Thornton Shed [2nd]: J37 0-6-0 no 64625 in the shed yard at Thornton in October 1965, one month after official withdrawal.

Bathgate Shed: Class J36 no 65345 on shed at Bathgate on 19 October 1965.

Glasgow St Enoch: BR Standard class 5 4-6-0 no 73059 off Polmadie shed gets ready to leave St Enoch on 19 October 1965 with the 5.30pm stopping train to Carlisle.

Benton Quarry Junction: An unidentified Deltic passing Benton Quarry Junction, on the northern approach to Newcastle in October 1971 with an ECML train for Kings Cross.

Earsdon Junction: An EE Type 3 heads south towards the Tyne in 1971 with a coal train, probably from Burradon exchange sidings. The train is about to pass Earsdon Junction signal box. The flat crossing is a mineral line (the Backworth Wagonway) serving East Holywell Colliery.

Mountain Ash Colliery: Inside the NCB shed at Mountain Ash on 19 October 1973 is 0-6-0ST Llantarnam Abbey (note the missing 'R' on the right hand tank-side) built by Andrew Barclay as No. 2074/1939. I have no record of the loco behind it but bringing up the rear appears to be the perhaps more interesting Avonside-built Sir John (No. 1680/1914).

Orbliston: 27005 Westbound Orbliston Station 1118 hours 19 Oct. 1980. Orbliston, at that time, still retained its original construction.

Boat of Garten: J94 No 60 at Boat of Garten on 19 October 1980.

Riccarton and Craigie: Looking east from the western abutment of the River Irvine viaduct on the Riccarton Branch between Riccarton & Craigie Station and Thirdpart Junction, 19 October, 1985, just before the demolition men moved in to start on building the A71 Riccarton bypass on the railway trackbed (new road bridge later built on exactly the same spot).

Larkhall: The completed work. Bridge 15 Larkhall, which carries the B7078 (old A74), having strengthening and masonry repairs carried out by South Lanarkshire Council Roads department staff in 1996. The picture shows the stitching bars in place and the cracks sealed using Fosroc's Renderoc. The stitching rods are held in place using a two part epoxy sausage which is placed in the pilot hole and the bar spun into the hole and allowed to set then the square galvanized plates and nuts added. This was an unusual job that I was in charge of prior to the line being reopened.

Aberdour: 37685 + 37801 stand with a pair of cranes on the down line a little to the west of Aberdour on 19 October 1997. A new trackbed for the up line has recently been prepared.

Dumfries: 156 496 stands at Dumfries in October 1997 with a Glasgow Central - Carlisle service.

Wymondham: The Steam Dreams Cathedrals Express ran between London and Norwich on 19 October 2005. The special departed from Kensington Olympia hauled by 33002, which handed over to 60009 Union of South Africa at Ely. The A4 took the train on to Norwich, from where it ran to Kings Cross later in the day. The special is seen here at Wymondham on the outward journey.

Crawford Viaduct: A southbound Virgin CrossCountry service approaching Crawford on 19 October 2007. This was the final month of the Virgin Trains CrossCountry franchise.

Crawford Viaduct: The morning sun illuminates Crawford Viaduct on 19 October 2007 as a Virgin CrossCountry service from Birmingham New Street to Glasgow Central crosses the River Clyde.

Crawford Viaduct: Voyagers crossing on the curve through Crawford on a sunny October afternoon in 2007.

Crawford Viaduct: A Euston - Glasgow Central Pendolino catches the afternoon sun on Crawford Viaduct on 19 October 2007.

Finsbury Park: Preserved Class 86 locomotive 86101 passes Finsbury Park en route from Doncaster to Crewe on 19 October.

Carnoustie: Aberdeen express class 170 passing the former Carnoustie station (closed 1900) The camera is on the present up platform.

Carnoustie: Rear of signal cabin and platforms, either side of level crossing. View from east.

Carnoustie: Glasgow service calls at Carnoustie

Crawford Viaduct: View south at Crawford on 19 October 2007 as the lunchtime Glasgow Central - London Euston Pendolino snakes through the long reverse curves and heads towards Beattock.

Crawford Viaduct: A southbound Voyager crosses the Clyde at Crawford - 19 October 2007.

Bathgate [4th]: EWS 66143 at the buffer stops at Bathgate on 19 October 2008.

Bathgate [4th]: The End, Bathgate, 19 October 2008.

Ebberston: Looking west along the platform at Ebberston from the site of the level crossing on 19 October 2009 you could be forgiven for thinking that there was a train waiting to depart towards Pickering. In fact the line closed in June 1950 however the station has been restored since 1996 and now offers holiday accommodation in ex BR Mk 2 coaches.

Filey: Filey station looking south from the level crossing late in the afternoon of 19 October 2009. Under the NER overall roof is a NER footbridge.

