Saltley: Now preserved as D5600, Brush Type 2 31179 is seen working light engine towards the nearby stabling point at Saltley on 21st January 1981. The loco was later converted to ETH as 31435 and eventually withdrawn at the end of 1999. It is now at Embsay on the Yorkshire Dales Railway.

Saltley: Saltley, always a busy spot, sees a Class 25 banking a coal hopper train up towards the Camp Hill line as a Brush Class 31 takes a passenger train from Norwich round towards New Street. Above the Sulzer Type 2 the flood lights of Birmingham City football ground can be seen.

Saltley: Brand new HST power cars 43143 and 43144 at Saltley in January 1981. They were taken into service the following month and so are either on test here or being delivered from BREL Crewe where they were built.

Saltley: The steam heating is clearly operational on Brush Type 2 31199, on a New Street to Norwich service, as it passes Saltley on 21st January 1981. The former D5623 was withdrawn by EWS in 2000 and scrapped in Stockton by T J Thompson.

Aberystwyth: Looking towards the buffer stops along platform 3 at Aberystwyth in early 1985 showing DMU 150 001 shortly after arrival on a clearance testing run.

Hall Royd Junction: Peak 45012 leaves the Copy Pit line east of Todmorden Station with coal empties on 21 January 1988.

Edinburgh Waverley: View west from Waverley Bridge, Sunday 21 January 2007.

Edinburgh Waverley: Platforms 15 - 18 get the treatment. Looking across the west end bay platforms from the station's north ramp on 21 January 2007.

Edinburgh Waverley: The Waverley 'sub' platforms on 21 January 2007, with a Voyager standing at platform 9 about to leave for Birmingham New Street. Various changes have been made to the cross-station walkway to cater for new lifts and the recently constructed access to platform 10, which is located on the other side of the south wall. See image [[12940]]

Morecambe: The Heysham boat train now only makes one daily return trip on the branch to the port since the December 2008 timetable change. However, the train does now run through to and from Leeds via Hellifield rather than just shuttling to Lancaster. 142054, newly repainted from Merseyrail yellow, approaches York Bridge on its way to Morecambe (reverse) and Heysham Port in this view east towards Bare Lane.

Dunfermline Town: 170 456 leaves Dunfermline Town on 21 January with a Fife Outer Circle service.

Baxenden: Although Baxenden closed in 1951 trains from Accrington to Bury and Manchester continued to pass through until 1966. An industrial site now occupies the trackbed but, nearly sixty years after the last passengers left, part of the old up platform is still in place. Inside the compound the down platform can also be seen. View south at Map Ref SD 776257.

Baxenden: Looking down the two mile 1:38 Baxenden bank towards Accrington, a gruelling climb in steam days but now the Hyndburn Greenway. Remarkably, the LYR slipped coaches (detached on the move) from its Manchester to Colne expresses for Accrington station, right at the foot of the bank. This would have been like slipping coaches for Bromsgrove while descending the Lickey incline, a really tricky task for the guard who had to bring the slipped coach to a smooth stop in the station platform.

Baxenden: Immediately to the north of Baxenden station site the old ELR trackbed passes this mill lodge on a sturdy stone embankment. The two mile 1:38 descent to Accrington (and the Hyndburn Greenway) begins by the white houses. Even in diesel days this was a challenging line and the Cravens DMUs based at Accrington shed were all of the twin power car variety to cope with local gradients. Towards the end Helmshore was the only intermediate station on the Accrington to Stubbins line and closure finally came on 5th December 1966, the same day as the line from Bacup to Rawtenstall. See image [[21549]]

Uddingston: 66422+66411 'Eddie the Engine' on the 6M22 Hunterston flasks heading south through Uddingston on 21 January 2011.

Calderstones Hospital: Unlike its better known, and longer, neighbour at Whittinghan Hospital the short line from Whalley into Calderstones Hospital never had a regular passenger service. It opened in 1907 and closed in 1952. From 1925 trains were handled by a Barclay 0-4-0F Calderstones. Within the hospital grounds trains ran in this shallow cutting, which now has a surfaced footpath associated with nearby housing developments.

Calderstones Hospital: Ambulance trains ran directly to Calderstones Hospital during WWI when the asylum was turned into a 2000 bed military hospital. In WWII though, the longer ambulance coaches could not negotiate the sharp curves on the branch and casualties were transferred by road from Preston or Blackburn. The only substantial structure on the short line was this (now filled in) bridge that carries the B6246 road over the railway cutting next to the small military cemetery. After a working life of 45 years the branch closed in 1952. Map Reference SD727386.

Farington Curve Junction: Looking through the OHLE as 150134 heads south of Skew Bridge towards Farington Curve Junction with a Preston to Hazel Grove service on 21 January 2011.

Nateby: One of the few discernible stretches of trackbed on the old Knott End line is at Nateby but it has been turned into a farm access road as seen here. This view taken from the level crossing looks west towards Pilling with the old station area immediately behind the camera. See image [[22572]]

Cockerham Cross: Cockerham Cross was a wayside halt on the Garstang & Knott End Railway between Nateby and Pilling. The 1915 timetable shows trains stopping on request on Thursdays and Saturdays only and there may never have been any station structure as such. There was a level crossing however and 49 years after the last goods train from Pilling passed this way all four crossing gate posts survive as does one gate, albeit buried in the hedge as seen here. This view looks north along the lane which the line crossed at right angles. Map Ref SD435471.

Gleneagles: The temporary footbridge in place over the operational platforms at Gleneagles on 21 January 2014. Various improvements are being undertaken here which will make the station much more accessible in advance of September's Ryder Cup. See image [[46041]]

Gleneagles: Changes at Gleneagles station in preparation for the Ryder Cup in September include removal of the disused footbridge that spanned the former Crieff platform. View south along the old platform on 21 January. See image [[2187]]

Aberdour: The 08.20 Aberdeen - Taunton CrossCountry service passes Aberdour on 21 January.

