47702 Saint Cuthbert passes Potbridge on 21 March 1992 with the 1O31 06:45 Exeter St Davids to Waterloo Network SouthEast service. By this date most of the loco hauled trains on this route were worked by Class 47s, although with very little advanced gen available, I was probably still hoping for a Class 50 on this train!

50033 Glorious & D400 arrive at Llandudno Junction on 5 December 1992 with the Class 40 Appeal 1T09 07:30 Euston to Holyhead 'Ffestive Fifties' railtour. After running round, the train would continue towards Blaenau Ffestiniog, taking the line on the right.

After arriving at Llandudno Junction on 5 December 1992 with the Class 40 Appeal 1T09 07:30 Euston to Holyhead 'Ffestive Fifties' railtour, D400 & 50033 Glorious run round their train, prior to heading for Blaenau Ffestiniog. Unfortunately the departure was in miserable light, but at least I got this picture in sun, before the dark clouds in the background enveloped the scene. Note the Class 47 & 31 stabled on the left.

With a horn fanfare, and a wave from both the driver and Steve King, 60029 Ben Nevis rounds the curve at Crofton on 13 June 2025 with the early running 6M02 07:04 Tytherington to Quainton Railhead stone train. It was not only the Class 60 that was making a noise, as a track clearance gang were at work by the bridge, using chainsaws to do some much needed vegetation clearance.

800008 Alan Turing & 800004 pass Minety on 13 June 2025 with the diverted 1L14 09:22 Swansea to Paddington GWR service. The train's normal route via the Severn Tunnel was closed for major engineering works.

Running 35 minutes late, 66549 passes the site of Minety & Ashton Keynes station on 13 June 2025 with the diverted 4L33 09:49 Wentloog to London Gateway freightliner. The station, which closed in 1964, was very convenient for Minety, being on the edge of the village, but including Ashton Keynes in the name was a bit of a stretch, as that village is over two miles away!

The first up train of the day on the Cotswold Line passes Stonesfield on 12 June 2025. 800318 is working the 1P11 05:16 Worcester Shrub Hill to Paddington GWR service, passing a viewpoint that is obviously going to disappear in a few years time, once the newly planted trees in the foreground start getting really large.

57310 UK Railtours runs down the Evenlode Valley near Stonesfield on 12 June 2025 with the 5Z17 05:49 Honeybourne Staff Hut to Victoria ECS. This is a route learner / test train for the forthcoming Belmond 'Britannic Explorer' luxury sleeper train. Hiding behind the bushes on the rear of the train is 66712 Peterborough Power Signalbox. Unfortunately this was running a few minutes early, as although it was quite bright, the sun was behind some thin cloud, which naturally had drifted away by the train's booked time!

165132 passes the southern end of Eckington loop in lovely soft evening light on 11 June 2025 with the late running 2E73 18:40 Bristol Temple Meads to Great Malvern GWR service. The 2T52 19:51 Worcester Foregate Street to Bristol Temple Meads should have been heading in the opposite direction at around this time, but in true GWR fashion, that was cancelled.

43049 Neville Hill passes Eckington on 11 June 2025 with the Midland Pullman 1Z45 16:48 Paignton to Hull 'Torbay Riviera Pullman' railtour. 43050 Loch Morar is bringing up the rear. This was running 14 minutes late, owing to being held at Gloucester for much longer than booked, due to a procession of delayed passenger services. Despite the delay, the light just managed to hang on, although it was bit anxious, as there were several areas of cloud floating around.

A fine display of Ox-eye Daises cover the bridge embankment at Oddington on 10 June 2025.165005 passes by, not with one of the usual Chiltern Railways services, but with the 5F96 15:16 Milton Keynes Central to Oxford crew training run, in preparation for the opening of the reinstated East West Rail line.

