Trinity Junction: A pair of Claytons with D8610 leading D8616, which had earlier worked down to Granton, seen here returning past Trinity Junction complete with brakevan on the way back to Millerhill in March 1970. Granton had been operated as a single line since the start of 1970, when all signalboxes beyond Easter Road Junction were abolished, hence the locomotives apparently running 'wrong line'.

Granton: EE Type 3 No D6857 lifts a block train of empty oil tanks away from Granton. The loco was allocated to Eastfield at the time, suggesting this is the Q (as required) working from Granton to Grangemouth, booked to depart at 10:25. Thought to have been taken on 16th March 1970

Trinity Junction: A pair of Claytons passing Trinity Junction northbound on 16 March 1970 with a trip working to Granton. Locomotives are thought to be D8616+D8610. See image [[20393 for the view sixteen years later]]

Granton: Wagonloads of esparto grass being taken away from the dockside at Granton on 16 March 1970. The locomotive is Barclay 0-4-0 no D2413 of Leith Central depot. See image [[28291]].

Loanhead: The panel in Loanhead signal box in March 1973, at which time the line still served Bilston Glen Colliery.

Swindon Works: D1004 Western Crusader, an early Western withdrawal, looking very woebegone in Swindon Works yard awaiting scrapping. Even in this condition the fine looks of the Class 52 are evident, which leads me to wonder (and its just a personal opinion) how, after 47 years of 'progress', we produced the Class 70? Railscot note: Caption amended thanks to additional information from Dave Blake to identify the locomotive correctly.

Swindon Works: Western D1019 and Hymek D7089 on the scrap line at Swindon Works on 16 March 1974. Both had been withdrawn the previous May but the Hymek (which is clearly in better condition here) was later removed from the works yard for departmental service as train heating unit ADB968005. This was only for a brief period but the loco didn't return to Swindon, being broken up at Thomson's in Stockton in late 1975 or early 1976. D1019 only lasted a few more months and was cut up at Swindon in October 1974. (With thanks to Peter Todd and Crinan Dunbar).

Crediton: The Decennial Belle, photographed at Crediton on 16 March 1985 behind 50007. The special, organised by the Lea Valley Railway Circle, ran from Paddington and visited several branches in the south west.

Wakefield MPD: The former 56A Wakefield shed and entry footbridge seen in March 1991 following its closure as a wagon repair facility.

Swinton : A pair of the once prolific class 20's, nos 20092+20185, working north through the 1990 Swinton Station with a rake of empty engineers short wheelbase open wagons in March 1992. The fate of the two locos varied greatly, in that the trailing loco, 20185, only remained in service a further two months, being cut up at MC Metals in Glasgow in Feb '94, As of March 2016 the lead loco 20092 is indicated as still extant, albeit in store at Long Marston.

Bradford Forster Square: The old Bradford Forster Square Station during the initial stages of demolition on 16 March 1992, seen from the adjacent platforms of the new station.

Bradford Forster Square: Demolition of the old Bradford Forster Square station in progress in March 1992 with the replacement station operational on the right. See image [[23433]]

Crigglestone Junction: All that remains of Crigglestone junction signal box following overnight demolition on 16 March 1997.

Aberdeen Guild Street: EWS liveried 37682 powers a loaded log train out of Aberdeen Guild Street Yard on 16 March 1999. Transrail liveried sister 37409 appears to be hitching a ride, being dead in the consist, for the run south. 37682, the former D6936, was withdrawn in October 2014, and cut up at C F Booth in Rotherham two years later. However, ETH fitted 37409, the former D6970, is still extant with DRS, although (as of early 2022) it has recently been placed into store at Carlisle Kingmoor TMD and is facing an unknown future.

Lanark: SPT liveried 318266 runs into the terminus at Lanark in March 2003 with a mid morning service from Dalmuir. The front destination panel has already been set for the return journey, scheduled to get underway twelve minutes later.

Lanark: Work in progress on the building occupying platform 2 on the north side of Lanark station in March 2003. A train for Dalmuir is awaiting its departure time at platform 1.

Lanark: Looking towards the buffer stops at Lanark terminus in March 2003, with a Dalmuir train standing at platform 1.

Lanark: A Dalmuir train awaits its departure time at Lanark in March 2003.

Lanark: Lanark station, March 2003.

Grantshouse: A Virgin Voyager runs south through the site of Grantshouse station with a cross-country service in March 2004 and is about to pass a tamper stabled in the sidings. The photograph shows the scene 40 years after closure of the station to passenger traffic and 43 years after the unwelcome visit of D249 see image [[30150]].

