66001 passes Abbotswood with the 6V07 13:21 Round Oak to Margam steel train on 20 March 2009. It has just traversed the line between Norton and Abbotswood Junctions, which can just be seen to left of the signal in the background. The main line from Birmingham curves around to the right in front of the large buildings on the horizon.

66002 passes through Barnetby station with an Immingham to Drakelow special MGR coal working on 31 December 2001. The 1914 built Great Central Railway Barnetby East signal box can be seen in the background, still controlling a forest of semaphores around the station area. The final day of 2001 turned out to be perfect photographic weather, with unbroken sunshine and a light covering of snow - at least in Lincolnshire!

An extremely grubby 66003 passes Brentingby (near Melton Mowbray) on 25 June 2008 with a Corby to Toton departmental working. Bretingby's tiny church can just be seen on the horizon directly above the second wagon. Note the unusual consist with a shark plough brakevan in the centre of the train with five seacow ballast hoppers on either side.

Shaken, not stirred! 66007 & 66017 pass Charfield with the 6B13 05:10 Robeston to Westerleigh Murco oil tanks on 2 March 2010. Unfortunately this is now the standard traction on this particular train since DB Schenker mothballed virtually all the Class 60s at the end of 2009. A graphic illustration that a 66 is not as good as a 60!

66007 & 66017 pass Gossington with the 6B13 05:10 Robeston to Westerleigh Murco oil tanks on 5 March 2010. The locos rostered for this working are liable to stick on it all week, and the same pair were observed three days before at Charfield.

On 1 December 2007 I visited a new location (for me) on a footpath across the fields between Uffington and Knighton. It proved to be an excellent location for a train of this length. 66008 heads west with the 4V14 05:30 Dollands Moor to South Marston empty Honda covered car wagons. The loco returned east shortly afterwards as 0V14 Swindon to Didcot.

66012 passes Baulking with the 6A32 Ashchurch to Didcot MoD working on 24 March 2009 with its usual short load, today consisting of a single VGA van and five OCA open wagons. Its approach was announced by the flashing amber signal further down the line indicating it would be looped at Challow. Interestingly the HST drivers must have got wise to this because the following train crawled past me and despite the signal clearing to green was making no attempt to accelerate. Presumably not applying full power till past Challow to avoid catching up with the freight.

In dramatic evening lighting at Goole on 4 October 2007, 66016 departs with the 6D88 14:39 Goole Docks to Scunthorpe steel empties, running over two hours late and consequently departing at the booked time for the 6H93 Goole to Peterborough sand empties, which was held on the glass factory line behind me, unable to gain access to the main line! Luckily the large bank of dark clouds stayed just to the north, so the sun remained out with an impressive dark background.

A filthy 66016 passes South Moreton with the 6Z35 Moreton-on-Lugg to Hothfield stone train on 8 May 2008. This train is easily recognisable as it always seems to run with a couple of ex RMC hoppers in an otherwise uniform rake of EWS wagons. You can understand Network Rail's insistence on erecting high security lineside fencing everywhere (although not yet at this location), when you can see the amount of potentially lethal materials left lying by the side of high speed lines. Just look at the amount of old rail sections lying next to the 125 mph line in this picture!

After seeing 47787 on the Royal Scotsman at Linlithgow, I drove to Lathallan (near Polmont) to see it again. During the ten minute wait, the first train to turn up was 66018 with the 6J13 12:22 Longannet Power Station to Hunterston MGR empties. It makes a nice change to see the vintage HAA 4 wheel wagons rather than the high capacity bogie HHA type.

On 22 December 2001, 66020 is just about to pass under the M40 motorway at Overthorpe, near Banbury with the 5Z12 10:45 Tyseley to Old Oak Common ECS comprising just two First Great Western Mk 2 coaches. This look a pleasant sunny shot, but it was absolutely freezing, and apart from certain days on the Settle & Carlisle line, I have never felt so relieved to get back to the car! If you drink instant coffee, the chances are it came from the building emitting steam on the left in the background. This is the giant Kraft Foods plant producers of  Kenco, Maxwell House, and Mellow Bird's instant coffees.

66024 heads down the ECML at Heck with the 6D47 10:49 Wardley to Doncaster Decoy Yard MGR on 20 March 2000. The weak spring sunshine seen here didn't last long, just look at those black clouds rolling in from north! The train is just about to pass under the M62 motorway bridge, and the site of the following year's terrible accident caused by a Land Rover driver falling asleep and crashing down onto the line, subsequently being hit by a southbound GNER service.

66024 passes Harbury with the 4O04 09:35 Washwood Heath to Eastleigh intermodal on 22 December 2008. Although a useful location for photography on a dull day, as it prevents any possibility of the dreaded 'blank sky' type picture one sees on many websites where no remedial action has been taken, this location is a mere shadow of its former self. The forest of bushes visible on the left completely prevent any picture from being taken on that side of the line

66032 passes Compton Beauchamp on 30 May 2001 with the latte running 6B24 15:33 Didcot Power Station to Cardiff Tidal oil empties. Signs of Railtrack wasting money on the right. Obviously signaling needs to be modified or upgraded occasionally, but why replace the whole post complete with new foundations? They haven't even moved it to a new position! Presumably the old one didn't meet some arcane new pointless regulation, although perfectly satisfactory for the job. Unfortunately this kind of stupidity and waste is now rife in Britain.

