153301 passes Milford Junction on 3 August 2002 with the 15:17 York to Sheffield Arriva Trains Northern service, one of just two daily passenger trains on this route at the time. The bridge in this picture used to be a well known photographic location, with a constant procession of freight trains, mainly serving the nearby coal fired power stations. Although this is a Saturday, it looks like by 2002 the photographers have largely disappeared, as not a single person can be seen in the background.

An extremely colourful DMU combination at St Ishmael on 7 June 2003. At first glance it appears to be three single car units, but in fact the rear two vehicles belong to 150281, which at this time sported this unusual red/green 'Valley Lines' livery variation. 153303 is leading, wearing a striking  'Heart of Wales Line' advertising orange livery. The train is the 12:16 Pembroke Dock to Swansea Wales & Borders service. The tiny St Ishmael church can be seen amid the trees on the right,

153303 & 153922 pass Pandy on 3 May 2023 with the 1V94 08:05 Holyhead to Cardiff Central Transport for Wales service. 153303 has been made PRM (Persons with Reduced Mobility) compliant, in order to be allowed to remain on the national network after 2020. Some of the class have not had the modifications, such as 153322, the rear unit of this pair. The unmodified units have been renumbered into the 153/9 series, with 153322 becoming 153922. In theory they must always run in multiple with a modified unit, as here.

The Goole to Leeds line sees a very infrequent service, with just two trains a day from Goole and one from the Leeds direction. On 25 June 2008, 153304 & 150224 arrive at Rawcliffe station with the 2F30 18:49 Goole to Leeds Northern Trains service. Although one person got on when these units stopped here whilst heading for Goole half an hour earlier, on this occasion not only did nobody get on or off, but the train appeared to be completely empty as well!

A colourful combination at Maiden Newton on 24 August 2002. 'Heart of Wessex Line' liveried 153305 brings up the rear of the 2V83 14:57 Weymouth to Cardiff Central Wessex Trains service, as the train accelerates away from the Dorset village's little station. 'Great Scenic Railways of Devon & Cornwall' branded 153377 is in the centre of the train, and leading is 150265, still in original Regional Railways livery.

A close up view of 153305, as it passes Little Haresfield on 4 July 2008 with the 2F99 17:02 Worcester Foregate Street to Southampton Central First Great Western service. Obviously there isn't much demand for journeys from Worcestershire to the South Coast, if a single car unit will suffice!

Evidence of recent lineside vegetation clearance at Levington on 18 April 1996, as 153306 passes with the 16:17 Ipswich to Felixstowe Regional Railways service. It may look like a dull day, but this was actually almost a bright interlude! However, the dark clouds in the background soon took over.

153306 approaches Breydon Junction on 14 May 2019 with the 2P14 09:36 Norwich to Great Yarmouth Greater Anglia service. The footpath in the foreground gives access to Acle Marshes, and the northern shore of the River Yare estuary.

153306 approaches Lingwood station (just visible in the distance) with the 2P15 10:17 Great Yarmouth to Norwich Greater Anglia service on 15 May 2019. Lingwood, like the neighbouring villages of Brundall and Blofield, has seen considerable expansion in recent years, principally because of its close proximity to Norwich.

A Land Rover waits at the level crossing as 153307 pulls way from Barrow Haven station on 6 September 2014 with the 2F89 12:55 Cleethorpes to Barton-on-Humber Northern service. The unit is crossing the bridge over the Beck, a stream that within a few yards would empty into the mighty River Humber.

153307 approaches the level crossing next to the diminutive Barrow Haven station on 6 September 2014, as it works the 2F90 13:52 Barton-on-Humber to Cleethorpes Northern service. The train could be seen coming all the way from Barton-on-Humber, as the line is dead straight for two miles.

153308 & 158883 pass the chicken farm at Quarrington with the 07:35 Nottingham to Skegness East Midlands Trains service on 25 July 2009. Rauceby station can just be seen in the far distance beyond the level crossing by the trees. You can see where East Midlands got the idea for their livery from, as the colour bands on the ends of the Class 153 bear a striking resemblance to the South West Trains livery on 158883. Several South West Trains 158s have strayed away from the former Southern Region in recent years, even reaching as far as Scotland!