Scarborough: The last southbound train of the day on 19 October 2009 passes what appears to be a closed station on the North Bay Railway at Scarborough. With the North Sea on the right the northern terminus is out of sight behind the rear carriage at a leisure complex.

Greenock Containerbase Sidings: Looking over the site of Princes Pier on 19th October 2009 with the buildings in the foreground standing on the site of the former shed. In the background is the Queen Mary 2, calling at Greenock Ocean Terminal as part of her 5th Birthday celebrations. The visit continues a long tradition of ships calling at Greenock Ocean Terminal and, prior to that, Princes Pier, which occupied the site until 1966.

Whitwell Tunnel: 158777, in WYPTE livery, has just left Whitwell Tunnel on a service from Nottingham to Worksop in 2009.

Blackpool: Car no 672, with 682 trailing, heading south past Blackpool Tower on the 19th of October 2010.

Hest Bank: Freightliner 66508 approaches the level crossing with coal empties for Scotland.

Hest Bank: A southbound Virgin Voyager passes 'Hest Bank level crossing frame' on 19 October, with Morecambe Bay and the Lake District fells in the background.

Hest Bank: View north at Hest Bank on 19 October 2010 as 66616 passes with the 6U68 Carlisle - Mountsorrel empty ballast train.

Blackpool North: 158815 leaves Blackpool North on 19 October, passing some of the semaphore signals which will be replaced when the line is electrified.

Hazel Grove: An EMT Liverpool to Norwich service with 158799 heads east at Hazel Grove on 19 October 2010.

Hazel Grove: Platform view east from Hazel Grove station on 19 October 2010. The route diverging to the left beyond the road bridge is for New Mills South Junction with the line to Buxton running straight ahead.

Hazel Grove: A Northern 156 DMU on a Hazel Grove - Preston service prepares to start its journey on 19 Oct 2010.

St Pancras: Deutsche Bahn (DB) ICE unit on display at London St Pancras International on 19 October. The train was visiting London as part of an initiative by DB which may see the German rail firm running ICE services from London St Pancras to Germany from 2013.

St Pancras: Deutsche Bahn (DB) ICE unit on display at London St Pancras International. The train was visiting London as part of an initiative by DB which may see the German rail firm running ICE services from London St Pancras to Germany from 2013.

Buxton: The much cut-back and modified station at Buxton on 19 October 2010, taken from approximately the same position as the Kenneth Gray 1969 photograph see image [[31151]] but the platform is now shorter and a barrier prevented a true then and now shot. A train for Manchester Piccadilly stands at platform 2. [The driver was very taken with the rough print I had taken of the 1969 image and keen to see if he could recognise anyone - he didn't!]

Furness Vale: A Buxton to Manchester service has just called at Furness Vale station behind the photographer on 19 October 2010. This service comprised of 3 sets, a mixture of Class 156 and 150s, in order to get one of them back to Manchester for maintenance.

New Mills Newtown: A Buxton to Barrow service arrives at New Mills Newtown on 19 October 2010.

Buxton: The remaining shell of Buxton station seen on 19 October 2010, looking across Station Road.

Furness Vale: A view west from platform 2 at Furness Vale, under the footbridge and across the level crossing towards the signalbox in October 2010.

North Queensferry: Looking over North Queensferry on 19 October as a special crosses the Forth Bridge.

Sheringham: 0-6-0ST no 68030, departing from Sheringham Station on the North Norfolk Railway with the 1030 train to Holt on 19 October 2011.

Newtongrange: Preparations at the site of the future Newtongrange station, looking south towards Gorebridge on 19 October 2011. The gardens of Jenks Loan, one of a number of modern developments in the area, run alongside the formation on the right, with the A7 behind the camera. The original Newtongrange station stood on the other (north) side of the A7 road bridge. See image [[24342]]

Stow: Looking north along the Waverley route from the road bridge crossing the trackbed at Stow station on 19 October 2011, with the sky starting to brighten following a shower of rain.

Stow: The south side of the road bridge at Stow station on 19 October 2011.... and the house on the trackbed. See image [[14414]]

Sheringham: 156-419 awaiting departure from Sheringham on 19 October 2011 with a National Express East Anglia service to Norwich. An interesting contrast with the North Norfolk Railway station across the road see image [[26074]].

Newbattle Viaduct: View north at Newbattle (aka Lothianbridge, Dalhousie, South Esk, Newtongrange etc) Viaduct on 19 October 2011 towards Edinburgh, with the A7 running alongside.

Whitwell and Reepham: The former station at Whitwell and Reepham, Norfolk, currently in the process of being restored as a railway museum complete with track and sidings. Barclay 0-4-0ST Annie and Baguley-Drewry 4wd DM Georgie are present on 19 October 2011 see image [[24938]].

