66598 passes South Moreton on a very gloomy 8 February 2012 with the 4Z30 05:30 Taunton Fairwater Yard to Washwood Heath scrap sleepers. It is slightly ironic that I should photograph this, as the other train that I photographed at this location was a load of brand new sleepers heading in the opposite direction! Note the remains of the previous weekend's snow just visible on the hills in the distance.

Less than a week after its return to traffic after a repaint into DBS red, 60079 still looks pristine as it passes South Moreton on 8 February 2012 with the 6O26 10:19 Hinksey Yard to Eastleigh Yard sleepers. A freezing cold day and atrocious light usually mean that I would stay at home, but the prospect of a Class 60 on something other than oil tanks in the Thames Valley was worth the effort. At least this livery is probably about the best colour scheme you could wish for in such miserable conditions.

During 1994, 37890 The Railway Observer was one of the regular locomotives on the 6C13 11:22 Calvert to Bath Avon Binliner. On 1 November it was again rostered for the train, and is pictured here in the autumn sunshine at Ashbury Crossing, Shrivenham.

The shadows are lengthening at Raskelf on 26 November 2001, as 60014 Alexander Fleming heads towards York with the 6V25 12:33 Hartlepool to Margam steel empties. Although latterly the petroleum sector decals seem here were replaced by the EWS 'three beasties' logo, this loco was one of the numerous Class 60s to be stored still wearing its original Trainload grey livery.

43285 speeds past Natton on 3 February 2012 with the late running 1V54 06:32 Dundee to Plymouth CrossCountry service. Ashchurch station can just be seen in the distance, underneath the road bridge. This is an ideal location for winter photography, a there is very little lineside vegetation to cast shadows.

Superb winter lighting at Natton on 3 February 2012, as 66527 Don Raider passes by with the 4V06 08:53 Rugeley Power Station to Stoke Gifford coal empties. Although the temperature was barely above freezing, the fact that there was virtually no wind meant that it wasn't too bad standing around in the sunshine. It wasn't to last, as the following day saw heavy snow falls.

The setting sun illuminates 170104 as it scuttles past Natton on 3 February 2012 with the 1V11 14:11 Nottingham to Cardiff Central CrossCountry service. I had noticed that there was a suitable gap in the lineside bushes from this spot to fit in a two coach 170 (as on the previous CrossCountry service), so it was just fortunate that a three car unit also just fits in, although firing the shutter at the correct time was critical! Ashchurch church can be seen in the background.

59203 Vale of Pickering approaches the site of Wantage Road station on 2 February 2012 with the early running 7C48 13:30 Appleford to Whatley Mendip Rail stone empties. Even in this 'train in the landscape' view the huge are of rust along the upper bodyside is clearly evident. It is quite obvious that this is a DBS owned 59, rather than a Mendip Rail one!

66618 Railways Illustrated Annual Photographic Awards - Alan Barnes heads east along the Great Western Mainline near the site of Wantage Road station on 2 February 2012 with the 6M40 11:56 Westbury Virtual Quarry to Stud Farm ballast empties. Alan Barnes is the latest of three names to adorn this loco (on a smaller plate below the main nameplate). Previous recipients being Ian Lothian and David Gorton.

43025 The Institution of Railway Operators heads westwards with the 1C14 12:30 Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads First Great Western service on 2 February 2012. It is pictured near to the site of Wantage Road station at the remote but delightfully named Butterfly Lane Crossing (merely a footpath crossing).

King Class 4-6-0 6024 King Edward 1 has an easy job on 2 February 2012, as it works the 5Z25 12:15 Southall to Yeovil Junction support coach move. I don't normally photograph these single coach trains, but as I was already in position waiting for 6B33, and the lighting was perfect, it would have been rude not to.

Still carrying the flag for the obsolete EWS livery, amid an ever increasing sea of dayglo DBS repaints, 60071 Ribblehead Viaduct approaches the site of Wantage Road station on 2 February 2012 with the 6B33 13:35 Theale to Robeston empty Murco oil tanks. The cloud of steam in the background is emanating from Didcot Power Station, which is obviously using up some of its few remaining generating hours prior to closure in 2015.

