The first locomotive to reach 100 mph - GWR 4-4-0 3440 City of Truro is pictured here passing Lea Marston at a slightly slower speed with a Derby to Paddington special on 3 May 1992, on what was thought at the time to be its last main line outing. However, just as the locomotive emerged from retirement in 1957 to work passenger trains, so it did in the 21st Century.

Hall Class 4-6-0 4920 Dumbleton Hall passes Didbrook on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway with the 11:00 Toddington to Far Stanley service on 6 May 1996. The tree just coming into leaf makes an ideal frame for the photo, but unfortunately anyone trying to replicate this shot today would have to contend with some high tension electricity lines behind the loco, and increased vegetation growth on the embankment.

A recreation of the SLS Specials from the 1950s & 1960s passes Fenny Compton in fine style on 18 April 1999. Hall Class 4-6-0 4965 Rood Ashton Hall was used for this Birmingham Snow Hill to Didcot special, which later returned via the Cotswold Line. I had guessed that the cutting here would mean that the exhaust would not be affected by the wind too much, and I hoped by using a long lens the semaphore signals would stand out, assuming the exhaust didn't blow down and obscure them. For once everything worked out right!

Sunday 18 December 2005 dawned clear and bright with the prospect of two Great Western locos on the main line near Banbury within an hour or so of each other. Needless to say things didn't go as planned, with 6024 King Edward 1 leaving Paddington two hours late with a special to Stratford-upon-Avon! On hearing this news, I left my selected spot near Aynho and went to the footpath crossing near Kings Sutton to see 4965 Rood Ashton Hall on the 1Z65 11:30 Solihull to Didcot Christmas Lunch Special. This is one of the few locations that would be completely clear of shadows at this time of year, so naturally the clouds rolled in from the west and by the time the train came the lighting was really miserable! Note the long suffering photographers on the bridge in the distance still waiting for 6024.

On 19 May 2007, Vintage Trains Ltd ran the 1Z57 08:38 Solihull to Bristol Temple Meads 'Two Halls to Bristol' railtour using Hall Class 4-6-0s 4965 Rood Ashton Hall & 4953 Pitchford Hall. Unfortunately the bright start didn't last long, as clouds rolled in from the west. However, a lucky break in the clouds occurred just at the right time as the tour passed Heyford, running exactly to time.

After a water stop at Oxford on 19 May 2007, the Vintage Trains Ltd 1Z57 08:38 Solihull to Bristol Temple Meads 'Two Halls to Bristol' railtour is pictured passing Baulking with Hall Class 4-6-0s 4965 Rood Ashton Hall & 4953 Pitchford Hall. After driving through rain from the previous location at Heyford, I was quite surprised when yet again the sun came out in time for the train!

On 15 March 2008, Hall Class 4-6-0 4965 Rood Ashton Hall worked its last mainline railtour prior to a planned overhaul at Tyseley. It is pictured climbing towards Harbury Tunnel with the Vintage Trains 1Z43 10:38 Solihull to Didcot '4965 Adieu' tour. Unfortunately the classic view from this location is now completely impossible due to the growth of some quite substantial trees. However I chose this not particularly inspiring viewpoint from the other side of the cutting because I knew it would be working hard and the exhaust would be clear of the rather bland sky.

I think we can see that all is not well here! Castle Class 4-6-0 5029 Nunney Castle is clearly in trouble as it darkens the sky at Shrivenham on 17 July 1994 whilst hauling the Didcot to Worcester 'Cotswold Venturer' railtour. After the tour had passed I spent an hour or so watching the local fire brigade putting out the fires on the side of the cutting just up the line at Bourton. This and further lineside fires in the Golden Valley resulted in Railtrack imposing a steam ban for the southern half of the country.