153308 stands in the rain at Lowdham station on 31 March 2018 with the 2A38 12:47 Newark Castle to Matlock East Midlands Trains service. The guard checks her watch to make sure there is a right time departure. In the opposite platform 158852 has just arrived with the 2N35 11:37 Matlock to Newark Castle service

153308 passes Melton Ross on 2 December 2019 with the 2T30 09:20 Grimsby Town to Newark Northgate East Midlands Railway service. How long before the very low, and poorly maintained fence, is replaced by something much more intrusive?

153309 calls at Reedham station on 26 May 2017 with the 2J78 14:05 Norwich to Lowestoft Greater Anglia service. White is not the most practical colour for railway vehicles, but Greater Anglia have done a good job in keeping it clean. Well, apart from the roof, that is!

153309 approaches Reedham on 26 May 2017 with the 2J81 14:57 Lowestoft to Norwich Greater Anglia service. There were still plenty of semaphores at this time, even if the radio mast did tend to dominate the scene. Unfortunately only the radio mast now remains!

153309 passes Postwick Park and Ride on 14 May 2019 with the 2J76 12:58 Norwich to Lowestoft Greater Anglia service. Postwick is the smallest of the six park and ride sites serving the nearby city of Norwich.

153310 approaches North Stafford Junction on 12 November 2013 with the 1K06 09:07 Crewe to Derby East Midlands Trains service. Not quite as interesting as the heritage traction that was employed briefly on this route in 1989!

Would you buy this house? The house next to the line at Melton Ross is for sale on 6 November 2017, as 153310 passes by with the 2T40 11:28 Grimsby Town to Newark North Gate East Midlands Trains service. You wouldn't notice the DMU, but the vibration from the heavy freight trains might get a bit wearing!

Running 20 minutes early, 153311 passes Yarnton on 4 March 2024 with the 2Q11 10:53 Derby RTC to Eastleigh Network Rail test train. In 2021 Network Rail acquired four of these units from East Midlands Trains (153311, 153376, 153379 & 153385) for infrastructure monitor workings.

153312 leaves Blaenau Ffestiniog in the pouring rain with the 11:45 service to Llandudno on 4 June 2005. It seem to rain every time I visit the town! The 1992 built Ffestiniog Railway Double Fairlie locomotive David Lloyd George can just be seen in the background waiting to leave for Porthmadog.

153313 passes some signs of recent lineside vegetation clearance at Bessacarr on 14 March 2015, as it heads east with the 13:05 Doncaster to Lincoln East Midlands Trains service. The unit has just crossed over the M18 motorway.

Making a change from the constant procession of freight trains, 153313 passes Melton Ross on 6 November 2017 with the 2T48 13:49 Grimsby Town to Newark North Gate East Midlands Trains service. The houses in the background are part of the small village of New Barnetby.

153314 shows off its rather plain debranded One Railways livery, as it passes Swainsthorpe on 12 May 2008 with a southbound ECS working. Just visible in the trees behind is a lorry on the adjacent A140 Norwich to Ipswich road. No prizes for guessing which will get to its destination first!

153315 passes Maud's Bridge on 16 May 2002 with the 09:22 Sheffield to Scunthorpe Arriva Trains Northern service. This remote spot once had a station, but it must rank not only as one of the least used, but also the shortest lived, and earliest closure, as it was only open from October 1859 to October 1866!

153315 passes Morton (near Retford) on 9 May 2003 with the 12:47 Lincoln Central to Huddersfield Arriva Trains Northern service. In contrast to the East Coat Main Line which passes through Retford in a northerly direction, this east to west route sees a very meagre passenger service, for which obviously a single vehicle is now sufficient.

153315 & 158872 pass Aisgill in the rain on 27 July 2019 with the 1E23 13:40 Carlisle to Leeds Northern service. In typical Settle & Carlisle weather, the top of Wild Boar Fell is partly hidden in the mist and low cloud.

