The barriers on the level crossing in the background are just lifting again after the passage of 158701 with the 10:08 Glasgow Queen Street to Inverness Scotrail service on 12 April 2004. The location is Forteviot, in the wide valley of the River Earn, between Gleneagles and Perth.

In typically gloomy Scottish weather conditions, 158722 arrives at Strathcarron with the 15:13 Kyle of Lochalsh to Inverness ScotRail service on 27 August 2005. 40145 was waiting to cross this train in the station with the 1Z40 'Whistling Scotsman' railtour.

158726 crosses over the Loth Burn, near the site of Loth station (between Helmsdale and Brora) with the 11:56 Wick to Inverness First ScotRail service on 7 October 2007. Although a very photogenic spot, it is very difficult to hear trains approaching here due to the waterfalls in the burn below, and as you can't see any further than the start of the cutting visible in the background here, I was waiting anxiously for this train to appear, hoping that I would fire the shutter at just the right time to place the train centrally on the bridge. I certainly wasn't going to get it wrong, as this is the only southbound train on the line on a Sunday! Luckily I managed to get it just right, but I was certainly glad I had the wideangle lens with me!

158728 pulls into Achnasheen station to pick up a single passenger on 27 August 2005. It is working the 16:48 Kyle of Lochalsh to Inverness ScotRail service, one of only four up services over the line, and even this service doesn't run for the full period of the summer timetable. Although seemingly very remote, Achnasheen is actually an important settlement on the Kyle of Lochalsh line, as it has a petrol station, and a hotel as well as a road junction. Not many houses though!

In golden evening light, 158762 passes Tredington on 13 February 2008 with the 14:51 Great Malvern to Weymouth First Great Western service. 4 hours 20 minutes is a bit of a marathon journey in a DMU, surely? This unit carries the latest version of First's livery, with strange lower bodyside graphics.

How's this for a livery off the beaten track. Over 400 miles from its former haunts, 158786 is still sporting full South West Trains livery, complete with branding as it approaches Gleneagles with the 08:41 Glasgow Queen Street to Aberdeen First ScotRail service on 6 July 2008, in the company of more appropriately liveried 170418. ScotRail acquired two former South West Trains Class 158s in 2007, SWT having earlier acquired them from Central Trains. It is unusual for transferred units to retain their former operator's name, even if the livery remains unaltered, so perhaps residents of the Highlands think this refers to south west Scotland!

158793 arrives at Goole with the 07:41 Sheffield to Bridlington Northern Rail service on 26 June 2008. This unit carries additional advertising vinyls over the standard Northern Rail livery. Compare it with 158860 which worked the next hourly service. Note the Guardian float glass works in the background.

158820 speeds through Bittern on the Southampton to Fareham line with the 12:00 Cardiff Central to Brighton Regional Railways service on  5 March 1994. 158820 was just over two years old when this photo was taken and still carried its original livery. Superb late afternoon lighting with some very threatening dark clouds in the background over Southampton.

I wonder if there is a buffet trolley selling pasties on this train? Ginsters liveried 158825 leaves Wem station with the 08:41 Crewe to Shrewsbury service on 4 June 2005. Although the signal box survives by virtue of the adjacent level crossing, the station itself now only has very basic passenger facilities.

158853 accelerates away from Goole with the 16:32 Beverley to Sheffield Northern Rail service on 8 May 2007. This is one of the former Central Trains units, and still bears that company's livery, albeit with all branding painted out. In the background 66230 can be seen waiting to leave with the 6H93 17:04 Goole to Peterborough Yard sand empties.

A close up action shot of 158856 as it passes Manea with the 13:24 Peterborough to Stansted Central Trains service on 23 January 2005. After a ten year reign, Central lost its franchise in November 2007, with this service passing to Arriva Cross Country. Other parts of the network were split between East Midlands Trains and London Midland.

158860 arrives at Goole with the 08:41 Sheffield to Bridlington Northern Rail service on 26 June 2008. The Guardian float glass works dominates the background, and the line serving the plant can be seen, both on the right of the picture, and crossing the field just below the main buildings in the distance. Note that the former open space next to the railway is now home to industrial units, with stacks of chemical drums up against the railway fence on the left.

The First Great Western Westbury to Swindon service is poorly used due to the bizarre timing of the infrequent trains. There are just two trains in each direction Mondays to Saturdays, and inexplicably two trains from Westbury to Swindon on a Sunday, but none in the opposite direction! 158872 in the now defunct Alphaline livery passes Langley Burrell with the 09:07 Westbury to Swindon service on 8 September 2007.

In superb evening lighting, with the low sun contrasting with the dark clouds to the north, 158907 heads south from Goole and approaches Creykes Crossing with the 16:27 Hull to Doncaster Northern Rail service on 13 March 2007. The dock cranes of Goole can just be seen in the background.