E6001 traverses Middle Forge Junction with the 12:32 Lydney to Norchard service on 26 September 2009, during the Dean Forest Railway's Diesel Gala. The ground frame in the foreground is operated by the train guard, setting up the route for the following train, either to Norchard Low Level (as here), or to Norchard High Level for through trains to Parkend.

E6001 rounds the curve on the approach to Whitecroft on the Dean Forest Railway, with the 14:30 Lydney to Parkend service during the line's Diesel Gala on 26 September 2009. The picture is taken from what appears to be a very little used footpath crossing.

In superb late afternoon light, E6001 accelerates away from the level crossing at Whitecroft (just visible in the background) with the 16:25 Parkend to Lydney service on 26 September 2009, during the Dean Forest Railway's Diesel Gala. Class 14 D9521 can just be seen on the rear of the train. It's a good job there are no more lamp brackets on the front of a Class 73, as I'm sure some wag would create yet another amusing headboard to fit on it!

E6003 Sir Herbert Walker trundles along the Lavender Line at Isfield on 15 November 1998, heading back to the line's only station after yet another trip up the mile long line. The loco left the line shortly afterwards, first of all spending a few years at the Great Central Railway, before ending up at the Swindon & Cricklade Railway.

E6003 Sir Herbert Walker is pictured at Blunsdon station on the Swindon & Cricklade Railway on 28 September 2008, having just arrived with a train from South Meadow Lane, during the line's Diesel Gala. Unfortunately the line is virtually useless for photography, this being the only readily accessible location.

73005 Mid Hants Watercress Line passes Millbrook on 30 November 1989 with the 6Y62 08:57 Eastleigh to RAF Dinton MoD stores. I would see it later the same day with the return working, after it had run round at Salisbury. The unusual livery of all over Network SouthEast blue is certainly effective and not far off the original 'Electric Blue' that the class carried in the 1960s.

In superb late afternoon autumnal light, 73005 Mid Hants Watercress Line passes Lee with the 6Y48 Salisbury to Eastleigh Speedlink trip working on 30 November 1989. Its 600hp diesel engine was obviously considered sufficient for this working in lieu of the more usual Class 47. The train comprises two calcium carbonate tanks from Quidhampton and an assortment of vans from the MoD depot at Dinton. Probably one of my favourite photographs of the year due to its rarity value and excellent lighting. The unique liveried loco wears all over Network SouthEast blue and to get a picture of it working a mixed freight away from the third rail was a definite bonus.

E6005 (73005) accelerates away from Bewdley with the 11:22 Arley to Kidderminster local service on 2 October 2004, during the Severn Valley Railway's Diesel Gala. Classmate 73006 was on the rear. The loco is wearing the early 'electric blue' livery carried by the class in the 1960s. There are several vantage points along this stretch of line, and in between trains you can always watch the animals in the nearby West Midlands Safari Park!

73006 & 73002 moved far from their former Southern Region home in 1993, when they were transferred to Merseyside to act as engineers and sandite locomotives, based at Birkenhead. 73006 soon acquired this bright new livery. On 12 March 1994 the pair worked the Regional Railways North West 08:15 Crewe to Blaenau Ffestiniog 'Jolly JAs' railtour between Chester and Llandudno Junction. They are pictured applying their combined 1200hp to move the nine coach train past Mold Junction. The tour also featured 31421 & 31455 from Crewe to Chester, between Llandudno Junction and Blaenau Ffestiniog, and on the return from Blaenau Ffestiniog. The tour's participants traveled over the Ffestiniog Railway behind Merrdin Emmrys, Castell Conwy & Linda.

In ex-works condition just after being repainted into Pullman livery to mark the 150th year of the London to Brighton line, 73101 Brighton Evening Argus passes Salfords at high speed with a Victoria to Brighton 'Brighton Belle' special composed of Orient Express stock on 21 September 1991. The vintage VSOE coaches comprised: Zena, Ione, Ibis, Lucille, Vera, Phoenix, Audrey, Minerva and Baggage Car No 7.

