Picture of the Day 1 August 2010

The famous water balanced cliff lift in Saltburn-by-the-Sea which opened in 1884, is probably the oldest of its type in the world. With the pier and the North Sea forming the background, a car begins its 120ft. descent of the 71% gradient on Saturday 24 July 2010.
John Binch

Picture of the Day 2 August 2010

Mainline blue-liveried Class 60 No. 60011 passes Stourton, Leeds with an empty stock movement of East Coast HST Mk 3 coaches from Neville Hill Leeds to Doncaster on 31 July 2010.
Peter Marsh

Picture of the Day 3 August 2010

The 2ft gauge Hythe Pier Railway is one of the most unusual lines in the UK. The 700yd long Hythe Pier near Southampton was opened in 1881 and had a 'push' railway running its length to carry goods. In 1922 the pier was rebuilt and the line electrified at 250V dc third rail. Two Brush built locomotives No. 1 and No. 2 of 1917 vintage operate the line, together with four bogie passenger carriages with doors on one side only. A small workshop exists at the land end of the pier, where usually one locomotive and one carriage can be found under repair or maintenance. The train also has a four wheel freight flat wagon marshaled at the Pier Head end of the train, coupled ahead of the driving cab car. The locomotives are always marshaled at the landward end. On 3 August 2010 locomotive No. 2 leads a lunchtime train into the land station. A four wheel tank wagons is also operated on the line to carry fuel to the pier head for the White Horse Ferries which operate between Southampton and Hythe Pier.
Colin J. Marsden

Picture of the Day 6 August 2010

Train operator Southern has now started operating the Class 313/2s on weekdays between Brighton and Seaford, Brighton and Hove shuttles and also on a few Brighton to West Worthing services. The units have not yet had there full refresh but most units carry the revised Southern livery. There are quite a few complaints about 313s because they do not have air conditioning or toilets, but many local people believe these units to be brand new! The view above was taken on the afternoon of the 3 August 2010 at Lewes and shows set No. 313205 on a Seaford to Brighton service. Note the weeds on the platform, which are getting very common at stations and also on the track in many parts of the UK.
Barnaby Nash

Picture of the Day 7 August 2010

A pair of Colas locos, Class 47 No. 47739 and Class 66/8 No. 66841 pass Balshaw Lane Junction (Euxton) on 6 August 2010 powering empty log train 6Z37 from Chirk to Carlisle.
Tim Blazey

Picture of the Day 8 August 2010

Whaley Bridge on the Manchester to Buxton line is set to benefit from a £200,000 refurbishment program. The work will include the restoration of the chimneys to their original height, the replacement of the guttering to original cast iron, the fitting of new sash windows, and an original style clock. The current state of the truncated chimneys and plastic guttering on the slate roof of the station building is photographed in a typical Peak District downpour on Saturday 7 August 2010, as Class 156 unit No. 156470 departs with the 12.56 Manchester Piccadilly to Buxton service.
John Binch

Picture of the Day 10 August 2010

The Railway Touring Co operated a steam excursion “Tall Ships” from York to Hartlepool via the Harrogate Circle and Leeds on 9 August 2010. Motive Power was provided by 5690 Leander hauling a full rake of maroon stock now cleaned following graffiti in Holgate Sidings last week.This is likely to be the only steam excursion this year to navigate the Harrogate Circle and thus gave the opportunity to capture a photo at the classic location of Knaresborough. No 5690 Leander departs in glorious style over the viaduct towards Harrogate & Leeds.
Peter Marsh

Picture of the Day 11 August 2010

On both Monday and Wednesday this week, northbound DBS freights have required banking up the Lickey incline during the morning, making an interesting photograph. This view taken on 11 August 2010 shows train 6M70 from Margam to Wolverhampton powered by Class 66 No. 66039 and banked by sister loco No. 66059..
Matt Wilson www.trainpics.net

Picture of the Day 12 August 2010

On 11 August 2010,DRS Class 47 Nos. 47802, 47712 and Class 66 No. 66414 looked excellent passing through Uttoxeter with a rake of Blue/Gray coaches, forming train 5Z47, the 09.00 Carlisle to Barrow Hill empty stock. This is the first time that a Eddie Stobart liveried Class 66 had traversed the North Staffs Line (From Derby to Crewe). the train looked very impressive formed of Mk2 and Mk3 coaches, mainly in BR blue and gray colours. Most in the formation were Cargo-D coaches, but there were some Wrexham & Shropshire vehicles at the rear of the formation.
Richard Holmes

