Edinburgh Waverley: Waverley Western concourse on 15 December 2006. The new escalator links to Waverley Steps are in place as is the new cross-station walkway connection running above the Balmoral platform, to which it will also provide access.

Edinburgh Waverley: The north ramp from Waverley Bridge to the station's western concourse on 15 December 2006, with work continuing in the background on the new walkways, stairs and escalators.

Edinburgh Waverley: Balmoral platform looking west from the Calton Road footbridge on 15 December with the gap now closed and signalling equipment installed.

Edinburgh Waverley: Steps from the Balmoral platform on 15 December. Left at the top for the cross-station walkway to the southside and Market Street exit. Straight on for Waverley Steps (right) and the western concourse (left).

Cambus: Ballast train at Cambus level crossing on 15 December looking west.

Edinburgh Waverley: Testing the newly installed escalators on Waverley's western concourse on 15 December 2006.

Cambus: A roadrail Unimog vehicle about to bring ballast wagons east over Cambus level crossing in December 2006 during reinstatement of the Stirling - Alloa line. Part of the huge Diageo site stands in the background..

Edinburgh Waverley: The east end of Waverley in 2006 looking back along the old platform 1, with the new Balmoral platform under construction on the right. Behind the wall on the left was the Royal Mail's rail distribution depot, while the 'bridge' across the tracks housed the mailbag conveyor system from the GPO HQ on Waterloo Place ([[65343]]). Mailbags for destinations across the UK were carried between the locations on a continuous looped cable with clamps to which mailbags could be attached. Inside the depot the cable was routed around the perimeter walls above open hoppers along 3 sides. Mailbags were automatically dropped into the relevant destination hopper, determined by the position of a mechanical latch set on the clamp when the bag was attached. From the hoppers the bags were transferred to trolleys and taken to the relevant platform to be loaded onto trains ([[61895]]). The system was last used in 1995 and, at the time of the photograph, the structure had been partially dismantled ([[7435]]).

Glasgow Central: 156493 at Platform 11 waiting to form a service to Edinburgh Waverley on 15th December

Glasgow Central: 92017 Shakespeare just arrived at Platform 9 of Glasgow Central on 15th December

Bentham: Contrast in architectural styles at Bentham with a traditional Midland Railway shelter on the Carnforth platform and the flat roofed main station building on the Skipton side. View eastwards towards Clapham and Settle Junction.

Alne: Just north of the site of Alne station the trackbed of the Easingwold Railway swings away from the East Coast Main Line and crosses this minor road before passing between the two lines of trees. Only two miles long, and always independent, the line closed to passengers in 1948 and completely in 1957. Few traces of the òbranch remain. See image [[28084]] for view in opposite direction.

Cattal: On the York-Harrogate line Cattal is the start of the single line section to Knaresborough, controlled by the small signal box on the station platform. View west towards Knaresborough and Harrogate.

Bentham: The flat-roofed main station building at Bentham was derelict for many years but has recently been refurbished and part of it is now the offices of a local mini-bus firm. This view from the station footbridge looks west towards Wennington and the surroundings at Bentham are a lot more rural than appears to be the case here.

Clapham: The other Clapham Junction. The westbound platform at Clapham (North Yorks) has a sharp curve towards Bentham betraying its original junction status. The line to Sedbergh, and on to the WCML at Low Gill, went straight ahead at this point until final closure in 1966. 150228 leaves on a service from Leeds to Lancaster and Morecambe.

Haxby: Haxby closed in 1930 but the station building is still used as a house, standing alongside the York to Scarborough line. This view is from the level crossing towards York.

Marston Moor: The signaller at Marston Moor was very friendly and happy to chat but her Border Terrier kept a wary eye on me from the small signal box on the old station platform, which has not seen passengers for over 50 years now.

Marston Moor: A York, Harrogate Leeds service with 144004 hurries through the closed station at Marston Moor on the single line section between Poppleton and Hammerton. The home signal protects the crossing here with the distant being for nearby Hessay. View west towards Hammerton and Knaresborough.

Strensall: Thirteen of the fifteen stations between York and Scarborough closed on 22nd September 1930 leaving only Malton and Seamer still open. This is Strensall where, 78 years after closure, the station building is still used as a home. View towards York from the level crossing.

