Picture of the Day 1 December 2009

Running some 20 minutes early, the 6V92 10.10 Corby to Margam empty steel is sidelined into the loop just north of Ashchurch station, to allow the passage of a CrossCountry service. As seen on 30 November 2009, the consist is unusually double-headed, by DBS Class 66/0s Nos. 66178 and 66140.
John Stretton

Picture of the Day 2 December 2009

General Electric 'PowerHaul' Class 70 No. 70002 worked its first revenue earning service for Freightliner Heavyhaul on Tuesday 1 December 2009, with the 07.00 (6M55) Portbury to Rugeley Power Station loaded coal train. The following afternoon, the new locomotive is photographed in appalling light passing Brereton Sidings Signal Box (Rugeley) while running around an hour late with the train on the second day of revenue earning operation.
John Binch

Picture of the Day 3 December 2009

Euro Porte 2 Class 92s No. 92038 'top and tailed' with No. 92032 return from Maidstone East to Dolllands Moor after the latter failed on a driver training run comprising eight loaded Metronet side tipper wagons on 3 December 2009.
Brian Stephenson

Picture of the Day 4 December 2009

The latest batch of Class 70s Nos. 70003 - 70006 arrived at Newport Docks on 3 December 2009 on board the ship Beluga Fortune. The first loco to be off-loaded No. 70003 is seen supported above class mates 70004-006 as it is lifted over the side of the ship onto the dockside tracks. These four locos are scheduled to move to Stoke Gifford, Crewe, Midland Road and Garston early next week for training and deployment. Both Nos. 70001 and 70002 are now in traffic operating between Lawley Street and Felixstowe and Stoke Gifford and Rugeley. In a reverse move Class 66s Nos. 66573/574/578/579/580/581 are about to come off-lease with Freightliner and return to their lease owners HSBC Rail.
Kevin Wills

Picture of the Day 5 December 2009

Overnight on 3/4 December 2009 a Network Rail test train operated from Crewe to the West Midlands area. It is seen here at Redditch top and tailed by Class 31s Nos. 31 459 and 31602. Our photographer comments that usually when the test trains visit this route they are powered by Class 37s, and asks when was the last visit of Class 31s to Redditch.
Matt Wilson www.trainpics.net

Picture of the Day 6 December 2009

Since the serious flooding in Cumbria some two weeks ago and need to operate longer trains on the Cumbrian coast line due to a number of road and foot bridges being washed away, Direct Rail Services jumped in to help, operating 'top and tailed' loco-hauled shuttle services between Workington and Maryport. Taken on 2 December one of the Workington shuttles, the 12.20 Workington to Maryport, departs from Flimby station, led by Class 37 No. 37423 with Class 47 No. 47790 on the rear.
Kim Fullbrook

Picture of the Day 9 December 2009

The Eurostar 'spare' power car, allocated the number 3999 has for some months been working in set No. 373015, while its correct power car is under repair at Brush Traction, Loughborough, after receiving fire damage. On 8 December 2009, No. 3999 is seen under the great Barlow roof at St Pancras International after arriving with train 9149, the 16.59 departure from Brussels Midi.
Colin J. Marsden

Picture of the Day 10 December 2009

Described by the photographer "as a stroke of luck", this superb picture was captured at Bickley on 9 December 2009 and shows GBRf Class 66/7 No. 66717 Good Old Boy powering train 4E19, the 11.31 Mountfield to West Burton gypsum train just as EuroPort2 Class 92 No. 92043 Debussy passes through as 0Z93, the 11.25 Dollands Moor to Dollands Moor (via Willesden) crew training run. Both locomotives were manned by GBRf crews and much tooting occurred as the 92 passed the 66!!
Mark V. Pike

Picture of the Day 11 December 2009

With the Network Rail DMU based track assessment train being out of service the current South West diagram is being covered by Class 31/1 No. 31106 in rail blue, Test coach former inspection saloon No. 999508 and Class 31/6 No. 31601 in Devon & Cornwall Railway green. The pair are seen crossing Pill viaduct on the approach to Portbury Docks with No. 31106 leading on 10 December 2009.   
Chris Perkins www.chrisperkins.fpic.co.uk