Picture of the Day 13 August 2010

Privately owned Class 47/4 No. 47580 County of Essex is seen passing through East Croydon on the Southern main line on 12 August 2010 in charge of train 1Z58, the 05.28 Chesterfield to Eastbourne "Sussex Statesman" charter. Sister loco No. 47826 was was coupled on the rear.
Mark V. Pike

Picture of the Day 14 August 2010

After the last service train of the day has departed empty from Redditch, Track Recording Unit No. 950001 has slipped into the north Worcestershire terminus on a very wet Monday night (9 August 2010) when the sky's plumbing system looks to be leaking! As there are no spare daytime paths on the branch from Barnt Green all test trains have to operate at night. ( The exposure for this image was 1/30 @ f2.8, at 1000ASA).
Andrew Royle

Picture of the Day 15 August 2010

With three local girls looking on, a First Great Western Class 150/153 combination passes near Grampound Road, Cornwall on 11 August 2010 forming the 11.41 Penzance to Newton Abbot.
Tony Christie

Picture of the Day 16 August 2010

On Monday 9 August 2010, East Midlands Trains Class 153 unit No. 153385 arrives at Market Rasen station in Lincolnshire with the 09.57 Newark Northgate to Grimsby Town service. The train is passing a blue plaque which was unveiled during a ceremony on Sunday 9 May 2010, to commemorate Vickers Valiant V-bomber no. WZ363 from 207 Squadron RAF Marham which crashed in a field at West Farm, Linwood Road (just to the left of the photograph) on 6 May 1964, killing all five crew members. The crew members were: Flight-Lieutenant F. C. Welles, aged 26, of Ferring, Sussex, Flight-Lieutenant G. A. Mills, aged 28, of Warrington, Lancashire, Flight-Lieutenant J. R. Stringer, aged 37, of Letchworth, Hertfordshire, Flight-Lieutenant L. R. Hawkins, aged 30, of North Wembley, Middlesex, and Sergeant R. Noble, aged 25, of King's Lynn. If ye break faith with those who died, we shall not sleep.
John Binch

Picture of the Day 17 August 2010

While everyone else was pointing their lenses at the steam locos during the Bluebell's gala on Saturday 7 August 2010, this little beastie crept along the sidings at Horsted Keynes. It is No. 957, a 1926-built Howard 4-wheel petrol-mechanical loco, weighing in at 7 tons, with a mighty 41 bhp to play with. On a greasy rail after a shower, it even had trouble with this load!
Simon Jeffs

Picture of the Day 18 August 2010

West Coast Railway Class 37 No. 37706 was on the main line on 18 August 2010, covering for failed Black 5 No. 44932 on train1Z86, the 09.30 Waterloo to Weymouth "Cathedrals Express" charter. The steam loco was failed with a TPWS fault, and No. 37706 was called upon at the last moment to work the train. It is seen in the heart of the New Forest National Park at Woodfiddley (between Beaulieu Road and Brockenhurst).
Mark V. Pike

Picture of the Day 19 August 2010

Today, 19 August 2010 is Dawlish Air Show Day, with an amazing air show staged in the bay, with thousands of visitors from all over the country. First Great Western laid on a number of extra trains operating on a shuttle basis between Exeter and Newton Abbot. With five Mk2s between, DBS Class 67s No. 67028 and 67017 depart from Dawlish with train 2Z12, the 12.50 Exeter St Davids - Newton Abbot.
Colin J. Marsden

Picture of the Day 20 August 2010

On 19 August 2010, Direct Rail Services (DRS) provided Class 57 No. 57011 to power train 4A13 from Grangemouth to Aberdeen, formed of Intermodal wagons. The train is seen departing from Grangemouth. This service operates seven days a week, one of the few which is operated at weekends.
Jim Young

Picture of the Day 21 August 2010

West Coast Railway Co Class 37s Nos. 37676 and 37516 top and tail three WCRC coaches past Docker on the West Coast Main Line on 16 August 2010 forming an empty stock move from Boness to Carnforth.
Tom McAtee

Picture of the Day 22 August 2010

Our photographer for todays POD said "This shot at Mortimer (on the Reading-Basingstoke line) was only ever going to work if it was a long (and loaded) train, so when Freightliner Class 66/5 No. 66564 came into view with a fully loaded 4O14 07.00 Birch Coppice to Southampton Maritime liner, I was rather pleased to say the least!" This very pleasing image was recorded on 19 August 2010.
Mark V. Pike

