5MT Class 2-6-0 2968 approaches Greet Tunnel on 8 October 1995 with the 12:40 Far Stanley to Toddington service. The loco was visiting the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway for the following weekend's Steam Gala.

On the glorious autumn afternoon of 8 October 1995, 5MT Class 2-6-0 2968 emerges from the 693 yard long Greet Tunnel with the 13:50 Far Stanley to Toddington service. The loco was visiting the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway for the following weekend's Steam Gala.

5MT Class 2-6-0 2968 passes Stowe (near Knighton) with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z30 05:20 Newport to Llandrindod Wells 'Central Wales Adventurer' railtour on 3 January 1998. It was certainly an adventure, and perhaps I should have paid more attention to the floods in the valley of the River Teme, seen in the background here. The tour was booked to traverse the entire length of the Central Wales Line, continuing south after an hour and a half's break at Llandrindod Wells. In the event, due to the line being flooded further to the south, the tour retraced its steps, heading back tender first. Apologies for the poor technical quality of this picture, but the terrible weather was really pushing 35mm Fujichrome 100 to the limit.

'Black Five' 4-6-0 44767 George Stephenson storms past Heamies (near Norton Bridge) on 22 November 1997 with the Crewe to Guildford 'Pines Express' railtour. Completely invisible on the rear of the train is Class 33 D6593, on its first mainline outing.

'Black Five' 4-6-0 44871 & BR 7P 4-6-2 70000 Britannia pass Gossington on 8 April 2010 with the Railway Touring Company 1Z86 10:06 Bristol Temple Meads to Preston 'Great Britain III' railtour. This was day three of a massive nine day itinerary, literally traveling from one end of the country to the other. Given the fact that this is one of the few locations where the sun is on the front at this time of day, I was astonished to find that I was the only photographer at this reasonably well known footpath crossing! I know a lot of photographers don't like walking even a short distance from their cars, but the main road is only a short distance away by the bridge in the background.

'Black Five' 4-6-0 44871 & Southern N15 4-6-0 30777 Sir Lamiel approach Great Bedwyn on 22 May 2010 with the Railway Touring Company 1Z27 08:06 Paddington to Weymouth 'Royal Wessex' railtour. A convenient gap in the hawthorn bushes at just the right place on the curve made the walk across the field worthwhile.

'Black Five' 4-6-0 5407 crosses Ribblehead Viaduct with a northbound railtour on 25 November 1989. This was the era when steam photographers were outraged at the inclusion of an ex Class 25 Ethel (Electric train heating ex locomotive) in the consist, made worse by the fact that it was painted in InterCity livery! On this occasion 97252 (ex 25305) is officiating. The Settle & Carlisle and fine weather are not normally something I associate, the weather in the fells always seems to be poor when I venture up there, even when there is unbroken sunshine everywhere else! However this late autumn day proved the exception and provided a number of excellent pictures.

'Black Five' 4-6-0 45110 catches some weak autumnal sunshine as it passes Slindon with the Past Time Rail Euston to Chester 'Staffordshire Terrier' railtour on 7 November 1998. 86419 had worked the first part of the tour, as far as Birmingham International. Currently this locomotive is not quite in such fine condition. Not only is not on the main line, but it is no longer in steam, and resides, tender less at Barrow Hill Roundhouse.

On 27 March 1999, 'Black Five' 4-6-0 45407 rounds the normally freight only curve between Brocklesby Junction and Ulceby South Junction, passing the impressive signal box named after the latter. The Pathfinder Tours 1Z40 08:01 Crewe to Cleethorpes 'Lancs-Lincs' railtour started out behind 37412, with 45407 being attached at Castleton East Junction.

'Black Five' 4-6-0 45407 The Lancashire Fusilier (masquerading as 45157 Glasgow Yeomanry) & BR 4MT 2-6-0 76079 slog up the gradient towards Sugar Loaf Tunnel on the Central Wales Line with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z27 04:36 Crewe to Llandrindod Wells (via Newport) 'Heart of Wales Observer' railtour on 20 September 2003. With over four miles of 1 in 60 gradient to reach this point, the pair could certainly be approaching for a long time!