153316, pictured at the end of a line withdrawn Class 153 units at Long Marston on 22 August 2021. The unit is wearing debranded Northern livery, which contrasts markedly with the livery of former London Midland 153375, which is parked next to it.

153318 arrives at the tiny and remote station at Cilmeri on 15 October 1994 with the 11:00 Shrewsbury to Swansea Regional Railways service. Then, as now, there were only four trains in each direction over the Central Wales Line.

158318 leaves Carmarthen station on 16 November 1996 with the 11:13 Pembroke Dock to Swansea service. In the background photographers swarm around the Pathfinder Tours 1Z37 07:45 Birmingham New Street to Fishguard Harbour 'Dyfed Docker' railtour. This would would soon be doing the opposite of what 153318 has just done, as 37902 would cross over from the right hand platform, onto the left hand track.

150318 & 150249 join forces to work the 2O97 16:42 Gloucester to Weymouth First Great Western service, seen here passing Little Haresfield on 4 July 2008. Note the different roof construction of these Leyland & BREL built vehicles.

The platforms at Bottesford are staggered, and although no longer in railway use, the impressive station building still dominates the scene. On 6 September 2012, 153321 & 156405 prepare to call with the 2S17 12:45 Nottingham to Skegness East Midlands Trains service.

The signals are off, and 153322 gets ready to join the single track section at Acle, as it proceeds on its journey with the 2P09 08:17 Great Yarmouth to Norwich Greater Anglia service on 26 May 2017. The fenced area on the right was formerly Acle station's goods yard.

153322 passes Buckenham station in superb evening light on 26 May 2017 with the 2J87 17:48 Lowestoft to Norwich Greater Anglia service. This little Norfolk station is one of the least used in the country, with only around 100 passengers journeys per year. The station building is now a private house.

The diminished railway. Not only is the single car Class 153 much shorter than trains of yesteryear, but this location has suffered the same downsizing, with the former four tracks reduced to one. 153323 passes Rossett on 15 June 1996 with the 17:28 Chester to Birmingham New Street service.

Not everything First Great Western is dark blue! A close up view of former London Midland 153325, as it nears journey's end on 14 May 2014 with the 2M04 07:32 Westbury to Swindon First Great Western service. The picture is taken from the footbridge that links the Mannington to Blagrove cycle track (visible on the right) to nothing at all other than fields on the south side of the railway.

Looking strikingly different in its bright red 'Citizens Rail' livery, 153325 emerges from Wickwar Tunnel on 15 April 2015 with the 5C19 11:58 Gloucester Carriage Sidings to Bristol High Level Siding First Great Western ECS. The special livery is to promote the 'Citizens Rail' EU backed initiative to generate community involvement in local rail services.

A splash of colour to brighten up an exceedingly dull day. 153325 & 150128 pass Badgeworth on 4 December 2017 with the late running 2B92 11:20 Cheltenham Spa to Swindon GWR service. BBC Weather said full sun all day, and the Met Office said sunny intervals. I didn't see one glimpse of the sun all day!

In 2009 it is quite common to get pictures of two different liveries in an East Midlands Trains service using several units coupled together, such is the profusion of liveries in the fleet. However, this is something of a bonus, with three different versions of EMT colours in one train! 153326 in the current colour scheme leads 153384 in rebranded Central Trains livery, with 158774 in the former East Midlands colours bringing up the rear. The train is the 09:55 Nottingham to Skegness and the location is (I hardly need to type this really!) Kelby Lane, between Ancaster and Rauceby. The prominent sign is either an excellently placed piece of railway infrastructure immediately identifying the location, or a bloody nuisance completely messing up the shot, depending on your viewpoint!

153327 just manages to find a patch of autumn sunlight amid the encroaching shadows, as it arrives at Penybont station with the 15:01 Shrewsbury to Swansea Central Wales Line service on 15 October 1994. Obviously a regular unit on the line, as I saw it again a few years later.

153327 speeds through the long closed Oaksey station (between Kemble and Swindon) on 13 March 1995, whilst working the 14:03 Cheltenham to Swindon Regional Railways service. Oaksey station was only open for 35 years and probably saw little traffic even then. It closed in 1964 along with the other local stations between Kemble and Swindon. It is probable that it would be busier now if still open due to the massive increase in the size of Swindon in the intervening years. Compare this view with a picture of 47802 taken from the other platform.

