Balornock Shed: Ex-works 6MT 'Clan' Pacific 72006 'Clan Mackenzie', photographed in the coaling line at Balornock (St Rollox) engine shed on 4th October 1963.

Lanark: A Gloucester RC&W diesel unit at Lanark, on the last day of services to Muirkirk, 4th October 1964.

Hawick [2nd]: B1 4-6-0 no 61354 taking water at Hawick on 4 October 1965 with the 1.35pm Millerhill - Carlisle freight.

Eastfield Shed: Withdrawn locomotives and a nearly 'withdrawn' coaling tower at Eastfield in October 1966. I think the other track beneath the tower was still in occasional use, but steam visitors to the depot had by that time become few and far between. The 'Crab' 2-6-0 was 42739 and the Black 5 45016.

Callander (Dreadnought): Scene at Callander in October 1968 some three years after closure. View is east towards Stirling see image [[36482]].

Didcot Railway Centre: An all GWR line-up at Didcot Railway Centre in October 1975 - it is the home of the Great Western Society after all! L to r No. 7808 Cookham Manor, No. 6998 Burton Agnes Hall and Ocean Saloon coach No. 9112 Queen Mary.

Hereford: Not long after restoration from Barry scrapyard condition to main-line running order, Jubilee No.5690 Leander prepares to take 'The Cathedrals Express' railtour forward from Hereford as far as Chester on 4 October 1975.

High Street Goods: This is the huge edifice that was once Glasgow High Street Goods Station, pictured in October 1984 with six months to go before the demolition teams arrived. Photographing the site was particularly unnerving for two reasons. Firstly, the cavernous structure was full of the ghosts of the hundreds of workers who'd toiled in the building since it was built in 1904. Discarded equipment, paperwork and signage to long closed rail destinations was lying everywhere. Secondly, there appeared to be much more physical presence about in the upper reaches of the building. Not a time to be caught deep in a derelict maze with valuable camera equipment. Either end of the building had a prominent clock at roof level. The station's time had run out one day in March 1982 at 11.15.

Weitra: Scene on the Waldviertelbahn in Lower Austria in October 1985, close to the then Czechoslovakian border, as 760mm gauge 0-8+4 no 399.03 (of  'Stutztender' construction on the Engerth principle) crosses the viaduct at Weitra with train 71445, the 10.12 freight from Gmuend to Gross Gerungs. In the event the train did not reach its destination as the loco failed at Langschlag. By this date the line was nominally dieselised (except for weekend passenger workings during the summer which reverted to steam as a tourist attraction) but a shortage of diesels on this and other Austrian State Railways n.g. lines meant that one freight diagram was often still steam worked.

Fort William: Thomson K1 2-6-0 2005 leaving Fort William for Mallaig in October 1987.

Sroda Miasto (Town): PKP 750mm gauge 0-8-0 No. Px48-1907 has just arrived at Sroda Miasto (Town) station on the 06:58 train from Zaniemysl - the housewives on the right heading for the shops of Sroda testify to the fact that in October 1990 this last surviving steam worked passenger service on the Polish narrow-gauge was still very much a part of the public transport network and not a 'heritage' operation.

Polmont: In July 1998 a Glasgow to Edinburgh Class 158 calls at Polmont. Little has changed here since then. That footbridge is electrification-ready, as it has been for 50 years.

Tyseley: Rebuilt 'Merchant Navy' class no 35005 Canadian Pacific at Tyseley on 4 October 1998. The locomotive was receiving attention after running a hot bearing.

Redcastle: The former station at Redcastle on the Black Isle looking west towards Muir of Ord. Seen from the trackbed in October 1999, having been refurbished as a Post Office and shop. See image [[21840]]

Plockton: Platform scene at Plockton in October 1999, looking west towards Kyle of Lochalsh.

Glen Douglas Halt: Unusually, the Mossend - Fort William Junction Yard train was hauled by a 37.

Inveruglas: Railway over railway. Northbound Sprinter passing Inveruglas. The steeply inclined track in the foreground runs to the head of the pipes. Loch Lomond and Ben Lomond in the backdrop.

