Green Road Junction: Looking east. The two tracks to the left ran to the NBR Yoker yard and the two tracks to the right ran past the Caley Yoker shed and on to Scotstoun West.

Yoker Shed [CR]: The Caley approach to Rothesay Dock was ahead and a little to the left. In the middle was Yoker Shed.

Yoker Shed [CR]: The Caley approach to Rothesay Dock was ahead and a little to the left. In the middle was Yoker Shed.

Yoker Depot: The train to the right heads off for a bath. This yard was the start point of the NBR line to Rothesay Dock.

Scotstoun West Junction: Looking west to the junction. To the left were sidings for Yarrows Shipyard. Also to the left was the end of the Clydeside Tramway.

Scotstoun West Junction: Looking east to Scotstoun West station. This fine girder bridge looks to be in a state of siege. Doocots abound round here.

Scotstoun West Junction: Looking west at Scotstoun West where the Rothesay Dock Branch and L&DR parted company. The island platform of Scotstoun West is to the left.

Scotstoun East: Remains of the station exit at Scotstoun East on 9 January 2006.

Scotstoun East: Looking east to Whitinch Riverside. Telegraph poles remain for some of the length of the line. The cranes of the Govan shipyard can be seen to the right.

Scotstoun East: The former Barclay Curle shipyard seen from the embankment of the L&D half way between Scotstoun East and Scotstoun West.

Ormskirk: South end of the single line Ormskirk station on 09 January 2007 with a Merseyrail electric service ready to leave for Liverpool.

Scotstoun East: Looking east to Scotstoun East. The route of the former Clydeside Tramway can be seen at a lower height on the right.

Johnstone: 334020 and 334034 departing Johnstone for Glasgow Central

Johnstone: 66033 passing through Johnstone with coal for Longannet. The next stop from here is the loop at Elderslie to let passenger trains pass by

Johnstone: 318267 & 318264 pulling into Johnstone with an Ayr service

Johnstone: 318258 heading up the hill on the approach to Johnstone station

Johnstone: 66242 heading down the hill bound for Hunterston passes 66033 as it comes up the hill towards Johnstone with coal for Longannet

Johnstone: 66242 with coal empties for Hunterston passing through Johnston station.

Johnstone: 318258 heading away from Johnstone station uphill towards Elderslie

Ormskirk: Once a through route for Liverpool - Scotland services, Ormskirk station, now a single line with 2 sets of buffer-stops, is seen on 09 January 2007. The diesel unit has just arrived on a service from Preston, while Merseyrail electric services into Liverpool depart from the other end of the platform behind the camera.

Liverpool Exchange: On 3 August 1968 the last BR scheduled service to be hauled by a standard gauge steam locomotive ended its journey here. Closed in 1977 the frontage now forms part of an office complex.

Dent: The 0926 Carlisle - Leeds train arrives at Dent Station on 9 January 2010. Trains ran very well over the snowy period which lasted about 5 weeks, although the evening train back on this particular day did lose time due to having to creep through Blea Moor tunnel as a result of giant icicles!

Scorton [Lancashire] [2nd]: A Class 67 hauled freight drifts south through the site of Scorton station, as seen from local hill Nicky Nook. Behind the train the Fylde plain stretches out towards Pilling, with Morecambe Bay beyond.

Carrbridge: Following the derailment at Carrbridge on 4 January 2010, removal of the Stobart containers is currently taking place. The photograph shows lifting operations underway on the morning of 9 January - see latest news item.

Kincardine: The late-running 6G05 09.29 Ravenstruther - Longannet approaching Kincardine behind 66524 on 9 January 2012.

Grafton East Junction: 5029 Nunney Castle at speed, approaching the pumping station at Crofton on 9 January see image [[45916]]. I did ask Network Rail to shift those sleepers but they said NO... without actually using that particular word...

Crewe: Standing at the south end of Crewe station on 9 January 2014 is DB 92036 Bertolt Brecht with a short rake of refurbished rolling stock destined for Bescot yard following repair at Crewe EMD.

Carnforth: Freightliner 66555 takes coal empties from Fiddlers Ferry Power Station to Hunterston through Carnforth on 9 January 2014. The train is just passing the area Network Rail office. In the foreground is a surviving remnant of the old main line Down platform.

Findhorn Viaduct [Tomatin]: On a sunny but cold January afternoon, DRS liveried 66302 is crossing Findhorn Viaduct southbound with container empties for Grangemouth.

Chester: The possibly pre nationalisation buffer stop for the stabling line alongside the platform 1 bay running line at Chester, seen on 9 January. See image [[45453]] for the results of an overrun accident on the adjacent bay line to the right.

Wakefield Westgate: View south from the new footbridge at the north end of Wakefield Westgate on 9 January 2014, showing canopy and platform construction works still in progress. The original steam era footbridge at the south end is now blocked out of use, and will no doubt be removed in due course. There were originally two centre through roads, but as can be seen the up one was removed to allow erection of overhead line supports. Over to the right can be seen the former bays that supported local services to Bradford via Ossett & Dewsbury and to Castleford via Outwood and Stanley.

Chester: A distinct curve inward can be seen on platform 3 at Chester Station, at a position where points are located to access the western end of the platform from the centre road. It would appear to be a remedy to overcome a minor clearance issue.

Bicester Town: The rebuilt station at Bicester Town, looking to Oxford.

Bicester Town: 168 312 standing under the new footbridge and lifts waiting to head for London. See image [[25588]] for a similar view 7 years previously.

Bicester Town: Bicester Town, looking away from Oxford and towards the new curve beyond the level crossing.

