Just after six o clock in the morning and DRS Class 37/6 Nos. 37604 and 37603 wait at Crewe Station platform 11 with the 05:43 Chester to Scarborough Independent Yorkshireman charity railtour on 3rd September 2016. DRS Class 57/3 No. 57309 Pride of Crewe was heading the tour at this point.

West Coast Class 47s Nos.47237 and 47760 wait to be detached from the Railway Touring Company’s Cumbrian Mountain Express charter at Preston after arriving with the 06.42 from Crewe. LMS Royal Scot No. 46115 Scots Guardsman worked the tour north from here to Carlisle before returning around the Cumbrian coast on 3rd September 2016.

LMS Royal Scot Class 7P 4-6-0 No. 46115 Scots Guardsman waits departure time at Preston having just taken over from diesel traction on The Railway Touring Company’s Cumbrian Mountain Express 06.42 from Crewe to Carlisle on 3rd September 2016.

LMS Royal Scot Class 7P 4-6-0 No. 46115 Scots Guardsman after arriving at Carlisle on The Railway Touring Company’s Cumbrian Mountain Express 06.42 from Crewe to Carlisle on 3rd September 2016. The Scot had a terrific run north and breasted Shap summit at 41mph in the pouring rain with an 11 coach train. The tour returned south around the Cumbrian Coast route before saying goodbye to the Scot at Carnforth and returning to Crewe diesel hauled.

WCRC Class 37/6 No. 37668 approaches Stafford on 7th October 2016 hauling the Branch Line Society Cliffe Hopper charter, the 08.35 Crewe to Rugeley B Power Station working. WCRC Class 33 No. 33207 "Jim Martin" was at the rear of the train that also visited the Cliffe Vale china clay sidings in Stoke on Trent and the up Dudley siding near Walsall before continuing on to Rugeley. This is believed to be one of the last trains to visit the now closed power station before decommissioning and demolition takes place soon.

The first two units of a batch of six Bombardier Class 387 Electrostars for c2c have started testing on the WCML. Here class 387/3 Nos. 387302 and 387301 pass Stafford at speed while working the 14:04 Crewe to Wembley commissioning run on 14th October 2016. This batch follows on from the red Gatwick Express and green GWR units that have all been seen on test through Stafford, and I think another batch of green GWR is to be built next which, presumably, will also be tested on the WCML to Crewe.

An everyday scene of a Virgin Trains Pendolino EMU Class 390 passing Rugeley Trent Valley on 16th October 2016 with the 13:15 Manchester Piccadilly to London Euston service. These units have now been in service on the West Coast main line for Virgin for over 15 years.

An already filthy DBC Class 66/0 No. 66138 after only a week on the RHTT, and with No. 66187 bringing up the rear of the Bescot based RHTT, as it passes Rugeley Trent Valley while working from Bescot to London Euston via reversals at both Rugby and Macclesfield on 16th October 2016. These Railhead Treatment Trains had recently started running when the photo was taken and will carry on until approximately mid December until all the leaves have fallen from the trees.

DBC Class 90 pair No. 90018 and No. 90028 pass Stafford at the head of the heavily loaded 06.06 Mossend to Daventry train on 17th October 2016.

EWS-liveried, DB Cargo operated Class 66/0 No. 66068 powers up the Incline to Searchlight Lane junction while working the 01:08 Dollands Moor Sidings to Ditton Foundry Lane Service, comprising aluminium in cargo-wagons for the Land Rover/ Jaguar plant on Merseyside on the 22nd October 2016.

An unidentified Cross Country Class 220 Voyager in the deep new cutting south of Searchlight Junction, Norton Bridge, on 14:07 Manchester Piccadilly-Paignton on 22nd October 2016.

GWR Castle Class 4-6-0 No.5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe climbs the new 1 in 125 Norton Bridge diversion line on the approach to Searchline Lane junction, where the Stoke on Trent line diverges to the north east from the WCML, before dropping back down to join the WCML at Heamies Farm. It was hauling a Vintage Trains charter from Tyseley to Chester on the 22nd October 2016. This is, I believe, the first steam hauled passenger train to travel over this newly built line which opened at Easter this year. Previously the only steam to use it has been on engine and support coach moves.