The 1Q48 14:18 Rugby Depot Access Line to Derby RTC Network Rail test train passes Oddington on 10 June 2025 with 43257 leading. It would return 40 minutes later with 43251 leading. Unfortunately on both occasions it missed the sun by a few seconds!

After reversing at Oxford, 43251 passes Oddington for the second time on 10 June 2025 with the 1Q48 14:18 Rugby Depot Access Line to Derby RTC Network Rail test train. 43257 had led the train past this spot 40 minutes earlier.

69013 passes Oddington on 10 June 2025 with the early running 5Q77 16:18 Bicester MoD to Willesden, taking South Western Railway EMU 701056 for onward movement to Wimbledon, after its period in store. The black livery applied to 69013 is covered in slogans and information relating to a mental heath charity.

156403 passes Bestwood Park on 20 November 1999 with the 12:33 Worksop to Nottingham Central Trains service. This is on the then recently reopened Robin Hood Line. The birch trees in the background are colonising the site of the former Bestwood Park Junction Sidings. The Nottingham to Hucknall tramway now runs alongside the line here, with Moor Bridge tram stop now situated in the background of this view.

56055 passes Heytesbury on 14 May 1988 with the 6V85 11:00 Fareham to Whatley Quarry ARC stone empties. I haven't been back to this particular spot since, but a quick search online indicates that the view has been lost to uncontrolled lineside vegetation. What a surprise!

37092 & 37162 head east past Hay Lane on 3 December 1994. They are heading towards Swindon, which is situated just beyond the M4 motorway in the background. The bridge from which this picture was taken was demolished in 2015 as part of the Great Western Mainline electrification scheme.

Golden evening backlighting at Compton Beauchamp on 30 August 1991. 47500 Great Western is surprisingly only a couple of minutes late, as it is deputising for an unavailable HST on the 1A78 17:45 Bristol Temple Meads to Paddington service. The full set of HST Mk3 coaches has a BG van next to the locomotive, and generator coach ADB975325 at the rear, which is supplying 415V three phase power to the coaches. Apart from the GW150 green loco, the entire train is in InterCity livery.

Viewed from the Kennet & Avon Canal's Dundas Aqueduct, 59104 Village of Great Elm heads down the Avon Valley on 12 August 1993 with the 7C41 07:30 Whatley Quarry to Hallen Moor ARC stone train. This was a part of a short tern contract to supply stone for the construction of the approach roads to the second Severn Bridge.

59104 Village of Great Elm passes Salisbury on 19 March 1992 with what is presumably the very late running 7Z89 06:05 Whatley Quarry to Woking stone train. Trees now block out the view of the houses of Salisbury in the background, and of course the gas holder has been demolished. Even Castle Roundabout, directly behind the loco, seems to be mostly free of trees.

Just a few weeks old, and still looking immaculate, 158837 arrives at Salisbury on 19 March 1992 with the 10:32 Southampton to Salisbury Regional Railways service. It has just passed underneath the A36 Salisbury ring road. Fisherton Tunnel can be seen in the background.

158765 passes Crowle on 5 December 1998 with the 12:29 Cleethorpes to Manchester Airport Trans Pennine Express service. This signal gantry, along with a similar one on the other side of the station, have since been removed.

59005 Kenneth J Painter rounds the curve at Crofton on 6 June 2025 with the early running 6A60 10:50 Merehead Quarry to Colnbrook stone train. Being backlit, I wouldn't have bothered if it had been a Freightliner green Class 66, but an Aggregate Industries Class 59 is always worth a picture.

56301 & 56103 pass Crofton on 6 June 2025 with the 6V23 10:34 Willesden DC Rail Sidings to Merehead Quarry stone empties. With lots of clouds around, it was not at all certain that I would get this in the sun, but luckily it was running a few minutes early, as at the booked time it definitely was cloudy! The building hiding amid the trees on the left is the Crofton Pumping Station, housing the world's oldest operational beam engine that is still in its original location.

