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.

165001 accelerates away from Islip station on 2 October 2011 with the 2L08 11:00 Oxford to Bicester Town Chiltern Railways service. I'm not sure how many miles 165001 has covered, but the Honda Accord on the left now has 382,000 miles on the clock. Both 165001 and the 'Heritage Honda' now look a little tatty in places, both being built at roughly the same time. Other than routine servicing, the Accord has required no work at all on the engine or transmission, and even has the original clutch!

165001 (or 65001 if you look carefully) passes the Banbury Road stone terminal at Water Eaton on 2 October 2011 with the 2L09 11:33 Bicester Town to Oxford Chiltern Railways service. Compare this with an identical view taken almost exactly a year earlier when the service was still operated by First Great Western. The A34 Oxford to Bicester dual carriageway runs parallel with the line here, but is now completely hidden by bushes.

A fine and unreasonably warm spring morning at Bishops Itchington on 26 March 2012. 165001 speeds southwards with the 1H30 09:55 Stratford-upon-Avon to Marylebone Chiltern Railways service, running just a few minutes behind the identically timed departure from Birmingham Moor Street.

Despite looking nearly the same going in both directions (apart from lacking a driver of course!), I don't normally take going away pictures of units. However, on this occasion a Class 165/0 passing Radley on a northbound crew training run was definitely worth a picture. 165002 speeds northwards on 12 December 1991, and Class 117 units were still in command of local trains to and from Oxford. Apart from the loan of the three car versions the following year, Class 165/0s would never be common in the Thames Valley.

165002 arrives at Culham on 11 July 1994 with the 2C60 18:20 Didcot to Oxford stopping service. After a short layover at Oxford, it would then go on to form the 18:46 to Bicester Town. In 1992 a number of the three car Class 165/0 units which were destined for the Chiltern Line were used as a temporary stop gap on services out of Paddington, due to the late delivery of the Class 165/1 fleet. However, two years later, here we have a two car Chiltern set again working away from its intended area.

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!

165002 heads through Harbury cutting on 22 October 2008 with the 12:54 Marylebone to Stratford-upon-Avon Chiltern Railways service. This was once an excellent photographic location, but although the vegetation has again been cut back, as can be seen here, it is catching up again!

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.

165004 finds a brief sunny spell at Overthorpe on 28 January 2011, as it passes underneath the M40 motorway with the 1H32 11:24 Banbury to Marylebone Chiltern Railways service. There are some ominous dark clouds in the background, but obviously Banbury is still in sunshine. Note the steam rising from Kraft Food's coffee factory in the background.

In crisp late afternoon light, 165006 speeds past Launton with the 1U45 16:03 Marylebone to Banbury Chiltern Railways service on 2 September 2010. Chiltern Railways have almost got a new variation of their blue and white colour scheme. Their Class 165 & 168 units are generally in immaculate condition (not easy with so much white paintwork), but virtually every one has an uncleaned cab roof, which slightly spoils the overall effect.

Fresh out of the box! An immaculate 165007 stands at Bicester North station on 2 December 1991 with the first Turbo operated passenger service on the Chiltern Line - the 11:43 Marylebone to Banbury. It returned straight away with the 13:32 from Banbury. The introduction of these units had been delayed by several months. Note the large gap between platforms, caused by the removal of central through lines.

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.

Surely if there was going to be a Class 65, it would be a heavy freight locomotive! After just a few months in traffic, 165009 is already masquerading as something it isn't, as indeed did a lot of the 165s in their early years, when missing numbers were commonplace. It is hiding in the gloom of Banbury station on 14 February 1992, waiting to work the 2G46 11:30 service to Marylebone.

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.

A dramatic cloudscape at Kings Sutton on 14 November 2007, as 165009 heads northwards with the 14:20 Marylebone to Birmingham Snow Hill Chiltern Railways service. Note the footpath crossing by the second vehicle. This is a useful winter photographic vantage point. As can be seen from the low level of the field in the foreground, there is nothing to shade the tracks even when the sun is low in the sky.