Although the sun was trying to break through the high cloud, it was still a drab grey morning on 22 April 2007, when 'Black Five' 4-6-0 45407 The Lancashire Fusilier worked the Pathfinder Tours 1Z76 07:50 Cardiff Central to Gloucester 'Severnside Rambler' railtour, part of a series of mini-tours taking in the Dean Forest Railway and the Sharpness branch. It is seen here climbing out of the Severn Tunnel, with the approach road to the new Severn Bridge visible in the background. The short tunnel behind the train takes the line under the A 403 road, the entrance to the four mile long Severn Tunnel being just beyond.

'Black Five' 4-6-0s 45407 The Lancashire Fusilier & 44871 pass South Marston on 13 May 2011 with the Steam Dreams 1Z27 09:20 Carmarthen to Victoria 'Cathedrals Explorer' railtour. From Victoria the tour would travel on to Canterbury and then back to Kensington Olympia behind former Southern Railway pacific 34067 Tangmere. This was the final day of a mammoth eight day tour of the United Kingdom, featuring a wide variety of locomotives. The track leading off to the right in this picture leads to Swindon's Honda factory.

Jubilee 4-6-0 45596 Bahamas runs alongside the River Severn at Purton on 23 April 1994 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z18 07:13 Trowbridge to Crewe 'Welsh Marches Express' railtour. It might seem that the train is going in the wrong direction here, and indeed it was a convoluted route, heading northwards initially via Bristol and Cheltenham to Worcester, before retuning to Gloucester and on to Severn Tunnel Junction (hence the picture here). It then headed north via Pontypool and Hereford to Crewe. Bahamas worked the train between Worcester and Crewe.

Jubilee 4-6-0 45596 Bahamas storms past Abergavenny on 23 April 1994 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z18 07:13 Trowbridge to Crewe 'Welsh Marches Express' railtour. Bahamas worked the train between Worcester and Crewe, and this was my second picture of the day, having earlier seen the train by the side of the River Severn at Purton.

Jubilee 4-6-0 45596 Bahamas pulls away from Hereford station on 23 April 1994, after taking on water whilst working the Pathfinder Tours 1Z18 07:13 Trowbridge to Crewe 'Welsh Marches Express' railtour, which it worked between Worcester and Crewe. During the water stop someone has changed the 'Welsh Marches Express' headboard, as seen a little earlier at Abergavenny, to one that reads 'Alan's 40th Birthday Special'! 56052 can be seen in the background sitting in the centre road during its long layover with the 6M86 11:00 Margam to Dee Marsh steel coils.

Jubilee Class 4-6-0 5690 Leander crosses the River Cherwell near Heyford with the Great Western Society Paddington to Bridgnorth 'Jubilee Castle' railtour on 6 October 1984, which was steam hauled from Didcot. As hinted at in the railtour name, the return from Saltley was behind GWR 4-6-0 5051 Drysllwyn Castle.

Princess Royal Class 4-6-2 6201 Princess Elizabeth makes a spirited departure from Skipton on 27 October 1990 with the Friends of the NRM / Flying Scotsman Services 'Cumbrian Mountain Express' railtour from Kings Cross to Appleby, which the pacific took over at Leeds. Unfortunately it was a typical dull and dreary autumnal day, but at least the exhaust stands out clearly against the grey sky, and the silver birch trees in the foreground are not yet tall enough to get in the way, and add a splash of seasonal colour to the foreground.

Miserable weather at Baulking on 19 June 2010, as Princess Royal Class 4-6-2 6201 Princess Elizabeth heads west along the Great Western Mainline with the Vintage Trains 1Z53 07:06 Solihull to Swansea 'Red Dragon' railtour. 47773 can just be seen on the rear of the train. 6201 had taken over from GWR Castle Class 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe at Foxhall Junction, Didcot. The train is still accelerating, after waiting briefly on the relief line at Challow. Obviously the wait was shorter than intended, because at this point the train is running ten minutes ahead of schedule.

In miserable light, Princess Royal Class 4-6-2 46203 Princess Margaret Rose rounds the curve at Wilmorton, on the outskirts of Derby with the John Player Railway Club Derby to Sheffield 'Richard Levick Memorial' railtour on 2 June 1990. This was a day of intermittent heavy rain. I had already got soaked waiting for this train, as it was running late.

Princess Royal Class 4-6-2 46203 Princess Margaret Rose passes Toton Yard on 2 June 1990 with the John Player Railway Club Derby to Sheffield 'Richard Levick Memorial' railtour. Just visible on the extreme right are some of the Class 20s, which even as late as 1990 were still a common sight at this depot.

