St Boswells: Standard Class 2MT 2-6-0 78049 in the bay platform at St Boswells, with a service for the Kelso Branch, on 19th August 1963. The adjacent engine shed was devoid of track by this time.

Wimbledon: Merchant Navy 35028 'Clan Line' on down train, west of Wimbledon station, in August 1958.

Langholm: Langholm station on a wet afternoon in 1963, with Ivatt Class 4 2-6-0 43045 recently arrived.

Kelso: Standard Class 2MT 2-6-0 78049 pauses at Kelso, with a Berwick to St Boswells service, in August 1963.

St Boswells: 78049, one of Hawick's Standard Class 2s has brought a Kelso Branch service into St Boswells on 19th August 1963. It is seen here after running round, about to shunt the carriage into the bay platform and form the next departure in the opposite direction.

Buchanan Street Tunnel West Signal Box: A4 60027 Merlin approaching Buchanan Street on 19 August 1964 with 10.00 am ex Dundee West.

Inverness: D5326+D5332 prepare to leave Inverness for the south in the summer of 1965.

Bridge of Dun: 60024 Kingfisher waits for the photographer at Bridge of Dun in August 1965.

Forfar [2nd]: A4 60024 Kingfisher at Forfar on 19 August 1965 during a water stop with the Glasgow 'Postal'.

Aberdeen: A4 Pacific 60024 Kingfisher awaits its scheduled departure time at Aberdeen on 19 August 1965 with 1.30pm to Glasgow.

Perth: A4 60024 Kingfisher with an Aberdeen - Glasgow Buchanan Street train taking on water at Perth on 19 August 1965, in front of a small but attentive audience.

St Leonards Bridge Junction: 60024 Kingfisher leaves Perth for Buchanan Street in the summer of 1965.

Carlisle Kingmoor MPD: Leeds Holbeck Jubilee 45562 'Alberta' makes a fine sight in the afternoon sunshine of 19th August 1967 at Carlisle Kingmoor, having worked north that morning over the Settle & Carlisle with a summer Saturday Birmingham-Glasgow service. Over fifty years later 'Alberta' reappeared on the S&C when West Coast Railways 45699 was repainted and numbered to represent the old favourite from the last days of S&C steam.

Carlisle Upperby Holding Sidings: Stanier 8F 2-8-0 48469 takes a ballast train past Carlisle Upperby on 19th August 1967.

Upperby Bridge Junction: Black Five 45295 is not long out of Carlisle with the 11.05 SO Glasgow- Blackpool, but is having to ease off for adverse signals on the approach to Upperby Bridge Junction.

Penrith: Britannia 70051 'Firth of Forth' sets off from Penrith with the summer Saturday 2.00pm Glasgow to Liverpool on 19th August 1967.

Petteril Bridge Junction: Black 5 44911 is not going to be overtaxed by the 1.10pm Carlisle-Skipton freight, as it gets the road at Petteril Bridge Junction, Carlisle on 19th August 1967. It is a pick-up service, however, so further wagons may be added at intermediate stations.

Carlisle Kingmoor Shed: The nameplate has been removed, but someone is determined that Britannia 70011 is still Hotspur. Also on view at Kingmoor in August 1967 are the front ends of Ivatt class 4MT 2-6-0 43139 and Black 5 45375.

Penrith: Britannia 70051 'Firth of Forth' pulls away from the stop at Penrith, with the 2.00pm FSO Glasgow to Liverpool, on 19th August 1967.

Upperby Bridge Junction: Black 5 45285 leaves Carlisle behind as it approaches Upperby Bridge Junction with the summer Saturday 9.40 am Dundee - Blackpool in August 1967.

Carlisle Kingmoor Shed: Black 5 44727 keeping company with Britannia 70051 'Firth of Forth' at Kingmoor in August 1967.

Berwick-upon-Tweed: I've just alighted at Berwick from the 14:00 Kings Cross - Edinburgh after an afternoon's shed bash to Sunderland and West Hartlepool. The train must have been on time otherwise it would have been a rush up to the then A1 to catch the last bus home to Duns. As it is, I've had time for this shot of a Derby three-car set stabled in the goods yard - it will have arrived about half an hour earlier on the 17:10 Newcastle to Berwick stopping train (time from the 1966 timetable) and will sit there until Monday morning before returning to Newcastle at 07:30. Saturday, 19th August.