Strensall: Although closed for nearly 80 years the intermediate stations between York and Malton have lots of infrastructure. In many cases this includes station buildings, platforms and mechanical signal boxes. The impressive box at Strensall still controls the level crossing by the former station, albeit by electrical rather than mechanical means and colour light signals in this case. View towards Malton.

Blair Atholl: John Swinney MSP flags off of the 0712 service to Edinburgh in front of an assembled crowd at Blair Atholl on 15 December. [This is the first train booked to start at Blair Atholl since withdrawal of the local service in May 1965.]

Clapham: A Northern Rail Leeds to Morecambe Service, formed by Sprinter 150228, rumbles over the small viaduct and into a frosty Clapham station. The station house is now a private residence and the unstaffed halt, with its staggered platforms, is in quite a remote location as Clapham village is over one mile away. View east towards Settle Junction.

Giggleswick: Basic but tidy facilities at Giggleswick, for the five trains a day each way service, with a waiting shelter on the Skipton and Leeds platform but nothing on the Carnforth side. The Leeds platform is substantially constructed but the other is supported on wood trestles. View towards Clapham.

Ruabon: The blocked off redundant section of the station footbridge that once spanned the goods lines behind platform 2 on the west side of Ruabon Station, photographed in December 2009.

Connel Ferry: This was taken to compare with the Frank Spaven 1960 photograph see image [[26775]] and shows the 12.11 Oban - Glasgow train as close to that original position as possible, albeit nearly 50 years later and from a higher viewpoint to allow easier comparison with the background of the original.

Corrour: Corrour station seen from the pedestrian crossing in 2010.

Barcelona: The Nord station may see more buses than trains these days, but it still looks magnificient against the night sky.

General: More snow forecast.... Weather warning issued by ScotRail on 15 December 2010.

Barcelona: This RENFE Metro train (heading for Tarrasso at Universitat) is pretty large as underground trains go. The broad track gauge combines with squared-off tunnels to enable roomy and stable trains.

Barcelona: A light here: The RENFE Metro trains have illuminated slide-out steps, and further lights inside the doors. Very practical, especially after a couple of sherries.

Didcot Parkway: New style container traffic for the tip - seen at Didcot on 15 December 2011.

Challow: Hanson liveried 59101 standing on the westbound loop at Challow with a freight on 15 December 2011. The former station at Challow, on the GW main line 12 miles west of Didcot, closed to passengers in December 1964.

Didcot Parkway: Freightliner 70007 turns north through Didcot with a container train from Southampton on 15 December.

Didcot Parkway: Freightliner 66539 awaits the road east at Didcot on 15 December 2011 with containers bound for Southampton.

Didcot Parkway: DBS 66020 comes off the Oxford line and runs east through Didcot on 15 December with a container train.

Corrour: The Station House Restaurant at Corrour on 15 December 2012.

Grosmont Shed: The open smokebox of 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley can be seen protruding from the purpose built maintenance facility on the east side of Grosmont NYMR Shed complex on 15 December. The nose of large logo liveried class 37 no 37264 is also in the picture.

Gorebridge: Looking north west towards Newtongrange from Station Road, Gorebridge, on 15 December 2013.

Eskbank and Dalkeith: All appears fairly quiet in this view north over the old Eskbank station on 15 December 2013, with works activity starting to wind down for the Christmas holiday break.

Grosmont: The north end of Grosmont NYMR Station on 15 December, showing the refurbished former Scarborough Falsgrave signal gantry framing the storage sidings see image [[21950]]. Maintenance work is in progress at the four way points on the connection to Network Rail beyond the platform end.

Kinneil: The 13.30 Santa's Polar Express nears Kinneil behind D49 Morayshire on 15 December.

Hardengreen Viaduct: The southern approach to Hardengreen Roundabout on the A7 on 15 December 2013. See image [[43044]]

Grosmont: The station name board on the NYMR Grosmont Station main platform showing the route options available (winter Sunday excepted) from the Northern Rail Esk Valley line platform sited on the opposite side of the station car park. The initials of the photographer are also indicated below the board!