With frost still on the tracks in the foreground, 66558 swings round the curve at Hatton on 1 February 2012 with the 4O54 06:15 Leeds to Southampton freightliner. Note the large area of missing paint on the front end, showing that even locos as new as this can start going rusty!

67012's A Shropshire Lad name is not quite so appropriate now that it is being used by Chiltern Railways rather than the defunct Wrexham & Shropshire Railway Company, although what A. E. Houseman would say about the name being used on a locomotive in the first place is an interesting point! On 1 February 2012, it speeds past Hatton with the 1H32 10:55 Birmingham Moor Street to Marylebone service.

168106 slowly eases off the Stratford-upon-Avon branch at Hatton on 1 February 2012 with the 1H35 11:20 Stratford-upon-Avon to Marylebone Chiltern Railways service. The tight curve is subject to a 15mph speed restriction.

Brand new 172332 passes trough the pleasant Warwickshire countryside near Danzey on 1 February 2012 with the 2S36 11:55 Stourbridge Junction to Stratford-upon-Avon London Midland service. This latest generation of DMU definitely has an improved front end appearance, possibly the best design that could be achieved with the presence of a corridor connection.

172219 & 172221 slow down as they enter Danzey station on 1 February 2012 in case there are any passengers to pick up (there weren't!). As Danzey is only a request stop, they were soon accelerating away again. The working is the 2S42 12:55 Stourbridge Junction to Stratford-upon-Avon London Midland service. Note that the running in board posts and top rail have received a coat of London Midland corporate black paint, although this hasn't for some reason included the actual nameboard itself!

Twilight at Toddington on 28 January 2012. The Cotswold Hills can just be seen in the background as 1693 stands in Toddington station on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway with a short rake of ballast wagons, during an EMRPS photo charter.

Not a vantage point that can normally be used! 1693 stands underneath Toddington station footbridge on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway with a short rake of ballast wagons, during an EMRPS photo charter on 28 January 2012. Note how the station building, footbridge and water tower are all painted in matching GWR colours.

Newly arrived on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway, former Western Region set L425 (51405, 59515 & 51363) poses underneath Toddington station's footbridge on 28 January 2012 during an EMRPS photo charter. Although based for a long time in the London area, it is possible that this unit worked on this line during BR days.

A slightly different angle on 51405 during the EMRPS photo charter at Toddington on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway on 28 January 2012. Neatly framed not only by the footbridge, but also by the trees and the vintage lamp, this makes an interesting picture, which also shows off the unit's interior. Luckily this was an absolutely still night, as can be seen from the pin sharp leaves, which haven't moved at all during the fifteen second exposure. 51405 forms part of the former L425 set, along with 59515 & 51363.

55003 throws up a spectacular column of exhaust at Toddington station on 28 January 2012. This was during an EMRPS photo charter, and the clag was pre-arranged! Note how the smoke is rising vertically in the still night air. This picture also shows off the high standard of restoration of the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's principal station.

The driver opens up 55003 once again during the EMRPS photo charter at Toddington station on 28 January 2012. After a number of years without an operational DMU, the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway now has various vehicles of Class 122 & Class 117 either on loan or as permanent residents.

A bonus picture during the EMRPS photo charter on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway on 28 January 2012.  47376 Freightliner 1995 was used to position 1693 and its train in Toddington station, resulting in this picture of the Freightliner loco posed rather untypically on a rake of vacuum braked ballast hoppers.

A fleeting moment at Toddington on 28 January 2012, during an EMRPS photo charter. While 1693 was being positioned in Toddington station on a rake of ballast wagons, for a moment during the shunting operations, 47376 Freightliner 1995 was posed alongside, giving the photographers who were in the right position this chance to photograph both of the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's resident Class 47s.

1693 (47105) is posed on a short rake of ballast wagons during an EMRPS photo charter at Toddington station on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway on 28 January 2012. The 0000 headcode would date this scene from around 1976, but not with a pre TOPS loco number! That driver looks familiar!

22:15 at Toddington station on 28 January 2012. 51363, 59515 & 51405 (the former Western Region set L425) makes a splendid picture as it stands at the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's immaculately restored station during an EMRPS photo charter. The bridge that carries the Toddington to Stow-on-the-Wold road over the railway can just be seen in the background.

