Once class 25 had finished working Bescot's trips, class 31s were to found covering the jobs. Here, 31132 is returning from Albright & Wilson's works at Langley Green in the Black Country with 6T48 on 3 October 1986. This is one of the very few photographs I managed here in anything but very poor light and could hardly believe my eyes when the sun broke out as the train appeared on the curve with empty chlorine tankers.
After taking the photograph of 6T48 shown above, there was time for a quick trip to the road bridge at the other end of Langley Green yard to get this shot of 31132 coming slowly down the up loop line before rejoining the main line. I haven't been back here for years but I do know that the semaphore signals have gone and that no rail traffic uses the yard to access the adjacent factories.
The morning of 22 December 2009 in Stratford-upon-Avon started off with low temperatures, icy roads and worst of all freezing fog. This was a bit of a shame as a Tyseley to Derby via Stratford with top-and-tail class 31s were booked to come here twice in the space of not much more than an hour. I was in two minds whether to bother going out or not but decided that a short trip to Stratford station might be worth while where a photograph would at least have a solid background, essential in foggy conditions. A friend travelling to Birmingham 'phoned me from somewhere near Shirley as 1Q12 passed his train, incidentally in bright sunshine. The test train was due to at Sratford at 09.42 but it was seven or eight minutes late when it appeared through the fog and came to a stand in platform 1 with 31602 leading a single coach and 31601.
The 09.07 from Tyseley to Derby via Stratford-upon-Avon is here seen in platform 1 at Stratford-upon-Avon with green liveried 31601 about to lead the short ensemble away from the station and off towards Hatton where it was booked to reverse and return to Stratford before going back towards the West Midlands via the North Warwickshire Line. The train had arrived here seven or eight minutes late, but with a ten minute break booked was spot on time leaving. The temperature was hovering around zero degrees celsius and the remaining snow and frost wasn't shifting at all, but the fog was beginning to thin a little by the time 1Q12 left the oddly coloured Great Western footbridge behind.
As I mentioned above, 30601 + 31602 were due to make two visits to Stratford-upon-Avon on 22 December 2009. Here is 31602 leading 1Q13 through a misty Wilmcote station after running both ways along the single track between Bearley Junction and Hatton. A solitary passenger is waiting for the 10.27 from Stratford to Stourbridge Junction which, if 1Q12 had been running late, might have blocked this shot. Fortunately though, it was on time and came quietly out of the mist just as a very weak sun appeared for a few seconds and gave a touch of illumination to the front of 31602. New station signs have been erected hereby London Midland, and here is an example showing that the new operators of the station have taken some trouble to keep the size and shape of the new signs consistent with the older versions.
During their second visit to Stratford-upon-Avon on 22 December 2009, 31601 + 31602 had their ten minute break at the station before returning north and on to Birmingham via Henley-in-Arden. The light at was so poor that I really couldn't be bothered to move any further than the other platform at Wilmcote station to get a final shot before returning home. Here then is 31601 in its relatively new green paintwork leading the short formation of 1Q12 under the Great Western footbridge just as a shaft of sunlight broke through the fog and did its best to ruin the picture; it was just above the footbridge and shining straight into the lens. I said it before, but I do wish that London Midland would buy a few pots of paint and return the footbridges along this line to the Great Western's colour scheme of chocolate and cream. Maybe it might be possible during 2010, the 175th anniversary of the company's inauguration...
A rake of Mk2 coaching stock has been trying to escape from Long Marston for a couple of weeks but for various reasons apparently revolving around school holidays and unavailable locomotives, it didn't happen until 9 November 2009. The motive power on the day changed from 47812 to 31190, the green liveried locomotive running light diesel from Washwood Heath to collect the coaches. An early departure from Long Marston took place but the train, 5Z47 to Barrow Hill, had to stand time on the former East Loop at Honeybourne until both an up and a down train had passed and cleared the single line between Moreton in Marsh and Evesham. Here, 31190 and the six coaches stand on the loop from Long Marston in quite dark and misty conditions, the Cotswold Hills being virtually obscured by the murk.