165009 passes the footpath crossing at Launton on 2 September 2010 with the 1N43 15:43 Marylebone to Bicester North Chiltern Railways service. The 'trains run either way on each line' is not to be taken too seriously, as although fully bi-directionally signaled, normal left hand running is always in use except for emergencies.

The cows graze contentedly in the field at Great Bourton on 28 March 2012, as 165009 hurries by with the 1H59 17:10 Birmingham Snow Hill to Marylebone Chiltern Railways service. Note how there is nothing shading the line at this point in the afternoon, although the same cannot be said for earlier in the day.

November 2012 seems to have settled into a regular routine of traveling the short distance to the Oxford area to see the 56 hauled 6Z91 10:55 Calvert to Didcot Power Station flyash empties. This invariably means photographing the DMU that precedes it along the single track Bicester to Oxford line. I thought I would try a different angle at Islip on 8 November 2012, to show the train passing the station's small car park. An everyday subject, but I certainly wasn't going to pass up the opportunity of a picture in such stunning lighting conditions. With a thick mass of dark clouds to the north, 165010 approaches the station with the 2L11 11:30 Bicester Town to Oxford Chiltern Railways service.

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.

A contrast in Class 165 units at Oxford (Walton Well Road) on 5 May 2012. 165014 approaches with the 2L08 09:28 Oxford to Bicester Town Chiltern Railways service, whilst 165129 heads towards Oxford station past more stabled units with the 2L39 09:02 First Great Western service from Banbury. Note the trackbed of the former LMS route into Oxford on the left.

165014 has just rejoined the mainline at Oxford North Junction (adjacent to Aristotle Lane footbridge in the background) and is now passing Walton Well Road on the last few yards of its journey with the 2L09 09:57 Bicester Town to Oxford Chiltern Railways service on 5 May 2012.

165014 approaches Mill Lane level crossing, Islip on 3 May 2013, with the 2T12 13:30 Oxford to Bicester Town Chiltern Railways service. This crossing is operated by road users, and relies on the red and green lights on the sign on the left for indication of safety to cross. As the crossing only serves a back road in the village, which is also accessible via the bridge in the centre of the village, little hardship will result when the crossing is permanently closed, as part of the forthcoming Oxford to Bletchley route upgrade.

Signs of autumn at Islip on 6 November 2012, as 165017 rounds the curve between the station and Islip Crossing with the 2L11 11:30 Bicester Town to Oxford Chiltern Railways service. Note the vintage 95lb bullhead rail still in place on the curve.

165018 passes Oxford North Junction on 16 July 2011 with the early morning Aylesbury to Oxford (via Banbury) Chiltern Railways ECS working, that preludes the unit's daily workings on the Bicester Branch. This isn't really very 'green', as the former First Great Western service on the route started from Oxford and didn't incur such uneconomic empty stock mileage. The branch line to Bicester can be seen diverging to the right in the background.

After working ECS from Aylesbury, 165018 approaches Oxford North Junction on 16 July 2011 with the first Chiltern Railways working of the day on the Bicester branch - the 2L04 07:00 Oxford to Bicester Town. It is running on the bi-directional up relief line, which enables these Bicester trains to be kept completley separate from the often congested main lines. If four tracks looks impressive at this location, it once looked even more so, as the rough road behind the unit marks the course of the former LMS line into Oxford. This was another double track line.

In order for Chiltern Railways to operate the Oxford to Bicester Town service, one of their 165 units has to work down from Banbury early each morning. On 25 June 2012, just as the sun is starting to rise, 165019 (missing two digits and therefore impersonating an erstwhile Class 24!) passes Tackley with the 5V02 05:05 Banbury to Oxford ECS.

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.