Major engineering works to the north of Bristol resulted in Virgin CrossCountry services being routed via the Great Western Mainline on Sundays in the late autumn of 1998. On 29 November, 47711 County of Hertfordshire passes Circourt Bridge, Denchworth with the 1E28 08:22 Bristol Temple Meads to York. A little to the east of here at Didcot, Virgin trains were an everyday sight, but that was certainly not the case here.

47770 Reserved accelerates through Severn Tunnel Junction station on 22 February 2003 with the 1Z27 12:15 Victoria to Cardiff VSOE rugby special. Definitely up market stock for a rugby match, and a world of difference to the image of 1970's football special!

33008 Eastleigh & 33119 pass Lee with 4-TC set 8018 on 17 June 1989, working the 12:30 from Eastleigh, one of three special trains run to celebrate 150 years of railways in the town. The circular route was via Romsey (reverse) and Southampton. A warm summers day, with intermittent hazy sunshine.

4-TC 8018 is pushed past Nursling on 17 June 1989 by 33119 & 33008 Eastleigh. This is 10:00 special from Eastleigh, one of three circular mini tours run in connection with the Eastleigh 150 celebrations. 8018 was withdrawn shortly after this picture was taken, and has since been scrapped, a fate which has presumably also befallen the cars in the field on the left!

33008 Eastleigh & 33119 have 4-TC set 8018 in tow as they pass near to Broadlands (to the south of Romsey) with the 15:00 special from Eastleigh on 17 June 1989, one of three special trains run to celebrate 150 years of railways in the town. The train is just passing under the A27 Romsey to Southampton road.

L410 (51345, 59497 & 51387) arrives at Oxford on 16 May 1990 with the late running 2C66 17:35 Reading to Bicester Town Network SouthEast service. This view has now been completely obliterated by trees. Even in 1990 the vegetation along the edge of the graveyard on the right was becoming a nuisance. In the early 1970s there was a clear low angle viewpoint from the cemetery of trains leaving the station and passing under the footbridge. Unfortunately this was before I took up photography!

Trains approaching Oxford station from the south are not easily photographed from the Osney Lane footbridge. In 1990 is just was possible to take pictures of trains on the down main (it certainly isn't now!), but things were much better for anything using the bi-directional line from Hinksey. The number of trains doing this however was very limited, being restricted to local services that would immediately head back south again, thus being able to use platform 1. On 16 May 1990, 55021 (L121) & 55031 (L131) trundle along the vintage bullhead track with the late running 2C62 17:20 Reading to Oxford Network SouthEast 'all stations' service.

31454 passes Upton Noble on 24 July 2004 with the 2O86 08:28 Bristol Temple Meads to Weymouth Wessex Trains service, with 31128 bringing up the rear. This was an ideal location for Class 31 enthusiasts at the time, as it was followed twenty minutes later by an even more colourful classmate.

Mention Alresford to most railway enthusiasts and they immediately think of the station on the Mid Hants Railway. However, there is another station with that name still open for business on the national network. It is situated in rural Essex, and is seen here on 26 August 1991. 312705 arrives with the 13:51 Walton-on-Naze to Colchester Network South East service.

47297 slowly traverses the Southampton Eastern Docks Branch at Northam Junction on 5 March 1994 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z36 04:26 Manchester Piccadilly to Southampton 'Hampshire Hog' railtour. 37375 is on the rear of the train. This view would be impossible today, as the footbridge from which it was taken has been demolished. Also, the view has changed somewhat, with the installation of a replacement footbridge directly in front of the roadbridge in the background. To complete the transformation, the waste ground on the right is now occupied by St Mary's football stadium, home to Southampton Football Club, and opened in 2001 at a cost £32 million.

47279 passes Wolvercote in glorious evening light on 4 May 1990 with the 4M79 16:19 Southampton to Lawley Street freightliner. A wider view was deliberately chose here to show some of the remaining railway infrastructure surrounding the site of the former Wolvercote Sidings signal box. The box was situated on the left of this picture, and the remains of the footpath crossing can be seen here. On the extreme right can be seen the fenced course of the wartime down goods loop, with a drainage ditch separating it from the main lines. This public footpath crossing has since been closed, and no photography is now possible in the vicinity.