As soon as the HST shown in the linked picture above had reached Evesham it was possible for a cew member from 31190 to insert the key in the ground frame at Honeybourne swith the points and call 5Z47 to come over the spur and onto the Cotswold Line spot on time at 13.25. The train was then to run via Evesham, Worcester, Droitwich Spa and the Lickey Incline to Birmingham and on to its destination at Barrow Hill. This shot will not be possible by this time next year when the Cotswold Line receives double track as trains from Long Marston will run on the tracks on the extreme left of this picture past the platforms at Honeybourne station and join the main line just south of the platforms.
A test train, the first to run over the line since a major possession during the summer, went up and down the North Cotswold Line on 23 September 2009. I wasn't able to photograph the morning run in the up direction but did go over to Evesham for the return from Oxford. The train, 4Z10 from Derby, was powered by 31106 which has recently been repainted in the rail blue that it carried in earlier times. I don't, these days, chase around as soon as a new paint job appears but prefer to wait until the locomotive comes within easy reach before getting a picture. If that happens to be a nice sunny shot then that's great, but on this occasion the sun was firmly covered as the train approached Evesham station so I took the opportunity to take the photograph from the north side of the line, meanwhile hoping that an opportunity for a sunny shot will come along soon. The locomotive was very clean and reflections from the vegetation in the cutting are clearly visible. Note also the lower quadrant signal in the background; it looks very much as if the signal wire tensioner needs a turn or two as the angle of the arm seems a little awry.
Now and again, late running of a train is an advantage to the photographer. This was case on 5 February 2009 when 4Q08, the Laira to Derby test train ran some 270 minutes behind schedule. I wasn't expecting to see this but the late running gave the opportunity for a shot, despite the uncomfortable coldness getting through my walking boots and into my toes after a couple of hours at Hatton North Junction. The train could be heard for ages on the climb of Hatton Bank, the relatively light traffic on the adjacent M40 for once not masking the sound. 31190 propelling DBO 9703 and 2 coaches was going at quite a speed when it came around the bend from Hatton station, the crew no doubt keen to make up some time and get home.
Whilst I was out and about on 12 October 2006, several messages came through saying that 31105 and 31106 were in charge of a 4Z07 10.00 Old Oak Common to Tyseley. I decided to delay my lunch and hang about for this. It soon became apparent that a delay was going to occur, as several northbound units passed at snail's pace and I was told that the passengers from a Marylebone to Stratford-upon-Avon were detrained and told to await a replacement bus service. After about an hour, a S & T gang appeared and set to work on some of the trackside equipment. After another hour or so, trains began to move again and 4E44, the 09.29 Southampton to Leeds freightliner, which had been sitting in Hatton's down goods loop for the thick end of 2 hours, slowly made its way around the curve and on towards Birmingham. 4Z07 came shortly afterwards just after the light had just about caved in. I suppose it's OK to get 31s and 37s now and again, it's just a shame that they appear only on this type of working. I would much rather see and hear them on proper freight trains rather than these lightweight affairs...
31106 and 31190 have been topping and tailing a radio reception testing coach, 977869, around Hampshire for the past few days and were scheduled to return from Eastleigh to Derby on Saturday 10 February 2007. 2Z02 was some 3 hours late leaving Eastleigh but there was clearly a lot of recovery time in the original schedule as it passed me at Hatton at 14.09, probably only about one hour late on the booked timings. Here is the train, led by 31106, crawling up Hatton Bank towards a red signal caused by the previous unit being an all stations local. There was a surprising amount of snow in the cutting, but it must be said that I really don't like snow shots without the sun, unfortunately, it was too late to move to a clearer location where the snow might have thawed...
I'm not keen on going-away shots but did want a photograph of 31190 in its new coat of green paint. In the event, the sides of the locomotive were pretty grubby after running around for most of the week so the colour didn't show up too well. Just as the train passed under the bridge at Hatton the signal cleared to yellow and the 31s were opened up prior to passing through the station, which is just around the curve in the background.
