The ideal photographic combination - sunshine and snow, sadly not very common in the south of England. On 19 December 1999, 166201 is pictured coming off the Cotswold Line at Wolvercote Junction with the 12:02 Great Malvern to Paddington Thames Trains service. The cold weather had obviously affected the trackwork, as for a long time nothing was moving onto or off the Cotswold Line. A Railtrack employee eventually arrived to clamp one of the points. Thames Trains were slow to introduce a new livery (partly due to the high quality original paint finish on these units) and 166201 is still carrying its original Network SouthEast livery.

166201 passes Whitehill (between Combe and Finstock) with the 08:48 Paddington to Great Malvern Thames Trains service on a very murky 21 February 2004. At this point on the Cotswold Line the railway is constantly re-crossing the River Evenlode. The river follows the far edge of the field on the left and crosses under the line a short way down the track. However, the line crosses it twice more before it reaches the tall occupation bridge which can just be seen in the far distance.

Immaculate (well almost!) 166202 speeds through Shipton on 25 June 1995 with the 15:20 Paddington to Worcester Shrub Hill Network SouthEast service. Note the new rails lying on the ballast, ready to replace the vintage bullhead track on the down line. This viewpoint is not always possible, as occasionally the lorries from the neighbuoring flour mill are parked on the road on the right. On this occasion they were on the opposite side of the road, and their presence is only felt by the reflections in the train's windows.

166202 approaches Aynho on 30 March 2002 with the 14:38 Banbury to Paddington Thames Trains service. This location is at its best in late spring, when the sun has got high enough so that the trees don't completely shade the track, and before the leaves appear on the trees which, apart from a short period in the middle of the day, have the much the same effect.

166202 speeds through Radley station on 25 June 2003 with the 17:45 Oxford to Paddington Thames Trains service. Strange contradictory messages here, with a yellow line painted on the platforms behind which you are supposed to stand to be clear of trains passing at speed, and yet the full width of the platform has been deliberately reduced with a low fence! Presumably done to avoid maintaining so much platform area, this is the kind of idiocy that unfortunately pervades much of Britain today.

Both classes of BREL built Turbo unit are pictured here speeding through Appleford on 2 July 2009. 3 car Class 166 166202 leads 2 car Class 165/1 165132 on the 15:01 Oxford to Paddington First Great service. Appleford is a very quiet location to take photos, especially now that First Great Western has reduced the number of trains stopping there. I would like to think that the fact that the up platform lights are on during the middle of the day (not too apparent in this picture) is the result of incompetence, rather than a cynical attempt to distort the running costs of the station to use as an argument for possible closure, as happened so frequently in the 1960s.

166202 passes through the recently cleared cutting near Aldington on 29 October 2009 with the 09:21 Paddington to Worcester Foregate Street First Great Western service. The arch bridge in the background carries a no through road to a farm and hotel, while the more modern bridge that can just be seen in the background is the A46 Evesham by-pass.

166202 passes Lower Moor on a very dull 16 April 2010 with the 12:06 Worcester Foregate Street to Paddington First Great Western service. Its amazing what gets dumped in fields near railway. Old van bodies are common enough, but here we also have the remains of an unidentified sports car!

166202 passes Moreton-in-Marsh's down outer home signal on 23 June 2010 with the 09:29 Moreton-in-Marsh to Paddington First Great Western service. This is one of only two trains on the Cotswold Line that originates from Moreton-in-Marsh, although unlike in former times it does not stable there overnight, but works in ECS from Oxford shortly before departure time. This picture is taken from a seldom used farm occupation crossing, and I was going to include some foreground foliage to frame the picture, but amazingly just five minutes before the train was due a Network Rail employee paid what is probably his yearly visit to the location and with his strimmer completely cleared all the vegetation away!

166203 is pictured at a rather deserted Kingham station with the 13:08 Worcester Shrub Hill to Oxford Network SouthEast service on 13 June 1993. Admittedly this is a Sunday, but it is still before Kingham became a really busy commuter station with a large car park packed to capacity on weekdays. Note that the original pre war 95lb per yard bullhead track is still in use here.

166203 approaches Moreton-in-Marsh on 15 June 2008 with the 17:40 Hanborough to Worcester Shrub Hill First Great Western service. The Cotswold Line was closed for engineering works between Hanborough and Oxford, with buses providing a connection with the hourly Worcester to Hanborough shuttle train service. This is one of the few remaining locations on the Cotswold Line where there is un interrupted view in both directions, although even here the vegetation growth since the 1980s is quite starling.

