The first production HST power car, 43002 is pictured at Baulking on 5 December 1981 working the 11:10 Cardiff Central to Paddington service. It has just passed the site of Uffington station, which was situated near the bridge in the background. This was the junction for the Faringdon branch, which curved away to the right by the trees. It closed to passenger traffic in 1951 and freight in 1962. In 1981 the view was completely unobstructed from Baulking to Uffington, with even the former Junction Hotel clearly visible.

The first production HST power car, 43002 received the name Top of the Pops in August 1984 and the nameplate can just be seen in this view as it leads the 18:05 Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads service towards the site of Ashbury Crossing at Shrivenham on 29 May 1986. Also barely visible is the remains of the unit number (253001) under the driver's windscreen. The practice of referring to HSTs by a unit number was discontinued shortly after this revised livery was applied in the mid 1980s. \Superb evening lighting here, in a picture which is taken from the north side of the line, an angle which is only possible on mid summer evenings or on a cloudy day.

Although it is well known that the buffer fitted surrogated DVT HSTs received a modified version of InterCity livery, with yellow around the windscreens, it is less well known that for a short period in 1988 several conventional power cars also carried this livery. Catching the last rays of the setting sun, 43003 approaches Circourt Bridge, Denchworth on 22 June 1988 with the 20:00 Paddington to Swansea service.

The second production HST power car, 43003 Isambard Kingdom Brunel was one of the diminishing number of First Great Western HSTs to retain its Paxman Valenta engine at the end of 2007. It is pictured here leaning into the curve and catching the first rays of the early morning sun between Shipton and Ascott-under-Wychwood with the 06:09 Abergavenny to Paddington 'Cathedrals Express' First Great Western service on 23 October 2007.

Before the general adoption of the rather bland blue livery to the refurbished First Great Western fleet, 43004 First for the future / First ar gyfer y dyfodol received the 'Neon' wavy line livery that later became the standard coach livery. It is seen here emerging from the fog at Crofton on 21 July 2006 with the 05:35 Plymouth to Paddington First Great Western service. The sun was already burning off the dense fog, as can be seen by the sunny patch crossing the wheat field in the background.

This view shows how close the station at Shipton, on the Cotswold Line is to the premises of FWP Matthews, flower millers. On 9 June 2008, 43005 leads the 1W03 17:21 Paddington to Hereford First Great Western service past the company's delivery lorries in the car park. The entrance to the flower mill can be seen on the extreme right, this also being the entrance to Shipton' s down platform, making the narrow path on which I am stood effectively the path to the station.

On 5 April 2007 a Midland Mainline HST set substituted for a Virgin Voyager on the 1V05 06:05 Derby to Plymouth and 1E47 11:50 Plymouth to Newcastle Virgin services. The latter is pictured passing Claydon with 43007 leading (43072 was on the rear). I would not normally bother taking a picture with such severe backlighting, unless of course it was an evening glint shot, but as I was already waiting on the bridge anyway, why not!

Fenny Compton was a fascinating location with its bizarre mixture of upper and lower quadrant signals. The main line was converted to upper quadrant when it was transferred to the London Midland Region after nationalisation. However the sidings and branch to Kineton retained lower quadrant, old and new signals being right next to each other, as seen here. With low evening sun providing perfect lighting, although soon to be extinguished by the dark clouds rolling up from the south. 43008 approaches Fenny Compton with the 1M41 17:20 Bournemouth to Manchester Virgin Cross Country service on 22 July 1999.

43010 slows down for the Cheltenham stop on 21 August 1985 whilst working the 08:33 Plymouth to York service. Largely ignored in 1985, the sight of a full HST rake in original blue and grey livery (if such thing existed) would cause great interest in 2008. Despite the multitude of liveries these trains have carried in recent years, I still think the original colour scheme was particularly inspired and suited the class well. Eventually I suppose one will be repainted into these 'heritage' colours!

The sun glints off the diverted 08:00 Paddington to Swansea First Great Western service as it crosses the River Avon at Bradford-on-Avon on Sunday 9 January 2000 with 43012 leading. Not quite a perfect reflection in the water due to a slight breeze, but at least it is recognisable. The train has traveled via the Berks & Hants line, and taken the freight only Heywood Road Junction to Hawkeridge Junction chord near Westbury to head up the Avon Valley.

43014 passes through Kemble station on 5 June 2008 with the 1Z22 06:48 Derby to Cheltenham (via Hereford and Swindon) Network Rail New Measurement Train. Running 30 minutes early, it has just traversed the single track section from Swindon in a just about adequate gap in the timetable, instead of the easier path it would have had if running to the correct time. Note that the little used siding on the left is obviously sufficiently useful to have been re-laid in the last few years.

Just how much lineside vegetation has been allowed to grow at certain railway locations is exemplified here, in the formerly completely open cutting between Uffington (now invisible behind the bushes) and Baulking. 43017 speeds past with the 11:55 Cardiff Central to Paddington First Great Western service on 26 April 2007. For an indication of what this spot was like 27 years previously, have a look at 43039. Although not taken from quite the same angle (impossible now!), the two small trees on the right and the large tree in the background identify the location..

