Although originally built for the Chiltern division of Network SouthEast, the first five Class 165 units (165001 - 165005) were operated by Thames Trains for a few years before reverting back to their former stamping ground in 2004 when they were acquired by Chiltern Railways. During this period, 165002 is pictured departing from Castle Bar Park station with the 13:32 Greenford to Paddington service on 20 April 2002. Just visible in the distance following one block behind is preserved 'Hastings' DEMU 1001 working the Branch Line Society 'Western Essex Express' railtour, which was running late. It should have run in front of the 165, but was now having to crawl behind it and wait while it stopped at the stations!

165008 is pictured in the Buckinghamshire countryside near Chearsley with the 11:40 Stratford-upon-Avon to Marylebone Chiltern Railways service on 1 August 2007. Note the revised headlight arrangement, with the former wide recessed area now largely filled with a flush blanking plate. This section of line was re-doubled in 1998 (it had been reduced to single track in the late 1960s) and the frequency of service has benefited enormously as a result.

165009 along with an unidentified classmate leaves Princes Risborough on 15 May 1993 with the 09:30 Banbury to Marylebone Network SouthEast service. Notice that some otherwise very thorough roof cleaning on these units has been slightly let down by leaving a small area untouched over the cab windows! In the background on the down line can be seen the wagons of the Northolt to Calvert binliner, which remained in that position for some considerable time.

165020 pulls out of Wendover station with the 13:35 Aylesbury to Marylebone Chiltern Railways service on 1 August 2007. Wendover's station is on the western edge of the town, and as can be seen here, is now paralleled by the A413 bypass. Is that traces of Network SouthEast red paint I can see beneath the Chiltern Railways blue on the lamposts?

165024 passes Bucknell (between Banbury and Bicester) with the 11:40 Stratford-upon-Avon to Marylebone Chiltern Railways service on 11 February 2008. Although these units only have a top speed of 75 mph, it is certainly moving faster than the traffic on the M40 motorway in the background. There had obviously been an accident further south, as the traffic had been virtually stationary for nearly an hour. I am glad I wasn't in that lot!

165028 is pictured shortly after leaving Hatton station with the 11:40 Stratford-upon-Avon to Marylebone Chiltern Railways service on 27 November 2007. The weather was terrible, very dark and drizzling with rain, but it did mean a picture from the north side of the line was possible for a change.

In perfect low winter afternoon lighting, 165030 is pictured as it slowly accelerates away from Hatton station and approaches Hatton North Junction with the 14:20 Marylebone to Birmingham Snow Hill Chiltern Railways service on 19 February 2008. Not many Class 165s venture this far north and this makes a change from the normal Class 168s on this route.

A close up view of 165106 as it accelerates away from the Twyford stop on 17 April 2008 with the 09:19 Reading to Paddington First Great Western service and passes through the cutting at Ruscombe. The First Great Western 'Neon' livery does suit these units very well, and although they seem incapable of actually running the trains to time, FGW do at least keep them clean. In the late 1990s it was quite common to see the white roofs of these units (then in Network SouthEast livery) badly discoloured with ground in exhaust soot. Probably not the wisest colour choice for DMU roofs, but this picture does at least prove that it is possible to keep them looking presentable.

165108 heads along the up relief line at Lower Basildon on 3 February 2007 with the 14:21 Oxford to Paddington First Great Western service. Such is the pace of change on the privatised railway that both the Thames Trains livery and the First Great Western Link logo on the side of the coaches were by this time obsolete!

Although booked for a Class 180 Adelante unit, on 21 October 2007 the 11:14 Worcester Foregate Street to Paddington First Great Western service turned out to be a Class 165 Sprinter. 165112 is pictured having just passed through Shipton station and is viewed from the FWP Matthews flour mills car park. Shipton station originally served a wide rural area, and as late as the 1970s the 'Shipton for Burford' sign on the platform indicated this role.

Only the rail tail lights and the lack of a destination indication give away the fact that this is a going away shot. 165113 has just left Charlbury station with the 13:25 Oxford to Worcester Shrub Hill First Great Western service on 11 September 2006. The unit still carries Thames Trains livery, albeit with the addition of First brandings. The limitations of the single line are apparent here, as the 1Z14 Ultrasonic Test Train was being held at Ascott-under-Wychwood, waiting for this unit to clear the single line.

With the introduction of the summer 1993 timetable on the Cotswold Line, a new Birmingham to Paddington service was introduced. On the first day, 17 May 1993, 165115 passes Evesham signal box under threatening skies with the inaugural run of the 09:15 Birmingham New Street to Paddington. 165115 was destroyed in the Ladbroke Grove accident in 1999, becoming the first Turbo unit to be withdrawn.

165116 passes Hinksey Yard with the 13:30 Oxford to Paddington First Great Western service on 2 January 2008. 221123 has just received an amber signal in the background, after being held for several minutes whilst working the 11:45 Bournemouth to Glasgow Arriva Cross Country service. As the lighting was so good, the opportunity was taken to place the 'Voyager' between the poles, and include the Railtrack wagons in the foreground to frame the picture. Note the spire of Nuffield College in the background.