Grange-over-Sands: The main building at Grange-over-Sands on 4th October 2006. No train... it was too horrible to take when it eventually came - a hideous yellow thing like a couple of 4-wheel buses joined together!

Glen Douglas Halt: Turning away from Loch Long this soundbound Sprinter approaches Glen Douglas.

Glen Douglas Halt: Southbound speeder at Glen Douglas. The island platform of the station was between the speeder and the track closer to the camera.

Inveruglas: Southbound Sprinter at Inveruglas in October 2006.

Glen Douglas Halt: Bliss. The roar of a 37 moving off south from Glen Douglas with a Government train. The first wagon is a buffer wagon.

Glen Douglas Halt: A 37 moves to the end of the siding at Glen Douglas with a Government train before seeking to leave for the south. The first wagon is a buffer wagon.

Glasgow Central: 91112 City of Durham leaving Glasgow Central with the 0800 Kings Cross service alongside 156447 heading for East Kilbride

Glasgow Central: 66142 at Glasgow Central collecting empty Caledonian Sleeper stock

Glasgow Central: 390050 at Glasgow Central on 4 October 2006 with the 0810 service to London Euston. The police representatives had been stopped from boarding as they had jumped the queue and did not have valid tickets!!

Wester Hailes: All guns blazing. A Slateford Yard - Carstairs East RHTT working approaching the platforms of Wester Hailles station as it heads south west out of Edinburgh on the former Caledonian route in the autumn of 2007.

Kincardine Power Station: Part of the yard that once served Kincardine power station (decommissioned 1997) seen looking north west in October 2007. At that time the location was being used for the delivery, storage and trans-shipment of materials in connection with the Stirling-Alloa-Kincardine reopening. The tall chimneys in the background are part of Alloa glass works, located some 4 miles to the west, with the Ochil Hills beyond.

Wester Hailes: A Network Rail RHTT unit heading south west on the Caledonian route out of Edinburgh in October 2007. The unit has just passed through Wester Hailes station and is about to cross the bridge over the B701.

Bilston Glen Viaduct: Looking south towards Roslin across the 1892 Bilston Glen viaduct in October 2007. The viaduct is one of the earliest examples of steel box lattice girder construction, with a 135m span. The category A listed structure underwent major restoration during the 1990s and is now part of a walkway. See image [[33123]]

Alloa West Junction: Convoy. An eastbound PW 'train' photographed after leaving Cambus on 4 October 2007 heading for Alloa.

Kingswood Tunnel: 47826 leads the Royal Scotsman south out of Kingswood Tunnel heading for Murthly and Perth.

Alloa West Junction: A PW train from the temporary yard at Cambus photographed near the new footbridge at Alloa West on 4 October 2007.

Dalguise: Royal Scotsman passing Dalguise on 4 October, taken from east of the River Tay.

Wester Hailes: Network Rail RHTT unit DR98958, specialising in the removal of leaves and oil residues, passing through Wester Hailes station on 4 October 2007. Possibly a releaf working... (sorry)

Edinburgh Park: An Edinburgh Waverley - Glasgow Queen Street shuttle runs west through Edinburgh Park station on 4 October 2007, with Arthur's Seat dominating the background.

Kincardine: A Tamper idles in the yard at Kincardine on 4 October 2007.

Alloa: Cladding material being lifted onto the roof of the new station building at Alloa on 4 October 2007, view east from the station car park.

Edinburgh Park: A Bathgate - Newcraighall train arrives at Edinburgh Park station on 4 October 2007.

Hayes Knoll: Paint job required, guards van at Hayes Knoll on the Swindon & Cricklade Railway, October 2008.

Melbourne: The Colonial Tramcar Restaurant (converted W class) trundles round the network in Melbourne during the evenings serving up rather good food and drinks. Photographed at the pick-up point on 4 October 2008.

Hayes Knoll: TASC 45 self propelled engineering vehicle used primarily for PW operations on the Swindon & Cricklade Railway.