A panoramic view over Dover on 14 March 1998 as 73101 The Royal Alex & 73131 pass the harbour with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z65 05:57 Crewe to Ashford International 'Kent Venturer' railtour. Unfortunately the miserable weather means the white cliffs look less than white. The flat area of land to the right of the train is the site of the freight yard used for marshalling train ferry wagons.

On 25 June 1999, the Eastleigh Yard to Quidhampton and return china clay tanks were worked by 73106 & 73133 The Bluebell Railway in place of the usual Class 58. After seeing the train leave Eastleigh in the morning, it was just a question of finding a suitable spot for the return working, and hoping that the good weather would hold. As you can see, there was not a cloud in the sky when the pair passed East Grimstead (between Salisbury and Romsey) with the 6Y27 10:28 Quidhampton to Eastleigh Yard loaded tanks. Pictures of 73s working freights on the main line away from the 750v third rail were always at a premium, but the load here is hardly going to tax their combined 1200hp diesel power!

Definitely something a little out of the ordinary! 73108 & 73129 City of Winchester add their combined 1200 hp to 60004's 3100 hp as they pass Kennington with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z42 05:45 Sheffield to Eastleigh 'Weaving Weasel' railtour on 26 February 2000. This combination of locos had just replaced the slightly more standard railtour fare (for the time) of 56089, which had worked the tour as far as Oxford. The electro diesels were obviously the highlight of the tour, certainly being very rare beasties in the Oxford area.

73109 Battle of Britain 50th Anniversary passes Southampton on 2 December 1998 hauling Class 423 4-VEP EMU 3425 en-route to Bournemouth. Note the aircraft in the background making its final approach to Southampton (Eastleigh) Airport. This was not added in Photoshop, but just so happened top appear at the moment I pressed the shutter!

73110 passes Salfords on 15 March 1986 with the 16:15 Victoria to Gatwick Airport service. This is my only picture of a Rail Blue Class 73 on the 'Gatwick Express' service, hardly surprising as in theory the InterCity livery was in use from the start of the service two years previously. Not only that, but it is one of the very few pictures I have got of any Class 73 in that livery from the Rail Blue era, although I should be able to correct that omission now there are a number in preservation.

73114 rounds the curve at Congerstone on the Battlefield Line with the 11:00 Shackerstone to Shenton service during the line's Diesel Gala on 19 September 2009. This was its only train of the day actually providing motive power. The rest of the time it was employed as a brake translator between the air braked Class 56s and the vacuum braked coaches.

Still several years away from withdrawal and subsequent preservation, 73129 City of Winchester passes Sevington on 16 July 1999 with the 1O90 16:30 London Railnet to Dover TPO. Classmate 73128 can just be seen on the rear. The new fence around the house directly above 73129 marks the very first stage of construction of the Channel Tunnel high speed rail link.

73129 approaches Hailes with the 09:00 Winchcombe to Toddington empty coaching stock on 24 September 2005, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Autumn Diesel Gala. A former Network SouthEast 750v DC third rail electric loco is something of an incongruous sight at the foot of the Cotswold Hills! You can quite clearly see where the former City of Winchester nameplate and crest was affixed to the side of the loco. Obviously it is running here on its 4 cylinder 600hp diesel engine.

73129 ambles along the long straight between Hailes and Winchcombe with the 12:02 Toddington to Winchcombe freight on 24 September 2005, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Autumn Diesel Gala. Although principally designed as a third rail electric locomotive with supplementary diesel engine, Class 73s come in to their own on preserved railways, where their 600hp engine and limited top speed are no handicap at all.

In very faded Network SouthEast livery, 73129 rounds Chicken Curve, near Greet (the chicken farm actually closed several years ago!) on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway with the 09:00 Winchcombe to Toddington empty coaching stock at the start of the line's Autumn Diesel Gala on 4 November 2006. Langley Hill forms the backdrop, while Winchcombe's home signal looks as if it is starting to slip down the bank!

Not wishing to always stick with the conventional approach to photography, here is a panoramic view of the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway from the top of Salter's Hill. In the background over 2 miles away from my vantage point is Toddington station. The line can be followed round in a sweeping curve to where 73129 can be seen approaching the bridge at Hailes with the 10:42 Toddington to Winchcombe service. This was during the line's Autumn Diesel Gala on 4 November 2006.

