Swindon does not look it's best at 5am. Checked out of the hotel and struggled up a windswept street littered with the remains of what seemed to have been hundreds of kebabs. There was evidence of petty vandalism everywhere, including a telephone box entirely stripped of its glass. Turned the corner onto Station Street and met a keen wind full in my face. There is little glamour in my hobby, and on mornings like this even I struggle to see the attraction! Things on the station were just beginning to get ready for the day ahead, so no hope of early coffee or any kind of breakfast. A couple of familiar faces had already arrived, and soon afterwards the stock trundled quietly in from Old Oak Common behind 66120.

The first part of the tour saw us getting fairly close to home, travelling via Bath Spa and around the Rhubarb Curve to avoid Bristol Temple Meads. I haven't done this curve for years, and the recently cut First Great Western service from Bath to Filton Abbey Wood runs at times guaranteed to see it stuffed with people - so despite being on my doorstep, this isn't a bit of track I cover often. From here, up to Bristol Parkway. I'd considered boarding the tour here, but it was still an ungodly hour with no rail connections from home, and I didn't feel cheeky enough to try to get anyone to give me a lift out here during the holiday season! Familiar track now to Birmingham via Camp Hill, and a chance to snooze between frequent and almost futile attempts to mop condensation from the windows of one of Riviera's 'flagship' coaches!

Out of Birmingham to Bescot for our first locomotive change. DRS's 37194 and 37229 were suspected to be our traction yesterday, and indeed both of these fine locomotives produced. As a couple of the planned locos were not available (namely the DRS 47 and 66) this was one of the day's highlights. Off Bescot with impressive ease, and via Wolverhampton to Shrewsbury for a brief crew change. Took the Wrexham line from here, and made impressive progress, remaining bang on time most of the way despite a pointless check at a level crossing at Gobowen. First bit of new track for me next - after joining the Chester-Holyhead line at Saltney Junction, we swung left onto the Chester South Junction to Chester North Junction curve. OK, it was mere yards, but it matters to me! A short thrash along the southern reaches of the Merseyrail network, and into the impossibly long siding at Hooton where 66551 was waiting to join the rear of our train.

The next part of our itinerary was a bit of an oddity - more new track for me, including the poorly served Ellesmere Port to Helsby line, but then a rather tiresome trudge down the Kirby branch and back. True, this is unusual territory for loco hauled trains, but there was a feeling that the time might have been better spent elsewhere or on a photostop during the precious daylight hours available. I wasn't too concerned, despite visiting Kirby early in the year. The route produced some interesting movements including Parkside Junction to Golborne Junction near Newton-le-Willows, the goods lines under the WCML at Bamfurlong and the connection between the WCML and Wigan Wallgate to name a few. A long 'operational stop' at Rainford to let the hourly unit leave the token section to Kirby, with the DMU driver hooting repeatedly as he passed - not entirely sure if he was saluting the presence of real traction on the branch, or desperately trying to persuade a train full of impatient bashers to get their heads back in the window. A very brief stop at Kirby to revese, with the 37s now leading again back to Wigan South Junction, where we took the line through platform 1 at Wigan North Western, then crossed onto the fast for a quick run into Preston behind 66551 again.

Tried to get a few shots at Preston, but on a very grim December afternoon with failing light, didn't have much success. Went in search of food instead and watched the parade of Transpennine 185s passing by. Also noted pet Duff 47826 thundering through northwards. Watched 66551 disappear Crewe-wards with the 37s in tow, and saw 60030 backing onto the train. All my 60 haulage during the year has been fun, and this was no exception as the driver notched up the power in rapid explosive jerks making coffee drinking near impossible! Branched towards Bolton, and got rather bogged down in some slow running as far as a booked operational stop at Moses Gate Up Loop. Away on time though, with a slow and noisy thrash under Manchester Victoria and as far as Ashton Moss North where things started to get very slow indeed. Crawled onwards to Denton Junction, and then made fairly good progress to Stockport. Only a couple of minutes down through Wilmslow, with no sign of the usual hour or so of late running which railtours seem to produce! Things took a turn for the silly at Crewe however, where an earlier fire had led to delays and congestion. Sat outside the station for what seemed like ages before being allowed into platform 5. At least our occupation of the main North-South platform meant that our loco change here was accomplished very quickly, and we were soon off carrying around a 27 minute delay.