Grantshouse: A Voyager at speed just north of Grantshouse in March 2004.The line runs parallel with the A1 at this point.

Grantshouse: The site of the former station at Grantshouse, Berwickshire, seen here in March 2004. Grantshouse station closed to passengers in 1964 and nowadays the cleared site provides ECML access and stabling facilities for maintenance and engineering staff. The passing train is the GNER Inverness - Kings Cross Highland Chieftain

Grantshouse: A GNER London - Aberdeen HST service runs north through Grantshouse in March 2004.

Grantshouse: The site of Grantshouse station on the ECML seen from the hillside looking east in bright spring sunshine on 16 March 2004. The train is a Virgin CrossCountry service from Bournemouth destined for Edinburgh Waverley.

Bonnyrigg: The remains of the station at Bonnyrigg, photographed in March 2005, looking south west from the pavement alongside the B704. The station was the first stop south of Hardengreen Junction on the Peebles Loop and closed to passengers in 1962.

Gallowgate Central Junction: Looking in the right hand tunnel of the NBR Bridgeton Cross Extension Line. Looks like some sort of work is taking place.. a month ago you could not see the trackbed. Notice also the Blue safety net! Hmm.. What is going on??

Gallowgate Central Junction: Different angle looking toward both tunnels..

Gallowgate Central Junction: Inscription on portal of G&SWR tunnel... Suspect BGN stands for Bridgeton.

Gallowgate Central Junction: Clearing work has taken place on this redundant line... Tyre tracks evident. No idea why.

Blenheim: Rush hour at Blenheim station on New Zealands South Island on 16 March 2008.

Johnstone: 47848 passing through Johnstone station with a Royal Mail Class 325 in tow whilst on a driver training run from Ayr to Shieldmuir

Johnstone: 47848 producing lots of smoke as it reaches the top of the hill on the approach to Johnstone station, heading east. This was a GBRf driver training run from Shieldmuir to Ayr and back with a Royal Mail EMU attached

Johnstone: Rear of 325006 as it passes through Johnstone behind 47848 during a driver training run from Shieldmuir to Ayr and back on 16th March 2008.

Garroch Viaduct: View west at Garroch Viaduct towards Castle Douglas on 16 March 2010. The viaduct marks the end of the 'Maxwelltown Railway Path', a tarmac surfaced cycling and walking route from Dumfries which now runs along the old trackbed. See image [[25379]] Part of the former Cargenbridge ICI Works can be seen on the right. [The viaduct itself is currently fenced off having been officially declared an 'unsafe structure'.]

Lochearnhead [2nd]: This is how I first saw Lochearnhead station in about 1995, an almost heavenly vision through mist and trees. On a more earthly note, there were two notices on the approach road: one said 'Strictly Private', the other said 'Visitors Welcome'.

Caldercruix: 334 015 leaves Caldercruix with an eastbound service on 16 March 2011.

Dalmeny: 66 003 brings an aviation fuel train off the Forth Bridge and through Dalmeny station on 16 March 2011 before taking the Winchburgh line.

Buckshaw Parkway: After several false starts work is finally underway on the new Buckshaw Parkway station on the former Royal Ordnance Factory site between Euxton Junction and Chorley, seen here on 16 March 2011. In addition to the industrial units there are now over 1800 houses off to the left with more being built. To the right is part of Runshaw College. Further info about the station and village itself is available on the web. See image [[20909]]

Forrestfield: 334 011 nears Bedlormie Toll bridge near Forrestfield with an eastbound train on 16 March 2011.

Portobello Junction: The overhead wires at this location are a bit of a hindrance to photography, but I suppose we mustn't be selfish. 170459 comes off the Newcraighall line (rump of the Waverley Route) on 16 March with a crossrail service for Glenrothes. Meanwhile a 322 heading for North Berwick retreats slowly, in the wake of the daily 'Binliner' from Powderhall Refuse depot. Typically I failed to photograph either of those two thanks to lateness and camera-faffing respectively. It's not just you.

Westcraigs: 334 025 brings up the rear of a six car train from Helensburgh Central to Edinburgh Waverley on 16 March. The train is passing the site of the former Westcraigs station.