Hopetown Carriage Works: Looking west from Darlington North Road station towards Hopetown Lane on 4 October 2008. The green open space was once part of Darlington Works scrapyard see image [[23689]]. The white building is the former Hopetown Carriage Works, built for the Stockton & Darlington Railway in 1853. Having been used to build 60163 Tornado, completed in 2008, the site is currently the works site for the under construction P2 2-8-2 no 2007 Prince of Wales. (See https://www.p2steam.com/)

Darlington Works: Built in 1863 by the Stockton and Darlington Railway, Darlington Locomotive Works, or North Road Shops as it was known locally, became the towns largest employer (peak of 3,815 in 1954). Following its eventual closure in 1966, the site lay derelict for some time but is now occupied by a number of retail outlets, including a large Morrisons Superstore. This view up North Road on 4 October 2008 shows the refurbished Darlington Works clock, now attached to the east wall of the Superstore and serving as a small memento of what once stood there.

Hopetown Carriage Works: View northwest along Hopetown Lane, Darlington, on 4 October 2008, showing the south end of the Stockton & Darlington Railway's Hopetown Carriage Works. It was from these doors some nine weeks earlier that the newly constructed A1 Pacific 60163 Tornado made its first public appearance running under its own steam.

Hopetown Carriage Works: Southwest of Darlington's North Road station, across what was once the scrapyard of Darlington Works and is now an empty field, stands the old Hopetown Carriage Works. The building was opened in 1853 as a workshop of the Stockton & Darlington Railway and has seen many occupants over the past 150+ years. Part of the central section was used after World War 2 by A H Peppercorn, last CME of the LNER, while more recently the NELPG has used the northern section for locomotives undergoing heavy maintenance and repair. The southern section was in the news recently as the works in which 60163 Tornado was built by the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust. Photographed on 4 October 2008.

Melbourne Flinders Street: N class diesel climbing from Flinders Street Station alongside the Yarra on its way towards Southern Cross in October 2008.

Bo'ness: Wide view of the modern Boness station and signal box. To the left of the starting semaphore is a rarely seen reception hanger, onto which the incoming single line token ring is looped by the train crew.

Hopetown Carriage Works: The north wing of the former Hopetown Carriage Works, Darlington, built by the Stockton and Darlington Railway in 1853. Photograph taken in October 2008, at which time this section of the building was in use as a workshop by the North Eastern Locomotive Preservation Group, while the south wing had been occupied for some time by the A1 Locomotive Trust during construction of 60163 Tornado. For a view showing the complete building at this time see image [[21065]].

Darlington North Road: With the old S&D station now a museum, the 2008 entrance to the remaining operational platform at North Road is in McNay Street to the south of the station (with North Road itself running just off to the right). The steps ascend alongside the east wall of the old Stockton & Darlington Railway goods shed (which is now used by the Darlington Railway Preservation Society). See image [[18928]]

Becconsall: O&K 0-4-0WT 'Montalban' and Hunslet 0-4-0ST 'Irish Mail' bring a train back to Becconsall on the West Lancs Light Railway as visiting 0-4-2T 'Sragi No 1' waits in the headshunt for its next turn on 4 October 2009.

Bathgate LMD: Bathgate east end on 4 October 2009.

Pickering: Easy does it! 75029 shunting stock at Pickering station on 4 October 2009.

Keith Junction: View east at Keith Junction on 4 October 2010, with the formerly rail-served Chivas Regal plant to the right, incorporating part of the old locomotive shed.

Keith: The old goods shed at Keith on 4 October 2010. View is east with the main station over to the left and the former Dufftown branch line in the foreground.

Dundee: Freightliner 66606 takes to the down loop at Dundee with the 6A65 Oxwellmains - Aberdeen cement train on 4 October.

Dundee: 170 454 in the bay platform at Dundee with the 16.50 to Edinburgh on 4 October.

Keith: The station building at Keith in October 2010

Keith Town: Keith Town - October 2010.

Princes Street [Tram]: Great Expectations. Excavated western end of tram track formation on Princes Street, by the junction with Lothian Road, looking to all intents as if quietly awaiting the arrival of tracks that should now be laid along Shandwick Place to link up the remote island to the rest of the burgeoning tram network.