Catching the last rays of the setting sun, 66032 climbs out of Patchway Tunnel with the 6G81 14:36 Machen to Westbury Yard Hanson stone train on 11 December 2004. Note that in the background the two lines are on different gradients, the difference in level become quite marked at the two single line tunnels. This view clearly illustrates the difficulty of railway photography in the winter. Although there are only a few low bushes on the lineside, at this time off the afternoon even they start to shade part of the train.

66035 ambles along the up relief line at Langford on 12 May 2008 with the 6L69 Peterborough to Bow Plasmor block train. This train originates from the block works at Heck. Although settled high pressure brings sunny conditions, it does result in the misty pale sky as seen here. Although it doesn't look as good as a sky full of fluffy white clouds, at least you are confident one of those clouds is not going drift across the sun as the train comes!

Having noted 37410 stabled at Didcot earlier in the day on 24 May 2007, I assumed it would work back north on either the 6M28 18:10 Hinksey to Bescot engineers or the  6M65 18:07 Didcot to Carlisle 'Enterprise'. After the former had passed Yarnton with 60091 in charge, I was not at all surprised to find 37410 dead in tow behind 66035 on 6M65. I was however a little surprised at the miniscule load - a single VGA van! Unfortunately the sun dipped slightly when this ridiculous train passed Yarnton.

After being delayed by the late running 6D88 Goole to Scunthorpe steel empties, 66037 pulls out of the loop at Goole with the 6H93 17.04 Goole to Peterborough sand empties on 4 October 2007. The train had been held for a considerable time on the glass factory line, which can be seen in the foreground. Luckily a very smart run round was performed and the train was only a little late leaving, but even so the shadows were lengthening requiring a different viewpoint from the previous train.

In superb low evening light just before sunset on 21 May 2009, 66043 approaches Tackley with the 4E70 16:20 Southampton to Wakefield Europort intermodal. In the background on the right is the long closed Shipton-on-Cherwell cement works. Various proposals for the site have been mooted since the works closed in the mid 1980s, including rather bizarrely for a quarry site, residential development. Various plans have been thwarted by the fact that the site is now a haven for wildlife, which it certainly wasn't whilst it was in operation.

66043 approaches Oxford on 23 May 2009 with the 4O53 04:07 Trafford Park to Southampton Western Docks freightliner. Both relief lines have recently been relaid here, the line on the right now being a bi-directional line for use by Oxford to Bicester First Great Western trains.

66044 is pictured shunting steel wagons in Goole Docks on 13 March 1999. Next to the loco are the wagons brought in on that morning's 6D50 07:37 Rotherham to Goole Docks service, which have been unloaded on the dock lines to the right. The loco is setting back onto the wagons from the previous day's trip before leaving as the 6J50 11:38 Goole Docks to Rotherham. Class 66s are not liked by enthusiasts because they have displaced more interesting heritage traction, and they are equally disliked by their crews due to their poor driving environment, high noise and general poor build quality. This would explain the 'Yanks go home' message scrawled in the dirt below the cab window!

With the customary single ex RMC wagon in an otherwise uniform consist, a work stained 66044 approaches the site of Ashbury Crossing at Shrivenham on 3 December 2008 with the 6B35 10:15 Hayes to Moreton-on-Lugg stone empties.

66054 passes under the signal gantry that controls the double crossovers at Bourton (near Swindon) as it heads west with the 6B24 10:36 Didcot to Wentloog MoD stores on 4 February 2009. Snow had fallen during the night to top up the previous day's covering, so with the sun shining I set off for the Great Western Mainline hoping for some excellent photographic conditions. As I drove towards the line the sun just got weaker and by the time 66054 appeared it had virtually gone! Note the remains of the white painted sighting patch on the bridge in the background, a relic of the days of semaphore signaling. This section of line was converted to automatic colour light operation in 1965.

Viewed from the top of White Horse Hill, 66057 passes Uffington with the 4V14 Dollands Moor to South Marston empty Honda covered car wagons on 5 April 2008. Uffington's 13th Century St Mary's church with its distinctive octagonal tower can be clearly be seen in the foreground. Foreground being a relative term, as it is two miles away! The tower was formerly topped by a spire until it was brought down by a storm in 1740. The use of a long lens has compressed the perspective, with various details in the distance becoming visible. On the right is Kitemore House, Shellingford (5 miles), in the background on the left, Bampton church (11 miles), and near the horizon, the industrial units at Witney (15 miles). It had started as a sunny morning, but as can be seen from the patchy shadows, clouds were starting to build up. In fact the sun was only just reappearing on the village in the foreground shortly before the train came into view.

