UK Miscellany c

Turbostar 170410 departs Aviemore about 10 minutes late with 1H07 0840 Edinburgh to Inverness. I get a wave from the person in the cab with the driver.

Turning round for the going away shot as the set passes the down starter gantry with starter AV28 pulled off. Next to it is AV21 which controls access into the downside siding. The signalbox is visible just ahead of the unit.

I had hoped to get this train arriving passing the signalbox and up signals but I was a tad too late. 158722 is on the back of an unknown turbostar departing Kingussie with 1B22 1052 Inverness to Edinburgh.

An unknown turbostar passes Crubenmore with 1H09 1010 Glasgow Queen Street to Inverness. The set wears First Group house colours.

I wasn't prepared for this and it caught me out. 66103 drops down grade from Druimuachdar and passes through Dalnaspidal station. This is normally a class 67 turn but today 4D05 1137 Inverness to Mossend empty vans is a class 66.

I had walked for about half a mile north from Dalnaspidal to find a new location and decided on here. An unknown turbostar comes south with 1B31 1245 Inverness to Edinburgh. The sky and the hills form a lovely backdrop.

A minute or so after the southbound unit sped by another unknown set works north climbing to Druimuachdar with 1H11 1140 Edinburgh to Inverness. 19/12/2005

Edinburgh Waverley at 07.20am and a throng of people and photographers gather round immaculate Deltic 55022 "Royal Scots Grey" on its first railtour under the ownership of Martin Walker. 23/9/2006

The train had started at Linlithgow at 0655 and was booked to go round the Edinburgh Suburban line and no run round would be required. But the Sub was closed due to engineering so the train came in via Haymarket and needed to reverse.

The run round now complete and the loco is tied back on and waits for time to head north. The train is 1Z55 0655 Linlithgow to Inverness, "The Moray Mint" and was run by the SRPS. This was a works outing and many of the group would be joining at Kirkcaldy. Ross and I drove to Linlithgow so we could do the whole tour and take in the Forth Bridge.

Journey's end and 55022 stands at the buffer stops of Inverness' platform 2 after a fantastic run over the Forth Bridge, through Fife to Perth and over the Highland main line, up "The Hill" and over Druimuachdar to Inverness.

It was a magnificent run and the first time I had been behind a Deltic on the main line for about 26 - 27 years. I recall hanging out of a window in the front coach going north from Selby to York along the original route. The run back to Linlithgow ran as 1Z56 1600 off Inverness via Aberdeen , Dundee and the Tay Bridge, through Fife and over the Forth Bridge, reverse at Waverley and on to Linlithgow, 449.5 miles. Fantastic!

Sitting in the yard at Millburn is 67001 which probably worked in on the Mossend vans northbound and will take the sleeper back south later. 23/9/2006.

The first day of services in 2007 on the Far North Line and First Group liveried 158722 and 158704 slows for its Tain stop with 2H56 0813 Wick to Inverness via Thurso. The light of the near mid day sun shines on the work stained First set. 2/1/2007

The train stops in the deserted station not just for any passengers who may wish to join or alight from in, but to exchange the radio token also. 2/1/2007

Steam from passing A4 pacific loco 60009 comes into the shot of 66050 standing on one of the numerous through roads at Toton Yard, Nottinghamshire.

EWS has started to put large EWS beastie sticker on their locos to cover brandings from previous companies. 60057 "Adam Smith" has been so affected and is recorded at Toton and may be stored as the side door into the engine compartment is open.

Two more class 60s with 60011 in Mainline blue livery without any markings and EWS liveried 60003 "Freight Transport Association" sit on one of the shed roads at Toton.

Long time resident of Leicester depot 58005 in full and faded Mainline livery has been moved to Toton having languished there for some 6 years. I photographed it from the cab of a passing class 66 on 11/7/2003.

The railtour has now reached York and passes the freight avoiding lines at York's Holgate Junction and 66047 waits for the road with a long train of SPA spoil wagons. The Yorkshire Wheel rises above the train.

Direct sister 66048 takes another P Way train in the opposite direction round the York avoiding lines.

