56311 and 312 passing Redhill...

...as the 0Z56 Ashford to Hams Hall. Hopefully on Monday I might get them with a load.

Later on Thursday Colas operated 6Z48 ThO Burton on Trent to Dollands Moor empty steel rattles through Kensington Olympia, the cognoscenti was on hand to record the occasion.

In days gone by Olympia (formerly Addison Road) was a bit of a backwater. Not anymore. Both the London Overground and the Southern services were full and standing both on arrival and departure.

A welcome return are regular scrap trains from Hitchin to Sheerness (6Z66). Thursday's working came through Kenny O like a bat out of hell.

The 6M95 nuclear flasks is a well established working which also attracts the fans. Now it has some competition in the vintage traction stakes. The 37s put on a great show as they power through Olympia a few minutes late at 19:30.

A Barking to Gospel Oak service arrives at Upper Holloway. A fellow railfan observes.

This is what we were both waiting for, the 4M87 to Trafford Park with 90049 tucked in behind 66535.

The 07:00 from Kings Cross in a short lived shower of rain at Alexandra Palace

30 minutes later the sun was out for the 1M16 Highland Sleeper.

The sleeper overtakes an FCC Moorgate train whilst a 317 heads north on a Cambridge slow. On the down goods another pair of empty 313s returning to somewhere on the Hertford Loop for another trainload of commuters, destination Moorgate.

The ECS off the 06:20 from Peterborough en-route to Welwyn GC.

56312 rolling through Redhill on a late running 4Z91, bringing a spark of interest to the Brighton Line freight scene

A trio of 456s approaching Balham from the direction of Streatham Common. The line through Balham and on to Streatham Hill (in the background) is that of the erstwhile West End of London and Crystal Palace Railway, opened in the 1850s, and offering both the LB&SC and the LC&D a tortuous route to the west end terminus which became Victoria. What is now the mainline via Selhurst opened at a later date, offering a more direct route from Victoria to Croydon and the Brighton's original mainline to London Bridge.

56312 on time at 13:53 rounding the curve on the 4Z91 inter-modal to Hams Hall. I was surprised that I was the only photographer in evidence, so maybe this new service is no longer a novelty.

The 6E52 on the Down Goods between Hornsey and Ally Pally. A pair of 317s races towards King's Cross

The loaded 6Z66 coming off the King's Cross incline at Camden Road East.

The 4S88 to Coatbridge passing through Highbury and Islington. The rails have been removed from No.1 track whilst work goes on preparing the formation for the reinstatement of two tracks in preparation for the extension of East London Line trains to Highbury in 2011.

The 7O81 labours up the grade through Harringay Green Lanes...

...passing 59101 on 6L21 under Wightman Road bridge

Another shot of the 4Z91 at Redhill, emerging off the Tonbridge line and taking the through line towards LOndon, following a Reigate to Charing Cross train

Interestingly a refrigerated container (reefer) was on the last flat. RAIL magazine reported that it was carrying a shipment of Italian melons. Hopefully more fruit and veg will travel by train if this is a successful trial.