The narrowboat owners on the Oxford Canal get a grandstand view of 50035 Ark Royal on 4 May 1990, as it speeds northwards past Wolvercote with the 1F44 17:20 Paddington to Banbury Network SouthEast service. There were just a couple of months to go for Class 50 haulage on this route, after which the final locomotives were transferred to the West of England line to work services out of Waterloo.

43022 speeds past Circourt Bridge, Denchworth on 8 May 1987 with the 1C47 13:30 Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads InterCity service. Apart from the fact that there are only two tracks, instead of the present four at this location, another feature that identifies this as a scene from times past is the lax attitude to health & safety. A rail contractor (one hopes!) wanders casually back to his Ford Cortina pickup truck, parked on the ballast next to the 125mph running line. This is obviously well before the era of high visibility clothing, as he is wearing a 'low visibility' black jacket!

King Class 4-6-0 6024 King Edward 1 crosses the River Avon at Eckington on 2 August 1998 with the 'Cotswold Venturer' railtour. The tour was steam hauled between Didcot and Worcester via Kemble and return. Needless to say there was a gallery of photographers at this classic spot, however, I was one my own when I saw it a little while later at Compton Beauchamp.

L594 was a little short on 6 May 1990, and required the help of a Class 121 'bubble car' to make it up to a three car set. DMBC 51073 is obviously under repair, leaving just 51104 & 59435 to show the versatility of the first generation DMU fleet by substituting the Class 121 for the missing driving car. It is pictured here at a very rural Didcot North Junction with the 2C21 09:33 Oxford to Didcot 'all stations' Network SouthEast service.

Viewed from the lofty vantage point of the Kennet & Avon Canal's Dundas Aqueduct, near Limpley Stoke, 50031 Hood & 50049 Defiance head north with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z50 06:26 Slough to Llandrindod Wells 'Heart of Wales Festival' railtour on 24 August 2002.

66504 has classmate 66589 dead in tow as it passes through Oxford station on 16 January 2012 with the 4O54 06:15 Leeds to Southampton freightliner. I had a prior engagement in Oxford, and therefore I thought I would take the opportunity to take a few pictures from my erstwhile favourite location from the 1980s - the Osney Lane footbridge. As the light would be head on when I arrived, I wasn't going to bother taking any pictures until it moved round a little. However, a pair of 66s was worth pressing the shutter for, in spite of the awful lighting.

66570 speeds through the centre road of Oxford station on 16 January 2012 with the 4O49 10:13 Birch Coppice to Southampton freightliner. The tower of St Barnabas church in Jericho can be seen on the extreme right. This Victorian building features in Thomas Hardy's 'Jude the Obscure', and is just as much a distinctive Oxford landmark as the more famous 'Dreaming Spires'.

166207 accelerates away from Oxford station on 16 January 2012 with the 1P49 14:01 Oxford to Paddington First Great Western service. In addition to the stabled Turbo unit in the background, 66617 can just be seen as it heads north with the 6M40 11:56 Westbury Virtual Quarry to Stud Farm ballast empties. Unfortunately, although this location is still reasonably good for southbound trains, the same cannot be said of the view from the other side of the bridge. Therefore there is no possibility of a picture of northbound trains here in the afternoon.

The early morning sun is just beginning to burn off the freezing fog as 165122 passes Yarnton on 14 January 2012 with the 2L39 09:02 Banbury to Oxford First Great Western service. The bizarre shape reflected in the windscreen is the nearby footbridge. The A44 roadbridge can just be seen in the background.

A thick frost coats the grass and bushes on 14 January 2012, as 66538 passes Yarnton with the 4O14 06:33 Birch Coppice to Southampton freightliner. The train is slowing down in order to access the relief line at Wolvercote Junction. Unfortunately these ideal photographic conditions didn't last long, as the sun soon removed the white covering from the vegetation.

A rare passenger working for 66002 Lafarge Quorn on 14 January 2012. It is picturing passing Yarnton with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z52 07:22 Bristol Parkway to Appleford Sidings (via Birmingham) 'Abercot Generator' railtour. The fact that it was running one minute early here was not a sign of things to come. By the time it had completed its booked circuit of Didcot Power Station it had reverted to Railtour Standard Time - in other words, late!