43017 passes Ruscombe with the 06:48 Weston-super-Mare to Paddington 'Bristolian' First Great Western service on 17 April 2008. Even though all FGW's power cars and the vast majority of coaches have been refurbished, there are still instances of catering vehicles in the old (relatively speaking!) livery, such as the third coach in this train. In early spring 2008 numerous trees were felled in the cutting at Ruscombe, opening up the view considerably and highlighting the new spring growth on the few remaining bushes.

On 23 July 1993 the 1/2000 sec top shutter speed on my Canon F1 was needed to freeze 43018 as it sped through Patchway station with the 13:32 Swansea to Paddington service. It would shortly be turning left at Patchway Junction with the next stop Bristol Parkway. The signal with the feathers indicating the various routes at this junction can just be seen in the background. Although undoubtedly very smart when newly applied, the InterCity 'Swallow' livery was very prone to weathering on the front of HSTs, as seen here.

43019 heads east from Didcot and approaches South Moreton on 1 December 1983 with the late running 12:00 Bristol Temple Meads to Paddington service. A very ordinary scene at the time, but there is added significance to the picture now, as this is one of the HST power cars that has been withdrawn due to accident damage. It was involved in the fatal level crossing crash at Ufton Nervet in November 2004, and was subsequently scrapped at Sims Metals, Beeston. Note that in 1983 it still carried its (by then abandoned) set number 253009.

Just before the lights went out! A really threatening black sky heralds an approaching storm as 43021 leads the 13:12 Great Malvern to Paddington 'Cotswold and Malvern Express' between Aristotle Lane and Walton Well Road, on the approach to Oxford on 22 April 1986. This HST is still in original livery and running in the original seven car formation.

With compacted snow and icicles on the front end, 43022 heads through the snowy landscape at South Moreton (near Didcot) with the late running (not surprisingly!) 09:32 Swansea to Paddington service on 9 February 1991. It takes considerable effort to take pictures in these conditions, not just the treacherous road conditions whilst getting there, but also standing about for ages in freezing conditions!

43022 arrives at Charlbury with the 06:43 Hereford to Paddington 'Cathedrals Express' First Great Western service on 1 June 2007. The 'Cathedrals Express' has a long pedigree as a named train on the Cotswold Line, originally being introduced in 1957. Initially in steam days a headboard was carried, but when the name was re-introduced in 1985, the headboard only appeared on the first day. Of course, since the introduction of HSTs a headboard is not practical even if such things were still considered as a marketing tool. I had originally intended taking this picture at Finstock, but the location (which used to be fine in the days of the Class 50s) was completely overgrown, so a quick drive to Charlbury was needed.

A photographic technique that I have rarely employed, but which can be very effective in conveying speed is panning. By using a slow shutter speed and following the train in the viewfinder the result is a pin sharp train against a blurred background. This doesn't tend to work that well with slab fronted diesel locos, but HSTs with their streamlined front ends look very effective. Also, choice of location is important, with an uninterrupted foreground and a plain background preferable. 43023 County of Cornwall speeds past South Stoke with the 18:45 Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads service on 10 July 1990.

Something you very rarely see nowadays - a HST power car running under its own power on the main line with just a barrier vehicle for company. On 27 October 1982, 43024 passes Circourt Bridge, Denchworth en-route from Bristol to Old Oak Common. At this time the power cars still carried their set numbers (253012 in this case), but they soon came to be regarded as individual locos rather than multiple units, with consequent mixing of various set formations.

43025 accelerates away from Kingham station, on the Cotswold Line with the 15:51 Paddington to Worcester Shrub Hill First Great Western service on 5 April 2007. The train is crossing the Bledington to Kingham footpath crossing. When up close like this, it is noticeable how quiet the re-engined HST power cars are when accelerating hard, compared with the ear splitting whine from the original Paxman Valentas.

The First Great Western 10:05 Pembroke Dock to Paddington 'Pembroke Coast Express' led by 43027 departs from Pembrey & Burry Port on 15 July 2006. The lines in West Wales still retain many period features, including semaphore signalling as seen here. Most services over this line are operated by Arriva Trains Wales, with only a couple of daily services provided by First Great Western and utilising HSTs.

43029 passes the long disused and weed choked Malago Vale carriage sidings in Bristol with the on 10:25 Liverpool Lime Street to Plymouth service on 5 April 1990. The yellow speck in the distance is 31276 & 31217 with the 7M53 Bridgwater to Sellafield nuclear flasks. I don't usually seek our urban locations, but have used this spot a number of times, as it offers good views in both directions from a quiet footbridge with easy parking nearby.

43029 heads through the dappled shade of the Golden Valley as it passes Chalford with the diverted 12:00 Paddington to Swansea First Great Western service on 21 April 2002. This is the first version of First Great Western's purple livery, with large areas of white paint which were evidently considered too difficult to keep clean. Unfortunately I haven't got many pictures of this version of the livery, as after so many livery changes I got rather blasé about taking pictures, until they had all disappeared.

