The early morning sun struggles to emerge from a band of cloud as 165001 passes North Lee with the 09:06 Aylesbury to Marylebone Chiltern Railways service on 6 December 2008. Not the most photogenic of locations, but one that would have been completely clear of shadows had it been a sunny start to the morning as was forecast!

The first Turbo unit to enter traffic (165001) has nearly two decades of service behind it when pictured here on 24 May 2010 working the 10:38 Aylesbury to Princes Risborough service. It has taken over from 55020, which worked the earlier trains, and is pictured here approaching Little Kimble. The line will continue to see this relatively modern traction until the evening peak, when once again the vintage Class 121 unit will be brought out.

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!

165003 curves off the Stratford-upon-Avon branch at Hatton on 29 October 2009 with the 1H43 13:40 Stratford-upon-Avon to Marylebone Chiltern Railways service. This clearly show the bizarre effect you get when photographing modern train route indicators. The old fashioned manual ones, even on the unrefurbished Class 165/0s, always photographed clearly.

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.

The early morning sun is struggling to burn off the mist near Aynho Junction on 11 April 1992, as 165011 & 165003 apply power after coming off the Chiltern Line with the 08:43 Marylebone to Banbury Network SouthEast service. At this time not one of the Chiltern Line trains continued past Banbury, in marked contrast to today, when they virtually all do. In addition to there no longer being any NSE liveried Class 165s, the view here has also changed, with bushes now restricting this wide open viewpoint.

165012 emerges from Ardley Tunnel on 29 October 2008, whilst working the 12:54 Marylebone to Stratford-on-Avon Chiltern Railways service. After a bright start, high cloud had rolled in from the west shortly after midday and the sun gradually disappeared. I therefore chose this location, as due to the tree lined cutting on the approach to the tunnel it would be very difficult to take pictures here if the sun was out - certainly at this time of year. A convenient field access bridge crosses the line just in front of the tunnel giving this excellent viewpoint.

On a bright but bitterly cold 22 December 2001, Chiltern Railways 165013 passes Overthorpe (near Banbury) with the 10:30 Birmingham Snow Hill to Marylebone service. This unit was the first of Chiltern Railway's Turbos to be refurbished, the work having not long been completed when this picture was taken. The opening windows had been sealed with the installation of air conditioning (although that certainly wouldn't have been in use on this particular day!), the small first class section removed and the front end light clusters altered. The most striking visible difference at the time was the application of this new livery in place of the former Network SouthEast colour scheme.

165013 pulls slowly away from Kings Sutton station on 23 April 2009, after calling with the 13:40 Stratford-upon-Avon to Marylebone Chiltern Railways service. As well as these Class 165/0 units working Chiltern Railway's long distance trains, First Great Western's Class 165/1s also call at Kings Sutton on the purely local Cherwell Valley service. Later the same day, 165126 called with the 15:07 Banbury to Oxford train.

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?

165021 calls at Chorleywood station with the 12:05 Aylesbury to Marylebone Chiltern Railways service on 14 September 2008. This station is used by both this basically hourly Chiltern service and a much more frequent London underground service from Amersham, hence the standard underground nameboard and the extra conductor rails.

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!

A well placed gap in the bushes (purely natural!) allows this long lens picture of 165025 approaching Ardley Tunnel with the 13:39 Stratford-upon-Avon to Marylebone Chiltern Railways service. This was the scene on 11 February 2008, but on a subsequent visit the vegetation had largely obscured this convenient gap.

165027 & 165011 pass Overthorpe on 14 June 1994 with the 17:45 Marylebone to Birmingham Snow Hill service. By this time these 165/0 units had settled down to thier intended Chiltern Line duties, but initially these same units may have been seen at this location whilst they were working local services from Paddington to Banbury via Oxford. This was due to the late delivery of the dedicated Thames Line 165/1 sub-class.

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.

165031 & 165025 pass the site of Ardley Quarry on 3 July 2010 with the 1G36 13:15 Marylebone to Birmingham Snow Hill Chiltern Railways service. This was one of a number of modified services operating over the route due to engineering works further south. Note the rusting rails of the former quarry siding just visible underneath the brambles in the foreground.

165032 passes Bishops Itchington on 23 June 2009 with the 08:45 Marylebone to Birmingham Snow Hill Chiltern Railways service. A day of sunshine and cloud, with the sun not quite appearing in the right place at the right time for this picture!

165033 arrives a Radley just before sunset on 15 May 1992 with the 18:08 Paddington to Oxford Network SouthEast service. At this time a number of Chiltern Line three car Class 165/0s were on hire to the Thames Line to cover for the late arrival of the Class 165/1s. Subsequently, with the exception of a brief period after privatisation when five 165/0s were allocated to Thames Trains, the Paddington to Oxford route has been worked exclusively by Class 165/1s along of course with the more up market Class 166s.

165033 passes Fritwell on 18 April 2010 with the 12:00 Stratford-upon-Avon to Marylebone Chiltern Railways service. For once the destination indicator is not working, which avoids the strange broken up display effect that normally appears in pictures of these (any many other) units.

165033 emerges from Brill Tunnel on 24 May 2010 with the 12:52 Birmingham Snow Hill to Marylebone Chiltern Railways service. Notice how short the tunnel is, although this has admittedly been slightly foreshortened by the use of a very long lens. The long lens and the extreme heat have also given the rails a curiously wobbly appearance. This view would have not have been possible until recently. Whole swathes of trees have been cleared from both sides of the cutting.

During 1992 various members of the Chiltern Line Class 165/0 fleet were drafting into the Thames Valley pool to increase capacity pending delivery of more of that route's dedicated 165/1 sets. This often led to the two types working in multiple, as shown here. 165035 (bereft of any front end numbers) leads 165106 past Culham on 12 May 1992 with the 18:08 Paddington to Oxford Network SouthEast service. Although of course Class 165s still often work in multiple, it is exceedingly unlikely that these two will ever meet again, as while the rear unit still works the same route, 165035 has spent virtually all the time since working the Chiltern Line out of Marylebone.

165035 passes Kings Sutton on 28 May 2010 with the 1G40 14:50 Marylebone to Birmingham Snow Hill Chiltern Railways service. I'm not quite sure what's happened to the unit's number on the front end, with misaligned figures and peeling digits.

I have not seen many photographs taken from this location, but then it does require a fair walk to get to it. 165037 approaches the Buckinghamshire village of Jordans with the 18:32 Marylebone to High Wycombe Chiltern Trains service on 8 August 1998. Unfortunately the abundant trees that make the Chilterns such a picturesque area mean that there are very few good photographic locations in the Beaconsfield area.

165038 passes Fritwell on a bitterly cold 15 December 2007 with the 08:23 Marylebone to Birmingham Snow Hill Chiltern Railways service. At least the dull conditions allowed this viewpoint, which because of the angle of the line would be a very difficult proposition in sunny conditions.

The penultimate Class 165/0, 165038 passes Bishops Itchington on 23 June 2009 with the 09:12 Birmingham Snow Hill to Marylebone Chiltern Railways service. This is an 'all stations' train as far as High Wycombe, from where it becomes non-stop to the London terminus.

165039 approaches Wormleighton Crossing on 22 April 2009 with the 11:52 Birmingham Snow Hill to Marylebone Chiltern Trains service. This view illustrates one of the numerous ways Network Rail finds to waste money. Note the duplication of the 93½ milepost. Presumably the old one was getting a little tatty, but this is easily remedied by a readily available cheap miracle cure that comes in tins - called paint! Although I suppose nowadays nobody would be allowed to do such a simple job so near the running lines, although of course that's exactly how the replacement got there!