An unusual visitor to the Banbury to Oxford line on 17 October 2010. 165021 passes Wolvercote Junction with the 1V50 15:38 Warwick Parkway to Oxford Chiltern Railways service. Because the Chiltern Line was closed for engineering works, a series of shuttle services were operating to Oxford to connect with First Great Western trains. This in itself was not so unusual, but the use of a Class 165 instead of the more normal Class 168 is noteworthy. Although of course Class 165/1s regularly operate on this line from Banbury and on the Cotswold Line (the route diverging to the left in the foreground), Class 165/0s definitely do not. In the early days of the class a few were hired in, and later with privatisation some were temporarily used by Thames Trains, but the sight of one of these units in Chiltern Railways livery at this location is certainly worth recording.

165021 just manages to avoid the shadows as it passes Oddington on 5 November 2012 with the 2L11 11:30 Bicester Town to Oxford Chiltern Railways service. The lineside bushes have gradually been getting taller over the years at this location. Let's hope that the forthcoming transformation of this sleepy byway into another high speed route to London results in some improved viewpoints, although of course the impending electrification will probably ruin it photographically anyway.

With frost still on the track, 165022 approaches Islip on 10 December 2011 with the 2L09 09:58 Bicester Town to Oxford Chiltern Railways service. There is plenty of warning of approaching trains here, as they can be seen even before they get to Oddington Crossing, over a mile away.

165023 adheres strictly to the 15 mph speed limit as it curves off the Stratford-upon-Avon branch and prepares to stop at Hatton station, whilst working the 2L19 13:03 Stratford-upon-Avon to Leamington Spa Chiltern Railways service on 1 August 2011. A dull day is an advantage for this picture, which is taken from the north side of the line.

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!

There are very few locations between Bicester and Oxford that are not hemmed in with trees, and therefore plagued by shadows during the winter months. However, near Charlton-on-Otmoor there is a brief gap in the bushes next to a farm crossing. 165024 passes this spot on 23 November 2012 with the 2L11 11:30 Bicester Town to Oxford Chiltern Railways service. This picture is taken (with permission) from a field that contains the farm's pet ram, goat (and out of the picture) miniature pig.

Freezing conditions at Islip on 13 December 2012 as 165024 arrives with the 2T10 11:00 Oxford to Bicester Town Chiltern Railways service. Unfortunately for the operator, despite there being two of us on the platform, no one left and no one came, to quote Edward Thomas (the famous 1917 poem 'Adlestrop'). This view from the end of Islip's platform gives a good view of the two bridges and the reverse curve that takes the Oxford to Bicester line through the village. This short section of the route is completely different to the flat landscape all around.

You don't always need sunshine for the perfect picture. With a frosty yet dull morning on 13 December 2012, I decided to visit the short cutting at Islip, where I guessed that the lineside bushes would show up well with a good coating of frost. Had the sun been out this would have been impossible, due to the depth of the cutting. 165024 pulls away from Islip station (just beyond the bridge in the background) with the 2T11 11:30 Bicester Town to Oxford Chiltern Railways service.

165024 emerges from Wolvercote Tunnel, and starts to slow down in readiness for the approach to Oxford North Junction, where it will join the Banbury to Oxford line. The date is 3 January 2013, and the train is the 2T09 10:30 Bicester Town to Oxford Chiltern Railways service.

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 their 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.

From Sunday 22 May 2011, Chiltern Railways took over the running of the Oxford to Bicester Town service, which had previously been run by First Great Western. 165028 approaches the level crossing at Oddington with the very first train of the new service (the 2L06 09:36 Oxford to Bicester Town). Not much of a change in rolling stock, just Class 165/0s instead of 165/1s and in a different livery of course! Note the transition from steam age bullhead track to relatively modern flat bottom track in the immediate foreground.