Running 18 minutes early, but fortunately just after the rain had stopped, 66144 passes through Tackley station on 5 June 2025 with the 6V00 13:06 Burton-on-Trent to Acton stone empties. Note the random mix of wagon types.

The temporary footbridge at Tackley station has received some unusual artwork. It has been a long time since you could buy a ticket at the station, but this painted ticket window and the list of very cheap fares to various stations (including a couple of nearby closed ones) is an amusing touch. At the other end of the bridge there is another artwork. Photo taken on 5 June 2025.

An amusing artwork has appeared on the temporary footbridge at Tackley station, depicting a not very realistic steam loco and train. At the other end of the bridge there is a picture of a station ticket window. Photo taken on 5 June 2025.

47712 (masquerading as 47709 The Lord Provost) passes through Tackley station on 5 June 2025 with the 5Z23 14:17 Southall Loco Services Ltd to Crewe, conveying Class 121 'Bubble Car' 55022 Flora. The privately owned DMU had been used on a series of trips between London and Windsor the previous day.

55022 Flora is hauled through Tackley on 5 June 2025 by 47712 (masquerading as 47709 The Lord Provost), running as the 5Z23 14:17 Southall Loco Services Ltd to Crewe. The privately owned 'Bubble Car' has been extensively modified for its role as a luxury private train, and has even been fitted with a bar! The livery, whilst not authentic for the type, certainly suits it.

165127 passes Yarnton on 2 June 2025 with the 2V43 15:35 Banbury to Didcot Parkway GWR service. A two coach DMU is just about the longest train that is reasonably clear of the shadows here at this time of the afternoon!

Biffa liveried 66783 The Flying Dustman passes Yarnton on 2 June 2025 with the 4M46 14:19 Southampton Western Docks to Trafford Park Euro Terminal intermodal. Although this looks like a very rural location, Oxford is not very far away, as indicated by the crane in the background.

A GBRf and DB combination at Yarnton on 2 June 2025. 66718 Peter, Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill of Imber in the county of Wiltshire has 66207 dead in tow as it passes Stonehouse Farm with the 6X01 10:18 Scunthorpe to Eastleigh long welded rails.

47658 passes Souldern on 11 September 1988 with the 1V95 14:40 Wolverhampton to Paddington service. In the 1980s, before BR stopped controlling lineside vegetation, there was a clear view across the countryside from this farm occupation bridge. Souldern No.1 Viaduct is clearly visible on the right, and just discernible behind the viaduct (at least on the hi-res version of this Kodachrome slide scan) is Aynho church, along with the adjacent large 17th century manor house, Aynho Park.

37892 Ripple Lane passes Langford Lane, Wendlebury, on 29 December 1994 with the 4C13 11:21 Calvert to Bristol Avon Binliner empties. Bristol's rubbish obviously has to be disposed of, even during the Christmas holidays!

43142 passes Baulking on 8 April 1989 with the 1A38 10:20 Bristol Temple Meads to Paddington service. What a pleasure it was to take pictures here in the 1980s. A wide open unobstructed view, with no vegetation in the way. A background of yellow flowering gorse bushes, and the original steel girder bridge in the distance at the site of Uffington station.

43142 rounds the curve at Thingley on 25 June 1993 with the 1C31 11:15 Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads service. The additional span on the left of the bridge in the background once crossed a long siding extending from the nearby junction.

43149 BBC Wales Today passes Compton Beauchamp on 21 May 2001 with the 1L40 07:35 Carmarthen to Paddington First Great Western service. 43149 was easily ecignaible at the time by the large black patch above the windscreen.

47618 Fair Rosamund approaches Circourt Bridge, Denchworth, on 18 December 1985 with the 3A12 08:30 Carmarthen to Old Oak Common empty newspaper vans. This became a well known photographic spot in later years, but I very rarely saw anyone else here in the 1970s and 80s.

