20020 & 20106 approach Scropton on 12 August 1989 with the 16:11 Derby to Crewe service. For a few weeks in 1989 pairs of 20s were used on this service due to a shortage of Class 150 units. As the stock was Mk 1 coaches without any air conditioning, and it was summer therefore in theory no heating was required, Class 20s were ideally suited for these trains, given that at the time there were some surplus locos, due to their replacement on various freight duties by Type 5 power.

20032 & 20039 race through Havenhouse station with the 1E07 07:10 Sheffield to Skegness service on 14 June 1986. Class 20s were used regularly on these Summer Saturday trains to the coast from the mid 1970s until 1993. It wasn't just the Class 20s either, there were numerous other loco hauled trains to the east coast resort during the summer peak, as well as multi unit DMU lash-ups. Also, in the mid 1980s, despite the interesting traction on offer to places like Skegness, there were few other photographers about to record the scene. At that time the line between Sleaford and Skegness boasted much steam age infrastructure, including several Great Northern Railway somersault signals, as seen here.

20075 & 20131 pass Staveley on the Windermere Branch with one of the Pathfinder Tours 'Lancastrian Mini Excursion' on 23 May 1993. This was the 1Z46 08:30 Crewe to Preston (via Windermere). 37708 & 37801 can just be seen on the rear of the train, about to cross the level crossing. Note the discreet white backed logos visible on the Class 20 bodysides. These were proclaiming ownership by BRT, and prior to their repainting in the striking BRT white livery.

20096 & 20905 leave the former Army depot at Long Marston on 17 December 2005 and head back to Gloucester, after arriving with the two former Virgin Cross Country HST power cars (43121 & 43158) and two Mk3 coaches which can be seen in the background. The state of the track in the depot must be giving cause for concern, as the locos took the line between the HST and the stored coaches (necessitating two more reversals) rather than using the extreme left hand track when running round. In addition to this there was a problem with the point on the exit from the yard, and the locos were shut down for a period until someone arrived with a point clip, the previous attempts at kicking the point over were deemed not to be sufficient!

20106 & 20020 pass Bramshall on 12 August 1989 with the 14:47 Crewe to Derby service. For a few weeks in 1989 pairs of 20s were used on this service due to a shortage of Class 150 units. 2000 hp for 3 coaches is certainly adequate, and with no requirement for ETS, Class 20s were exactly right for the job. Nowadays I'm sure that these trains would be run in top'n'tail formation, or more likely just cancelled!

In golden evening lighting 20131 & 20128 slow down for the almost 120 degree curve at Firsby with the last ever Class 20 hauled Skegness summer passenger service, the 18:12 Skegness to Leicester on 3 September 1993. The train carries the 'Jolly Fisherman' headboard, which at various times was the semi-official name for the Class 20 hauled trains to the Lincolnshire resort. The passengers are obviously aware of the historic nature of the event, as they are seemingly all leaning out of the windows to watch the bizarre spectacle of the train suddenly changing direction in the middle of nowhere!

D8137 is pictured halfway between Hailes and Winchcombe on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway on 4 November 2006 with the 11:30 Toddington to Cheltenham Racecourse service. This was during the line's Autumn Diesel Gala, which saw an intensive service on this section of line, as in between the Cheltenham trains such as this, there were additional local passenger and freight trains running as far as Winchcombe.

D8137 is pictured just to the north of Toddington station, on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway on 4 November 2006. During the line's Diesel Gala freight trains were worked between Toddington and Winchcombe, and due to capacity problems resulting from the intensive train service, these trains started from the newly laid extension towards Stanway Viaduct. D8137 is moving off with the 13:12 freight to Winchcombe, which was brought in earlier from Winchcombe by 37324 which can be seen in the background. The 15 arch Stanway Viaduct is just around the corner behind the 37.

In glorious late afternoon autumn light, D837 passes Bishops Cleeve with the 15:00 Toddington to Cheltenham Racecourse service during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala. An effort had to be made to take some pictures on the southern end of the line, even though only a third of the trains went beyond Winchcombe during the gala!

A superb glint effect and a perfect end to an excellent day's photography on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway during the Diesel Gala on 4 November 2006. D8137 accelerates away from Cheltenham Racecourse with the 15:50 service to Toddington., with buildings of the racecourse prominent in the background. Despite the use of a deep lens hood, it was necessary to take this picture one-handed, with the other hand used as an additional shade to stop the setting sun reaching the lens.

An excellent choice of location to photograph the 10:52 Toddington to Winchcombe freight on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway during the Diesel Gala on 5 November 2006. D8137 and its short train just fit in the gap between the bushes at Didbrook, with Toddington's home signal visible in the background. Recent vegetation clearance means that this view is simply taken from the side of the road.

D8137 passes Hailes with the 13:12 Toddington to Winchcombe freight on 1 April 2007, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala. Recalling the early 1960s pick up freight era, with a motley collection of wagons behind a single Class 20 running bonnet first. A perfect recreation, apart from a very slightly inappropriate headcode!

20032, 20306, 20310 & 20307 pass Brock with the 6K73 15:38 Sellafield to Crewe nuclear flasks on 6 May 2008. The use of four locomotives on this train is not as ridiculous as it looks, as the train splits into two portions at Crew, serving individual power stations. This was one of those annoying occasions when the sun went behind a cloud just at the critical time, however careful use of Photoshop has insured that the correct amount of detail is retained in the sky area, instead of the dreaded blank sky that normally results from such conditions.

