Ravenstruther: A northbound freight passing Ravenstruther in December 2005 behind EWS 66081. The locomotive has just passed the tail end of a train about to run through the coal loading terminal with 66212 at the other end see image [[5590]].

Lamington Viaduct: Rapidly fading light at Lamington on a December afternoon in 2005 as a Virgin Voyager hurries north across the Clyde with a late running Birmingham New Street - Glasgow Central service.

Ravenstruther: Grazing cows ignore EWS 66212 as it approaches the coal loading terminal at Ravenstruther with a train of empties in December 2005.

Kingsland Viaduct: View over Kingsland viaduct on 19 December 2007, showing the recent installation of a replacement bridge, plus other ongoing civil engineering activity in connection with the East London Line extension.

Croftengea Siding: The Croftengea Branch left the Forth and Clyde Junction Railway close to Balloch and ran alongside the mill lade to the Levenfield Works.

London Road Tunnel: Clearance works taking place at entrance fencing leading to east cutting of London Road Tunnel.

London Road Tunnel: Workman covering Health and Safety on site said clearance was so that engineers could gain access... possible Subway expansion connection. Permission kindly granted to enter site.

London Road Tunnel: Clearance works... Looking down ramp leading to tunnel. Parkhead Stadium was behind this shot across road

London Road Tunnel: Entrance to east side of tunnel.... this tunnel ran along london Rd and came out at Bridgeton... the proprosed new route for the East End Subway.

London Road Tunnel: From the locked portal looking toward Parkhead Stadium Station... the top of the ramp leads to Springfield Road. This was a deep cutting in its heyday!!

London Road Tunnel: Above the eastern Portal looking back. Will the day come when I travel along this in a carriage?? Watch this space

London Road Tunnel: Some kind of downward pulley.. no other info available

London Road Tunnel: Looking from above... a great job has been done clearing this site

London Road Tunnel: Workmen having done a fine job!!

Kings Cross: The first of the grey liveried National Express East Coast HST sets stands in the winter sunshine at Kings Cross on 19 December preparing to embark on its 530 mile journey with the 1400 service to Aberdeen.

Kings Cross: The 1400 Kings Cross - Aberdeen HST in NXEC colours prepares to exit Kings Cross and head for Gasworks Tunnel on 19 December.

Rosyth: The 0632 ex-Waverley Fife Circle service, hauled by EWS 67030, is about to leave Rosyth on 19 December heading for The Forth Bridge on its return to Edinburgh.

Inverkeithing: One of the recently introduced First ScotRail locomotive hauled services, headed by EWS 67030, calls at Inverkeithing with an early morning inbound Fife Circle train on a cold and frosty 19 December.

Delph [West Lancashire Light]: O&K 0-4-0WT No 22 Montalban rounds the curve between Delph and Willow Tree Halt on the West Lancashire Light Railway on 19 December 2010. The Christmas special is taking passengers young and old back to Becconsall.

Becconsall: In bright sunshine Quarry Hunslet no 823 Irish Mail brings children (of all ages) through the snow back from Toyland to Becconsall on the West Lancashire Light Railway on 19 December 2010.

Kilmarnock: EWS 66193 pulls past Kilmarnock platform 3 on 19 December with a rake of empty hoppers bound for Crowbandsgate. Meanwhile, NR Measurement Train 43062 'John Armit' bides its time on the middle road.

George Square [Glasgow]: The very cute miniature railway in George Square, part of Glasgow's Christmas festivities 2011

Glasgow Queen Street High Level: Glasgow Queen Street at Christmas

Pickering: Warm up act. Heavily shrouded ex SR S15 class 4-6-0 no 30825 pre-heats the 13.40 'Santa Special' stock at Pickering on 19 December while awaiting the arrival of Black Five 45428 Eric Treacy on the late running 12.00 ex Grosmont 'Christmas Moorlander Pullman' dining service. No 825 then took out the return Pullman service, after which 45428 reversed out of the station and coupled onto the Santa Special; which it worked to Levisham and return.

Pickering: Black Five 45428 Eric Treacy rests at Pickering after arrival on the late running 12.00 ex Grosmont 'Christmas Moorlander Pullman' dining service. After the return Pullman service had departed it then reversed out of the station and coupled onto the 13.40 'Santa Special', in the adjacent platform, which it worked to Levisham and return.

Hendon Central: LUL 1995 stock with a Northern Line service to Edgware arriving at Hendon Central station, on 19th December 2012.

Peckham Rye: 378140, from Clapham Junction to Highbury & Islington, at Peckham Rye on 19th December 2012, the first day of London Overground services at this station. The long established South London Metro service from London Bridge to Victoria ceased the day before, to the chagrin of many of its users. See [[6570]].