Running 45 minutes late, and consequently having lost its booked path along the main line, 66002 Lafarge Quorn is instead traversing the down relief line at Circourt Bridge, Denchworth on 14 January 2012 as it heads west with the Pathfinder Tours 'Abercot Generator' railtour, now running as the 1Z55 12:27 (in theory!) Appleford Sidings to Aberthaw Power Station. As it seemed to be a perfect winter's day, without a cloud in the sky, I hadn't been constantly looking around for clouds, as photographers usually do. I was therefore surprised to see a bank of clouds to the south as I walked back to the car. Within a few minutes this superb lighting had disappeared, albeit temporarily.

83¾ miles to go! 166206 rounds the curve at Churchill Heath (near Kingham) on 11 January 2012 with the 1P43 11:51 Moreton-in-Marsh to Paddington First Great Western service. This picture is taken from a public crossing on the footpath between Lyneham and Bledington. Although the dark clouds in the background form an ideal backdrop, irritatingly the sun decided it wasn't going to stay out for this train!

With the sun chasing it along from Kingham station in the distance, 166203 passes Churchill Heath Wood on 11 January 2012 with the 1P47 12:06 Worcester Foregate Street to Paddington First Great Western service. Although obviously the wood has always been there, it is now the encroaching bushes on the left that limit photo opportunities at this location.

The golden light of the setting sun gives a superb glint effect to the 1A84 17:32 Swansea to Paddington Great Western Trains service as it passes Bourton on 11 August 1998. 43132 is leading a complete rake of Great Western 'Merlin' liveried stock, although the rear power car is still in InterCity livery.

43159 approaches Aynho Junction on 30 March 2002 with the 1O12 06:50 Edinburgh to Bournemouth 'Wessex Scot'. Unfortunately a decade later passengers (sorry, customers) on this service would have to endure the noise and vibration of a five coach Voyager, rather than the comparative luxury of this 'heritage' traction. Such is progress!

55027 (L127) & 55029 (L129) approach Woburn Sands on 29 August 1998 with the 08:50 Bletchley to Bedford service. Two coaches was the order of the day at the time on this route, either a pair of 'bubble cars', as here, or a Class 117 unit, which after their move from Thames Valley services in the early 1990s, generally lost their centre trailers, becoming two car units. L702 (originally Western Region three car set L419) worked the following service on this occasion.

150129 arrives at Kidderminster in a brief burst of sunshine on 24 May 1997 with the 08:54 Hereford to Birmingham New Street Central Trains service, whilst in the background on the Severn Valley Railway's metals, LMS 5MT Class 2-6-0 2968 obviously has steam to spare.

37408 Loch Rannoch is a long way from the land of the lochs, as it heads down the Rhymney Valley on 16 July 2005 with the 2F38 1515 Rhymney to Cardiff Central service. It is pictured here passing Troedrhiwfuwch (between Pontlottyn and Tirphill).

43018 is nearing journey's end on 26 March 1994, as it passes the karting track at Hayle with the 1C36 12:35 Paddington to Penzance InterCity service. The train is just starting to slow down for the stop at St Erth, its final calling point before Penzance.

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.

Competing forms of transport at Yarnton on 7 January 2012. 165127 speeds past the RH Transport bus storage yard, as it heads south with the 2L39 09:02 Banbury to Oxford First Great Western service. Yarnton Lane Level Crossing can be seen in the background. Close inspection of the full size image reveals an unintentional self portrait in 165127's windscreen. The dark area is a reflection of the A44 roadbridge, whilst the little spike visible above the driver's head is me!

The virtually uninterrupted blue sky in the picture is a little deceptive, as in every other direction there were plenty of ominously dark clouds! 66121 passes Uffington on 7 January 2012 with the 6W23 10:20 Hinksey Yard to Radyr ballast.

Neatly framed between a couple of ivy covered trees, 43138 speeds westwards on 7 January 2012 with the 1C12 11:30 Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads First Great Western service. It has just passed the site of Uffington station, and is here about to cross over the Fernham to Uffington road.