I suppose it is newsworthy, but this certainly isn't the picture I was intending to take when I went to the site of Ashbury Crossing at Shrivenham to photograph the 6B33 13:35 Theale to Robeston Murco oil empties on 27 August 2009. 60059 Swinden Dalesman had worked the 6A11 loaded service, so I fully expected to get a shot of the 60 in its faded Loadhaul livery, if I could find a gap in the clouds. Unfortunately 60059 had obviously failed, so 66060 has been added to the front to take the train back to Wales. A good job the tanks are empty, as otherwise the total load including a dead 60 would obviously be too much for a 'shed'! Although the sun was out at the appropriate moment, the fact that the train was over an hour late meant that the lighting was a little head on.

Palindromic 'Shed' 66066 passes Stenson Junction on 4 November 2009 with the 6M85 05:32 Tyne Yard to Bescot empty cartics. An ideal location for photography during the autumn and winter months, as the large clear space on the right where the former lines into Willington Power Station once were, means there is not a lot to shade the line.

66074 approaches the site of Aynho station with the 6M19 07:06 Didcot Yard to Kineton MoD train on 15 August 2008. This was one of my briefest ever visits to a location. As my route this morning took me over the railway here, I decided to stop to see if the location was still OK photographically, not have been to the spot for a few years. As I arrived at the bridge the 66 was just coming round the corner, so I quickly got the camera out of the bag, took the picture, then walked straight back to the car!

66076 approaches Aller on 11 August 1999 with the Wessex Trains 1Z96 04:19 Victoria to Plymouth 'Wessex Eclipse Express' railtour, one of a number of special trains that traveled down to the west country to allow people to view the total solar eclipse, which could only be fully appreciated in Devon and Cornwall. I traveled down by car, which obviously entailed a ridiculously early start from Oxfordshire. The eclipse itself was spectacular, but unfortunately most of the many specials passed Aller in the fog, and it had only just cleared when 66076 came into view.

66079 approaches Creykes Crossing  to the south of Goole with the 6H93 17:04 Goole to Peterborough Yard sand empties on 13 March 2007. Unfortunately the glorious evening light which was turning the willow bushes along the ditch a rich fiery red had just faded out. If the train had just been a couple of minutes earlier! In the background the three major landmarks of Goole can be seen (not counting the huge new glass factory from which this train has come, which is off to the left). On the extreme left are the two water towers (Salt and Pepper Pot), in the gap in the bushes are the dock cranes, and just behind the rear of the train is the parish church.

66081 passes Yarnton, just to the north of Oxford, with the 4M04 16:36 Southampton Eastern Docks to Washwood Heath imported Ford cars on 2 June 2004. A recently constructed footbridge has created this new vantage point, which is handy for northbound trains in the evening, as from around 18:30 the sun is on the front of the loco. It is also a good location to watch the stationery rush hour traffic on the A34 a few fields away!

Viewed from the hillside half a mile away, 66081 rounds the curve near Rousham (between Banbury and Oxford) in superb late afternoon light with the 6V59 10:32 Mountsorrel to Westbury ballast train on 17 December 2008. Just visible in the trees in the distance directly above the second wagon is the Rousham Eyecatcher, a sham ruin created by William Kent (1684 - 1748) as a folly to be viewed from nearby Rousham House. Some idea of the length of lens needed for this picture can be gauged from the fact that this local landmark is over two miles away from where I am standing.

Work to reinstate double track on parts of the Cotswold Line started in late July 2009, with initial work confined to slewing the track to its former position and moving signal cables, basically undoing all the realignment work done at the time of the 1971 singling. On 24 July, 66083 sits next to Charlbury station car park with the 6W88 ballast train from Hinksey. Unfortunately a buckled rail meant that it would be unlikely to move for some time, so I abandoned my original plan to photograph the return empties somewhere nearer Oxford, which would have been headed by 66118, which is well out sight round the corner here on the rear of the train. This is not a very photogenic location, but at least it was parked somewhere that was easily accessible. It was just a case of waiting for one of the brief bursts of sunshine before taking the picture and then heading home!

Possibly the end of yet another interesting working? After the end of the Rail Head Treatment Train season in December 2009, DB Schenker withdrew all but a handful of their Class 60s, resulting in long standing 60 turns such as the 6B33 13:33 Theale to Robeston Murco oil empties being entrusted to Class 66s. Although empty here, the 24 tanks when loaded must be right on the limit of what can be hauled by a 66. 66087 heads west along the relief line at Milton on 10 December 2009, with Didcot Power Station dominating the background.

At less than walking speed, 66090 approaches the impressive bracket signal at Evesham with the 6W85 Worcester to Aldington ballast train on 19 August 2009. The train of ballast was for use in connection with the doubling of the Cotswold Line, which will unfortunately see the end of these semaphore signals. This is why I was keen to get a picture of this particular train at this location, and was slightly surprised that I was the only photographer there. It is a little ironic that the little used siding on the right seems to have marginally less vegetation growing on it than the main line! I very nearly didn't get this picture in the sun, as although it was sunny while the train was stopped by the box, a cloud appeared as it moved off. Luckily with such a heavy load the train was moving so slowly that the sun had come out again by the time it was in the right position. Note tamper DR73912 in the siding, waiting to move off five hours later.