Crianlarich: A train from Glasgow Queen Street runs into a wet Crianlarich station on 4 October 2011. The disused timber loading sidings stand in the background. A study is currently underway into the feasibility of reinstating timber loading facilities at Crianlarich, either from an upgraded railhead here, or on the truncated line to the former Crianlarich Lower. See image [[8732]]

Edinburgh Waverley: Come in number 19. No not you, that wayward one on the right. 67019 with wheel chocks in place stands alongside ScotRail liveried 90019 in Edinburgh Waverley's east end loco stabling bay. It was later noted stabled on Craigentinny Depot in the early evening.

Crianlarich Shed: PW equipment in the yard at the south end of Crianlarich station on 4 October.

Princes Street [Tram]: Limit of tram tracks running east on Princes Street at the junction with Waverley Bridge, with rails exposed during major remedial works on 4 October 2011. Road traffic can be seen turning right from Waverley Bridge to go forward past the Balmoral Hotel or turn left towards the planned tram terminus site in St Andrew Square.

Edinburgh Waverley: A 5 car Voyager with engines shut down stands silently at Edinburgh Waverley in east end bay Platform 4 shortly before heading south on the 17.08 CrossCountry service to Bristol Temple Meads on 4 October.

Mallaig: 156456 stands at Mallaig on the afternoon of 4 October preparing to depart on the next service to Fort William.

Pitfodels: Another view of the refurbished Pitfodels station on the Deeside line in October 2012 see image [[37597]].

Little Bispham: Dusk on a fine evening on the Lancashire coast as Flexity 011 waits on the Little Bispham turning circle before heading south for Starr Gate. During the illuminations season the half-hourly evening service to and from Fleetwood is supplemented by further trams turning back here to give a ten-minute frequency through the lights.

Pitfodels: Transformation at Pitfodels station on the Deeside line in October 2012. See image [[36975]]

Blackpool (Gynn Square): Blackpool Tramway's Rocket Tramnik One No. 732 on static display at on an isolated section of track in the middle of the Gynn Square roundabout for the 2012 Blackpool Illuminations. See image [[40249]]

Pitfodels: View of the renovated Pitfodels station on 4 October 2012 - trackbed to the left see image [[36969]].

Riding Mill: ScotRail 156465 passes through Riding Mill station on a Newcastle bound service that started at Glasgow Central and travelled via the G&SW route.

Manchester Central: One of the first generation Metrolink trams, bound for Eccles, passes the former Manchester Central station on 4 October as it approaches the Deansgate Castlefields tram stop.

Stocksfield: The station buildings have gone at Stocksfield but the waiting shelters are traditional as well as substantially built and the distinctive footbridge is in good order. 156475 passes through without stopping on a Newcastle to Carlisle semi-fast service on 4th October 2013.

Gdansk Glowny: View west showing part of the station frontage of Gdansk Glowny on 4 October 2013.

Deansgate: Looking east through Deansgate station towards Oxford Road on 4 October as an Arriva Trains Wales class 175 approaches on a Manchester Piccadilly - Chester service.

Prudhoe: A damp and gloomy morning but Prudhoe Castle can just be seen on the hill to the south of the station. Prudhoe is now devoid of all original buildings but enjoys a regular service. 142092 calls on a Nunthorpe to Hexham service on 4th October 2013.

Salford Central: Work is proceeding around Salford Central station in connection with electrification and the Ordsall link. At present the only platforms in use are served by trains on the route between Victoria and Salford Crescent but it is understood that the line from Ordsall Jct may also be about to have platform access. On 4 October Northern 150206 makes its final stop before Manchester Victoria.

Prudhoe: Pulling away from a stop at Prudhoe on 4 October, Northern 142092 passes the tall signalbox as it heads west along the Tyne Valley towards Hexham.

Deansgate: View south west with the viaduct that once carried lines out of Manchester Central station on the left as a Northern service heading into the city passes below on the line from Ordsall Junction to Deansgate.

Manchester Liverpool Road: Drivers eye view out of the number 1 end of BR EM1 class loco no.76039 in the engine hall of the Manchester Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI). Unfortunately the number 1 end cab is all that remains of the loco. It had been withdrawn from Reddish shed in July 1981 and scrapped at Booths in Rotherham in June 1983.

Manchester: Built in Manchester by Beyer Peacock in 1929 for South African Railways, this GL class Garratt has almost returned to its birthplace. Photographed on 4 October 2013 in the Power Hall of the Manchester Museum of Science and Industry. 