Penrith: Black 5 44873 approaching the Penrith stop with the summer Saturday 11.55am Euston to Carlisle in August 1967. The train is quite short, the Windermere portion having been detached at Oxenholme.

Carlisle Kingmoor Shed: Two 'Jinty' 0-6-0 tanks, 47293 and 47612, plus a Black 5, in store at Carlisle Kingmoor in August 1967.

Carlisle: Class 5 4-6-0 45321 runs briskly into Carlisle with the summer Saturday 1.20pm London to Glasgow express. Even as late as August 1967, this was surprisingly still scheduled for steam haulage between Crewe and Carlisle, although the motive power would normally have been a Kingmoor Britannia. The train had been reported as twenty minutes late out of Preston, but the Black Five had kept to schedule on the run north over Shap and was still only twenty minutes down.

Carlisle: The summer Saturday 8.25am Morecambe to Glasgow, arriving at Carlisle on 19th August 1967 behind Black Five 45349. The front and one side of the Black Five, facing the morning sunlight and most of the cameras passed en route, had received 'MNA' treatment during the night. The far side was just as dirty as usual.

Grantshouse: Passing the west end of the Grantshouse loops, Brush Type 4 No. 1534 has just over 40 miles to go before reaching journey's end with the 10.45 Kings Cross to Edinburgh service in August 1971.

Grantshouse: Peak No. 160 leans to the curve on the up approach to Grantshouse in August 1971 while working the 11.50 Aberdeen to Kings Cross Freightliner service.

Grantshouse: BR Sulzer Type 2 No. D7591 gets a bit of an outing away from its more usual Craigentinny - Waverley ECS duties as it powers the 16.15 Edinburgh FLT - Pengam FLT service southwards between Penmanshiel Tunnel and Grantshouse in 1971.

Grantshouse: A short down parcels train between Grantshouse and Penmanshiel tunnel in August 1971, probably the 08.35 from Doncaster to Edinburgh. This was due to pass Grantshouse at 15.30 but did not do so until 16.50 suggesting a failure of the train engine, class 40 No. 256. The class 37 is No. 6762, a Gateshead engine, which was presumably commandeered from a trip working (9B22) in the Newcastle area to assist.

Penmanshiel Tunnel: The hillside in this shot must be the only feature which is relatively little changed since 1971. Mk 1 coaches hauled by rail blue 47s passing telegraph poles are all long gone, while both the A1 road in the background and the ECML have been realigned hereabouts. Brush Type 4 1706 has just emerged from Penmanshiel Tunnel with the 17:10 Edinburgh - Leeds.

Grantshouse: Deltic 9018 Ballymoss passing Grantshouse at 15.03 (2 minutes early) on Thursday 19th August 1971 with the down Flying Scotsman 10.00 ex-Kings Cross.

Fountainhall: The trackbed and station at Fountainhall as seen during a visit in August 1976. View looking north.

Heriot: Heriot on a summer's day in 1976

Bridgnorth: LMS 8233 (BR 48773) departing from Bridgnorth on the Severn Valley Railway in August 1979.

Largs: An EE Type 4 leaving Largs with a special, near The Pencil in the summer of 1984. The train in question is thought to be the 1Z36 Largs - Macclesfield and the date 19 August.

Largs: A Largs to Macclesfield excursion skirts the shoreline as it leaves Largs on 19 August 1984 see image [[23189]]. This scene is now much changed with the track singled and electrified and a large marina to the right.

Carlisle: With a full set in BR InterCity livery, 86212 Preston Guild runs into Carlisle station on a fine afternoon in August 1997 at the head of an up WCML service.

Carlisle: An InterCity liveried London Euston - Glasgow Central service about to restart from Carlisle in 1997. A Royal Mail 325 unit is standing alongside platform 3 in the background.

