It is about 7.20 in the morning and the sun is shining warmly as 43181 leads 43127 past Llandevenney with 1L20 0600 off Swansea to London Paddington.
An unknown class 220 Voyager unit passes by Llandevenney with 1E37 0700 Cardiff to Newcastle cross country service. The only VXC working from South Wales.
Looking east into the bright and warm morning sun with 43179 leading a Bristol Temple Meads to Swansea HST. Train 1B02 left Bristol at 0703.
Pacer unit 143602 bounces its way along the up main heading for Gloucester on the first trip of the day for its roster on the Gloucester to Maesteg circuit. This train is 2G52 0712 Cardiff to Gloucester.
The first Central Trains working to Cardiff passes by with turbostar 170505 forming 2V55 0530 Birmingham New Street to Cardiff service. This class 2 service makes many additional stops to cater for the morning commuters. Maybe a three car unit would be better.
Class 180 Adelante units make a couple of forays into South Wales each day. 180104 heads west with 1C01 0543 Paddington to Cardiff.
Three car sprinter 158968 heads for Cardiff with 1F04 0626 off Salisbury. It will return later bound for Portsmouth.
EWS type 5 67014 leads The Northern Belle, 1Z72 0800 Cardiff to Kensington Olympia poshex. The FGW down HST is unknown but the train is 1B05 0645 Paddington to Swansea.
On the back is sister loco 67020. These trains are usually top and tailed.
The daily Southampton to Cardiff Wentloog freightliner is usually very lightly loaded. This day is no different and 66537 has an easy job with its train 4O50, 0500 from Southampton.
Turbostar 170505 returns passing Llandevenney with 1M58 0845 Cardiff Central to Nottingham.
A very long engineers train ambles along the Down Relief line at Llandevenney with 6Z33 0745 Reading - Cardiff Wentloog and Freightliner Heavy Haul 66620 at the front.
On the rear of the train is Heavy Haul sister 66617, shut down.
A second up Swansea service speeds by with 43142 with 43151 forming 1L38 0800 off to Paddington.
I believe this to be 2B09 0728 Highbridge and Burnham to Cardiff Central service running about 20 minutes late. The train is made up of Pacer 143611 coupled to a class 153 sprinter bubble car 153369.
On the Up Main line is bubblecar 153377 with a class 2 local working from Cardiff to Taunton, 2C67 0900 off the Welsh capital.
In 2006 First Great Western still ran named trains and this is the down "Saint David", 1B10 0745 Paddington to Swansea. It is running about 30 minutes late.
Sprinter 158968 is seen for a second time having passed below Bishton Flyover and forms 1F09 0930 Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour.
Other than the earlier engineers train, this is the first freight train of the day, at last, but where's the sun?
60004 snakes down from Bishton Flyover with 6B13 0533 Robeston to Westerleigh loaded bogie tanks. Most of the 25 TEA tanks are brand new having been delivered a few weeks previously.
180104 returns to London Paddington with 1L46 0955 from Cardiff.
These units all seem to be running with the cover over the coupling missing.
With the sun shining warmly 66121 crosses Bishton Flyover with the early running 4C55 0858 Aberthaw Power Station to Avonmouth Docks empty coal train.
The empty coal train drops down the twisting descent from the Bishton Flyover at a slow speed.
With the tail of the previous train visible in the background, 66074 approaches with a loaded rake of HTA coal hoppers. The train is 6B68 0926 Avonmouth Docks to Aberthaw Power Station.
This HST set has been seen earlier this morning. The sun has come round to light the side of the train nicely. 43015 and 43179 power east with 1L48 0930 Swansea to Paddington. It passed by 2 hours and 15 minutes previously.
158965 is employed on the Cardiff to Portsmouth Harbour diagram. Here it forms 1F11 1030 off and still retains its silver Alphaline livery despite now it being a First Group working.
Down trains are a tad tight to get the sunward side due to the tree very visible on the right! 43124 fronts 1B17 0915 Paddington to Cardiff Central and has 43024 giving it big licks at the back.
Freightliner 66537 reappears at Llandevenney passing above the main line lines while men work on the up fast below.
The train is slightly better loaded train than its inwards one. A swallow is framed by the second left container as the train,4O51 1002 Cardiff Wentloog to Southampton freightliner, drops off the flyover.
The gradient is quite steep to bring the track down from the flyover to the other tracks in such a short space, but everything only ever runs downhill so it is not so critical as if it was an up grade.
Something different at Llandevenney and Trans Pennine liveried sprinter 158763 approaches with 2C71 1100 Cardiff to Taunton service.
In the heat haze of the warm day and the powercar exhaust, the hazy orange clad rail staff stand to one side to allow 43126 and 43185 to pass with their train 1B20 0945 Paddington to Swansea.
Train 6B65 is the 0915 Westbury Yard departure to Newport ADJ departmental service. 66158 fronts this train running by Llandevenney about an hour late.
A final shot at Llandevenney and 43016 leads with 43131 at the rear of 1L52 1030 Swansea to Paddington.
Another new location now and Newport East Usk Yard is the setting. 66151 runs in with 20 or so empty BDA flats on the drawbar. The train is 6H24 1110 Llanwern to Margam steel empties running about 85 minutes down. Former Great Western Railway lower quadrant semaphore signals can still be found here.
As 66151 runs along the slow line with a green signal ahead, an up HST speeds by on the main line. 43032 and 43143 forms 1L55 1130 Swansea to Paddington.
Arriva liveried 150280 runs by with a class 2 local service, 2L55 1158 Gloucester to Maesteg working.
Alphaline liveried 158961 passes by East Usk Yard early in its journey from Cardiff to Portsmouth Harbour. The departure time was 1230, headcode 1F15.
66090 trundles along with a light engine move from Newport ADJ stabling point to Llanwern streel works, 0M86. Lower quadrant former Great Western Railway semaphore signals feature at East Usk Yard.
A last shot here and bubblecar 153377 scoots by East Usk Yard with 2B94 1105 from Taunton to Cardiff Central.
Still in Newport but now on the station. Trans Pennine 158762 makes its station stop with 1F14 1022 Portsmouth Harbour to Cardiff. These sets have been displaced by the arrival of class 185 Desiro units for Trans Pennine duties.
Newport station is a very busy place as all the freight has to pass through as well as the passenger workings. 66068 fronts 6V05 0939 Round Oak to Margam steel empties.
The driver of 43033 brings his train slowly into Newport station enroute to Swansea from Paddington, 1B28 1145 off.
An eastbound freight working rumbles through the station with 66170 in charge of 6M41 1222 Margam to Round Oak loaded steel coil. I'm not sure about the cross legged stance of the guy taking a picture, does it make him more stable? Maybe he needs a pee?? ;-)
158851 departs Newport on time with Central Trains service 1V78 1034 Manchester Piccadilly to Milford Haven.
43002 is the first of the production HST powercars and at the time of the photo was some 30 years old and still giving front line service. It is the rear end push of 1L62 1230 Swansea to Paddington.