Unusual motive power for the 13.42 6U77 Mountsorrel Sidings to Crewe Basford Hall loaded ballast working on Monday 24th October 2016 was DRS Class 37/0 No.37069 and Class 37/6 No.37604 instead of the more normal a DRS Class 68. Here the duo is seen heading north having just passed Rugeley Trent Valley station.

LMS Black Five 4-6-0 Nos. 44871 & 45407 double head The Railway Touring Company’s ‘Tin Bath' charter at Sheffield during a water stop on 6th November 2016. The tour started in Preston and ran to Sheffield via Manchester Victoria and the Hope Valley route. After taking on water at Sheffield the tour continued on a circular run through West Yorkshire heading for Penistone, Huddersfield and Hebdon Bridge before arriving back at Manchester Victoria and heading finally back to Preston.

The Tin Bath' charter stands waiting time and taking on water again at Brighouse with LMS 'Black 5s' 4-6-0s No. 44871 and 45407 at the head on 6th November 2016.

Ian Riley’s duo of LMS Black Five 4-6-0 Nos. 44871 & 45407 pause at Crewe, on 17th November 2016, for water while working 5Z89, 07.27 Carnforth to Bristol St Phillips Marsh HST Depot. This was in readiness for working a series of rail tours in the south of the country during the run up to Christmas.

It could almost be the late 1960s as LMS Black Five 4-6-0 Nos. 44871 & 45407 simmer at Crewe, on 17th November 2016 while watering during working 5Z89, 07.27 Carnforth to Bristol St Phillips Marsh HST Depot in readiness for working a series of rail tours in the south of the country during the run up to Christmas.

An interesting vehicle spotted amongst the coaches stored in the yard at Carnforth during a water stop on the 3rd of September railtour was a 4 wheeled GWR Steam Heating Boiler Van No.DW 123821 which was converted/re-bodied from an ex "Mink A" wagon built in Swindon 1933.

LMS Black 5s Nos. 44871 and 45407 wait the departure time of 08.40 at Birmingham International at the head of the Railway Touring Company’s Welsh Marches Express to Cardiff on 27th November 2016. The duo left 25mins late due to low water pressure at Birmingham International causing problems filling the locos before departure.

LMS Black 5s Nos. 44871 and 45407 pause at Hereford for a water stop while working the 08.40 Birmingham International to Cardiff Railway Touring Company’s Welsh Marches Express on 27th November 2016. On the return journey to Birmingham the train had to negotiate the infamous 1 in 37 Lickey incline from a standing start at Bromsgrove station, due to being looped to be passed by faster Cross Country trains, before making our assault on the climb with the summit being taken at approximately 31mph. However, I think this was with a little assistance from the class 47 that was attached at the rear of the train all day to assist with shunting arrangements at Cardiff during the turn round period and also with heating he train during the day.

LMS Black 5s Nos. 44871 and 45407 after arriving at Cardiff with the 08.40 Birmingham International to Cardiff Railway Touring Company’s Welsh Marches Express on 27th November 2016.

A photo taken at dusk of the northern entrance of the grade II listed Cardiff Central station, built in the early 1930s to an impressive new Art Deco design faced in Portland stone and with The Great Western Railway name carved onto the façade. It replaced the original station that was built on the site.

An unexpected stowaway seen on the front of Black 5 No, 44871 at the water stop at Hereford in the shape of a pheasant picked up somewhere between Birmingham and Hereford. The unexpected traveller stayed on the buffer beam all day and makes one wonder became of the deceased bird at the end of the day. Fuel for the fire or dinner for the support crew?

Josh seems to be enjoying himself on the footplate of Black 5 No, 44871 during the water stop at Hereford.

Black 5 No. 44871’s fire at Hereford ready for the climb up to Llanvihangel and the run down to South Wales.

... and the coal to fuel that fire.