43189 crosses the River Neath (Afon Nedd), as it approaches Neath station on 28 July 1991 with the 1A81 16:32 Swansea to Paddington service. The line here is on a very sharp curve, bending nearly 180 degrees, as it crosses from one side of the valley to the other.

800030 Lincoln Callaghan passes Grove on 31 May 2025 with the 1L70 10:03 Cheltenham Spa to Paddington GWR service. This is the view from Hanney Bridge, which despite the catenary, does allow a reasonable picture to be taken of up trains without the wires being too much in the way. Unfortunately however, there is no view whatsoever in the other direction!

50008 Thunderer passes Grove on 31 May 2025 with the 5V50 08:57 Eastleigh to Reading Traincare Depot, taking a single GWR Mk3 coach back home after maintenance. This was travelling the long way round, via Salisbury, Westbury and Swindon.

59203 passes Great Bedwyn on 30 May 2025 with the 6V31 09:06 Wembley Receptions 1-7 to Merehead Quarry stone empties. This is an excellent scenic location, with St Mary's Church prominent in the background, but unfortunately the lineside vegetation now restricts the view slightly.

59201 Westbury PSB 1984-2024 & 66545 approach Great Bedwyn on 30 May 2025 with the 6A50 10:26 Whatley Quarry to Hanwell Bridge Loop stone train. This had left Whatley 79 minutes late, and was still over an hour late here.

56103 & 56301 pass Great Bedwyn on 30 May 2025 with the late running 6V23 10:34 Willesden DC Rail Sidings to Merehead Quarry stone empties. A moderately sunny morning, and a mostly sunny evening, but unfortunately during the middle of the day it was almost totally cloudy!

802020 makes use of the bi-directional signalling on the Great Western Mainline, as it passes Uffington 'wrong line' on 28 May 2025 with the 1L66 07:25 Worcester Shrub Hill to Paddington GWR service. A little further to the west, 59003 Yeoman Highlander had come to a stand with the 6M50 07:13 Westbury to Bescot departmental working, blocking the up line. Because of this failed train, this was running 35 minutes late, but once again there was no mention of any delays when I checked the GWR website.

59003 Yeoman Highlander passes Uffington on 28 May 2025 with the 6M50 07:13 Westbury to Bescot departmental working. A little earlier the train had come to a stand a short distance to the west, with dragging brakes on one of the wagons. The train blocked the line for over an hour, until the driver could isolate the brakes on the defective wagon. Although it was running 76 minutes late here, a few miles further on it was back on time, as it passed Wantage Road at exactly the time it should have been leaving the loop after over an hour's stop!

The 5Q01 09:42 Swindon Transfer to Loughborough Brush passes Uffington on 28 May 2025 with 43301 leading and 43303 bringing up the rear. 91117 Project Electra is in the centre of the train. This was running 45 minutes late, due to an earlier failed freight train. The late running had improved the light angle, but the chance of actually getting any light was diminishing by the minute. Luckily this came in one of the last sunny periods.

91117 Project Electra is dragged past Uffington on 28 May 2025, in the centre of the late running 5Q01 09:42 Swindon Transfer to Loughborough Brush, led by 43301. The loco had been used over the weekend for overhead line testing.

Colas livery, GBRf loco, DCR train! 60096 Skiddaw passes Uffington on 28 May 2025 with the 6M02 07:32 Tytherington to Quainton Railhead, with another load of stone for the not very environmentally friendly HS2 project.

66569 Gerald "The Rule Book" Riley & 66565 pass Hungerford Common on 27 May 2025 with the 6A40 08:40 Merehead Quarry to Hanwell Bridge Loop stone train. Another's year's tree growth, and this view will be very nearly impossible.

56103, 56301 & 60029 Ben Nevis pass Hungerford Common in the rain on 27 May 2025 with the 6V25 07:31 Willesden DC Rail Sidings to Bristol East Depot stone empties. There was an anxious moment here, as 165129 with the 2T12 10:55 Bedwyn to Newbury GWR service was due at exactly the same time. Luckily that had just passed, and can be seen disappearing into the distance.