After seeing 66090 pass Evesham with the 6W85 Worcester to Aldington ballast train on 19 August 2009, I drove round to a spot near its final destination in the hope of another picture. In the event there was a long delay before it appeared, by which time the location was getting severely backlit. As well as this, the picture is not helped by the cloud of dust coming up from under the loco. Admittedly the track here is freshly ballasted, but as the train was moving at less than walking speed, it does seem a little odd.

Although no longer the classic location since the removal of the semaphore signals, the view from the main road near Fenny Compton is pleasant enough, especially with the bright spring foliage. On 22 April 2009, 66093 passes with a Castle Bromwich to Southampton Docks car train.

The short lived North of Scotland Safeway Intermodal service is pictured at its destination, Georgemas Junction on 7 August 2000. 66095 waits with its train at the unloading area at this remote Scottish location, next to the crane and road vehicles that will be used to move the containers to nearby Wick and Thurso. This train had originated from Mossend as the 4H44 00:56 to Inverness, from there it traveled north as the 4H45 05:18 to Georgemas Junction. Later in the day in would return as the 4H46 15:08 Georgemas Junction to Inverness and 4D66 19:45 Inverness to Mossend.

66095 approaches Radley station with the 6A48 14:14 Bicester to Didcot MoD stores on 8 October 2009. The Army, like everyone else, now makes extensive use of containers for the movement of smaller items of equipment, with only the first vehicle in the consist being a traditional wagon.

Despite the atrocious weather, a brief visit was made to Hatton on 27 November 2007 to see if any autumn colour was left on the trees. A few trees still retained a little colour which adds to this picture of 66096 on the 6M31 10:26 Banbury to Mountsorrel Lafarge self discharge stone empties. Considering this was around midday, this looked more like dusk, as it was already virtually dark!

66096 passes Denchworth with the 6B33 13:33 Theale to Robeston Murco oil empties on 2 July 2009. Unfortunately a Class 66 is a regular occurrence on this train now instead of a Class 60, especially on a reduced load as seen here. The temptation was not to bother to take the picture, but as the sun was out and I was on the bridge anyway, why not!

66097 passes the site of Bletchingdon station in its own little patch of sunshine with the 6V59 10:27 Mountsorrel to Westbury ballast train on 26 March 2009. The bridge the train is just passing over carries the line over both the Oxford Canal and the River Cherwell. Unfortunately the industrial unit occupying the former station site on the left is a little less photogenic than the original station buildings, which were demolished soon after the station closed in the 1960s.

66101 passes Uffington with the 4D10 12:20 Didcot Power Station to Avonmouth coal empties on 27 September 2008. Almost every wagon in the consist appears to have suffered at the hands of graffiti vandals. This is the site of the former Uffington loops, made redundant when the relief lines were reinstated between Challow and Wantage Road in the early 1990s.

66103 passes Hinksey Yard with the 6A48 14:14 Bicester to Didcot MoD stores on 24 September 2009. Such is the tree growth at this location in recent years that the lake on the right is now virtually invisible from this direction. Luckily there are no trees on the left to cause shadows across the line in the late afternoon.

66106 gives 67004 a helping hand with the 4D05 11:37 Inverness to Mossend empty parcels vans on 10 June 2005. The train is just passing Drumochter Summit, as marked by the blue board on the right. At 1484 feet above sea level this is the highest point on the national rail network, and marks the end of am arduous climb all the way from Newtonmore, with several stretches at 1 in 80. The climb from the other direction is even worse with over six miles of continuous 1 in 70 gradient.

With frost still covering the tracks, 66110 ambles across the flat Fenland landscape at Westry with the 6L38 07:29 Mountsorrel to Broxbourne stone train on 22 January 2005. Naturally this flat landscape has plenty of level crossings (note the one just behind the train), but very few bridges or other means of gaining a more elevated view, so full use was made of this new bridge which carries the March by-pass.  Typically this good lighting had disappeared by the time the Class 40 hauled railtour turned up 40 minutes later!

66112 approaches the site of Wantage Road station on 17 November 2009 with the 4D10 12:20 Didcot Power Station to Avonmouth coal empties. This picture is taken from a little used footpath between Grove and East Hanney (hence the sign on the gatepost). It has been a few years since this gate has moved, and I wouldn't guarantee that it would stay in one piece if you tried!

66114 passes through Kings Sutton station on 23 April 2009 with the 4O21 11:10 Burton-on-Trent to Southampton intermodal. Although an excellent location, the line of trees on the left does tend to cause problems with shadows in the late afternoon. However, on this occasion the sun was gradually fading out into high cloud, resulting in no shadows to worry about!

