'Well I really don't mind the rain, and the smile can hide all the pain But you're down when you're riding the train, that's taking the long way' - 'Rhinestone Cowboy' by Glen Campbell (1975) - 📷 Oakland, USA, 1957, taker unknown

It's 1982, in Leiden, in the Netherlands, and Freddie Mercury is about to board a train to Amsterdam where he'll have a nice cup of tea and an early night. Or perhaps not.

'Meet a girl on a boat, meet a boy on a train And fall in love, without the pain' Happy birthday Phil Oakey of The Human League, who turns 70 today 📷 Chapeltown, England, early 20th century, taken from the Sheffield Star archive

'And the three men I admire most The Father, Son and Holy Ghost They caught the last train for the coast The day the music died' Happy birthday Don McLean who turns 80 today

'On that train all graphite and glitter, undersea by rail Ninety minutes from New York to Paris, well by seventy-six we'll be A.O.K' - 'I.G.Y' (What A Beautiful World) by Donald Fagen (1982) - 📷 Gare du Nord, Paris, date and taker unknown

'How we worked, how we worked like the devil for our pay Through the wind, through the snow and through the rain' - 'Driving The Last Spike' by Genesis (1991) 📷 Victor Hand

"Sadly much of the mystique and glamour and romance has gone, but I still travel by train when I can." Happy birthday to Bryan Ferry who, get this, turns 80 today 📷 Trevor Ermel

This weekend marks the 200th anniversary of the modern railway, and I'll be on the BBC Radio 4 Friday edition of 'The World Tonight' from 10pm talking train songs & what it is about the railways that's fascinated generations of singers, songwriters & musicians. All aboard folks!

"My younger days was all fishing and trainspotting and there was one place where I could actually do both which was magical." Remembering Chas Hodges of Chas & Dave fame (plus more than a few star session turns), who died on this day in 2018 aged 74 📷 Trevor Ermel

'Take a little walk to the edge of town And go across the tracks Where the viaduct looms Like a bird of doom' Happy birthday Nick Cave who turns 68 today 📷 Trevor Ermel

'Over the points, over the points, over the points, over the points The six-five special's steamin' down the line The six-five special's right on time' Happy birthday Pete Murray, presenter of the 'Six-Five Special' TV show (among many other things), who turns 100 today

"Real life and picture postcard views are the joys of travelling by train. You can disengage from the process of travelling in that you're not pushing the pedals, walking or driving a car. You get on, sit down and daydream." - Andy McCluskey of OMD 📷 Nigel Petre

'Babe I'm leaving, I must be on my way The time is drawing near My train is going, I see it in your eyes The love, the need, your tears' - 'Babe' by Styx (1980) - 📷 Liverpool Street station, London, mid-1970s, taken by Tony Bock

Remembering Johnny Cash, the godfather of the train song genre, who died on this day in 2003 at the age of 71.

'Down by the railway siding In our secret world, we were colliding' - 'Secret World' by Peter Gabriel (1992) - 📷 Low Fell, England, 1975, taken by Trevor Ermel

'Rudy's on a train to nowhere, halfway down the line' Sad news breaking overnight of the death of Rick Davies, founding member and co-lead singer of Supertramp, who had been battling multiple myeloma for 10 years. He was 81. RIP Rick, and goodbye stranger 📷 Steve Randall

"The sound of the train whistle always had an underlying feeling of promise to it: 'Come away'. There is no other sound like it, haunting and imploring and mysterious. 'Come away'." - Chrissie Hynde, who turns 74 today (happy birthday Chrissie)

Jimi Hendrix arrives by train at Puttgarden, Germany, on 5th September 1970 in readiness for his appearance at the Love & Peace Festival on the island of Fehmarn the following day. It would be the last live performance of his life.

'The love train rides from coast to coast' - 'Sowing The Seeds Of Love' by Tears For Fears (1989) - 📷 Plymouth, England, 1974, taken by Trevor Ermel

"It was very descriptive of where we came from and, back then, it was also a little risque." Happy 77th birthday Don Brewer whose band, Grand Funk Railroad, hailed from Flint, Michigan, served by the Grand Trunk Western Railroad.

'From Julie Andrews, to Jerry Garcia Life was all fun and games I was out of my head, and underneath my bed Playing with electric trains' Happy birthday to Glenn Tilbrook of the band Squeeze, who turns 68 today

'Last train to London, just heading out Last train to London, just leaving town' - 'Last Train To London' by ELO (1979) - 📷 Plymouth, England, 1977, taken by Trevor Ermel

'Now I hear there's a train, it's coming on down the line It's yours if you hurry, you've got still enough time' - 'This Is The Sea' by The Waterboys (1985) - 📷 Teignmouth, England, 1975, taken by Trevor Ermel

‘For the graveyard, thirty boxes of bone’ - 'Graveyard Train' by Creedence Clearwater Revival (1969) - 📷 Los Angeles, USA, circa 1961, taken from the Jack Finn Collection

"Every 15 minutes an electric commuter train pulls in, but occasionally a noisy leviathan of steam will rumble over the bridge of Station Road and the boy at number 84 will run out and experience the near sexual thrill of the machine that made George Stephenson famous." – Sting

