Sydenham [Belfast]: An ex-Bangor Belfast-bound DMU leaves Sydenham in 2003. A Harland and Wolff crane is just visible through the rain.

Cardross: SPT commuter train heading east by the Clyde on a beautiful autumn afternoon.

Lamington: In some of the worst weather seen this side of the Black Stump, the usual class 86s are joined by a third locomotive (pantograph down) on the front of the Basford Hall - Coatbridge container train, which is throwing off quite a spray as it hurtles north across the Clyde at Lamington on 17 November 2006. The sheep seem more interested in what kind of eejit is standing under a tree with a camera in conditions like this...

Glasgow Central: 6201 at Glasgow Central with a railtour on 17 November 2006 to commemorate the 70th anniversary of her non-stop high speed Euston-Glasgow run.

Glasgow Central: 6201 at Glasgow Central with the Mid-day Scot Railtour.

Glasgow Central: 6201 at Glasgow Central on 17 Nov 2006.

Glasgow Central: 6201 waits with the Mid-day Scot Railtour at Glasgow Central while the new book by Dugald Cameron, Glasgow Central, Central to Glasgow, is launched.

Dunfermline Queen Margaret: The 1324 Outer Circle train for Glenrothes and Edinburgh, arriving at Queen Margaret Station.

Perpignan Dali: SNCF TGV 289 at Perpignan Dali Station.

Edinburgh Waverley: Looking west along platform 2 over the north side crossover on 17 November.

Edinburgh Waverley: View east towards the main station and the Balmoral Hotel from platform 19.

Edinburgh Waverley: Canopy restoration work on platforms 18 and 19 looking west on 17 November 2007.

Dunfermline Queen Margaret: Class 170 departing Queen Margaret station for Cowdenbeath on 17th November. Note the platform extension to 6 cars, and the feathers on the starting signal for the Townhill goods loops ahead of the train. The overhead bridge is barricaded out of use.

Edinburgh Waverley: Coffee anyone? Coffee shop now occupying the site of the old booking office at Waverley, November 2007.

Edinburgh Waverley: A 158+170 combination forms the 13.35 for Inverness seen leaving Waverley on 17 November.

Townhill Yard: 170456 about to pass the Townhill Loops east of Queen Margaret. nb the shunting signal was showing red lights in reality.

Edinburgh Waverley: The NB Roll of Honour at Waverley on 17 November. Interesting to contrast todays moves towards more general-purpose, flexible job titles with the functionally descriptive approach reflected here. Some 35 individuals on this extract carry 23 different specific job titles, (including the sinister sounding striker).

Edinburgh Waverley: The North British Railway Roll of Honour at Waverley on 17 November, suitably adorned.

Edinburgh Waverley: Awaiting attention - view northeast from platform 19 across Waverley west end on 17 November showing the framework and supports of the various canopies due for refurbishment.

Edinburgh Waverley: West end concourse from the footbridge on a quiet Saturday afternoon on 17 November 2007.

Junction Bridge: View over the Water of Leith looking Northwest along Great Junction Street in November 2007. Down below on the left stood the platforms of Junction Bridge station, opened by the Edinburgh, Leith and Newhaven Railway in 1846 as Junction Road and, following the name change in 1923, eventually closed in 1947. The station booking office stood on the same level as the road bridge with the entrance straight ahead on the left. After passing below the bridge the line entered a tunnel under Coburg Street, off to the right, before emerging at North Leith terminus (also unofficially known as Leith Citadel) on Commercial Street.

Daisyfield: A Clitheroe to Manchester Victoria service, formed by Northern's 150149, passes through closed Daisyfield station as it approaches the junction with the East Lancashire line on the outskirts of Blackburn. The signal box here is still open but the level crossing gates are operated by hand.

Waterloo Place [Tram]: The remnants of Edinburgh's cable-car system in Waterloo Place, looking east on 17 November 2009. Notice the central slotted rail within which the cable ran. Edinburgh's first cable hauled 'tramcar' ran in 1888 with the system operating for 35 years until eventually being converted to electric traction (which had been employed by Leith Corporation to operate its trams since 1905). See image [[26669]]

Daisyfield Junction: Taken from the road bridge over the eastern portal of Blackburn Tunnel this picture shows Pacer 142002, cautiously approaching the tunnel, and also the signals protecting Daisyfield Junction where the Clitheroe and Hellifield line branches away from the Accrington line.