Bamber Bridge: 46115 Scots Guardsman charges through Bamber Bridge on 4 October with The Lune Rivers Trust special from Hellifield to Carlisle via Carnforth, Preston, Blackburn and the S&C. The train was running over 70 minutes late at this point but the Scot was working hard in an effort to make up lost time.

Purton: GWR Castle class 4-6-0 no 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe passing through the site of long gone Purton Station on the northern outskirts of Swindon on 4 October, bound for Didcot and then Oxford.

Preston (Ribble Branch): Low profile Class 14? Photographed in between turns at the Ribble Steam Diesel Gala on 4 October 2014, D9539 is in immaculate condition but its tyres are looking well worn. The diesel hydraulic spent much of the summer on the East Lancs Railway but is now back at its home base in Preston.

Hellifield: Jubilee 45699 Galatea sets off from Hellifield Up Goods Loop on 4 October 2014 after a water stop with the returning Cumbrian Mountain Express. The special will now head for Farington Junction where 86259 will take over the train for the last leg of the journey to London.

Ribble Steam Railway Museum: The loan agreement between the NRM and RSR allows DELTIC to be occasionally opened for escorted footplate and engine room tours. The driver and second man positions are seen here although the sixty year old red leather seats have to remain covered. On the drivers side are the power handle, loco air brake (minus handle) and train vacuum brake controls. To the right are the main handbrake, train heating boiler and water scoop controls. DELTIC is likely to remain in Preston until sometime in 2015.

Hellifield: The sun has gone down at Hellifield on 4 October as 46115 Scots Guardsman waits in the shadows with the return Lune Rivers Trust charter as it takes on water.

Ribble Steam Railway Museum: Taken from the mid point of the locomotive, this is the view towards the No.2 cab of Deltic alongside one of the two Napier 2-stroke engines. The low ceiling panels conceal the roof mounted water tanks feeding the steam heating boiler alongside the camera. In the confined space of the passageways on either side of the engines one could only sympathise with the travelling engineer who's working environment this was and speculate on the noise levels when the Napiers were under power.

Preston (Ribble Branch): View through the rear cab of W&M Railbus E79960 as it passes the boarded crossing on the RSR line during the Autumn 2014 Diesel Gala.

Oxheys: Heading back to Mossend after weekend engineering duties are DBS 66140, 66060, 66105 (in DBS red) and 66011. This image, looking towards Preston on Sunday 4th October 2015, was taken from the Cadley Causeway bridge. The former four track section here is now reduced to two running lines plus an Up Loop.

Preston (Ribble Branch): Cab interior of Dutch Class 11 shunter NS663 at the Ribble Steam Autumn 2015 Diesel Gala. The 0-6-0 diesel electric was built by English Electric for service on Netherlands State Railways and is one of two preserved at the RSR although the other (Prototype NS601) is on static display only at present. The sticker on the bulkhead below the number 663 indicates a maximum speed of 30km/h.

Preston (Ribble Branch): A newly restored Banana van is part of a demonstration freight train at the RSR Autumn Diesel Gala 2015. This is a very appropriate wagon for the line as bananas were one of the main imports at Preston Dock for many years. The train is being hauled by resident D9539 heading back to the museum.

Preston Riverside: Class 14 0-6-0DH D9537 was a visitor to the Ribble Steam Railway during 2015, running at that time in the old Western Region experimental Desert Sand livery. It is seen alongside conventionally liveried resident Class 03 D2148 at the Preston Riverside sidings during the autumn gala.

Slateford Viaduct: Crossing Slateford Viaduct on a sunny Sunday morning on 4 October is the 0914 Craigentinny - Glasgow Central CrossCountry Voyager ECS movement. The empty stock will later form the 1057 Glasgow Central - Plymouth (via Edinburgh). Down below is what has to be the UK's tidiest building supplies depot.

Preston (Ribble Branch): DP1 Deltic is to return to the National Railway Museum at Shildon for the Deltic 60th event on 24th October 2015 but prior to doing so made a final appearance at the RSR Diesel Gala running into the station at the head of a rake of MkI stock. The plume of exhaust at the rear of the train is the giveaway that of course it was being propelled but it made a fine sight.

