Picture of the Day 1 July 2009

DBS-owned, EWS-liveried Class 37 No 37670 approaches Norton Junction with a rake of scrap wagons heading to Long Marston for storage on 1 July 2009. Jack Boskett

Picture of the Day 2 July 2009

This was the busy scene recorded at Gloucester at 11.45 on 2 July 2009. On the left is DBS Class 66 No. 66012 the 08.54 (6E09) Margam to Lackenby steel empties. On the right in the yard is FGW Class 153 No. 153369, while in the Cotswold/Advenza Freight siding is newly delivered Class 66/8 No. 66842, previously DRS No. 66407. Colin J. Marsden

Picture of the Day 3 July 2009

A loco transfer move operated on 1 July 2009 from the GCR Ruddington and SVR Kidderminster to Bury for the East Lancashire Railway diesel gala over the weekend of 4/5 July. The rear view shows, WCRC-liveried Class 37/0 No. 37248, Large-logo blue No. 47292, green-liveried Class 25 No. D7629, 'Western' No. D1062 Western Courier and Oxford blue Class 47 No. 47843. The train is seen on the 'up' local passing Cossington on the Midland main line. On the right East Midlands Trains HST with PC No. 43060 on the rear heads for London St Pancras.
Ryan Tranmer

Picture of the Day 4 July 2009

As a sort of 50th birthday celebration, Class 09/0 No. 09004 (ex-D3668 of February 1959) has been rescued from relative obscurity by a member of the Swindon & Cricklade Railway. Having arrived at the railway on the previous Saturday, it is here seen at Hayes Knoll on Wednesday 1 July 2009, when it was restarted, ready for any renmedial work to be assessed. It is likely that this will now take priority, in the short-term, over the restoration of No. D3261 from the rotting hulk that was earlier rescued from Brighton.
John Stretton

Picture of the Day 5 July 2009

Picture of the Day 6 July 2009

Picture of the Day 7 July 2009

DRS super-power in the form of Class 66/4 locomotives Nos. 66418 and 66429 was provided for the 14.58 (6K41) Valley to Crewe nuclear flasks train on Monday 6 July 2009. With 6490hp at his disposal the driver restarts the train at Chester following a signal check.
John Binch

Picture of the Day 8 July 2009

A train service which does not get a lot of coverage is the shuttle service from Brockenhurst to Lymington Pier, operated by South West Trains and currently using two 1963-design 3-CIG units Nos. (42)1497 and (42)1498. The long term future of these two units on the mainline network is becoming more uncertain, and it is time we featured them as a Picture of the Day. Set No. 1497 is seen working a Brockenhurst - Lymington Pier service on 6 July 2009.
Olly Swan

Picture of the Day 9 July 2009

On 8 July 2009, train 6L30 from Acton Yard to Parkeston Yard, powered by DBS No. 66007 failed at Witham on the down main line. The only locomotive in the area was the National Express Great Eastern 'Thunderbird', DRS No. 47832. This was duly dispatched from its home at Colchester shed to rescue the train and clear the line. The train is seen approaching Colchester, with the '47' and a trailing load of 1,832 tonnes of stone and dead 66.
Richard Miller

Picture of the Day 10 July 2009

Exactly 42 years after the demise of Southern Steam in July 1967, 34067 Tangmere making a fine sight and sound passing through the New Forest just south of Woodfiddley on the approach to Brockenhurst with train 1Z92 the 08.10 Clapham Junction to Weymouth "Sunny South Express" charter on 9 July 2009.
Mark V. Pike

Picture of the Day 11 July 2009

Advenza Freight’s latest Class 66/8 No. 66842 passes Willow Bottom Lane, Portway on Thursday 9 July 2009 with empty scrap wagons. Having worked from Cardiff Tidal to Gloucester it was then working train 6E94 the 14.30 Gloucester to Burton-on-Trent.
Chris Perkins

