153s and before the Class 165 & 166 Turbo units arrived on the scene.

150121 does a good job of hiding 66005, as it passes Severn Tunnel Junction on 20 September 2008 with the 1F09 09:30 Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour First Great Western service. This broadside picture gives a clear view of the rebranded former Silverlink livery. Note the darker patches where the former Silverlink branding has been covered up.

A busy moment at Natton on 6 March 2009. 150121 accelerates away from Ashchurch station (just visible under the bridge) with the 08:25 Great Malvern to Westbury First Great Western service, while 66047 speeds by in the opposite direction creating the perfect passing shot. 150121 is still in the obsolete Central Trains livery, albeit with First Great Western branding on the side. In the distance 220029 can be seen waiting with the 07:06 Manchester Piccadilly to Bristol Temple Meads CrossCountry service, now running approximately ten minutes late.

Work stained 150121 climbs Sapperton Bank on 20 February 2010 with the 10:01 Cheltenham to Swindon First Great Western service. Although branded First Great Western, the livery belongs to the former Silverlink franchise. Although presumably this will get repainted into FGW colours, at the moment it makes for a welcome change of liveries on the route.

150121 finds its own little patch of sunshine as it passes Frocester on 2 August 2010 with the 2E18 09:41 Bristol Temple Meads to Gloucester First Great Western service. Although 150121 has been in the FGW fleet for some time and includes their branding over the original Silverlink colour scheme, late 2010 will see more units arrive to add variety to the otherwise uniform Great Western fleet. Additional Class 150s will come from London Midland and London Overground, displaced by the brand new Class 172 units.

150123 takes the 'Golden Valley' route at Standish Junction on 25 October 2010 with the 2B92 11:40 Cheltenham Swindon First Great Western service. The unit is still wearing the attractive Silverlink livery, but devoid of any branding of either its old or new operator.

In superb early morning light with dark clouds in the background, 150126 heads up the Lickey Incline on 26 July 2003 with an empty stock working. With over two miles of 1 in 37 gradient the Lickey Incline is the most formidable incline on the national network, and even now some of the heavier trains still require banking assistance.

150126 accelerates away from Lidlington on 21 April 2010 with the 10:01 Bletchley to Bedford London Midland service. The Met Office had promised a completely sunny day, but as can be seen here by mid morning the clouds were starting to build up noticeably. However, after peaking around early afternoon, they did thankfully melt away again in the evening.

150126 heads towards Lidlington, after having just crossed Marston Crossing on 21 April 2010 with the 10:55 Bedford to Bletchley London Midland service. A rural idyll you might think, but this view could disappear under one of the governments so-called 'eco towns'. The phrase 'eco town' is of course nonsense, as how can anything that destroys the countryside be in any way green. Just by promising to build homes to certain specification the developers can attached the buzz word 'eco' to their proposals and therefore get the go ahead for their act of vandalism. Marston Mortaine church can be seen on the extreme left, while slightly nearer, the postman calls at the houses by Marston Crossing.

A stranger on the Great Western Mainline! Class 150s have never been common in the Thames Valley, with virtually all workings operated by Class 165 & 166 'Turbos'. However, an interesting positioning move took place on 12 November 2007, when 150127 was being transferred from its former Bedford to Bletchley Silverlink duties to a new life with First Great Western. It is seen here passing Cholsey with the 5Z74 12:00 Willesden to Bristol ,St Phillips Marsh ECS. There are various instances on this site of locos or units in different ownership, but this is a record of the actual movement from one owner to another!

First Great Western branded, but still wearing its Silverlink livery, 150127 emerges from Wickwar Tunnel on 25 September 2009 and heads south with the 2O89 10:42 Gloucester to Weymouth service. There are some early signs of autumn in the lineside trees.

Now this is what you call multiple unit operation! On 4 July 1987, 150129 leads two classmates on the 09:29 Hereford to Birmingham New Street service, seen here departing from Kidderminster. Given the fact that there is no gangway connection between the units, revenue protection (or ticket checking as it was probably still called in 1987) must have been very difficult.

150129 passes Tutbury on 15 March 1989 with the 12:08 Derby to Bangor service. Tutbury and Hatton station used to be situated by the level crossing in the background. A few months after this photo was taken a new station was opened on the site, with the up platform on the far side of the crossing and the down platform on this side. Note the two signal boxes.

This is certainly a bit of a novelty. A hybrid Class 150 unit comprising one car from each of the production series subclasses (150/1 without front end corridor connection and 150/2 with corridor connection). 52129 of set 150129 leads a coach from set 150253 past Bramshall on 12 August 1989 with the 13:40 Crew to Derby Provincial Railways service. Note the variation in livery between the two subclasses with the switching around of the light and dark blue colour stripes.