Heidelberg Materials liveried 59101 Village of Whatley passes the increasingly overgrown viewpoint from the road next to Hungerford Common, as it heads west in the rain on 27 May 2025 with the 6C31 10:14 Theale to Whatley Quarry stone empties.

Looking immaculate after a recent repaint, Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0DM D1114 Emfour 9 is pictured at Butterley on 17 October 1992. The loco was built in 1958 for the National Coal Board. It worked at various collieries, including Swanwick, Pinxton and Bentinck, before moving to the Midland Railway Centre in 1983.

50007 Sir Edward Elgar & D1962 (47833) Captain Peter Manisty RN call at Banbury station on 30 August 1993 with the late running Pathfinder Tours 1Z44 17:10 Scarborough to Paddington 'North Yorkshireman Explorer' railtour.

Viewed from the little used footbridge in the fields near Brookfurlong Farm, 165022 & 165033 pass Islip on 25 May 2025 with the 1Y28 09:41 Oxford to Marylebone Chiltern Railways service. Islip station, which this train did not call at, can just be seen in the background.

66506 Crewe Regeneration approaches Islip on 25 May 2025 with the UK Railtours 1Z60 10:03 Princes Risborough to Nuneaton 'The Green Shed' railtour. 50008 Thunderer is bringing up the rear. The coaching stock is the London Underground liveried 4-TC set. Note the H&H (Hanson & Hall) sign in the loco cab window.

50008 Thunderer brings up the rear of the UK Railtours 1Z60 10:03 Princes Risborough to Nuneaton 'The Green Shed' railtour, as it approaches Islip on 25 May 2025. 66506 Crewe Regeneration is at the front of the train. Looking at the dark background, it's a good job that I didn't decide to photograph this passing Islip station!

After reversing in Hinksey Yard, 50008 Thunderer passes Islip for the second time on 25 May 2025 with the UK Railtours 1Z60 10:03 Princes Risborough to Nuneaton 'The Green Shed' railtour, with 66506 Crewe Regeneration bringing up the rear. This was just a few seconds before the sun disappeared behind a really large cloud.

66506 Crewe Regeneration brings up the rear of the UK Railtours 1Z60 10:03 Princes Risborough to Nuneaton 'The Green Shed' railtour near Islip on 25 May 2025. 50008 Thunderer is leading. The train had passed here in the other direction 50 minutes earlier, prior to its reversal in Hinksey Yard.

47347 passes Harrowden Junction on 21 May 1989 with the Hertfordshire Railtours 1T13 14:40 St Pancras to Leicester special, one of a number of freight locos in use on passenger trains during the 'InterCity Diesel Day'. Harrowden Junction is not a junction in the normal sense of the word, but just where there is a connection between the main and relief lines.

58050 Toton Traction Depot passes Harrowden Junction on 21 May 1989 with the Hertfordshire Railtours 1T12 15:20 Leicester to St Pancras special, during the 'InterCity Diesel Day', one of those multi railtour extravaganzas that were so common n the 1980s and 1990s.

With Didcot Power Station dominating the background, 58043 heads north at Culham on 16 August 1997. The 2,000 megawatt coal fired power station was built in the late 1960s, and was a major landmark in the area until closure in 2013, and demolition (partly accidental!) a few years later.

43301 leads the 5Q01 13:58 Loughborough Brush to Swindon Transfer past Thrupp on 23 May 2025. 91117 Project Electra is in the centre of the train, and 43303 is bringing up the rear. The sycamore tree in the foreground looks like it is soon going to ruin this view.

The 6U84 10:35 Retford Down Sidings to Horsham MDU Siding passes Thrupp on 23 May 2025, running 11 minutes early, after a shorter than booked stop in Aynho Up Goods Loop. Unusually, the Robel Mobile Maintenance Trains each have their own unique permanently allocated headcode. 6U84 is DR97504, DR97604 & DR97804.

