Class 155

155301 Moreton-in-Marsh 13 April 1988

155301 approaches Moreton-in-Marsh on 13 April 1988 with the 2B44 17:30 Oxford to Moreton-in-Marsh 'all stations' service. Anybody taking notice of the 'Worcester Foregate Street' displayed in the destination blind would therefore be severely disappointed! 155301 was just six months old at this time, and had just replaced the venerable Class 117 & 119 units on the Cotswold Line. However, the troublesome class would soon be converted into single car Class 153s, and their place on the route would be taken by Class 150s, and then the familiar Class 165 & 166 Turbos.

155301 Penzance 4 May 1991

155301 arrives at Penzance on 4 May 1991 with the 11:17 service from St Ives. The houses that line the road above the railway (Chyandour Cliff) clearly not only have a sea view, but also an excellent view of comings and goings at Penzance station!

155301 Swindon (Hay Lane) 14 June 1991

Running thirty minutes late, 155301 passes Hay Lane (near Swindon) with the 07:12 Warminster to Swindon service on 14 June 1991. Obviously what ever the delay was resulted in nobody bothering to check the destination blind, which still reads Warminster! This train had traversed the little used Trowbrige to Chippenham line and had called at Melksham station, being the only up train to do so. There was a similar working in the evening in the opposite direction. This is probably one of the last photos taken of 155301, as it was withdrawn shortly afterwards for conversion to two Class 153 single car units, emerging as 153301 & 153351 in September 1991.

155302 Ashchurch 2 July 1990

155302 passes Ashchurch on 2 July 1990 with the 2A21 09:10 Worcester Foregate Street to Swindon service. These Leyland built units did not last long on these trains, in fact most of the class didn't last long at all, with 35 out of the 42 sets being rebuilt during 1991 and 1992 as single car Class 153s.

155302 Marazion 4 May 1991

155302 rounds the curve at Marazion on 4 May 1991 with the 09:42 St Ives to Penzance service. This unit, along with the majority of the class, only had a few more months left in traffic, before it was permanently split into two single car units, emerging after modifications (principally the creation of a second driving cab) as two Class 153s (153302 & 153352).

155303 Malago Vale 5 April 1990

155303 passes Malago Vale on 5 April 1990 with the 13:18 Bristol Temple Meads to Taunton service.  The foreground is dominated by the then recently closed Malago Vale Carriage Sidings, which were already starting to be taken over by the inevitable buddleia bushes. The site was later cleared, and a new road (Honeywick Close) and housing estate now occupy the area.

155303 & 155333 Pilning 22 July 1990

155303 & 155333 descend towards the Severn Tunnel at Pilning on 22 July 1990 whilst working the 14:10 Portsmouth Harbour to Cardiff Central Regional Railways service. As these units are all now single car Class 153s, I wonder what the chances of seeing all these vehicles together again is?

155303 Exminster 14 November 1990

The sun briefly breaks through the clouds at Exminster on 14 November 1990, showing off the autumn colours on the trees in front of the M5 viaduct. 155303 passes by with the 13:20 Exeter St Davids to Plymouth Regional Railways service. The lengthy motorway viaduct spans not only the railway, but the River Exe, the Exeter Canal, and the roads from Exeter to Starcross and Topsham.

155305 Sherrington 15 January 1991

The shadows are lengthening at Sherrington on 15 January 1991, as 155305 runs down the Wylye Valley with the 1F15 12:30 Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour Regional Railways service. The village of Codford St Peter seen in the background of this view is now hidden by the growth of the lineside trees.

155306 Lyneham 28 March 1988

155306 passes Lyneham on 28 March 1988 with the 2B44 17:30 Oxford to Moreton-in-Marsh 'all stations' service. Thirty years later this view is still possible, unlike a lot of Cotswold Line locations. There has been virtually no increase in vegetation in the foreground, however, the background has changed completely, with a conifer plantation replacing the wide open vista seen here.

155306 Wolvercote Junction 11 July 1990

155306 approaches Wolvercote Junction on 11 July 1990 with the 2B44 17:40 Oxford to Moreton-in-Marsh Regional Railways service. The A34 Oxford bypass in the background seems remarkably free of traffic. It certainly wouldn't look like that at 17:50 on a weekday now!