Carstairs: A mid afternoon Glasgow Central – Kings Cross GNER service drifts through platform 2 at Carstairs on 19 August 1997. The train is about to take a sharp left to reach the Edinburgh line at Carstairs East Junction in the background - a manoeuvre requiring care and attention in both directions see image [[7235]]. The old station buildings in the background would not remain in place here for much longer.

Beattock: A pair of class 37s approaching Beattock from the south with a trainload of coal empties in the summer of 1997. The locomotives are in EWS (leading) and BR Metals Sector liveries.

Carlisle: West coast postal at Carlisle in August 1997.

Carstairs: The old Carstairs station looking in a sorry state in August 1997 as an up freight hauled by Transrail liveried 60058 John Howard passes through. Demolition got underway shortly thereafter with a view to making the station '...fit for the new millennium' see image [[2156]].

Menheniot: 158822 Penzance to Plymouth service calls at Menheniot. The village of the same name is quite some walk away through country lanes!

Bathgate [4th]: The word 'compact' probably best describes the 1986 single line terminus at Bathgate, seen here in August 2008 with a recently arrived service from Waverley at the platform. The train would depart a few minutes later as a 'crossrail' service to Newcraighall. The normal diagram at that time would then take it from Newcraighall to Dunblane, before returning to Waverley.

Bathgate Central Junction: An afternoon train for Newcraighall via Waverley leaving the single line terminus at Bathgate during heavy rain on 19 August 2008. To the right of the train is the limit of the new track laid at that stage as part of the Airdrie - Bathgate reopening project, while behind the metal fence are the offices of STVA, whose floodlights stand above the car compound beyond.

Bathgate [4th]: View from the buffer stops at Bathgate as 158705 runs into the terminus at 1320 (according to the station clock) on 19 August 2008 with the 1248 from Waverley. The train will depart 5 minutes later as the 1325 Crossrail service to Newcraighall. The floodlighting tower directly behind the train is part of the STVA Bathgate car terminal.

Farington Curve Junction: The sun has come out since Mark Bartlett photographed 5690 at Lancaster about an hour earlier. See image [[25098]]. Having picked up passengers at Lancaster and Preston we now see it climbing away from the WCML at Farington Curve Junction on 19 August 2009 as it heads for the next pick-up at Bamber Bridge. The train is The Fellsman which is running every Wednesday at the moment from Lancaster to Carlisle and return.

Lancaster: A view of Carlisle Bridge at Lancaster, taken from alongside the Ashton Memorial in Williamson Park. The River Lune, Morecambe behind and finally a murky Morecambe Bay can all be seen and the sharp eyed will spot 5690 Leander coasting into Lancaster (Castle) station with the ECS of the Fellsman train.

Nottingham Victoria: The remaining monument to Nottingham Victoria station, seen here on 19 August 2010, surrounded by the Victoria Shopping Centre. The station, opened on 24 May 1900 by the Great Central and Great Northern Railway companies, originally carried two names. Nottingham Central (used by the GCR) and Nottingham Joint (used by the GNR), a situation that obviously could not be allowed to continue. The problem was finally resolved around 3 weeks later when a compromise agreement was reached to rename the station Nottingham Victoria with effect from 12 June 1900. Nottingham Victoria station was officially closed on 4 September 1967. See image [[31821]]

Princes Street Gardens Cutting: 158869 heads east towards its final destination at Edinburgh Waverley on 19 August 2011. Part of the station can be seen through the middle double track bore of The Mound tunnel.

Princes Street Gardens Cutting: The rear of an East Coast HST heads west through Princes Street Gardens on 19 August 2011 with a service to Aberdeen.

Princes Street Gardens Cutting: A Virgin Voyager heads west through Princes Street Gardens with an Edinburgh to Birmingham service on 19 August 2011 with Edinburgh Castle on the skyline.

Edinburgh Waverley: Waverley - the classic view - 19 August 2011.

Avoncliff: Bulleid unrebuilt 'Battle of Britain' Pacific no 34067 'Tangmere' passing Avoncliff Station on the Bath to Westbury line on 19 August 2012 with 'The Weymouth Seaside Express'.

