Started the day by discovering that First Great Western no longer offer a Day Return fare from Weston to Reading! Set off into the early morning sunshine, recovering from the shock of high ticket costs on a diverted HST. To Reading via Hawkeridge Junction and the Berks and Hants route. Lots of confused passengers wondering why it was taking so long, and where Swindon had gone!

Noted 165136, recently reliveried in connection with the London 2012 Olympic bid. 66603 was also sitting forlornly just west of the station. Brief wander around Reading station. Freezing in the shade, so rebooked and headed south to Basingstoke. Quick change for an Eastleigh bound train - all efforts to catch one of the remaining slam door units failed. Ended up on 444 - my first ride on one of these units. Much better than the 450, a reasonably comfortable and spacious feel, and a smooth ride.

Eastleigh was very quiet compared to my last visit. Decided to try a bit of camera practice on passing units until something happened. Slowly I'm beginning to experiment and improve how I use the camera. Luckily 60032 was out and about, and obliged by passing through the station light engine, and eventually returning southwards on a ballast train, with a great deal of noise and clag!


Decided to head back to Basingstoke. Frustratingly, everytime I took my eyes from the rails, something interesting seemed to pass us at speed. Spent a pleasant hour or so trying to stay in the sun and out of the cold. Spotted the blue liveried VEP 'Gordon Pettit' sandwiched between other slammers. Hopped on a late running Voyager back to Reading, where 180101 finally showed up - after months of being at the opposite end of the line to wherever I was! Back via the same route as this morning. Nice to get home whilst it was still light!

Again, stayed local today - since we had some celebrity visitors due at Temple Meads. Engineering works almost everywhere prevented much else. I planned to get to Didcot before heading back to Bristol at lunchtime, but the timings of replacement bus services made getting back very unlikely. Brief trip into Swindon, with the sky overhead alternating between bright sunshine and thunderous clouds.

Back at Bristol, passed the time in my usual spot, taking the opportunity to try out more complicated settings on the new camera. Chatted to a few fellow enthusiasts and waited for the main event - a pair of Cotswold Rail 47s on the 'Cotswold-Severn Caper' railtour from Wolverhampton. One of the locomotives, 47828 was freshly painted and would be named 'Joe Strummer' at Bristol Temple Meads. Lee and David also arrived, back from spotting 59s and chasing BBC chartered Class 50's at Westbury.

Watched the pair of 47s arrive, double-headed into platform 4, then dashed over to watch the naming ceremony where Joe's wife unveiled the plates and gave a brief speech. A good crowd of railway enthusiasts and Joe's fans alike made for a rousing round of applause for Joe's widow Lucinda. A bit of an open day atmosphere on the platform, with a photocall and cab visits being offered.


Back over to get pictures of 47316 running around and a hellfire start as the tour headed off to Newport, and to spot Lee meeting a new young ladyfriend just in time for St. Valentines day - who ever said the railway hobby was unromantic? Quick exit on the next Taunton stopper to get back to Weston before the shops closed.

Six Nations Rugby means lots of special trains to Cardiff. This means another wet session at Newport. After joining Lee and co. on 158964, arrived pretty early and found lots of people already around. As the morning progressed, the end of the platform became very crowded - much to the amazement of those passing on increasingly sardine-tin like trains. There was actually quite a scrum to get a photo position when things began to happen!

A little less freight than usual, but lots going on. Arrived to find a convoy of five EWS class 66s about to leave. Noted several shuttle services in operation to clear the crowds, which were being carefully controlled by security, Arriva staff and the BTP. The specials started to arrive a little before lunchtime, with a parade of class 67s, including three on a single train, thanks to an earlier failure of 67012.

Soon after, the Class 47s began arriving with 47853 and 47843 hauling specials. Rather suddenly, 47839 appeared going like the clappers, light engine towards Cardiff to cover any failures. The promised pair of Fragonset 47s which passed Willesden on Thursday top and tailed the very unusual 'Queen of Scots' stock.


Shortly before kick off at Cardiff things began to quieten down. Wessex Trains response to the crowds then began to appear - a series of 'mega-units' consisting of combinations of 158, 153 and 150. Caught one of these all the way home, with a slight hitch at Temple Meads where they took 158822 off the back - just when I was getting comfortable. A dull and damp but entertaining day.

Having had a spanner thrown in the works by the failure of the server's power supply, plans had changed quite a bit by the time I arrived at Paddington this morning. The 'one of those days' effect remained in action, as the HST stock was late coming off St. Phillips Marsh and was checked along the way arriving over twenty minutes late. Straight down to West Brompton, and then to Willesden Junction.

No problems at all in identifying the famous footbridge - conspicuous by the crowd of enthusiasts along its length! Took some time figuring out how to get from the High Level platforms down to the ground, then up again onto the bridge - ending up about fifteen feet from where I'd started but having walked for five minutes or more! Early highlight was the arrival of 66701 on the High Level platform with a train of EMUs for scrap, followed by 66710 on the main line.

Plenty of action, and lots of chances to test the new camera out. In hindsight I'd not chosen quite the best spot for pictures, but I enjoyed the chance to snap away at a constant stream of units, Pendolinos and several light engine moves. All good opportunities to figure out what all the buttons do! Noted 47832 and 47355 heading south of the river - reportedly to appear on one of the specials for Cardiff on Saturday.



Due to needing to go shopping, left earlier than I'd have liked. Things just kept happening, and as I was waiting on the low level platforms, 66711 passed above and 66139 descended the curve from the North London Line with a long Ford car train. Reluctantly boarded a 313 for Euston.