The Southerners are coming, ED's in town

The late morning sun glints along the length of this mkIV set with 91122 in charge. The location is Auchengray on the line between Edinburgh and Carstairs.

The reason for standing in a field near Auchengray with a cold wind blowing passes by. GBRf liveried 73205 and 73204 haul Network SouthEast liveried 87012 eastbound from Shieldmuir to Craigentinny. This is the first main line visit to Scotland of a former Southern Region Electro-diesel loco. They are hundreds of miles away from their 3rd rail territory and are running on their 600hp English Electric RR4SRKT powerplants.

Moving to Slateford to await the GBRf ECS move. 66183 comes off the Edinburgh Suburban lines with an empty rake of HTA hoppers. This is 4C16 1300 off Millerhill to Ravenstruther, near Carstairs.

An unknown Virgin Voyager passes through Slateford heading into Edinburgh and journey's end. 1S47 is the 0630 departure from Bournemouth via the WCML.

A class 2 local service slows for its station stop. 156511 forms 2Y45 1442 Edinburgh to Glasgow Central High Level.

East bound freight traffic booked to take the Sub pass through Slateford station wrong road. 60083 fronts 6E30 1333 Dalzell to Lackenby empty steel flats and crosses from the down to the up road.

This is a regular booked class 60 turn due to the weight of the loaded train in the morning.

A west bound Voyager speeds away from the centre of Edinburgh and passes over the turnout onto the Edinburgh Suburban Line, known as The Sub. The working is 1M58 1452 from Edinburgh to Birmingham New Street.

Turning round from the previous shot as the class 221 unit catches the glint along its full length.

66043 eases off the Sub with a set of empty HAA coal hoppers bound for Mossend Yard. The train, 6S05, has come from Drax Power Station, 0805 off. The set will go for loading at a point as decided by the power generator.

The full rake of wagons have cleared the station as 66043 powers away. The sun flashes off the overhead catenary and track.

Class 322 electric units have replaced the class 90's and coaching stock on the North Berwick Branch. Here an 322483 pauses during its turn back manouevre. It has run empty from nearby Haymarket station as 5Y08 1510 Haymarket to Slateford.

Speeding in from the west is another Voyager unit, again unidentified. This is 1S52 1156 Manchester Piccadilly to Edinburgh.

Turning round on the tall footbridge at Slateford, the autofocus has picked up the catenary and not the two units!

A GNER class 91 glides purposely through Slateford heading for Glasgow Central. Service 1S13 left Kings Cross at 1100.

The strong lowering afternoon sun lights up the rear cab of 156432 as it departs the station after its booked stop. This is 2Y66, 1415 off Glasgow Central to Edinburgh.

A lone Freightliner class 86 loco 86632 clatters over the Sub turnout as it scurries back to Mossend Yard. This is a route learning working 0Z42 from York.

And the star of the show, the train the dozen or so people on Slateford station had come to see. 87012 heads away from Edinburgh with its ECS train with 73204 tucked in behind it. 5Z73 was booked away from Craigentinny at 1542 heading for Willesden.

The train passes through Slateford station with GBRf driver John Thomson in the secondman's seat of 87012

73205 is on the back of the coaching stock as the train speeds off into the sunset! The reason for the class 73 locos being used is because they are fitted with the Pullman rubbing plates and buckeye couplers so they can couple to the mkIII stock which does not have buffers. After an overnight recess in Willesden the set will continue to Plymouth Laira the following day.