Causey Arch: The Causey Arch on the Tanfield Railway in August 2012.

Marley Hill: Part of the shed yard at Marley Hill on the Tanfield Railway, photographed on 19 August 2012. On the left is 0-4-0ST Sir Cecil A Cochrane (RSH 7409/1948).

Andrews House: Hudswell Clarke 0-4-0ST 'Renishaw Ironworks No 6' (1366/1919) with a train at Andrews House station on the Tanfield Railway on 19 August 2012.

Causey Arch [Station]: Sunday 19 August 2012 sees Hudswell Clarke 0-4-0ST 'Renishaw Ironworks No 6' (1366/1919) alongside the platform at Causey Arch station on the Tanfield Railway.

Ailsa Craig: The short pier on Ailsa Craig used for the transhipment of granite brought by rail from the quarry face. Loaded wagons came in from the right to a headshunt and were then lowered down to the pier. Now superseded by a landing - craft type vessel loading directly from the beach at the quarry.

Earn Viaduct [Forgandenny]: A view of the underside of the viaduct over the River Earn at Forgandenny showing the interesting construction.

Poster: Artwork supplied by Almond Valley Heritage with the encouragement of Livingston Rotary has enabled ScotRail to put on display at Uphall, Livingston North and West Calder Stations a poster commemorating each area's shale-mining history.

Ayr Harbour: PS Waverley entering the River Ayr on 19 August 2013.

Forteviot: 170455 heads south west over the level crossing at the former Forteviot station site.

Earn Viaduct [Forgandenny]: DRS 37425 and 37423 head north with a ballast train over the Earn Viaduct at Forgandenny in 2013.

Moy: Recently overhauled 37425 Sir Robert McAlpine and 37423 Spirit of the Lakes heading north past Moy on 19 August with ten autoballasters for Clunes north of Inverness.

Northampton: Sentinel geared vertical boilered tank engine Musketeer [works 4wVBT 9369/1946] on static display at the Ironstone Railway Trust, Northampton, in August 2014.

Lancaster: Super power on the flasks. The Crewe - Sellafield train is coasting slowly down the bank towards Lancaster station, with two wagons in tow, on 19th August 2015. Motive power for the train, all with engines running, comprised DRS 20308, 20305, 37612 and 37610.

Northampton: The new Northampton station is now complete and open for business see image [[47986]]. There is a sign saying what it is just above the pedestrian steps - easy to see once you know it's there...

Lancaster: Fellsman League Champion 2015. 46115 Scots Guardsman was the clear winner of the extended Fellsman season in 2015 being turned out on eight out of fourteen occasions. The Scot is seen here on 19th August powering up the bank at Lancaster with the penultimate train. Runner up in the league table was 45231 with three trips while Jubilee 45699 made two runs and sister 45690 a single one. See image [[48503]] for the 2014 results.

Glen Ogle Rockfall: The site of the rockfall in Glen Ogle which blocked the line, leading to a premature closure. The location has been somewhat sanitised since my older photograph in 1993 with bolder removal and conversion of the trackbed to a footpath/cycleway. See image [[36438]] We're now 52 years further on and still no further rockfall.

Nantybwch: A gnome can only have so much patience, you know. After 59 years of waiting for more trains to pass from his viewpoint atop the pole in the right distance, he finally turned his back on the railway and looked up the garden instead. This view looks towards Nantybwch station (see image [[63260]]) from the direction of the viaduct.

Big Pit Mining Museum: You can see from this picture that Big Pit Halt is readily visible from the Big Pit mining museum. The branch and halt were built to advertise the rest of the railway when they found out that tourists came to Blaenavon to go underground in the mining museum, but did not know that the steam railway was there!

Waenavon: This was once the highest standard gauge station in England and Wales. Having experienced the local climate, I can understand the use of trees as a windbreak for the station master's house. View looks towards Blaenavon. [Ref query 4 September 2017]

Aberdare High Level: This station has lain derelict and boarded up for many years See image [[31525]] since the restoration of passenger services to the new station, which is ironically at a higher level than the former High Level. Now the old station is being restored with new windows and roof. This seems to be connected to the construction of the new Aberdare College building across the nearest road.