150129 arrives at Kidderminster in a brief burst of sunshine on 24 May 1997 with the 08:54 Hereford to Birmingham New Street Central Trains service, whilst in the background on the Severn Valley Railway's metals, LMS 5MT Class 2-6-0 2968 obviously has steam to spare.

150142 emerges from the 111 yard long Barmoor Clough Tunnel (near Dove Holes) with the 11:26 Blackpool to Buxton North Western Trains service on 28 March 1999. An ideal location to photograph a short train such as this, and very conveniently situated just off the A6 road.

150218 heads east past Beeston Castle on 12 March 1987 with a crew training run. This unit had only just entered service and is still wearing the short lived original livery with the yellow on the front confined to the gangway door. Bearing in mind how filthy these connecting doors get, it was probably a good idea to paint the whole front yellow, although for this original Provincial livery the continuation of the white from the bodyside to the front obviously looks better as a colour scheme.

Owing to the staging of the Cheltenham Gold Cup, the 09:06 Worcester Foregate Street to Swindon Regional Railways service obviously required some extra seating capacity on 16 March 1995. 150219 has had 153305 added to the rear and is pictured approaching the site of Bremell Sidings near Purton, running approximately 15 minutes late. Presumably with all the extra traffic on this day small details like the destination blind were overlooked, as it still reads Cheltenham, through which it has already passed!

150227 passes Gatcombe on 2 June 2009 with the 2G54 08:00 Maesteg to Gloucester Arriva Trains Wales service. In the fine old tradition of DMUs showing the wrong destination this one is allegedly going to Cheltenham! This photo is taken from steps that leads precipitously down in to the River Severn, mainly used by fisherman. While I was there a fisherman was sat on the steps directing operations via mobile phone of two other fisherman who were out in the river!

150230 will not be stopping at Pilning (virtually nothing does!) as it heads west on 7 August 2005 with the 16:39 Bath to Cardiff Central Wessex Trans service. A good view can be had of trains approaching Pilning. The parched grass marks the line climbing up towards Patchway Tunnel to the right of the signal visible in the distance.

With the tidal River Exe in the background, 150232 approaches Starcross on 29 June 2002 with the 13:54 Exmouth to Plymouth Wessex Trains service. Still in its original Regional Railways livery, after well over a decade of service, 150232 would soon see the multi coloured privitisation paint brush!

With a portable lamp substituting for a non-working headlight, 150233 passes through the recently completed Ashchurch station on 26 May 1997 with the 09:06 Worcester Foregate Street to Swindon service. From the following week this unit would actually call at the station, rather than passing through, as it was officially opened on 1 June 1997.

150233 has just called at Ashchurch station on 9 July 2011 with the 2F97 09:08 Worcester Shrub Hill to Westbury First Great Western service. Officially called Ashchurch for Twekesbury, this station recalls the GWR practice of referring to the larger town, when the inconveniently situated station was often in the middle of nowhere!

150234 passes the site of Stonehouse station with the 06:12 Salisbury to Gloucester First Great Western service on 21 July 2008. The sun was just starting to find the edge of a large bank of cloud moving down from the north. D1015 had passed by 14 minutes earlier on a railtour, which ironically also started from Salisbury. The Western had actually left 25 minutes earlier than the unit, but a run round at Bristol Temple Meads had obviously allowed the unit to catch up slightly! Note the remains of the loop on the left at what was formerly Stonehouse (Bristol Road) station. This was the former Midland Railway station that closed in 1965. The former Great Western station, originally called Stonehouse (Burdett Road) is still open.

150234 approaches Eastleigh station from the Romsey direction on 21 March 2009 with the 1F19 13:30 Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour First Great Western service, diverted from its usual route by engineering works in the Southampton area.

150235 passes Levington on 25 July 1996 with the 16:47 Felixstowe to Lowestoft (via Ipswich) Regional Railways service. Although only a single track line, the route between Felixstowe and Ipswich is relatively busy, with numerous freightliner trains in addition these local passenger workings.

Viewed from across the other side of the valley, 150238 approaches Wickwar on 25 September 2009 with the 08:25 Great Malvern to Westbury First Great Western service. The bridge almost hidden in the trees behind the train is a farm occupation bridge, whilst the main road passes underneath the line, just in front of my position in the field.

150239 weaves across the crossover at Fairwood to work wrong line into Westbury station on 11 September 2007 with the 08:50 Weymouth to Cardiff Central First Great Western service. Having only just taken over the route from Wessex Trains, FGW have yet to get around the rebranding this particular 150 unit.

Not always wishing to take the standard type of railway picture, I decided on something a little different for 150243 working the late running 12:51 Great Malvern to Weymouth First Great Western service on 8 April 2010. The inclusion of the zig-zag brick abutment in the foreground adds interest to this otherwise mundane view at Gossington. A slightly wide angle lens was required, as well as a smaller than normal aperture in order to ensure that the whole scene is in focus.