On 4 November 2006, 73129 waits to depart from Toddington station, on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway with the 13:02 service to Winchcombe, during the line's Diesel Gala. The newly opened footbridge contrasts slightly with the station building and old brick built road bridge. Note that despite the gala being in progress, maintenance work still goes on, with volunteers at work just under the bridge.

73129 is glimpsed through the trees as it leaves Winchcombe and passes Greet with the 11:05 freight to Toddington on 5 November 2006, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala. To make the most of the surroundings this was taken on a 24mm lens (38mm equivalent), the least used of my quartet of lenses. Also rarely used for railway photography, a polarizing filter was used to bring out the very faint high clouds against the blue sky.

Although the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway has some excellent photographic locations, I am always searching for a different viewpoint. On 31 March 2007, during the line's Spring Diesel Gala, I did a spot of tree climbing to secure this picture at Didbrook. Admittedly the branch I was sitting on was only a few feet off the ground, but it provides an excellent viewpoint, with the tree providing a perfect frame for 73129 as it heads south with the 12:40 Toddington to Cheltenham Racecourse service.

While waiting for the 37s on the 13:50 Toddington to Cheltenham Racecourse service near Far Stanley on 1 April 2007, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala, I casually took a picture of 73129 returning from Cheltenham Racecourse with the 13:30 service to Toddington. As it was backlit, I thought it would just be a record shot, but I am quite pleased with the picture, as the road and bridge add a scenic frame to the picture. The road is the minor road from Gretton to Gotherington. I'm just glad that there isn't a bright yellow car in the foreground!

Tatty Network SouthEast liveried 73129 passes Hailes on 1 April 2007 with the late running 15:25 Toddington to Winchcombe service, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala. The village of Didbrook can be seen in the background.

73129 & D8137 pass through the unseasonably snowy landscape at Hailes, on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway with the 10:20 Toddington to Cheltenham Racecourse service on 6 April 2008, during the line's Diesel Gala. Unfortunately the unexpected covering of snow was rapidly vanishing as the sun got to work on it.

Making its debut in BR blue livery, E6036 (73129) passes Southam with the 11:15 Winchcombe to Cheltenham Racecourse service on 9 July 2011. 73129 has been an active part of the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's diesel fleet for many years, although looking increasing shabby in its faded Network South East livery. Unfortunately on this occasion the sunny spell ended just a minute before the locomotive came into view, so the loco's new paint job isn't shown to full advantage.

E6036 passes Southam with the 11:50 Cheltenham Racecourse to Winchcombe service on 9 July 2011, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala. Before anyone asks, no there isn't a problem with the recently applied BR blue paintwork, it is purely a reflection of the Rosebay Willowherb growing on the bank!

E6036 arrives at Winchcombe during a downpour with the late running 14:20 service from Cheltenham Racecourse on 9 July 2011, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala. Of course it would be running thirty minutes late because I was stood out in the rain waiting for it! I persisted because only in dull conditions do you get a chance to take a picture from this particular angle, and also the rain does lend a certain atmosphere.

E6036 passes Prescott with the 16:15 Winchcombe to Cheltenham Racecourse service on 9 July 2011, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala. D8137 can just be seen on the rear of the train. This brief and very localised (look at the background) patch of sunshine was unexpected, and although a welcome change from the drabness of the rest of the day, the angle of the sun is a little too head on for my liking. However, the Rosebay Willowherb in the foreground does improve the picture.

After taking the picture of E6036 at Prescott in sunny but less than ideal conditions on 9 July 2011, I was dubious about going to the nearby bridge at Dixton bearing in mind that it would be extremely backlit for the return working. I decided to risk it, as a large all enveloping bank of black cloud was approaching from the west, meaning there would be no problem with the sun. You can guess what happened next. The sun found the tiniest hole in the cloud! So here is a mega back lit picture of E6036 & D8137 with the 16:50 Cheltenham Racecourse to Winchcombe service.