A small bonus during the morning of 8 August 2007 was the appearance of 31459 with a trial run of the Structure Gauging Train. This was running as 1Q06 from Derby to Derby via Birmmingham New Street and due to what appeared to be some dodgy regulation was allowed out of Derby in front of a Virgin Voyager. This resulted in it being routed via the slow lines at Kingsbury Junction rather than Lea Marston. This didn't bother me too much as the southbound shot here isn't that brilliant, especially for a very short train. Here is the return working pictured at 11.35 with 31459 pulling away from a signal check. It looks as if the train has recently been freshly painted and it gave a chance to have a closer look at the stock - I don't recall having seen it in daylight before; it appears to be a mostly nocturnal set.
I had just had my breakfast on the morning of Saturday 7 June 2008 when a text message from a friend living in Shirley arrived on my telephone. This said that 31190 + 31602 had just passed him, en-route to Stratford-upon-Avon with a single coach forming a 1Q16 Derby to Derby via Stratford, Hatton, Stratford, Henley-in-Arden, Birmingham, Stourbridge Junction, Round Oak, Birmingham, Hatton, Birmingham and Derby. I received the message at 09.20 and had about 20 minutes to collect my thoughts, wits and camera to make the 10 minute walk down to the station. Stratford-upon-Avon isn't very good for photographs on a sunny morning but one has to make the best of a bad job and here is 31190 arriving in platform 1 with its short train.
As I arrived at the station I remembered that it was the day of the third Open Day in recent times at Long Marston - there was quite a bunch of enthusiasts waiting for a bus shuttle to the event. The arrival of 1Q16 was an unexpected bonus for them and one or two are visible in this shot as 31602 tails 1Q16 under the canopy in Stratford-upon-Avon station. Any locomotive-hauled train here is a rarity and I was pleased to have had the tip-off just in time to get down to the station for a few record shots.
1Q16 was booked to stand in Stratford-upon-Avon for 10 minutes which gave the crew a chance to use the facilities and to buy a cup of coffee from the excellent station café. It also gave those heading to Long Marston the chance for some photographs before the train headed off to Hatton. Even though the sun was completely wrong for this shot, I decided to go part way along platform 2 for the departure as this gives a view of the attractive infastructure of the GWR station, albeit with a decidedly non-standard, slightly pink footbridge!
The test trains operated by Network Rail are undergoing significant changes to their motive power and mode of operation. In connection with this a DBSO formerly used by Anglia Railways has recently been on trial. This will eliminate the expensive use of topped-and tailed locomotives and will, no doubt, be a source of irritation to photographers who are obsessed with the traction source. Personally, I find these vehicles to be of arguably more interest than a 40 year old class 31, of which everyone has had plenty of opportunities to obtain photographs. This train, 5Z47 from Foxhall Junction, Didcot to Derby is seen about to pass under the footbridge at Hatton North Junction with 31105 propelling DBSO 9714. Use the hyperlink for a closer look at the DBSO on its run south to Didcot earlier in the day. The use of Foxhall Junction as the destination of the southbound run was to allow the formation to reverse on the triangle at Didcot to allow the DBSO to be tested.
There should have been a train to Long Marston from Derby Engineers Sidings on Tuesday 29 January 2008, but this was cancelled during the morning. Instead, 31454 was sent light diesel from Gloucester as 0Z67 to pick up something and take it back to Gloucester. I went across to the Long Marston site to see a rake of 7 InterCity MkII coaches waiting in the exchange sidings and thought that a nice picture of a complete IC train was going to be a distinct possiblity. Here is 31454 just after arrival awaiting instructions and permission to enter the sidings.
As far as I am aware, 31454 is the first InterCity liveried locomotive to have entered the yard at Long Marston under its own power, and it's always nice to get a record of something new on one's favourite patch. The booked departure time was 14.55 but the train, now running as 5Z68, started to move along the exchange sidings at just after 13.30. Here it is, complete with the 7 MkIIs, as it heads towards the "One Train Only" branch to Honeybourne, running alongside some of the recently arrived ferrywagons which came in a couple of weeks ago.