Preston (Ribble Branch): The 2015 RSR Autumn Diesel Gala saw Class 14 D9537 visiting from the East Lancs Railway. It is seen here on a demonstration freight working with resident D9539. The Desert Sand livery is a head turner but would probably have been completely impractical in day to day service had it been adopted by the Western Region.

Slateford: A Virgin Voyager runs east through Slateford on 4 October 2015 as the 0850 Polmadie TMD - Edinburgh Waverley ECS working. The stock will form the Sunday morning 1051 Edinburgh Waverley - London Euston (via Carlisle and the WCML). The train has just passed the crossover which allows eastbound trains access to Slateford Junction see image [[4785]].

Edinburgh Gateway: The new structure at Edinburgh Gateway rises. This is the construction site as viewed from a tram.

Drem: View west at Drem.

Ribble Steam Railway Workshops: What remains of 08628 sits outside the RSR workshops in October 2015 while the last few usable parts are removed. The fuel tank, seen here alongside the stripped shunter, had the appearance of a tombstone. Although dismantling had been a slow process See image [[40433]], looking at this loco it seemed that 08628 could not be around that much longer and by February 2016 it was in Andrew Goodman's yard near Sutton Coldfield in this stripped-down condition and later that year was cut up at EMR Kingsbury.

Slateford Aqueduct: A canal boat about to cross Slateford Aqueduct in the western suburbs of Edinburgh on 4 October 2015. The 500 foot long structure carries the Union Canal over both Inglis Green Road and the Water of Leith. Just off picture to the right is the Caledonian Railway's Slateford Viaduct, which runs parallel to the canal at this point. For a view of both structures looking back from the far end of the canal towpath see image [[4804]].

Bo'ness: Class 303 emu adjacent to the museum building at Bo'ness.

Bo'ness: NBL products of 1942 and 1960 face each other in the Scottish Railway Museum (Stanier 8F and AL4 electric).

Bo'ness: On-loan DRS 37703 enters Bo'ness with the closed Longannet Power Station in the background. Due to a breach in the BKR by pipeline work, trains were being topped and tailed; on this occasion NCB no.19 brought up the rear.

Lancaster: 37403 Isle of Mull returned to main line use with the Cumbrian Coast fleet of Class 37/4s in July 2016. It is owned by the SRPS and was based at Boness for several years See image [[25834]] but is now on long term loan to DRS. In full West Highland livery the former D6607 is seen propelling the 0515 Carlisle to Preston at Lancaster on 4th October 2016.

Vancouver Waterfront: An aerial view of the freight yard adjacent to Vancouver’s Waterfont Station and container terminal shows a train of containers being marshalled. When the operation is complete the sidings will be empty and the locomotives at the head of the train will be some two miles distant ready to start their eastward journey. Also visible in the sidings are four rakes of coaching stock for the evening’s West Coast Express trains to Mission

Bo'ness: Newly arrived NRM-owned class AL4 electric, Built by the North British Locomotive Company, Glasgow in 1960.

Inverurie: Seen at The Coco Works in Inverurie station. Formerly Lord Kintore's private convenience.

Inverurie: My view from The Coco Works cafe of Inverurie station's platforms.

Blair Atholl: A southbound service pulls into the clean autumnal air of Blair Atholl on 4th October 2017. Unusually the station lacks departure information - a step back in time.

Perth: The leaves on the line are safe for the time being as the leafblaster takes a break at Platform 6 in Perth. Six has no scheduled (or perhaps unscheduled) passenger use.

Pitlochry: A Class 170 with a southbound service at Pitlochry on 4th October 2017. Will all 170s be banished when the HSTs come on stream next year? Let's see. 170s have been around in Scotland for (incredibly) 18 years. When first delivered they had payphones - which I never once saw used.

Oubeck Loops: Still operating in Freightliner Grey livery, 90044 leads 90046 and a Coatbridge to Daventry liner train south through the Oubeck Loops on 4th October 2017. In January 2020 90044 was repainted from this livery into the new Freightliner orange scheme without ever carrying green paintwork.

Perth: Crew change for an Inverness service in Platform 7 at Perth on 4th October 2017.