A row of wooden pegs seems to be the only sign of the imminent Cotswold Line redoubling at Aston Magna on 23 June 2009. 166203 round the corner with the 12:06 Worcester Foregate Street to Paddington First Great Western service. Just as this train was due a Network Rail van drove onto the trackside and parked right in the picture. I could hear the Turbo hoot just around the corner as I quickly changed the 35mm lens for a 100mm one to exclude the van. In the end I think it makes a better picture, as the longer lens accentuates the hills in the background. The ironic thing is that as soon as the train had passed the van drove off up the track, therefore only being in the way for less than a minute just as the train passed - unbelievable!

166204 passes Bishopton on the Stratford-upon-Avon branch with the 11:55 Stratford to Oxford Network SouthEast service on 17 May 1993. This was the first day of Class 166 Turbo operation on the line. This largely rural scene has been completely transformed since this picture was taken. The hawthorn, cow parsley and buttercups have given way to an industrial estate, although surprisingly the small stream meandering through the field on the right has not been piped but is now sandwiched between the new buildings and an approach road. The field to the left of this picture has also now succumbed to the inevitable housing estate.

The dark clouds in the background mean that Oxford definitely isn't getting any sun, however, a few miles north at Yarnton the sun is out as 166204 heads northwards with the 16:51 Paddington to Banbury First Great Western service on 27 July 2006.

166208 approaches Kingham on 12 March 1995 with the 15:32 Worcester Shrub Hill to Paddington service. Although this section of the Cotswold Line, in contrast to much of the route, avoided being singled in 1971, for a long time it retained 95lb per yard bullhead track, as seen here. Since this picture was taken not only has this vintage track been replaced, but also 166208 has lost its Network SouthEast livery. Unfortunately, this viewpoint is nothing like as clear of vegetation now either!

Plenty of autumn colours in evidence at Norton on 25 October 2003, as 166208 heads towards Worcester with the 10:48 Paddington to Great Malvern Thames Trains service. You can tell it is a Saturday, as the M5 motorway in the background is not busy with lorries!

The gulls on the fence and yard lights at Hinksey take no notice of 166208 as it passes by with the 12:31 Oxford to Paddington First Great Western service on 30 December 2008. The high fence in the foreground was built to act as a noise barrier following complaints from residents after Network Rail started to use Hinksey Yard for ballast operations, after several decades of virtual disuse. Obviously the local populace is less tolerant of noise nowadays, as up until the 1950s this yard was used extensively for shunting loose coupled freight trains!

Very nearly a Cotswold Line passing shot. 166208 accelerates away from Moreton-in-Marsh on 20 April 2009 with the 17:00 Great Malvern to Paddington First Great Western service, while in the background 165120 can just be seen as it approaches the station with the 17:31 Oxford to Worcester Foregate Street service.

166209 passes Shorthampton on 1 February 2010 with the 09:21 Paddington to Worcester Foregate Street First Great Western service. I had carefully chosen this position to frame the train between the fence and the overhanging branches, but it wasn't until afterwards that I noticed that if you look carefully, you can see St Nicholas church, Chadlington directly above the first class compartment of the leading vehicle.

Grintleyhill Bridge near Combe, on the Cotswold Line gives an almost aerial view of the surrounding countryside. On 11 February 2008, 166210 is pictured working the 09:37 Worcester Foregate Street to Paddington First Great Western service, one of the handful of services over the line still operated by Turbo units.

166210 seems to be gradually loosing its number at one end. Just the last two digits remain after the rest of the panel seems to have been covered with black plastic or paint. I have seen pictures where this only covers the left part of the panel, leaving the number intact. I'm not sure what's going on here, but presumably it will soon be anonymous! On 12 November 2009 it passes Chilson with the 08:52 Great Malvern to Paddington First Great Western service.

166210 passes Hinksey on 9 January 2010 with the 13:37 Oxford to Paddington First Great Western service. This deliberate broadside view clearly shows the frozen lake, which was created during the construction of the railway in the middle of the nineteenth century. Note the distance spire of Oxford's Nuffield College in the background. Although not apparent here, there was a large bank of cloud approaching from the south east, which was a perfect excuse for me to stop standing around in the freezing cold!

The vegetation clearance work along the Cotswold Line during 2009 has opened up a number of previously unobtainable viewpoints, and one that I have had my eye on for a while is the view looking west towards the roadbridge at Shorthampton. The morning of 1 February 2010 dawned clear and with the added bonus of a light snowfall during the night, the short trip was made to Shorthampton for my first ever picture from this spot. I had guessed that the shadows would just be clear of the track, and I was almost right! 166210 heads east with the 08:58 Great Malvern to Paddington First Great Western service.