155307 Wylye 16 March 1990

155307 has just passed under the A303 Basingstoke to Honiton trunk road, and is approaching Wylye on 16 March 1990 with the 2O09 07:33 Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour Regional Railways service. Although a sizeable village, with numerous houses adjacent to railway, Wylye does not now have a station. It's original station was closed in the mid 1950s, along with several other small stations on the route, which now leaves a large gap between Warminster and Salisbury.

155307 Oxford 18 July 1990

155307 arrives at Oxford on 18 July 1990 with the 2A35 17:37 Cheltenham Spa to Oxford Regional Railways services. This was something of an oddball working, being the only through train of the day between the two towns. In addition to the Cheltenham to London trains, there were a series of local trains throughout the day shuttling between Cheltenham and Swindon (as now). But for some reason this one carried on past Swindon, and after calling at Didcot, arrived at Oxford at 19:15.

155310 Sherrington 15 January 1991

155310 passes Sherrington on a bitterly cold 15 January 1991 with the 2O13 11:29 Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour Regional Railways service. This picture is now just as historic as the pictures of Class 33s working these trains that I took on this route just a few years before. The reign of Class 155s on this line was to be very brief, and in fact this unit would not see out the year as a two car set, being converted into Class 153 single units 153310 & 153360 , which both re-entered traffic in November 1991.

155311 Wolvercote Junction 7 April 1988

155311 approaches Wolvercote Junction on 7 April 1988 with the 2B44 17:40 Oxford to Moreton-in-Marsh Regional Railways service. This was the new order on the Cotswold Line at the time, with the Leyland built Class 155s having just taken over from the Pressed Steel Class 117s.

155311 Narroways Hill Junction 16 April 1991

155311 passes Narroways Hill Junction on 16 April 1991 with the 1F26 15:10 Portsmouth Harbour to Cardiff Central service. For a change, I decided on an off centre composition to the picture, to include more of the Bristol landscape in the background. The line to Avonmouth and Severn Beach diverges sharply in the foreground.

155312 & 155307 East Grimstead 27 July 1991

155312 & 155307 pass East Grimstead on 27 July 1991 with the 1F14 10:10 Portsmouth Harbour to Cardiff Central Regional Railways service. The rusty track shows that it has been a long time since anything used the quarry branch line on the right.

155313 Didcot North Junction 4 July 1991

155313 takes the 40mph restricted crossover at Didcot North Junction on 4 July 1991 with the 2B22 19:46 Oxford to Cheltenham Spa service. This was a very unusual working, as it took the normally freight only line between here and Foxhall Junction.

155314 Culham 22 June 1990

155314 approaches Culham on 22 June 1990 with the 2A35 17:37 Cheltenham Spa to Oxford Regional Railways service. At this time all the local trains on this line were still in the hands of first generation units (mostly Class 117s), with only the Cotswold Line trains using the then new Class 155s. However, this Cheltenham to Oxford (via Swindon) service also brought the new order to the route. Although this train was booked to leave Didcot Parkway at 19:02, it depended on the day of the week as to how quickly it got to Oxford! Mondays to Thursdays it arrived at 19:15, but on Fridays it didn't arrive until 19:22. This was presumably to avoid a conflicting move with the 1B58 18:20 Paddington to Hereford, which also took longer on Fridays.

153314 Alstone 4 August 1990

155314 passes Alstone (Cheltenham) on 4 August 1990 with the 2A21 09:10 Worcester Foregate Street to Swindon Regional Railways service. The following year this unit was split and rebuilt as two separate Class 153s: 153314 & 153364.

155315 Steventon 21 May 1991

An extremely poor quality image, but one that captures an unusual working, passing an even more unusual train. During 1991 there was an odd out and back Cheltenham to Oxford train, using a Regional Railways Class 155 DMU, a type not usually seen on the Great Western Mainline. 155315 is seen here passing Steventon on 21 May 1991 with the return 2B22 19:46 Oxford to Cheltenham Spa train. Waiting to follow it out of the loop is the late running 6B23 13:12 Colnbrook to Waterston oil empties, with 37372 assisting the failed 60051 Mary Somerville.

155315 Exeter Central 24 May 1992

155315 passes the heavily vandalised signal box at Exeter Central on 24 May 1992, as it works the 09:20 Exeter St Davids to Exmouth Regional Railways service. The DMU survives today as two separate Class 153 units (153315 & 155365), but the signal box was not so lucky, and has since been demolished.

