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	It's been a while since I saw the VSOE or Belmond British Pullman as it is now known anywhere near Stratford-upon-Avon so was keen for a shot or two when it was scheduled to visit on Saturday 28 October 2023. The trip came from London Victoria with Pullman liveried 67021 being the motive power and without another locomotive tailing the coaches to avoid run-rounds. Wilmcote was my chosen location and with sun looking likely thought that the footbridge would make an attractive backdrop. Two other photographers were already in place right at the end of the platform but with a shadow from the station buildings being cast in exactly the wrong place it was necessary for me use an 85mm lens to put the locomotive in a clear patch of track. There must have been some problems for down trains at Fenny Compton as all trains were delayed by at least 20 minutes with 1Z26 being delayed another 5 minutes at Hatton West Junction while a preceding Chiltern Railways Train service cleared the single line to Bearley Junction. The sun nearly held on for this shot but it would have been better 30 seconds earlier. I prefer my shot from May 1987!
	An unusual feature of the VSOE's visit to Stratford-upon-Avon on 28 October 2023 was that the stock went to Tyseley LMD for servicing and was routed in both directions along the North Warwickshire Line via Henley in Arden. There have been a few class 67s over the line, mostly in the hands of Colas Rail's 67023 + 67027 on test trains but any diesel locomotive is rare enough to make a trip worth the effort. I left Wilmcote and drove to Henley where the cloud all too necessary here for a lunchtime shot was building up nicely when I saw from the Railcams map that the ECS had turned right at Bearley Junction and gone to Tyseley via Hatton and Dorridge. This meant another trip out later in the day for 5Z82. It was dark and beginning to rain when 67021 went through the station at full line speed and I had had to use ISO 2500 to get a decent shutter speed and aperture. The return to London Victoria was also coming this way but it was getting duller and wetter so I went home. The local adopters of the station under the Shakespeare Line Rail Users Group (SLRUG) have made a great of tidying up and refurbishing the platforms and infrastructure including the running-in boards. The station building itself is currently undergoing extensive restoration work and will soon provide facilities for both passengers and residents of the town.
	The usual test train from Derby RTC and back via Stratford-upon-Avon and Leamington Spa, 1Q48, ran on Tuesday 3 October 2023. I haven't bothered with it for a while as I've been waiting for either 37607 or 43277 to be allocated but with a warm and dry evening had a trip to the GWR station. the train ran early because the WMR service usually running in front of it was cancelled and I arrived with about one minute to spare but knew the exposure settings from previous outings so had set up my camera at home. With 37254 leading and 37175 out of sight on the back, 1Q48 slowed to stop in platform 1. I don't know what the green thing looking like a plasma ball is but assume it's something to do with the lights both under the coach and those on the coach roof for the OHL inspection cameras.
	As mentioned above 1Q48 from Derby RTC on 3 October 2023 ran early and as soon as it was in the platform at Stratford-upon-Avon the departure signal was changed to green and within a couple of minutes the driver was in the cab of 37175 ready for the return to RTC. The turnaround was so rapid that I didn't have time to set up my 'phone for some video which was a shame as the exit from the station was quite spirited.
	The final public run of a CrossCountry HST took place on 26 September 2023 with a 1Z43 charter from Leeds to the preserved line at station at Swanage. I have taken very few shots of the last few weeks of the trains' services but felt almost obliged to have a shot of this working. It was clearly not going to be a sunny morning and I drove through torrential rain on the trip from Stratford-upon-Avon but this had eased quite a lot as I walked onto the roadbridge. The HST set was led by power car 43008 repainted into Intercity swallow livery which on a such a dark morning was probably a good thing. Some late running was the order of the day and 1Z43 was 7 minutes late as it crawled towards Hatton station with a Chiltern local from Stratford-upon-Avon to Leamington Spa having been given the road first. There were a couple of cars on the road so I didn't cross for a picture of 43007 on the back of the set. These sets used to work on this with diverted trains as seen in this shot from 1994 with a Bournemouth-bound service perfectly aligned with a class 166 leaving the branch. In 2006 and 2007 Virgin Trains hired a Midland Mainline set as seen here at Hatton station for a 1V36 service to Reading to cater for extra passengers going to the Festival there.