I just had time to switch lenses from my long telephoto to something a little shorter before 31454 joined the branch. The sun had been shining a short while before 5Z68 moved but dipped behind a thick layer of grey cloud just at the wrong time. Still, the uniform appearance of the locomotive and coaches is aesthetically pleasing and a sight not seen for some time.
My usual move after Long Marston is the quick dash to Honeybourne to photograph the train arriving at the end of the former East Loop. Today though, I had planned on going somewhere for a change, but found the entrance gated and locked. In the event, things turned out quite well because 5Z68's driver brought his train forward beyond the spur to the main line to give his colleague a shorter walk to the ground frame where the telephone and block instruments are kept. This is an unusual move and I wonder if it was to save time because there was only available a limited amount of time to get through the single track section to the passing loop at Evesham station. Whatever the reason, it was good to record the move; it is strange how these little things can make a difference to the session.
I couldn't resist including this shot showing 31454 chucking out some black exhaust as it propelled the stock back towards the point giving access to spur across to the main line. The driver's colleague has just obtained clearance to put the token into the ground frame, which will be released by Evesham signalbox, and within a few seconds operated the levers and signalled 5Z68 to come forward.
Here is my final shot of the day as 31454 brings its 7 MkIIs across the spur and joins the main line to Evesham, before heading off to Worcester for a run-round and going back to Gloucester. It would be an understatemment to say that the train made a spirited departure from Honeybourne - I haven't a 31 make such a racket for years - and it was audible for ages as it went away. I believe that the coaches are destined for Meldon Quarry and will be taken there tomorrow, 30 January 2008.
The class 101 DMMU known as Iris was taken from Derby to Bishops Lydeard on Tuesday 18 March 2008. The power provided was 31459 which, in its black livery, provided a nice contrast to the different yellows of the unit. I wanted to be in the Evesham or Pershore area at some point during the day so just went to the nearest point to my home where a reasonably wide view could be obtained so as to show all 3 vehicles. Here is 5Z08 passing Croome Perry wood after being in the loop at Abbotswood for some time to allow the passage of a class 170 on a Cardiff service and an Arriva Voyager on a Cross Country train. I came very close to being bowled out by a northbound Arriva-liveried 170105 which was outside the frame by no more than a few inches. Another colourful unit, or to be more accurate pair of units had also gone south a little earlier, these being FGW's 158750 with an unidentified FGW class 150 on a train from Worcester.
The date of this photograph is 2 May 1984 and it shows 31126 propelling its train of ballast wagons into the CCE sidings at Guide Bridge. There were many such workings in this area at the time and I saw representatives of class 25, 31, 37, 40, 45 and 47 doing the honours on just a couple of visits. This really was a busy location and the atmosphere of the vintage railway here was tremendous, not least because of the 1500 volt DC electrification and the regular passage of class 506 units. How I wish I'd been here earlier when the DC locomotives of class 76 and 77 were in use. It was not only the railway that was vintage in retrospect - just look at the cars in the adjacent parking lot!
The line at Wilmcote station doea not see many locomotive-hauled trains so on Sunday 25 February 1984 the visit of 31301 + 25287 was more than welcome. The engineering possession commenced at the station and this train was standing just outside the work area. I waited for quite a while on an occupation bridge to the south of the station, but as is usual on these occasions, there was no movement and the locomotives remained switched off for several hours. Click on this hyperlink to have a closer look at 25287.
The regular cement trains from Earles Sidings to Greaves sidings, near Harbury were, by 1985, generally in the hands of class 47 locomotives. However, on 3 August 1985 a pair of 31s were diagrammed for the duty as shown here as the train, headed by 31280 + 31188 awaits a path south of Leamington Spa. Quite a gap in traffic would be needed as the sidings were on the down side. This train would have had to be propelled from the up track and across across the down to access the sidings. The heavy train would have made the locomotives work hard on the stiff climb past Whitnash and onwards to Harbury tunnel. One of the ubiquitous class 116 DMUs is sitting in the down platform with a train bound for Birmingham Moor Street.