Hyndland: Brrr – I've shut all the windows and there's still a cold draught! The new footbridge at Hyndland station unexpectedly features what appear to be al fresco double glazed window panels.

Glasgow Cross: View from Glasgow Cross (with the plinth covering site of the former station on the left) along Trongate and Argyle Street to Central Station (right background) on 21 January 2015. Argyle Street Station entrance is out of sight behind various items of street furniture.

Exhibition Centre: The 50th Model Rail exhibition, which will be at the SECC from the 26th to 28th of February, is being advertised. Model Rail Scotland Website

Kilmarnock: The 1522 Glasgow Central-Carlisle shuttle Voyager calls at Kilmarnock on 21 January 2016.

Hawick [2nd]: Saw this and gulped! Here’s a clock bought from Hawick Station the day after closure (according to the owner). Ritchie of Edinburgh: can anyone investigate the number? Clock number 15078.

Wetheral: A Carlisle to Newcastle Pacer calls at Wetheral on 21 January 2017.

Scout Green: Stanier Jubilee 45690 'Leander' works hard on the climb up Shap at Scout Green with a railtour to Carlisle on 21st January 2017.

Wetheral Viaduct: 142091 heads east from Wetheral out over the viaduct across the River Eden on 21st January 2017 with a service to Newcastle. After withdrawal 142091 moved into preservation at Rushden.

Woodacre Crossing: The first main line steam of 2017. 45690 Leander takes the Cumbrian Mountain Express north through Woodacre on 21st January 2017. The train was a return excursion from Manchester Victoria to Carlisle via Shap and idling on the rear was a very shiny EE Type 3 37706.

Eden Brows: The Settle and Carlisle Railway was closed in early 2016 due to a landslip at Eden Brows between Armathwaite and Cumwhinton. Network Rail and their contractor Story have constructing an enormous concrete and steel structure that will sit beneath the railway. They are also carrying out significant ground stabilisation between the railway and the River Eden some 70 metres below the line. This view from an overbridge to the south of the site shows the track removed in the distance beyond the yellow container. The line is scheduled to reopen on 31 March 2017.

Carnforth: Jubilee 45690 Leander is seen a few miles north of Carnforth working the first Winter Cumbrian Mountain Express tour of 2017 to Carlisle.

Scout Green: Working hard on the northbound climb up Shap, 45690 Leander is seen just north of Scout Green with 11 coaches and a Class 37 diesel in tow whilst working the Winter CME tour to Carlisle on 21 January 2017. Looking at the scene I wonder what gives away the fact that it wasn't 50 years earlier?

Cumwhinton: Looking north over the former station at Cumwhinton on 21 January 2017. The rails are rusty at the moment with the closure of the S&C at Eden Brows a short distance to the south.

Gorebridge: Despite the morning chill in the air, the early signs of a thaw are apparent around Gorebridge station on 21 January 2018, as the 0945 (Sunday) ex-Tweedbank picks up a fair number of Edinburgh bound passengers.

Lady Victoria Pit Signal Box: ScotRail 170418 runs south towards Gorebridge shortly after leaving Newtongrange on 21 January 2018. The train is passing the industrial site occupying the yard that once served Lady Victoria Colliery, with the old NCB locomotive shed still standing on the extreme right see image [[6114]].

Gorebridge: A Sunday morning train on the Borders Railway runs north towards the Gore Glen on a chilly 21 January 2018 with a ScotRail Tweedbank - Edinburgh service.

Scorton [Lancashire] [1st]: 195014, on testing/mileage accumulation, crosses Gubberford Lane on the outskirts of Scorton village on 21st January 2020. This is the exact site of the first Scorton station, which was only open for a couple of months in 1840 while the second station, on Station Lane, was completed. That closed ninety nine years later. Although, as can be seen, the first station site is still a maintenance access point, there was probably never any sort of station structure here. Nothing remains of either station.

Shettleston: The Up Fort William Sleeper, running 6 minutes early, passes through Shettleston on 21st January 2020, en route to its conjoining choreography at Waverley after which the three sections of the Highland Sleeper will proceed together to Euston. Unfortunately on this particular date, due to a locomotive failure on the Inverness portion the combined Highland Sleeper arrived 155 minutes late at Euston.

Gyle Centre [Tram]: Tram 272 approaches the level crossing before the Gyle Centre stop on 21st January 2020.

Scorton [Lancashire] [1st]: 90028 and 90036 cross Gubberford Lane at Scorton with a Mossend to Daventry intermodal on 21st January 2020. This train had arrived in the Oubeck Loops almost two hours early but was held there for two hours and passed here running a few minutes late.

Ravelrig Junction: DBC 66109 nears the former Ravelrig Junction, with the Tees Dock to Grangemouth service, on 21st January 2020

Gyle Centre [Tram]: Edinburgh Trams 275 and 266 pass at Gyle Centre on 21st January 2020.

Udny: On 21st January 2021, as part of my permitted daily exercise, I was on the ⁦Formartine and Buchan Way and passed this Permanent Way hut, which is still in good condition. The structure is at Tillyeve, just over a mile south of the site of Udny station and there are the remains of a level crossing behind the camera. The sheep looked envious that I was able to access this shelter on a pretty miserable day.

Hunterston Low Level Sidings: For the second week in succession there have been DRS driver training journeys from Motherwell to Hunterston Low Level. On a rather dreich Friday morning, 22nd January 2022, 66431 approaches the current limit of operations where the nuclear flask loading gantry is situated.

Largs: Network rail inspection train topped and tailed by Colas 37 116 and 37 219 pauses at Largs late on a Friday evening.