	There were a few freights through Hatton on the afternoon of 19 September 2023 including a rare appearance from the Theale to Earles Sidings empty cement tanks, 6M91. This was in the Down Goods Loop at Hatton when I arrived and on checking the Railcams map watched as the exit signal was changed to green. This allowed a couple of minutes to walk to the footbridge to take this shot of 66623 in its latest colour scheme. The locomotive is no stranger to different liveries; in July 2012 it was put into a blue scheme marking Freighliner's association with the Bardon Group. It's a pity that no-one could be bothered to paint the roof...
	Another non-standard livery locomotive was on the next northbound freight through Hatton on 19 September 2023 in he form of GBRf's 66727. The train was 4H33, the 14.45 Banbury Reservoir Sidings to Hindlow empty stone boxes, the stone stockpiled at Banbury being used to build the immensely important and cost-effective Acton to Birmingham HS2. A rapid switch to the other side of the footbridge was needed as the sun popped out as the train rounded the curve in the background.
	I didn't bother with the third train heading north at Hatton on 29 September 2023 as the light died on a grubby 66/7 on a virtually empty 4M59 intermodal. A southbound infrastructure train was next in the form of 6O01 from Scunthorpe to Eastleigh with 66790 leading 69010 in green undercoat on the way for its final colour scheme to be applied. On this occasion the train was a decent length unlike the previous time I saw it with a class 69 in tow. Network Rail has done a sterling job in keeping the vegetation under control here, I'm used to intrusive bushes and trees on the side of lines but see undergrowth in between the running lines less often. On 27 December 2001 it was still possible to see the Grand Union canal.
	The chance came along for a sunny shot of the Chirk Kronospan to Baglan Bay empty log carriers on Wednesday 13 September 2023. This time it was running as a VAR with its usual 6V54 headcode again with 56096 in charge. The train ran a bit late around Birmingham but fortunately picked up enough time to avoid any chance of being put into Ashchurch DGL which would have mightily cheesed-off the 7 or 8 photographers on the footbridge at Northway, just north of Ashchurch station. The locomotive had just been opened up after a 30mph TSR for freights over the road crossing in the background.
	After 56096 with 6V54 had passed Ashchurch on 13 September 2023 I decided to hang on for the Round Oak to Margam empty steel train. Running in front of the freight and also from the Worcester line was 165132 with 2T42, the 09.52 Worcester Foregate Street to Bristol Temple Meads, slowing to pick up 3 or 4 passengers at Ashchurch for Tewkesbury station.
	Some cloud had begun to build up by the time 6V05 from Round Oak to Margam had appeared on the maps as it waited for the road at Norton Junction. An especially annoying shadow was crawling south along the line as 66197 came into the section and if there had not been a 30mph TSR for freights it would have been well clear. At least it was the right way round...
	An unusual working for the Birmingham to Gloucester line appeared in the timetable over the weekend on 10 September 2023 in the form of 56095 on the Chirk Kronospan to Baglan Bay empty log carriers being diverted from its usual route making a drive to Defford for a shot even on a very dull morning worthwhile. The train, 6Z54, ran close to time as far as Stoke Works Junction where a track machine waiting to leave the single line from Droitwich caused a Birmingham to Hereford service and the following CrossCountry train a few minutes delay. This was mostly made up on the run down to Defford where a tiny touch of brightness appeared just as 6Z54 with the dirty 56096 came under the roadbridge in the background. The locomotive wasn't much cleaner than when I photographed it at Evesham in the early morning of 24 November 2022 while working the daily RHTT.