47654 Finsbury Park passes Wolvercote on 4 May 1989 with the 1M61 16:57 Paddington to Derby service. This loco was numbered 47654 between August 1986 and July 1989. Previously it had been D1640, and then 47056. After July 1989 it became 47809, and then in April 1994, 47783.

158756 passes Sandycroft on 31 May 1997 with the 13:17 Manchester Piccadilly to Llandudno North West Regional Railways service. The rusting remnants of the disused line on the left, and the semaphore signalling, have since been removed.

47256 passes Shrivenham on 22 June 1991 with the 1A22 06:55 Worcester Shrub Hill to Paddington service. The hired in Railfreight Distribution liveried loco would later work the 1F14 10:40 Paddington to Newbury, and 1F55 12:32 Newbury to Paddington trains. It may be a dull day, but it was always worth recording a RfD loco on a passenger train, especially when there is a Royal Mail red van in the consist.

47245 passes Claydon on the late evening of 1 July 1986 with the 6E64 19:15 Severn Tunnel Junction to Haverton Hill Speedlink, running exactly on time at 20:35. This was one of a number of Speedlink trains to be seen here on a summer's evening in the 1980s, and thankfully most of them were heading north.

With a wave from the driver, 60046 William Wilberforce passes the site of Patney & Chirton station on 20 May 2025 with the early running 6M02 07:04 Tytherington to Quainton Railhead stone train. The station, which was situated amid fields to the north of the village of Patney, was closed in 1966. The water tower on the right is presumably nothing to do with the railway.

66536 passes the site of Patney & Chirton station on 20 May 2025 with the 6A40 08:40 Merehead Quarry to Hanwell Bridge Loop stone train. Just a single loco today, as the train is much shorter than normal. With the sun fading in and out of high cloud, I was lucky to get this in full sun.

66551 passes Patney on 20 May 2025 with the 6A18 09:18 Whatley Quarry to Oxford Banbury Road stone train. This is the site of Patney & Chirton station, which closed in 1966. All traces of the station have disappeared, with the notable exception of the footbridge seen in the background of this view. Formerly connecting the station's three platforms, it now stands in splendid isolation, saved from demolition as it carries a public footpath across the line.

50008 Thunderer passes Islip on 17 May 2025 with the UK Railtours 1Z66 08:35 Princes Risborough (from Chinnor) to Northampton 'Thundering Shed' railtour. 66126 Driver Jack Mills is at the rear of the London Underground liveried 4-TC set. The train would return an hour later, after reversing at Oxford.

Looking very smart after its recent repaint, newly named 66126 Driver Jack Mills passes Islip on 17 March 2025 with the UK Railtours 1Z66 08:35 Princes Risborough (from Chinnor) to Northampton 'Thundering Shed' railtour. The loco is named after the driver who was injured during the Great Train Robbery in 1963. On the rear is 50008 Thunderer, which had worked the train past this spot an hour earlier, prior to its reversal at Oxford.

50008 Thunderer passes Newton Longville on 17 May 2025 with the UK Railtours 1Z68 13:57 Northampton to Princes Risborough (for Chinnor) 'Thundering Shed' railtour. 66126 Driver Jack Mills is bringing up the rear. This is one of the many excellent new photographic locations on the yet to be officially opened East West Rail Line. The urban sprawl of Bletchley can be seen in the background. The weather forecast was yet again totally wrong. It should have been full sun since 10:00, but this was 14:23, and the very first brief sunny spell had only just happened. There was a little bit of very weak sun for this picture, but naturally by the time I got home, just over an hour later, it was almost totally cloudless!

56103 & 56301 pass Edington on 16 May 2025 with the 6Z60 10:34 Willesden DC Rail Sidings to Merehead Quarry stone empties. This had been running over 40 minutes late, but by not stopping in Woodborough loop (despite being routed through it), it was just 10 minutes late here.