153327 approaches Llanwrtyd Wells on 26 May 1997 with the 13:12 Shrewsbury to Swansea (presumably diverted to Carmarthen according to the destination blind) Regional Railways service. The Shrewsbury to Swansea route involves some spectacular scenery, but with 32 intermediate stops and a near 4 hour journey time, it must be a bit of an ordeal!

153328 arrives at Stallingborough on 8 November 2003 with the 13:00 Cleethorpes to Barton-on-Humber Arriva Trains Northern service. Colour light signals have now replaced these upper quadrant semaphores. The slotted concrete post signal on the left presumably dated at least from LNER days. 153328 has also changed since this picture was taken.

153328 & 150147 accelerate away from Snaith on 16 June 2010 with the 2F30 18:49 Goole to Leeds Northern Trains service. The Goole to Knottingley does not abound in good photographic locations, and the three daily trains conspire to run at the most awkward possible time for ideal photographic lighting, with the sun being virtually straight down the track. However, the line wiggles a little at Snaith and a convenient footpath crossing provides this well lit viewpoint.

In superb crisp evening light on 17 June 2010, 153328 & 150272 take the Knottingley line at Potters Grange Junction, Goole with the 2F30 18:49 Goole to Leeds Northern Trains service. This is one of only two daily trains on the route. This wide view gives some idea of the expansion of the industrial estates next to the railway in recent years, and proves that this view from the opposite side of the line in 1998 would no longer be possible. The waste ground in that pictures is now where the buildings on the right stand.

The Barton-upon-Humber branch is basically composed of two straight sections connected by a sharp ninety degree bend. The curve at New Holland is the site of the junction with the former pier branch, and is pictured here on the morning of 18 September 2012. 153328 rounds the curve with the 2F84 07:58 Barton-upon-Humber to Cleethorpes Northern Rail service. The level crossing gives access to various factories surrounding the small dock on banks of the Humber Estuary. The track in the foreground is the disused line to the pier. It is not an optical illusion, Barrow Road Crossing signal box does indeed have a distinct backwards lean!

Ancient and modern at Ruskington. 153329 passes a couple of reminders of the steam age as it works the 14:53 Lincoln to Peterborough Central Trains service on 1 May 1999. The footbridge has obviously recently had a fresh coat of paint, but the impressive telegraph pole on the right no longer serves its original purpose. 153329 was rebuilt in 1992 from one half of Class 155 155329, the other half becoming 153379.

153329 accelerates away from Chippenham on 10 September 2014 with the 09:48 Westbury to Swindon First Great Western service. Most Chippenham to Swindon trains are HSTs, but this is the local service that serves Melksham.

Signs of spring at Kemble Wick on 9 March 2015. The hazel catkins are in full bloom as 153329 & 150123 pass by with the 2G82 09:38 Swindon to Cheltenham First Great Western service. This section of line, between Swindon and Kemble was singled by BR in the 1960s as a cost saving measure. However, local campaigning has finally resulted in the second track being restored, with the work being completed in September 2014. The fresh ballast clearly shows that this train is running over the newly reinstated down line.

A bizarre multi-coloured combination at Ashchurch on 23 June 2018. 153329, 150216, 153325 & 153369 slowly approach the station with the 2O70 06:49 Worcester Shrub Hill to Weymouth GWR service. This was definitely worth another picture. Even the dog walker in the field has stopped for a look! Note the hot air balloon in the background.

Under leaden skies 153331 passes Saltmarshe with the 08:41 Sheffield to Bridlington Arriva Trains Northern service on 9 August 2000. Normally this train would be worked by a Class 156 unit, and indeed one half of 156454 can be seen tacked onto the back of 153331. This shows the usefulness of the single car 153s, which can be used to deputise for a defective coach in a two car set. This picture also gives a fine view of the 1905 built North Eastern Railway signal box. Saltmarshe station is oddly named, as it is adjacent to the village of Laxton, with Saltmarshe itself being over a mile away!