Princess Royal Class 4-6-2 46203 Princess Margaret Rose passes a cloudy Shrivenham on 27 March 1994 with the Flying Scotsman Services 1Z17 08:40 Paddington to Crewe 'Cheshireman' railtour. This was really a positioning move to get the locomotive to Crewe for future commitments. The train was diesel hauled to Didcot, from where Princess Margaret Rose allegedly became the last steam locomotive to work on BR - as the network was privatised on 1 April.

Princess Royal Class 4-6-2 46203 Princess Margaret Rose heads south down the Settle & Carlisle near Kirkby Thore on 16 September 1995 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z27 12:50 Carlisle to Didcot Parkway 'Cumbrian Mountain Express' railtour. The tour had worked up to Carlisle via the WCML diesel hauled, and would revert to diesel haulage at Crewe.

Princess Royal Class 4-6-2 46203 Princess Margaret Rose passes Birkett Common on 16 September 1995 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z27 12:50 Carlisle to Didcot Parkway 'Cumbrian Mountain Express' railtour. I had hoped for better weather here, after seeing the train in poor light near Kirkby Thore, but unfortunately the curse if the Settle & Carlisle struck again, and there was no sun at the required time!

Coronation Class 4-6-2 46229 Duchess of Hamilton swings round the curve near Aldermaston on 6 November 1994 with the FSS Railtours Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads 'Bristolian' railtour. Not quite sure what the steam purists would make of the InterCity liveried Mk 1 coaches, or indeed the chocolate and cream liveried support coach directly behind the LMS loco!

Coronation Class 4-6-2 46229 Duchess of Hamilton steams through Malton in appalling light with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z29 06:10 Swindon to Scarborough 'Scarborough Sovereign' railtour on 7 October 1995. The pacific had taken over the train from 47709 at York. St Mary's priory church at Old Malton can just be seen in the gloom on the right.

Coronation Class 4-6-2 6233 Duchess of Sutherland slogs up to the summit at Diggle in the rain on 9 March 2002 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z46 07:58 Liverpool Lime Street to York 'Yorkshire Coronation' railtour. Despite the 1 in 125 gradient and the wet rails the loco is making fine progress. The lock gates on the Huddersfield Canal can just be seen above the loco's cab.

Coronation Class 4-6-2 6233 Duchess of Sutherland approaches Tackley on 26 May 2006 with the PMR Tours 1Z20 07:20 Manchester Victoria to Didcot 'Oxfordshire Express' railtour, which the steam loco had worked from Derby. There are few spots around Oxford that are ideal for a southbound train around lunchtime, with the sun being virtually head on. I thought this would be irrelevant anyway, as there was extensive cloud cover when I walked across the field to this location. However, just as the train appeared around the corner the sun came out!

Coronation Class 4-6-2 6233 Duchess of Sutherland approaches Callow Hill (just west of Wootton Bassett) with the Vintage Trains 1Z33 08:39 Solihull to Bristol Temple Meads 'Duchess Bristolian' railtour on 1 September 2007. For once I was glad that the sun wasn't out, as this is taken from the north side of the line. The M4 motorway can just be seen in the background.

Coronation Class 4-6-2 6233 Duchess of Sutherland passes the site of Uffington station with the Steam Dreams 1Z82 08:45 Victoria to Worcester Shrub Hill 'Cathedrals Express' railtour on 27 August 2008, after just having stopped in the loop at Challow for water. It was a really dull day, which did at least allow this picture to be taken from what would otherwise be the wrong side for the light. We will gloss over the fact that the 'Cathedrals Express' should by rights travel to Worcester via Oxford and the 'Cotswold Line' rather than the 'Golden Valley' route via Stroud!

A very strange motive power combination at Long Marston on 29 July 1995. 3F 'Jinty' 0-6-0T 7298 heads off for a circuit of the Army depot with 47348 St. Christopher's Railway Home and the Hertfordshire Railtours 1Z33 07:18 Paddington to Long Marston 'Honey Monster' railtour. Its not clear how much assistance the 47 is providing here! The tour had arrived from Honeybourne behind 33057 Seagull & 33019 Griffon, which just be seen on the rear of the train.

8F 2-8-0 48151 drifts past Lostock Hall Junction on 10 May 1997 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z27 05:49 Reading to Carlisle 'Cumbrian Mountain Express' railtour. 47634 Holbeck is obviously not what the diehard steam enthusiasts would want top see coupled behind the steam loco, especially with its bright red livery!