Bowland: The station at Bowland, between Galashiels and Stow, closed to passengers as early as 1953. The wooden platforms and signal box have long gone, although the goods yard can still be identified, having been used for many years by the local farmer. Bridge No 80, which carried the line over the B710, also survives and is used by local farm traffic. Passenger access to the station was via a ramp/stairway to the down platform on the other side of the bridge. View is south west from the former goods yard on 19 October 2011.

Bowland: Approaching Bowland from the west on 19 October 2011. The signal box was on the north side of the bridge with the platforms to the south. The passenger entrance was on the right with a stairway leading to the down platform. Access to the up platform was via a barrow crossing. Entrance to the former goods yard is on the other side of the bridge to the left. The makers plate on the bridge reads 'Somervail & Co - Dalmuir Iron Works - Dalmuir'. See image [[25514]]

Soller Depot: Scene at the Soller tram depot in Majorca, October 2012.

Pitmedden: A westbound Class 170 passes the site of Pitmedden station on 19 October 2012 heading for Inverurie. The stone base of the former signalbox is above the barrier on the left. The photo was taken from what would have been the four foot of the Down Line when this was a double track main line. The trees either side of the line have taken hold in the previous 13 years See image [[62025]]

Dyce: A Class 170 DMU heading to Inverness arrives at Dyce on 19 October 2012.

Soller: View from a bar stool. A Port Soller street tram in Majorca, photographed with minimal effort on 19 October 2012.

Kintore [1st]: Kintore former Down platform looking a little overgrown in October 2012. Hopefully it may re-open when this part of the Aberdeen to Inverness line is upgraded; scheduled for 2019.

Soller: A train on the Soller Railway alongside Soller depot on 19 October 2012.

Soller: One of the Port Soller street trams photographed 'interacting' with road traffic and pedestrians on 19 October 2012.

Dyce: Class 170s cross at Dyce on 19 October 2012. On the left is a service for Inverness while approaching on the right is a service to Edinburgh. Raiths Farm yard is beyond the overbridge in the background and to the left of the running line.

Kintore: With the remains of Kintore station platform behind the photographer, an Inverness service disappears towards Inverurie on 19 October 2012. The line to Alford curved away to the left at this point and is still identifiable as such for a short distance.

Inca: A main line emu at Inca, Majorca in October 2012.

Dyce: The crowds had been gathering on both platforms for over 30 minutes at Dyce in the afternoon of 19 October 2012. On the right the Inverurie to Edinburgh service is getting ready to depart, while on the left an Aberdeen to Inverness service is boarding. Off to the right were the former Buchan line platforms, now filled in and used as a car park. To the left of the station is Dyce Airport reached via a connecting bus service.

Pitmedden: Scene at the site of Pitmedden station on the GNSR mainline from Aberdeen to Keith in October 2012 with no trace remaining of the station itself. Alongside the level crossing however is the stone base of the old signalbox. To the left the line heads for Kintore and to the right towards Dyce.

Torphins: An old 9 compartment suburban coach has found further use on a farm near Torphins. Viewed from the B993 just south of the village on 19 October 2012. It would appear to have seen 'better days' and although missing quite a few bits and pieces has had two external lights fitted.

Dyce: 170434 departs from Dyce, heading to Aberdeen, on 19 October 2012.The signalbox has since been demolished (August 2019) with the restoration of double track between Berryden Junction and Inverurie. On the left is a Class 170 heading towards Inverurie.

Penge West: 455842, with a Southern service to London Bridge, arriving at Penge West in south London on 19th October 2013. This station has also been served by London Overground services since 23rd May 2010 when it was transferred to TfL control.

Loughborough Junction: 319366, with a Thameslink service from and back to St. Albans City, now on the southbound part of its journey via Wimbledon and Sutton and returning via Mitcham Junction, calling at Loughborough Junction in south London on 19th October 2013. This EMU was later transferred to Northern Rail and has since been refurbished.

West Dulwich: 465189, from Victoria to Orpington, departing from West Dulwich on 19th October 2013.

Elephant and Castle: 319009, with a Thameslink service to Sutton in Surrey, arriving at Elephant & Castle on 19th October 2013.

Loughborough Junction: Loughborough Junction, which gave its name to the surrounding south London district, looking north on 19th October 2013. It is on the LCDR City Extension Railway from Herne Hill, opened on 6th October 1863 with spurs to the west (the Brixton spur) and the east (the Cambria Road spur). Platforms on the Brixton spur were opened on 1st October 1864 and given the name Loughborough Road. On 11th December 1872 platforms were opened on the line coming up from Herne Hill and also on the Cambria Road spur and the station became Loughborough Junction. Passenger services over the Brixton spur ceased on 3rd April 1916 and its platforms closed. Following Southern electrification of these lines in 1925, the platforms on the Cambria Road spur were also closed, even though these trains still passed as they do to this day. For nearly 100 years now, only the island platform on what is now the Thameslink line has survived. The canopy could do with a coat of paint.