Here is an earlier shot of 31280 passing Leamington Spa taken on 26 May 1984, but this time on a much more unusual duty. 56099 had failed with its train of car-carrying vehicles and the 31 must have been summoned to rescue it. I don't know the working involved but imagine that the destination was either Dorridge sidings or Small Heath in Birmingham. The time was 07.00 and I was on my way to London to sit an examination, but luckily remembered to pack my camera just in case. Note the array of class 116 DMUs in the platforms; the one in which I had arrived from Stratford in visible to the left, in platform 3.
There have long been what some of use still call departmental trains between Bescot and Toton. This short example hauled by 31403 was pictured at Lea Marston on the morning of 26 March 1993. It is always a matter of doubt whether this sort of train will run via the fast lines as seen here, or the slow lines via Whitacre Junction and it is often a matter of some frustration when freights appear and disappear in the distance when standing at Lea Marston, but you pays your money and you takes your choice...
Worcester still had a dedicated parcels service in December 1984, which the local catalogue used extensively to despatch its goods. Here is 31289 with the 3V16 Birmingham Curzon Street to Worcester van on the 15 December passing the station prior to shunting the van into position for loading. The ballast hoppers in the background are also worth a glance; there are not many of those around in 2006.
Class 31s, variously known as Peds, Goyles or Brians have been very much part of the U.K. railway scene for many years and still can be seen today in a variety of colour schemes. They were never the strongest engines and their adhesive qualities were not helped by the A1A wheel arrangement which meant that some of the loco's weight was borne on unpowered wheels. Nevertheless, they did a lot of valuable work both on passenger and freight trains and had a particularly pleasant and rasping exhaust note, especially when being worked hard. This picture, taken on 16 February 1994 shows 31178 at Barrow-on-Trent with a Bescot - Toton departmental.
This picture was taken from the footbridge at Manchester Exchange station on 27 February 1986 and shows 31233 + 31289 hauling a heavy rake of tanks in an easterly direction. The train would have stopped in the adjacent Victoria station to collect a banking locomotive to assist up the stiff climb to Miles Platting. The MkI Ford Escort on the platform looks very dated today, especially the beige colour scheme, and the extremely narrow tyres.
Tuesday 25 July was the date picked for a trial run by FM Rail, conveying coal from Daw Mill Colliery to Rugeley Power Station. It was booked for class 31 traction, with no fewer than 3 examples being used. The train of PGA hoppers had a late start from Coalville and was arriving for reversal in the loop at Whitacre Junction just as I arrived at 08.25. 31454 was at the front and here is something of a grab shot as it heads into the headshunt under the road bridge. 31601 + 31190 were at the other end. A hot box detector had been set off on the run from Nuneaton and examinations were carried out while it was in the loop here. Fortunately, this didn't halt the run and the train eventually departed for the colliery at 09.40.
Here is the shot of the FM Rail test working for which the gallery at Whitacre Junction had been waiting on 25 July 2006. 31190 + 31601 + 31454 take the 6G20 09.24, (rescheduled to be 13.00) Daw Mill Colliery to Rugeley Power Station through the junction at 12.43. The train was heavily delayed through a late start from Mantle Lane, Coalville and hot box problems on some of the PGA stock, all of which were shown on TRUST as "cripples". Still, the ensemble makes for a very pleasant and colourful sight, and the 3 hours spent waiting were filled both with some interesting workings and chat. For another view of this after reversal at Bescot, have a look at Andy Williams' shot taken at Leamore, near Walsall later that day.
Just about everything in this photograph has gone. 31286 was standing on the down goods loop outside Stratford-upon-Avon station with the Chipmans weedkilling train on 16 June 1987. The signal box, signals and gas holders have long since disappeared, the loop itself has been lifted and the locomotive and stock have been scrapped.