On 28 June 2010, 166210 rounds the curve past Cornbury as it accelerates the 09:29 Moreton-in-Marsh to Paddington First Great Western service away from Charlbury station, the car park of which can just be seen in the background. This is approximately the point where the projected double track section of the Cotswold Line will end.

166212 speeds through Claverdon station on 24 May 1997 with the 09:07 Paddington to Stratford-upon-Avon Thames Trains service. Interestingly, this is one of the few occasions that I have seen a Class 166 running as a two car unit. Presumably the centre coach was removed at some point for maintenance, but I don't suppose that it had anything to do with the fact that on this day the train was 35 minutes late.

Railway photographers are always complaining that lineside photographic locations are disappearing under the onslaught of unchecked vegetation, with once favourite spots vanishing completely. Well, here is the reverse situation. 166212 passes Shorthampton with the 08:52 Great Malvern to Paddington First Great Western service on 10 September 2009. Ever since I started taking pictures in the late 1970s, this location has been completely useless, with the line barely visible in a tunnel of trees. This mega clearance is in readiness for the reinstatement of double track between Ascott-under-Wychwood and Charlbury.

Miserable weather at Lower Basildon on 5 February 2005, as 166213 heads towards the capital with the 08:24 Oxford to Paddington First Great Western Link service, while 165104 heads into the mist with the 08:03 Paddington to Banbury train. Both these trains are (with a few omissions) all stations services.

166213 in the new First Great Western livery is pictured just west of Kintbury with the 15:18 Paddington to Bedwyn service on 2 April 2007. In the background the bridge over the River Kennett can just be seen. Despite the remote looking location, no effort was required to get this picture, as I was sitting on the bonnet of the car!

166213 rounds the curve near Aldermaston on 23 November 2007 with the 10:18 Paddington to Bedwyn First Great Western service. This location is photographically ideal, with clear views free of vegetation in each direction. Unfortunately it is on a very narrow and busy road, which makes dashing from one side of the road to the other a risky business!

166213 nears journey's end on 9 February 2008, as it passes Little Bedwyn with the 09:18 Paddington to Bedwyn First Great Western service. Turbo units only travel as far as Bedwyn along the Berks & Hants Line, with HSTs operating all long distance services further west.

There was a light fall of snow during the night on 1 February 2010, and although it had mainly melted by mid-morning in areas that weren't shaded, there was still a noticeable covering in the field near Shorthampton, on the Cotswold Line. 166213 is pictured heading down the Evenlode Valley with the 09:54 Great Malvern to Paddington First Great Western service. It was the local roads that seemed to have the most snow and ice, with the road leading down to Shorthampton and Chadlington being particularly bad. I had managed to turn the corner onto the road with no trouble, but when I looked in the mirror, I noticed that the Land Rover that was following me was sliding sideways across the road - so much for four wheel drive!

166213 passes Shorthampton on 8 March 2010 with the 09:54 Great Malvern to Paddington First Great Western service. This recently cleared location will soon be receiving a reinstated second track (it was singled in 1971), and so the opportunity was taken on this brilliant sunny morning to record the location before the new track is laid and the trees grow again!

166213 accelerates past Moreton-in-Marsh's up advanced starter signal on 23 June 2010, as it heads south with the 08:58 Great Malvern to Paddington First Great Western service. This picture is taken from a diverted public footpath, which originally used to cross the line at this point (note the old warning sign post). On the extreme left the very rarely used down refuge siding can be seen being slowly overtaken by the lineside vegetation.

The gap in the bushes at Yarnton is just sufficient for a three car Turbo! 166214 heads north on 6 July 2006 with the 1D47 16:51 Paddington to Banbury First Great Western service. Notice the First Group branding on the obsolete (but stylish) Thames Trains livery.

A lucky picture at Goring on 12 April 2008 shows examples of both classes of 'Turbo' unit. On the left 166214 is rapidly overtaking 165114 whilst working the 08:30 Oxford to Paddington First Great Western service. On the right, 165114 is traversing exactly the same route, but is having a much more leisurely journey stopping at all stations. It left Oxford before 166214 at 08:21, but will arrive at Paddington exactly half an hour after the 166. Twenty years ago the local services would have been operated by Class 117 DMUs, so therefore a 'Turbo' unit is an improvement, but the Oxford to Paddington 'fasts' were operated by Class 47s or 50s and coaches, so a three car unit is definitely not an improvement!