Picture of the Day 12 July 2009

The West Somerset Railway at Minehead was the host of the First GBRf annual summer staff outing on 11 July 2009. A special train operated from London Paddington powered by 'Western' Class 52 No. D1015. After arrival at Minehead a double naming ceremony was held. Class 7'3/1 No. 73141 was named 'Charlotte' and Class 66/7 No. 66732 was named 'GBRf The First Decade 1999 - 2009 John Smith - MD. The loco plates were unveiled by John (seen behind the nameplate) to mark 10 excellent years of operation.
Tony Christie

Picture of the Day 13 July 2009

For the third time is a week, the First Great Western Sleeper service has failed to operate correctly. The westbound service from Paddington on the night of 12 July was formed of an HST, following the failure of the Class 57s at Old Oak Common. The previous week the 'up' service on the Sunday and the 'down' service on the Monday failed to operate with the booked stock following failures of Class 57s. On 13 July 2009, to provide a train in Penzance for the 'up' overnight departure, No. 57604 and a six vehicle rake of overnight stock operated west as the 10.00 Old Oak Common to Penzance. The train is seen passing Dawlish.
Colin J. Marsden

Picture of the Day 14 July 2009

Former LNER Class K4 No. 62005 is seen crossing Glenfinnan Viaduct hauling 'The Jacobite' service from Fort William to Mallaig in pouring rain on 9 July 2009.
Charlie Robbins

Picture of the Day 15 July 2009

The ‘heatwave’ at the end of June 2009 caused problems with the London Midland Class 150 fleet due to overheating engines and gearboxes. On Thursday 2 July, Nos. 150101 and 150104 (out of sight) pass St. Chad’s Roman Catholic Cathedral on the approach to Birmingham Snow Hill station with the 11.26 Kidderminster to Shirley service.
John Binch

Picture of the Day 16 July 2009

Running some 36 minutes down, BR Standard Class 7 No. 70013 Oliver Cromwell is obviously keen to make up time as it roars past Ashchurch at great speed, with the 1Z84 'The Cathedrals Express', 08.45 London Victoria to Worcester.
John Stretton

Picture of the Day 17 July 2009

Although the importance of Nottingham station has diminished as an enthusiasts ‘hotspot’ in recent years, it still has its moments! For example, on the afternoon of Friday 17 July 2009, East Midlands Trains Class 222 ‘Meridian’ unit No. 222020 (left) forms the 15.02 service to London St. Pancras, while on the right, Cross-Country Class 170/1 No. 170111 arrives with the 13.19 from Birmingham New Street. The ‘rose between the thorns’ is DRS Class 37/0 No. 37218 which is waiting in a middle road with the 2Q08 Craigentinny to Derby RTC Network Rail test train. Class 37/6 No. 37611 was at the rear of the train.
John Binch

Picture of the Day 18 July 2009

After countless recent problems with the FGW Sleeper service, a test run from Old Oak Common to Bristol was arranged with No. 57602 and six vehicles on Saturday 18 July. The all FGW blue formation is seen passing Bourton near Swindon, forming the return Bristol Temple Meads to Old Oak Common test train
Steve King

Picture of the Day 19 July 2009

How many Locos??? On Saturday 18 july 2009 a light loco move from Margam to Eastleigh, to provide power for weekend engineering trains operated. The train was formed forward from Newport of no less than eight Class 66s No. 66157, 66136, 66158, 66135, 66188, 66189, 66005, and 66040. The amazing formation is seen passing Pilning.
Steve Yarde

Picture of the Day 20 July 2009

On Monday 20 July 2009 with DBSO No. 9701 leading, Class 31 No. 31285 propels the 2Z08 Track Assessment Train over Pill viaduct having traversed the branch to Portbury
Chris Perkins www.chrisperkins.fpic.co.uk

Picture of the Day 21 July 2009

The DBS VIP train made its first ever run over the Dawlish Sea Wall on 21 July 2009 whet it formed train 1Z05, the 09.48 Bristol Parkway to Tavistock Junction and 1Z06, 14.10 Tavistock Junction to Bristol Parkway. The train was formed Class 67 No. 67029, TF 11039, Support Car 10211, Sleeper 10546 and DVT 82146. The Class 67 led in the west bound direction with the DVT leading the 'up' train. This was the first ever train to be led by a DVT to traverse the Sea Wall. The 'up' train is seen approaching Dawlish station in heavy rain.
Colin J Marsden

