Picture of the Day 1 November 2010

The Sittingbourne & Kemsley Light Railway has just celebrated 40 years of public operation by reopening the railway for four days in the half-term holiday last week. Trains were operated by steam loco Melior, seen departing from Kemsley Down on 24 October 2010 and diesel Barton Hall between Milton Regis and Kemsley Down. Due to restricted access at Milton Regis Halt, the reopening was low-key. Full reopening to Sittingbourne Viaduct station is expected in April 2011.
Paul Best

Picture of the Day 2 November 2010

The principle freight flow along the Goyt Valley line between New Mills and Romiley is limestone traffic from the quarries at Peak Forest and Dowlow near Buxton, to Ashburys and Hope Street in Greater Manchester. On Thursday 21 October 2010, DBS Class 66/0 No. 66004 crosses Marple Viaduct over the River Goyt with the 12.55 (6H52) Dowlow to Ashburys loaded box wagons. Interestingly, the train is running alongside the aqueduct carrying the Peak Forest Canal which was opened in 1804 to convey limestone from Peak Forest to Dukinfield in Manchester at the start of the Industrial Revolution. Two hundred years later, limestone is still an important commodity for the construction industry, but nowadays far heavier loads can be carried by the railways much quicker than the canal; which now enjoys a second lease of life in the leisure industry.
John Binch

Picture of the Day 3 November 2010

Freightliner Class 66/5 No. 66575 heads across the River Nene near Peterborough on 28 October 2010 heading towards March with a loaded container train bound for Felixstowe. In the background behind the loco is RTV31 which is an experimental Hovertrain now preserved in Railworld, Peterborough.
Robert Kitley

Picture of the Day 4 November 2010

Passing the wonderful Great Western style lower quadrant semaphore signals at Worcester Shrub Hill, London Midland three-car Class 150/0 No. 150017 pulls into Worcester Shrub Hill on 4 November 2010 forming the 10.19 Whitlocks End to Worcester Shrub Hill service.This unit still sports a version of Central Trains green and blue livery.
Colin J. Marsden

Picture of the Day 5 November 2010

The Chiltern mainline was closed between Bicester North and High Wycombe on Friday 5 November 2010 due to engineering work for the new faster services planned to start from December 2010. Passengers travelling between the West Midlands, Leamington Spa, and Banbury to London were advised to travel on a special Chiltern Railways service to Didcot Parkway and connect with First Great Western services to London Paddington. With very poor light and rain causing problems for the photographer, Class 168/0 No. 168002 makes a rare appearance at an autumnal Hinksey Yard, just South of Oxford with the 13.47 (1G34) Didcot Parkway to Birmingham Snow Hill service. On the right, Class 66/6 No. 66609 waits patiently with the late running 03.10 (4M60) Bristol to Calvert Avon ‘Binliner'.
John Binch

Picture of the Day 6 November 2010

During the first week of November 2010, a Network Rail test train operating in East London was top and tailed by preserved electric locos Nos. 86101 and 87002. With No. 86101 Sir William A Stainer FRS leading, the inspection special departs from London Overground's South Tottenham station on 2 November, taking the chord to Seven Sisters.
Antony Guppy

Picture of the Day 7 November 2010

Today we travel all the way to Tianjin railway station in China for our Picture of the Day. The train in the foreground is a CRH3 high-speed train, which has just arrived with the 12.20 service from Beijing South on 29 October 2010. These trains cover the 117km from Beijing in just half an hour, running at up to 330km/h (205mph). As soon as the train arrives, it gets 'attacked' by the cleaners, as shown in the picture. In the background are two more CRH3 sets and a DF4 diesel painted in maroon and cream, giving quite a contrast.
Phil Rogers

Picture of the Day 8 November 2010

The only Class 59/2 to sport full DB Schenker livery is No. 59206. On 7 November 2010 the loco is seen with an engineers train on the Great Western Main Line between Swindon and Didcot at Challow.For the next six weeks the line will be shut in this area at weekends for major engineering works.
Steve King steve-king.fotopic.net