Warren Street [CCEHR]: LUL 1995 stock on southbound Northern Line service to Kennington via Charing Cross arriving at Warren Street station on 19th December 2012. When the station opened on 22nd June 1907, it was called Euston Road but this lasted less than a year, being renamed Warren Street on 3rd May 1908. For many years the original name was kept hidden from view by advertising hoarding but this has now been removed to reveal the original, confusing some passengers, perhaps, into thinking it has two names! This station became an interchange with the Victoria Line when it was extended here from Highbury & Islington in December 1968.

Mill Hill East: Exterior of the LUL Northern Line station at Mill Hill East, on 19th December 2012. This station was opened in 1867 on the 'Northern Heights' line from Seven Sisters Road (renamed Finsbury Park in 1869) to Edgware and was first served by tube trains in 1941. Originally a through station, it was originally intended to extend electrification to Edgware and over a brand new extension to Bushey Heath but these plans were held in abeyance during World War Two and then never completed after 1945. Mill Hill East today is the terminus of the one-stop shuttle service to and from Finchley Central with a few peak hour trains to and from central London and on to Kennington via Charing Cross or Morden via Bank.
See query 2268

Haymarket: Part of the new Haymarket concourse on 19 December 2013.

Haymarket: Looking towards the automatic ticket gates over the new concourse at Haymarket on 19 December 2013.

Tyndrum Goods Junction: This view looks north over the location where the Callander and Oban line to Tyndrum was extended west to Dalmally and Oban. Beyond the line in the foreground is the approach to the original terminus. Note the base of the signal in the foreground. Tyndrum Lower is off to the left.

Tyndrum Incline: A view down the incline from the Tyndrum (Clifton) Lead Mine in December 2014. The view looks north with the Oban line at the bottom and the West Highland on the opposite hillside. The mines had a very chequered history with many openings and closings since the 1400s.

Heriot: The 1225 Edinburgh Waverley - Tweedbank southbound through the site of Heriot station on 19 December 2015. The station building and platforms have gone, along with the old level crossing, with a pedestrian underpass now linking the village (off to the left) and the bus stop alongside the A7. New road access to the village from the A7 has been constructed less than a quarter of a mile south of here (see [[75044]]).

Haymarket: A Glasgow Queen Street service at Haymarket on the last Saturday before Christmas, a day when 'Standing room only - apologies' appeared below every other departure. Because of late running this particular service was running non-stop to Queen Street. Those of you who are old enough (and I suspect that's most of you) will remember push-pull days when this was the norm, with every other train calling only at Falkirk High. That wouldn't do now.

Heriot: The southern approach to the village of Heriot on 19 December 2015. The approaching train about to pass below the bridge carrying the new A7 link road (just off picture to the right) is the 1331 ex-Tweedbank.

York Place [Tram]: Tram 261, carrying an advert for free Hogmanay services, heads along York Place bound for the airport on 19 December.

Bathgate: 334 013 calls at Bathgate with a Helensburgh service on 19 December.

Ben Rhydding: An Ilkley to Leeds service calls at the first station, Ben Rhydding, on 19th December 2017. This unstaffed station, serving a suburb of Ilkley, is only a mile from the branch terminus.

Ben Rhydding: 333001 pulls away from Ben Rhydding with an Ilkley to Leeds service as 333012 approaches with another Wharfedale line service from Bradford to Ilkley on 19th December 2017.

Bathgate: Looking west from the footbridge at Bathgate on 19th December 2017 as a Milngavie service is about to depart. The depot is on the left.

Newtongrange: Progress on the Apex Scotland project involving the refurbishment and conversion of the former Dean Oil Works office building at Newtongrange station, seen here from the platform on 19 December 2018. See image [[65898]].

Glasgow Queen Street High Level: The Queen Street west truss taking shape in the mid December sunshine.

Perth Glasgow Road: A Glasgow to Inverness service heads off past the site of the north ticket platform at Perth on 19 December 2018. Although the platform was presumably wooden the steps down to it were (and are) stone even though by definition the platform would only be used by staff (with droopy moustaches, of course).

Newton: Detail from the December 2018 print of the ScotRail network map, central area. The issue of the location of the Newton blob has been corrected; perhaps someone in ScotRail saw my RailScot post... Rather than a more thorough redrafting, a line has been added above Newton and the connection to Uddingston removed. Not too subtle, perhaps, but it does put Newton back where it belongs on the Blantyre side only.

Glasgow Queen Street High Level: All trussed up ready for Christmas - the former Dundas Street entrance at Glasgow Queen Street on 19th December 2018 with the new supporting steelwork now installed above.