155316 Lyneham 22 May 1988

155316 passes Lyneham on 22 May 1988 with the 17:35 Oxford to Great Malvern service. This picture is taken from the emergency level crossing on the Lyneham to Milton-under-Wychwood road, provided in case any tall vehicle needs to use the road, as the adjacent road underbridge only has a headroom of 7 feet 3 inches.

155316 East Grimstead 10 September 1991

155316 passes East Grimstead on 10 September 1991 with the 13:05 Brighton to Cardiff Central Regional Railways service. Note the ground frame controlling entry to the quarry siding, and the typical precast concrete Southern Railway PW hut.

155317 Cheltenham 17 March 1988

155317 approaches Cheltenham on 17 March 1988 with the 2M24 09:00 Cardiff Central to Birmingham New Street Regional Railways service. 155317 was just a couple of months old at the time, and the class was seen as the answer to the problem of first generation DMU replacement. Unfortunately a series of door faults tarnished their reputation, and although that problem was fixed, other later new build classes generally replaced them, and most Class 155s were later converted to single car Class 153s.

155317 Kingham 2 October 1988

155317 approaches Kingham on 2 October 1988 with the 2A76 15:25 Great Malvern to Oxford service. Its been a long time since a family could wander down the old station yard for a Sunday afternoon stroll, and stand next to the fence to watch the trains go by!

155318 Creech St Michael 6 July 1990

155318 passes Creech St Michael on 6 July 1990 with the 2A28 11:45 Taunton to Swindon service. Creech St Michael halt was formerly situated just beyond the bridge in the background. It was opened by the Great Western Railway in 1928, and unlike a lot of halts, had a couple of brick built buildings. It closed in 1964.

155318 Oaksey 14 March 1991

155318 passes Oaksey on 14 March 1991 with the 2A25 10:46 Cheltenham Spa to Swindon service. First generation DMUs often sported incorrect destination blinds, and the tradition seems to have carried on with the first of the second generation classes. Later designs, with electronic destination indicators seem generally immune from this misinformation. This is one of the more hilarious examples, with 155318 on a local train in the Cotswolds clearly displaying Paignton as a destination!

155319 Malago Vale 21 September 1990

This 21 September 1990 view shows the disused Malago Vale carriage sidings being slowly enveloped in vegetation (mostly buddleia bushes). 155319 passes by with the 09:32 Weston-super-Mare to Bristol Temple Meads service. Parson Street station can be seen in the background.

155319 Sherrington 15 January 1991

155319 catches the very last rays of the setting sun, as it rounds the curve near Sherrington on 15 January 1991 with the 1F19 13:36 Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour Regional Railways service. The use of these Leyland built units on this route was short lived, with Class 158s taking over the following year, when the 155s were spilt up and converted into Class 153 single car units.

155319 Narroways Hill Junction 16 April 1991

155319 leaves Bristol behind, as it passes Narroways Hill Junction on 16 April 1991 with the 1F24 14:10 Portsmouth Harbour to Cardiff Central service. This location is now a four track mainline again, but unfortunately you can no longer get such a wide view, as the lineside vegetation growth has been phenomenal.

155319 Standish Junction 27 June 1991

After a day of dull weather and periods of rain, the sun finally breaks through the clouds (very briefly) at Standish Junction on 27 June 1991, just as 155319 passes by with the late running 2A35 17:37 Cheltenham Spa to Oxford service. This unusual working was the only through train of the day between the two towns, with most DMUs from Cheltenham terminating at Swindon

155320 Marshfield 4 November 1989

155320 leads an unfortunately unidentified Class 156 unit past Marshfield on 4 November 1989 with the 2V61 08:20 Brighton to Cardiff Central Regional Railways service. Only one of the units would have come from Brighton, as the train merged with the 09:10 departure from Portsmouth Harbour at Fareham.

155320 Chilson 31 August 1991

155320 heads away from the camera at Chilson on 31 August 1991, as it traverses the Cotswold Line with the 2A61 10:44 Great Malvern to Oxford service. This was running 15 minutes late, something which we have come to expect nowadays, but which was quite uncommon at the time.

