50026 Indomitable crosses a River Thames backwater as it approaches Oxford station on 24 April 1984 with the 1O23 15:20 Liverpool Lime Street to Poole service, which it had presumably worked from Birmingham New Street. Unfortunately just a little too much of a breeze for a perfect reflection in the water. The industrial buildings which can be glimpsed in the background are part of the famous Lucy's ironworks, which has subsequently closed. Built next to the Oxford Canal, the works were a surprising industrial interlude in an otherwise residential approach to Oxford from the north.

50026 Indomitable ambles along the up relief line at South Moreton on 12 September 1985 with a short test train, including the distinctive high speed track recording coach DB999550. It is about to be overtaken by 31117 on Bristol to Old Oak Common vans. It had been a sunny but very hazy day, but the sun was now disappearing fast, but luckily I stayed on the bridge until the light finally went, thereby getting this perfectly timed picture.

50026 Indomitable & 50032 Courageous pass through Kemsing with the Hertfordshire Railtours 1Z44 08:08 Watford Junction to Deal 'Malt & Hops' railtour on 29 October 1988. An impressive sight and something not often seen on railtours nowadays - a complete rake of stock and both locos in the same livery! This is the original version of Network SouthEast livery, with upswept stripes on the locos and a lighter shade of blue than subsequently used.

Under a cloudless sky, 50027 Lion & 50017 Royal Oak stand in Kemble station with the 3A16 15:40 Gloucester to Paddington empty vans on 16 August 1987. The locos are waiting for the 15:43 Swindon to Cheltenham unit to clear the single track section which extends from here to Swindon. During 1987 there were Class 50 double headed van trains booked from both Gloucester and Oxford to Paddington on a Sunday, a convenient way of getting the locos back to the capital for the start of the week.

Not a technically very brilliant picture, but one that sums up a winters day on the Cotswold Line in the early 1980s. With the sun struggling to break through the clouds in the background and provide a little backlighting, 50028 Tiger runs alongside the River Evenlode at Bruern on 5 January 1980 with the 08:00 Paddington to Worcester Shrub Hill service. Still running in its original condition, 50028 was to wait another two years before being called to Doncaster Works for refurbishment. Note the vintage bullhead track, long since replaced. 

50029 Renown passes through Botley with the 538 Railtours 'South Western 16CSVT' railtour on 26 October 1991. The tour had followed a devious route on its return from Weymouth to Waterloo, having traveled via Westbury, Swindon & Basingstoke before it reached Botley. Unfortunately the light had just about gone by the time it was due. Note how the unloading line for the stone terminal in the background is on the opposite side of the running lines to the works!

50030 Repulse approaches Fairwood Junction on 11 March 1986 with the 1C29 10:25 Paddington to Paignton 'Torbay Express'. Although the sun has finally broken through the fog, there is still mist about giving a cold blue light, and the visibility is still very poor. Note how Westbury cement works chimney had only just been seen in the distance. The Westbury avoiding line curves off to the right. Repulse is in the original version of 'large logo' livery without the later orange cantrail stripe.

50030 Repulse approaches Ascott-under-Wychwood at speed with the 18:07 Paddington to Hereford service on 21 June 1984. Note the vintage bullhead track which must have been of considerable vintage even before this section of the Cotswold Line was singled in 1971. The train was a few minutes late, and I was hoping there wasn't a major problem delaying it, as on a late summer's evening those long shadows that are already touching the rail in places move with considerable speed!

50030 Repulse approaches Grateley at high speed with the 11:00 Waterloo to Exeter St Davids Network SouthEast service on 1 February 1992, no doubt trying to make up time, as it was running 15 minutes late. This was during the last few months of Class 50 operations on the West of England line. There is no mistaking that we are in former Southern Railway territory, with the very characteristic concrete PW hut on the left.