	As 56096 with empty log carriers was heading past Norton Junction near Worcester on 11 September 2023 66061 was waiting for the road for 6V05, the 09.15 Round Oak to Margam (only to Llanwern on this occasion). The empty steel train was only a couple of sections behind 6Z54 and came down from Abbotswood behind what looked like a newly repainted 66061. I'm not a great fan of the day-glo colour scheme but it does have its uses on a really dull day as this image shows. The currently in-vogue stock, a CrossCountry HST, was also running south on 1V50 from Edinburgh but with no prospect of any sun and a hour or so to wait I headed for home.
	Another trip to Stoke Prior for me on the morning of 9 September 2023 to take a sunny shot of 43047 and 43046 taking the Midland Pullman from Paignton to Fort William on the first day of a three day trip. Just after I had parked, the 08.50 Birmingham New Street to Hereford appeared which I shot as it went away to wards Stoke Works Junction wih 196005 trailing 196007.
	I rarely see class 170 units so tend to take a shot or two when I happen to be somewhere on one of their routes if the light is favourable. This example is 170114 working the 07.45 Cardiff Central to Nottingham train formed of 170114 at Stoke Prior and about pass Bromsgrove before climbing the 1/37 of the Lickey Incline.
	About 30 minutes after taking the picture of 196005 shown above another pair of 2 car class 196 units, 196011 + 196006 came off the single line from Droitwich with 1M58, the 08.40 Hereford to Birmingham New Street West Midlands Trains service. This was a good choice of location on an increasingly hot morning as the roadside trees gave some very welcome shade both to the photographers, not that there were many of us there, and their cars. Thanks to Steve Widdowson for the id of the units I missed noting.
	The Midland Pullman owned and operated by LSL is always worth a photograph on a sunny morning. I knew that the closest location to home and with favourable light would be Stoke Prior to the south of Bromsgrove. This run was a 15 hour marathon from Paignton to Fort William a journey which despite the beatiful accomodation and food is something, as one who dislikes rail travel, I would never countenace undertaking. The train, 1Z43, was running on time and came into view just as a class 170 on its way to Cardiff came south under the roadbridge. This potential blocking scenario was a possibility but with things running well to time was not a problem.
	The regular 1Z22 from Derby to Bristol ran on Wednesday 6 September 2023 with 37116 topping 4 coaches and 37610. It had been to Stratford-upon-Avon during the previous evening but having taken pictures of the same locomotives there on other occasions I didn't bother. After a misty start Wednesday cleared to bright sunshine so I went to Evesham station for a shot from the footbridge. The train ran a couple of minutes early and a bit disappointingly coasted through the station with the engines being opened up only when out of sight. This didn't help the video clip I took on my 'phone as the train passed. I can't say that I'm a fan of the utilitarian galvanised platform light standards and other stuff; even the bland GWR green would be an improvement.
	With the prospect of a sunny day on 5 September 2023 and some decent trains on the Birmingham to Gloucester line I took a trip to Stoke Prior to the south of Bromsgrove. First to come south and before the shadows had cleared was 1V24,the 09.50 Brimingham New Street to Hereford with 2 car class 196s 196008 + 196012 and for which the shot needed a long lens to clear the worst of the shadows. Despite having photographed many of these trains on test and training runs including this one of 196012 at Stratford-on-Avon Parkway these was the first I had seen on a revenue earning service. The view towards Stoke Works Junction is much clearer with regular clearance of lineside growth being carried out.
	Just a few minutes after the class 196s had gone south on 5 September 2023 CrossCountry 170201 ran north the the 08.45 Cardiff to Nottingham, 1M01. The colour scheme of these trains seems to suit them well being distinctive but not garish unlike many others around at the moment.
	The Porterbrook sponsored Hydroflex unit 799201 was taken out for a long main line run on Monday 5 September 2023 with a trip from Long Marston to Kings Norton OTP Depot and then to Gloucester before returning home. Working as 5Q90 this is the hydrogen cell powered unit just after joining the main line at Stoke Works Junction and then facing the 1/37 climb to the summit of the Lickey Incline at Blackwell.