At the north end of York station and within the myriad of sidings between the ECML and the avoiding lines, 66531 is seen working 6C12 1145 Butterwell to Drax Power Station loaded coal HHA hoppers.

With 60009 now in the NRM sidings we can relax as the tour is over. 47715 "Poseidon" is recorded parked up. I am unsure who owns the Fragonset liveried type 4. 24/3/2007

I'm on a run from Crewe to Mossend in the support coach with A4 60009 and K4 61994 on a positioning move ahead of the first Great Britain railtour. 66136 heads south at Weaver Junction working 4G20 0736 Fiddlers Ferry to Washwood Heath empty coal hoppers. 6/4/2007

The steam working is looped to allow other trains to pass, one of which is 66001 hauling a northbound P Way train at Weaver Junction.

An unknown class 221 Super Voyager speeds south with 1V35 0829 Preston to Plymouth cross country service. Weaver Junction is where the Liverpool lines diverge from the WCML.

A Central Trains class 350 Desiro unit 350106 comes off the Liverpool road with 1G12 0840 Liverpool Lime Street to Birmingham New Street.

Mike Mather looks out from the support coach as 66100 bowls past the looped steam working with 6M69 1949 Ravenstruther to Ironbridge Power Station loaded coal hoppers. The train would have recessed in Carlisle for several hours before continuing south.

An unknown Pendolino unit passes by with 1F11 0700 Euston to Liverpool, the set will turn left here and leave the WCML to head for the Merseyside city.

The steam move is now at Preston and a class 153 and 156 pairing of sprinter units departs Preston with 2C91 1005 off for Carlisle via the Cumbrian Coast, a journey of 3 hours and 47 minutes.

We have now reached Mossend Yard, south of Glasgow and type 3 37406 stands outside the EWS buildings.

Freightliner 47816 stands in their part of the yard being warmed by the early evening sun.

EWS class 92 super locos 92017, 92030, and 92016 sit idle waiting for their next turn of duty.

92030 carries the name "Ashford" and 92017 is named "Shakespeare".

An impressive line up of electric locos at Mossend showing three generations of design. 92017 was built in 1993-96 for Channel Tunnel work and capable of running on the overhead 25kv lines and the 750v dc third rail. 90041 built 1987-90 for general freight and passenger work. Completing the line up is 86639 and 86638, originally built in 1965-66 for the West Coast electrification programme and still in everyday use.

Mossend yard pilot 08500 goes about its business shunting a rake of ferry wagons.

A P Way train of loaded Seacow YGA ballast hoppers is brought into Mossend behind 92024. It may have originated in Carlisle but the loco will uncouple and leave the hoppers here.

66102 draws slowly into one of the through sidings with a rake of what looks like empty HAA coal hoppers. I could not identify the train.

92024 heads off to park up somewhere nearby.

A passenger working runs through the heart of the Mossend freight hub as 156437 forms 2D75 1837 Motherwell to Cumbernauld class 2 local service.

EWS type 5 66048 moves about the yard light heading to its next job.

The loco has coupled onto a rake of HAA coal hoppers and will depart at some point to head somewhere for them to be loaded.

One final freight shot before the steam locos move into PD Stirling's yard to stable for the next four days. 66015 fronts 4M67 1742 Grangemouth to Manchester Trafford Park intermodal service. 6/4/2007

Freightliner Heavy Haul 66605 runs round its train of cement tanks at Viewpark, Glasgow. It has worked in on 6D62 ThX 0752 from Oxwellmains near Dunbar. 10/4/2007

Two days later and 66605 is seen again but this time at Millburn Yard, Inverness. It has run round its train and propelled the tanks into the unloading point beside the tall silo. The working is 6H51 ThO 0308 Oxwellmains to Inverness loaded cement.

The warm morning sun glints off the side of 66605. 12/4/2007

Polmont Junction and 60009 and 61994 head home to Thornton from Perth via Stirling. The locos and support coach are held in the up passenger loop at Polmont and 158741 passes by with 2P59 1622 Newcraighall to Dunblane.

One of two trains booked to pass us is 158734 working 2P34 1627 Dunblane to Edinburgh. The line to the left higher up is the Edinburgh to Glasgow line.