Picture of the Day 12 December 2009

With a cold morning allowing for a good smoke effect, 12 December 2009 was an excellent day for steam action on the East Coast Main Line. Here we see A4 No. 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley departing from the closed RMT Depot at Doncaster following a water stop with 'The Christmas White Rose', train 1Z29 from Cambridge to York.
Derek Porter

Picture of the Day 13 December 2009

Introduced in the days of Network SouthEast, through services between Waterloo, Salisbury and Yeovil to and from the West Country including Paignton, Plymouth and Penzance came to an end on Saturday 12 December 2009, when under a re-cast of the South West Trains timetable an introduction of a more frequent service on the core Waterloo to Exeter route was launched cutting availability of sets to operate west of Exeter. The very last Class 159 to operate west of Exeter was set No. 159017 on the 17.30 Honiton to Paignton, returning as the 19.14 Paignton to Basingstoke. The final up service is seen awaiting departure from Dawlish at 19.44. Gone are the days of needing a tripod to capture ‘snaps’ such as this, this image was recorded on a Nikon D700 with a 50mm f1.4 lens, using an ISO of 3200 with slightly adjusted white balance. The exposure given was 1/90sec at f2
Colin J. Marsden

Picture of the Day 14 December 2009

The Class 378 'London Overground' units are now operating on the Willesden Junction to Clapham Junction and on the Richmond to Stratford route, replacing Class 313s which are either being stored or transferred to Southern. Passenger loadings on the West London Line service between Willesden junction and Clapham Junction are very high, with several trains seen on 14 December 2009 full and standing. Set No. 378016 slows for the Kensington Olympia stop on 14 December 2009 forming the 10.38 departure from Willesden Junction.
Colin J. Marsden

Picture of the Day 15 December 2009

Captured on Saturday 12 December 2009 in the low autumn sunshine shining on the clouds above, Freightliner Class 66/5 No. 66530 passes Lee approaching Redbridge powering the diverted 4O29 Crewe Basford Hall to Southampton Maritime. This train was diverted from its usual route via Eastleigh, due to closure of Southampton Tunnel for engineering work.
Nathan Williamson

Picture of the Day 16 December 2009

The six operational General Electric Class 70s operating for Freightliner seem to becoming very popular with enthusiasts and photographers, with many travelling many miles to capture class members in action. No. 70003 is seen approaching Stoke Gifford (Bristol Parkway) with train 4Z70, the 08.18 Rugeley B Power Station to Stoke Gifford coal empties on 16 December 2009.
Mark V. Pike

Picture of the Day 17 December 2009

Following on from yesterdays Picture of the Day, we have another look at Class 70 action, The same loco No. 70003 powers the same train, 4Z70 from Rugeley Power Station to Stoke Gifford. In todays view it is seen passing Stoke Prior, near Bromsgrove, while heading towards Cheltenham.
Matt Wilson www.trainpics.net

Picture of the Day 18 December 2009

The first major snow fall of the 2009-10 winter came on 18 December when mush of the East Coast and South East had heavy snow. While many roads were blocked the railway continued to operate in most areas without serious problems. Here a Virgin Trains Class 390 leans to the curve at Cow Roast (south of Tring) heading for Euston, blowing up a little snow.
Andrew Royle

Picture of the Day 19 December 2009

'The Cathedrals Express' charter from London to Yeovil Junction on 17 December 2009 was powered by Bulleid Pacific No. 34067 Tangmere. In near perfect photographic conditions the train is seen near Buckhorn Weston Tunnel.
Russell Ayre