Picture of the Day 23 August 2010

In the small hours of 23 August 2010, Great Western-liveried Class 57/6 No. 57604 awaits departure from Newton Abbot with the previous evenings Penzance to Paddington sleeper service. The picture was taken during a very heavy rain storm. After departure from Newton Abbot, the train ran around at Exeter St Davids and continued via Yeovil Junction and Yeovil Pen Mill to rejoin the Great Western main line at Castle Cary.
Nathan Williamson

Picture of the Day 24 August 2010

On 23 August 2010, DBS Class 66/0 No. 66154 is seen heading south at Colton Junction, York, hauling six MPV twin sets. It is likely that these are part of the annual rail treatment trains and being moved south from York Works.
Rob van der Woude

Picture of the Day 25 August 2010

The three Northern Rail Class 321/9 units have gone quietly about their business working Doncaster to Leeds local services since their introduction in 1991. Unlike their Class 321/3 and 321/4 sisters the trio have no first class accommodation. The units were refurbished in 2006-7 by Hunslet-Barclay in Kilmarnock and received the red, white and blue Northern/WYPTE ‘Metro’ livery. On Tuesday 24 August 2010, No. 321902 stands at Wakefield Westgate with the 14.19 Leeds to Doncaster service.
John Binch

Picture of the Day 26 August 2010

The route from Helpston Junction to Nuneaton has been undergoing a lot of upgrade work to the gauge clearance (W10 standard) for containerised freight with a few bridges on the section between Helpston Junction and Syston Junction completed some time ago, along with the realignment of a platform at Stamford. Bridge wise it has recently been the turn of the section from Wigston Junction to Nuneaton to receive a lot of quick upgrades, with the old deck usually removed in it's entirety. At South Wigston station, however, there has been a desire to keep the bridge operational as it is a very busy thoroughfare, and so it presents a unique comparison between the new gauge and the old gauge of the standard design of bridge along the route as Cross Country Trains Class 170 No. 170115 passes under with the 11.16 Leicester to Birmingham New Street service on 24 August 2010 seen from the Leicester bound platform.
Matt Wilson www.railpictures.net

Picture of the Day 27 August 2010

On Friday 27 August 2010 a splendid looking DRS Class 37/4 No. 37409 Lord Hinton and inspection saloon No. 975025 Caroline formed train 2Z01 from Derby to Derby. With Caroline leading, it is seen 'crossing over' as it leaves Shirebrook, heading for Peterborough before returning to Derby.
Derek Wilson http://derek-wilson.fotopic.net

Picture of the Day 28 August 2010

DRS Class 37s Nos. 37682 and 37688 power train 6Z92, the 09.20 Stockton to Sheerness Scrap Train on 27 August 2010. The train is seen approaching Colton South Junction, after being stopped by signals to follow a passenger train. This train has run for several Fridays and takes the Midland Main line to the London area.
Robin Patrick

Picture of the Day 29 August 2010

On the afternoon of Thursday 26 August 2010, Northern Class 142 unit No. 142034 runs alongside the deep tree-lined gorge of the River Goyt as it approaches New Mills Central station with the 14.14 Sheffield to Manchester Piccadilly service. Immediately below the train is the Torr Millennium Walkway while on the left is the Torr Vale Mill, which until its closure in December 2000 was the oldest operational cotton mill in England, having been opened in the 1790s. Sadly, the roof caught fire in July 2001, and the building’s future remains uncertain.
John Binch

Picture of the Day 30 August 2010

The new Class 380 Desiro EMUs for First ScotRail are now being delivered from Siemens in Germany, traveling to the UK via the Channel Tunnel and then by rail to Polmadie via the West Coast Main Line. On Friday 27 August 2010 set No. 380105 is seen formed between coupling barrier wagons being dragged from Dollands Moor to Polmadie as train 7X80 powered by DBS Class 66/0 No. 66055. In this view the train is seen passing Headstone Lane.
Kim Fullbrook

Picture of the Day 31 August 2010

One of the two loco-hauled sets which currently cover morning and evening peak workings on the Fife Circle is seen with DBS Class 67 No. 67004 leading drawing into Dalmeny station with the 17.08 Edinburgh Waverley to Edinburgh Waverley service at 18.58 on the evening of 30 August 2010.
Jim Young