The Network Measurement Train running with power cars 43062+43154 failed in the Bristol area towards the end of the week ending 30 April 2005. NR's 31233 was depatched light diesel to Stoke Gifford to return the train north but Network Rail then decided that a single 31 would not be allowed to work single-handed. 31285 was also sent south and the whole ensemble worked north in the early afternoon of Sunday 1 May. The train, running as 5Z19, is pictured here at Defford being driven by Mike Jones who kindly gave me the details of the working. The sun wasn't fully out but at this time of day (13.31) on this line the backlighting would have been rather harsh if it had.
Thursday 30 March saw a loco-hauled move booked through Evesham in Worcestershire, a 4Z07 Derby to Old Oak Common with 31105 and 31106. The train is here seen at Evesham signal box, the token having just been exchanged after traversing the single line from Norton Junction. The tiny patch of sun just caught the Network Rail locomotive nicely.
The tiny patch of sun mentioned above didn't last long enough to illuminate 4Z07 as it slowly pulls forward towards Evesham station where it will wait for a few minutes to allow a Turbo to clear the track from the south. The stop just gave me time to swap my long zoom lens for a wider angle version to get this shot passing the peg. I always think the bracket signal looks a bit lop-sided and sad, having lost 2 arms some years ago.
Here's a real blast from the past. 31142 trundles past Eagle Crossing box on the now-closed line from Stourbridge Junction to Bescot on 16 June 1987. The train, possibly Bescot's 6T42, comprised a rake of freightliner flats which I imagine came from the terminal at Dudley. Sadly, this was my only visit to this location and it had to be on a day characterised by dreadful weather, but at least I did record the scene before it all closed. Even should the line re-open in the future, the Black Country landscape will have changed and, of course, the signalbox has long gone.
Earlier on the same day as the picture shown above, and in the only bit of sun I saw all day, 31142 took a few containers to Dudley freightliner terminal. This shot was taken from the canal towpath at Dudley Port which meant that the only available shot was one of the loco going away. It was fortuitous that there was an empty flat behind the locomotive.
New   Not far from the above picture as the crow flies, but a long way in terms of an operating railway is this shot of 31456+31441 on the Manchester to Paignton Pullman train on Saturday 19 June 1986. 31s were the booked motive power for this train which gave an extra touch of variety to the line out of Birmingham Street. The photograph was taken at Longbridge station in the days before Cross-City electrification was even a spark of an idea. The following Saturday saw a class 58 on this train - click on the hyperlink to see   58025  doing the business.
31414 was selected to receive a bizarre colour scheme of two shades of blue, full yellow cabs and red buffer beams with the colour extended underneath the cabs. I was keen to get a record of the locomotive, but in the days before mobile communication became portable it was not easy to find out what any particular engine was doing on any particular day. This was one of the reasons for a visit to the first SVR diesel gala on 7 May 1988 as it was hired in to attract the punters. The train is seen here approaching Bewdley Tunnel with one of the morning workings from Bridgnorth. 645
An ECS move from Carnforth to Didcot was run on Friday 22 April 2005 to provide stock for a private steam charter the following day. Fragonset's 31454, in Intercity livery complete with the Swallow motif was provided to power the stock which is seen here passing Hatton Station Junction at 17.33, some 30 minutes later than the booked time and in predictably awful light.
On Sunday 14 May 2000, a pair of Fragonset class 31s were booked to take the "Torbay Quarryman", running as 1Z36, from Crewe to Newton Abbott from whence top and tail 66s took the train to Meldon Quarry and Paigton. 31602+31601 are seen here amongst the spring blossom at Defford, Worcestershire. I very nearly missed this photograph. I decided to drive over to Defford in my 1969 Morris Minor rather than my more modern and considerably faster day-to-day car, and underestimated the extra time required. No sooner had I set up my cameras than the 31s absolutely flew under the bridge leaving me little time to react.
This picture was taken on Saturday 7 April 1990 at Bletchley and shows 31415 propelling a short rake of vans into the yard. The train had just arrived from Bedford and was a regular weekend working at the time.
I was surprised to find a pair of 31s on this short ballast train from Bescot to Gloucester on 30 May 1997 as they were not all that active by this time. The train, hauled by 31450+31306, is pictured passing the site of Defford station on the Birmingham to Cheltenham line. The locos returned north light engine a couple of hours later.