Kinghorn: Locals on the Fife coast line are normally going to Waverley, but a few each day are extended to Newcraighall.  This Customer Information Screen has recently been installed on Platform 1 at Kinghorn, Platform 2 having had one for about 4 years.  Presumably limited clearance (the platform is narrow) is the reason for the 'menu' style screen rather than the sideways scrolling style. It's odd that menu screens don't show the current time: wouldn't this be rather easy to arrange? 

Brunstane: ScotRail 158730 leaves Brunstane for Newcraighall on 16 March 2011.

Dalmeny: 158 734 calls at Dalmeny on 16 March with a returning Fife local.  Heading for the Bridge is a 4-car 158 for Perth which has not called, but is observing speed restrictions caused by recent track replacement.  The pristine ballast on either side of the bridge gives this away.

Armadale: 334 025 arrives at Armadale on 16 March with a westbound service.

Armadale: 334 006 with an eastbound train at Armadale on 16 March.

Preston (Ribble Branch): Northern 150138 slows for the Blackpool platform (1) at Preston station on 16 March 2012. In the foreground is the Preston Docks branch near the top of the 1:29 incline where it emerges alongside the station. The steepness of the climb, with its tight checkrailed curve, can be seen by the tapering brickwork. Prior to 1972 this view, taken from the Christian Road overbridge, would have included an elevated signal box that straddled this cutting.

Fishergate Tunnel: 66167 emerges from Fishergate Tunnel straight onto the 1:29 climb back to the main line with fourteen empty bitumen tanks from Preston Dock to Lindsey Refinery at Immingham. This section of the short but very interesting branch is hemmed in on all four sides, and in fact if you don't know it is there you cannot see it from the surrounding roads. This view taken from the overbridge on Walton's Parade.

Oskova: Snow lying at Oskova sidings in the late morning of Saturday 16 March as Czech built 0-6-0T No. 25-30 waits to pick up a load of coal for the washery. In the background diesel-hydraulic No. 740 108 has recently arrived from the mine with yet another trainload.

Oskova: On the afternoon of 16th March, with the sun having melted most of the snow, the driver of No. 25-30 waits to resume work at Oskova sidings. The water column on the right has unfortunately been replaced recently with a hydrant but the decrepit coaling stage on the left is still in use - it would be closed down immediately if British style H&S ever reached the country!

Crystal Peaks [SYPTE]: A Sheffield Supertram calls at Crystal Peaks on 16 March.

Wolverhampton Low Level: Looking out from the well preserved awning at Wolverhampton Low Level station in the afternoon sun on 16 March, as a class 321 unit draws into the current High Level station in the background. See image [[36283]]

Wolverhampton Low Level: This pub sign is more faithful to the original than many I could name. The pub is equidistant from Wolverhampton High and Low Level stations and is well worth a visit in order to enjoy (amongst other things) its mini-museum of signs and pictures.

Wolverhampton St. Georges: An unusual form of buffer stop at the North Western end of the Midland Metro. Could be a good idea to have a supply of salt water on hand, in case it turns out to be a Triffid.

Värtahamn: Seen from the adjacent hotel are MS Baltic Queen of Tallink and Silja Serenade of Silja Line are berthed together in Stockholm's ferry haven. These are so called 'cruiseferries' which can carry thousands of passengers each and ply between Sweden, Finland and the Baltic States. In the centreground, under construction, is a woodchip-fired power station to which raw material is brought by ship or by train. The line which serves it can just be made out in the shady area to the left of and below the new road infrastructure. There was a station, Värta, on this route, Värtabanan, until 1913. The line itself was electrified between 1904 and 1908 and re-electrified in the 1930s; now it is freight only. According to the Port website there have been occasional train ferries to Finland.

Wolverhampton St. Georges: This Midland Metro tram stop will soon be replaced by one nearer the railway station. But in March 2014, it was still in the pink - in more ways than one.

Wolverhampton Low Level: The former Wolverhampton Low Level station, from the road side; complete with new smoked glass porch and Grand Station branding. An impressive survivor. See image [[20285]]

West Bromwich Central [Tram]: Mercifully, not all Metro trams are pink - or even silver and magenta see image [[46258]]. West Bromwich Central is under reconstruction as tram 08, in original red and blue livery, stops on 16 March on its way to Wolverhampton. Midlands Metro

Aberdour: 158730 leads the 13.31 from Edinburgh to Dundee away from Aberdour on 16 March. Trailing is SPT 170478 which is about to be transformed into Saltire livery.

Newtongrange: Ongoing work at Newtongrange, looking south on a wet 16 March 2015. The car park is starting to take shape on the left with work also underway on the direct link to the National Mining Museum at the far end of the platform.