Sheriffhall City Bypass Overbridge: The works site at Sheriffhall is deserted on a Sunday morning ten days before Christmas 2013. The 'concrete box' through which trains on the Borders Railway will pass stands in the breached section of the Edinburgh City Bypass, with road traffic using the temporary deviation just beyond. Road traffic was restored to the original route by the following June (see [[47634]]), with the first trains appearing a year later on driver training trips between Newcraighall and Tweedbank (see [[51652]]).

Gorebridge: The changing face of Gorebridge station, seen here on Sunday 15 December 2013. An interesting contrast with the scene 45 years earlier see image [[29947]].

Sheriffhall City Bypass Overbridge: Progress at Sherrifhall on 15 December 2013, with the site remarkably tidy. The 'concrete box' through which the Borders Railway will run below the City Bypass is looking almost complete. Road traffic continues to use the temporary diversion in the background.

Clydebridge Viaduct: A class 318 EMU crosses the viaduct on the second day of the new timetable introduced on the newly electrified Whifflet line in December 2014.

Carlisle: A busy scene at Carlisle station on the afternoon of 15 December 2014. A train for Manchester Airport is at platform 4, a northbound Pendolino at platform 1 and 47815 Great Western on the centre road.

Argyle Street: Always popular during the Festive Season, the Christmas Market previously held in St Enoch Square was relocated in 2014 to the area outside Argyle Street station due to the ongoing work on St Enoch Underground. See image [[14430]]

Argyle Street: Evening rush hour at Argyle Street station on 15th December 2014, the first week day of the new timetable which extended the newly electrified Whifflet traffic to Motherwell and Milngavie.

Tillyfourie: This is the view east of Tillyfourie station looking east and again is walk able for a small section and used by residents. The house is Tillyfourie farm. (With the notorious tin roof!)

Whitehouse: This Whitehouse view is taken looking west towards Alford. This section is somewhat passable up until the Bandlay Junction. The photograph was taken just beyond the hamlet of Whitehouse 2.5 miles or so from Alford.

Gleneagles: Minister for Transport and Islands, Derek Mackay, formally launched the Strathallan Community Rail Partnership today. The announcement was made at Gleneagles Station, which benefitted from a recent £7 million upgrade funded by Scottish Government, Tactran and Perth and Kinross Council ahead of the 2014 Ryder Cup. Building on this successful event the venue was also awarded the rights to host Solheim Cup in 2019.

This new partnership, funded by Transport Scotland and the Abellio ScotRail franchise, aims to foster greater community engagement between the railway, the public and local business along the Bridge of Allan – Gleneagles corridor.

From left to right
Phil Verster, ScotRail Alliance managing director
Mark Byrne, ScotRail station team manager
Derek Mackay, Minister for Transport and Islands
Roger Brickell, Strathallan CRP convener
[SNS Group image.]

Millerhill Yard Up Arrival Sidings: Work in progress thought to be in connection with the new ScotRail electric train depot at Millerhill on 15 December 2016 (?). View is north west from Whitehill Road towards Newcraighall station and the bridge carrying the A1 over the formation.

Ordsall Chord: View south from near Salford Central towards Ordsall on 15 December 2016, with Trinity Way dual carriageway snaking through the Ordsall Chord worksite. Sections of the new bridge that had been stored in the yard in the foreground during October see image [[56746]] are now in place in the centre of the photograph. Beyond is a 6 car Class 185 heading west towards Ordsall Junction.

Ordsall Chord: The girders of the bridge over the River Irwell are in place and a small part of the sweeping curved support is in place when viewed on 15 December 2016.

Ordsall Chord: Looking north along Water Street with the first bridge carrying the Ordsall Jct (left) to Castlefields Jct line. The viaduct here is being widened to accommodate the south end of the new Ordsall Chord and two new bridge sections are waiting in a compound to the right to be lifted into place, possibly during an extended closure over Christmas and New Year, starting on the 18th.

Forton: The extra Christmas Mail trains have been running between Shieldmuir and Warrington again in 2016. DBS 90019 Multimodal and a rake of four wheeled cargo wagons trundle south through Forton at a steady 60mph, supplementing the Class 325 EPUs that provide the year round services.