155320 Moreton-in-Marsh 31 August 1991

155320 stands at Moreton-in-Marsh station on 31 August 1991 with the 2B40 12:35 Oxford to Great Malvern Regional Railways service. The reason for all the chairs on the platform is that a local band had been in attendance to meet the Aerospace Travel Victoria to Moreton-in-Marsh VSOE special, which had arrived a little earlier behind 47834. The loco would return later in the afternoon with the ECS from Worcester, to pick up the passengers for their return to Victoria.

155321 Frampton Mansell 14 March 1990

155321 passes Frampton Mansell on 14 March 1990 with the 2B07 10:40 Swindon to Gloucester Regional Railways service. Needless to say this viewpoint no longer exists, as the little saplings so recently planted in the foreground field, are now full size trees!

155321 Kingham 27 April 1991

155321 leaves Kingham station on 27 April 1991 with the 2B43 16:31 Oxford to Hereford service. With the exception of the false start of the brief Class 210 experiment, the Class 155s were the first modern type of unit to work regularly over the Cotswold Line.

155321 Wolvercote Junction 18 August 1991

155321 approaches Wolvercote Junction on 18 August 1991 with the 2B44 17:38 Oxford to Great Malvern Regional Railways service. After a life of only just over three years, this unit, like the majority of the class, would soon be converted into two separate Class 153 single car units. Just a few months after this picture was taken, 155321 would become 153321 & 153371.

155322 & 155317 Twerton 4 November 1990

155322 & 155317 pass Twerton on 4 November 1990 with the 2O89 10:45 Cardiff Central to Salisbury Regional Railways service. The provision of a pair of units for a Sunday morning service is explained by the fact that from later on in the winter timetable, the train carried on to Brighton and Portsmouth Harbour, with the train splitting at Fareham to service both destinations.

155322 Standish Junction 5 July 1991

155322 approaches Standish Junction on 5 July 1991 with the 2B17 16:51 Swindon to Worcester Shrub Hill service. Class 155s would very shortly move away from the area, as they were converted into Class 153 single car units.

155323 Badgeworth 28 September 1989

Track workers everywhere at Badgeworth on 28 September 1989. They stand aside to let 155323 pass by with the 2B05 09:50 Swindon to Worcester Foregate Street service. Like most of the class, 155323 only had a life of less than four years, being rebuilt in late 1991 into two Class 153 single cars units: 153323 & 153373.

155324 Upton Scudamore 20 April 1988

155324 brings up the rear of the 2V56 05:50 Portsmouth Harbour to Cardiff Central Regional Railways service at Upton Scudamore on 20 April 1988. Unfortunately the leading unit is unidentified. Equally unfortunate is that this picture was taken on Ektachrome 64 film, which was nothing like as good as Kodachrome 64. Quite why I experimented with such a rubbish film, when Kodachrome, although famous for its ridiculously long processing times, was infinitely better, I cannot now recall!

155324 Moreton-in-Marsh 24 April 1988

155324 arrives at Moreton-in-Marsh on 24 April 1988 with the 2B72 17:35 Oxford to Hereford service. Class 155s worked the Cotswold Line services for a few years between the demise of the heritage DMUs and the introduction of the Class 165 & 166 Turbo units. During the early 1990s most Class 155s were split into two single car units with a small cab constructed in the previously 'dumb' end. Consequently 155324 pictured here is now 153324 and 153374, neither of which are likely to appear at Moreton-in-Marsh again!

155324 Moreton-in-Marsh 24 April 1988

Moreton-in-Marsh station, with the typical lack of passengers, so common on a Sunday afternoon in the 1980s. 155324 stands underneath the footbridge with the 2B72 17:35 Oxford to Hereford service on 24 April 1988. I had already photographed this unit, as it arrived at the station, but the lack of people getting in the way, and with perfect spring lighting, another picture was taken. Good job too, as both the unit and the bridge are now history. 155324 was converted into two Class 153 units in 1992, and the bridge has been replaced by a huge modern disabled friendly design.

155324 Moreton-in-Marsh (Dunstall Bridge) 25 April 1988

Despite the destination blind of 155324 reading 'Oxford', this is the 2B72 17:35 Oxford to Hereford service, pictured approaching Dunstall Bridge, Moreton-in-Marsh, on 25 April 1988. The Cotswold Line was one of the first routes to use the then brand new Class 155s, but after just a couple of years they were taken out of service to be converted into single car Class 153s.