Princes Street [Tram]: An Autumn sun illuminates Princes Street on 17 November 2009 as the approach of Christmas becomes ever more apparent. Edinburgh's Christmas tree has just been winched into place on The Mound, various rides and amusements are springing up in Princes Street Gardens, Christmas toys and gifts predominate in the shops, children are thinking about Santa Claus ...and the good people of Edinburgh are starting to believe in trams.

Ramsgreave and Wilpshire: A Clitheroe to Manchester Victoria service calls at Ramsgreave and Wilpshire, a station that only opened when services to Clitheroe resumed in 1987. It is better sited for the local population than the original Wilpshire station, closed in 1962, which is the white building in the distance, See image [[19311]] now a private residence.

Daisyfield: A Clitheroe to Manchester service, with 150149, draws past the now defunct sand drag at the foot of the gradient from Ramsgreave. The train runs over the short single line section through closed Daisyfield station to join the East Lancashire line at Daisyfield Junction. The old sand drag, which stems from the days when unfitted freights were diverted away from the electrified WCML to run via the Settle and Carlisle, is piled high with concrete sleepers in readiness for Sunday engineering work.

Ramsgreave and Wilpshire: The change in gradient can be seen ahead of 156479 as it leaves Ramsgreave and Wilpshire for Blackburn and begins the descent to Daisyfield Junction. It was this steep gradient that necessitated the sand drag being installed at Daisyfield See image [[26413]] to protect the East Lancashire line junction when loose coupled diesel hauled freights were routed this way after the WCML was electrified.

Waterloo Place [Tram]: Just along from the east end of Princes Street in Waterloo Place stands a set of traffic lights, seen here looking south across the busy road on 17 November 2009. I often wonder how many of those who cross here every day notice the cobbled rectangle, or, of those who do, how many put it down to some hangover from ancient road repairs...? It is in fact a memento of Edinburgh's original 'tram' system, or, to be more accurate, its cable-cars. See image [[26668]]

Glasgow Central: Units 380109 and 380106 at platform 14 of Glasgow Central waiting to depart on a driver training run on 17th November showing the gangway connection in place.

Glasgow Central: 380106 departing Glasgow Central on a driver training run on 17th November 2010.

Glasgow Central: 334006 at Glasgow Central on 17 November resplendent in it's new Saltire livery.

Eastleigh: TMV DR98974 passing through Eastleigh station on 17 November en route to the Network Rail depot located within the Works.

Eastleigh: Freightliner 66570 takes a northbound freight through Eastleigh station on 17 November 2011.

Eastleigh: Class 73 Electro-diesels nos 73207/205/208 in the sidings at Eastleigh on 17 November 2011.

Eastleigh: Unit 444 024 leads a lengthy train arriving at Eastleigh on 17 November 2011, ultimate destination Southampton.

Eastleigh: A CrossCountry service heading in the Southampton direction after leaving Eastleigh on 17 November 2011.

Eastleigh: EWS liveried 66012 northbound through Eastleigh on 17 November 2011 with an empty car train.

Eastleigh: Freightliner 66593 passes through Eastleigh station on 17 November with containers bound for Southampton.

Eastleigh: South West Trains 450 084 calls at Eastleigh on 17 November with a service for Waterloo.

Eastleigh: SWT 444 043 on a Waterloo - Southampton service calls at Eastleigh on 17 November 2011.

Clock House: Station building on road over-bridge at Clock House, on the ex-Mid Kent Line in south-east London, served by Charing Cross to Hayes (Kent) trains and seen here on 17th November 2012. The line was opened by the South Eastern Railway on 1st January 1857 but this station was an 'afterthought', not being opened until 1st May 1890. It is named after a nearby house that was demolished in 1896 but the name is still perpetuated in that of the station.

Glenesk: Looking north from the B6392 road bridge along the Waverley trackbed towards Glenesk Junction on Sunday 17 November 2013. The pipes on the left are stored on the site of the sidings that once served the former Glenesk Colliery. See image [[43207]]

Coatbridge Central: Newly renovated and looking good! An apparent new lease of life for the station building at Coatbridge Central, recently taken over by an office equipment company and seen here on 17 November 2013. See image [[44159]]

Gorebridge: Sunday morning scene looking north along the trackbed from Lady Brae road bridge towards Gorebridge station on 17 November 2013.