Blaenavon High Level: The former, and hopefully future, site of Blaenavon High Level signal box. Notice the slots to allow the rodding to pass through the brick lower wall.

Glen Ogle Rockfall: The site of the rock fall in Glen Ogle looking down to Balquhidder. Not much sign of further rock falls. See image [[28647]].

Hugh Phillips Engineering: Tafarnabauch Industrial Estate - Hugh Phillips Engineering (HPE) had a similar business model to Alan Keef Limited, retaining and using their skills in steam locomotion until their sad demise in 1996. The building with the red door was their main factory; that with the grey door was a locomotive shed. The sleepers at lower right were at the start of a dead straight quarter mile long test track, which ran alongside one of the industrial estate roads. There was no connection to the national network, but the line ran slightly North of the former LNWR Heads of the Valleys line.

Nantybwch: The station may have been demolished to make way for the Heads Of Valleys road, but the station cottages live on. The larger house on the left was allocated to the station master; while the Eastern end of the Abergavenny platform corresponds to the grassed area around the white car just visible in the right of this photograph. A resident assured me that the cottages were very well built. See also image [[60980]].

Blaenavon High Level: When you're 73 years old, it's easy to forget where you left things - like, three coaches. 'Mech Navvies No. 1' runs round its coaches on 19th August. View looks North West, towards Furnace Sidings.

Pontlottyn: Although Pontlottyn was in coal mining and iron furnace country, the locals in Victorian times couldn't get a pub built, due to restrictive covenants imposed by former landowners. The Rhymney Railway, however, owned the land under its viaduct; so they allowed a pub to be built - under the last two arches at the South end, on the right of this view. The pub lasted until the 1980's, but is now closed and demolished. [Ref query 26 September 2017]

Waenavon: This view looks North from a location about half a mile from Waenavon station see image [[60645]], which was once the highest standard gauge station in England and Wales. (the Black Mountains appear to be visible on the horizon)This area was once completely ploughed up for opencast coal mining, so it is possibly more by luck than judgement that the cyclepath shown follows the course of the railway. The Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway want to reopen this stretch - I hope they compact the ground thoroughly first!

Blaenavon Furnace Sidings: If anyone suggests to you that steam engines are old fashioned, just show them this picture. 'Mech Navvies No. 1' had a sliding sunroof over 40 years before any Sierra or Montego.

Nantybwch Viaduct: One of the few structures remaining from the Heads of Valleys railway is this viaduct, which is clearly visible from the Heads of Valleys road. There is a road nearby called Nine Arches, but I could only see seven. A tarmacked foot or cycle path crosses the viaduct.

Aberdare High Level: I visited Aberdare to photograph the curious layout in the old High Level goods yard, where tarmac had been laid up to rail level, and industrial units had their brick side walls built across the rails. It looked as though the determined goods yard rambler would have to knock on doors to ask the local entrepreneurs' permission to walk through their industrial units. But things have changed; the whole goods yard area is now a car park for the local college. The width of the piers for the river bridge North of the station, however, show that here was once a fan of tracks here. Notice the new roof on the station building (left). View looks south. [Ref query 1 October 2017]

Nantybwch: The Heads of Valleys road has destroyed or hidden much of the trackbed of the former LNWR Heads of Valleys railway; but occasional relics remain. I suspect that Nantybwch viaduct - here seen looking West through some recent artistic additions - was saved not for its own merits, but because of the number of houses which would have had to be demolished to build the road; which now passes South (to the left) of this view. see image [[60980]]

Blaenavon Furnace Sidings: Ladelling on the atmosphere with a trowel - especially as this is only a passenger station in the preservation era - originally sidings for Big Pit coal mine.

Irwell Vale: EE Type 4 40135 has been based on the East Lancashir Railway since 1988. It went to Barrow Hill in late 2016 for bodywork repairs, followed by a full repaint at Derby. Looking resplendent in its new coat of BR Blue it whistles away from the Irwell Vale halt heading for Rawtenstall on 19th August 2017.

