720116 passes Bethnal Green station while working the 1433 Liverpool Street to Southend Victoria.

This image, captured from a private event on the 36th floor of Salesforce tower (previously the Heron tower), provides a panoramic view of East London looking towards Stratford, with Epping and Brentwood beyond.

© All Rights Reserved

On a misty summer's morning, a pair of class 442 units head away from Waterloo with empty stock for Clapham Junction, after working into London on an early train from Poole.

In 2021 the abrupt withdrawal and scrapping of these, the pinnacle of British electric unit design, caused shock in the British rail enthusiast community.

The future of the last 20th century electric units in the UK was under threat, so a shadowy enthusiast organisation embedded in the rail industry, called the Real EMU Protection Society (REPS), determined how they could ensure the survival of a large fleet of similarly vintage units.

Ordered in 2017 by South West Railway, the class 701 was intended to replace the large 455 fleet. Already delayed by the COVID pandemic, REPS came up with a plan to keep the 701s out of service and the 455s in service for the foreseeable future.

REPS infiltrated South West Railway's new train acceptance department.

Taking advantage of incompetence, the 'don't give a f*ck’ culture and the fact the railways are paid for by a different government department from those that receive revenue from the railway, REPS has managed to keep the 701s out of service for many years.

Having successfully kept the 455s in service beyond their 40th year, REPS now plans to keep the 701s out of service until their 45th year, in 2028.

REPS success has created an unexpected challenge for the UK rail industry: shortage of siding space. In 2024, with 71 class 701 units built, the UK's stock storage sites are full with these units.

© All Rights Reserved

Uploading this image on the first day of British Summer Time 2024, I’m looking forward to some long sunny evenings in the months to come.

This image was taken on such an evening over 40 years ago. 40061 and 40058 glint in the evening light as they head past York with an oil train from Teeside.

A very similar image appears in a classic railway book of the 1980s: Murray Brown’s 'Rail Portfolios: The 40s', published by Jane’s in 1984.

That image was credited to Barry Plues. Standing next to him on that sunny evening was this image’s photographer, JS Mattison.

© All Rights Reserved

A few days after the 1988 mid summer solstice, 47644 ‘The Permanent Way Institution’ catches some early morning light as it heads south past Chelvey with the 2350 Edinburgh and Glasgow to Plymouth sleeper service.

This was the last sleeper service in the UK that did not run to or from London.

The service was well used by Royal Navy and MOD staff travelling between the naval bases at Devonport and Rosyth.

A Navy rating travelling on the train in 1990 reported passengers were almost entirely Navy or MOD staff. He reported ratings, officers and civilians travelled in different coaches and berths for ratings were allocated based on the branch each rating was allocated to.

© All Rights Reserved

A pair of standard class 3 tanks make simultaneous departures from London Waterloo in late 1965.

82018 is heading empty stock from an incoming morning rush hour service back to the yard at Clapham Junction. 82026 is shunting one or more vans from the dock sidings (thanks to gricer01 for 'on the ground' gen).

The standard tanks had replaced ex-GWR pannier tanks working station pilot duties at Waterloo. The panniers worked from 1959 to 1963, while the standards operated until the closure of Nine Elms shed in July 1967.

Photograph by an unknown photographer, now part of my collection.

© All Rights Reserved