Picture of the Day 9 November 2010

The stone Viaduct at Mansfield was built by the Midland Railway as part of the extension to Worksop, having 15 arches it was built with stone removed form cuttings further down the trackbed at Langwith. Because of difficulties further on, mainly due to the lining of Cresswell tunnel, it did not open to traffic until 1875, three years after completion. It is seen on Saturday 6 November 2010, being traversed by 'Railhead Treatment Train' 3J88 Toton-Toton 'top & tailed' by Euro Cargo Rail Class 66/0s Nos. 66033 & 66123.
Derek Wilson http://derek-wilson.fotopic.net

Picture of the Day 10 November 2010

Virgin's 'Pretendolino' set hurries through the damp platforms of Cheddington station on 5 November 2011 behind DBS grey-liveried Class 90 No. 90036, forming the 10.43 Euston-Birmingham New Street. One loco hauled set is still frequently seen on the West Coast covering for a shortage of Class 390 'Pendolino' sets.
Andrew Royle

Picture of the Day 11 November 2010

The first of the Bombardier M5000 Flexity Swift high-floor trams used on the Manchester Metrolink Piccadilly to Eccles route will soon be a year old, having entered service on 21 December 2009. Under a dramatic sky On Wednesday 10 November 2010, No. 3010 catches a burst of late afternoon sunshine as it passes Ontario Basin, Salford with an Eccles service.
John Binch

Picture of the Day 12 November 2010

We go back to 10 May 2002 for our Picture of the Day today, and the location is Frost in Southern California, located between Victorville and Cajon. The westbound empty baretable train is powered by Dash9 No. SF725, SD40 No. BNSF8078, and Dash9 No. BNSF1071. At this point on the route the east and west bound lines cross over each other.
Colin J. Marsden

Picture of the Day 14 November 2010

With the sun starting to set over Hadleigh Castle on the afternoon of Saturday 13 November 2010, National Express c2c Class 357/0 ‘Electrostar’ unit No. 357010 in the unique ‘Green Train’ livery runs alongside the Thames Estuary between Benfleet and Leigh-on-Sea with the 15.05 Shoeburyness to London Fenchurch Street service.
John Binch

Picture of the Day 15 November 2010

Not usually seen from the north side of the line, this interesting view shows EWS Class 60 No. 60010 crossing Isambard Kingdom Brunel's famous "Sounding Arch" bridge at Maidenhead on 12 November 2011. The loco is powering train 6M20, the 10.37 Whatley Quarry to St Pancras aggregate service.
Mark V. Pike

Picture of the Day 16 November 2010

The weekend of 13-14 November 2010 saw the grand reopening of the mothballed Leekbrook Junction-Cauldon Low line.On Sunday 14 November Bullied light Pacific 34028 Eddystone waits at Leekbrook Junction with the 14.35 Kingsley & Froghall to Cauldon Low while alongside Stanier 8F No. 8624 takes water after arriving at the rear of a departure from Cauldon Low to Kingsley and Froghall which was headed by No. 71000 Duke of Gloucester. After finishing taking water, the 8F coupled to the rear of 34028s train to bank it up the 1:40 to Cauldon Low.
Cliff Beeton

Picture of the Day 17 November 2010

The Wigan to Southport line receives little attention from railway photographers. However, on Thursday 8 May 2008 Class 156 unit No. 156461 passes Burscough Bridge Junction signal box with the 13.07 Manchester Airport to Southport service. The name of the signal box is a misnomer, as the junction with the Preston to Ormskirk line (visible in the distance) closed in 1962. In November 2010, the Government announced that it now has no plans to reinstate the connection onto the Preston to Ormskirk line. Therefore, it is now the responsibility of local authorities to provide a valid business case for the project to move forward.
John Binch

Picture of the Day 18 November 2010

Following on from yesterdays picture at Burscough, we have a 'blast from the past' at Burscough today, taken on 21 July 1968 showing 'Britannia' Pacific No. 70013 Oliver Cromwell storming around the curve past the signalbox with an end of steam charter.
Bernard Mills