Any hope of catching this up was dashed by following a unit via Alsager to Stoke. Where he could, the driver used 86614 to its best abilities and we were making impressive progress. The need to take the slow link to the Grand Junction line at Bushbury slowed us further, and we arrived at New Street around 35 late with another locomotive change to be completed. Debated whether to bail out here or enjoy a few minutes behind the last loco of the day to Barnt Green. With the time a little after 2100 and the loco change taking what seemed like ages, I was in a quandry. I needed to get the 2115 to Redditch - either here, or at 2139 from Barnt Green. There was also the question of a Bristol train due out at 2110 - would the signaller be brave enough to send the tour out first? A kind soul pointed out that the Redditch was 10 late, so I'd likely make the connection at Barnt Green. Stayed on, and with 66120 ready to go, surprisingly the signaller let us go ahead of the Voyager. Enjoyed a last few minutes of haulage before wandering down the train to a coach which would be on the short platform at my destination.

Disembarked at a very wet and windy Barnt Green about sixteen hours after I set out from Swindon. Whilst crossing the bridge, noted with some satisfaction the lights of the Voyager stopped at a signal behind our train. Need not have worried about the connection as I ended up waiting for 15 minutes in the rain for the Redditch train. Much needed beer and food provided on my arrival in my home town, courtesy of my uncle who uses my visits as his excuse to spend an evening in the pub, waiting for me to finally arrive. Overall, another cracking day out - all the better for being my first journey of any significant length for a very long time. The only improvement would have been more photo stops and more daylight - but that in fairness is a little beyond Pathfinder's control!

It's not been a good week around here for rail users. Since the new timetable began on Monday, First Great Western have either suffered some rotten luck, or have fallen prey to an entirely predictable series of problems depending on your viewpoint. According to a letter published following a truly disastrous morning peak by Glenda Lamont, Director of Customer Services much of the difficulty was caused by maintenance contracts ending on the evening prior to the timetable change. As a result of this a number of defective units were returned to FGW, and despite heroic efforts staff were unable to prepare them for service. The resulting short formations and cancellations made local and national news as passengers were turned away from wedged trains.

The facts of the case are perhaps stranger. Indeed the contracts with Arriva Trains Wales at Canton and with EWS at St. Blazey did end on Sunday evening. However, FGW's new £8 million DMU maintenance facility at St. Phillips Marsh was not ready for use. Even more confusing given Ms Lamont's flak-dodging semi-apology was the decision to store a total of eight units of stock - four single-car Class 153s at the defunct Eastleigh works, and four two-car Class 158s at Reading. Despite these events being widely reported - at least in Railway circles, by midweek pictures of units lying dormant in Canton were shown on local news with varying reports of the fleet's availability claiming in some cases that as many as 132 of 138 units as available. Patently untrue at the time.

My own experiences varied. I arrived at Highbridge in driving rain on Monday to find the new 0740 1A09 Highbridge-Paddington waiting at the platform, buffet car invitingly open and only a scattered few locals on board the generous seven-car service. By the evening however, confusion and delay from the mornings cancellations was still causing problems, with Station Manager Melanie Harvey doing the rounds of Weston station, politely and calmly explaining that they really didn't have any idea what was happening, but everything was stopped at Yatton. A similarly confusing sequence later in the week where the 17:58, originally delayed for only a couple of minutes arrived and waited for a passing Cheltenham service. Nothing untoward there. However, fifteen minutes later we were still waiting at Weston with doors open and signal wedged at on. Rumour has it that the box had us as a Weston terminator, and only numerous 'phonecalls to control convinced them otherwise. If they were reading from FGWs error-peppered series of pocket timetables, this would of course be entirely understandable.

Regular readers will remember my high hopes for First back when the franchise began in April. Others will know that I hoped very much to promote and use local rail services more in my professional activities. I can't in all honesty do so after this week. It will take a lot to get the passengers who have abandoned the rails in droves back into trains. As a season ticket holder without a car, I'm a captive audience - condemned to see out the year. An uncomfortable thought at the back of my mind nags - perhaps First felt much more comfortable operating a bus service these past few weeks?

Finally, we're coming to the end of the three week long closure of the mainline here. There is still a weekend to go, but at least getting to work each day will be a little easier. Granted the new timetable makes getting home a little harder, but you can't I suppose, have everything! The replacement buses have been timely and reliable, so I can't complain much. Being unwell for a week or so, and exhausted by longer than usual days at work, I've not really spent as much time watching the works at the station as I might, but I managed to wander out over the past couple of days to watch the clean-up in progress.

I've heard one or two bus passengers moaning that 'nothing much has changed' at the station when we've arrived of an evening. Not entirely true, as the renewed track is plain to see. The replacement crossover and work on the Up Loop (no longer just a goods loop I understand) are also fairly obvious. With this weekends big stock cascade to Arriva and the new timetable (which has a fair amount of cuts for the South West) First Great Western starts to make it's mark on our local services. We'll soon start to see familiar units in fresh paint again too. It's going to be an interesting Winter.