43032 The Royal Regiment of Wales passes Chilson, on the Cotswold Line with the 06:09 Abergavenny to Paddington First Great Western 'Cathedrals Express' service on 10 August 2007. Note the use of a hired in set of Midland Mainline coaches, used to augment the FGW fleet while their coaches are being refurbished. Unfortunately one element of this refurbishment is an increase in the seating density, somewhat detracting from the HST's quality image.

Naturally after all three railtours had passed Goring on 12 April 2008, the lighting was at its best, with the cutting free of shadow, and dark clouds in the background. However, unlike a lot of photographers, who only seem to take pictures of freight and special workings and ignore the commonplace, I am not averse to taking pictures of HSTs, especially when they are in clean condition, such as this example. 43032 leads the 06:29 Swansea to Paddington First Great Western service past Goring in perfect light.

In superb crisp early morning light, 43034 arrives at Kemble leading the 08:30 Cheltenham to Paddington service on 27 October 1994. An unusual survival at this quiet Cotswold station is this fine GWR water tower, which for many years supplied water to Swindon Works, 14 miles away. Kemble was once a double junction, with branch lines going to both Tetbury and Cirencester. The bushes in the background mark the course of the Tetbury line. Kemble is now a very busy commuter station, with direct trains to London such as this as well as purely local services.

One of the few remaining unrefurbished First Great Western HST power cars, 43034 The Black Horse races past the site of Shrivenham station (between Didcot and Swindon) with the 1C13 12:00 Paddington to Weston-super-Mare service on 15 November 2007.

43036 takes the Westbury line at Fairwood Junction on 20 April 1988 with the 07:30 Plymouth to Paddington service. The complete train is in the second livery applied to the class, the so called 'executive' livery, which was applied from 1983 onwards. This was the last livery to use the 'InterCity 125' branding, and when in clean condition (as here) looked particularly smart and suited the trains well, particularly bearing in mind some of the colour schemes they have had to carry subsequently!

To anyone familiar with the Swindon to Didcot line in recent years, this picture will come as something of a shock. On 21 June 1980, 43039 leads the 08:45 Swansea to Paddington service past Baulking. Just compare this wide open view with the same scene in 2007. In 1980 the southern cutting side resembles a meadow, with not a single bush visible. This allows a clear view to the site of Uffington station in the background, complete with original 'bow string' road bridge (since replaced).

Regrettably I took very few pictures on the East Coast Mainline prior to electrification, but on 21 April 1984 I recorded 43042 passing Abbots Ripton with the 11:50 Newcastle to Kings Cross service. Although one of the country's premier routes, at this time the down relief line was still laid with 95lb bullhead track! Plenty of warning of approaching trains here, as the farthest bridge (an aqueduct carrying a small stream over the line) is nearly two miles away. The modern bridge carries the B1090 road, while the arch bridge between the two is New England Bridge, on the minor road to the village of Wennington.

In superb evening light, 43042 approaches Moreton-in-Marsh with the 1Z79 18:40 Hanborough to Worcester Shrub Hill First Great Western service on 15 June 2008. The Cotswold Line was closed between Hanborough and Oxford for engineering works and a hourly Worcester to Hanborough shuttle service was in operation. The driver for one of the diagrams didn't sign Class 166s, so the highly unusual but commendable step was taken of providing a two coach HST to cover the diagram. The combination of 4302, 44059, 42277, & 43182 was sent up from to Bristol St Phillips Marsh especially for two out and back workings to Hanborough. On a day with lots of cloud around the few minutes of sunshine that coincided with this train was most welcome!

43051 passes Usan signal box with the late running 10:30 Kings Cross to Aberdeen National Express East Coast 'Northern Lights' service on 5 May 2008. The train is just about to enter the short section of single track that extends for two miles to Montrose. Note the signalman with his hand on the block instrument ready to give train out of section to Inverkeilor. The train is composed of a complete rake of stock in the former GNER livery with branding replaced by 'National Express East Coast' wording.

43053 pulls away from Gleneagles station (just visible in the background) with the 07:55 Inverness to Kings Cross National Express East Coast 'Highland Chieftain' service on 6 May 2008. Note the amount of ballast strengthening work that has been carried out on the side of this very deep cutting. The sun was trying to come out here, but although clear on both the east and west coast, central Scotland seemed reluctant to be rid of the clouds!

43055 bursts out from under the roadbridge at Milton Ernest with the 10:25 St Pancras to Sheffield Midland Mainline service on 16 August 2007. This is one of the premier trains on the route, stopping only at Leicester, Derby and Chesterfield.

Clearly showing the interim National Express East Coast livery consisting of a white stripe applied to the former GNER colour scheme, 43056 speeds past Gateforth with the 1E10 07:53 Aberdeen to Kings Cross service on 14 March 2008. Not a bad location for an electrified line, especially as you can take the picture while sitting on the Armco barrier at the side of a not very busy country road! This was one of the final sunny shots of the day, as can you can see from the background, the cloud was rapidly building up.