Perth: An Inverness to Glasgow service, for the time being still formed by a Class 170, pulls out of Perth Platform 4 on 19 December 2018. The driver squints into a low winter sun.

Stirling: An Alloa to Glasgow service pulls out of Stirling, with its meccano temporary footbridge, on 19 the December 2018. All such services should have been electrified by now as should Dunblane trains. However a shortage of stock caused by the delay in the full Class 385 rollout means that diesels are still common.

Greenhill Lower Junction: 380105, on a Glasgow Edinburgh via Falkirk Grahamston service, seen passing Broomhill to the east of Greenhill Lower on 19th December 2018.

Polkemmet Junction: A train from Milngavie has just passed the site of Polkemmet Junction on the western approach to Bathgate station on 19 December 2019. The former industrial site beyond the bridge is now occupied by a large supermarket and car park. Much has changed here since my previous visit in July 2008 see image [[20121]].

Bathgate East Junction [2nd]: ScotRail EMU 334029 passing below the A7066 at Boghall on the eastern approach to Bathgate on a wet 19 December 2019, with what appears to be major maintenance work underway on the road bridge. The train in question is the 1021 Edinburgh Waverley - Helensburgh Central.

Bathgate East Junction [2nd]: A Milngavie - Edinburgh Waverley service runs past the site of Bathgate East Junction on a wet and misty morning in late December 2019. View is west along the pathway that, until late 1955, carried the mineral branch serving Seafield Oil Works.

Slochd Viaduct: LNER farewell tour for the Intercity 125 HSTs. Pictured crossing Slochd Viaduct on Day 2, 19th December 2019. The HST farewell railtour, in original livery, heads to Edinburgh from Inverness. Power car 43206 (carrying unit number 253003 on the nose) leads, with 43312 (254029) on the rear.

Galgate: Trains need a good livery (or any livery). An unidentified and debranded Pendolino illustrates this as it heads towards the bridge at Hampson Lane with a Euston to Glasgow service on 19th December 2019. The great majority of the ex-Virgin fleet was running in this very plain white base coat around the time of the franchise changeover.

Bathgate [4th]: The old single line terminus at Bathgate, seen here on 19 December 2019, just over 10 years after closure. See image [[2614]]

Bathgate East Junction [2nd]: Maintenance work in progress on the bridge carrying the A7066 Starlaw Road over the line approximately one mile east of Bathgate station (also a Network Rail access point). Photographed on a dull, grey and damp morning on 19 December 2019. The train approaching is the ScotRail 1008 Edinburgh Waverley - Milngavie.

Bathgate East Junction [2nd]: The 0826 Helensburgh Central - Edinburgh Waverley accelerates east away from a gloomy Bathgate through light rain on the morning of 19 December 2019. The path coming in on the left of the picture once carried the two and a half mile mineral branch serving Seafield Oil Works near the village of Blackburn (closed 1955). The branch joined the main line just before the bridge in the distance at Bathgate East Junction. By a strange coincidence the original junction is now the site of another, laid in some 53 years later, but never brought into use. See image [[70166]]

Hest Bank: Viewed over the rooftops, from the towpath of the Lancaster Canal, 156444 is on the last leg of its long journey from Carlisle via the Cumbrian Coast to Lancaster. The Sprinter is running alongside Morecambe Bay towards the level crossing at Hest Bank on 19th December 2020.

Admiralty Sidings Junction: This is the secondary connection into Longtown, known as Admiralty Sidings Junction or sometimes the emergency connection. It is now overgrown here. It is seen from the South on a railtour in late 2000.

Ashton Swing Bridge (Preston): Five Mk1s on a Ribble Steam train must mean it is a Santa Service. D9539 looms out of the riverside mist approaching the swing bridge on its way back to the museum station on 19th December 2021. The Class 14 was top and tailing with an RSR steam loco.

Becconsall: Kerr Stuart Tattoo class 0-4-2ST 'Stanhope' has returned to the WLLR for a few months and is seen at Becconsall station on 19 December 2021. The loco is waiting to move out of the platform and head to the sidings so that it is ready for another train to Toyland.

Ashton Swing Bridge (Preston): Lookalike Preston Dock Tank 'Courageous' brings up the rear of an RSR Santa Special, passing the sand drag that protects the swing bridge on a misty 19th December 2021.

Ashton Swing Bridge (Preston): The Class 14 has quite a distinctive Paxman engine note, accompanied by a whistling from the turbocharger, adding up to an impressive sound under load. D9539 is framed by the swing bridge cables as it heads back to the Riverside station with a five-coach Santa Special on 19th December 2021.