In freezing cold weather, with frost on the trees and tracks, and the sun barely struggling to burn through the mist, 165119 slows down for its stop at Heyford station with the 06:38 Paddington to Banbury Thames Trains all stations service on 16 December 2003. This location (like so many) has become progressively more grown up over the years.

On a fine summer's evening, a remarkably clean 165120 speeds past the public footpath crossing at Churchill Heath, on the Cotswold Line between Bruern and Kingham. The date is 27 June 1993 and it is working the 17:35 Oxford to Great Malvern Network SouthEast service. This is one of the few occasions prior to First Great Western taking over services on the Cotswold Line that I have photographed a late running train (20 minutes late in this case). Unfortunately late running has now become the norm. Note the pre war bullhead track that was still in place on the down line at this location. The rails may vintage but 165120 was less than a year old at this time.

165120 arrives at Heyford with the 15:05 Banbury to Oxford First Great Western service on 9 June 2008. The boats on the Oxford Canal form a perfect background to this picture, which is taken from the station's footbridge. The houses in the background are in the village of Lower Heyford. The village of Upper Heyford (once synonymous with the now closed USAF airfield) lies a mile away to the north.

165124 calls at Aldermaston with the 10:13 Newbury to Reading First Great Western service on 8 May 2008. Aldermaston station, along with nearby Theale, Midgham and Thatcham survived the Beeching closures and now have a frequent local service operating as far as Newbury. This is in addition to the services that operate to Bedwyn, which generally only call at Theale and Thatcham. Judging by the full car park the service is well patronised.

With the long lens compressing the perspective and bringing up the houses of Charlbury in the distance, 165124 approaches Shorthampton with the 17:31 Oxford to Worcester Foregate Street First Great Western service on 9 June 2008. This is the only down train to call at all stations on the Cotswold Line. The bridge, which forms an ideal photographic frame for this short train is a farm occupation bridge linking fields on either side of the line.

A location I had been meaning to visit for sometime is Rousham, on the Banbury to Oxford line. It does however require rather a long walk, but I was near the spot on 16 February 2008, and I realised that the 09:02 Banbury to Oxford First Great Western service would be the ideal short train not to obscure Rousham church visible in the distance on the right. 165126 passes a field of long grass covered in frost in perfect low winter early morning light.

In perfect evening lighting, 165129 arrives at Shipton on the Cotswold Line with the 17:00 Reading to Moreton-in-Marsh service on 13 May 1996. This was one of only a handful of trains to call Shipton at this time, and even then it was a request stop! Note the combination of materials used in the former Oxford, Worcester & Wolverhampton Railway bridge, with stone being used for the arch and parapet, and brick being used for the retaining wing walls.

165129 ambles through the Oxfordshire countryside near Bruern with the 06:50 Worcester Foregate Street to Oxford First Great Western service on 10 August 2007. This is the only up service to call at all stations on the Cotswold Line, hence the use of a 2 car Class 165, rather than a more usual Class 180, which would be too long for some of the platforms. This train was running to 'Cotswold Line Standard Time' (in other words, late!)

The only train in the up direction to call at Finstock on the Cotswold Line during the 1990s was the 07:02 Worcester Foregate Street to Oxford service. On 19 August 1996 165132 calls to pick up two passengers, one of whom is going to test the Turbo unit's limited storage capacity for bikes. It is hard to believe now that until the mid 1980s, Finstock's [platform was on the other side of the track, underneath the bushes on the right. Although Network SouthEast was defunct by this time, not only does the unit still carry the livery, but the lamposts have had a fresh coat of red paint!

A solitary passenger waits to board 165134 as it arrives at Ascott-under-Wychwood with the 07:00 Worcester Foregate Street to Oxford service on 25 July 1995. This was one of only two up passengers services to call at this station at the time. Ascott-under-Wychwood marks the start of the long single track section to Wolvercote Junction, the end of the double track section can just be seen behind the train. A siding was retained at Ascott until relatively recently, surprisingly surviving the track singling in 1971. It was retained for the infrequent coal deliveries to the small yard, but I only ever saw it used once for the storage of a tamper unit. The remains of the end loading dock can be seen on the left.

First Great Western Turbo unit 165136 has been decorated with 'Back the Bid, London 2012 Olympics' vinyls. It is seen here passing Waltham St Lawrence with conventionally liveried classmate 165109 with the 11:45 Paddington to Reading First Great Western service on 27 July 2007.

165137 passes Yarnton with the 09:02 Banbury to Oxford First Great Western service on 2 February 2008. This was one of those days when the weather forecasters promised sun virtually all day, instead after a bright start high cloud rapidly developed, so that shortly after this picture was taken the sun disappeared, only to reappear briefly during the rest of the day.