66115 approaches Fiddington (just north of Cheltenham) on 28 March 2009 with the 6M60 23:41 Tavistock Junction to Bescot china clay train. I would not normally bother to take a picture of a Class 66 hauled train in such poor light, but as otherwise it would have been a 70 mile round trip for just one picture, for once I made an exception!

66116 passes through Appleford station on 2 July 2009 with the 6A48 14:14 Bicester to Didcot MoD stores train. This is one of a couple of military traffic feeder services that converge on Didcot prior to working north later in the day as the 6M65 Didcot to Carlisle trunk service.

66121 finds a gap in the procession of early morning HSTs to lumber slowly up the Great Western Mainline at Compton Beauchamp with the 6D09 06:43 Avonmouth to Didcot Power Station coal train on 14 April 2008. It will no doubt be put onto the relief line at Challow to allow following First Great Western services to pass. The extra wide trackbed here is a clue to the fact there was also an up relief line at this point in steam days, extending from Shrivenham to Knighton Crossing.

66127 heads west along the Great Western Mainline at Baulking on 24 March 2009 with the 6B33 13:33 Theale to Robeston Murco oil empties. Not as interesting as the formerly guaranteed Class 60 traction, but a colourful picture in the sunshine nonetheless.

In a brief patch of sunlight before the ominous dark clouds in the background arrived heralding more rain, 66128 stands in the unloading facility at the Guardian Glass Works at Goole on 26 June 2008, as it prepares to start unloading the 6H92 04:00 Peterborough to Goole sand train. This massive float glass works is a significant employer in the area and produces in excess of 700 tons of glass daily, although sadly only the raw materials arrives by rail, with the finished products leaving by road onto the conveniently situated M62 motorway.

66129 heads west near Kingston Lisle (between Didcot and Swindon) on 6 January 2009 with the 4D12 13:13 Didcot Power Station to Avonmouth coal empties. Unlike a lot of photographers I am not content to repeatedly go back to the same locations over and over again, and although obviously this is unavoidable at times, I am constantly striving to find new viewpoints, which in the case of my local Great Western Mainline is something of a challenge. This view although pleasant and probably not featured on the web until now is hardly sufficiently different to justify the long walk from the nearest road!

66137 crosses the Forth Bridge with the 7G70 14:40 Hunterston to Longannet Power Station coal train on 18 April 2003. Considering this is one of the world's engineering masterpieces, very little effort has gone into making a viewing area for the bridge from the north side of the Forth. This picture is taken from a road in a housing estate through a gap in the trees.

The severity of the gradients on the Adwick to Stainforth freight only line to the north of Doncaster can be fully appreciated in this dramatic view of 66139 approaching the remote hamlet of Tilts on 24 November 2008 with the 6D95 12:23 Doncaster Belmont to Goole steel train. The train will shortly be crossing the East Coast Mainline.

This is what happens when you don't maintain your locomotives properly. Because DB Schenker are reluctant to invest in their Class 60 fleet, in particular the heavy overhauls that the 20 year machines require, early 2010 sees only a handful of the heavy freight locos in service. The result is that heavy oil trains from South Wales have to be entrusted to pairs of the inferior Class 66s. 66140 & 66126 pass Circourt Bridge, Denchworth on 30 January 2010 with the 6B33 12:12 Theale to Robeston Murco oil empties. At least I suppose that it now means that having got this picture of the double headed working in good light, there will be no need to venture out to the lineside to see this particular train again until commonsense prevails and the correct traction is reinstated.

66144 has a good load behind it as it passes Compton Beauchamp on 29 May 2003 with the 6M17 16:38 Newport Alexandra Dock Junction to Wembley Enterprise service. Photography of eastbound trains in the evening on the Great Western Mainline is difficult due to the angle of the sun. This location is better than most, as at least the sun is not directly behind the train. The problem was further helped here by the sun fading out into high cloud.

A most unwelcome sight at Uffington on 12 February 2008. Instead of the usual Class 60, 66145 turned up on the 6B33 13:30 Theale to Robeston Murco oil empties. Whether this poor choice of traction for this heavy train (admittedly now within the capabilities of a 66, as it is empty) had anything to do with what happened next I am unable to say.

66147 sweeps round the curve at Wormleighton Crossing (near Banbury) with the 4O21 11:10 Burton-on-Trent to Southampton intermodal on 22 April 2009. This picture almost didn't happen, as a Class 168 unit has only just disappeared round the corner (note the red signal).

66149 passes Whitehill (between Combe and Finstock) in the pouring rain on 29 July 2009 with the 6W60 Hinksey to Charlbury ballast train. Two ballast workings were booked to work to Charlbury within 45 minutes of each other, so despite the terrible weather I wasn't going to miss the chance to see two engineering trains within less than a hour on what is normally a passenger only section of railway. Just out of sight in the field on the right is North Leigh Roman Villa, and interestingly while I was waiting for these trains a pair of the rare Roman Snails (Helix pomatia) were crawling up the bridge parapet, obviously encouraged by the wet weather. As the Romans brought them to this country, they certainly haven't strayed very far in over 1600 years!