155324 & 155320 Bathampton 5 April 1990

155324 & 155320 take the Westbury line at Bathampton on 5 April 1990 with the 2O97 07:23 Swansea to Brighton & Portsmouth Harbour service. The train will split at Fareham, with 155324 going on to Brighton, and 155320 to Portsmouth Harbour. Now of course this train survives as four separate Class 153 single car units, 153324, 153374, 153320 & 153370.

155325 Bourton 22 December 1989

Until the advent of the Class 800 bi-mode units, DMUs were never very common on the Great Western Mainline (apart from the short lived Oxford to Bristol experiment). However, in 1989 there was a diagrammed out and back working for a Class 155, the purpose of which was a little unclear. 155325 is seen here passing Bourton on 22 December 1989 with the 2A26 12:40 Oxford to Swindon Regional Railways service. It would return a little later as the 2A70 13:45 Swindon to Oxford. Unlike the later Class 165 operated Oxford to Bristol trains, these non-stop Class 155s used the normally freight only Didcot North Junction to Foxhall Junction curve.

155325 Worle 25 April 1990

155325 passes Worle on 25 Aril 1990 with the 13:18 Bristol Temple Meads to Taunton Regional Railways service. Much building work is evident here, and even more construction has taken place on both sides of the line since this picture was taken. The most notable difference in this view today is Worle station, which is now situated midway between 155325 and the bridge in the distance. Considering that the station opened on 24 September 1990, it was obviously built very quickly, as there is no sign whatever of it here!

155326 Charlbury 24 July 1988

155326 calls at Charlbury station on 24 July 1988 with the 2B72 17:35 Oxford to Great Malvern Regional Railways service. Although there doesn't seem to be many passengers around, there seems to be an inordinately large number of cars in the car park for a 1980s scene, indeed apart from the type of vehicles, it looks more like a present day scene. What's more astonishing is that this is a Sunday! Note the newly extended platform in the foreground, and the total lack of any barrier to prevent you driving onto the platform, or worse!

155328 Ascott-under-Wychwood 31 March 1990

A view of the small station at Ascott-under-Wychwood on the Cotswold Line before the former goods yard was fenced off from the main line. 155328 passes through at speed with the 07:48 Hereford to Oxford service on 31 March 1990. A siding formerly ran alongside the side of the platform visible here, and actually survived the track rationalisation of the 1970s. Note the speed restriction signs: 100 mph for the single track to Oxford and 75 mph for the double track section towards Worcester.

155328 Daylesford 1 April 1990

A wave from the driver, as 155328 passes Daylesford, on the Cotswold Line with the 17:30 Oxford to Great Malvern service on 1 April 1990. These units were built in 1987 by British Leyland at Workington, and following good old BL tradition were beset with problems from the start. They did not last long in the form seen here, most being converted to Class 153 single car units in 1991/2. The Victorian gothic church at Daylesford, seen in the background, is the last resting place of Warren Hastings (1732-1818), the first Governor General of India.

155330 Melbury Bubb 15 August 1991

155330 passes Melbury Bubb on 15 August 1991 with the 08:10 Weston-super-Mare to Weymouth Regional Railways service. The following year this unit (along with most of the class) was converted into two single car Class 153s, becoming 153330 & 153380. Melbury Bubb is situated between Yeovil and Maiden Newton, and is principally noted for its church's font, made out of an upturned Saxon cross.

155332 Aller 7 December 1988

A solitary cow wanders across the field towards the line, while on the other side of the railway there is the seemingly ever present traffic on the A380. 155332 passes Aller on 7 December 1988 with the 1C30 11:20 Cardiff Central to Penzance Regional Railways service. Good luck to anyone who braved the complete 5 hour 20 minute journey!

155332 Standish Junction 1 July 1990

155332 approaches Standish Junction on 1 July 1990 with the 2B17 18:30 Swindon to Cheltenham Spa service. All the Class 155s used by Regional Railways in the south of England only had a life of approximately three years, before being converted into single car Class 153s, so with hindsight I should have taken more photos of them while they were still in original form.