It may seem strange that the Rail Head Treatment Train runs through the East Anglian Fens, an area notable for the virtual total absence of trees. However, once past Thetford, the line passes through several areas of forests, and here at Eccles Heath the cause of the problem can be appreciated. Although the silver birches in the background have lost their leaves, the oaks were still showing some autumn colour on 27 November 2006, when a filthy 20307 passed with the 1Z63 13:35 Wymondham to Colchester RHTT running 75 minutes early. Classmate 20312 was on the rear. This line is rich in steam age infrastructure, including semaphore signalling, and as seen here still used telegraph poles.

Believe it not both these locos and the wagons are blue!. Over a month's use on the Rail Head Treatment Train has taken its toll on the DRS Class 20s, as an absolutely filthy 20310 leads classmate 20311 on the 1Z63 13:35 Wymondham to Colchester RHTT as it approaches Shippea Hill station on 29 November 2006, running its customary 70 minutes early. Although apparently not so good further west, in East Anglian it was a completely sunny day with not a cloud all day.

20310 Gresty Bridge & 20307 slow down for the approach to Oxford, as they pass Wolvercote with the Spitfire Railtours 1Z30 05:29 Crewe to Weymouth 'Wey-farer' railtour on 19 April 2008, running 6 minutes late. 57601 was on the rear of the train providing ETH. Note the up goods relief line on the right and the wide area on the left where there was a formerly a down goods relief line as far as Wolvercote Junction, which is just out of sight around the corner in the distance. The bridge visible in the background is the A34 Oxford bypass.

DRS 20311 & 20309 are pictured high in the Peak District at Edale on 28 March 1999 with the Eagle Railtours 'High Peak Explorer' from Worcester Shrub Hill to Buxton. Despite the somewhat open nature of the landscape it proved difficult to find a location for this train that wasn't partly shaded. It was also one of those days when the sun kept disappearing into high level cloud. Thankfully the sun was out reasonably well when the 20s came into view under the bridge.

The bright sunny morning of 29 November 2006 sees 20311 approaching Shippea Hill station with the 1Z61 09:10 Stowmarket to Trowse Rail Head Treatment Train, with 20310 on the rear. Needless to say I was glad the train was moving slowly as the 170 unit on the 09:57 Norwich to Liverpool service seen receding into the distance could very easily have blocked the view, as both trains came into view at the same time.

20311 (recently named Class 20 Fifty) & 20315 storm past Great Hale (between Sleaford and Boston) with the Hertfordshire Railtours 1Z20 08:15 Barrow Hill to Skegness 'Jolly Fisherman' railtour on 29 August 2007, the first Class 20 hauled passenger train to the east coast resort for 14 years. Yet again, a sunny start to the day was rapidly giving way to full cloud cover. The train was running 30 minutes late at this point. It was lucky it was no later, as a couple of minutes after this picture was taken the sun disappeared. 

20312 approaches Lakenheath station with the 1Z61 09:10 Stowmarket to Trowse Rail Head Treatment Train on 27 November 2006, with 20307 bringing up the rear. There was considerable hooting before the train came into view, as the signalman hadn't closed the crossing gates and consequently the signals were at danger, in fact, the signal had only just been pulled off and the train was down to walking speed when I took this picture. It did mean however, that I then enjoyed some Class 20 thrash as they opened up through the station!

20313, 20315 & 20314 pass Haughley Green with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z20 05:30 Crewe to Ipswich 'Twenty Twenty Vision' railtour on 10 March 2007. The tour was running a very respectable 15 minutes early at this point, and in fact it kept well to time all day. Considering the excellent vantage point for eastbound trains at this location, and the perfect angle for the sun, I was surprised that only one other local photographer joined me on the bridge.

20313, 20315 & 20314 approach the level crossing at Knodishall Green on the Leiston branch with the Pathfinder Tours 'Twenty Twenty Vision' railtour on 10 March 2007, now running as 1Z21 Ipswich to Cambridge via Leiston. 47501 had been attached to the rear of the train at Ipswich, which then became the lead loco as it went down the Leiston branch. Unfortunately by this time the weather had deteriorated, but it started to brighten up a little as the 20s returned from Leiston, only for the sun to come out a few minutes later! The branch is normally only used by nuclear flasks trains, appropriately hauled by these very locos.

While the Pathfinder Tours 1Z21 Ipswich to Cambridge via Leiston 'Twenty Twenty Vision' participants were enjoying a photo stop at Saxmundham on 10 March 2007, I was searching for a location south of the town, after having seen the tour on the Leiston branch. Every location I looked at was shaded by bushes or trees, and in two cases were down such narrow lanes, that I had to reverse back out to the main road! With time running out I settled on this spot in a field near Campsey Ash, although the sun was much more head on than I would have liked. 20313 is seen here leading sister locos 20315 & 20314. It was only on the way back to the car that I saw where the footpath was, not at all straight across the ploughed field which was the shortest route from the village!

Very unusual motive power for the Cotswold Line. 20901 Nancy passes through Kingham station with an Old Oak Common to Hereford Hunslet Baclay weedkilling train on 4 September 1996. Sister loco 20904 Janis can just be seen on the rear of the train. Surprisingly this is not the only picture of Class 20s I have at this location, as five years before I had photographed a railtour from this spot. The vantage point is from the abutment of the former flyover bridge carrying the little used Banbury to Cheltenham direct line across the Cotswold Line. When that line was open, most trains called at Kingham, so did not use the flyover, but reversed in the station. I was lucky with the sun here, as this superb evening light disappeared just after the train!

Most unusual traction for the Cotswold Line! With the houses of Lower Moor visible in the background, HNRC owned Class 20s 20905 & 20096 make a fine picture in the low winter sunshine as they approach Fladbury (between Pershore and Evesham) with the 5Z22 08:52 Gloucester to Long Marston stock move on Saturday 17 December 2005. The "mini HST" rake includes former Virgin Cross Country power cars 43121 & 43158 en-route from MoD Bicester for slightly less secure storage in the former Army depot at Long Marston.