Heidelberg Materials liveried 59101 Village of Whatley passes the large gallery of photographers at Great Cheverell on 16 May 2025, as it heads towards Westbury with the 6V18 13:30 Oxford Banbury Road to Whatley Quarry stone empties.

Freshly repainted 66501 Spirit of '65 Celebrating 60 years of Freightliner & 66953 pass Wootton Rivers on 16 May 2025 with the 6V50 14:19 Wembley Receptions 1-7 to Merehead Quarry stone empties. Unfortunately a large bush prevents a wider view here, but the presence of the vintage International Harvester tractor balances the composition. Also, the high viewpoint shows off the clean roof of recently repainted 66501.

59102 Village of Chantry & 66547 pass the flowering hawthorn bush and vintage tractor at Wootton Rivers on 16 May 2025, as they head west with the 6V60 14:43 Wembley Receptions 1-7 to Whatley Quarry stone empties.

DC Rail Class 60s on the Berks & Hants line are always worth photographing, but when a pair of Class 56s are substituted, its even more important to get a picture, even in severe backlighting like this. 56103 & 56301 approach Little Bedwyn on 16 May 2025 with the 6M18 16:13 Merehead Quarry to Willesden DC Rail Sidings stone train. This was running 36 minutes early, despite having left Merehead nearly an hour late. Thanks to Steve King in the cab for the horn fanfare for the benefit of the small gallery of photographers on the bridge!

60096 Skiddaw passes Crofton on 14 May 2025 with the 6Z52 06:42 Tytherington to Quainton Railhead HS2 stone train. This was running 24 minutes early, and was slowing down here, as it was catching up with the 2T10 09:54 Bedwyn to Newbury GWR DMU.

Two different Class 66 subclasses, but both in the latest Freightliner orange livery. 66415 You Are Never Alone & 66605 round the curve at Crofton on 14 May 2025 with the 6A40 0840 Merehead Quarry to Hanwell Bridge Loop stone train.

The Belmond British Pullman 3Z56 15:55 Hinksey to Oxford Parkway ECS passes Oddington on 14 May 2025, having just reversed at Bicester. 67006 Royal Sovereign is leading, and 67005 King's Messenger is bringing up the rear. At Oxford Parkway passengers would rejoin the train, and it would become the 1Z56 17:10 Oxford Parkway to Victoria returning luxury charter.

Although Class 165 & 168 DMUs share the same multiple working equipment, they very rarely seem to work together. However, on 14 May 2025, 168219 & 165033 were paired up to work the 1T48 16:45 Marylebone to Oxford Chiltern Railways service, seen here passing Oddington. After returning to London, they split up, 168219 heading for Birmingham Moor Street, and 165033 doing another trip to Oxford.

Network Rail Stoneblower DR80211 passes the site of Littleton & Badsey station on 13 May 2025, running as the 6U31 13:35 Honeybourne Sidings to Westerleigh. The Blackminster road level crossing can be seen in the background.

43423 & 43467 pass Badsey on 13 May 2025 with the 5Q88 05:01 Eastriggs MoD to Long Marston, conveying bi-mode unit 769959 for storage. 43465 & 43484 are bringing up the rear. The Class 769 is a failed conversion of former Class 319 EMUs, which were converted at great expense for GWR, and then never used. This one went to Scotland, and was repainted from green to blue, and is here heading for Long Marston, where it has been stored before!

43465 & 43484 bring up the rear of 5Q88 05:01 Eastriggs MoD to Long Marston at Badsey on 13 May 2025. 43423 & 43467 are leading the train, which is taking bi-mode unit 769959 for its second period of storage at Long Marston.

The ivy on the fence at Honeybourne looks suspiciously like it has been trimmed by a railway photographer, but not by me, as this is exactly how I found it! 800028 Oliver Lovell slows down for the station stop on 13 May 2025 with the 1W27 13:50 Paddington to Great Malvern GWR service.