Corfe Castle: A view north from the footbridge at Corfe Castle, with a train to Norden about to depart, in October 2014.

Xian: China Railway CRH380A-2504 at Xian, after travelling from Beijing, on 19th October, 2014. A very smooth journey, but through continuous smog.

Wareham: SWT 444043 'arrives' at Wareham on 19 October 2014. Due to engineering work further west the service had earlier terminated here on the left hand platform, run forward before reversing and using the trailing crossover to access the eastbound platform.

Corfe Castle: A Swanage bound service enters the loop at Corfe Castle on 19 October 2014. Ex GWR 0-6-2T no 6695 catches the sunshine on a perfect Autumn afternoon.

Norden: Bulleid West Country Pacific 34070 Manston in action at Norden on the Swanage Railway on 19 October 2014, the final day of the autumn steam gala.

Swanage: Waiting to depart from Swanage on 19 October 2014 is ex GWR 0-6-2T no.6695 with the former Devon Belle observation car immediately behind the loco.

Falahill Summit: The new road bridge which will carry the A7 over the Borders Railway at Falahill was recently opened to single-file traffic. View shows the southern approach to the new bridge on Sunday 19 October 2014, with the trackbed visible on the far left.

Coventry Arena: Mud, mud, glorious mud: a new railway station starts to take shape at last between Coventry's Ricoh Arena (left) and the popular Arena Retail Park (right). The steps lead down to a pedestrian underpass running below a three arch railway viaduct. View north towards Nuneaton on 19 October 2014. See image [[40050]]

Wareham: With the former level crossing in the foreground replaced by a new road bridge over the railway (behind the camera), work is now progressing on refurbishing the station footbridge at Wareham. On the afternoon of 19 October 2014 SWT emu no. 444043 waits to commence its journey to Waterloo. This was as far as westbound services were running this particular Sunday due to engineering works near Dorchester.

Swanage: 0-6-2T no.6695 stands at the buffers at Swanage in October 2014 having just arrived with a service from Norden. On the right cream teas were available along with other refreshments in the Birds Nest Buffet.

Harmans Coss: The signalman at Harmans Cross station on the Swanage Railway exchanges the single line tokens with the crew of a Swanage bound train on 19 October 2014.

Wareham: SWT 444043 waits to depart from platform 1 at Wareham on 19 October 2014 with a service to Waterloo. As a result of engineering works to the west of Wareham, services from London were terminating here and returning east after making use of the crossover to the west of the station.

Swanage: Southern Railway U Class 2-6-0 no. 31806 departs from Swanage with a short goods train on 19 October 2014 during the Railway's Autumn Steam Gala.

Norden: Drummond M7 30053 with U Class 31806 between turns at Norden during the late afternoon of 19 October 2014, having recently arrived double heading a train from Swanage. View towards the former Network Rail boundary near Furzebrook which has now moved to Worget Jct. Recent developments have seen Dorset County Council take over the three miles of track from Network Rail and lease it to the Swanage Railway.

Corfe Castle: Ex-GWR Collett 5600 series 0-6-2T no.6695 arrives at Corfe Castle with a service to Swanage on 19 October 2014. See image [[46387]]

Coventry: Too many cooks..?? No less than 9 companies or bodies are financing or building the new Coventry Arena station. Seen something similar recently?... see image [[49030]].

Stoke-on-Trent: Looking North from the station overbridge at Stoke-on-Trent as the 19.07 to Crewe enjoys its scheduled 5 minute dwell time.

Arbroath: If you choose to rely on the analogue clocks at the station it's permanently 1200 hours in Arbroath. It would be very cheap of me say that it's also permanently 1969 in Arbroath, so I won't.

Arbroath Harbour Junction: The signal box at Arbroath is rather imposing, but the lack of refurbishment, to the exterior anyway, suggests that it will soon be redundant. Mind you, I have been thinking that for years ...

Lancaster Old Junction: 37402 Stephen Middlemore 23.12.1954 - 8.6.2013, working a passenger service from Preston to Barrow-in-Furness, drops down the bank passing the site of Lancaster Old Junction on 19th October 2016. Fast forward three years with image [[70781]] to see the replacement Furness line stock at this location. The trees on the left have also since been cut back from the lineside.

Ladybank: Are we to believe that a six-car Class 170 is a yard longer than a six-car 158? Photographed 19/10/2016.