153333 passes Brocklesby on 18 July 1996 with the 08:37 Lincoln Central to Grimsby Central Regional Railways service. Close inspection of the original 35mm slide reveals just a single passenger, unless they are all sitting on the other side!

Running very slowly, presumably because of a permanent way restriction, 153333 approaches Millbrook on 21 April 2010 with the 09:33 Bedford to Bletchley London Midland service. Just before the train came into view a Cuckoo was calling from the large tree on the right - conclusive proof that spring has arrived. And yes, that really is a wooden mock of a biplane on the right! I'm not sure what the purpose of it is, presumably just to confuse rail passengers and give them something to talk about!

153333 approaches Marston Crossing, Lidlington on 21 April 2010 with the 11:01 Bletchley to Bedford London Midlands service. This picture is taken on a very long lens from the hill to the south of Lidlington village, which coincidentally also gives a view of the nearby Millbrook vehicle proving ground.

Contrasting liveries at Blagrove (on the western edge of Swindon) on 14 May 2014. Ex London Midland 153333 is partnered with First Great Western liveried 150234 on the 2A99 07:11 Gloucester to Swindon First Great Western service. Rather than taking the direct route via Kemble, this train is routed via Bristol and Bath.

Ancient and (relatively!) modern at Swinderby on 29 June 1996. 153334 passes the diminutive 1901 signal box, as it works the 13:51 Lincoln Central to Coventry Regional Railways service. It looks like some newspaper has been stuffed into the edge of the front gangway door, presumably to stop a draught!

Most photographers go to Melton Ross for the numerous freight trains, but just for a change here is one of the much fewer passenger trains. 153334 heads away from the camera on 11 October 2003 with the 13:35 Newark Northgate to Grimsby Town Central Trains service.

153354 accelerates away from Metheringham station on 1 May 1999 with the 11:52 Peterborough to Lincoln Central Trains service, despite was it says on the destination blind! Unfortunately the semaphore signals have since been replaced by colour lights.

153354 arrives Stewartby station on 9 June 2017 with the 2S20 15:55 Bedford to Bletchley London Midland service. When I visited this location in 1988, the platforms were not staggered either side of the level crossing as they are now, and there was a lot more of the former brickworks remaining.

153355 passes Genwen Junction on 15 April 1995 with the 11:10 Shrewsbury to Swansea Regional Railways service, while 60096 Ben Macdui waits at the signal with the 6B16 15:35 Trostre to Margam steel empties.

After calling at Dean station (just visible in the distance), 153355 passes East Dean on 9 April 2005 with the 08:50 Swindon to Southampton Central Wessex Trains service. Photo taken from a public footpath crossing.

A reflection in the floods at Leverton Road, Retford, on 28 November 1992. 155357 passes a slightly marooned van body, as it works the 10:56 Cleethorpes to Sheffield Regional Railways service. This line was built by the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway, which later changed its name to the much more impressive sounding Great Central Railway.

Several different forms of transport at Park Drain (between Gainsborough and Doncaster) on 14 March 2015. 153357 heads westwards with the 2K50 15:10 Lincoln Central to Doncaster East Midlands Trains service, passing a van, bulldozer, donkey and goat!

153358 passes through the woods between Entwistle and Sough Tunnel on 4 March 2000 with the 13:00 Manchester Victoria to Clitheroe First North Western service. This is the site of Walton's Sidings, which served a former brickworks.

Having picked up a solitary passenger, and their bike, 153358 leaves Barrow Haven station on 2 December 2019 with the 2F89 1255 Cleethorpes to Barton-on-Humber Northern service. This final section of the Barrow-on-Humber branch, which runs close to the Humber Estuary, is completely straight for over three miles, although, as can be seen in the background, far from level!

153358 arrives at Thornton Abbey station on 2 December 2019 with the 2F90 13:50 Barton-on-Humber to Cleethorpes Northern service. Although in a very rural location, the road in the background is quite busy, and a lorry can be seen passing over the level crossing, directly behind the train. Note how only half the platform length is now in use, with the rest reverting to nature. The in use sections are further reduced, by having a short raised section added to match the length of the Class 153 single car DMUs.

