I arrived at about 10:50, just in time to see 92003 head north on the F'stowe to Trafford Park intermodal. It wasn't long before the southbound action started. 66954 on the 4L90 Lawley Street to Felixstowe. Apart from the two open/cradle containers and one other at the back the only load the train carried was a single 2TEU Maersk box.

The 4L90 was swiftly followed by 66728, light engine.

I still can't get my head around a train operating company with the word 'Midland' in the title which paints its trains green! I mean, it's simply not natural is it? It's going against the laws of nature. Nevertheless a pair of LM's 350s are well worth a picture on their way to Euston.

The first divert; the 4O54 Leeds to Southampton behind 66503

A new vantage point just to the north of Old Linslade is the new Stoke Hammond by-pass which parallels the line for about four miles. This is a Euston bound Voyager from Holyhead.

Now this was a surprise, 66119 on the 4M29 and hot on the heels of 66594 on 4M87, another train carrying a solitary 2TEU box on the rear flat. 4M29 was much better loaded.

66534 & 501 on the 4O02 Lawley Street to Southampton. I guess the second 66 was purely along for the ride, the train didn't warrant two 66s

And finally at Ledburn another pair of 350s...

...were followed by 66142 on the Trafford Park to Didcot intermodal. Given the engineering work I wonder whether this would go through to Eastleigh to tie up for the weekend before being tripped to Southampton on Monday?