In the mid 1960’s it was decided to concentrate all of the London Midland Region overnight sleeper services on Euston. This meant that the St Pancras – Nottingham – Leeds – Glasgow sleeper became the Euston - Nottingham – Leeds – Glasgow sleeper. The route taken between Euston and Nottingham was West Coast Main Line to Northampton, then the freight only line from Northampton to Market Harborough and then the Midland Main Line to Nottingham. This lasted until the early 1970’s when the line between Northampton and Market Harborough was closed and the sleeper service cut back to start/terminate at Nottingham. A by-product of this was the ability in this period to use the seating accommodation of the Up service for a trip from Nottingham to London via the WCML, thus on the early morning of the 2nd January 1971 I board the train at Nottingham for the ride to Northampton behind D1686 where we change engines for E3126 for the run up to Euston. This is what I saw that morning on the run to Euston: class 08 (3024, 3228, 3776), class 25 (5218/47, 7531/32/36/57/58/99), class 37 (6720), class 40 (244), class 45 (16/45/96), class 46 (147), class 47 (1590, 1626/86, 1724, 1837, 1932), class 81 (E3012/15/16/22), class 82 (E3047/48/54), class 85 (E3063/64/66/77), class 86 (E3103/10/19/25/26/27/38/41/49/62/71/76/89/90). On arrival in London it was over to Waterloo for a hour with the following observed; class 09 (4104), class 42 (823), class 73 (E6025) and back to Kings Cross to see the following: class 31 (5593/95, 5606/26/42), class 47 (1503/17/19/20/35), class 55 (9008/10/16). The run back from St Pancras to Nottingham produced the following: class 08 (3022, 3304, 3575), class 25 (5215/25/32/50, 7550), class 45 (36/51/68/93/97, 102/27), class 47 (1634).

Of note is 823 at Waterloo which would not last the year as it was withdrawn in October 1971.

A number of the above were photographed later in life and can be found in this collection. As always feedback and comments welcome.

This look back in the past has a selection of diesel and dc electrics from the 1970's, a couple of signal boxes and preserved steam.

On this spring day in April 1979 it would seem that I had a day out to Reading, However rather than the normal routes from Nottingham on this day I travelled via Grantham and the ECML. As always feedback and comments welcome.

A day out on the train with no real plan at the start of the day on where my journey would take me. In rapidly failing light we continue at Shrewsbury before heading home on the class 175 formed 14:53 service to Manchester Piccadilly alighting at Crewe for the class 153 formed 16:07 service to Derby. As always feedback and comments welcome.

A two day trip starts with the overnight train from Nottingham to Glasgow behind Peaks 127 to Leeds and 42 from Leeds over the Settle and Carlisle to Glasgow. Observed in the night were: class 08 (3021, 3295, 3379, 3566, 3741, 3909, 4146), class 20 (8034/84, 8140/69/77), class 24 (5132), class 25 (5166, 25211/66), class 31 (31308), class 40 (356/69), class 45 (62, 127, 45007), class 46 (164), class 47 (1110/11, 1563, 1767, 1855), class 50 (437).
On arrival at Glasgow our first port of call was Polmadie MPD, on shed were: class 08 (3386, 3733, 3891), class 20 (8079/89/93/96, 8117/25, 20080), class 24 (5001/08, 5147), class 26 (5315), class 27 (5397, 5405), class 47 (1935/46, 47349), class 50 (405/49, 50021/36). This was followed by a visit to Eastfield MPD, on shed were: class 08 (3393, 3536, 3728, 3899, 4095, 08143, 08719/63), class 20 (8041/78, 8112/18/21/24, 20110/23), class 24 (5009/15/16/18/19, 5150, 24073), class 25 (5157/58/60/74, 25019), class 26 (5340), class 27 (5350/53/55/58/62/65/71/72/76/82/88/93/95/96/97, 5410/12, 27008/36/37, 27119), class 37 (6845/47/55), class 40 (351/64).
We now head to Edinburgh push-pull with two class 27’s, observed were the following: class 08 (3241, 3731/38/39), class 20 (8086), class 24 (5006/71), class 25 (7580/91), class 26 (5326, 26017), class 27 (5371/88/93/97, 5410/15), class 37 (6838/52), class 40 (280, 367), class 47 (1541, 1766, 1875, 1973/76), class 55 (9006/07/17).
At Edinburgh its out to Haymarket for a tour of the shed where we see the following: class 08 (3888/90), class 20 (8019/85, 8322), class 24 (5066/94, 24065), class 25 (7576), class 26 (5309/22/24), class 27 (5392, 5404/09/11, 27118), class 37 (6838/52), class 40 (294, 358/62/68), class 47 (1102, 1514, 1635, 1975, 47436), class 55 (9004).
The next day was spent ambling down the East Coast back to Nottingham with “stop offs” at Newcastle and York. The following were seen that day: class 03 (2058/64/68, 2102/04/53/65/70/72, 2397/99), class 08 (3090, 3246/51/93, 3319, 3406, 3503/70, 3672/87, 3937, 4146, 08707), class 20 (8020/70), class 24 (24110), class 25 (5228/41), class 31 (5620/31/53/62/78/81/91, 5820/44), class 37 (6702/03/09/10/46/58/61/62/66/69/75/79, 6865/93, 6912), class 40 (206/27/39/52/58/77/84/85/94, 348/52/63/96, 40159), class 45 (31/33/56/58/68/76, 109, 45002/04), class 46 (150/69/71), class 47 (1105/09, 1502/04/05/18/23/36/50, 1969/70, 47289/90), class 55 (9000/02/11/17/18).