The annual Motor Show at the NEC in Birmingham used to attract several dedicated trains from various parts on the country. On 26 September 1990 one of the specials was hauled by 31403+31423. The train ran from Birmingham International to Leamington Spa in order for the locos to run-round before heading north to Oxley for servicing. This ECS is pictured here climbing Hatton Bank at 11.45, just about catching the sun........
In the summer timetable of 1993 a Birmingham New Street to Pwllheli train ran and was booked for a pair of 31s. The ECS ran from Tyseley and this working is pictured above at Bordesley Junction on 22 May.
Steam enthusiasts were in kettle heaven on 26 October 1986 when both Mallard and Sir Nigel Gresley were booked to run from London to Stratford-upon-Avon only 1 hour apart. As was usual at the time, diesel locos were used to bring the train from Banbury to Stratford. Instead of the 45,47 or 50, on this day the trains arrived behind 31s. Had I know this in advance I would have chosen a better location but here is a view of an ex-works 31407 passing Wilmcote showing my attempt to incorporate some autumnal colours into the scene.
The next shot shows 31308 at Portway, near Elford hauling a Bescot-bound ballast on a beautifully sunny 25 October 1993.This is a pleasantly quiet location where the sun is in the right place all afternoon. The northbound shot here is also well worth the effort and an example will appear in a subsequent section.
Another photograph showing a class 31 hauled departmental depicts 31106 on the Castle Donnington line, having just left the main Birmingham to Derby line at Stenson Junction. I've included this picture because of the filthy state of the locomotive - very much the norm at the time, 2 March 1994.
The nearest to a freight train the Stratford-upon-Avon line ever sees is the occasional engineering working which uses Stratford station's run-round facilities. In this picture, 31105+31107 and their now-empty train of ballast hoppers have finished work, run-round and are heading back to Bescot. They are seen passing the attractive GWR station at Wilmcote, the first out of Stratford-upon-Avon at shortly after 8am on Sunday 15 May 1993.
Another engineering train is seen below leaving Stratford-upon-Avon on Sunday 10 January 1988 behind 31257. As mentioned elsewhere, the semaphore signals, signal box and gas holders have been demolished, detracting hugely from the scene here.The TRAMM behind the train left under its own power once the former had reached Bearley Junction - the signalling section.
31249 is shown below passing Leamington Spa on 21 December 1984 hauling a rake of pressurised gas tanks from Bromford Bridge to Fawley. The signal box behind the tanks was demolished shortly after the date of this picture. I don't imagine that the 31 worked this train throughout and it was probably re-engined at Didcot. Today, a train like this would never be entrusted to such a small engine (even if there were any) and would certainly be in the hands of a 60 or 66.
A pair of 31s is seen here leaving Stratford-upon-Avon with another Sunday morning engineering train. It is using the very rarely-used crossover from the down to the up line and I do remember that the signalman was not at all happy about this move, fearing that the train would end up "in the dirt". The unusual viewpoint was chosen to best capture this movement and to be out of the way if the worst happened! The recently severed connection to the former down goods loop can be seen on the left of the train.
On 14 May 1994 A1A Charters ran a railtour from Preston to Weymouth Quay. Part of the itinerary unsurprisingly included a pair of 31s, one of which was a coal sector locomotive. This was pleasing from a photographic point of view as these locos were rare on passenger turns. The train is seen here passing Ashchurch at 09.48.
In 1989, several summer-dated holiday (and basher) trains ran from the timetable change in May. In this area there were several booked for class 31 power including the one pictured from Leeds to Tenby. Unusually, on 15 July, it ran with a single loco, instead of the booked pair. The singleton is 31405 and is seen passing Northfield, Birmingham. In the course of less than 2 hours, no fewer than than 8 loco-hauled passenger trains passed this spot, along with a police car called by a worried local inhabitant who thought I was a likely candidate for suicide. Suicidal with sun and all these hauled trains? Never!