165028 emerges from Wolvercote Tunnel on 22 May 2011 with the first Chiltern Railways operated Bicester to Oxford train. A little while before it had worked up to Bicester with the very first train (the 2L06 09:36 Oxford to Bicester Town) and is pictured here heading back with the 2L07 10:05 Bicester Town to Oxford. Chiltern Railways have taken over the route from First Great Western and are initially running to exactly the same timetable. However, Chiltern have grand plans to upgrade the route and turn it into a through route to London via a new chord at Bicester. The lush vegetation here belies its real location, it being nowhere near as rural as it looks. The houses of the Oxford suburb of Wolvercote are all around and there is a roundabout on the Oxford ring road just above the tunnel!

Under an impressively dark and menacing sky, brand new 165029 passes Shottesbrooke on 26 March 1992 with the 1F20 12:38 Paddington to Newbury Network SouthEast service. 165029 had only been delivered from the BREL works at York a few weeks previously and was the first of the three car Class 165/0s that were temporarily lent to the Thames division for use on services out of Paddington, pending delivery of the Class 165/1s. When eventually enough 165/1s became available, 165029 along with the other 165/0s moved to their intended Chiltern Line duties, where they have been ever since.

165029, the first of the Chiltern Line's three car Class 165/0s, passes Ardley Quarry on 13 December 1997 with the 09:29 Birmingham Snow Hill to Marylebone service. This is the early days of Chiltern Railways, and not only is the unit still in Network SouthEast livery, without any updated branding, but the line is still single track. Ironically however, at this spot there is a small section of double track in the foreground, a remnant of the lifted (and now reinstated line), left in situ at this point as the Ardley Quarry sidings were a short distance further on.

The hawthorn is in full flower at Kings Sutton on 19 May 1998 as 165030 heads north with the 16:45 Marylebone to Birmingham Snow Hill Chiltern Railways service. Still no signs of the new owners on this Network SouthEast liveried unit. With hindsight I should have taken more pictures of NSE units on the route, but at least I have more pictures of them than my ridiculously poor coverage of the formerly used Class 115 units. Despite the infrequent service on the line in the 1980s, the fact that the line was reasonably local makes the omission inexcusable.

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 accelerates away from Culham station (which can just be seen in the background) with the 1F52 18:08 Paddington to Oxford 'all stations' service. The date is 13 May 1992, and the route's long term Class 117 DMUs were just being ousted by a more modern replacement. However, as the intended Class 165/1s were not yet ready, these Class 165/0s destined for the Chiltern Lines were taking up the slack.

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.

Not long after sunrise on 10 August 2012, a lengthy train of Chiltern Railways Class 165 stock passes the site of Ashendon Junction with the 1H07 06:54 Bicester North to Marylebone service. 165033 leads the ensemble, with an unidentified two car unit in the centre, and 165012 bring up the rear.

Glorious evening light at Kings Sutton on 3 June 2011, as 165034 accelerates away from the village's station whilst working the 1U51 17:37 Marylebone to Banbury Chiltern Railways service. Note the yellow band over the disabled access door on the first coach.

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.

The last rays of the setting sun illuminate 165037 as it passes Saunderton on 29 May 1997 with the 19:25 Marylebone to Aylesbury Chiltern Railways service. There were few places at this end of the Chiltern Line that were clear enough of vegetation in the 1990s to allow pictures to be taken this late in the evening. It was always a worry that this train shouldn't be late, otherwise it would hold up 6A71, which followed directly behind.

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 & 165037 speed through Culham on 13 May 1992 with the 5F50 18:43 Twyford to Oxford Carriage Sidings empty stock working. This had previously formed the 1F50 17:53 Paddington to Twyford, from where it became a non-stop ECS working to Oxford. Obviously there are more commuters in the lower Thames Valley, but for the sake of a few minutes station time at intermediate stops, I would have thought it could have still carried passengers onwards to Oxford! Both these units were on short term loan to Thames Valley services at the time, as the intended Class 165/1 units had not yet been delivered. After several months working to Oxford, Newbury, etc, they would then take up their Chiltern Line duties.

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!