150245 passes Croome on 25 March 2011 with the 2O90 12:51 Great Malvern to Weymouth First Great Western service. Hired in from Arriva, the turquoise livery brings a bit of variety to the line, otherwise dominated by FGW and CrossCountry trains.

Soft late afternoon autumnal light at Cockwood Harbour on 1 November 1997. 150248 passes by with the 14:14 Exeter Central to Paignton service. The fact that this is only a two coach train gives an uninterrupted view of Brunel's Starcross Pumping Station, visible in the background between the trees and the signal. This was part of the Victorian engineer's ill fated atmospheric railway.

The sun just begins to break through the mist as 150252 passes Broken Cross on 3 September 2010 with the 2G54 08:00 Maesteg to Cheltenham Arriva Trains Wales service. There is almost a clear view here all the way to the site of Grange Court Junction.

Making a welcome change from the usual First Great Western purple liveried units, hired in 150254 sports the turquoise livery of Arriva Trains Wales as it passes Wadborough on 8 February 2011 with the 2O90 12:51 Great Malvern to Weymouth service. With London Midland acquiring some of the newly built Class 172s units, more Class 150s will be available for FGW, allowing this unit to head back to its proper Welsh home. In the background the barriers of Wadborough level crossing can just bee seen raising after the passage of the train.

150255 calls at Reedham station on 31 August 1998 with the 12:01 Norwich to Lowestoft service. This was just at the beginning of privatisation, and although this train is being operated by Anglia Railways, the unit is still wearing the distinctive Regional Railways livery (minus branding). Anglia Railway's eventual new livery was not an improvement!

A close up view of 150261 as it leaves Kemble station with the 13:38 Cheltenham to Swindon First Great Western service on 5 June 2008. Services over the 'Golden Valley' route are now shared between Class 150s on these local trains, and HSTs which work the through services to Paddington. The sharply curved grass grown platform visible above the train is the former Cirencester branch platform, which in latter years saw the steam hauled branch trains replaced by the AC Cars built railbuses, whose economy of operation sadly did not prove sufficient to save either the Cirencester line, or the Tetbury branch, which also started from this station.

150261 passes Gossington on 5 March 2010 with the 1O98 10:51 Great Malvern to Brighton First Great Western service. Although obviously a bit more comfortable than a first generation DMU, this mega mileage journey would surely be a little challenging in a Class 150.

There is still some remnants of the early morning frost in the shadows on 25 October 2010, as 150263 passes Standish Junction with the 2F97 08:51 Great Malvern to Westbury First Great Western service. It would shortly be followed by 158881 taking the line in the foreground towards Swindon.

150266 approaches Norton with the 12:51 Great Malvern to Weymouth First Great Western service on 20 March 2009. It will shortly be taking the curve between Norton and Abbotswood Junctions. Despite the poor visibility caused by the settled high pressure weather condition, Worcester Cathedral can clearly be seen in the background.

150266 passes Little Haresfield on 30 May 2009 with the 1O98 10:51 Great Malvern to Brighton First Great Western service, while 60074 waits to follow it out of the loop with the 6B13 05:10 Robeston to Westerleigh Murco oil train.

On hire to First Great Western from Arriva, 150267 passes Pilning on 27 April 2010 with the 15:15 Taunton to Cardiff Central service. 66003 can be seen in the background, waiting in the loop with the 6B50 16:25 Swindon to Alexandra Docks steel empties. Four minutes it later it was following 150267 towards Wales.

150271 arrives at Althorpe on 23 May 2001 with the 18:17 Scunthorpe to Doncaster Arriva Trains Northern service. The train is crossing the River Trent by the Keadby Bridge (otherwise known as King George V Bridge). This lifting bridge was opened in 1916, and as can be seen by the road on the left is a combined road and rail design. The bridge has not lifted since 1956.

150279 passes Stoke Orchard on 1 July 2008 with the 12:51 Great Malvern to Weymouth First Great Western service. Still wearing its Arriva turquoise livery, 150279 makes a pleasant change from the FGW purple livery now applied to most of their units.

150281 climbs Sapperton Bank on Sunday 12 September 2010 with the first up train of the day on the route - the 2B90 09:24 Cheltenham to Swindon First Great Western service. The unit is on loan from Arriva Trains Wales, and its turquoise blue livery makes a change from the normal FGW liveries on this route. Note the two whistle boards for the nearby Frampton Mansell and Sapperton footpath crossings.

150283 passes the contentedly grazing cows at Churcham on 4 May 2010 with the 2G54 08:00 Maesteg to Cheltenham Arriva Trains Wales service. This is on the long straight section of track that extends from the site of Grange Court Junction, to near Minsterworth, on the approach to Gloucester.