153361 nears journey's end as it passes Hay Lane, on the outskirts of Swindon, with the 2M04 07:32 Westbury to Swindon First Great Western service on 10 July 2014. This close up view clearly shows the plain blue livery, minus the former 'wavy line' name decals.

153361 passes Wootton Bassett on 10 July 2014 with the 2M08 11:47 Westbury to Swindon First Great Western service. What's the betting that some of the residents of the new houses being built in the background, will eventually complain about the noise from the railway. The railway that predates their house by over a century and a half!

With the silos of West of England Farmers Ltd dominating the background, 153362 arrives at Melksham on 12 August 1993 with the 07:40 Frome to Swindon Regional Railways service, the only train of the day to call at the station in this direction. It was complimented by a 17:56 Swindon to Warminster return working.

With Gloucester Cathedral dominating the background, 153362 & 150262 pass Highnam on 26 June 2018 with the 2L67 17:45 Cheltenham Spa to Maesteg Arriva Trains Wales service. The livery may be basically the same, but note how the 153 carries Arriva branding, whilst the 150 does not.

153362 passes Up Hatherley on 3 June 2019 with the 2G58 11:15 Maesteg to Cheltenham Spa service. This train is now operated by Transport for Wales, but the unit still wears the livery of former operator Arriva Trains Wales, albeit with the branding removed.

Two of the Transport for Wales Class 153 single car units join forces to work the 2L59 13:45 Cheltenham Spa to Maesteg service on 18 September 2019. 153362 & 153327 both feature the blue livery of former operator Arriva Trains Wales, but devoid of any branding. They are pictured passing Up Hatherley, just over a mile into their 91 mile journey.

153364, 153334, 153354 & 153365 pass Fiddington on 26 October 2020 with the 5Z53 08:57 Burton West Yard to Gloucester New Yard ECS. This was in order to collect two more 153s, which had failed the previous week. Bringing the number of DMUs in the picture up to six, but not improving the picture, 221121 & 220030 head north in the background with the 1S41 07:27 Plymouth to Newcastle CrossCountry service.

153365 scuttles past Cossington on 11 May 2001 with the 16:46 Lincoln Central to Birmingham New Street Central Trains service. With someone sitting in the driver's seat, it almost looks like this is approaching, rather than heading away from the camera.

In superb evening light, 153365 approaches the level crossing at Winthorpe (near Newark) with the 18:11 Lincoln Central to Newark North Gate Central Trains service on 30 April 2005. In the best tradition of DMU operation the unit is displaying the incorrect destination! Typical of many secondary routes this line shows a mixture of bullhead and flat bottom jointed track.

153366 passes the rail connection to West Burton Power Station on 28 November 1992, as it traverses the flat countryside near the River Trent with the 10:40 Lincoln Central to Sheffield Regional Railways service. The town of Gainsborough can just be seen in the distance.

153366 & 170631 weave across from the up main to the up relief line at Bromsgrove on 9 July 2013. They are working the 5V42 11:46 Tyseley to Worcester Shrub Hill London Midland empty stock. Note how nature is reclaiming not only the site of the old oil depot on the left, but also the rusty siding on the right.

I have only got a few pictures of Class 153s working the Swindon to Cheltenham line, during the period in the mid 1990s when a single coach train was considered adequate for the local trains on the line. 153368 approaches Kemble on 29 August 1994 with the 2B07 08:45 Swindon to Cheltenham service.

153368 and an unidentified Class 150 unit pass milepost 208¼ at Teignmouth on 25 May 1996 with the 11:54 Exmouth to Paignton service. This is yet another one of my many pictures of DMUs displaying an unhelpful destination blind!

An impressive Regional Railways liveried DMU cavalcade at Lympsham on 20 September 1998. 153368 brings up the rear of the 08:32 Exeter St Davids to Bristol Temple Meads service, led by an unfortunately unidentified pair of Class 150 units.

153369 & 153373 pass Broughton Gifford on 18 September 2004 with the 14:23 Swindon to Warminster service. A contrast in liveries, with the leading unit retaining the original Regional Railways colour scheme (albeit debranded), and the rear unit extolling the virtues of the Central Wales line.

