Picture of the Day 2 April 2011

EW&S-liveried Class 60 No. 60049 is seen approaching Redbridge in Hampshire, pulling off the Salisbury line on 1 April 2010 powering the daily 7O41 10.14 Westbury to Eastleigh engineers train.
Mark V. Pike

Picture of the Day 3 April 2011

South Eastern Trains Class 395 No. 395004 leaves Ashford running wrong line on the down HS1 connecting line forming the 13.34 service to St.Pancras on Sunday 3 April 2011. Owing to engineering work on the London side of Ashford station the train will reverse at Ashford East Junction and pass over the flyover on its way to St.Pancras taking 49 minutes for the journey instead of the usual 38 minutes.
Brian Stephenson

Picture of the Day 4 April 2011

Class 60 No. 60074 arrives into Barnetby with the return leg of Pathfinders 'Humber Explorer' tour from Bristol Temple Meads to Cleethorpes. The outward leg arrived into Cleethorpes some two hours late due to a points failure at Marsh West Junction, just outside Cleethorpes. As a result, the return leg was re-timed by an hour so allow passengers to have an hour off the train in Cleethorpes, but the proposed visit to the Cleethorpes Light Railway had to be cancelled.
Nathan Williamson

Picture of the Day 6 April 2011

Transfer of BR blue-liveried Class 423 4-VEP No. 3417 back to the Bluebell Railway, having been in store at Bournemouth depot, took place on 6 April 2011.The transfer move is seen here approaching Woodfidley in the New Forest, to the east of Brockenhurst. The train is 'top and tailed' by GBRf Class 73s Nos. 73204 with 73141, and operating as train 5Z73, the 11.28 Bournemouth T&RSMD to East Grinstead Siding.
Mark Jamieson

Picture of the Day 7 April 2011

Now with the route between Southampton and the West Midlands upgraded to carry the larger 9ft 6in containers, the 12.55 Freightliner to Trafford Park (4M61) departs from Southampton Millbrook FLT on 4 April 2011, specially retimed to set out at 12.00 to accomodate the media and VIPs in attendance for the start of the new operations. Freightliner Class 70 No. 70003 heads the train and commences the journey through a garland of Freightliner-coloured balloons.
Brian Morrison

Picture of the Day 8 April 2011

Photographed on 6 April 2011, four Network Rail test vehicles are seen ' top and tailed' by DRS Class 37s Nos. 37607 and 37611. The train running as 1Q13, was a Bristol Circular train and is seen passing Gatcombe heading for Bristol Parkway.
Alex Martin-Brown http://ambsphotogallery.weebly.com/

Picture of the Day 9 April 2011

After taking six years and £17m to complete due to engineering complications, the new Livery Street entrance at Birmingham Snow Hill finally opened on Thursday 31 March 2011. On Saturday 9 April 2011, London Midland Class 150/1 unit No. 150003 (the first production Class 150) approaches the platform level entrance with the 12.25 Stourbridge Junction to Dorridge service, as Ansaldo T69 tram No. 07 Billy Wright departs for Wolverhampton St. Georges.
John Binch

Picture of the Day 10 April 2011

Following a recent increase in business, GBRf approached the owners of Class 55 'Deltic' No. 55022 regarding the hire of the loco for use on a freight working covering a total of 36 miles per day, operating two round trips per day between North Blyth and Lynemouth. The hire has been agreed, and as a result No. 55022 worked light engine from the East Lancs Railway to North Blyth on Sunday 11 April 2011. the loco is seen passing Ravensthorpe (near Dewsbury). It is understood the freight flow will operate until around the start of July.
David Carr

Picture of the Day 12 April 2011

Many of the Class 150 sets currently operating for London Midland, based at Tyseley are shortly to be transferred away from the Midlands area with the introduction of new two and three-car Class 172 stock. On 11 April 2011, Class 150 No. 150010, which until a few days ago was operating as a three-car set with the addition of DMS57226, has now been reduced to a two-car form (but still retaining its Class 150/0 number). This work has been done in advance of transfer to Bristol for use with First Great Western.Our image was recorded at Worcester Shrub Hill while the set was working a Malvern bound duty.
Colin J Marsden

Picture of the Day 13 April 2011

Class 37 locomotives are rare on the Birmingham New Street to Kings Norton section of the Birmingham Cross City line. However, on the morning of Tuesday 12 April 2011, DRS Class 37/0 pair Nos, 37059 and 37069 were used to top and tail the 09.35 (1Q13) Tyseley to Tyseley (via Bromsgrove and Gloucester) test train. Having just passed through University station, No. 37059 leads the train across the bridge over the new A38 Selly Oak bypass road.
John Binch

Picture of the Day 14 April 2011

Freightliner Heavy Haul operated Class 70 No. 70006, is seen passing South Wigston station at around 12 noon on 13 April 2011 with empty ballast box wagons forming the 09.00 (6U76) Bescot to Mountsorrel. In the background is a road bridge which is still undergoing upgrading work to allow 9ft 6in high containerised freight.
Andrew Bartlett

Picture of the Day 15 April 2011

Colas Rail Class 66/8 No. 66845 pulls off Ribblehead Viaduct on the Settle & Carlisle line on 12 April 2011, powering train 6J37, the 12.29 Carlisle to Chirk log train. The train is approaching Ribblehead station with Wernside in background. In the yard adjacent to Ribblehead station, logs were stacked ready for future loading for a train from Ribblehead.
Robin Patrick

Picture of the Day 16 April 2011

Just 'stunning' is the best way to describe this image of LNER blue-liveried A4 No. 60019 Bittern, currently running as LNER No. 4492 Dominion of New Zealand. The loco is seen powering leg one of the 2011 "The Great Britain IV" tour on 16 April 2011 passing Shipton, north of York.Tis was the first time 60019 had been seen running as blue-liveried 4492 Dominion of New Zealand.
David Carr