43061 leads the iC21 08:28 Leeds to St Pancras East Midlands Trains service past Kibworth Harcourt on 25 June 2008. The railway line here actually divides the village of Kibworth Harcourt from Kibworth Beauchamp, which perhaps explains why the Midland Railway just called their station Kibworth! 43061 carries the former Midland Mainline livery minus all branding.

In miserable misty drizzly weather, 43064 slows down for a photo stop at the derelict Winslow station on the Bletchley to Oxford line. It is working the Hertfordshire Railtours 07:50 St Pancras to Matlock 'Midland Peaks' railtour on 13 February 1993. Note that some effort has gone into identifying the station with several nameboards, including replica totem signs. Although I was on my own as the train arrived, soon there were people swarming everywhere as the passengers got their pictures of this most unlikely motive power at this rural location. Just as well they did because the station building was demolished shortly afterwards.

43065 leads the 16:50 Kings Cross to Bradford Interchange 'Bradford Executive' service towards Peascliffe Tunnel (near Grantham) on 14 June 1986. As can be seen, the East Coast Mainline was in the early stages of electrification at this time, with just the masts in position. Without any wires to tension them, the posts seem to be far from vertical in this picture. This was the era of mixed HST liveries, and indeed the other HST seen here on this day was the exact opposite of this one - InterCity liveried coaches and original liveried power car.

43069 passes Uffington with the 13:30 Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads First Great Western service on 12 February 2008. The straw in the foreground is the result of recent heavy rains washing the loose straw and stubble off the field down into this low lying corner. It covered a large area and was well over a foot thick!

It was miserably dull day on 15 April 2006, but the prospect of two different liveried HST power cars on a rake of Midland Mainline stock on the Heartland Rail 1Z27 08:00 Gloucester to Penzance railtour was too go a chance to pass up, especially as it turned out it would be the only picture I would get of either of these unique liveried machines. Cotswold Rail silver liveried 43070 is pictured at the head of the train approaching the site of Stonehouse station, with the long disused siding disappearing into the undergrowth in the foreground. If you think this livery is unusual, it's nothing compared to what was on the back.

43070 leads the 1C17 14:00 Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads First Great Western service towards the site of Wantage Road station on 6 November 2007 amid some glorious autumn colours.  6C48 (59004), 6B24 (60042), 4D12 (66067) and 6B33 (worryingly 66237 instead of the booked Class 60) had all passed me in poor light, and I had to wait until the very end of the afternoon before the clouds finally cleared away. The low sun certainly brings out the colours, and to prove how much difference the lighting and the time of year makes to a picture, look at the same location on an early spring afternoon.

Strange happenings at Uffington on 12 February 2008. 43071 has just received an amber signal near Uffington whilst working the 13:00 Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads First Great Western service. It passed me at slow speed, coming to a stop at the next signal, where it waited for 15 minutes! Whether this had anything to do with 66145 on the preceding train is not clear, but it was certainly strange to see an HST stopped in open country, right over the minor road bridge to Uffington, with the driver walking around outside, between conversations with the signalman!

An interesting working occurred on the former Great Western Mainline on Bank Holiday Monday 27 August 2007. Instead of one of the usual First Great Western HSTs on this route, this is a Midland Mainline set hired to Virgin Trains! Running 25 minutes early, 43072 Derby Etches Park leads the 5Z53 07:10 Laira to Reading ECS past Shrivenham, prior to working the 1Z53 11:45 Reading to Leeds Virgin Trains special in connection with the Reading Festival. It originated from Laira due to having worked the 1V49 09:41 Newcastle to Newquay Virgin service two days previously. For the record 43060 was the rear power car. Unfortunately what started out as a sunny morning rapidly deteriorated into a cloudy day, but luckily I just got this in a small patch of sun.

Driving up the A9 between Stirling and Perth on 3 May 2008 I realised that the 12:00 Kings Cross to Inverness National Express East Coast 'Highland Chieftain' was due very shortly. I parked in the layby near the Highland Spring mineral water factory at Blackford and had just a few minutes to wait before 43077 appeared. Blackford signalbox can be seen in the background. Note also the ruined chapel on the hill in the background. I was a little worried that the train that was signaled on the up line might block out the picture, but luckily that appeared a minute later.

A super abundance of hawthorn blossom at Kettering on 21 May 1989 as the 10:33 Nottingham to St Pancras service accelerates away from the station, with 43079 leading. The field on the left subsequently succumbed to the spread of housing which can already be seen in the background. 43079 can no longer be seen on this route, as it was transferred to Laira in 1998 for use on the Great Western Mainline.

Still in Midland Mainline livery (albeit devoid of all branding), 43082 leads the 11:27 Sheffield to St Pancras East Midlands Trains service past Cossington on 28 January 2008. East Midlands Trains had taken over the franchise from Midland Mainline in November 2007, so pending the application of a new livery, all trace of the previous owner's identity had to be removed.