A very strange working pictured at Compton Beauchamp (between Didcot and Swindon) on 30 April 2007. 153369 & 158817 were booked to work the 5F77 Reading to Westbury empty stock move and indeed started out along the Berks & Hants Line, which is the obvious direct route. However, for some unexplained reason, after getting nearly half way there they reversed and came back to Reading, and then traveled via the west curve and continued to Westbury via Swindon! Neither Class 153 or 158 units are a common sight on the GWML, and certainly not with Taunton on the destination blind!

153369, 153325, 150216 & 153329 slowly approach Ashchurch station on 23 June 2018 with the 2O70 06:49 Worcester Shrub Hill to Weymouth GWR service. I had already taken the normal approaching shot, but felt this highly colourful lash-up deserved a second picture.

153369 & 153353 pass Churcham on 8 December 2020 with the 2G55 11:59 Gloucester to Cardiff Central Transport for Wales service. The spire of Highnam church can be seen in the distance on the left, while just visible through the trees on the right is the three arch A48 road bridge.

153369 & 153914 leave Cheltenham on 23 June 2023 with the 2L53 10:42 Cheltenham Spa to Maesteg Transport for Wales service. 153914 is part of the 153/9 subclass, which have not had modified toilets fitted, and therefore must always operate with a modified unit, as here.

A passenger at Pilning! On 5 April 1997, a woman waits to board the only up train of the day to call at this isolated station. 153370 is working the 09:05 Cardiff Central to Bristol Temple Meads service, which together with a late afternoon returning train, forms the entire timetabled service. There are, of course numerous trains that just speed straight through, as can be seen by the HST in the distance, which is beginning its descent into the Severn Tunnel.

153371 arrives at Wainfleet station on 3 September 1993 with the 16:15 Skegness to Doncaster Regional Railways service. My BMW 325i is parked in the small station car park, in approximately the position where a block of houses now stand. Slightly ironic that in these days when they are trying to attract more people onto the railways, there is no car park, and yet in 1993 there was one!

153373 passes Yate on 29 March 2002 with the 13:20 Gloucester to Western-super-Mare Wales & West service. This close up broadside view clearly shows the 'Heart of Wessex Line' advertising livery. A decade later the unit is still employed on trains to Weston, but it now is much more anonymous in the First Great Western 'wavy lines' colour scheme.

153373 passes Lower Studley on 14 June 2004 with the 13:40 Bristol Temple Meads to Southampton Central Wessex Trains service. The unit has just called at Trowbridge station. The footbridge in the background has since been encased in wire mesh.

Another pseudo Class 155! 153373 & 153377 approach Ashchurch on 26 June 2017 with the 2F97 08:50 Great Malvern to Westbury GWR service. For some reason, the train had come to a complete stand just past the level crossing in the background, before moving off again after a few seconds.

153374 leaves Lowdham station on 11 March 2017 with the 2A30 10:47 Newark Castle to Matlock East Midlands Trains service. Even allowing for the fact that there are a couple of raised sections on the platforms, the painting of the yellow safety lines has been anything but straight!

153374 passes Kettleby on 6 November 2017 with the 2T30 09:20 Grimsby Town to Newark North Gate East Midlands Trains service. Kettleby is one of England's numerous deserted medieval villages, with little more left now than a couple of farms and some earthworks.

153375 & 170501 pass Stoke Prior on 12 February 2018 with the 1M57 07:32 Hereford to Birmingham New Street West Midlands Trains service. At the time this train was usually a Class 153 working with a two car unit, although not always a Class 170 as here, but sometimes a Class 150 instead.

With Worcester Cathedral dominating the background, 153376 passes Norton on 15 January 2024 with the 2Q20 08:54 Derby RTC to Long Marston Network Rail test train. This was running 39 minutes early, which was very impressive, considering it left Derby nearly two hours late! It would however be held at Norton Junction, a short distance further on, so its eventual arrival at Long Marston was only 10 minutes early. Note the Skegness destination blind!