73131 strikes an arc as its collector shoe leaves the third rail at Richborough Road level crossing on the approach to Sandwich with the Pathfinder Tours 'Kent Venturer' railtour on 14 March 1998. The second locomotive is the Pullman liveried 73101 The Royal Alex. This was the second time the tour had passed Sandwich, as it toured lines in the Dover and Canterbury area. On the outward run it ran as 1Z65 05:57 Crewe to Ashford International, now as can be seen from the SR two character headcode on 73131, it is running as 1Z88 14:17 Ashford International to Crewe.

73131 & 73129 City of Winchester storm through Micheldever station on 16 May 1998 with the Hertfordshire Railtours 1Z82 08:30 Victoria to Poole 'Bournemouth & Purbeck' railtour, run in connection with the Bournemouth Depot Open Day. Micheldever Tunnel can just be seen in the distance, with the former oil depot sidings on the right.

73133 The Bluebell Railway & 73106 have just passed through Eastleigh station with 6Y26 08:28 Eastleigh Yard to Quidhampton china clay empties on 25 June 1999. With such unexpected motive power (a Class 37 or 58 was more usual), I certainly wasn't going to miss the return working, which I saw at East Grimstead.

73133 The Bluebell Railway passes Willesborough on 19 July 2002 with the 1M01 19:40 Dover to London Railnet TPO, with classmate 73136 on the rear. The Channel Tunnel high speed line is under construction in the background, with the track down and the first signs of the overhead electrification already in place.

A matching pair of Mainline blue liveried Class 73s were provided for the Pathfinder Tours 1Z56 06:24 Derby to Southampton Central 'Soton Vinegar' railtour on 14 September 2002. 73136 Kent Youth Music & 73133 The Bluebell Railway head west past Oving (near Chichester). The tour also featured haulage by 37109 & 37174, 56129 & 60006.

73136 Kent Youth Music & 73109 Battle of Britain 50th Anniversary cross the River Test at Totton with the Hertfordshire Railtours 1Z73 10:14 Waterloo to Weymouth Town 'Wey Out' railtour on 30 December 2003, run to mark the end of EWS Class 73 operation, although the earlier failure of 73133 resulted in South West Train's 73109 helping out! The weather was terrible, but at least by the tour got to this point the rain had stopped.

Newly restored to mainline operation, the preserved 73136 Perseverance was paired with GBRf's 73204 Janice to work the 1Z41 Euston to Euston via Reigate section of the Pathfinder Tours 'Capital Crusader' railtour on 5 November 2005. The tour originally started from Liverpool Lime Street as 1Z40 behind 40145. The tour is pictured here passing Shortwood Common (near Staines) with the brand new Bronzefield Prison in the background. Obviously the 73s are working on the 'juice' here, but when they came to traverse the North Downs line a little later on, apparently 73204's engine didn't start, resulting in 73136 having to struggle on with just 600hp, with the result that the speed dropped to around 12mph at one point!

Hoo Junction is hardly the most photogenic location imaginable, but even at the end of the 1990s the area still witnessed a large number of interesting freight workings. My main reason for visiting on 16 July 1999 was to see the 6Y94 09:36 Purley to Cliffe Brett stone empties. Although reasonably reliable, theoretically at the time it ran as required and with Class 66 haulage, so I was mightily relieved when bang on time 73138 & 73136 Kent Youth Music came into view.

73139 arrives at Lydd with the Thursdays only 7O62 06:29 Willesden to Dungeness empty nuclear flasks on 25 July 1996. The loco will stop just under the bridge, so that the guard can open the level crossing gates on the other side of the road, adjacent to the derelict Lydd station. The nuclear flasks had worked down from Sellafield to Willesden the previous day. It was such a hot day, that on the return trip the guard was sat outside on the flat platform between the brake van's verandah and headstock!

73141 stands in the sunshine next to the shell of Hotchley Hill Signal Box, on the Great Central Railway (North) on 16 June 2002. This was during one of the East Midland Railway Society's photo charters. In this case the tatty loco was not destined to be restored to an original livery to spend its days on a preserved line, instead it has been reinstated to mainline service with GBRf.