Edinburgh Waverley: The 1008 service to Dunbar is today in charge of a diesel for some reason (19 August). It only looks like a 4-car: the 156 was left behind to form a Glasgow Central service. Had me fooled too.

Blaenavon Furnace Sidings: Looking northwards at Blaenavon it is hard to believe that this location was once just sidings for a coal mine. The footbridge is a recent arrival from Hinckley in the English Midlands. 19th August 2017

Blaenavon High Level: 0-6-0ST no. 71515 at the Southern end of working on the Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway, near to the junction for the Varteg Hill branch (see image [[48608]]). The latter line is the only disused railway where I have asked the landowner's permission for access; the laconic reply being Why not? Everyone else walks up it

Killin Junction: Ambling down to the former Killin Junction station on the 'mainline'. The Killin Railway is below.

Irwell Vale: Visiting from the Worth Valley Railway, Spam Can West Country 4-6-2 34092 City of Wells slows to call at Irwell Vale whilst running tender first from Rawtenstall to Heywood on 19th August 2017. The ELR has now launched a fund to purchase the locomotive.

Irwell Vale: In a sudden downpour, that thankfully was quickly over, 40135 approaches Irwell Vale halt with a five coach train for Rawtenstall on 19th August 2017. The steam heat fitted Class 40 has been based on the East Lancashire Railway since 1988 and recently underwent a body overhaul and repaint into BR Blue.

Pontlottyn: A 'nodding donkey' for Penarth calls at Pontlottyn in August 2017. The waiting shelter is very practical in the damp Valleys climate.

Fochriw: With a name which must be pronounced carefully and a challenging climate, the residents of this village had quite enough to cope with before their station was closed to passengers in 1962 and goods in 1964. There was a goods yard to the right of the platform, and a station building where the modern house now stands. A pub was located across the road, and remains in business. [Ref query 30 August 2017]

Edinburgh Waverley: Looking east to the Waverley platform extension works for platforms 5 and 6 on 19th August 2018. Sleeper loco Freightliner 90046 is stabled in the Klondyke.

Kings Cross: 87002 on the stops at Platform 1 at Kings Cross after bringing the empty stock for the Inverness sleeper from Wembly Intercity Depot on 19th August during the possession at Euston, which caused the Highlander service to be split into two parts as 16 carriages and a loco at each end is too long for Kings Cross.

Ribble Steam Railway Museum: A new exhibit in the Ribble Steam Railway Museum is this MkI Travelling Post Office coach. The exterior is resplendent in a new bright coat of paint. Work on the interior is almost finished but some details such as the foldaway perching stools still need to be refitted. 19th August 2018.

Ribble Steam Railway Museum: One of the interactive exhibits for younger visitors to the Ribble Steam Railway museum. This is The Right Signal game. The four different aspects of the signal on the screen illuminate randomly (including double yellow) and you have to hit the correct button to acknowledge it while the clock is counting down. Great fun.

Ribble Steam Railway Workshops: Furness Railway 0-4-0 No.20 was withdrawn from service during 2018 but there is no period of static display for the old timer. It went straight into the RSR workshops where overhaul commenced and the loco is seen here partly dismantled on 19th August.

Ribble Steam Railway Museum: The Ribble Steam Railway have marked the 50th Anniversary of the arrival of the three Rolls-Royce Sentinels on Preston Docks by repainting Enterprise in as delivered green, the same livery as the steam locos they replaced. Later, in more safety conscious days, they ran in bright yellow before the more recent blue. The loco is on display in the museum until the end of the 2018 season. 19th August 2018.

Southampton Central: 158882 pauses at Southampton Central on Sunday 19th August 2018 with a Salisbury to Romsey service.

Ribble Steam Railway Museum: As part of the RSR marking the 50th Anniversary of the arrival of the Preston Dock Sentinels, resident 'Enterprise' has been repainted in original green livery with a timeline display on the left hand side. The Preston diesels were three out of a total of 292 built between 1959 and 1971. This locomotive, seen in the museum in August 2018, is on display for the rest of the 2018 season.

Edinburgh Waverley: The 11.22 from Kings Cross arrives at Edinburgh Waverley. On the left is the shiny new turnout for platforms 5 and 6 with track laid into the latter platform.