Its not very often you get to photograph two trains this close together on the main line. In the pouring rain on 29 July 2009, with Brunel's grade II listed station building prominent in the foreground, 66149 with the 6W60 ballast train from Hinksey stands awaiting further instructions, with 66185 on the 6W61 from Hinksey right behind it. They would shortly move off to drop ballast on the section of realigned track between Charlbury and Shorthampton.

66149 pulls slowly away from Charlbury with the 6W60 ballast train from Hinksey on 29 July 2009. It was just about to drop ballast on the line between here and Shorthampton. In connection with redoubling certain sections of the Cotswold Line the single track is having to be repositioned in several places, undoing the work carried out in 1971. Unfortunately by the time this train decided to move off not only had the rain started coming down again, but it was starting to get dark, which probably explains why I was the only photographer on the scene!

In failing light on 29 July 2009, 66149 moves cautiously forward over the realigned and totally unballasted track at Shorthampton, prior to dropping ballast. It is working the 6W60 ballast train from Hinksey, which has already dropped some ballast nearer to Charlbury, just around the corner. A similar train worked by 66185 & 66068 would follow along later. This section of the Cotswold Line is being redoubled, but as the remaining single track was centered in 1971, that work is having to be undone, as here. Preparatory work at this location involved extensive lineside vegetation clearance, which accounts for the abundant growth of Rosebay Willowherb and Stinging Nettles on the side of the cutting.

66152 passes Baulking with the 6B35 10:15 Hayes to Moreton-on-Lugg stone empties on 27 October 2008, with the customary rake of wagons including a single ex RMC liveried example. As this picture is taken at around midday, it can be seen that this is about the latest date in the year that this location can successfully be used for photography, as even with the sun at its highest, the shadows extend up to the edge of nearest rail. Although the rampant growth of lineside vegetation at this location has been virtually unchecked in the last couple of decades, a Network Rail team had just finished strimming the bushes on the path down to the track when I arrived!

With the 1N06 11:30 Kings Cross to Newcastle National Express East Coast HST disappearing into the distance, 66155 approaches Botany Bay level crossing (near Retford) with the 4L45 10:15 Wakefield Europort to Felixstowe intermodal service on 10 March 2009.

With Rogiet church in the background, the last rays of the setting sun illuminate 66156 as it passes Severn Tunnel Junction with the 6M68 08:33 Burngullow to Warrington china clay slurry on Saturday 22 February 2003. This train would then work forward the following day as the 6S55 17:00 Warrington to Irvine, a very rare Sunday revenue earning freight train. The overgrown area on both sides of the line here is the site of the once extensive Severn Tunnel Junction Yard.

66157 passes Patney with the 6V18 12:38 Hither Green to Whatley empty Hanson 'Jumbo' stone train on 11 May 2009. After several hours photographing Class 59s I suppose it was inevitable that a 66 would come along and spoil it!

66158 passes Closeburn in nice early morning light with the 6E85 05:21 Hunterston to Drax Power Station coal train on 9 June 2007. The mist had just cleared, although the hills in the background are still partly obscured.

66158 passes Uffington with the featherweight 6M17 18:08 Newport Alexandra Dock Junction to Wembley Enterprise service on 1 June 2009. Obviously the recession is at work here, as this was formerly a very well loaded train. Although this loco is less than ten years old there is a huge amount of rust visible below the bodyside grilles. The poor standards of construction for this class are well known, but this kind of quality control is reminiscent of 1970s British Leyland!

On 2 May 2005, 66159 took over from 37427 in Workington station (just out of sight in the distance) and then worked the Pathfinder Tours 1Z78 04:56 Cardiff Central to Whitehaven 'Cumbrian Warrior' tour to the docks junction. The docks branch is seen diverging to the right here. To think I drove all the way to Cumbria to photograph a 'Shed'!

Costco could also be an appropriate name for the class of loco pictured here. 66163 passes the discount store at Washwood Heath on 22 November 2008 with a short rake of engineers vehicles in a welcome patch of sunshine. The Class 66's no frills and economy design has nevertheless served the needs of the remaining rail freight traffic over the last decade despite various problems including poor build quality.

The horses in the field show no at all interest in 66164 as it approaches Circourt Bridge, Denchworth with the 6Z98 Hayes to Moreton-on-Lugg stone empties on 23 November 2007. The train is running slowly along the down relief line, as it will be stopping at Challow a mile further on, where the relief lines end. It is being rapidly overhauled by 43127 on the late running 13:30 Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads First Great Western service, which can just be seen approaching under the bridge in the background.

66165 approaches Hexthorpe with the 6E08 07:18 Wolverhampton to Doncaster steel train on 28 July 2008. The four tracks start just around the corner in the background, a little after Hexthorpe Junction. The 66 is on the tracks that head south at St James Junction, avoiding Doncaster station, while the other two tracks are the lines into Doncaster, used by all passenger services.