Ladybank: On the way to his tailor in Edinburgh, the laird of this quiet bit of Fife was presumably reluctant to share a waiting room with the riff-raff. Although all looks fine here there is no door on the platform side. Was he really that desperate not to mingle or has the door has been filled in? It's not obvious. Photographed 19/10/2016.

Ladybank: While the unoccupied building on the southbound platform at Ladybank is up for let, the northbound one, shared with the ticket office, houses Kirsty Lorenz, a commercial artist, with premises that are off the from-Edinburgh platform and the 'Off the Rails Arthouse', a charity, which occupies the former stationmaster's house. The lettering on the signs is in the British Railways typeface of Gill Sans: deliberate? The architectural style is Italianate, built sufficiently early that the railway station pattern hadn't really been established.

Dundee: Ongoing work at the east end of Dundee station on 19/10/2016. The pit will be for an escalator, I expect, coming down from the currently skeletal booking hall.

Arbroath: The Borders Railway liveried unit takes the message to the North East with this Edinburgh to Aberdeen service at Arbroath on 19/10/2016. As scheduled it ran non-stop between Haymarket and Dundee to the consternation of two passengers in my hearing. Despite all the information available these days people are still getting on the wrong trains!

Loch Eil Outward Bound: 156445 and 156492 form the 08.21 from Glasgow Queen Street to Mallaig approaching Locheil Outward Bound.

Perth: The 'Royal Scotsman' seen at Perth.

Glenfinnan: Climbing away from Glenfinnan, a little to the west.

Glenfinnan Viaduct: K1 62005 crossing Glenfinnan Viaduct with The Jacobite on 19 October.

Glenfinnan Viaduct: K1 62005 crossing Glenfinnan Viaduct with The Jacobite on 19 October.

Glenfinnan: Climbing away from Glenfinnan, a little to the west.

Glenfinnan: Climbing away from Glenfinnan, a little to the west. This was the K1's last run to Mallaig of the season.

Crianlarich Junction: GBRf 66736 draws away from Crianlarich with the North Blyth - Fort William Alcan service on 19 October 2017. The Oban line diverges to the left.

Peebles Junction: This fine scuplture, cleverly made out of straightened-out horse shoes, commemorates a local lad. It is also nicely positioned in what was the vee of Peebles Junction. The single-track Galashiels line went off to the left, and the non-passenger connection with the Caledonian station went right, the course of which is followed by a relief road created in the 1970s. It's not the only sculpture made of horseshoes Geograph - Roundabout at Levenhall.

Loch Eil Outward Bound: 156445 and 156492 form the 08.21 from Glasgow Queen Street leaving Loch Eil Outward Bound for Mallaig on 19th October 2017.

Peebles [CR]: This venerable list of Peebles attractions is on the Tweed Bridge. The first-listed car park was at the CR (or 'West') station, just across the bridge. That area has long-since been built over. There's no mention of the current 'East Station car park', as it's actually called; paradoxically, there was no car park there until that station, the NB one, was history too.

Rhydymwyn: View north, in October 2018, from the surviving station building at Rhydymwyn toward Nannerch station, which was obliterated in a road realignment.

St Pancras: Perfection in acanthus leaves.

Baker Street: There are at least three centuries in this picture; I can see a 19th century clock, a 1950s illuminated sign, and some 21st century LEDs in the background. Wonderful stuff.

St Pancras: Just one HST is visible among the Javelins at St. Pancras in this October 2018 image.

Nannerch: The station site at Nannerch was the victim of a road realignment and is almost undetectable now. However, much of the surrounding trackbed has survived, if mostly very overgrown. This overbridge is about a mile to the north west on the way to Caerwys.

St Pancras: Like Bath Green Park see image [[41560]], St. Pancras is a wonderful structure that you can visit many times to see it in different lights - literally.

Baker Street: I love the lighting in these alcoves on the Circle Line platforms at Baker Street.

Rhydymwyn: The forecourt at Rhydymwyn station, now in private ownership, seen from the A451 Mold - Denbeigh Road. The WW2 mustard gas factory had its own sidings and was on the other side of the trees in the centre. The former chemical plant was accessed by road through the village. The Rhydymwyn Valley History Society has a visitor centre on the site which is now a nature reserve.

Baker Street: This picture is presented for the benefit of country boys like me, who may not realize that the Night Tube is not universal; but only works on certain lines on certain days.

Bodfari: The beautifully maintained station building at Bodfari is now host to an attractive caravan park whose owner kindly gave permission for photographs to be taken. Both platform edges have been retained as features in the lawn. View is east towards Caerwys and Mold.

Euston: There are 72 destinations carved in stone on these panels on the gatehouses at Euston; and after all of Dr. Beeching's efforts, 70 of them are still served by main line rail in 2018. The exceptions are Keswick and Caernarvon - the latter still has the WHR.