A slightly different view of the railway near Heyford. Narrowboats are reflected in the still waters of the Oxford Canal, as 166215 accelerates away from Heyford station with the 07:40 Banbury to Paddington Network SouthEast service on 13 March 1995. Obviously this was regarded as a slightly more unusual railway photograph at the time, as it was featured as a double page centre spread in Rail magazine. Unfortunately, in the intervening years the bushes have grown considerably, and it would now be very difficult to replicate this picture.

Shortly after sunrise on 30 May 2005, 166215 heads north from Tackley with the 2L22 05:55 Oxford to Banbury First Great Western. Unsurprisingly, this is the first local train of the day on the line. What is slightly more surprising is the use of a Class 166, rather than the more customary Class 165. This is one of the very few locations on the Cherwell Valley Line that is free of shadows at this ungodly hour in the morning.

166215 shows off its striking new livery as it approaches Cholsey on 6 December 2006 with the 12:45 Oxford to Paddington service. Although not a great fan of some of the more outlandish post privatisation liveries, I think this livery suits these units quite well, certainly better than the HSTs to which it is also being applied. The white roof has been retained from the previous livery, an odd choice really considering the effect the exhausts have on it!

166217 approaches the site of Yarnton Junction with the late running 09:37 Worcester Foregate Street to Paddington First Great Western service on 27 February 2008. At this time this was one of a handful of Turbo operated services over the Cotswold Line, the remainder being worked by HSTs, which were supplanting the troubled Class 180 units. This photo is taken from inside the V of the former junction with the Fairford Branch Line, which headed off across the fields to the left of where I am standing. The Fairford Branch closed to passengers in 1962 and freight in 1970.

The first signs of some autumn colour is showing in the trees at Aston Magna on 17 October 2008, as 166217 rounds the curve with the 09:37 Worcester Foregate Street to Paddington First Great Western service. Strangely, Aston Magna never had the luxury of a station, despite the fact that the village is adjacent to the line. Even in the early twentieth century the GWR did not consider it worthwhile opening a halt here, despite both Moreton-in-Marsh and Blockley stations being some distance away. The latter was nearly two miles from the village of Blockley and actually nearer the small village of Paxford!

166218 speeds through Appleford station with the 11:30 Oxford to Paddington Thames Trains service on 13 April 2002. Until recently the station was noteworthy for retaining its original Great Western Railway pagoda corrugated iron shelters, which were provided when the station opened on 11 September 1933 as Appleford Halt. This was at a time when the GWR was trying to combat increasing competition from local buses. Interestingly, there had previously been a station on the site, which was opened when the line to Oxford was opened in 1844. However, it was closed just a few years later and the residents of Appleford had to wait nearly ninety years for its replacement!

166218 approaches Hungerford with the 08:37 Bedwyn to Paddington First Great Western service on 30 July 2007. The day started without a cloud in the sky, but already by this time a few little clouds were appearing, and as typically happens in the summer within the hour it was predominantly cloudy with sunny spells.

166218 passes Shorthampton with the late running 09:55 Great Malvern to Paddington First Great Western service on 10 September 2009. The delay was caused by the 09:21 Paddington to Worcester Foregate Street being 25 minutes late, and consequently this train had to wait at Ascott-under-Wychwood. The soon to be reinstated double track will help ease such delays. Note the new rails in front of the unit, presumably added during the recent slewing of the formally centered single track.

In dramatic winter lighting on 27 December 1993, 166220 pulls out of Oxford station with the 14:15 Oxford to Paddington service. St Barnabas church stands out clearly against the dark clouds, also Walton Well Road bridge can be seen in the distance beyond the stabled Turbo units. The station visible here dates from the 1990 rebuilding, replacing the inadequate 1971 structure. The footbridge was a new addition in the latest rebuild, a subway had been in use since the original station was built in 1852.

166220 sweeps round the reverse curves near Tackley with the 15:02 Banbury to Oxford First Great Western service on 8 March 2007. Unfortunately this location is getting progressive more difficult due to lineside bush growth.

166220 arrives at Kingham with the 13:21 Worcester Foregate Street to Paddington First Great Western service on 23 October 2007. This former important rural junction station has lost all its former sidings and associated trackwork, and the impressively large station buildings have long since been replaced by a utilitarian brick office, but as can be seen here, it does retain a well maintained Great Western Railway nameboard.

166221 was the final Turbo unit to enter traffic, in September 1993. It is seen here accelerating away from Charlbury station and passing near to Cornbury Park on 19 March 2009 with the 12:06 Worcester Foregate Street to Paddington First Great Western service. After nearly four decades as a single track railway, this section of the Cotswold Line is about to regain a second track, although bizarrely only to a point a mile or so south of this point.