Long before its days of racing up and down the East Coast Mainline in a smart black livery, working for Grand Central Railways, 43084 County of Derbyshire is pictured leaving Kidderminster on 12 January 1991 with the Hertfordshire Railtours 'Severn Valley Circular' railtour. This had traveled from St Pancras via Kettering, Sutton Park and Dudley to reach Kidderminster, returning via Oxford. A dull and misty day, but the chance to get a picture of a buffer fitted HST at the unlikely location of Kidderminster was not going to missed!

After many setbacks, Grand Central Railways began operations between Sunderland and London in December 2007, using refurbished HST sets. On 25 January 2008, 43084 leads the 14:10 York to Kings Cross service past Grassthorpe. This service is temporarily starting from York, but when the full timetable is implemented will start from Sunderland at 12:30.

43084 leads the 1A60 06:46 Sunderland to Kings Cross Grand Central 'Zephyr' service through Heck on 14 March 2008, unusually running a few minutes late. Although still sunny, a bank of thin cloud had just started to drift up from the south taking the edge of the light. The siding on the right leads to the Plasmor block works, which dispatches a daily train of building blocks to Bow.

43084 leads the 1A60 06:46 Sunderland to Kings Cross Grand Central 'Zephyr' service past Langford on 12 May 2008. 43166 in the obsolete Midland Mainline livery can just be seen on the rear of the train. Langford (between Biggleswade and Hitchin) is one of the relatively few unobstructed photographic locations on the southern end of the East Coast Mainline.

43087 brings up the rear of the Heartland Rail 1Z27 08:00 Gloucester to Penzance railtour on 15 April 2006, as it passes the site of Stonehouse station. This has got to be one of the oddest liveries applied to a loco in this country, but you certainly can't miss it! A slightly more conventional Cotswold Rail silver liveried 43070 was on the front of the train. Despite the fact that HSTs look the same going either way (ignoring the red tail lights), I don't normally bother with going away shots, but this one just had to be done, especially I would not see it again in this livery.

43089 Hayabusa leads Network Rail's New Measurement Train through Kemble on 5 June 2008 with the 1Z22 06:48 Derby to Cheltenham (via Hereford and Swindon) test train, with 43014 bringing up the rear. At this point it was running 40 minutes early and consequently was following right behind the 12:31 Cheltenham to Paddington HST. In fact it had a very brief signal check in the station, just enough to result in the sun disappearing! It is pictured just about to enter the single track section to Swindon and also the 415 yard long Kemble Tunnel.

Spring is here! A field of oilseed rape brightens up the foreground as 43092 leads the 06:59 Swansea to Paddington First Great Western service towards the site of Uffington station (closed in 1964). The out of use signal formerly controlled the exit from Uffington's down loop, which was removed when the relief lines were installed between Challow and Wantage Road. This picture was taken on 14 April 2008, a day that started bright and clear, but like numerous other spring days in 2008 had become largely cloudy by mid-morning.

43095 heads south through the rain at Usan on 4 May 2008 with the 13:50 Aberdeen to Kings Cross National Express East Coast service. Despite the awful weather conditions, I am really pleased with this picture, as it vividly portrays the often typical Scottish weather. With Usan signalbox in the background and the train perfectly framed between the two semaphore signals it is certainly atmospheric. However, the leaden skies and rain does hide what would be a view of part of Montrose in the background! Usan signalbox controls the entrance to the short single track section of line to Montrose, this can just be seen in front of the box in the background.

43098 arrives at Charlbury station with the 1W47 15:51 Paddington to Worcester Shrub Hill First Great Western service on 9 June 2008, with 43016 on the rear. This fine uninterrupted view of the station could possibly be lost if the plans for reinstating the double track on this section of the Cotswold Line go ahead. Presumably a second platform would be constructed with a footbridge, which although obviously a good thing as far as passengers are concerned, will make photography from this spot more difficult.

No mistaking the identity of this HST power car! 43106 leads the 08:40 Poole to Edinburgh 'Dorset Scot' past Worting Junction on 29 July 1991, just a few days after this service had been diagrammed for HSTs in place of the previous Class 47 haulage. Worting Junction is where the non-electrified Salisbury line joins the Southampton route. This excellent view of the complicated trackwork and vintage corrugated iron PW hut is from a farm occupation bridge.

43107 leads the diverted 1E12 09:55 Aberdeen to Kings Cross GNER 'Northern Lights' service past Stockton on 3 April 1999. Due to engineering work on the Darlington line over the Easter weekend, most services were diverted via Sunderland, Hartlepool and Stockton. This view shows the typical poor state of most railways in an urban location, with all kinds of rubbish strewn all over the track, not helped by the fact that large areas of former railway land (such as that on the left) are now semi-derelict.

