The last 6 weeks have been superb, I've travelled up and down the country with various people from RailUK (I daren't try to list them all as I'd probably miss someone out!)
I'd like to thank everyone who went on the highly enjoyable trips. I hope, and am sure there will be many more to come. Of course, anyone is welcome to join us for these.
Here's just a few of my photos from the past 6 weeks.
The Summer Holidays got off to a great start with the amazing value (£10) Flush D'Ore SET Slam-door farewell railtour on 23 July.
I finally got to North Berwick on a Class 90
On 2 August we travelled up to Inverness on the GNER Highland Chieftain, seen here at Inverness alongside the Caledonian Sleeper
Some of the views in the Highlands are very impressive.
I took this photo at Euston after one of my arrivals on the Caledonian Sleeper.
We took a few trips on the Class 90 hauled Birmingham-Manchester service.
And a couple of trips on the Class 37 hauled Fort William Sleeper
You can't tell by the photo but there were millions of midges flying around at Rannoch. It was difficult to get a photo that wasn't blurry. I managed to get back on the train without being bitten, amazingly! Doing heads-out along Rannoch moor behind a Class 37, seeing no sign of civilisation and the only animals you see are wild deer was an experience that just cannot be beaten IMO.
And several trips on Mk1 Slam-Door EMUs in their final weeks
A trip to Great Yarmouth was a bit disappointing when the Class 47 service was cancelled, but that was the only downer.
Many of my trips involved late evening connections being made at Leeds...
..which is a very different station at night compared to the busy day time!
We travelled on the North Yorkshire Moors railway as part of an East Country Rover week.
As soon as the Gerrards Cross tunnel re-opened we took a trip on Chiltern's Class 121 "bubble car"..
...after a trip on a Metroplitan 1960s 'A stock'.
Saturday 27 August was like going back a couple of decades, it was a great day of loco haulage from Manchester to Cardiff and of course the Rhymney services. 47847 seen here at Rhymney. I had earlier seen it depart Manchester for Cardiff.
Amazingly a Class 37 operated a stopping service from Cardiff to Crewe. Some of the 'normals' joining at intermediate stations were rather surprised to say the least!
One of the loco hauled specials was badly delayed into Manchester.... by a faulty Pendolino in front! (Seen here at Crewe)
There were also several 'drags' on Virgin services between Nuneaton and Birmingham and, as seen here between Crewe and Liverpool, as the WCML upgrade works continue.
At the end of August we took a trip on the Cambrian Coast to Porthmadog where we travelled on the Ffestiniog narrow guage railway
Returning via Blenau Ffestiniog
We travelled around the West Midlands (150213 is seen here at Stratford-upon-Avon)
Class 350 'Desiros' are now a common sight on the WCML
We saw plenty of freight, the best locations were places like Doncaster and Camden Road (below)
Photography is difficult at Euston, but not impossible..
The sun sets at Wakefield
We managed to travel up and down the WCML on loco-hauled trains, but there's no getting away from these...
...while on the ECML many of my journeys home were on these...
Once again thanks for a great 6 weeks, you can see more of my photos at http://yorkie.fotopic.net/
I'd like to thank everyone who went on the highly enjoyable trips. I hope, and am sure there will be many more to come. Of course, anyone is welcome to join us for these.
Here's just a few of my photos from the past 6 weeks.
The Summer Holidays got off to a great start with the amazing value (£10) Flush D'Ore SET Slam-door farewell railtour on 23 July.
I finally got to North Berwick on a Class 90
On 2 August we travelled up to Inverness on the GNER Highland Chieftain, seen here at Inverness alongside the Caledonian Sleeper
Some of the views in the Highlands are very impressive.
I took this photo at Euston after one of my arrivals on the Caledonian Sleeper.
We took a few trips on the Class 90 hauled Birmingham-Manchester service.
And a couple of trips on the Class 37 hauled Fort William Sleeper
You can't tell by the photo but there were millions of midges flying around at Rannoch. It was difficult to get a photo that wasn't blurry. I managed to get back on the train without being bitten, amazingly! Doing heads-out along Rannoch moor behind a Class 37, seeing no sign of civilisation and the only animals you see are wild deer was an experience that just cannot be beaten IMO.
And several trips on Mk1 Slam-Door EMUs in their final weeks
A trip to Great Yarmouth was a bit disappointing when the Class 47 service was cancelled, but that was the only downer.
Many of my trips involved late evening connections being made at Leeds...
..which is a very different station at night compared to the busy day time!
We travelled on the North Yorkshire Moors railway as part of an East Country Rover week.
As soon as the Gerrards Cross tunnel re-opened we took a trip on Chiltern's Class 121 "bubble car"..
...after a trip on a Metroplitan 1960s 'A stock'.
Saturday 27 August was like going back a couple of decades, it was a great day of loco haulage from Manchester to Cardiff and of course the Rhymney services. 47847 seen here at Rhymney. I had earlier seen it depart Manchester for Cardiff.
Amazingly a Class 37 operated a stopping service from Cardiff to Crewe. Some of the 'normals' joining at intermediate stations were rather surprised to say the least!
One of the loco hauled specials was badly delayed into Manchester.... by a faulty Pendolino in front! (Seen here at Crewe)
There were also several 'drags' on Virgin services between Nuneaton and Birmingham and, as seen here between Crewe and Liverpool, as the WCML upgrade works continue.
At the end of August we took a trip on the Cambrian Coast to Porthmadog where we travelled on the Ffestiniog narrow guage railway
Returning via Blenau Ffestiniog
We travelled around the West Midlands (150213 is seen here at Stratford-upon-Avon)
Class 350 'Desiros' are now a common sight on the WCML
We saw plenty of freight, the best locations were places like Doncaster and Camden Road (below)
Photography is difficult at Euston, but not impossible..
The sun sets at Wakefield
We managed to travel up and down the WCML on loco-hauled trains, but there's no getting away from these...
...while on the ECML many of my journeys home were on these...
Once again thanks for a great 6 weeks, you can see more of my photos at http://yorkie.fotopic.net/