155333 Moreton-in-Marsh 5 August 1990

The old and the new on the Cotswold Line. 155333 arrives at Moreton-in-Marsh on 5 August 1990 with the 2B72 17:38 Oxford to Great Malvern service. A quarter of a century later, it is the Victorian technology of semaphore signalling that still survives at this location, while the then nearly new Class 155 no longer exists in this form, having been split in two, to create Class 153s.

155333 Denchworth (Circourt Bridge) 28 June 1991

During 1991 there was an unusual Cheltenham to Oxford and return passenger working, bringing a Regional Railways Class 155 to the Great Western Mainline. The line saw an intensive HST service, but DMUs on the route were very unusual, as all the local stations had been closed in 1964. 155333 is pictured approaching Circourt Bridge, Denchworth, in lovely evening light on 28 June 1991 with the 2B22 19:46 Oxford to Cheltenham Spa service. A little earlier it had passed by in the opposite direction with the 2A35 17:37 Cheltenham Spa to Oxford train. Both workings traversed a very rare section of track for a passenger train - the curve between Didcot North & Foxhall Junctions at Didcot.

155333 Dean 14 November 1991

The late afternoon sun breaks through the clouds just in time to illuminate 155333, as speeds past Dean station on 14 November 1991 with the 2A65 13:05 Brighton to Cardiff Central Regional Railways service. It looks like its been quite a while since anything used the siding in the foreground!

155335 Evenlode 9 September 1990

A picture from the brief period when Regional Railways used Class 155 units on the Cotswold Line. With Manor Farm visible in the background, 155335 passes Evenlode on 9 September 1990 with the 2A65 15:05 Great Malvern to Oxford service.

155335 Dorn 9 September 1990

155335 approaches Dorn on 9 September 1990 with the 2B44 17:38 Oxford to Great Malvern Regional Railways service. It is accelerating away from Moreton-in-Marsh, which can just be glimpsed in the background. The width of the cutting clearly shows that this was once a double track railway, which thankfully it is again now.

155341 & 155346 Cliffe 16 October 2023

155341 & 155346 pass Cliffe on 16 October 2023 with the 2K18 13:17 Halifax to Hull Northern service. There was formerly a station near the houses in the background. Although in the middle of Cliffe village, it was named Hemingbrough, after the village a mile down the Howden road. It closed in 1967.

155341 Selby 18 October 2023

Viewed from a very conveniently positioned temporary footbridge, 155341 crosses the River Ouse at Selby on 18 October 2023 with the 2R13 11:45 York to Bridlington Northern service. The station's original footbridge is being rebuilt, and the temporary structure is much nearer the northern end of the station.

155342 Mirfield 18 March 2006

155342 approaches Mirfield on 18 March 2006 with the 13:31 Huddersfield to Leeds Northern Rail service. Waiting for the unit to clear the junction in the background are 37218 & 37059 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z55 07:13 Gloucester to Hull 'Humber Haulier' railtour.

155342 Cliffe 22 February 2019

155342 passes Cliffe on 22 February 2019 with the 2C71 12:30 Sheffield to Hull Northern service. Photo taken from a public footpath crossing, a right of way which seems a little pointless considering the close proximity of the road bridge.

155342 Barlby 22 February 2019

155342 passes Barlby on 22 February 2019 with the late running 2R94 14:09 Hull to York Northern service. The line on the right is the headshunt for the Potter Group freight terminal. Unusually, the line diverges away from the mainline slightly (by the poles in the background), and continues on a slightly different alignment for its last few hundred yards.

155342 Broomfleet 17 October 2023

155342 passes the leaning signal box at Broomfleet on 17 October 2023, as it heads west through the station with the 2R14 13:56 Bridlington to York Northern service. The 1904 built box once had 60 levers, but after the semaphore signalling was replaced by colour lights, its sole duty now is to control the adjacent level crossing.

155342 Church Fenton 17 October 2023

Superb late afternoon light at Church Fenton on 17 October 2023. 155342 calls at the station with the 2R23 16:44 York to Bridlington Northern service. For some reason 155342 features a red snowplough on one end, rather than the standard black version on the rest of the fleet.

155342 Hemingbrough 18 October 2023

155342 passes Hemingbrough on 18 October 2023 with the 2R91 10:45 York to Bridlington Northern service. This is one of the longest completely straight sections of railway in the UK, beaten only by the Redhill to Tonbridge line.