Due to the inadequacy of the Voyager fleet, Virgin Cross Country has to hire GNER HST sets for some Saturday services to the West of England during the summer peak. On 11 August 2007, 43107 Tayside leads the 1E46 10:32 Paignton to Newcastle Central service past Flax Bourton. This location is a footpath bridge in the middle of nowhere, and I fully expected to be on my own. However, I hadn't been there long when large groups of cyclists started appearing, until eventually the bridge was packed! It turned out that it was the opening of the route as part of the Sustrans national cycle network.

43109 leads the 1E12 07:55 Inverness to Kings Cross GNER 'Highland Chieftain' past Bardrill (near Gleneagles) on 23 April 2003. This power car has subsequently be renumbered to 43309 in line with GNER's policy of adding 200 to the numbers of their re-engined power cars. This seems a strange numbering procedure, especially in view of the fact that other franchise operators have retained the original number after refurbishment.

43111 speeds past Aynho on 29 June 1993 with the 17:16 Bournemouth to Manchester Piccadilly InterCity service. At this time the majority of these cross country services were in the hands of Class 47s, with just a few trains diagrammed for HSTs. The train is approaching the site of Aynho station and the junction with the Chiltern Line.

A profusion of gorse bushes in full bloom at Houndwood on 3 May 2008, as 43111 heads south with a rake of reliveried National Express East Coast coaches on the 08:35 Edinburgh to Kings Cross service on 3 May 2008. 43111 is in the transitional livery, with rebranding on the former GNER colour scheme.

With foam on the windscreen from the windscreen washers, 43115 Yorkshire Cricket Academy rounds the curve at Shaldon Bridge next to the River Teign as it pulls away from the Teignmouth stop with the 09:20 Paddington to Plymouth service on 15 September 1991.

43116 emerges from Kingswood Tunnel with the 1E12 07:55 Inverness to King's Cross GNER service on 11 June 2007. This is the only daily GNER HST from Inverness, the remainder of the service being provided by First ScotRail units. I had planned to photograph the following Pathfinder railtour at this spot, but although an HST power car is OK, a pair of Class 37s would be partly obscured by the overhanging bushes, so I sought an alternative location.

43122 leads the 1P57 13:23 Hereford to Paddington First Great Western service off the Cotswold Line at Wolvercote Junction on 11 February 2008. All except one vehicle are former Midland Mainline coaches, temporarily on hire to First Great Western . 43145 can be seen bringing up the rear. There is certainly a noticeable shift in the camber (or superelevation) of the line as it joins the main Banbury to Oxford line.

Re-engined 43129 passes Kintbury with the 13:05 Paddington to Plymouth First Great Western service on 2 April 2007. One of the few occasions when a 1/2000sec shutter speed was essential! Numerous different views can be had along the line to the west of Kintbury, as the canal towpath runs close to the railway for a considerable distance.

43132 leads the 15:30 Swansea to Paddington First Great Western service through Briton Ferry on 14 April 2007. In the background 37422 & 37410 can be seen waiting to join the main line at Flying Loop Junction with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z74 13:33 Onllwyn to Birmingham International 'Principality Freighter' railtour. The tour had just passed under the main line after a reversal at Jersey Marine Junction.

HSTs have been commonplace on the Cotswold Line for many years, but this is a picture of the first one! 43134 rolls into Evesham station with the 10:25 Paddington to Great Malvern service on 14 May 1984, the first day of the new timetable. This was the first ever scheduled InterCity 125 passenger train on the Cotswold Line, made possible by utilising extra capacity available during the middle of the day. Later of course the trains would take over from the long distance loco-hauled services on the route.

Still wearing the 'fag packet' First livery, while the rest of the train is in First Great Western purple, 43134 County of Somerset is in its namesake county as it leads the late running 07:35 Paddington to Penzance First Great Western service past Upton Noble on 24 July 2004.

43143 Stroud 700 races past Knighton (between Swindon and Didcot) with the 10:30 Bristol Temple Meads to Paddington First Great Western service on 18 April 2007. Typically, the cloud which had been well broken when I left home soon built up as can be seen here, leaving only brief sunny spells. Of course, when I got back home the reverse happened!

43147 passes through the rolling Evenlode Valley countryside near Bruern on the Cotswold Line on 10 August 2007, with the 05:11 Abergavenny to Paddington First Great Western service. As is unfortunately typical nowadays, this train was running 20 minutes late. First Great Western has a very poor reputation for punctuality, to say nothing of chronic overcrowding. The service on the Cotswold Line is considerably worse than in BR days. Perhaps FGW ought to concentrated more on running the trains efficiently rather than gimmicks like new liveries (note the coaches).

The weak early morning sun has just started to burn off any overnight mist at Compton Beauchamp as 43147 passes with the 06:40 Bristol Temple Meads to Paddington First Great Western service on 14 April 2008. The use of a long lens at this location is essential at this time of the morning, as even the shallow cutting and few bushes near the bridge shade the line in the foreground due to the low angle of the sun.