73141 passes an Ox-eye daisy covered embankment, as it emerges from the 1897 built Barnston Tunnel on the Great Central Railway (North) on 16 June 2002. This freight charter was organised by the East Midlands Railway Photographic Society.

73141 is pictured in some dramatic lighting just to the south of Barnston Tunnel, on the Great Central Railway (North) on 16 June 2002. It is a lot easier taking pictures like this on a freight charter (in this case organised by the East Midlands Railway Photographic Society), as the train is just parked up and you wait for the appropriate lighting conditions to come along! Barnston Tunnel is only 110 yards long, and despite being on a curve, you can just see through it in this picture.

73141 stands at Rushcliffe Halt with a short engineers train on 16 June 2002, during the East Midland Railway Photographic Society's freight charter along the Great Central Railway (North). The large building in the background is the British Gypsum works.

Still looking fresh in its recently applied First GBRF livery, 73141 Charlotte is paired with 73204 Janice and is pictured here passing Chineham on 1 August 2009 with the UK Railtours 1Z92 08:40 Waterloo to Weymouth 'Weymouth Seaside Special' railtour. Instead of running via what would be the obvious route straight down the former Southern mainline and then via Southampton, the tour instead traveled to Reading via Staines and then had to negotiate the non-electrified line between Reading and Basingstoke. Obviously it was therefore much more interesting to get a picture of the tour running 'off the juice'. Considering the pair only have 1200hp available when running on diesel, the EDs were running at a fair speed here.

73204 Janice & 73206 Lisa take the Canterbury route at Faversham on 20 November 2004 with the Hertfordshire Railtours 1Z84 08:07 Victoria to Chichester 'JB Jamboree' railtour. The corner of the old steam shed can just be seen on the right. This grade 2 listed building surrounded by rank vegetation is a surprising survival in this part of third rail land. Note the carriage sidings on the left complete with narrow access platforms and vintage overhead lighting.

73204 Janice & 73205 Jeanette pass Amen Corner (a real place near Bracknell, and not just a 1960's pop group!), with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z73 06:05 Crewe to Liverpool Street 'East-Ender' railtour on 5 February 2005, which the EDs had taken over at Reading. This picture gives the impression of a quiet rural location - not so, at this point the line runs parallel with the busy A322.

73204 Janice takes the Ascot line at Wokingham with the 1Q84 09:20 Selhurst to Woking Serco test train on 15 June 2010. The train had just reversed at Reading and despite arriving in the town at approximately the correct time, was now running an amazing 43 minutes early. Luckily it was only moving slowly through the station, which gave time for the pair of Class 458 units to get out of the way. They were in fact still approaching from behind me when I first saw the 73 come round the corner into the station.

73209 Alison & 73206 Lisa pass Soldridge on the Mid Hants Railway, as the drift down the gradient from Medstead & Four Marks with the Hertfordshire Railtours 1Z96 08:55 Victoria to Alresford  'Oozlum Bird Number 2' railtour on 9 February 2008. You wouldn't know it from the headboards, which read 'The Marshlander' & 'Electric Blue-Bird'.

Network Rail's 73212 & 73213 make a spectacular sight as they pass Potbridge (between Woking and Basingstoke) on 5 December 2007 with the 5Z73 10:20 Tonbridge to Eastleigh stock move, conveying four GLV vehicles. This would appear to represent all the remaining non-preserved Class 489 former Gatwick Express driving trailers. Note the new relay box and associated materials by the trackside at this location. There are a couple of ominous looking holes in the bank - surely not another new signal gantry like the one in the background!

73212 passes Amen Corner on 15 June 2010 with the 1Q84 09:20 Selhurst to Woking (via Reading) Serco test train. At this point the train was running exactly to time, however as is often the case with these easily timed trains, it didn't hang around long at the Reading reversal, and passed Wokingham on the return 43 minutes early! 73204 Janice can just be seen on the rear of the train.

73235 passes Coulsdon on 12 August 1995 with the 16:15 Victoria to Gatwick Airport service. These 'Gatwick Express' trains operated ever 15 minutes, so getting pictures of 73 hauled trains was certainly easy, but although the livery did change over time, somewhat lacking in variety. This shows the final version of the InterCity inspired livery.