As can be seen by December 1973 the TOPS renumbering scheme was starting to be applied in earnest. The other thing to note is how dependant the Scottish Region was at that time on Type 2 power fitted with Sulzer engines.

A number of the above were photographed later in life and can be found in this collection. As always feedback and comments welcome.

A day out on the train with no real plan at the start of the day on where my journey would take me. We continue at Shrewsbury. As always feedback and comments welcome.

A day roaming the West Midlands had started at Birmingham New Street followed Saltley stabling point. We now find ourselves at Nuneaton and a very different looking Nuneaton to today’s version.
As always feedback and comments welcome.

A day out on the train with no real plan at the start of the day on where my journey would take me. We leave Hereford aboard 175001 working the 12:55 service to Manchester Piccadilly and alight at Shrewsbury. As always feedback and comments welcome.

A one off photograph in late September at Kings Cross plus a grey day at Doncaster in mid October. As always feedback and comments welcome.

A day out on the train with no real plan at the start of the day on where my journey would take me. After a few more shots at Cardiff we join 175116 forming the 11:20 service for Holyhead which we leave at Hereford. As always feedback and comments welcome.

Before I started taking colour transparencies in 1975 I took a number of black and white photographs using the “point and shoot” Hamminex. I no longer have the negatives or any records of what each photograph contains so the locomotive identities, places and dates can be vague. In this collection we have photographs from what appears to be a trip to the Liverpool area sometime in 1974. Please accept the limitations of both the camera and the photographers skill in these early attempts
As always feedback and comments welcome.

A day out on the train with no real plan at the start of the day on where my journey would take me. First choice was the 7:26 Derby – Plymouth with one of the “new” Cross Country HST sets which takes us to Bristol Parkway. This is followed by a First Great Western HST to Cardiff. As always feedback and comments welcome

A day out to Crewe continues on a bright but grey day. As always feedback and comments welcome.

A day out in the West Midlands – 2nd April 1977 (Part 1)

A day roaming the West Midlands starts in the “photogenic” Birmingham New Street followed by a trip out to Saltley stabling point. Of interest is that all the locomotives featured in this collection are still in existence thirty one years later.
As always feedback and comments welcome.

A day out trackside again in Leicestershire with a visit to Sileby and the quarry sidings at Mountsorrel.
As always feedback and comments welcome.

A day out to Crewe on a bright but grey day. As always feedback and comments welcome.

On a grey day in March we are in East Anglia. Part 1 of this series started at Liverpool Street and then moved on to Ipswich. This collection features photographs at our final locations for the day, Stratford MPD and Kings Cross.
As always feedback and comments welcome.

The final part of this saga and its still “off the patch” as we tour around London starting where part 7 finished at Stratford MPD moving on to Kings Cross and Hither Green. At this point my photographs virtually finish although that was not the end of the week. As always feedback and comments welcome.

The final instalment of a very successful day. One final shot at Lansdown and its back to Derby and home.

On a grey day in March we set out for East Anglia. We start this collection at Liverpool Street (the old Liverpool Street prior to its rebuilding) and then move on to Ipswich.
As always feedback and comments welcome

We stay “off the patch” at Eastleigh with this collection. We then start the next day again “off patch” at Stratford MPD. Of note is that three of the locomotives featured are still in existence thirty three years later. As always feedback and comments welcome.

It may be March but the sun is shinning brightly as we continue to watch and photograph the traffic at Lansdown.
As always feedback and comments welcome.