Rhydymwyn: The station building at Rhydymwyn, complete with shelter on the opposite platform, is right beside the main road from Mold to Denbigh. No trace of the level crossing or its hand operated gates can been seen at the station side of the road.

Baker Street: 99.99% of commuters passing through Baker Street station probably haven't noticed that the W.H.Smith Luncheon and Tea Rooms were restored in 1987.

Nuneaton: Still ugly after dark - Freightliner 70006 pauses in Nuneaton for a driver change with a southbound Freightliner, about to turn right for Coventry on 19th October 2018.

Rhydymwyn: The site of the original goods yard at Rhydymwyn, on the Up side of the station, in October 2018. In 1939 the War Ministry established a mustard gas factory on the Down side of the line, which from 1941 to 1943 had a very secret heavy water plant attached.

Bodfari: View west at Bodfari station towards Mold and Denbeigh Junction, taken from where the realigned and lowered road now cuts across the solum. The neat caravan park on the site of the former goods yard is just visible beyond the hedge. Photograph by kind permission of the Station House Caravan Park owners.

Wellingborough: Do you think, if I ignore that mast long enough, it will go away? 66705 'Bolton Abbey' worries about its future in Wellingborough yard in October 2019.

Market Harborough: Between Market Harborough and Wellingborough, there are signs of impending electrification and re-quadrupling. A possession is planned over Christmas 2019 to hurry this along.

Inverkeithing East Junction: 47593 leads the 'Lord of the Isles Statesman' from Stevenage to Inverness away from Inverkeithing East Junction on 19 October. D1924 is on the rear. This had replaced failed 47501 (removed at Tyne Yard) at Edinburgh.

Market Harborough: It's not every day you see a disused station car park. Fortunately for users at Market Harborough, a bigger replacement car park has been opened on the East side of the line.

Corby: Creeping modernization - a second track and OHLE have arrived at Corby since my last visit see image [[60099]]
See query 2206

Wellingborough: A new platform 4 under construction at Wellingborough. Four tracks, four platforms - what could be simpler? View looks North-East in October 2019.
See query 2180

Harringworth: I took a wrong turn on the way from Harringworth to Corby station, and was rewarded with this very nice alternative view of the viaduct; which seems to owe more to landscape art than to civil engineering, despite the 30 million bricks used to build it. There is no train on the viaduct; but this is not unusual, as a crooner from Pontypridd might sing.

Muirend: A look along the southbound platform at Muirend on 19 October 2019. The canopy seems to defy gravity in this view, but the secret is that it balanced by the canopy on the other side of the building. Or so I have always assumed, and please don't disabuse me.

Harringworth: 46233 'Duchess of Sutherland' approaches Harringworth viaduct (via the eponymous station) on the Railway Touring Company's Yorkshireman railtour. The timing at this point had been advanced by an hour, which led to me setting a record for getting out of the house; but did not faze the locals, who were apparently hard wired into the Stamford Mercury.

Bridge Street Junction: An incoming service on the Up Ayr passes the old power signal box with its rather premature welcome to Glasgow Central. You can guess what 'DA' stands for, and it is not the hairstyle I can (mercifully) no longer consider.

Govan [Subway]: Changing drivers at Govan will soon become a thing of the past - because there won't be any drivers. New trains are currently under lengthy test and are due to enter service in 2020; wisely perhaps that is as specific as it gets. An Outer Circle working (with the alpha of all headcodes) pauses on 19 October 2019.

Wellingborough: More of the new order - the 12.09 to St.Pancras arrives 10 minutes late.

Market Harborough: How we should remember them - an immaculate HST power car, with the repetitive number 43.043, pauses at the new platform 2 at Market Harborough on its way to London.

Muirend: A Neilston to Glasgow Central service pulls into douce Muirend on 19 October 2019, framed by a lamp support on the northern ramp. Mycologists will recognise Xanthoria parietina in its brave attempt to naturalise the rather ugly platform lighting.

Market Harborough: Mercifully, this elegant passenger ramp - which seems to have anticipated the Disability Discrimination Act by at least 100 years - has been untouched by the radical revisions to the platforms and car park.

Dalgety Bay: D1924 brings up the rear of the 'Lord of the Isles Statesman' from Stevenage to Inverness as it passes through Dalgety Bay on 19 October 2019. 47593 was leading.

Corby: A Meridian Class 222 approaches Corby station (notice the OHLE and second track) after mysteriously recessing to the North of the station (these units normally stay in the platform between arrival and departure); the departure for St. Pancras was on time at 11.41.

Dalmuir: An Airdrie service calls at the onetime Dalmuir Park on 19 October 2019. On Platform 1 a terminating service awaits the shunting signal for the turnback siding.