Gorebridge: Progress at Gorebridge on 16 March 2015 looking south from Station Road.

Llandudno Junction: 0618hrs at Llandudno Junction on 16th March and the Holyhead to Cardiff Y Gerallt Gymro funded service is running right time. DVT 82307 leads the train along the North Wales coast while 67029 is the propelling loco but the train will reverse at Chester forward the run south. (See recent news item)

Llandudno Victoria: This view of the entrance to Llandudno Victoria illustrates the gradient in the station but this steepens considerably as the tram proceeds up the hill. Gradients on the upper section are much less severe. Photo taken one week before opening for the 2015 season but with everything shipshape and ready to go.

Llandudno Junction: Silver liveried 67029 Royal Diamond propels the daily Holyhead to Cardiff Y Gerallt Gymro service away from Llandudno Junction on 16th March 2015. The train reverses at Chester and the Class 67 will lead the train through Wrexham and down the Welsh Marches route to South Wales. See image [[50681]]

Llandudno: The glass exterior of the nicely refurbished booking hall at Llandudno station, seen here on 16 March 2015 from the station forecourt.

Stockholm: Work has started to extend Stockholm's No. 7 tram route to Central Station see image [[37918]] so there is a temporary terminus in place here meantime.

Edinburgh Waverley: The 1243 service to North Berwick awaits its departure time at Waverley on 16 March.

Stockholm: A Number 7 tram, a Flexity Swift A32, turns from Strandvagen on to Djurgardsbron in Stockholm on 16 March 2015.

Durham: Stand well back from the platform edge.... A Virgin East Coast HST heads south at speed through Durham station on a dull 16 March 2015 on the 0952 Aberdeen to Kings Cross service.

Llandudno Victoria: One week before opening for the 2015 season, a Great Orme tram waits in Llandudno Victoria station at the foot of the lower tramway section. All the cables had been refitted on the tramway by this date after their winter removal so the system was ready for operation - but no services just yet.

Durham: GBRF 66751 hauls a rake of coal wagons off the viaduct at the south end of Durham station heading for Tyne Dock on 16 March 2015

Durham: A northbound TPE service comes off the viaduct on the approach to Durham station in March 2015.

Llandudno: Llandudno station has undergone a high quality restoration in recent years with many of the original features being retained alongside modern improvements. This is the view from the buffer stops towards the booking hall in March 2015.

Llandudno Junction: First light at Llandudno Junction on 16th March with ATW 175115 idling in Bay Platform 2 before departing along the short branch to Llandudno.

Tomatin: 37218 and 37607 work the Mossend Down Yard to Forsinard engineers train. Pictured leaving Tomatin which was the only place in the Inverness area that wasn't foggy today.

Cotham: Looking south from Grange Lane overbridge near Cotham village along the trackbed of the former Newark to Bottesford line in March 2016. The view shows the limit of the hard surface of the combined footpath and cycle route 64 that runs from east of London Road at Balderton to this point. Beyond the bottom of the access ramp the trackbed becomes overgrown, although there is a narrow walked track continuing south.

Lockerbie: DRS 66429 and friend power the Daventry - Mossend Tesco train past Lockerbie loops on 16 March.

Ballater: Ballater station this morning, still a long way to go until it's rebuilt. The old photographs on the screening are very interesting.

Cambus o' May: Cambus O May this morning, the footbridge across the Dee just west of the station is still shut due to being damaged in the flooding over a year ago.

Dinnet: Dinnet station, the platform weighing machine is still intact alongside the estate office.

Aboyne: Platform side at Aboyne, the tunnel under the A93 is in the distance, a new addition is the electric car re-charging point, it's a shame that the electric battery railcar wasn't still operating as intended on the line. The nearest charging points for the battery railcar were at Ballater and Aberdeen.

Ferryhill Shed [1st]: This is the original steam shed, now part of Ferryhill Heritage Railway Trust taken through the fence from the Duthie Park. The locomotive is Ex-CEGB, RSH 0-6-0T, Works No. 7846 at the Ferryhill Motive Power Depot.

Dee Viaduct: This is the bridge over the River Dee looking south, it has getting refurbished for the last few months. Taken from the Duthie Park, behind the camera is the remaining parts of Ferryhill shed.

Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal: Looking North East from the A5 on 16 March 2017. This is the railway embankment which will meet up with the new bridge over the A5 when they build it see image [[52516]]. Notice the rail-over-road bridge already built below the left-most wind turbine. The M1 passes behind the wind turbines.