	With the approaching withdrawal of the CrossCountry HST sets the company reliveried a couple of their power cars into older-style colours. This has caused a lot of interest amongst photographers but I am not especially keen on the sight of mismatched liveries on what was intended to be a co-ordinated appearance, hence my not having dashed about taking lots of pictures in recent days. As it happened 43008 + 43007 were rostered to work 1V50, the 06.06 Edinburgh to Plymouth on 5 September 2023 and so a shot presented itself as it ran slowly around the curve at Stoke Prior on the approach to a red signal at Stoke Works Junction. As it was going so slowly there was plenty of time to cross the road for a picture of 43007 in a copy of the original blue and yellow colour scheme. I don't know why 1V50 was delayed but a mapping app showed delays to northbound trains too.
	This is my second shot of class 196 on a service train with 196002 + 196001 working the 10.40 Hereford to Birmingham New Street, 1M61 on 5 September 2023 and approaching the roadbridge at Stoke Prior 8 minutes late at 11.47. It can't be said that these are the best looking units on the network but I do like the colour scheme especially when compared the duller livery carried by class 172.
	This is the photograph that was my main reason for going to Stoke Prior on 5 September 2023 taken as 799201 now running at 5Q91 approached the approach controlled signal protecting Stoke Works Junction. For some reason the train sat at the signal for at least 20 minutes by which time I had gone home but not before taking the very unusual movement shown below. The Hydroflex made it to Gloucester albeit after the late running but it was failed and was rescued and returned to Long Marston bu 37884 which ROG had thoughtfully sent to Worcester Shrub as insurance. I had planned to go out again in the afternoon but have a lot of shots of 37884 dragging units around Worcestershire so stayed at home under the shade of a tree in our back garden!
	I was just packing up at Stoke Prior on 5 September 2023 when another photographer who was looking at his mappping apps said that something unusual was about to happen. A CrossCountry Voyager was entering Stoke Works loop so that it could pass 799201 standing at the signal on the main line. The shot of a train in the loop isn't great thanks to the lineside undergrowth but something as unusual as this just had to be photographed. The train was the 10.03 Manchester Piccadilly to Bristol Temple Meads operated with 220015.
	It's been a while since anything ran along the branch from Ashchurch Exchange Sidings to the MOD depot. Tthe last train was on 22 Dec 2021 with 66792 taking in a long set of containers. This train altogether eluded me and I'm grateful to Paul Stewart on the BLS for updating me. My long wait ended on Saturday 12 August 2023 when 66791 ran as 4Z36 from Kineton MOD taking a long set of empty container flats in to be loaded. The train ran via Didcot, Swindon and Gloucester rather than the more obvious route through the West Midlands and encountered a delay south of Gloucester when a trespass incident caused all lines to be closed for around 30 minutes. Here is 4Z36 passing Ashchurch station just after the sun went behind some rapidly thickening cloud.
	There are two ungated public footpath crossings on the sharply curved Ashchurch branch and because the train must be propelled to the depot it is necessary for a man (or 2 on this occasion) to walk in front of it to ensure the safety of any pedestrians. The branch had recently had some vegetation cut back and this was the clue that it would be worth keeping an eye on things in case something was scheduled.
	It took quite a while for 66791 to propel 4Z36 from the sidings at Ashchurch along the branch to the MOD depot on 12 August 2023. The light had become a lot worse during this time and it was really dull when the locomotive was in the right spot for a photograph. I should have quite liked a picture from the station footbridge as seen in this one of 60079 in November 2007 but as expected the undergrowth has increased to the point where there is no clue at all as to the location. The vegetation growth in the view from roadbridge hasn't been quite so rampant as this picture of 66161 with a failed 60085 from June 2008 shows, along with the full story of the events of the morning. The loaded train was Ashchurch was to run on the following afternoon but a lunchtime commitment prevented me from a having a pop at that.