Picture of the Day 20 December 2009

The Northern Belle became only the third passenger train to visit Southampton Western Docks in the privatised era on 19 December 2009, when Royal-liveried Class 67s Nos. 67006/005 'top and tailed' the 1Z93 10.04 London Victoria to Southampton to collect passengers off an incoming ocean liner. The previous recorded loco hauled passenger train to visit the dock was 47832 and 47802 on 2 January 2009.
Gordon White

Picture of the Day 21 December 2009

Leicester station is to benefit from a £10million improvement scheme which will include new offices, shops, bars and a car park. On Monday 21 December 2009, 7-car Class 222 ‘Meridian’ unit No. 222002 passes underneath the impressive Midland Railway sandstone station facade with the 13.27 Sheffield to London St. Pancras International service.
John Binch

Picture of the Day 22 December 2009

Freightliner Class 66/5 No. 66503 is seen working train 4M55 from Southampton Maritime Terminal to Birmingham Lawley Street through a fresh blanket of snow that fell overnight on 21/22 December 2009 all across the Thames Valley, causing chaos on the roads, but the railways continuing service as normal with few delays. Picture taken on the morning of 22 December 2009.
Olly Swan

Picture of the Day 23 December 2009

On Wednesday 23 December 2009, East Midlands Trains Class 156 unit No. 156404 arrives at Shirebrook station with the 10.38 Worksop to Nottingham ‘Robin Hood Line’ service. Confusingly, this former Midland Railway station which opened on 1 June 1875 was once named Shirebrook West despite it being the most Easterly of the town’s three stations! The other two stations were; Shirebrook North (Langwith Junction) on the Lancashire, Derbyshire and East Coast Railway line (closed 5 December 1964), and Shirebrook South (closed 14 September 1931) on the Great Northern Railway ‘Leen Valley Extension’ route. In the background the spur on to the freight only High Marnham branch can be seen curving away to the right just beyond the bridge.
John Binch

Picture of the Day 24 December 2009

In Canada, VIA F40-PH2 No. 6419 passes Arkona Road, Watford, midway between London and Sarnia in Ontario, with train 85, the 11.00 Toronto to Sarnia passenger on 24 February 2009.
Colin J. Marsden

Picture of the Day 28 December 2009

A view looking west at Severn Tunnel Junction on 27 December 2009, where the major upgrade work is taking place over the Christmas/New Year holiday break. The new 70 mph high speed crossovers have been laid which will cater for a new ‘up’ tunnel line which can be seen being formed on the right where the crane support wagons are standing. The new platform serving this line has already been built and will come into service when the line is reopened in January.  
Chris Perkins www.chrisperkins.fpic.co.uk

Picture of the Day 29 December 2009

On just the second day of operation 22 December 2009, Fastline Freight Class 66/3 No. 66302 is seen passing through Oxford with train 6Z37 the 09.24 Daw Mill Colliery to Didcot Power Station coal train. These are the first Fastline coal trains to serve Didcot.
Mark V. Pike

Picture of the Day 30 December 2009

The Thoresby Colliery Junction to High Marnham branch witnessed its second railtour since reopening earlier this year when UK Railtours ran the 07.37 (1Z88) London King's Cross to Deepcar ‘Friar Tuck’ special along the line as far as Long Lane, Tuxford on Wednesday 30 December 2009. Having traversed the Welbeck Colliery branch, DBS Class 67 Nos. 67022 (with 67008 at the rear out of sight) descend towards Boughton Junction, near Ollerton on the outward journey. Boughton Junction was the point where the branch to Bevercotes Colliery (closed 1993) and before that the LNER/LMS Mid-Notts. Joint Railway to Farnsfield (closed 1963) once diverged from the former Lancashire, Derbyshire and East Coast Railway route.
John Binch

Picture of the Day 31 December 2009

Rail Blue Charters operated a special service from Barrow Hill to Hastings and return on 30 December 2009. Power for the train was provided by DRS Class 20/3s Nos. 20304 and 20301. In this view taken at dusk, the train is awaiting departure from Hastings bound for Barrow Hill. Class 47 No. 47712 was coupled on the rear.
Tony Christie