Just as the setting sun sinks into high cloud near the horizon, 70001 Powerhaul passes Barby Nortoft with the 4M93 14:13 Felixstowe North to Lawley Street freightliner on 21 April 2010. A regular working for this aesthetically challenged loco class, with 70001 being used virtually exclusively.

The low evening sun illuminates 70001 Powerhaul as it passes Moulsford on 27 April 2011 with the late running 4M99 17:04 Southampton to Trafford Park freightliner. The rear half of the train is crossing Moulsford Viaduct, which spans the River Thames, while the use of a long lens has accentuated the slope of the Chiltern Hills in the background.

70001 Powerhaul speeds past Kings Sutton on 3 June 2011 with the 4M68 14:50 Southampton to Birch Coppice freightliner. Although they are not going to win any design awards (unless there was one for the worst looking loco!), the 70s do make quite an impressive noise when working a well loaded train, such as this.

70003 passes Gossington on 5 March 2010 with the 4Z70 08:53 Rugeley Power Station to Stoke Gifford coal empties. Running on time and sounding impressive, 70003 is obviously in much better health here than its classmate 70002 was three days previously when it failed on the same working. On that occasion it had to be rescued by 66585. Unfortunately these much vaunted locomotives have so far not proved to be as stunningly reliable as promised. Let's hope things improve soon!

Marking the class's regular Tuesdays and Thursday's appearance on the 4O51 09:58 Wentloog to Southampton freightliner, 70003 passes South Moreton on 8 March 2011, just four minutes behind some much more interesting traction - 37682 & 37409 on the 5Z47 Crewe to Eastleigh ECS.

The evening shadows are lengthening at Kings Sutton on 3 June 2011 as 70008 heads northwards with the 4M99 16:57 Southampton to Trafford Park freightliner. Its classmate 70001 had already passed this way two hours previously.

The story of the unlucky Class 70s continues. 70009 passes Standish on 30 January 2011 with the 0Z25 Stoke Gifford to Crewe Basford Hall, hauling 66548. 70009 could not be moved north from Newport after being unloaded from the ship in early January due to a seized traction motor. The bogies were removed from 70005 and installed under 70009, eventually allowing its delayed move north, as seen here. I suppose it was lucky that they didn't drop it whilst being unloaded like 70012!