An interloper during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's GWR 175 Festival of Steam? It could of course be argued that William Stanier originally worked at Swindon! On 3 June 2010, 8F 2-8-0 8274 (masquerading as Swindon built 8476) passes Prescott with the 11:15 Toddington to Gotherington service. Because of a landslip near Gotherington, all trains were terminating there, hence the presence of GWR 0-6-0PT 4612 on the rear working top'n'tail.

8F 2-8-0 8274 passes Didbrook on 3 June 2010 with the 17:05 Toddington to Gotherington service, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's GWR 175 Festival of Steam. Fresh from a twenty year restoration project, It is masquerading as 8476, one of eighty members of the class built at Swindon. It was also one of the members of the class that saw service in Turkey. Owing to a landslip near Gotherington, all trains were being worked top'n'tail. GWR 2-6-2T 4160 can just be seen on the rear of the train.

8F 2-8-0 48773 makes a fine sight as it leaves Spetchley Loop after taking water whilst working the Past Time Rail 07:18 Paddington to Tyseley 'Midlander' railtour on 2 January 1999. The 8F worked the tour from Gloucester. The train arrived at Spetchley in good light, but I then had to wait while it clouded up and started raining, before eventually it left in miserable conditions. In view of the dire light it is lucky that it is only moving very slowly at this point.

A historic picture at Goole, taken as recently as 2003. Although of course the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway 0-4-0ST 'Pug' No.51218 (masquerading as scrapped classmate 51222) still survives, just about the only other surviving feature of this picture are the white silos in the background. In fact, not only have all the other buildings now been demolished, but a huge warehouse occupies the whole of the area where the 'Pug' and myself are standing. 15 March 2003.

The steam age returns to Goole Docks on 15 March 2003, as Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway 0-4-0ST 'Pug' No.51218 masquerading as scrapped classmate 51222 passes a couple of buildings surviving from the steam era as it approaches the site of Goole Goods Junction with a short freight. West Dock can be seen in the background, with the freighter Sea Kestrel moored at the quayside. Piles of Scandinavian timber, which is one of Goole's chief imports can be seen in the foreground.

During the Russ Hillier charter of 15 March 2003, Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway 0-4-0ST 'Pug' No.51218 (masquerading as 51222) emerges from the silver birch trees as it traverses the Goole Docks lines. Even here the immediately recognisable water towers in the background instantly identify the location as Goole.

Goole's 1883 and 1926 built water towers dominate the background, as Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway 0-4-0ST 'Pug' No.51218 (masquerading as 51222) pauses with its short freight train next to West Dock during the Russ Hillier photo charter on 15 March 2003. The motive power is absolutely right for the area, as these tough little locos were a regular sight in Goole until they were supplanted by diesel shunters in the early 1960s.

Under a cloudless sky, Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway 0-4-0ST 'Pug' No.51218 (masquerading as 51222) runs its short freight up and down the quayside at West Dock, Goole during the Russ Hillier photo charter on 15 March 2003. The building on the right has been considerably modernised and extended since this picture was taken.

More a ship picture than a railway one! The diminutive Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway 0-4-0ST 'Pug' No.51218 (masquerading as 51222) is completely dwarfed by the Husumer Schiffswerft built 'Scot Trader' cargo ship in West Dock, Goole on 15 March 2003. This ship now works out of Inverness, but you can just see the painted out original Hamburg location. Whereas 'Scot Trader' only dates from 1986, 51218 is just a little older, having emerged from the LYR's Horwich works in 1901.

On 15 March 2003, Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway 0-4-0ST 'Pug' No.51218 masquerading as scrapped classmate 51222 passes a couple of vintage lorries as it heads along the quayside past West Dock, Goole. 51222, or "Three Little Ducks" as it was affectionately known in Goole (from the shape of the number 2s on the numberplate) was one of the regular Goole Dock shunters for many years, and was in fact one of the last of the vintage class in service, finally being withdrawn from Goole shed in 1960.

Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway 0-4-0ST 'Pug' No.51218 (masquerading as 51222) charges along the quayside at West Dock, Goole on 15 March 2003, passing a carefully position vintage lorry. Until the early 1960s these Aspinall designed locos were the mainstay of the then considerable docks traffic at Goole. Although this section of track now sees virtually no use, other lines in the dock area are still used by revenue earning freight.