Picture of the Day 17 April 2011

The London Midland Bedford to Bletchley 'Marston Vale' line (originally part of the Oxford to Cambridge route) is currently worked by a two car Class 150 unit and a Class 153 unit operating 16 Monday to Saturday hourly services in each direction. There is no Sunday service. Once earmarked for closure, the passenger service is now used for school, shopping, and work business. The Bedford to Bletchley Rail Users’ Association (BBRUA) are now campaigning to develop the route’s potential for leisure travel, particularly with the growth of the Marston Vale Community Forest close to Millbrook and Stewartby stations. There is also a possibility that services may be extended from Bletchley to Milton Keynes Central. On Saturday 16 April 2011, Class 150/1 No. 150106 passes Lidlington with the 13.55 service from Bedford.
John Binch

Picture of the Day 18 April 2011

Making a fine sight as it speeds through Winchester on 15 April 2011, EWS Class 60 No. 60040 powers train 6O26, the 1026 Oxford Hinksey Yard to Eastleigh Yard engineers train.
Mark V. Pike

Picture of the Day 19 April 2011

The West Midlands Metro was closed from Sunday 17 April to Wednesday 20 April 2011 inclusive between Wolverhampton St. Georges and Wednesbury Parkway to allow a £500k project to replace overhead wires to take place. Metro tickets were valid on Travel West Midlands’s busses, but not on trains during this period. A normal service operated between Wednesbury Parkway and Birmingham Snow Hill. On the morning of Tuesday 19 April, Ansaldo T69 trams No. 07 Billy Wright and 13 Anthony Nolan in contrasting liveries stand at the temporary terminus of Wednesbury Parkway with Snow Hill services.
John Binch

Picture of the Day 20 April 2011

Direct Rail Services Class 47s Nos. 47810 and 47501 pass Southampton Central on 19 April 2011 powering train 1Z47 from Edinburgh Waverley to Southampton Western Docks 'boat train' service. At Southampton, No. 47810 was named Peter Bath MBE 1927-2006 after the founder of Bournemouth-based Bath Travel.
Richard Sulzmann http://www.headcode92.co.uk/

Picture of the Day 21 April 2011

In some excellent morning sunshine, this view shows 'top and tailed' Class 73s operating on the former Southern Region on 19 April 2011. Nos. 73107 and 73138 pass Holes Bay on the approach to Poole with the returning 1Q08 05.19 Eastleigh to Eastleigh (via Weymouth & Portsmouth) Network Rail test train.
Mark V. Pike

Picture of the Day 23 April 2011

With the GWR Dukedog No. 9017 Earl of Berkeley visiting the South Devon Railway from the Bluebell Railway over the Easter period, it was the star of the South Devon Railway's Cambrian Gala held over the holiday weekend. No.
9017 leads a freight service alongside the River Dart on Good Friday 22 April 2011 forming the 17.48 Bishops Bridge to Totnes, the last train of the day on Good Friday.
Nathan Williamson

Picture of the Day 25 April 2011

The often forgotten British Rail tilting train APT No. 370006, which is preserved at Crewe Heritage Centre, has received a repaint and looks much better for Easter 2011.One end is painted all yellow with black around the cab window, wheras the other is just plain yellow as seen here on Easter Sunday 24 April 2011. Both schemes were carried by the Class 370s during their brief BR career.
Cliff Beeton

Picture of the Day 26 April 2011

SNCF 36000 class electric No. 36010 powers a Dunkirk to Eastern France steel coil train on 21 April 2011 past the village of Faubeuge de Cassel, in the Department du Nord region. This location, on the main line between Dunkirk and Hazebrouck in Northern France, has no fence and offers some excellent photographic views. Unlike the UK much of the French rail system is open, with very little problem of people walking about the rail tracks
Michael J. Collins

Picture of the Day 27 April 2011

Ex Great Western 'Castle' 4-6-0 No. 5029 Nunney Castle crosses Weaver Viaduct in Cheshire on 22 April 2011 with day 7 of the Great Britain IV charter running between Preston and Bristol via Chester.
Colin Irwin

Picture of the Day 28 April 2011

Carrying the new Europorte/GBRf livery, Class 66/7 No. 66737 the former DRS No. 66405), is seen passing Nottingham on 27 April 2011 powering train 4M82 from Doncaster to Hotchley Hill. This was the previous days 4M82 Drax to Hotchley Hill,  but was terminated at Doncaster because of late departure from Drax and further delay at Decoy due to a massive power failure around Sneinton-Clowick-Carlton and Netherfield involving town homes and the railway.
Ryan Tranmer

Picture of the Day 29 April 2011

DRS Class 37/0 No. 37087 Keighley & Worth Valley Railway rumbles through Hackney Downs, punctuating the regular procession of National Express EMUs, with train 1Q28 from Derby RTC to Cambridge (via Liverpool Street). Running nearly two hours late due to traction problems, the test train was carrying out three functions: track recording, overhead line monitoring and radio signal strength testing. Sister loco No. 37229 Jonty Jarvis brought up the rear.
Andrew Royle

Picture of the Day 30 April 2011

The Royal Duchy charter from Slough to Penzance and return operated on 30 April 2011. The train was operated west as 1Z27, the 05.30 Slough-Penzance formed of vehicles 99304, 3093, 99371, 99316, 99127, 99128, 99350, 99348, and 99311 powered by West Coast Class 47 No. 47500. The return, steam powered operated as 1Z28, the 12.45 Penzance to Slough powered by 'Black 5' No. 45305 and 'BR Standard' No. 70013 Oliver Cromwell. The train running to time is seen passing the remains of Dawlish signalbox.
Colin J. Marsden