153377 approaches Tredington level crossing on 10 October 2008 with the 2M98 12:26 Southampton Central to Worcester Foregate Street First Great Western service. This side view clearly shows the unusual FGW livery, with what appears from a distance to be a series of wavy lines. These are in fact made up of the names of various places served by the company. Certainly ingenious, and something that could never been done when liveries were purely applied in paint!

When the Class 155s were split into single units in 1991, it probably wasn't envisaged that the resultant Class 153 would works in pairs, as that would rather defeat the object of the conversion! However, in addition to the more common multiple working with two car Class 150s, the 153s do sometimes try to recreate their former lives by working as a pair. 153377 & 153318 pass Thingley on 19 June 2017 with the 2A99 07:06 Gloucester to Swindon (via Bristol) GWR service.

The Sheet Stores to Stenson Junction line between Nottingham and Willington is normally a freight only route, although diverted passenger trains do use the line occasionally. That was not the case on 18 August 1992, but even so 153379 put in an appearance with an unexpected westbound working. With the word 'Special' not quite visible in the destination blind, the unit passes the sidings leading to Castle Donington Power Station. In 1992 this was a fairly rural location, with fields to the north. Industrial estates now cover this area, and a new road bridge crosses the line approximately where the DMU is. Back Lane level crossing, from which this picture was taken has gone, along with the adjacent house.

153379 seems to have suffered a paint attack, probably by some local vandals from a bridge. It is seen here passing Stenson Junction on 4 November 2009 with the late running 10:40 Derby to Crewe East Midlands Trains service. The unit is still in the garish green livery of its former operator Central Trains, albeit with the addition of East Midlands branding.

153379 passes Wickenby on 14 December 2009 with the 09:28 Grimsby Town to Newark Northgate East Midlands Train service. The unit is still carrying the former Central Trains livery, albeit with the removal of any signs of the former operator and a subtle new company branding. The house just visible by the line in the background marks the site of the former Wickenby station.

153380 & 158827 pass Hayle go-kart track on 26 March 1994 with the 15:55 Plymouth to Penzance Regional Railways service. Naturally I hadn't travelled all the way to Cornwall just to photograph DMUs. I was waiting at this location to see the final Class 50 hauled train on the national network (or so we thought at the time!), from the other side of the A30 road bridge.

153380 approaches Genwen Junction on 15 April 1995 with the late running 14:17 Swansea to Shrewsbury Regional Railways service. The train has just reversed at Llanelli, and is now heading for Pontarddulais, and then the long slow journey over the Central Wales line. The village of Bynea dominates the background.

An artistic view of 153381 leaving Collingham with the 2K35 13:02 Newark North Gate to Peterborough East Midlands Trains service on 10 March 2011. I wouldn't normally bother with backlit shots of units, but the inclusion of the weather beaten fence and signal makes for an interesting picture. An aperture of f22 was required on a 60mm to keep the whole lot in focus!

Parked between a pair of former London Midland units, ex East Midlands Railway 153381 basks in the evening sunshine at Long Marston on 22 August 2021. The unit had been withdraw a couple of months previously, and like a lot of others of the same class, was awaiting its fate at Long Marston.

153385 & 153329 leave the double track section of the Sleaford to Boston line at Hubberts Bridge, as they head towards the coast on 1 September 2002 with the 13:04 Nottingham to Skegness Central Trains service. I particularly like the framing of the picture by the signals, and the rather wobbly single track line disappearing off into the distance.

153385 at work in its new role as Network Rail's Video Inspection Unit. This was a definite bonus, as the 2Q11 04:13 Eastleigh Arlington to Derby RTC (via Salisbury) should have been long gone by the time I got to this spot at Kennington, but as it actually left Eastleigh at 06:23, it was running 169 minutes late. Consequently it passed by just after I had arrived at the footbridge!

A motorist in the fast lane of the M5 gets his car peppered by the gritting lorry at Colethrop (near Haresfield) on 24 January 2023. In the background 153385 crosses the motorway with the 2Q50 11:22 Eastleigh Marshalling Yard to Derby RTC Network Rail test train. This was running 19 minutes early, having missed out its booked stop in Charfield loop.