Kettering for Corby: Class 73s inhabit the Southern region, except for those in the 739xx series, which pull Scottish sleepers, right? Not necessarily, grasshopper. 73963 'Alison' is seen here leading train 197F from Derby RTC to Tonbridge West yard. 73961 was on the back of the train.

Kettering for Corby: Roll out the barrel - if I am not mistaken, these doors outside the refreshment facilities at Kettering (now a franchised coffee shop) date back to the days when a beer was at least as popular as a coffee.

Kettering for Corby: Not the widest platform I have ever seen. Platform 2 at Kettering looking northwards in October 2019. The former refreshment rooms on the left bear a plaque stating the enormous numbers of servicemen and women who were fed and watered there during World War 2.

Kettering for Corby: A few years ago, most of this photograph of Kettering would have been a dull expanse of car park. In October 2019 it is largely an electrification and requadrupling work site. Notice the track maintenance machine just visible under the gantry.

Wellingborough: Of course it is a 66! Do you think I'm dull? 66778 'Cambois Depot 25 years' (named 7 days before this picture was taken) rests in Wellingborough yard, exactly 66 miles from St.Pancras, on 19th October 2019. Locomotives 705 and 768 were elsewhere in the yard, plus one unidentifiable classmate on the left of this picture.

Wellingborough: I nominate these two goods cranes at Wellingborough for Ancient Monument status. Their survival into the 21st century is uncanny - but delightful. see image [[26743]] Grade II listed. Much as I love museums (see image [[59542]]), it is nice to see a goods shed in (almost) original condition

Market Harborough: The perils of incomplete briefing - this poster, which is displayed at the Western entrance to the former underpass to the former platform 2, implies that the improvements to come will include rotating the station building through ninety degrees see image [[66551]] for the true orientation. This would be easier than rotating the railway through ninety degrees to be parallel to the building.

Kettering for Corby: This is what happens if you leave your suitcases on the platform too long. First, they get dirty; second, plants take root; and third, somebody in a hat takes pictures. Novel planters seen on platform 1 at Kettering in October 2019. Notice that the trolley is locked to the wall.

Leicester: The sidings at the North end of Leicester station have become a sort of railway variety show. Classes 56, 82 (DVT), 20, and 37 are visible in this view in October 2019. Notice the HST disappearing into history on the left.

Market Harborough: EMR Meridian 222007 is obviously not impressed by the new, straight platforms at Market Harborough. see image [[42653]] It didn't stop here on 19 October 2019 - not even to wonder what became of the old goods shed - and instead headed straight for St. Pancras.

Kilpatrick: A Dumbarton Central to Springburn service calls at Kilpatrick on 19 October 2019, with the eponymous hills in the background. The Down buildings are well preserved despite long disuse

Wellingborough Shed: I get the impression that steam engine sheds were distinctly masculine places. So it is appropriate that Wellingborough shed is now owned by a company which makes safety boots.

Muirend: Recent devegetation allows this view of the fine station building at Muirend with its generous canopies. Photographed from Muirend Road on 19 October 2019.

Wellingborough: It used to be common to have active post boxes on station platforms. Many, like this one, would be of Victorian origin. A postman emptied this box while I was sitting nearby, but the photo opportunity 'got away'. Maybe I should take up fishing.

Wellingborough: How I will remember them. A down HST passes under the new footbridge at Wellingborough, at or close to full line speed, on 19th October 2019.

Buchanan Street [Subway]: An Inner Circle train calls at Buchanan Street on Saturday morning, 19 October 2019. Note the unusual platform arrangement, seen at two other Subway stations whereby trains in opposite directions board on the same side.

Welshpool [W and LLR]: An old cattle dock at Welshpool on what would have been the WLLR terminus. There are narrow and standard gauge tracks on this side of the dock and just standard gauge on the other. For an earlier view taken from the other end of the dock and before the vegetation was cleared See image [[65736]].

Wellingborough: This footbridge at Wellingborough is not the most spotter-friendly that I know. But it is new.

Galgate: After a lengthy stop in the Up Loop at Oubeck, 70016 gets the Hardendale to Tunstead empty box wagons under way again on 19th October 2021. Five summers of vegetation growth have made their mark on the cutting at Hampson Lane after its 2016 regrading (See image [[54821]]).

Galgate: The northbound 'Tesco' was four hours late passing through North Lancashire on 19th October 2021. I had thought the second loco might be dead in train but pans were up on both 88010 and 88007 as they passed through this cutting, approaching Hampson Lane bridge, on a very dull and wet afternoon.

Preston: 90036 'Driver Jack Mills' and 90020 make a brief stop at Preston for a crew change whilst working the Mossend to Daventry intermodal service on a very dull morning, 19 October 2021.

Lancaster: TPE have been carrying out driver training with Class 802s on the WCML between Craigentinny and Preston. 802214 is seen at Lancaster platform 5 having arrived from Carlisle and now ready to depart back to Craigentinny with the last run of the day on 19 October 2021.