On this day thirty eight years ago it was out with the push bike for a sixteen mile round trip to Toton for a “bunk” round the shed. This is what was there that day:
class 08 (3021/29/34/58, 3249, 3345/62/63, 3400/02, 3514, 3852, 3996), class 20 (8009/13/42/43/44/47/66/70/71/74/77, 8125/35/36/42/43/57/58/60/62/63/66/67/68/72/73/75/78/83/84/86/87/95), class 25 (5171, 5232/42/45/50/51/52, 7508/15/25/36/56/61, 7605/20/51), class 44 (2/4/5/7/8/10), class 45 (20/46/55/72/85, 103/04/08/18/23/31/35), class 46 (140/47/52/58/62/81), class 47 (1513, 1629/85/94/95, 1802/04/29/46/49, 1964).
A total of ninty seven locomotives present. Of note are 1513, one of the original batch of twenty class 47’s which did not often stray from the ECML, the ill fated 7605 which would be destroyed two years later just “down the road” at Lenton South Junction and the high number of class 46 peaks (six) which were usually not that common.
In this collection are a couple of shots of Toton then and now and some of the above locomotives later in there careers.
As always feedback and comments welcome.

My day out to Bradford and Halifax continues at Hammerton Street MPD before moving on to Bradford Forster Square and Halifax. As always feedback and comments welcome.

A business trip to London required a change of trains at London Bridge and a brief period of photography.
As always feedback and comments welcome.

This month we have both main line and heritage steam, first and second generation DMU’s, diesel and electric traction and a steam breakdown crane. As always feedback and comments welcome.

Part 5 finished at Plymouth and we now move up to Exeter and then its up to Paddington and back again overnight to start again “off the patch” at Southampton, followed by Poole and Eastleigh. As always feedback and comments welcome.

In 1970 the class 83 and 84 electric locomotives were all taken out of traffic pending an upgrade to there electrical control equipment. Most were stored at Bury in what is now I think Ian Rileys works. On this November day in 1970 I ventured north from Nottingham to Bury to track down these stored locomotives and this is what I saw that day.
Nottingham – Bury: class 08 (3029/34/37, 3404, 3769/71/73/84, 3860), class 20 (8008/12, 8101/41/92), class 25 (5270/74, 7585), class 31 (5655), class 37 (6718, 6809), class 40 (213, 385), class 44 (2), class 45 (26/75, 108), class 47 (1783/85, 1828, 1900), class 86 (E3158).
In store at Bury were: class 76 (E26000), class 83 (E3024/25/26/27/28/29/30/31/32/35/98/99), class 84 (E3036/37/39/40/41/44/45). Out of fifteen class 83 locomotives twelve were present and out of ten class 84 locomotives seven were present.
Following on from Bury I paid a visit to Reddish MPD and noted the following: class 25 (5153, 7548/94), class 40 (226), class 76 (E26002/09/10/17/24/35/40/42/46/56).
I now headed for Crewe and back to Nottingham and stopped off at Crewe MPD and noted the following: class 08 (3801), class 24 (5007/22/32/38/41/60/79, 5142), class 40 (211/29/32/33/43/67, 320/44), class 47 (1540, 1615/18/23/89, 1708/15/45/55, 1808/34, 1943/45/58/60/63), class 50 (406/07/14/15/21/24/26/29/30/31/33/38/43/47/48).
Finally the journey back from Manchester to Nottingham produced: class 03 (2386/98), class 08 (3032/33, 3105, 3279, 3585, 3984, 4035, 4143), class 24 (5008/89), class 25 (5203), class 37 (6964), class 40 (274/89/98), class 45 (45), class 46 (141/54), class 47 (1628, 1947), class 50 (405/13/34), class 81 (E3012/20/21/96), class 85 (E3074/81/86), class 86 (E3105/14/16/28/30/32/40/45/48/57/63/68/78/86/89/91). Of note in addition to the class 83 and 84 locomotives are the fifteen class 50’s on Crewe MPD representing 30% of the class and the now withdrawn E26000, the original class 76 dating from 1941 which would be broken up at Crewe in October 1972.
In this collection are a number of images of locomotives seen that day later in there careers. As always feed back and comments welcome

Following a few shots at Cheltenham station it is on with the walking boots as we head south of the station to Lansdown for some lineside shots of trains in action. Of note is that all the locomotives in this collection are still in existence nearly thirty years after these photographs were taken. As always feedback and comments welcome.
As always feedback and comments welcome

The day dawned bright and sunny but cold as I set out and sample the delights of rail travel on Network Rail for the day. At the start of this collection we are at Huddersfield and it is obvious that something is afoot as there are a number of photographers dotted about the station. That something is the Cotton Mill Express which storms through the station behind Stanier class 5 45407 running about 30 minutes late. My luck at being at Huddersfield (by chance) at the right time was nearly ruined by 185111 which almost got in the way. After the excitement of the black five it was a ride over the Pennines to Manchester and Liverpool.
As always feedback and comments welcome.