Castlefield Viaduct: Looking west from Potato Wharf at the Castlefield Viaduct widening work on 15 December 2016. Note the new OLE stanchions which are angled in the way.

Shawfair: ScotRail 158731 approaching Shawfair from the south on a dismal 15 December 2016 with the 1126 Tweedbank – Edinburgh Waverley. The train has just passed below the Edinburgh City Bypass and is on the double track section between Kings Gate and Newcraighall South approximately half a mile south of Shawfair station. The parallel road traffic is on the rerouted A6106, with Sheriffhall Roundabout in the right background. Photograph taken from the new A6106 overbridge.

Ordsall Chord: Bridges over the Irwell. The horizontal grey beam on the left is the start of the new bridge that will carry the Ordsall Chord over the river. On the right however is the original Stephenson bridge of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway. The missing parapet and cleaner stone was due to a later bridge being connected to it and only having recently been removed during the Ordsall Chord work.

Salford Central: Work in progress at Salford Central on 15 December 2016 in the area of the disused platforms. To the left is are the platforms on the line from Salford Crescent to Manchester Victoria and on the right are the through lines from Ordsall Jct also heading to Victoria.

Forton: DRRS 68018 Vigilant and 68017 Hornet power through the curves between Scorton and Bay Horse with the northbound Tesco Express on a gloomy 15th December 2016. The train is approaching Cleveley Bank Lane bridge.

Ordsall Chord: Looking north from a train travelling on the Castlefield Viaduct on 15 December 2016, the start of the new bridge over the River Irwell can be seen above the orange and white barriers on the left.

Bolton: A Manchester bound train enters platform 3 at Bolton station on 15 December 2016. The area in the foreground will see track once again when platform 5 is reinstated as part of the electrification works between Manchester and Euxton Jct.

Bolton: Looking south from Trinity Street road bridge along the disused platform at Bolton in December 2016. This platform is scheduled to be brought back into service as part of the current electrification project.

Heatherbell Level Crossing: 68004 passing over Heatherbell level crossing with the Edinburgh Waverley to Motherwell empty coaching movement on the morning of 15/12/16.

Whifflet South Junction: 66746 in Belmont Royal Scot livery hauling the the North bound Alumina train from North Blyth to Fort William on the 15/12/16 approaching Whifflet South Jct.

Edinburgh Waverley: The Booking Office at Edinburgh Waverley. Ann Glen is pointing out the location.

Edinburgh Waverley: Platform 12 at Waverley with the 1237 to Milngavie in occupation.

Edinburgh Waverley: Plaque displayed at The Booking Office on Waverley Bridge. 15th December 2017.

Preston Riverside: A bit of Christmas decoration adorns 0-6-0ST 'Courageous' as it warms the stock ahead of the first RSR Santa train of the day on 15th December 2018. Check out the green trousers on Santa's little helper.

Robroyston: Robroyston, showing the new station complete with lifts on its opening day.

Edinburgh Waverley: TPE Class 802 at Waverley working the 1333 to Liverpool, a new route introduced today (15th December).

Broomhill Junction: In freezing conditions, Ivatt Class 2MT No.46512 runs along the embankment at Lower Lackgie on 15th December 2019 with the Santa Express bound for Broomhill. There has not been much snow on the Cairngorms so far this year.

Delph [West Lancashire Light]: 0-6-2T 'Joffre' waits at Delph while young passengers queue to see Santa in the guard's van, a sort of mobile mini grotto, before returning to Becconsall. WLLR Santa arrangements meant the run round loop at Beconsall was not available and so Hunslet 0-4-0ST 'Irish Mail' alternated with 'Joffre' on the thirty minute interval services.

Donibristle Platform: The 1E15 09.47 from Aberdeen to Kings Cross, worked by HST for the last time, passes Donibristle eleven minutes late on 15 December. Power cars are 43316 and 43238.

Robroyston: The first train (the 0837 to Cumbernauld) arrives at Robroyston at 0836 on Sunday 15th December.

Robroyston: Robroyston - a first day ticket.

Robroyston: How pleasing to see Robroyston on a destination board after a long absence (the previous station closing in 1956).

Robroyston: The new Robroyston station showing its carpark, occupying part of the the former yard's site.