47602 Glorious Devon heads north near Tackley with the 1M23 14:55 Poole to Liverpool Lime Street service on 23 April 1988. This could be described as the middle period in this loco's life, as it carried two numbers prior to be numbered  47602, and two afterwards. It was introduced in 1964 as D1780, and changed to 47185 with the implementation of TOPS. ETH conversion saw it renumbered to 47602 in late 1983 and a couple of years later it acquired the name Glorious Devon. In 1989 it was renumbered to 47824, and then finally in 1994 to 47782.

A freezing cold, misty day with snow lying on the ground sees 47606 Odin passing Baulking with the 3A12 06:50 Milford to Old Oak Common empty newspaper vans. The date is 19 January 1985 and the first bushes have started to appear on the sides of the formerly neatly maintained cutting. Within a few years it would become increasingly difficult to see the site of Uffington station in the background, which is just discernable here in the mist.

47613 North Star darkens the sky as it leaves Kingham with the 17:02 Paddington to Hereford service on 20 May 1987. This is on the double track section of the Cotswold Line between Ascott-under-Wychwood and Moreton-in-Marsh, the rest of the line being single. At this date the track was still pre-war 95lb per yard bullhead rail. The trees on both sides of the line in the middle distance mark the course of the Banbury to Cheltenham line, which used to cross this line, although the bridge was used virtually exclusively by freight traffic, all passenger trains calling at Kingham station, which can just be seen in the distance.

Another scene from the mid 1980s that it would be impossible to recreate now. 47615 Castell Caerffili / Caerphilly Castle passes the Bremell Sidings oil depot near Purton with the 4M31 17:45 Swindon to Longbridge British Leyland car panel train on 2 July 1985. The oil depot is now closed, British Leyland is no more (although the Swindon plant survives under the ownership of BMW), this train no longer runs, and you would very lucky to see a Class 47 on a freight nowadays! Happily though, this actual loco does still survive (as 47747) albeit at present in store.

47618 Fair Rosamund speeds past Burleigh Wood, near Handborough with the 1B46 17:00 Paddington to Hereford service on 29 April 1987. This is an exceedingly appropriate location to photograph a loco named Fair Rosamund, as the semi-mythical Fair Rosamund (Rosamund Clifford) reputedly lived a little over a mile from this spot, near the town of Woodstock, at the time that she was the mistress of King Henry II. 47618 was originally introduced to traffic in 1964 as D1609. With the introduced of TOPS it became 47030, and then it was renumbered to 47618 when it was equipped with ETH in 1984. Subsequently is was renumbered to 47836, then back to 47618, and finally finished up as 47780! 

Possibly one of the finest pictures I have taken on the Cotswold Line. 47620 Windsor Castle passes Evenlode with the 17:05 Paddington to Hereford service on 29 April 1986 in perfect lighting conditions. Although the view from the bridge was certainly acceptable in 1986, mainly because I kept a nuisance willow bush trimmed, I decided to try something different and went in this field instead. The only problem with that choice was the large area of bland sky in the frame. I needn't have worried however, as so often happens just before the train was due clouds started to build up big time, and I was doubtful of getting it sun. Luckily the sun held on long enough to give this excellent view with the threatening sky forming a perfect backdrop.

47620 Windsor Castle passes through a rain soaked Kemble station on 16 March 1989 with the Paddington to Cheltenham 'Tote Credit Gold Cup Special'. Grey skies and intermittent rain lasted all day, and consequently the best place to photograph the three loco hauled race specials was from under the covered footbridge at Kemble, therefore keeping the cameras dry!

47621 Royal County of Berkshire (later renumbered 47839) has just started slowing down for the approach to Moreton-in-Marsh station whilst working the 17:00 Paddington to Hereford service on 18 June 1986. The loco and first half of the train have found a lucky patch of sun, but despite the otherwise clear sky a cloud has appeared from nowhere, with typical bad timing!

47623 Vulcan pulls away from Kingham station with the Cotswold Line Promotion Group's Oxford to Scarborough 'Cotswold - Ouse Special No.3' railtour on 7 July 1985. A truly vintage scene, with an original Western Region named rail blue Class 47 hauling a uniform rake of blue and grey stock (all except one vehicle being Mk 1s), running on 95 lb per yard bullhead track. Note the Great Western building on the right still in use by the permanent way department, complete with grindstone mounted outside. This scene has now changed considerably, not least a massive increase in the amount of vegetation on the left would now probably block off most of this view.

47623 Vulcan passes Oxford North Junction with the 1A10 06:00 Hereford to Paddington service on 13 May 1987. Note the random mix of blue / grey and InterCity liveried coaches typical of the period. 47623 is one of a handful of Class 47s that have carried names for virtually their entire career. As D1676 this loco received the name Vulcan at Cardiff when less than a year old, and retained the name when renumbered to 47090, 47623, and later 47843, although for the latter it was 'renamed' at Old Oak Common Open Day in 2000.

47630 Mentor climbs Ashley Down Bank and passes Narroways Hill Junction on 16 April 1991 with a lengthy 6B97 12:10 Tavistock Junction to Gloucester Speedlink. As was customary with this train, there is a varied selection of traffic in the consist, including timber from Lapford destined for Warrington, empty cartics wagons returning to Halewood, and an assortment of wagons conveying various china clay products. Obviously a good day for unofficially named Class 47s, as 47436 had passed by shortly before, and 47457 followed along later. This locomotive only carried the number 47630 between November 1985 and June 1994. Previously it had been 47041 (originally D1622), and it ended its days as 47764.

47638 County of Kent passes Standish Junction with the F&W Railtours 1Z39 06:55 Crewe to Nantgarw 'Red Dragon' railtour on 11 October 1986. 47638 started life as D1653, becoming 47069 with the introduction of TOPS. After carrying the number 47639 between February 1986 and November 1989, it was then renumbered as 47845. Note the strange coincidence of the 100 milepost and the 100 mph speed restriction sign on the left.