Picture of the Day 22 November 2010

On the same day as the serious floods in Cornwall on 17 November 2010, the EWS operated china-clay trains still managed to operate. In this view, Class 66 No. 66119 is seen powering train 6P07formed of a rake of CDAs passing Little Treviscoe Crossing on the Parkandillack branch. In the immediate future, this area should see increased traffic because of the landslip at Luxulyan, blocking the Goonbarrow loading point.
Tony Christie

Picture of the Day 23 November 2010

A rubbish photograph! To correct any impression that this photographer only records multiple units and light rail scenes, Freightliner Class 66/5 No. 66514 emits a plume of exhaust as it curves towards the 3mile 64yard-long Standedge Tunnel at Marsden on 22 November 2010, with the 11.09 (6M07) Roxby to Dean Lane empty Greater Manchester Corporation ‘binliner’ train. The train is about to pass underneath the aqueduct which carries the River Colne away from Tunnel End Reservoir (to the right of the photograph). To combat the extremely dull and damp weather conditions, the photograph was taken through a f2.8 200mm lens with a shutter speed of 1/250 and a recording speed of ISO500.
John Binch

Picture of the Day 24 November 2010

To promote the partnership between Virgin Trains and their maintenance provide Alstomr, Class 390 ‘Pendolino’ No. 390004 (formerly Virgin Scot) has received a new Alstom advertising livery. The unit has also been renamed Alstom Pendolino. On Monday 22 November 2010, the distinctive Pendolino draws out of Manchester Piccadilly station with the 11.15 express to London Euston. Note the silver Alston logo on the cab front. On the left, sister unit No. 390044 Virgin Lionheart forms the 11.35 departure to the capital.
John Binch

Picture of the Day 25 November 2010

German Railways DB Class 110 No. 110 409 0 is seen at Ostheim on 19 November 2010. New trains will take over from the '110s' on local DB Regional Bahn services between Giessen and Friedberg during the December 2010 timetable change. New Class 429 units of Hessische Landesbahn GmbH (HLB) are currently running test shadow services and will be introduced.
Richard Stiles

Picture of the Day 26 November 2010

With the City of Bristol as the backdrop, Freightliner Intermodal Class 66/5 No. 66575 passes Bristol Kingsland Road sidings while powering the 4L32, 11.00 Bristol FLT to Tilbury liner service on 25 November 2010.
Mark V. Pike

Picture of the Day 27 November 2010

Central Train-liveried East Midlands Trains-operated Class 153 No. 153384 is seen passing Uttoxeter Pinfold St on 27 November 2010 forming the 09.48 Derby to Crewe service. Uttoxeter like many locations woke to a fall of snow today which caused some delays to rail services. Of note, this is one of the three remaining Class 153 DMUs in service with the Central Trains green livery. With refurbishments now taking place, there is less and less chance of seeing sets in this popular livery.
Richard Holmes

Picture of the Day 28 November 2010

Preserved LMS No. 5690 Leander is seen crossing Ribblehead Viaduct on Saturday 27 November 2010 hauling the Christmas Fellsman charter bound for Carlisle. A snow fall during the previous night provided a suitable seasonal setting.  This railtour was one of a relative few steam hauled trains over the Settle and Carlisle planned for this winter.
Davis Carr

Picture of the Day 29 November 2010

With much of the UK under heavy snow, we have another snow image today, this time shows East Coast-liveried Class 91/1 No. 91110 heading past Cramlington in Northumberland on 28 November 2010 powering the 09.00 York to Edinburgh.
Stephen Curry

Picture of the Day 30 November 2010

The Scunthorpe Tata Steelworks is the UK’s largest steel processing centre and currently requires around 9500 tonnes of coal every day (3.5m tonnes a year) to fire the blast furnaces. To feed this almost insatiable demand, up to six dedicated imported coal diagrams are operated by DB Schenker daily from Immingham Docks. On Monday 29 November 2010, the late afternoon sun at Barnetby gives Class 66/0 No. 66182 and the 14.41 (6C77) loaded coal hoppers a distinctive golden glow.
John Binch