It was a late decision to book on this tour. With the daylight failing early, and the budget for such events definitely blown this year, it seemed like an extravagance. But faced with the long closure down here and very limited opportunities to get out and about, I threw caution to the wind, booked some accommodation in Ealing, and pretty much forgot about things until earlier this week! Glad I stayed last night rather than attempting any heroic journeys to the starting point today. We left rather late, but getting to Ealing early and chatting with some regulars was a nice gentle start to the day. After some signalling delays, our stock arrived around twenty minutes down, with 67016 at the head. The traction wasn't the attraction on this tour though, and it soon became apparent that our coach was a travelling meeting of the Branch Line Society. So, Quail maps out, we set out via Acton and the Brent Curve for the Midland Mainline. For some of us the tour fell at the first hurdle, with the booked routing via the Hendon Chord not producing. An announcement indicated that Network Rail claimed it was locked out of use pending removal, but there were some doubts expressed. Instead, we went over the top at Silkstream Flyover - new to me so not a problem. We were now a little under an hour late - and remained so for much of the day.

Once all of our pick ups were complete and 60013 was added to the rear of the train at Kettering, we headed for Loughborough South Junction where we took the curve behind the Brush Falcon Works and onto the northern section of the Great Central Railway. This former mainline to Nottingham, much more direct and less convoluted than the current route, has always fascinated me. Slow progress to East Leake where gypsum traffic still uses the lines, then a crawl to Rushcliffe Halt where the GCR(N)'s 25279 was attached to the front of our train to pilot us to Fifty Steps Junction. Once attached, the assembled masses were allowed onto the track for pictures. Unprecedented on the national network, this reminder of railtours past was welcomed by all but the most rabid track neds who wanted to ensure they saw all of our proposed route in daylight.

Also realised looking at the map that we were near the curiously named village of Bunny, where someone I'd met in my local had mentioned his parents owned a pub. After a reversal near to the Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre, back down the branch to Loughborough South and a bit of a score for me in doing Syston North to Syston East. This is possible on a number of service trains according to PSUL, but none that I'm likely to use this side of the next chance at a rover! Just shy of Melton Mowbray the train reversed again, onto the former Midland line to Nottingham at Melton Junction. This was the start of the test track proper, but first there was the matter of the lines into the Alstom Asfordby Test Centre to cover. Taking the curve at Asfordby Junction we progressed along the line beside the locked and gated Test Centre building well into the headshunt which was formerly the branch to the coal mine. as we made slow progress towards the buffers, one of the original Pendolino test drivers began a detailed, fascinating commentary on the tannoy which lasted throughout our visit. A bit of a surprise on reaching the end of the road however as 57311 was waiting for us courtesy of Virgin Trains and was soon attached to the back for the run up to Edwalton. How they got the locomotive there without anyone finding out in these days of the internet and the mobile 'phone is anyone's guess!

After rejoining the line at Holwell Junction (or at least somewhere near the site of the original junction) we made a fairly quick trip along the full extent of the line. This section of track is 25kV electrified and fit for 125mph running in places for the recent Pendolino tests. There are a number of curves laid at zero cant too, for tilt testing purposes. Naturally we took these fairly carefully! On reaching Edwalton, the end of the line for some time now, we crept as far as possible. The village of Tollerton was visible to the east, and to the west our first port of call today at Ruddington was only the matter of a couple of miles away. Time for some fun now, as 57311 was to haul the entire train (fourteen Mk1s and two locomotives) unassisted back to Old Dalby. Amazingly, the loco did incredibly well - with some quite speedy running. Had we been on time here, the plan had been to do a second run up to Edwalton. Someone somewhere was clearly having enough fun to decide that despite the lateness we could justify the run - and off we went again, this time stopping a little short of the buffers, and returning with both 67016 and 57311 providing traction. With the twilight descending, the lights of Nottingham were visible not far from line's end, and it was rather sad to realise just how close to having a direct route the city was, and how soon it might all be disappearing!

In gathering gloom, back to Holwell Junction where we bade 57311 goodbye and traversed the last side of the triangle before negotiating Melton Junction once again. An unscheduled stop at Melton Mowbray for some to escape, then via the Up Goods Loop (last used by Pedigree Petfoods!) to Corby and back to the Midland Mainline for a fairly quick run back to Ealing reversing the outward route. Given that I was undecided and rather late in booking, this turned out to be a really good fun 'old fashioned' railtour. Lots of atmosphere, lots of new track and some surprises. The timekeeping was not bad, considering we were at least consistently behind, not gaining and losing all the way like on some recent trips. Whether we'll be the last passenger train on the Old Dalby Test Track remains to be seen, but I think this tour will be remembered by all those on board for some time to come!