45001 comes off the Bishton Flyover at Llandevenny on 21 October 1985 with the 6A44 09:05 Margam to Swindon Cocklebury Yard vacuum braked steel train. This service was one of the last revenue earning vacuum braked services operating in South Wales. 45001 was withdrawn almost exactly three months after this picture was taken, and after storage at various locations, was cut up at M.C. Metals at Glasgow in November 1988.

45002 passes Lower Wick (between Gloucester and Bristol) with the 23:40 Edinburgh to Bristol Temple Meads sleeper on 7 July 1984, comprising two GUVs and a lengthy rake of Mk1 stock, including soon to be withdrawn Mk1 sleeper vehicles. Presumably the fact that is 06:45 explains why there is only one car visible on the M5 motorway in the background!

45007 Taliesin & 45106 Vulcan round the curve from Abbey Junction at Nuneaton and traverse the normally freight only link to Midland Junction, which crosses over the West Coast Mainline, avoiding Nuneaton station. The train is the Pathfinder Tours Bristol Temple Meads to Scarborough '45 Finale' railtour on 3 October 1987. Despite the wreath by the headboard, the train's title was a little premature, as the class survived into the following year. Both locos were cut up during 1992, but 45106 enjoyed a brief moment of celebrity status after it was painted green and designated as a railtour locomotive to mark the end of the class. Unfortunately the gloomy weather persisted for the following day's Class 50 railtour.

45010 stands at the head of a long line of withdrawn locomotives at Toton on 16 October 1986. Unfortunately nobody took any notice of the message on the faded yellow nose, and the loco was cut up at M.C.Metals, Glasgow in January 1989. It was however to spend another two years at this location after this photo was taken, in company with 25080, 46023, and numerous other stored locomotives, including a large number of other 'Peaks'.

45012 was immediately identifiable from a distance in the mid 1980s by virtue of the huge dent in the front end. This can clearly be seen here as it heads west at Baulking (between Didcot and Swindon) on 22 October 1983 with an engineers train including both new and recovered track panels. 45012 was withdrawn in July 1988 and after languishing at Tinsley was finally moved to Glasgow in March 1992, where it was cut up by MC Metals. This location has become considerably more overgrown in recent years, although thankfully the situation is nowhere near as bad as the view in the other direction.

Strange goings on at Oxford on 23 August 1985. 45044 had worked the 6V19 06:32 Bescot to Didcot Speedlink freight and then just over an hour after it passed Oxford it returned with this freightliner, heading back from whence it came. Presumably it was deputising for a failed locomotive on the freightliner, which it must have picked up at either Oxford or Didcot. Any more information would be gratefully received.

Classic traction at Croome (no, not the Ford Fiesta!). 45046 heads south with the 1V85 09:22 Newcastle to Penzance service on 14 May 1984. Presumably the full rake of Mk 1 stock did not require the steam heating (if indeed it was still operable on 45046). This was one of those days when although the sun shines, everything looks flat and drab due to thin high cloud. 45046 was one of the last 45/0s to be withdrawn, surviving until 1988. It was scrapped at M.C. Metals, Glasgow in February 1992.

45058 arrives at a slightly misty Oxford on 29 May 1985 with what appears to be an additional Washwood Heath to Morris Cowley car train or a very early running 6V19 06:32 Bescot to Oxford South Speedlink (confirmation anyone?). The footbridge at Osney Lane, just to the south of Oxford station was an ideal vantage point for early morning photography in the 1980s, with a variety of angles possible. Unfortunately this was completely ruined when the tracks that the 'Peak' is negotiating were ripped up and the area turned into a car park. Note the blue van on the right with the words 'oxygen van' painted on the side. This was being used by the scrapyard which is just out of view to the right.

With the unmistakable tower of Gloucester Cathedral in the background, a grime encrusted 45058 rests on Horton Road depot in the company of Class 117 DMU B433 (51371, 59509 & 51413) on 6 July 1985. This loco managed to last almost to the end of Class 45 operations, being withdrawn in September 1987. Like many of its class it ended up dumped at March, before eventually being moved to Scotland, where it was finally cut up by MC Metals, Glasgow in 1994.

Spot yourself hanging out of the coach window! D100 Sherwood Forester passes Northwood Lane, near Bewdley with a Bridgnorth to Kidderminster train during the Severn Valley Railway's Diesel Gala on 14 October 1989. Unfortunately the dark clouds that had been threatening all day have finally rolled in, with only a trace of sunlight for this picture.