66168 passes Compton Beauchamp on 18 August 2009 with the lightly loaded 6A32 Ashchurch to Didcot MoD stores train. Another instance of the Met Office getting it totally wrong. This was supposed to be a hot and sunny day - it was neither!

The low late afternoon winter sun turns the dead grass in the foreground golden yellow as 66169 approaches Baulking with the 4D12 13:13 Didcot Power Station to Avonmouth coal empties on 10 December 2008. Surprisingly I had not used this particular location for westbound trains previously, and although not a particularly inspiring location it useful in December as there is nothing to shade the line.

66181 passes the extremely battered fixed distant signal at Blackbird Leys, as it returns from Morris Cowley with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z43 06:56 Preston to Appleford 'White Horse Rambler' railtour on 22 January 2000. The main tour loco was 33103, with the 66 used for top'n'tailing over the Morris Cowley and Appleford branches, while 09101 was used for a similar purpose on the Highworth Branch at Swindon.

66185 passes Whitehill (between Combe and Finstock) with the 6W61 Hinksey to Charlbury ballast train on 29 July 2009, running exactly 45 minutes behind 66149 as booked, on the very similarly loaded 6W60. Luckily by this time the torrential rain had eased off slightly. 66068 is out of sight on the far end of the train. The ballast was required for the realigned section of track to the west of Charlbury, altered in connection with redoubling the line.

66186 passes through Moreton-in-Marsh station with the 6W88 Hinksey to Chipping Campden ballast on 15 August 2009. Unfortunately I had to take this picture from the 'wrong' or shady side as there is no other option nowadays, especially as I wanted to picture it about to pass the semaphore signal still at danger (it was just about to enter the engineering possession). In the 1980s I would have been able to take this from the proper angle, but that was before Budgens was built (on the extreme right of this view). The supermarket and several fast growing trees have completely obliterated the view. Alternatively the view from the bridge in the background was also clear years ago, but not so now. Note the flock of pigeons wheeling across the sky in the background.

66194 pulls slowly away from a signal check at Didcot North Junction with a Hinksey to Didcot ballast train on 12 November 2007. The loco returned to Oxford light engine shortly afterwards in readiness to work that evening's 4L40 Cowley to Purfleet BMW Mini car carriers.

66194 approaches the site of Ashbury Crossing near Shrivenham with the 6B35 10:15 Hayes to Moreton-on-Lugg stone empties on 4 February 2009. As usual the otherwise uniform consist includes a solitary ex RMC hopper. Normally I wouldn't bother photographing 'sheds' in such poor light, but given the amount of national news coverage about the chaos caused by the snow, I thought I ought to have some record of it! And besides, it was sunny when I left home!

One of the few named EWS Class 66s, 66200 Railway Heritage Committee passes Baulking on 28 March 2007 with a rake of empty HTA coal wagons returning from Didcot Power Station to Avonmouth. Although it was a sunny day, by the afternoon it had got so hazy that it hardly looks like the sun is shining at all. Note the very weak shadow to the left of the loco.

66200 Railway Heritage Committee passes under the A423 Oxford ring road and approaches Hinksey with the 6M58 14:10 Southampton Western Docks to Bescot Ford Transits on 2 May 2007. The line on the extreme right is the approach to Hinksey Yard, which is used by car trains from BMW's Cowley plant. Kennington Junction, the junction for the Cowley branch is a little distance the other side of the bridge.

66207 approaches Tackley with the 6M58 14:10 Southampton Western Docks to Bescot Ford car train on 21 May 2009. The removal of a large number of lineside bushes has recently opened up the view along this stretch of line.

66213 passes the site of Over Junction, near Gloucester with the 6M60 23:41 Tavistock Junction to Bescot china clay train on 29 March 2008. The line to Gloucester Docks diverged to the left behind the bushes on the left. Just visible on the right is Thomas Telford's magnificent bridge over the River Severn. Now no longer used by road traffic, this flat arched bridge has a very worrying slight dip in the middle which occurred when the temporary framework used in the construction was removed in 1829. Telford left the bridge for a couple of years before opening it to see if the dip increased, which thankfully it didn't!

On 21 April 2007, 66223 arrives at Hinksey Yard, near Oxford with the 4L44 17:09 Cowley to Purfleet car train, conveying Minis from the BMW plant. This train uses the yard to run round, there being no direct connection for southbound trains from the Cowley branch.  Note the rakes of ballast wagons in the foreground. Hinksey is now a dedicated ballast loading point, much to the annoyance of local residents who are suddenly surprised that it can be noisy living near a railway!

66230 pulls slowly away from Goole with the 6H93 17:04 Goole to Peterborough Yard sand empties on 8 May 2007. The train had earlier emerged from the line on the extreme left which connects with the new £97m Guardian float glass factory.

66230 approaches Holywood with 6E68 New Cumnock to Carlisle Yard coal train on 8 June 2007. The former Glasgow & South Western Railway line is busy with coal traffic from the Ayr district, and still has semaphore signals and many items of traditional railway infrastructure.