Lady Victoria Pit Signal Box: View south from the B704 towards Arniston and Gorebridge on 17 November 2013.

Healey Mills Marshalling Yard: DBS 60054 running east passing Healey Mills Marshalling Yard on 17 November with the empty bitumen tanks returning from Preston Docks to Lindsey refinery, Immingham.

Healey Mills Marshalling Yard: The driver of 66007+66102 proceeds slowly into the forest purporting to be the east end of Healey Mills Marshalling Yard to recover a long stored former National Power bogie wagon for road movement to a Marcroft depot for refurbishing.

Healey Mills Marshalling Yard: 66102 leads in top and tail mode with 66007 as they run east towards Storrs Hill Road after extracting a long stored former National Power HKA coal wagon from Healey Mills Marshalling Yard. The wagon was to be moved by road to a Marcroft depot for refurbishment pending return to traffic.

Den Haag, Vredespaleis: A cyclist pauses alongside the aftermath of a collision between a tram and a car in torrential rain one November evening in Den Haag. You can see the tram's skirt is hanging off. I was on that tram - and was none too pleased to have to get off!

Leyland: A double Voyager set heads south at Leyland with a service to London via Birmingham on a murky morning, 17 November 2015. Work continues on all platforms with the new footbridge, and the bases to support it, while the trains rush past.

Wemyss Bay: Gaelic sign as the Caledonian might have done it! Bagh nan Uaimhean, bay of the caves.

Shotts: View over the lower part of the contractor's yard at the east end of Shotts station car park. Up the hill to the right is the rail access point at the end of the station platforms.

Shotts: Preparatory work for the replacement overbridge at the south end of the Station Road bridge on 17th November 2016. The stairs and part of the access ramp have been removed and work continues above to relocate services on to the temporary pedestrian bridge see image [[56590]].

Shotts: View from platform 1 on 17th November 2016. The access ramp has been partially removed and work continues to relocate sevices on to the temporary pedestrian bridge. The more recent concrete extension part of the bridge is due to be demolished in a few days – the original masonary structure will remain for a bit longer. A programme of late evening and Sunday replacement buses is currently in effect on the line.

Edinburgh Waverley: The Aberdeen sleeper at Waverley with 92033 attached waiting for the Inverness and Fortbill portions to be coupled. I did have second thoughts about venturing onto the platform as it was freezing but gave in eventually. 17th November 2017.

Becconsall: On 17 November 2017 the Branch Line Society visited the West Lancashire Light Railway for what was billed as 'The West Lancashire Wanderer'. This was a tour over 'all available lines' using adapted Eastriggs wagons as the mode of transport. At the end of the visit however the visitors were treated to a trip on the normal passenger rolling stock which is seen here returning to Becconsall.

Tamworth Low Level: Tamworth Railway Station booking hall on 17th November 2017. The chap in high viz clothing is covering up all the London Midland branding. Obviously he didn't want anyone tripping over him.

Anniesland: A Class 318 EMU heading for Cumbernauld calls at Anniesland on 17 November 2018.

Hairmyres: A Glasgow service calls at Hairmyres on 17 November 2018. Running 4 cars on all Saturday services on the East Kilbride line is a good move as these trains can be busy. The feathers for the Hairmyres loop can be seen above the train. Pity the loop couldn't be a little longer to take in the station; also a pity that the branch is not electrified.

Cambus o' May: Old level crossing gate close to the Ferry Inn see image [[70097]] or 'dockit hoose' at Cambus o'May. Looking at the 1865 25' OS map it seems there was a level crossing here to allow access to the diverted turnpike road after the opening of the Aboyne and Braemar Railway the following year. Whether this is the original gate or not is an open question but judging by the style it could perhaps be?

Stirling: An early morning view of the unusual, possibly unique, curved catenary at Stirling station in November 2018. The station is A listed and the design is sympathetic.

Hyndland East Junction: A Larkhall service between Anniesland and Hyndland stations rounds the curve to Hyndland East Junction on 17 November 2018.