Picture of the Day 22 July 2009

‘Merchant Navy’ Pacific No. 35028 Clan Line, hauls a VSOE special to Bristol (steam as far as Westbury) off the fly-under at Clapham Junction on 22 July 2009 At the same time a 12-car South West Trains Class 450 ‘Desiro’ rake winds its way into the carriage sidings. The VSOE train was ‘tailed' by a Class 67. Ian Docwra

Picture of the Day 23 July 2009

Following the failure of DBS Class 67 No. 67017 with wheel flat problems on 22 July 2009, Royal Class 67 No. 67005 Queen’s Messenger was provided as a replacement locomotive for the FGW loco hauled Cardiff/Taunton services. It is seen on its second run on Thursday 23 July 2009 approaching Weston-super-Mare with the 14.00 Cardiff Central to Taunton with No. 67025 dead on the rear.
Chris Perkins www.chrisperkins.fpic.co.uk

Picture of the Day 24 July 2009

We go back 40 years and one day for our Picture of the Day today. It was taken at Dawlish on 23 July 1969 and shows rail-blue liveried 'Western' No. D1011 Western Thunderer powering train 1C58, the 13.30 London Paddington to Paignton.
Bernard Mills

Picture of the Day 25 July 2009

Love it or hate it, this is was DBS have done with Class 37s Nos. 37419 and 37690 - applied full DB Schenker red livery. The repaint was undertaken in the paint shop at Toton depot and the pair were rolled out on 23 July prior to working railtour duties the following weekend. Newly reliveried No. 37670 is seen being hauled by EWS-liveried Class 66 No. 66162 past Wichnor Junction on 24 July 2009.
Mark Sheen

Picture of the Day 26 July 2009

A little visit to Spain for today's POD. Our contributor commented that Spanish railways very rarely get mentioned in the British press, so we are putting it right!. As the world news reports have indicated over the last few days Spain is suffering an extreme heatwave at present with many bush fires. Official temperatures of 45.3ºC were recorded on Thursday 23 July ( and that was in the shade). Our picture, taken at 19.30 on 24 July 2009 was captured just north of Archena when the temperature was still 41ºC. It shows 4000hp diesel-hydraulic Class 354 No. 354 008 on the Cartagena to Madrid “Altaria 227” service.
Andy McPhillips

Picture of the Day 27 July 2009

The first of the Grand Central Railway Class 180 units has now arrived fully refurbished and repainted in GC black livery at Heaton depot, Newcastle. After release from Wolverton works at the end of last week, and transfer to Heaton via London, the set is seen on 27 July 2009 passing Seaham while forming a Heaton to York empty stock move.
Ken Short

Picture of the Day 29 July 2009

The evening sun of Monday 27 July 2009, gives Freightliner Class 66/5 No. 66526 Driver Steve Dunn (George) hauling the 17.07 (6E05) Daw Mill to Drax Power Station loaded coal train a silver sheen while passing a bank of Rosebay Willowherb at Water Orton.
John Binch

Picture of the Day 30 July 2009

Welcome to summer 2009 in the West Country, with more rain than has been seen for many years. Taken during a heavy rain storm on 29 July 2009, FGW power cars Nos. 43005 and 43175 stand at Newton Abbot forming a light engine test from and return to Laira. Following overhaul at Laira, power cars are frequently tested over the Devon banks as far as Newton Abbot, usually the power car under test leads away from Laira with the escort power car leading on the return.
Nathan Williamson

Picture of the Day 31 July 2009

The final Class 442 'Wessex Electric' stored at Eastleigh Works, unit No. 2420 operated under its own power to Chart Leacon on 31 July 2009 for attention prior to being refurbished at Wolverton. The set will then go into service on the Southern/Gatwick Express service. The set is seen approaching Ashford at Chart Leacon forming train 5Z42, the 10.33 Eastleigh to Chart Leacon.
Brian Stephenson