Lymington Pier: Seen from a departing Lymington to Isle of Wight ferry, a Class 450 EMU departs the Pier Station at 0844 hours heading for Brockenhurst. 16th March 2018.

Southampton Central: The 0915 Trafford Park Euro Terminal to Southampton Western Docks nears the end of it's journey on 16th March. 66 185 drags it's load through Southampton Central platform 4.

Southampton Central: GBRF service from Mountfield in Kent to Southampton Western Docks pictured at Southampton Central in the hands of 66769 on 16th March 2018.

Linlithgow: 385022 from Edinburgh Waverley to Glasgow Queen Street arriving at Linlithgow, late in the afternoon of a bitterly cold Saturday, 16th March 2019. However, the morning snow that was still hanging around at lunchtime (see my photo, image no. 76252) had thawed by the time my friends and I got back to the station after a visit to Linlithgow Palace, birthplace of Mary, Queen of Scots and then one of the town's pubs, before our return to Edinburgh.

Bitton: As it can be hard for a military bureaucrat to tell the difference between wheels and a saddle tank, the War Department very helpfully put a 'this way up' arrow between W and D on the cab side of No. 132, 'Sapper', here seen at the Avon Valley Railway Mixed Traffic Gala on 16th March 2019.

Prestwick Town: The 14.36 for Kilmarnock runs in to Prestwick Town in atrocious weather on 16th March 2019. The train is the 13.04 from Stranraer and, as far as I could see, not a single passenger aboard.

Bitton: 'Oi! Come back with that thimble!' Precision coaling at Bitton on the Avon Valley Railway on 16th March 2019.

Linlithgow: The ex-12.05 service from Edinburgh Waverley to Glasgow Queen Street, in the hands of 170429, departing from a snowy Linlithgow station on a bleak and freezing cold 16th March 2019. Class 385 electrics were also running on this service by this date, too. I first visited this station in 2016 so I was glad to see it before the OLE went up.

Linlithgow: Platform for Edinburgh-bound trains at Linlithgow, on the bitterly cold afternoon of 16th March 2019. The station opened in 1842 and the heated waiting room, ideal on a day such as this, comes complete with armchairs, a settee and some books to while away the time. Note the recently installed OLE for the line's electrification.

Bitton: This is a Ruston engine. Yes, but what make is it? Classic diesel traction at the Avon Valley Railway Mixed Traffic Gala at Bitton on 16th March 2019.

Bitton: It's not often you see an 08 being driven flat out, but 08.202 was doing at least 17.9mph with a demonstration freight train at Bitton on 16th March - a Mixed Traffic Gala Day where the Avon Valley Railway was notably busy.

Edinburgh Waverley: The 0925 Glasgow Central stopper boards at Waverley's Platform 11 on 16 March 2020.

Aberdour: The 09.52 Azuma, from Aberdeen to London Kings Cross, nears Aberdour on 16th March 2020.

Aberdour: 158720 drops down to Aberdour, with the 12.42 from Edinburgh to Glenrothes with Thornton, on 16th March 2020.

Dalry Road Shed: As well as the rather surprising survival of part on the platform at [[Dalry Road]] station those in the know can also discern the remains of the depot's coal loading bank. I suspect these were left to provide a screen for a future relief road which indeed opened on the trackbed a few years after the lines were lifted. This area is a kids' recreation ground (or whatever they are called these days).

Kingsknowe: Shiny new level-crossing gates try to steal the show from an Edinburgh to Glasgow Central stopper at Kingsknowe on 16 March 2020. Kingsknowe didn't have much of an existence until the railway came and is no more than a small residential suburb even now. Station usage is not great.

Dalry Junction [Edinburgh]: A look along what was once the Caledonian main line out of Edinburgh between Dalry Junction and Merchiston station. The line once went straight ahead to Merchiston, but the trackbed behind the traffic light has been built over. There are clear traces of a siding in the left foreground which served a small works. This had been lifted even by the 1948 OS map.

Kingsknowe: A demonstration of advanced button-pushing technique at Kingsknowe on 16 March 2020. In fact the gates were already lowered for an approaching Down train, but of course correct procedure is being followed.

Farington Curve Junction: A Network Rail test train from Derby RTC to Carlisle approaches Farington Curve Junction on 16 March 2021 with Colas 37116 leading (hidden by the trees) and 37025 on the rear. They are scheduled to make a tour of Scotland in the next 8 days.