Running over an hour late, 43467 & 43423 arrive at Honeybourne on 13 May 2025 with the 5M89 15:48 Long Marston to Kings Norton On Track Plant Depot barriers vehicles, with 43465 & 43484 bringing up the rear. The 1W30 15:23 Paddington to Worcester Foregate Street GWR service can be seen approaching in the background. Not only would the HST power cars have to wait for that, but also the following 1W31 15:52 Paddington to Great Malvern, making the train over 90 minutes late when it finally got moving.

A wall of vegetation now exists between the Long Marston branch and the platforms of Honeybourne station, with just one little gap giving a glimpse of the line. 43467 moves off with the late running 5M89 15:48 (16:52 actual) Long Marston to Kings Norton On Track Plant Depot barriers vehicles on 13 May 2025. The rest of the train (43423, barrier vehicles, 43465 & 43484) are completely hidden from view.

The first train of the day leaves Moreton-in-Marsh station on 11 May 2025. 800028 Sir Peter Parker is working the 1P30 08:15 Worcester Foregate Street to Paddington Sunday service. On a weekday the first train runs three hours earlier. Sir Peter Parker is a very appropriate name for a Cotswold Line train, as the former British Railways Board chairman used the line frequently.

70816 passes through Moreton-in-Marsh station on 11 May 2025 with the 6C97 07:30 Norton Junction to Hinksey, returning from an overnight Cotswold Line track relaying possession. The rare sight of a freight train on the Cotswold Line was made even better by being worked by such an immaculately clean loco! This train was running a few minutes early, which was perfect, as at the booked time there was a possibility of the late running 1W15 07:36 Paddington to Great Malvern GWR service getting in the way in the background.

D1015 Western Champion slowly passes Didcot North Junction on 10 May 2025 with the Vintage Trains 1Z77 07:27 Birmingham New Street to Plymouth 'South Devon Explorer' railtour. It is just about to traverse the mostly freight only line to Foxhall Junction, where it will access the Great Western Mainline. Despite the slightly intrusive shadows on the coaches, I particularly wanted to photograph this here, as there was also a good view of 37240 on the rear of the train.

37240 brings up the rear of the Vintage Trains 1Z77 07:27 Birmingham New Street to Plymouth 'South Devon Explorer' railtour at Didcot North Junction on 10 May 2025. The train, which was being hauled by D1015 Western Champion, was moving very slowly, as it was being checked by a signal on the approach to Foxhall Junction.

55034 approaches the A4130 Wallingford bypass at Winterbrook, as it heads south from the town on 10 May 2025 with the 11:00 Wallingford to Cholsey service. The bubble car, which was one of the pair that were used by Chiltern Railways until 2017, is on loan to the Cholsey & Wallingford Railway from Locomotive Services Ltd. 

With lots of fair weather clouds causing a few anxious moments, 55034 passes Winterbrook on 10 May 2025 with the 12:00 Wallingford to Cholsey service, during the Cholsey & Wallingford Railway's 'Bubble Car Day'. The Evesham destination blind is a bit optimistic!

55034 approaches a farm occupation crossing near Hillgreen Farm, as it heads north from Cholsey on 10 May 2025 with the 12:30 train to Wallingford, during the Cholsey & Wallingford Railway's 'Bubble Car Day'. Both the Grosmont destination blind on this end, and Evesham on the other end, are equally unlikely!

Viewed from a farm occupation crossing near Hillgreen Farm, 55034 heads away from the camera on 10 May 2025, as it works the 12:30 Cholsey to Wallingford service, during the line's 'Bubble Car Day'. The unit was on loan from Locomotive Services Ltd.

55034 passes a large flowering hawthorn bush at Cholsey, as it nears the end of its short journey on 10 May 2025, with the 13:00 service from Wallingford. The unit was working all Cholsey & Wallingford Railway trains, during the line's 'Bubble Car Day'