Hebden Bridge: Autumn 2022 view of the Rochdale Canal, looking west towards Hebden Bridge town centre. The bridge carries the road that leads to the railway station, hence the double arrow sign on the main road.

Gauxholme Viaduct: Autumn colours are just beginning to show through in Calderdale as 66152 wheels a long waste train over Gauxholme Viaduct dropping down towards Todmorden. This was the regular working from Kirkby in Merseyside to Wilton on Teesside, on 19th October 2022.

Hebden Bridge: Deciduous trees are a feature all along the Calder Valley line so there will be plenty of work for the leaf buster, seen here passing through Hebden Bridge on 19th October 2022. The MPV diagram, out and back from Wigan Springs Branch, involves visits to Blackpool South, the East Lancashire and Copy Pit lines, Blackburn to Manchester and the Calder Valley.

Mytholmroyd: The platforms at Mytholmroyd once ran out over the viaduct but have now been extended towards Leeds allowing this section to be closed off. The station building is no longer in railway use but the canopy over the doorway has been nicely restored, even though it is in the disused section. 195112 slows to call with a late running Chester to Leeds service on 19th October 2022.

Todmorden Lock 19 [RC]: The cramped site of Lock 19 in Todmorden necessitated the use of this guillotine style lower gate. The balance weights can be seen at the top and, when the lock opens, they go in the water under the passing boat. The canal closed in 1952 but was restored as a through route in 2002.

Mytholmroyd: It would have been quite a climb up to platform level in the three storey station building at Mytholmroyd. It is no longer in railway use but has been restored for the local community. In this October 2022 view the little canopy over the old platform entrance can just be seen but eastbound access is now along a roadway alongside this building, or a ramp on the far side of the bridge for those travelling towards the west.

Todmorden Lock 19 [RC]: Going west on the Rochdale Canal towpath from the Guillotine Lock in Todmorden town centre you almost immediately reach this immense brick retaining wall, which continues almost to the Dobroyd Bridge. Perhaps the local residents are used to it but seen for the first time on 19th October 2022 it was quite breath taking. I would estimate it to be around 300 yards long, but didn't count the bricks to gauge the height.

Winterbutlee Tunnel: 195107 has just passed through Winterbutlee Tunnel, and is now crossing Walsden Water, as it continues to climb towards Summit Tunnel with a Leeds to Chester service on 19th October 2022. Walsden station lies just beyond the tunnel.

Gauxholme Viaduct: Gauxholme Viaduct and the Rochdale Canal, looking towards Summit, in October 2022.

Gauxholme Viaduct: View down the Rochdale Canal towards Todmorden at Gauxholme Viaduct in October 2022. 195012 can just be seen crossing the waterway, heading from Leeds to Chester.

Todmorden: A 150/156 combination comes off the Todmorden Viaduct, having run wrong line from the Stansfield Hall chord on the other side, and now crosses over to the Manchester platform in the station itself. The chord was originally closed in 1973 but reinstated in 2015 and there is now an hourly service from Manchester to Blackburn via the Copy Pit line, complementing the Blackpool North to York services that also use that route.

Dean Royd Tunnel: The east portal of the main Summit Tunnel is quite inaccessible compared to the west side [[81739]]. Having come via Copy Pit from Blackburn, 150115 and 150133 are now climbing towards the short Dean Royd Tunnel on 19th October 2022. Beyond that is a short cutting, the tiny Summit East Tunnel and then the main, near two miles long bore.

Walsden [1st]: The original Walsden station, closed in 1961, occupied the area in this picture right up to the portal of Winterbutlee Tunnel. The replacement [[57103]], behind the camera, opened in 1990. A pair of 158s pull away from the station on a Leeds to Wigan service on 19th October 2022.

Gauxholme Wharf: The warehouse at Gauxholme Wharf near Todmorden has been converted into canalside apartments but its origins, including the arch where boats could sail inside, are still evident. This 2022 view looks towards Todmorden, with further locks behind the camera on the ascent to Summit.

Todmorden: 60096, in the Colas paintwork of its former operator, and 60002, reliveried by GBRf, rumble through Todmorden on the latter stage of the climb to Summit Tunnel with a long train of biomass empties from Drax to Liverpool on 19th October 2022.

Sands Lock [RC]: Had the original Rochdale Canal construction plans come to fruition there would have been a tunnel at Summit and Sands Lock (No.32) near Walsden, and thirteen others, would not have been built. Situated in typical Calderdale scenery it is just four locks short of the Summit pound, which is quite short at 0.8 miles. The fourteen locks saved 20,000 pounds compared to building the tunnel, 7% of the original estimated construction costs for the whole canal.