Tweedbank: The 20.5x on arrival at Tweedbank back from Waverley. Five coaches, 158 leading and 170 tied on. Not a nice night - horrendous rain and wind.

Moy: 70811 makes history as the first Class 70 to operate on the Highland Main Line.Pictured at Moy with a cement train for Inverness.

Oubeck Loops: DBS 90024 & 90018 head south through the Oubeck Loops with a Mossend to Daventry container service on 4th October 2017.

Oubeck Loops: 68032 and 68017 'Hornet' take flasks from Crewe to Sellafield through Oubeck on 4th October 2017. Since then 68032 has acquired the name 'Destroyer' and also the stylish TPE livery and is now employed on Liverpool - Scarborough passenger services.

Aberdeen Waterloo: At Aberdeen Waterloo on 4th October, tanks of imported china clay slurry await movement south to Caledonian Paper at Irvine and Iggesund at Workington. The three tramwayed sidings of Aberdeen Harbour Board's yard, on the left, have seen no commercial rail traffic since being constructed more than five years ago.

Cleland: The morning Voyager from Polmadie to Edinburgh passes through Cleland at first light on 4th October 2018.

Cardross: This year's annual 'Leaf Train' photograph with some nasty looking weather heading in from the west...

Ayr Station Hotel: Behind this bland facade of scaffolding and cling film is the iconic Ayr Station Hotel. What will emerge in due course? 4th October 2018.

Ayr: As of 4th October the Station Hotel at Ayr has been wrapped in a sort of clingfilm, behind which there is a web of scaffolding. No more reliable information on what is happening but the Ayrshire Post has reported unverified rumours that the owners have disposed of it to another company that they control.

Newtongrange: Autumnal scene at Newtongrange on the morning of 4 October 2018 as the 0850 ScotRail service from Tweedbank calls on its way to Waverley.

Cleland: The morning Polmadie to Waverley Voyager passing through Cleland on 4th October 2018.

Cumbrae Ferry Terminal: 'MV Loch Shira' approaches the desolate Cumbrae Slip from Largs on 4th October 2019.

Lancaster: Delivery of the three-car CAF 195s seems to be nearing completion. Here is 195130, from a planned sub-class of thirty three units, on test at Lancaster on 4th October 2019 and about to return to Preston. It had the usual on-test complement of engineers and their laptops with all seats and carpets still under plastic covers.

Glasgow Queen Street High Level: The 12.20 to Oban and Mallaig leaves Glasgow Queen Street on 4 October 2020, formed by 156477, 156474 and 156453.

Dovehouses Bridge 161 [LC]: It is at least eighty years since a canal boat turned round in the winding hole at Dovehouses. The canal north of Tewitfield closed in 1942 and several points were culverted in the 1960s for the M6 Motorway build. Just beyond here the waterway turns west through Crooklands before striking northwards again towards Kendal.

Leuchars Junction [1st]: This map accompanies Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland (1885, my collection). While otherwise up to date, it shows Leuchars Junction station as it was till 1876. Even in 1885 that station was known as Leuchars Old, and the name Leuchars Junction taken by a new station in the more obvious place (the current Leuchars).

Glasgow Queen Street High Level: Inter7City trains lengthened to 5 cars were introduced by ScotRail on 27 September 2021. Here is the 1041 departure from Queen Street for Aberdeen on 4th October 2021.

Glasgow Queen Street High Level: The official completion of rebuilding work at Glasgow Queen Street was marked by the unveiling of a plaque. From left to right: Tommy McPake of Network Rail, Maggie Hoey of ScotRail, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, and Alex Hynes MD Scotlands Railway.

Glasgow Queen Street High Level: Close-up of the commemorative plaque unveiled at Queen Street by the First Minister on 4th October 2021.

Thornton North Junction: From a carriage window. Looking over the start of the relaid Levenmouth branch in October 2022. Note the 'distant' board at bottom right.

Cupar: Azuma 800113 passes Cupar, with the 09.52 from Aberdeen to Kings Cross, on 4 October 2022.

Cupar: 170393 leaves Cupar, with the 10.02 from Edinburgh to Dundee, on 4th October 2022.

Cupar: 170393 calls at Cupar, with the 11.40 from Dundee to Edinburgh, on 4th October 2022..