The low winter sunlight provides perfect illumination for 166208, as it passes Shorthampton on 6 January 2012 with the 1P35 08:26 Worcester Foregate Street to Paddington First Great Western service. It is travelling over the recently reinstated double track, and makes an interesting comparison to 166206 pictured from a similar viewpoint a few months previously.

With Lower Court Farm, Chadlington just visible through the trees in the background, 165104 passes Shorthampton on 6 January 2012 with the 1P37 09:51 Moreton-in-Marsh to Paddington First Great Western service. The low angle of the sun highlights the remnants of medieval ridge and furrow ploughing in the foreground, a common feature around ancient village sites such as Shorthampton. Note also the small valley (dry in this case) leading down towards the River Evenlode. The existence of a reliable spring in the next such valley to the west is obviously why the site was chosen to build the village in the first place.

There are no waiting passengers at Chetnole on 20 April 1995, so 37407 Blackpool Tower passes straight though with the 2O85 06:46 Westbury to Weymouth Regional Railways service. There were however some passengers to be picked up at Yetminster, approximately 1½ miles before. Such was the stillness of the morning, that I distinctly heard the train approaching from Thornford, slow down and stop at Yetminster, then after a brief stop accelerate away again. All this several minutes before it came into view!

After an entire day of dreadful light and intermittent rain, the sun finally made a very brief appearance on 3 December 1994, as 37072 & 37264 commenced their journey back to London after visiting various branch lines in the Swindon and Bristol area with the Hertfordshire Railtours 1Z60 'Westerleigh Wizard' railtour. It is seen here rounding the curve from Hallen Marsh Junction onto the freight only line to Filton, glinting nicely in the late afternoon sun. 47705 can be seen on the rear of the train. The tour had already visited Didcot Power Station, the remains of the Highworth Branch at Swindon, and Avonmouth. However, the tour was not quite over, as on the way back it would visit the Westerleigh Branch.

1007 slowly accelerates away from Etchingham station on 15 March 1986, running wrong line with the 10:57 Hastings to Charing Cross service. This was the final weekend of DEMU operation on the route, with conventional EMUs taking over from the following Monday. This explains the single line working, as last minute adjustments are made prior to the big switch on.

There is plenty of passenger accommodation on this train - twelve coaches no less! However, the residents of Stonegate are not going to benefit from this, as 1012 & 1004 speed non-stop through their station with the 10:10 Charing Cross to Hastings service on 15 March 1986. These vintage units would be replaced by EMUs just two days after this picture was taken.

37411 Ty Hafan approaches County March Summit in typical Scottish weather conditions of near darkness and drizzle on 11 April 2000. The four coaches immediately identify this as the 1Y11 04:50 Edinburgh to Fort William ScotRail sleeper.

47811 speeds past Bruton on 24 August 2002 with the 1C17 09:30 Paddington to Penzance First Great Western service. Unfortunately FGW's drab dark green livery does not provide much of a colour contrast with the predominantly green summer landscape.

155307 has just passed under the A303 Basingstoke to Honiton trunk road, and is approaching Wylye on 16 March 1990 with the 2O09 07:33 Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour Regional Railways service. Although a sizeable village, with numerous houses adjacent to railway, Wylye does not now have a station. It's original station was closed in the mid 1950s, along with several other small stations on the route, which now leaves a large gap between Warminster and Salisbury.

97301 (formerly 37100) emerges from the trees at Tackley on 2 January 2012 with the 1Z06 08:54 Derby RTC to Grove Park structure gauging train. It had just had a lengthy lay over at Banbury, resulting in the previous early running being wiped out, instead passing me running exactly on time. 31285 is out of view on the rear of the train.

The rooks in field are undisturbed by the passing of 165126 near Tackley on 2 January 2012, as it heads south with the 2L45 13:02 Banbury to Oxford First Great Western service. The unit is crossing over the River Cherwell. This is the fifth time this train has crossed the river since leaving Banbury, with another six crossings to go before it reaches Oxford!

Network Rail DBSO 9703 leads the 3Z15 11:15 Derby RTC to Eastleigh test train past Tackley on 2 January 2012. 31602 Driver Dave Green is noisily doing the pushing on the rear. Luckily the train was running ten minutes early. A large bunch of clouds was gathering around the sun, and around the booked time it would have been very hit and miss as to whether I got this in the sun.