Bicester Town: This was a very dull and dank day. Hopefully by December, the line from Oxford Main Station to Marylebone will be fully open. Last time I was in Oxford, the old bay platform was being overhauled.

Braeside Junction: More than 20 years after passage of the last train, vegetation clearance has uncovered the Crombie/Charlestown branch near Merryhill (north of Braeside Junction).
What now?

Townsend Fold: 60103 Flying Scotsman hauls the first southbound ELR service of the day on 9 January 2016. The train is approaching Townsend Fold level crossing on one of its public test runs. [See recent news item]. Behind the grey pacific is the 'insurance policy' provided by 31466 (later replaced by a Black 5).

Summerseat: Having a bit of an identity crises at the moment, number 502/103/60103 (depending where you look) Flying Scotsman (but without nameplates) on it's second round trip at the East Lancashire Railway on 9 January 2016. The track gang is out with the Land Rover carrying out some packing and lineside clearance work just south of Summerseat station.

Ramsbottom: West Country Pacific no. 34092 City of Wells, waits with a northbound service at Ramsbottom on 9 January 2016. Running as simply Wells for a while it has now received it's full name again.

York: The tender tank from Bulleid 'West Country' Pacific 34101 Hartland in an engineering company yard north of York in January 2016. Whether it is to be overhauled or a replacement is to be built is unclear.

Gourock: One of the new ScotRail Class 385 electric multiple units, which can be regularly seen at Gourock where they are currently being tested overnight. Photograph taken on 9 January 2017. (Pictures are also available in Inverclydenow.com)

Laurencekirk: This is inside the lovely and warm waiting room on the north bound platform tonight. A couple of surviving posters protected behind glass.

Laurencekirk: While I wait for my 8 mins late train to Aberdeen! Here's a mural on the south platform of Laurencekirk station.

Laurencekirk: The lit walkway to the signal box at Laurencekirk runs north from the southbound platform.

Poulton-le-Fylde: Looking east from the Station Road over bridge in Poulton-le-Fylde at electrification progress in January 2018. See image [[58363]] for the same view in March 2017. Masts are now appearing and the semaphores have been removed. Station Road is confusing for the uninitiated as it leads to the site of the original station on the direct route to Fleetwood, which closed in 1896.

Weeton [Lancashire] Signal Box: Electrification progress at Weeton, viewed from the over bridge by the site of the signal box on 9th January 2018. The line reopened in April 2018 with electric services commencing in May. See image [[19299]] for an earlier view from the same spot.

Blackpool North: Continuing progress at Blackpool North. Since my last visit one month previously See image [[62097]] the side walls of all three island platforms have been installed, as have the other five tracks. The platform in the foreground is particularly long and will be able to accommodate Pendolinos. 9th January 2018.

Blackpool Pleasure Beach: Following the recent renewal of Crossleys Bridge at Layton two similar structures on the Blackpool South line are also being renovated and have been closed to vehicles. This is Harrowside Bridge between Pleasure Beach and Squires Gate on 9th January 2018 and the need for repairs is apparent. The bridge at nearby Squires Gate station is also being repaired at the same time. The Blackpool South line reopens on 29th January 2018.

Poulton-le-Fylde: Poulton station is closed to trains for a five month electrification period but the booking office is open and there is a frequent service of Rail Replacement buses calling while running between Blackpool North and Preston. This view taken on 9th January 2018 with rail services due to resume for Easter 2018.

Blackpool North: The new island platform 1/2 at Blackpool North, stretching out towards the relocated (and remodelled) station throat on 9th January 2018. Significant progress has been made here in the past month See image [[61831]].

Poulton-le-Fylde: Vegetation clearance at Poulton-le-Fylde on 9th January 2018, prior to the electrification masts being erected. The bracket signal for the Fleetwood junction has finally been dismantled but the signal cabin can still be seen through the bridge arch. The line is scheduled to reopen at the end of March.

Poulton-le-Fylde: At the end of 2017 four of the five surviving mechanical signal boxes on the Fylde lines had been demolished, leaving only Poulton No.3. Here it is seen on 9th January 2018 next to the simplified track layout. Catenary masts are appearing on all sides, and lying in the foreground waiting to be erected when it is finally demolished. See image [[44186]] taken from the same spot in 2013.

Moy: 37602 and 37218 are pictured at Moy, returning to Inverness after an outing to Tomatin with a snowplough test run on 9th January 2018.

Blackpool Pleasure Beach: The view northwards from Blackpool Pleasure Beach station on 9th January 2018, during the electrification closure of the Blackpool lines. A new colour light (protecting the buffers at Blackpool South) has appeared at the lineside, and presumably the old fixed distant board it replaces will be removed in due course. It appears a number of signals are being installed on this line (that has been one train only working for many years). This may now allow some flexible turn back working, which would assist events such as the Open Golf Championships at Ansdell & Fairhaven.

Murrayfield: It's always satisfying to come across a bit of left-behind hardware on a railway path, in this case a CR signal post base. OS maps confirm that there was indeed an 'SP' here, a little to the north of Murrayfield station. It would have been an advanced starter, if I understand these things.

Lancaster: Sunday strollers on the canal towpath as Rail Operations Group 37800 passes Lancaster, taking Orion EPU 326001 from Mossend to Northampton on 9th January 2022. These repurposed Class 319 units saw regular use between Shieldmuir and Willesden in December 2021 and this has continued in the new year but all workings appear to have been diesel hauled. (This shot was very nearly thwarted by a Pendolino crossing the bridge a couple of moments later)