Castle 4-6-0 5051 Drysllwyn Castle approaches Heyford on 14 April 1984 with the Great Western Society Paddington to Stratford-upon-Avon railtour, which the steam loco took over at Didcot. It may seem hard to believe, but this picture of 57315 is taken from the same location! In 1984 a single bush behind the steam loco was the precursor to the abundant vegetation that was to follow in years to come. This picture is actually taken slightly to the left of the modern day picture, and in fact in the 1980s pictures could be taken looking along the canal (just out of the picture on the left) and still include the railway! Note Rousham church in the background.

In glorious winter light, and with a perfect exhaust, King Class 4-6-0 6024 King Edward 1 passes Hatton with the Didcot to Derby 'Derby Sovereign' railtour on 12 January 1991. It was a very cold day, with icy roads making driving difficult, and even when the train arrived there was still a trace of frost on the sleepers. At the time the photographers were cursing the inclusion of Ethels in the consist to heat the train (in this case Ethel 1, the former 25310), and even being a diehard diesel photographer, I have to admit that the Inter City liveried ex locomotive does rather spoil the Great Western effect here.

King Class 4-6-0 6024 King Edward 1 starts the assault of Sapperton Bank as it passes Thrupp with the Worcester to Didcot 'Devonian' railtour on 27 December 1996. A slightly odd name for a railtour from Worcestershire to Oxfordshire! Although it was a miserably dull day, a near perfect exhaust against an impressive background makes up for the dire weather.

King Class 4-6-0 6024 King Edward 1 passes Compton Beauchamp on 2 August 1998 with the 'Cotswold Venturer' railtour. The tour was steam hauled between Didcot and Worcester via Kemble, this being the return working in the evening. This is the only occasion that I can remember photographing a steam special on the mainline and being the only photographer present! This is even more surprising given the fact that this is one of the better locations for an eastbound train in the Vale of White Horse in the evening, most other spots being far too backlit.

To celebrate the centenary of poet laureate Sir John Betjeman's birth, a special train ran on 9 September 2006 from London to Bristol conveying distinguished guests to a grand celebration at St Mary Redcliffe church using King Class 4-6-0 6024 King Edward 1. The 1Z24 10:11 Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads special is pictured passing the site of Uffington loops in far from ideal conditions for steam photography. It was a very warm day, and although the loco was working hard, there is barely a trace of exhaust. The train had just been held in Challow loop for an hour's watering stop, but due to a late running HST was now running ten minutes late.

In dreary dull and misty conditions GWR 2-6-0 7325 & LMS 2-6-0 2968 storm up the 1 in 37 Lickey Incline with the 'Inclined Salopian' railtour on 31 January 1998. The tour was steam hauled from Gloucester to Shrewsbury and back as far as Bescot on the return. This location is Pikes Pool, approximately half way up the bank.

My first mainline steam picture from the early days of steam preservation. 7808 Cookham Manor & 5900 Hinderton Hall blast their way north from Oxford on 6 October 1979 with the Great Western Society Paddington to Shrewsbury 'Capital Venturer' railtour. The location is the footpath crossing on Wolvercote Common (long since removed). Although it is difficult to tell with the severe backlighting, the coaching stock is a full rake of preserved GWR coaches, one of the last times these were used on a mainline railtour. Considerable work was required in Photoshop for this picture, as the original is a very poor looking Kodachrome taken with a Praktica PLC2 whose metering wasn't that good in backlit situations!

Hall Class 4-6-0 7903 Foremarke Hall emerges from the 693 yard Greet Tunnel on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway with the 11:20 Cheltenham Racecourse to Toddington service on 29 October 2006. The apparently contradicting signal is the result of Winchcombe signal box being switched out, and the line operating on the one engine in steam principle. The once clear cutting at this location is now once again being invaded by bushes and brambles, but luckily just near the tunnel mouth is still relatively open.

On 23 March 2002, 57xx 0-6-0PT 9642 simmers quietly at Parkend on the Dean Forest Railway with a demonstration freight train during a photo charter by the EMRPS. 9642 only just qualifies as Great Western loco, having been built in 1946. It spent its last years at Southall depot, although was briefly transferred to Old Oak Common prior to being withdrawn in November 1964. It then worked for the National Coal Board at Maesteg, before entering preservation.