Ballater: The wooden extension to the Ballater platform was actually built under the Great North of Scotland Railway period of leasing the Deeside Railway Company when the railway was extended under the Braemar (former Turnpike) Road. It is generally held that no train ever passed under the bridge but is it likely that 'the railway' would invest in a remodelling of the Carriage Dock and other sidings at Ballater Station, which, according to railway accounting records is what happened in 1870 and then never use it? The answer is that the extension was built by James Ross Farquharson Laird of Invercauld not by the railway company.

Anniesland: With an autumnal Dawsholm Park forming the backdrop a 156 crawls to a halt at Anniesland on 17 November 2018 with a service from the Maryhill line. It is guaranteed at least one passenger for the return trip. You are likely to see any of Scotrail's three DMU classes on this line.

Connel Ferry Bridge: A view east to the Connel Ferry Bridge from the approach to Dunnstaffnage Castle, North of Oban.

Ballater: At the rear of the resurrected Ballater station building there is an exhibition room and a display room. The latter contains the Royal Saloon coach sitting on the only rails left on Upper Deeside.

Cambus o' May: An example of the type of gravel and sand used as track ballast on the Deeside Line. The largest gravel pieces are about 5-10mm across.

Cambus o' May: This is the goods loading bank at Cambus o'May. It probably predates the passenger station which opened 1875. During the construction of the Aboyne and Braemar Railway in 1865-66 a siding was authorised by the Board to be put in to create a ballast pit which extended for over a quarter of a mile into the hillside. The goods siding was also used by an Aberdeen timber merchant for loading wood and there were cattle dealers asking for a pick up from here several years before the passenger platform was built. The Board of Trade report for opening the passenger station stated 'The level of the Loading Bank is rather too high and should be lowered'. It is not clear if this ever took place. [Ref query 13 December 2018]

Westerton: A Balloch service pulls away as a Cumbernauld train arrives at Westerton on 17th November 2018. Note that the eastbound platform has recently been extended. This is to allow longer trains to stop clear of Westerton Junction.

Grain: UK Railtours' excursion behind 66151 just arrived at Grain, terminus of the freight only branch from Gravesend, looking back towards the latter on 17th November 2018. This closed to passengers in December 1961; until 1951 the line had continued to Port Victoria. After this truncation, the intermediate Grain Crossing Halt was replaced by a new island platform station called simply Grain but this lasted only 10 years and was demolished. The grass between the tracks marks the site of its short-lived island platform.

Holburn Street: A cable-stayed pedestrian bridge replaced the railway bridge at this suburban station which closed in 1937 at the time of the withdrawal of the 'Subbie' services between Dyce and Culter. The advertising hoardings date from railway times but not from the original company. The Deeside Railway did, however, earn £1/14/6 for displaying nine advertisements for the medical services of Thomas H. Meikle M.D. at Cults, Culter, Park and Banchory Stations and the 5 stations on the Deeside Extension for the year ending 31 July 1865. It earned a further £1 for ads for the Northern Assurance Company for the most of the same stations in the same year. There are lots of interesting items are to be found in company account books.

Crookston: The steps down to the former Up platform at Crookston in November 2018. The end of the existing platform is just visible.

Ferryhill Junction: Part of the series of brick arches, faced with granite from Kintore quarries, used to carry the Aberdeen Railway and later the Caledonian into the centre of Aberdeen, seen in November 2018. This arch has been re-inforced. The line was shared with the Deeside Railway. There was a passenger station at Ferryhill shared by these two companies; however there was not enough siding capacity for the goods trains of the Deeside Company at Ferryhill so they were moved to a temporary station at Polmuir. While Queen Victoria (God bless Her) was in mourning this continued in use for Royal Trains which reversed at Ferryhill so that she did not need to encounter the crowds at the Joint Station.

Cambus o' May: The Ferry Inn, now known as Cutaway Cottage, in its current guise. For many decades before the railway arrived people took the ferry to and from the Inn. The innkeeper was also the ferryman and, as tradition on Upper Deeside had it, passengers partook of the hospitality of the inn before crossing back to their homes or when they landed on the north bank. For more information about why an angle was 'cut off' see image [[71624]] For 30 years up until 1905 the cross-river ferry took passengers and possibly light goods across from South Deeside to access Cambus o'May Station. Thereafter the suspension bridge was built and the ferry became redundant. Whether people still walked to the Inn for a drink before crossing the river over the bridge is another question... This photo was taken from the public walkway, the Deeside Way.

