Not what I was expecting. At 05:40 this FCC 313 headed north, I guess bound for Wolverton.

The Lowland Sleeper, 1M11 behind 90026. Running early, it is only due through Rugby at 05:35 but passed me at 05:50. Taken from the new sound barrier which extends almost from the mouth of Linslade Tunnel all the way to the lane to Heath and Reach.

A single Voyager (empty I think) heading towards Euston.

At 06:11 the sound of an EMD 710 engine heralded the arrival of 66588 on the 4M75, a new Freightliner working from Felixstowe to Birch Coppice. The fog which was thick from Leighton Buzzard to Tring was still hanging over the ridge through which Linslade Tunnel burrows.

Some 20 minutes later another Freightliner working, this the 4M52 with 66590 in charge.

No sooner had the sound of the 4M52 died away than a southbound train could be heard approaching. 66715 Valour (named after the Great Central Railway's war memorial locomotive) on the 4L02...

...scaring some sheep, who until then had proved remarkably inquisitive. The sound barrier is the ground beyond the sheep enclosed by the wire fence. It does make a good location for shots of northbounds emerging from Linslade Tunnel.

At 06:37 the 5A06 ECS working from Crewe to Euston scooted past, making ready to work the 07:43 Euston to Birmingham New Street. As on Tuesday 90019 is on the job.

DBS inter-modal 4M46 from Novara in Italy.

And another southbound Voayger, this time carrying passengers.

The Highland Sleeper, 1M16 behind 90029. Personally speaking I preferred the old National Express Scotrail livery on the sleepers over the First Group scheme. Both were/are blue but the NatEx example was far more stylish. Maybe Dynamic Lines livery would look better?

A pair of Desiros heads north.

66706 on the 4M21 to Hams Hall, GBRf run what is almost a shuttle service between Felixstowe and Hams Hall these days.

An old favourite, the 4L89 behind 90043.

Looking towards Linslade Tunnel, 66587 emerges on the 4M45 to Ditton.

A nicely loaded train, in fact all the liner/inter-modals I saw had respectable loads.

Beauty and the beast. I know beauty is in the eye of the beholder but if nothing else privatisation has got us away from BR's 'engineered' Mk 3 designs, like the 321s and given us well designed units like the 350s. I admit the 321s are probably the best of a bad lot (the original 317s are unspeakable) but that is not saying much.

90019 returns at the head of the 07:43 to Birmingham New Street, the 1G06