Back in 1993 I took a couple of visit to the Nottinghamshire colliery lines, before closure eliminated many of the mines. Here a 56 in all-over blue passes the junction for Welbeck Colliery, the signal box a nice example of Great Central Railway signalbox design.

On May bank holiday 1993 this Standard 4MT 2-6-4T was bound for Skegness. I had hoped the Wainfleet signalman would pull the distant off, there did not appear to be a reason for him not to. Whatever, he didn't and the loco shut off steam and just drifted past the somersault.

Possibly the grandest station in the South of England, Dover Marine (by May 1993 Western Docks) was the South Eastern and Chatham's welcome mat to European visitors. By May 1993 it saw only a handful of boat train services and the hourly train to Victoria via the Chatham route. On the day this picture was taken another chapter was about to be closed as the final cross country train, to Manchester Piccadilly had just left.

Another shot at Welbeck Coliery Junction, a 58 arriving with empties for the mine in May 1993.

Another day out on the LSW in June 1993, here at Pirbright a Waterloo bound Exeter train.

Micheldever before the realignment. a pair of 37s on a Southampton bound train.

And finally that day, a Waterloo bound train crossing the viaduct at Hurstbourne.

Back in June 1993 Mel and I made a number of forays to the west of London. Here 37292 Sir Robert McAlpine is at Frome St Quentin on the 09:00 Bristol Temple Meads to Weymouth

Later in the day we caught the 08:35 Waterloo to Exeter St Davids west of Yeovil Junction

I spent New Year 1994 with my parents in North Yorkshire. New Years Day was bright and cold. This Morecambe bound train is approaching Hellifield.

I am not sure, but this may have been the final time that a boat train to Dover Western Docks was diverted via the Chatham route (on account of engineering works). It's January 29th 1994 and boat trains are entering their final season, by September they will be all but finished and Dover Western Docks station closed. In truth the trains are but a shadow of themselves, either one or two standard Southern EMUs, with little of the mystique of the Golden Arrow or Night Ferry of just a few years before. A single 4CEP suffices for the 10:25 'Channel Train', here passing Shepherdswell, the last LCDR signal box on the network.

The 12:10 Charing X to Hastings approach Frant on 5th February 1994

On 19th Feb the 13:04 Oxted to Uckfield leaving Cowden Tunnel

Southeastern branded their boat train service 'Channel Trains'. Undistinguished, except for the headcode. This is the 08:55 to Western Docks, near Marden. On the French side passengers to Paris via Etaples were treated to Corail stock, over here a square wheeled 4VEP sufficed.

The Folkestone Harbour branch has had a charmed life, and still seems to cling on despite Network Rail's attempt to close it. On 26th March 1994 the 12:25 fro Victoria descends towards the Harbour station.

A visit to Yorkshire to visit my parents in May 1994 gave me a break from boat trains. It was a beautiful weekend and mum and I went out into the Dales, stopping near Denthead for a picnic. This was the last shot on the film I remember, a Carlisle to Leeds local. I remember because about 30 minutes later a horde of railfans turned up, followed 10 minutes later by Sir Nigel Gresley! And me with no film.

the pictures that started this collection; 60019 Wild Boar Fell approaching Southease in Sussex's Ouse Valley on a train of sea dredged aggregate from Newhaven.

Fast forward to 2000 and the 11:10 from Acton to Grain passing Wandsworth Road behind what looks like a suspiciously new 66194.

Easter 2000, which was cold and stormy as I recall, was spent in the Welsh Marches. Here we are at Dorrington, between Shrewsbury and Craven Arms; the 15:26 Dee Marsh to Margam passing the signalbox. A nice mix of LM and GW style signals is a reminder of the North and West's 'joint' status

A subsequent visit to Micheldever in April 2000 revealed the realigned down line, which has changed the shot of Down trains approaching from Popham Tunnel. 47258 in Freightliner finery is on a Crewe to Southampton train.

On May 2nd 2000 a 60 approaches Alexandra Dock Junction on an Exeter Riverside to Cardiff Tidal scrap train, made of the then, new, JNAs

On May 2nd 2000 66187 on a train of loaded HAAs from Avonmouth takes the Uskmouth branch at East Usk Junction bound for, what was then known as, Fifoots Power Station. the LM upper quadrant semaphores on a GW design bracket is rather unusual.

A favourite location at lunchtime, before the footbridge was enclosed in a metal cage, was Nunhead. Freightliner have been running a Thamesport bound train through South London around mid-day or just after ever since I have subscribed to Freightmaster. In early May 2000 it was the 08:30 from Crewe, here behind 47205.

A much missed operation is the former British Steel tin plating works at Ebbw Vale, which I guess closed in 2001. Back on 10th May 2000 the 11:52 Margam to Ebbw Vale passes Llanhilleth.