155343 Selby 12 April 1997

155343 leaves Selby station on 12 April 1997 with the 11:18 Hull to Manchester Piccadilly service, whilst waiting to follow it out on the right is 142080, which is also going to Manchester, but via a much more devious route, and with innumerable stops. The 155 will travel via Huddersfield, whilst the 142 will go via Halifax and Hebden Bridge, as it works the 11:53 Selby to Manchester Victoria.

155343 Walsden 31 March 2004

155343 approaches Walsden on 31 March 2004 with the 10:24 York to Manchester Victoria Arriva Trains Northern service. It is crossing the low viaduct which carries the line over the Rochdale Canal. Behind are the typical groups of houses that cling to the valley sides all the way to Todmorden.

155343 Cliffe 11 November 2022

155343 approaches Cliffe on 11 November 2022 with the 2R17 13:45 York to Bridlington Northern service. It looks like the remains of an old bridge on the right, but early editions of the Ordnance Survey map make no mention of one.

155344 Church Fenton 25 May 2002

155344 arrives at Church Fenton on 25 May 2002 with the 17:13 York to Manchester Victoria Arriva Trains Northern service. In the background is the 1904 built North Eastern Railway signal box, which has unfortunately now been demolished. I had assumed that by framing the train between the two signals, there would be just enough room to get in the two car unit and still show the signal box. Obviously I couldn't test out this theory beforehand, but luckily there is just enough room!

155345 Micklefield 12 May 1990

Despite it being the middle of May it is obviously still cold enough to have a fire going in the house! 155345 departs from the staggered platform at Micklefield station with the 08:30 Manchester Victoria to York West Yorkshire Metro service on 12 May 1990. 155345 is from the small second batch of these units, which survived being split into single car Class 153 units.

155345 Lostock Hall 29 December 1990

The low winter sun accentuates the red Metro Train livery of 155345 as it passes Lostock Hall on 29 December 1990 with the 11:40 Blackpool North to Leeds service. This is the view from the A6, midway between Lostock Hall and Bamber Bridge stations. As in so many locations, lineside bushes have now made this wide view impossible.

155345 Luddendenfoot 16 November 2015

155345 passes Luddendenfoot on 16 November 2015 with the 2E01 07:48 Manchester Victoria to Leeds Northern service. Like most trains in the Pennines on this particular date, this was running late. Evidence of exactly why can be seen on the left, with water cascading down the side of the cutting onto the track, in this case not causing any flooding, but in other locations considerable problems were being encountered.

155345 Hall Royd Junction 16 November 2015

155345 passes Hall Royd Junction on 16 November 2015 with the 2U22 09:26 Leeds to Manchester Victoria Northern service. Millwood Tunnel can be seen in the background, and on the hillside in the background is the Stoodley Pike Monument, commemorating the defeat of Napoleon in 1815. The present monument is a 1856 replacement for the 1815 original.

155345 & 155347 Hemingbrough 18 October 2023

155345 & 155347 pass Hemingbrough on 18 October 2023 with the 2R09 09:45 York to Bridlington Northern service. 155341 with the 2R04 08:15 Scarborough to York train can just be seen disappearing into the distance.

155346 Hessle 17 October 2023

155346 passes Hessle on 17 October 2023 with the 2R98 12:56 Bridlington to York Northern service. The parallel A63 road is the main road from Hull to the west. It becomes the M62 motorway a few miles further on, at North Cave.

155347 Cliffe 22 February 2019

155347 passes Cliffe on 22 February 2019 with the 2R92 13:10 Hull to York Northern service. Note the vintage North Eastern Railway cast iron milepost in the foreground, several of which survive on the Selby to Hull line.

155347 Sherburn-in-Elmet 14 March 2022

155347 arrives at Sherburn-in-Elmet station on 14 March 2022 with the 2R04 08:15 Scarborough to York Northern service. The unit is crossing over the former road level crossing, now relegated to a footpath, as the bridge from which this picture was taken carries the replacement road.

155347 Selby 18 October 2023

Viewed from a temporary footbridge at the north end of Selby station, 155347 crosses Selby Swing Bridge on 18 October 2023 with the 2R10 11:56 Bridlington to York Northern service. The bridge, which cost £22,342 18s 0d, opened in 1891, replacing an earlier structure.