43150 passes Trow Lane at Dauntsey on 20 April 1984 with 16:05 Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads service. Whilst not ideal from the lighting point of view, with the sun virtually straight down the track, it is one of the few pictures I have taken showing a HST with a test coach included in the formation. Unfortunately it is at the far end of the train, and only really apparent by its red and blue livery. The presence of two other people in the cab beside the driver also indicates that this is a test run. This wide open view has since been obscured by trees.

The final rays of the setting sun illuminate 43160 as it leads the 1E38 14:30 Paignton to Newcastle Virgin Cross Country service past Cockwood Harbour on 1 November 1997. An ideal location for photography (although my visits never seemed to correspond with high tide!), pictured here with a full compliment of local boats. This location has subsequently been compromised photographically, with the addition of a pointless fence along the embankment.

In the era when even short sighted photographers could identify HSTs at 125 mph, 43161 speeds past Waltham St. Lawrence with the 06:37 Swansea to Paddington 'Red Dragon Pullman' service on 2 June 1989. At this point on the Great Western mainline, not only are there two relief lines, but an up loop as well. St. James church at Ruscombe can be seen in the distance.

While stood on my stepladder, slowly sinking into the mud of a field near Uffington on 1 December 2007, the opportunity was taken to take a broadside picture of one of the many HSTs that passed. This called for split second timing and 1/2000sec shutter speed! Refurbished 43163 heads west with the 10:30 Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads First Great Western service. Note the taped up window in the guards compartment.

43171 is pictured approaching Briton Ferry on 25 March 1987 with the 15:35 Swansea to Paddington service. The consist is an almost complete rake of original liveried vehicles, except for the rear power car. At this date Briton Ferry station (now situated on the other side of the bridge this photo was taken from) had yet to be reopened.

43172 slows down for the Kemble stop on 30 January 2008 whilst working the 12:31 Cheltenham to Paddington First Great Western service. With the exception of the third coach, the entire rake is in former Midland Mainline livery, although devoid of any branding. The passengers may not have cared about the different livery when boarding, but probably appreciated the original high quality seating as apposed to the new high density configuration of the refurbished First Great Western sets that they usually have to put up with.

43172 ambles past Uffington on 12 February 2008 with the 13:15 Paddington to Cardiff Central First Great service, after the preceding train had been held at signals for 15 minutes. Normally 1/1000 sec shutter speed would be needed for this kind of broadside picture of an HST, but due to this train's slow speed 1/500 sec was more than adequate. I had spotted this oak tree standing alone in the middle of the field and decided it would make the perfect frame for a train on the low embankment.

Not a totally uniform rake, as the rear power car is still in the original blue livery, nevertheless 43175 and its matching InterCity coaches makes a fine sight as it catches the evening light as it approaches Wickwar Tunnel on 10 August 1985 with the 15:25 Paignton to Newcastle service. At this time there was a good mix of loco hauled and HST services on this cross country route.

Still immaculate in the recently applied unbranded version of First Great Western's 'Neon' livery, 43175 leads the 10:55 Cardiff Central to Paddington service, pictured here passing Shrivenham on 8 August 2006. Shrivenham Station (closed in 1964) was situated just beyond the road bridge in the background. The photo was taken from the concrete footbridge that replaced the former Ashbury Crossing road level crossing in the early 1970s.

43176 heads the 12:00 Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads First Great Western service past South Marston on 11 December 2007. All except one of the coaches are hired in Midland Mainline stock, although they are devoid of any branding, as Midland Mainline has now been taken over by East Midlands Trains. Paint and vinyl manufacturers have certainly benefited from the ever changing world of the privatised railway!

In late 2007 the Cotswold Line was about to become a largely HST operated railway, although the class had operated a number of peak hour services over the line since 1984. 43177 is pictured here passing Chilson on 7 January 1989 with the 11:10 Paddington to Worcester Shrub Hill service. Unlike many of the First Great Western operated services today, which use exactly the same infrastructure and rolling stock, this train was running exactly to time.

43182 leaves Moreton-in-Marsh on 19 February 2008 with the 12:40 Worcester Foregate Street to Paddington First Great Western service. As is often the case with Cotswold Lines services since First Great Western took over the franchise, this was running 15 minutes late. I was worried that the Paddington to Hereford service would arrive and block out the picture, but of course that was late as well, although as I took this picture, it was just approaching from behind. This was a day of very localised weather, note the bank of fog to the north.

The passenger on the platform at Kingham certainly has a reason to look round as 43182 arrives with the 1Z16 14:03 Worcester Shrub Hill to Hanborough First Great Western service on 15 June 2008. Because the rostered driver for one of the diagrams over the Cotswold Line did not sign Class 166 units, a special short HST was made up comprising power cars 43182 & 43042 with coaches 42277 & 44059. The line was closed between Hanborough and Oxford, with buses providing a connection, while an hourly shuttle worked between Worcester and Handborough. Unfortunately the sun disappeared at Kingham just before the train arrived!