With snow still lying on the ground, and a clear blue sky, Hunslet 0-6-0ST 1800 Robert Nelson No.4 makes a fine start to the photographic year as it approaches Hailes on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway with the 11:00 Toddington to Winchcombe 'Mince Pie Special' on 2 January 1995.

Hunslet 0-6-0ST 1800 Robert Nelson No.4 rounds the curve past the village of Didbrook on 2 January 1995 with the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's 12:00 Toddington to Winchcombe 'Mince Pie Special'.

Hunslet 0-6-0ST 1800 Robert Nelson No.4 emerges from the underneath the road bridge at Hailes, and passes the newly erected Toddington fixed distant signal on 2 January 1995 as it works the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's 13:00 Toddington to Winchcombe 'Mince Pie Special' on 2 January 1995.

With snow visible on the Cotswold Hills in the background, Hunslet 0-6-0ST 1800 Robert Nelson No.4 passes Hailes on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway with the 14:00 Toddington to Winchcombe 'Mince Pie Special' on 2 January 1995.

Proving that the EWS livery doesn't always look drab, and that when cleaned and caught in the right light, can look quite presentable. 37411 Ty Hafan & 37416 pass the site of the former Midland Railway station at Stonehouse on 12 July 1997, as they head north with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z32 05:49 Cardiff Central to Cambridge 'Fenland Excursioner' railtour.

37416 emerges from the Severn Tunnel, and climbs towards Pilning on 2 October 1996 with Riveira Ltd stock working back south, after being used during the summer months on the North Wales Coast. This wasn't the only noteworthy train at this location on this day, as King Edward 1 also passed by with a railtour.

37422 Robert F. Fairlie passes Valley, as it gets into its stride with the 1H44 13:23 Holyhead to Stockport service on 15 June 1996. The scenery is typical of Anglesey, with scattered farms, and an abundance of hawthorn and gorse bushes. The village of Valley can be seen on the horizon.

55029 (L129) arrives at Lidlington station on 16 July 1994 with the 12:50 Bletchley to Bedford service. I would not normally take going away pictures of DMUs, even if they do look the same from both ends, albeit with red tail lights to give the game away. However, not only would the foreground grass ruin a more conventional shot at this location, but also the photographic composition of a train on the far track is much better here. Note how quickly the signalman has returned the signal to danger.

My first photographic outing of 2011 was in atrocious light, and so was the last! A1 4-6-2 60163 Tornado emerges from Ardley Tunnel into the drizzle on 30 December 2011 with the UK Railtours 1Z27 08:03 Paddington to Stratford-upon-Avon 'William Shakespeare' railtour. Nobody else had bothered to walk to this location on such a gloomy day, but then again this spot is no use at all if there is any chance of sun.

168217 speeds through the rain towards Ardley Tunnel on 30 December 2011 with the 1F92 08:09 Kidderminster to Marylebone Chiltern Railways service. This is one of Chiltern's express trains (as they used to be called in the good old days!), becoming a non-stop service after Warwick Parkway. This makes it one of the few trains that passes non-stop through Banbury.

47150 passes Culham on 21 June 2001 with the 4M99 16:47 Southampton to Trafford Park freightliner. Luckily, as this is the longest day, the shadows from the lineside bushes are not too much of a problem. Unfortunately this once excellent location has become increasingly difficult due to the unchecked growth of the lineside vegetation.

43121 passes the desolate remains of Severn Tunnel Junction Yard on 15 April 1991, as it prepares to descend into the tunnel with the 1A51 11:32 Swansea to Paddington 'St. David Pullman', on this occasion not quite living up to its premium service name by running ten minutes late. The former depot's fueling point is one of the few surviving indications in this picture of the importance of the once busy freight centre.

Castle Class 4-6-0 5029 Nunney Castle takes the Swindon line at Standish Junction on 2 June 1991 with its first mainline passenger working - an InterCity sponsored Paddington to Great Malvern special. The outward route was via the Oxford to Worcester Cotswold Line, with the return working being routed via the Golden Valley line. Unfortunately the weather was miserable all day.