Hillington West: A Glasgow-bound service passes through Hillington West at speed on 17 November 2018. It is one of those locations where the 'Fast train approaching' warnings are more frequent than the 'Next train' announcements. The lighting columns have just been replaced - currently a bit of a thing with ScotRail - but with the non-LED fittings stuck back on.

Crookston: A Paisley Canal to Glasgow service calls at Crookston on 17 November 2018 in charge of a doomed Class 314. Leylandii was planted by the owners (or developers) of the old station building to screen it from the horrors of an actual railway. It is now doing what Leylandii does.

Hillington West: A Gourock to Glasgow Class 380 EMU calls at Hillie West on 17 November 2018.

Ferryhill Junction: This arch over Wellington Brae was built in 1853-54 and extended laterally at the beginning of the 20th Century. Originally it took the Aberdeen Railway and the Deeside Railway from Ferryhill and allowed trains to reach Guild Street where new passenger and goods stations were built. Seen in November 2018, the Wellington Suspension Bridge is visible through the arch.

Ballater: Rebuilt Balllater station building (GNSR rebuild of the 1880s), in what looks like the livery from LNER times, on 17th November 2018. It now houses a cafe, the local Tourist Information Office and a small Library which has a lot of local books.

Ballater: Mystery solved: Why was this goods line, the Invercauld Tramway, whose trackbed is seen here, built from Ballater station only as far as Bridge of Gairn, 1.5 miles, when it had been intended to go to the edge of the Ballochbuie Forest over ten miles further west? The answer lies in the story of two men, James Ross Farquharson and William Brown, respectively the Laird and Factor of the Invercauld Estate. Brown was also a Director of the Aboyne & Braemar Railway Company; between 1860 and 1869 he held both positions making an impact on Upper Deeside in general and on the improvement of timber transport in particular. Then the two men fell out over the fate of the Forest and Brown left both positions and moved to Canada. He later went on to become a Professor and Head of the Ontario Agricultural College in Guelph. The full story will be revealed in a forthcoming article.

Pitmuxton Siding: This shot shows the approximate location of what was called Pitmuxton Siding; this lay between what is now Gairn Terrace to the north, shown here, and Allanvale to the south. The location is shown on a 1883 Post Office Directory map of Aberdeen and can be deduced from the 1902 Ordnance Survey 25' map. It had been built to serve the Ruthrieston Brickworks (1868-1883) north of the railway on the estate called Pitmuxton. This name has almost totally disappeared from the City since Pitmuxton House was renamed Pitstruan House around 1860.

Tain: This Bob Barnes-Watts memorial plaque was at Tain unveiled today. It reads Remembering our friend Bob Barnes-Watts 1955-2018 who tirelessly championed all that was best in public transport. The logos belong to the Friends of the Far North Line and the Scottish Association for Public Transport.

Pease Lye: Overbridge 115 on the ECML in Berwickshire now called Pease Lye. See image [[ 68058]]. The road bridge called Pease Bridge is about half a mile away to the east.

Victoria: 66151, with 66177 at rear, at Victoria waiting to depart at 08.45 with UK Railtours 'The Return of the Short-Haired Bumblee Bee' excursion to Grain and Dungeness, on 17th November 2018. My article describing the tour and the histories of the two freight lines visited was published in the February 2019 issue of 'Today's Railways' magazine.

Garscadden: A Cumbernauld service calls at Garscadden. It's bathed in the yellow light of a spring evening, which is strange because it's an autumn morning.

Teversall [MR]: I 'discovered' the remaining platform at Teversal Manor, complete with a totem, as the old line is now a pleasant walk. The sun was not shining that afternoon and the brightness behind the lamp standard is in fact a spot light from the local football ground. The sound of the whistle and shouts were very clear but I do not know the score. 17th November 2018. [Ref query 6 December 2018]

Newcastle East Junction: 66084 away to pass through Newcastle, on the Abbot & Co 1848 bridge over St Nicholas Street, on 17th November 2020. This unexpected train was an opportunity to try out my new phone camera.

Newcastle Central: The 16:43 TPE to Lime Street, and the 16:41 LNER to Waverley, at Newcastle on 17th November 2020.

Forth Bridge: An Aberdeen bound Inter7city set on the North approach of the Forth Bridge, which is getting a through overhaul during 2021.