Whiteout conditions at Baulking on 14 January 2010. With the drab grey sky and the completely snow covered field in the foreground just leaving a strip of colour in the middle of the picture, 66238 heads west with a reduced load 6B33 13:33 Theale to Robeston Murco oil empties. Despite it being a miserably dull day and nearly 15:00 on a winter's afternoon, the mass of snow in the foreground acting like a giant reflector resulted in surprisingly high light readings of 1/500sec f4.5 at ISO 200, even allowing for the 1½ stops compensation required for the snow.

In a very brief burst of sunshine, 66239 shunts flyash wagons at Colnbrook on 12 March 2005. The flyash arrives from west Burton power station and on this day the shunting operations at Colnbrook had to be suspended for a while as a Class 37 hauled railtour came down the line on the left, and stopped with the train fouling the point that 66239 is seen approaching here.

On 24 May 2007, 66239 approaches the site of Moreton Sidings, to the east of Didcot with the 6Z48 12:31 Appleford to Ardingly special working conveying recycled ballast destined for the Bluebell Railway. Note the use of vintage VTG 4 wheel PGA hoppers. If the train had been just a little earlier the picture would have been ruined by two other trains obstructing the foreground. You can just see the HST on the down fast and Voyager on the down relief line receding into the distance.

The highest numbered EWS Class 66, 66250 passes Defford with the 4V09 13:36 Washwood Heath to Portbury Dock coal empties on 10 April 2007 in a brief patch of sun. Luckily the train was traveling faster than the advancing cloud, which is already affecting the background. I chose this location from the minor road in the village rather than the more popular main road bridge, to show off the fresh green foliage as well as depicting a less well used location.

On 20 September 2008 Fastline Freight ran their first Avonmouth to Ratcliffe Power Station coal train, after several weeks of crew training using Class 56s running light. The first train of empties was booked to run via Oxford rather than the normal route via Cheltenham. However, 40145 was also running a railtour at the same time, and as I couldn't do both obviously the Class 40 took priority over a 'shed', even if it is in a different livery! I did go out in the evening for the first ever loading working, and 66301 is pictured here passing the site of Challow station as it weaves onto the up relief line with the 6M90 14:31 Avonmouth (Bennett's Terminal) to Ratcliffe Power Station, running nine minutes late. Heavily backlit, but a historic picture nonetheless.

66301 pulls slowly out of the loop at Abbotswood with the 4V09 10:46 Chaddesden to Portbury coal empties on 20 March 2009. The train was only held in the loop for a few minutes to allow the 07:35 Dundee to Plymouth Cross County service to overtake it. It was fortunate that it was looped, as I was only half way across the field when I saw it entering the loop!

Making a welcome change from the usual red or green 'sheds', Fastline 66303 passes Hinksey on 9 January 2010 with the 6Z37 09:23 Daw Mill to Didcot Power Station coal. This also marks a return to the days when coal regularly traveled from the Midlands to Didcot, but of course in the good old days the traction would have been Class 56s or 58s, or even back in the days when I was just starting railway photography, Class 47s!

Running nearly two hours late, 66305 approaches Uffington with the 6M90 11:30 (allegedly!) Avonmouth to Ratcliffe Power Station coal train on 27 September 2008. This was the second Saturday of this particular working, and I had deliberately gone to Uffington as the sun would still just about have been on the front of this train if it had been running to time. In the event by the time it came the sun was right behind it, just like the previous week! The signal on the left of the line in the distance is the redundant down loop line signal. This together with the corresponding up loop signal are the only evidence (apart from a wider area of ballast) that there once a pair of freight loops at this location.

Malcolm Logistics branded DRS 66404 passes Allandale with the 4A11 10:38 Grangemouth to Aberdeen Guild Street containers on 16 June 2006. This is on the predominantly freight only line between Greenhill Junction and Cumbernauld, although within sight of the busy Falkirk to Glasgow line with is procession of passenger services. Note the typical Scottish weather, with the clouds hanging low over the Campsie Fells in the background.

Not many revenue earning freight trains run on a Sunday, the 4N83 Aberdeen to Grangemouth Intermodal is an exception. It is pictured here passing Inverkeilor in the drizzle on 4 May 2008 with 66418 in charge. Luckily it could be seen approaching from over a mile away, so there was no point in getting out of the car until the last minute!

The first visit of a DRS Class 66 to the Cotswold Line occurred on 10 April 2007, when 66419 traveled light engine from Crewe Gresty Lane to Long Marston to collect a rake of twelve KAA flat wagons. The 6Z66 12:35 Long Marston to Chaddesden is seen here approaching Lower Moor. It actually left Long Marston considerably earlier than its booked time, but had to wait at Honeybourne for its correct path along the single line.

66420 passes Easenhall at speed with the 4M44 08:21 Mossend to Daventry DRS intermodal service on 20 April 2009. Although a remote location reached by a footpath, this location seems to be quite popular, which is surprising considering it is not a particularly good photographic location.