45070 passes Wolvercote with an unidentified southbound working on 6 October 1979. All is not as it seems here, as the Peak is in fact dead and the whole train is being pushed by the following train, unfortunately out of sight around the corner. I have no idea why I didn't take a picture of the propelling loco or even note the number (sheer surprise probably) and as I have been unable to find details of either working I am beginning to think I imagined the whole thing! If anyone can help with details I would be most grateful. 45070 was observed later in the day dumped near the old goods shed at Oxford, so perhaps I didn't imagine it! The spectators on the right are waiting for 7808 & 5900 with a Great Western Society steam tour.

45106 (unofficially named Vulcan) is pictured at Little Haresfield (near Gloucester) with the 1V67 10:10 Scarborough to Paignton service on 22 August 1987. The Peak worked this train as far as Bristol and then returned north with the 1M79 16:28 Newquay to Wolverhampton. Withdrawn due to fire damage, 45106 was eventually cut up at Booth Roe Metals, Rotherham in 1992.

If asked what would be one of the most unusual workings to see in on the national network in 2007, a 'Peak' with a freight on the Cotswold Line would be very high on the list, yet on 31 January 2007 just such an event did happen. 45112 Royal Army Ordnance Corps worked the 4Z47 07:45 Chaddesdon to Long Marston, conveying twelve KAA wagons, and is seen here approaching Fladbury. Four days previously the loco had worked a farewell railtour as the fact that it is not fitted with OTMR equipment means it will shortly be banned from the mainline.

After working the 4Z47 07:45 Chaddesdon to Long Marston with twelve KAA wagons on 31 January 2007, 45112 Royal Army Ordnance Corps returned from whence it came light engine, after a very brief stop at Long Marston. It is seen here on the freight only branch line at Broad Marston. As the loco does not have OTMR equipment and is shortly to be retired from the national network, this means this will probably be the only 'Peak' I will see in this area, as there is no other mainline registered 'Peak'.

45113 approaches Abbotswood on 6 July 1985 with the 1M44 11:32 Penzance to Manchester Piccadilly service on 6 July 1985. 45113 was one of the final 'Peaks' to be withdrawn, being put into store at Tinsley in August 1988. It was finally cut up at M C Metal Processing at Springburn in March 1990. Bredon Hill can seen in the background, dominating the otherwise flat Vale of Evesham.

D123 Leicestershire and Derbyshire Yeomanry passes Woodthorpe on 12 September 2009 with the 2A41 17:00 Loughborough to Leicester service, during the Great Central Railway's Diesel Gala. Although some Class 45s were named in the early days, this wasn't one of them and so would never have appeared in this condition in its BR career. The name actually comes from long scrapped 46026, the only member of that particular class to carry a name.

45129 passes Badgeworth with the 1V74 08:29 Leeds to Cardiff Central service on 16 February 1985. It had snowed several days before and luckily there was still some snow on the ground at the weekend and the sun decided to shine as well! The snow is particularly apparent on the Cotswold Hills in the background. Note that this picture was taken before the new road bridge was constructed just beyond the signal in the background. Also in recent years vegetation has started to spread up the embankment on the south side of the line.

45130 passes Kingsbury on 9 March 1985 with the 1V74 08:29 Leeds to Cardiff Central service. Withdrawn two years later, it was stored at various locations, including: Immingham, Woodhouse Junction, Stanton Gate, and Toton, before being moved via Tinsley and Carlisle to M.C. Metals at Glasgow, where it was cut up in June 1992.

45131 passes Bourton with the F&W Railtours Plymouth to London 'Christmas Hamper' railtour on 28 December 1985. The superb winter lighting is a strange mix of a low angled sun giving a warm glow to the frost covered grass and the train, and a purple / blue haze to the background caused by the remnants of early morning fog. Although having taken many pictures in these conditions, I have never subsequently encountered lighting quite like this. 45131 had only a further nine months left in traffic before eventually meeting its fate in Vic Berry's yard at Leicester.

45133 passes Claydon (near Ashchurch) with the 6V93 08:10 Mossend to Stoke Gifford Speedlink on 1 July 1986, still a little way to go on its all day journey across the country. The time is 21:05 and the very last rays of the setting sun just catch the wagons and side of the loco, but already virtually the entire field on the right is in shade, such is the sun's low angle. Apologies for the poor technical quality of this picture, but as it was taken in very little light with the lens wide open, it is surprising it's this good. Unfortunately Kodachrome 200 had yet to be introduced, so this is on Kodachrome 64, the only viable film for decent quality 35mm images at the time.

A very dilapidated 45136 stands with five withdrawn classmates at Egginton Junction on 11 September 1990. The other locos are (in order): 45146, 45125, 45111, 45126, & 45148. The only one of this lot to escape the cutters torch is the third one down the line, 45125, which is happily now preserved at the Great Central Railway. 45136, still largely intact here, except for its centre windscreen met its end at MC Metals at Glasgow in April 1992. This line of locos was left at this remote location between June 1990 and March 1992. Presumably the threat of vandalism was less at a rural location.