	Following a couple of days when the weather forecasts changed almost hourly Wednesday 9 August 2023 finally looked to be clear and sunny for several hours in the morning. A run of The Statesman train from Reading to Scarborough cried out to be photographed and about the nearest location I think of when the sun would be right was Lea Marston, just north of Water Orton. I don't see many class 170 units and even fewer in the sun so took this shot of 170108 working 1M00, the 07.45 Gloucester to Derby service which passed the roadbridge excatly on time.
	The monthly North Cotswold Test train, 1Z22, was due at Lea Marston just after 09.00 on 9 August 2023 but quite often runs about 60 minute late so that a prolonged fester in Stoke Works Loop is cut out. On this occasion the Railcams maps showed it to close to right time when I arrived at Lea Marston and the colourful ensemble with 43271 leading 43251 made a decent contrast to the largely green background. It hardly seems credible that I haven't been here since 2014 for at one time my visits were quite regular given the number and variety of freight movements that used to run on the line. Since that visit someone had placed a signal just in front of the roadbridge which means that a slightly longer lens is needed for a clear shot looking north.
	The main reason for being at Lea Marston on 9 August 2023 was to take an image of 1Z60, the 06.30 Reading to Scarborough, with 47593 + 47712 hauling The Statesman. I couldn't think of many places better than this for the shot and was really surprised to be alone on the bridge. It was in 2014 when last I came here for this photograph of 50007 on an unusual job and there were certainly a lot more folk around for that! The pairing of 47593 + 47712 on a sunny morning was the attraction and with clear blue skies there was no need to be gazing around for odd bits of cloud lurking. I took a slightly dodgy video clip on my 'phone just for the record.
	Another day and another colourful DMU at Hatton. This time it was 153376 in Network Rail blue working a 2Z19 12.35 from Derby RTC to Reading West from where it went, oddly on a different schedule, to Barnham. Not having a picture of the unit in the blue colour scheme I went to the roadbridge at Hatton for a shot and arrived as 2Z19 was passing Dorridge. The sun was in and out but just arrived in time for a well-lit picture showing off the livery to good advantage.
	On Tuesday 18 July 2023 there was what for me at least was the first class 142 Pacer to travel over the GWR Leamington Spa to Birmingham line. Locomotive Services Limited's 142003, with Sellafield on the destination blind, worked under its own power from Eastleigh to Crewe in the newly acquired Greater Manchester PTE colour scheme, not something to be missed for anyone with a interest beyond elderly locomotives. In fact, there were a surprising number of folk at Hatton, the ideal place being a thoroughly recognisable location for such a rare move, to see 5Z42 pass even though the weather was very dull with some drizzle falling. There had been a few false stories, presumably from armchair experts, flying around that Pacers were not allowed over the electrified lines between Eastleigh and Basingstoke nor through parts of the West Midlands but there were plenty of photographers up and down the line to disprove these theories. I have very few pictures of class 142 and the only shots I have been able to find both were taken at Manchester, one of them being just the cab of 142001 on Victoria station and the other 142047 passing through the remains of the Exchange station.
	There are two freights up Hatton Bank within a few minutes of each other on weekday lunchtimes. The first is 4M19, the 09.47 Southampton to Birch Coppice, which on 5 July 2023 was hauled by by 66129 which is seen here on the down main line towards the summit of the 1/75 of Hatton Bank. It was a heavy train, fully loaded except for a couple of flats at the back and the gradient had slowed the train to about 20mph with the class 66 making about as much noise as they can - not a lot...
	Running a few minutes behind 4M71 on 5 July 2023 was the daily Westbury to Bescot departmental train on this occasion using the headcode 6X50 instead of the usual 6M50. The consist was 5 autoballasters and a railvac, the latter of which required the "X" designation. The train is routed along Hatton Down Goods Loop and it is handy to have a cloudy day as bright sun would make life a bit dificult for the photographer. Less handy was a CrossCountry Voyager heading down Hatton Bank at about the same but it was travelling probably 3 or 4 times faster than 70809 in the speed-restricted loop and cleared in plenty of time.