Robroyston: The car park at the north side of Robroyston station under construction in mid August 2019, seen from the relative luxury of the declassified First Class section of 385103. The steelwork in the right foreground will support the eastbound platform.

Donibristle Platform: 73966 climbs Donibristle bank with a Polmadie - Aberdeen (via Carstairs and Edinburgh) empty stock working of Mk5 sleepers on 19 August 2019.

Leyland: 70000 'Britannia' slows for the call at Leyland on 19 August 2020 with the Saphos Tours Crewe to Carlisle 'The Fellsman' working.

North Queensferry: With a slight mist over the Forth, a Fife Circle service comes off the bridge and into North Queensferry station on 19 August 2020.

Dalmeny: An incoming Fife Circle comes off the bridge and into Dalmeny Station on 19th August 2020.

Dalmeny: A Fife Circle service calls at a misty Dalmeny on 18 August 2020 as a train for Edinburgh retreats.

Leyland: 88010 approaches Leyland with the Daventry to Mossend intermodal service on 19th August 2020.

North Queensferry: An Edinburgh service comes out of North Queensferry tunnel and into the station on 19 August 2020. Unusually, North Queensferry station lacked even a simple goods siding; squeezed between tunnel and bridge there wasn't room for a turnout at either end. North Queensferry [1st], a terminus, handled the goods long after closure to passengers.

Morningside Road: Over-powered or what? This nuclear flask train, heading west through Morningside on 19th August 2020, involves no less than 7,600 horse power (courtesy of two DRS Class 68s) to haul just three wagons. A hefty bill for the taxpayer . . .

Arrochar and Tarbet: Many lineside railway cottages on the West Highland have survived, but this one has not. It was located on the north side of the line half a mile east of Arrochar and Tarbet station. Rubble can be seen here in a view looking south over the former building, with the line in the trees beyond.

Portobello West Junction: View from Baileyfield Road looking east with the moribund Leith South branch, above me to the left, rising sharply towards the junction at Portobello. The other bridge carries the ECML and the Craigentinny depot line, also going as far as Portobello Junction. There was once no fresh air in between; there were seven tracks at this point.

Arrochar and Tarbet: Southbound Sprinter from Mallaig, Fort William and Oban passing the platelayers' hut at the site of the northern distant signal for Arrochar and Tarbet on 19th August 2021.

Portobello Yard: This short siding appears to be a rump of the once-extensive (weren't they all?) Portobello Yard. I saw the rusty tracks being devegetated (ugh) back in June and wondered why they were bothering. Obviously it has all been worthwhile as West Coast Railways' 47237 can now take a zizz.

Portobello Junction: A northbound LNER Azuma passes Portobello Junction at line speed on 19 August 2021. There were signs of frantic activity on the engineers' siding since the previous week; the loco then stabled at the far end is now in the stub behind me.

Arrochar and Tarbet: Abandoned road. For much of the length of Loch Lomond two parallel roads ran up the west side, a high and a low road. The opening of the West Highland Railway was the end for the high level road north of Arrochar. Its route is occupied by the railway which crosses over it repeatedly. This is a view north along the old road, now covered by a thick moss mat. The dry stane dykes remain on either side. The West Highland is out of shot on the left and the still open low road is off to the right.

Arrochar and Tarbet: 66741 'Swanage Railway' heading north midway between Arrochar and Tarbet station and its former distant signal to the north in August 2021. Photographs between this station and Inveruglas are rare due to the lack of footpaths and sheer quantity of trees on either side of the line. This was taken at one of very few small clearings.

Rylstone: Daisy and Buttercup carry on chewing the cud (they've seen it all before) as 66735 'Peterborough United' heads 6D50 10:25 Hull Dairycoates to Rylstone Tilcon near its destination, passing Cracoe on the former Grassington branch, in August 2022.

Euxton Balshaw Lane: Colas Rail Freight 70811 slows the 6J37 Carlisle NY to Chirk log train for a signal check at the south end of Euxton Balshaw Lane station on 19 August 2022.