No doubt providing inspiration for railway modellers everywhere, a 'train set' size HST leaves Moreton-in-Marsh on 15 June with the 1Z22 16:58 Worcester Shrub Hill to Hanborough First Great Western service. The Cotswold Line was closed for engineering work south of Hanborough and because the driver of one of the Worcester to Hanborough shuttle diagrams didn't sign Class 166s, a special short HST was made up comprising 43182, 42277, 44059, & 43042. The phenomenal power to weight ratio was apparent here, as the train was traveling appreciably faster than normal at this location, having just started from Moreton-in-Marsh station which is just visible in the background. 43182 is leading.

As often happens when railway liveries are changed, mixed colours within a train do little for the corporate image. On 14 July 1997, 43183 in Great Western livery heads a rake of Inter City liveried stock as it approaches Wolvercote Junction with the 17:12 Paddington to Hereford service. The train is slowing down to take the diverging route on the other side of the bridge I am standing on.

43186 leads the 08:05 Hereford to Paddington service away from Moreton-in-Marsh on 4 May 1996. Although Budgens supermarket and the new houses behind the station detract somewhat from the period feel, there is still plenty of steam age infrastructure at Moreton-in-Marsh, and although virtually never used, a surprising amount of the original sidings still survive. Note that the replacement emergency coupling hook cover on 43186 has obviously been swapped with another power car, as the paintwork doesn't match.

43186 leads the 15:33 Paddington to Cheltenham First Great Western service past the site of Coates station on 21 April 2002. Coates was the original station for the Kemble area, opening with the line in 1845 and being called Tetbury Road. The inclusion of the word road in the title was traditional GWR practice when the station was in the middle of nowhere! The present Kemble station came into use in 1872 and Tetbury Road then effectively became its goods station, changing its name to Coates in 1908.

Gleaming ex-works 43186 passes Farleaze (near Hullavington) with the 08:30 Swansea to Paddington First Great Western service on 1 September 2007. The train does not quite present a unified image, as although most of the stock is in the new 'Neon' livery with wavy lines motif and red doors, the third and fourth vehicles are still in the earlier version of the livery.

43191 bursts out from under Wick Bridge (between Berkeley Road and Charfield) with the 06:50 Birmingham New Street to Paignton service on 7 July 1984. Split second timing was required to fire the shutter at exactly the right time for this shot, the idea being to use the bridge as a frame. The cast makers mark on the iron beam indicates that it was made by R. Crosland of Bradford.

This long telephoto view of Dauntsey Bank clearly shows the steepness of the incline faced by eastbound trains on Brunel's Great Western Railway route from Bristol to London, a line not normally associated with steep gradients. 43192 leads the 07:38 Paignton to Paddington First Great Western service up the incline on 9 August 2007, and is just approaching the point, at milepost 86, where the 1 in 100 gradient eases to 1 in 660. The picture is taken from the overbridge near Tockenham Wick. The name of the road (Trow Lane) refers to a previous form of transport in the area - the Wilts & Berks Canal.

The two gasholders at Washwood Heath catches the early morning sun on 20 November 1999, as the 1E28 07:04 Bristol Temple Meads to Newcastle Virgin Cross Country service passes by with 43195 leading. Typical of many of the Virgin HST sets at this time is the mix of ex-works Virgin liveried coaches with very tatty Intercity liveried power cars.

43300 Craigentinny in the new National Express East Coast livery contrasts with the rest of the train which is the former GNER livery with the additional of National Express branding on a white stripe. The location is Grassthorpe (between Newark and Retford) and the train is the 1N06 11:30 Kings Cross to Newcastle service on 25 January 2008

In superb late evening light on 2 May 2008, 43302 leads the 15:30 Kings Cross to Edinburgh National Express East Coast service past Fenham Low Moor. Despite sounding like it should be in East Anglia, Fenham Low Moor is just south of Berwick-upon-Tweed, near the coast and within sight of Holy Island. This is very nearly a complete train in the new National Express livery, with only the rear power car (hidden by an overhead line mast) in the old livery. Ironically, ten minutes later 43316 followed with a complete rake of new stock on the 16:00 Kings Cross to Aberdeen, although in much less photogenic lighting.

With both power cars in the new East Coast livery, but the stock still in debranded GNER livery, 43302 leads the 1A12 07:00 Hull to Kings Cross (via Selby) National Express East Coast service past Heck on 30 June 2008. The Plasmor block works shunter is stabled on the right, with the works just out of sight on the right. The connection to the main line can clearly be seen, while the line in the foreground is the works headshunt.

43309 speeds through the rain at Inverkeilor with the 11:00 Kings Cross to Aberdeen National Express East Coast 'Northern Lights' service on 4 May 2008. Not much chance of getting wet here, as I sat in the car until I heard it coming! Railway pictures in the rain always look atmospheric, it's just a question of keeping the camera dry!

43316 passes Grassthorpe with the 13:40 Leeds to Kings Cross National Express East Coast service on 25 January 2008. Note the transitional livery with a white stripe added to the former GNER livery with National Express branding. The headways on the East Coast Main Line are obviously very tight, as this was following only 2 minute 22 seconds behind 43084 on the Grand Central Railways service, and appeared to be traveling at full line speed.