'Listen to the night streamliner Sounding like the wolves of hell!' - 'Long Shadow' by Joe Strummer on what would have been his 73rd birthday 📷 Herbie Yamaguchi

'Terry meets Julie, Waterloo station, every Friday night' Remembering Terence Stamp, who has died at the age of 87 📷 David Rostance

'Let's not go home, we'll catch the late train I've got enough money to pay all the way' - 'Two Divided By Zero' by the Pet Shop Boys - 📷 Grantham, England, late 1970s, photographer unknown

'I'm just another western guy, with desires that I can't satisfy So all the love I gave to you means nothing at all Dear God, God, God, this slow train to dawn' Happy birthday Matt Johnson of The The who turns 64 today 📷 Trevor Ermel

'Down around the corner, half a mile from here See them long trains run, and you watch them disappear' Happy birthday Tom Johnston of The Doobie Brothers, the man who wrote 'Long Train Runnin', who turns 77 today

'What's wrong with us little girl? Unsafe in our own stupid world We're always catching some train Careering us back where we came' - 'Crisis Of Mine' by The Undertones on this, the 67th birthday of lead singer Feargal Sharkey - 📷 York, England, 1978, taken by Trevor Ermel

It's National Vinyl Record Day in the UK today. All of which begs the question 'What's your favourite train song?' Feel free to choose a track (pun intended) from your own vinyl collection, should you have one.

'So I stop one day to figure it out I'll quit my job without a shadow of a doubt To sing the blues that I know about My life is just a slow train crawling up a hill' - 'Crawling Up A Hill' by Katie Melua (2003) - 📷 Blea Moor, England, 2025, taken by @spencervignes.bsky.social

'I was just thinking, we could meet any time On number two platform, where I usually find My friends at the end of the day' – ‘Trains’ by Ian Anderson, who turns 78 this very day - 📷 Darlington, England, 1977, taken by Trevor Ermel

'I always seem to be saying goodbye And rolling through the mountains, like a train' - 'Carnage' by Nick Cave (2021) - 📷 Cowgill, England, 2025, taken by @spencervignes.bsky.social

'You and I should ride the coast and wind up in our favourite coats just miles away' - 'The Day We Caught The Train' by Ocean Colour Scene (1996) - 📷 Teignmouth, England, 1975, taken by Trevor Ermel

'I'm leaving on the fast train Don't ask me when I'm coming back again' - 'Never Take Me Alive' by Spear Of Destiny (1987) - 📷 Donner Pass, California, 1974, taken by David Stanley

'I wanna be that train, I wanna be that free Hang onto that track is all they'll ever ask of me Smooth heavy wheels to roll me away I wanna be that train' - 'That Train' by Chely Wright (2010) - 📷 Carlisle, England, 1968, taken by Trevor Ermel

Train song fact: Steve Goodman, born on this day in 1948, was inspired to write 'City of New Orleans' after hearing the Illinois Central Railroad was considering axing the train of the same name (which ran daily between Chicago and New Orleans) due to falling passenger numbers.

'And by the rhythm of the rails Reading all his mother's mail' - 'The Big Parade' by 10,000 Maniacs (1989) - 📷 Bradford, England, late 1990s, taker unknown

'I'm headed for the station with a pack on my back I'm tired of transportation in the back of a hack I just love the rhythm of the clickety clack I hear the whistle blowing, see the smoke from the stack' - 'Choo Choo Ch'Boogie' by Louis Jordan & His Tympany Five (1946) - 📷 Ben Brooksbank

'Mental wounds not healing Life's a bitter shame I'm going off the rails on a crazy train' - 'Crazy Train' by Ozzy Osbourne (1980) 📷 Dick Neumiller

'When I left my home and my family, I was no more than a boy In the company of strangers, in the quiet of the railway station, running scared' - 'The Boxer' by Simon & Garfunkel (1970) - 📷 Kings Cross station, London, mid-1960s, taker unknown

'All the finest ladies and their gentlemen friends In the Pullman cars coming round the bend' - 'Railroad Spikes' by Graham Parker & The Rumour (2015) - 📷 Marshfield, Wales, early 1970s, taken by George Woods

"There is a romance about trains and a sort of escapism as well that really appealed to me." - Graham Gouldman, songwriter & co-founder of 10cc, on the influence of trains & railways in his music and lyrics 📷 Lyn Brown

'The first thing I remember knowing Was a lonesome whistle blowing And a young un's dream of growing up to ride On a freight train leaving town Not knowing where I'm bound And no one could change my mind, but mama tried' - 'Mama Tried' by Merle Haggard (1968) 📷 Ogle Winston Link

‘So I saw that train and I got on it With a heart full of hate and a lust for vomit – ‘Sunnyside of the Street’ by The Pogues (1990) - 📷 Paddington station, London, 1975, taken by Trevor Ermel

'Well pistons keep on churnin' And the wheels go round and round' - 'Long Train Runnin' by The Doobie Brothers (1973) - 📷 Grayrigg, England, 1967, taken by David Rostance

'No time for a quick kiss at the railway station Just time for a suitcase, sandwich and a morning paper' - 'No Time This Time' by The Police (1979) - 📷 The Police, Newcastle Central station, England, 1981 (The Chronicle)

Remembering George Michael, born on this day in 1963, pictured here (accompanied by a 'Bullet Train') on tour in Japan in February 1988.