	The railvac was on the back of 6X50 with 70809 as it climbed Hatton Bank in the goods loop. The pictures in both directions from this roadbridge are becoming more and overgrown and are really scenes resembling little more than green tunnel but this is the only location giving the view of a train in the loop from a publicly available spot.
	There were two choices of trains to photograph on Monday 27 June 2023. The first was 56051 after it left Long Marston with the short set of ballast cleaners taken there by 56058 on 13 June or 66419 with an STP run of 4E18, recoded as 6X18, from Fairwater Yard to Doncaster. The latter was taking a number of vehicles from the Track Replacement Train, an impressive set of kit, so there was no difficulty in choosing to go to Hatton. It stuck to its timings north of Didcot and crawled around the curve towards Hatton station even though the signal at the end of the platform was green. I took this shot mostly to see if there was any potential for a similar shot much later in the day over the summer.
	The very slow approach of 6X18 to Hatton station on 26 June 2023 continued until it reached the footbridge when the driver opened up 66419 and it began to accelerate towards Hatton North Junction. As the load rather than the locomotive was the main point of interest I took this shot of some of the wagons followed by another towards the back of the consist.
	Rail shuttles operated by ROG between Honeybourne and Long Marston were run for Rail Live 2023. Following on from last week's runs on the branch using 769935 I was expecting that to be in use so was surprised when the unit turned out to be the Porterbrook Hydroflex Mk2 799201 coverted from 319382. Here is the first passenger-carrying working on 21 June 2023, 2Z20, approaching Long Marston on the final stretch of the branch from Honeybourne. I took this telephoto shot mostly because the sun was in and out of heavy cloud and the track nearer to the roadbridge was in shadow.
	It's not very often that I use multiple shots of the same train but the sun cleared the clouds very nicely as 799201 came closer to the roadbridge at Long Marston on 21 June 2023 with 2Z20 from Honeybourne. The longest day of the year is a good choice for Rail Live 2023 as this time is just about the only chance to take a fully conventionally lit image here.
	All the time that I was at Long Marston on 21 June 2023 two helicopters were circling and intermittently hovering in the area. Judging by the livery and underslung cameras I took them to be police aircraft but on checking the full-size RAW image saw that they were Network Rail owned and were taking publicity film and photographs. I'm glad they have the resources to spend the very large sums on this judging on the dreadful state of parts of the network and hope that film of the awful traffic congestion was also taken. On my way home the road through Long Marston was at a standstill to the outskirts of Welford-on-Avon, some 3 miles. I hate to think what the Chipping Campden road was like...
	After leaving Long Marston on 21 June 2023 I went to Honeybourne to see if a shot of 799201 using the temporary platform was possible. It wasn't long before the hydrogen-powered unit arrived in some, um, challenging light onditions. I took a shot for the record and hoped that the back of the train would become the front as it picked up passengers from up and down GWR trains. It didn't because the power equipment was in that coach and this shot in the platform is all that was available with most of the unit being under the roadbridge.
	One of just two stock movements to Long Marston for the 2023 Rail Live took place on Monday 19 June when 50007 took Transport for Wales 756003 from Cardiff Canton for it to go on display at the event. I had intended to photograph 5Z50 twice, once before it reached Worcester Traffic Centre, and then again afterwards but I spent nearly 30 minutes watching an otter on my local canal and so left things a bit late for the first picture. It was easy enough to reach my location between Evesham and Honeybourne with time to spare and the train stuck to the booked schedule and passed this foot crossing just about on time.