Class 455 5717 is crossing over the River Thames as it arrives at the appropriately named Barnes Bridge station on 27 November 1999. It is working one of the numerous Waterloo to Richmond circular trains, in this case the 11:17 departure. The outward route is via Richmond, returning via Hounslow. Shortly after departing from Barnes Bridge, this train will rejoin its outward route.

142068 passes Edale on 28 March 1999 with the 11:14 Sheffield to Manchester Piccadilly North West Regional Railways service. After heading up the valley of the River Noe, the unit will soon be entering Cowburn Tunnel, to take it under the highest part of the Peak District.

37422 arrives at Harworth Colliery on 6 March 1993 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z39 06:05 Manchester Piccadilly to Bentley Colliery 'Coker Coaler' railtour. 37514 can just be seen on he rear of the train. Considering how litigious Coca Cola are, I'm surprised that Pathfinder managed to get away with that look-alike headboard!

37413 Loch Eil Outward Bound & 37672 Freight Transport Association pass the resident photographers at Charlton on 22 January 1994 with the 6V70 08:20 Bescot to St Blazey china clay empties. Although a popular location for railway photography, the numbers of photographers has been swelled by the imminent approach from the opposite direction of the 'Push Pull Farewell' railtour. Cogload Junction can bee seen in the background.

The fifteen inch gauge Kirklees Light Railway runs along the course of the Clayton West Branch, which was closed by British Rail in 1983. On 21 September 1997, 0-6-4ST Badger departs from Skelmanthorpe station with the 15:00 Clayton West to Shelley service. Badger was built especially for the line in 1991.

With its distinctive uniform rake of brick red coloured containers, 60062 Samuel Johnson passes Elsham on 31 December 2001 with the very last 6D86 13:15 Roxby to Grimsby Tioxide gypsum waste empties. Even though it was a completely sunny day, the temperature was so low that the seasonal snow was still much in evidence.

Castle Class 4-6-0 5080 Defiant emerges from the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's 693 yard long Greet Tunnel on 26 August 1990, whilst working the 13:00 Toddington to Gretton service. The relative lack of vegetation around the tunnel mouth indicates that it hasn't been that long since one of the railway's mammoth vegetation clearance operations.

L835 (51498, 59530 & 51432) stands at Oxford station's platform 1 on 21 October 1988, after having just arrived with the 2C45 14:45 Banbury to Oxford Network SouthEast service. This view clearly shows the result of the half hearted attempt to modernise the station in the early 1970s. The new canopy above the DMU backed onto a very poor prefabricated structure that was hardly any better than the wooden building it replaced. As you can see, this modernisation only extended half way down the platform, so that after a bizarre gap, a section of the original GWR canopy can be seen in the background.

1002 thumps through the tiny station at Little Kimble on 11 May 1986 with 1Z25 LCGB / SEG 'Hastings DEMU Farewell' railtour. Not visible from this angle is sister unit 1032 on the rear. On arrival at Aylesbury, the two units were split. 1032 then headed back to London, followed a short while later by 1002. This was the very last day of mainline operations for the slimline thumpers, with all remaining units being withdrawn that night.

Immaculate brand new 165102 is obviously on its first fist day in traffic, as it passes Lower Basildon on 15 May 1992 with the 2C60 17:05 Reading to Banbury Network SouthEast service. This was the transition period, with brand new Turbo units working alongside the thirty year old Pressed Steel Class 117s.

43066 Nottingham Playhouse passes Cossington on 11 May 2001 with the 1D50 17:55 St Pancras to Nottingham Midland Mainline service. It's almost as if the HSTs painted in this livery used semi water soluble paint for the yellow front end! This one displays the typical blotchy faded look.

43014 speeds round the reverse curves at Tackley on 27 March 1993 with the 1O10 08:40 Newcastle to Bournemouth service. Just a trace of weak sunshine illuminates the scene, although only in the foreground - note the dark fields in the background.

47597 passes St George's on 20 April 1985 with what is presumably a Swansea to Cardiff rugby special (confirmation anyone?). Wales were playing England at Cardiff Arms Park. 47107 & 47618 are noted as working Rugexes on this occasion, but I can find no record of this working.