The day dawned bright and sunny but cold as I set out and sample the delights of rail travel on Network Rail for the day. We start at Derby waiting for the 07:42 Cross Country service northwards. This takes me through Barrow Hill and Beighton as the direct route Chesterfield – Sheffield is currently closed. Last time I was at Beighton it still was home to two class 08’s out stationed from Tinsley, now the yard has all gone. On arrival at Sheffield we are advised that due signalling problems (fallen tree destroying two location cases full of signalling equipment) between Sheffield and Doncaster next stop would be York, so I decide to stay on board. We depart and at Swinton turn right for Doncaster!!!! Those on board with some route knowledge now confused (including the Train Manager) and we take our turn in the Temporary Block Working queue. Eventually arrive at Doncaster where I leave and board a NXEC to Leeds. On approach to Wakefield the Train Manager announces passengers to Huddersfield change here, so I decide to change for a ride along the Calder Valley. We depart on the 10:29 Northern service to Selby!!! (via Huddersfield, Halifax, Bradford and Leeds) and pass the remains of Healey Mills yard with its graffiti covered stored class 56 locomotives. On arrival at Huddersfield it is obvious that something is afoot but that will have to wait to part 2.
As always feedback and comments welcome.

Over a couple of recent weekends the new signalling centre and signalling arrangements were commissioned at Barnham. In this collection can be seen some of the new signals and other elements of the work. Photographs of what was replaced can be found in the infrastructure collection. As always feedback and comments welcome.

A selection of photographs in memory of locomotives that succumbed to the cutters torch in the month of November. As always feedback and comments welcome.

A day out to Bradford and Halifax starts at Derby before moving on to Bradford Exchange and Hammerton Street MPD. As always feedback and comments welcome.

Following one last photograph in the late evening sun at Worcester it’s a run up to Paddington and overnight to Penzance. From Penzance we move up to Plymouth.
As always feedback and comments welcome.

We have arrived at Cheltenham and the day is starting to brighten up. In this collection we have a few photographs taken on the station. As always feedback and comments welcome.

In March 1977 I had to undertake some survey work in the vicinity of Primrose Hill fast line tunnel. In order to undertake this survey work we took advantage of a Sunday fast line possession and in those days we travelled down by train in the morning from Nottingham to St Pancras, walked down the road to Euston and then walked up the bank to Camden and Primrose Hill. I have not included a couple of photographs in the Camden area as they give the wrong impression regarding track safety if you do not understand the possession arrangements so we are limited to those I took at Euston. As always feedback and comments welcome.

Its day two of my weeks holiday and I am still in South Wales. We continue with a walk around the “graveyard of steam” at Barry before heading North East to Worcester.

As always feedback and comments welcome

It’s a bright but frosty start to the day as we wait at Derby for our train to the south west. As always feedback and comments welcome.

As I was passing close by I called in on the Mid Hants Railway at Ropley. As it was a wet Friday in November I was rather surprised to find the Standard class 5 was in steam and shunting about the yard.
As always feedback and comments welcome.

We move on from Hull and Botanic Gardens to the docks at Goole. In 1977 the docks were still receiving a volume of rail traffic which required the provision of three pilot locomotives. I first visited Goole in the spring of 1968 and still remember the long walk through the sidings to the old steam shed. Just prior to this visit the docks pilots had been a batch of ten class 05 diesel mechanical 0-6-0’s D2598/99, D2600/01/02/09/10/11/13/14. These had just been withdrawn the first being D2614 in March 1967 and remainder in December 1967 and all bar D2614 were still in the shed awaiting there fate, which for six was National Coal Board or British Steel use for another few years.

Its day two of my weeks holiday and I am still in South Wales. We start north of Cardiff at Radyr and then across the city to the Docks at Barry.
As always feedback and comments welcome.

The formation of British Railways in 1948 and the general poor condition of the wagon fleet lead to a massive wagon building program in the 1950’s. In this collection are a few more examples plus a vehicle currently being used as a goods van but is actually non passenger coaching stock.
As always feedback and comments welcome.

A collection of images of overseas railways.

Collection of images from 1974 to the present day of coaching stock, non passenger coaching stock, breakdown cranes, on track plant and goods wagons.

Images from 1974 - 1989. Scans from my 3800+ slide collection plus a few colour and b/w prints of locomotives and multiple units around the UK.

Images from 2007 to the present day of diesel and electric multiple units.

Images from 2003 to the present day of preserved diesel and electric locomotives and multiple units.

Images from 1974 to the present day of railway infrastructure. Signal boxes, signalling equipment, locomotive depots.

Images from 1997 to the present day of diesel and electric locomotives.

Images from 1974 to the present day of steam locomotives.