	When I first heard about this stock move the notion of a class 756 was new to me and having seen this one shan't be rushing to Wales for any images when (or if judging by many recent introductions!) they're in service. These new Stadler units are Tri-mode multiple units with diesel, electric, and battery capabilities and are therefore said to be more environmentally sound than their predecessors. The yellow signal in the distance shows that 5Z50 will be checked before Honeybourne North Junction and switched onto the Long Marston branch.
	A short visit to Bentley Heath on Thursday 15 June 2023 for a colourful 6O01 from Scunthorpe to Eastleigh. Before the freight there were a couple of diesel units including a pair of 172/0s led by 172004 working 2V76, the 15.03 Dorridge to Worcester Foregate Street just after leaving the station. It's not the most scenic shot but at this time of day the sun is directly side on to trains so the illumination is good enough for most people.
	The main reason for my trip to Bentley Heath on 15 June 2023 was for a shot of 66743 + 69007 at the head of an unfortunately very short 6O01, the 1018 Scunthorpe to Eastleigh infrastructure train. I had planned for a picture using a medium telephoto lens to compress the perspective a bit but the first bit of shadow for days managed to cast a shadow in just the wrong place. This forced a rapid lens change which was possibly only because 6O01 was crawling towards an adverse signal prior to being turned into the goods loop for an extended layover of some 45 minutes. In retrospect the 35mm wide angle view worked out quite well contrary to what I initially thought. It seems likely that 69007 was having a tow to Eastleigh in order to be used on the weedkilling train based there and to avoid an expensive light engine move.
	It's not often that a going-away shot takes my fancy but this one of 66734 leading 69007 and a single wagon towards Dorridge Up Loop on 15 June 2023 seemed well worth a frame. Whatever one might think of the class 56 converions programme it's undeniable that GBRf likes to cater for the enthusiast with its choice of liveries for the class 69s with 69007 in the shade of BR used when the original locomotive, 56037, was built.
	Following several nights of engineering work in the Stratford-upon-Avon area the usual monthly test train was disrupted. The late evening 1Q48 ran on Tuesday 13 June 2023 with 37612 + 37254 but I couldn't where to go on a sunny evening so didn't go. On the folloiwng day a 1Q18 (rather than the usual 1Z22) ran from Derby RTC to Brisol and Weymouth and on a another sunny day I went to Honeybourne the test train with 37254 leading went through the station. It ws running a few minutes late and it was fortunate that a down GWR was also a but late which otherwise might have been a problem.
	While at Honeybourne for a test train on 14 June 2023 work was progressing to build a temporary platform to cater for shuttles to and from Long Marston when Rail Live 2023 is open. At the same time a GWR class 769, 769935, was being tested on the branch and as my way home from Honeybourne can be via Long Marston I stopped off to find the unit just beyond the roadbridge. The light was as bad as could be but I took the record shot shown here. Rail Operations Group was operating 769935 and in case of a failure had sent 37884 to act as a standby and had parked it along the 15 or 16 class 701s sent here to be stored.
	A rare early(ish) morning train to Long Marston ran on Tuesday 13 June 2023 when 56078 took 6C41 05.54 from Bescot to the Porterbrook site. It consisted of 2 large empty ballast hoppers with associated plant which I assume will be on display at Rail Live on 21 and 22 June 2023. The train ran early for part of its journey but was put back on time after a fester in Cofton Loop. The locomotive was due to leave Long Marston later in the day and is probably considered too ancient to be on display at a modern railway event!
	To mark 50 years of Pathfinders (formerly F & W) Railtours a specially anniversary train was run from Burton on Trent to Weymouth. Somethin a bit special was clearly required to haul it and LSL's 40145 was the chosen locomotive. I chose to go to Claydon in Gloucestershire with the idea that there probably wouldn't be many other photographers there and sure enough there was just the one. The train, 1Z40, with 47815 on the back to help shunt at Weymouth and probably give a shove up Sapperton Bank, ran on time and passed at a very good rate of knots making a fair old noise. I took a short video clip which suffers a bit from wind noise not to mention my camera in rapid-fire mode...