Definitely one of the more quieter station openings I've been to, but great fun nonetheless! Hello Darlaston and Willenhall! Your new Black Country train stations

My new camera has been out and about recently, here are some fun results Newcastle - Choose your fighter. Still getting used to shooting with my new equipment so not as sharp as I'd have liked but still a good effort methinks, especially the surprise 397 that came out from absolutely nowhere!

One for my neurodiverse followers out there - Do you find that job application that involve the use of AI tend to drag you down or even result in a rejection that you'd be fairly confident would've resulted in getting to the next recruitment stage if it was human read? I've been finding... 1/2

I apologise to earlies, you're okay actually. End of my permanent late era in a few weeks time ig

There's something fun about working trains when the sun is out ☀️ 1F32 back to Sheffield this afternoon reminded me how much I love working in a moving office. Every time I look out the window, I've got a different view, it's just utterly brilliant! 😁

My first day back after 9 days off...... and I worked an early shift? 👀 I'm going back to earlies for the week as I explore the idea of potentially swapping back to the standard week of lates, week of earlies pattern for a couple of personal reasons So far, they're not as bad as I remember! 😅

Definitely a photo I'm proud of, the Shard is silly tall though! 465908 "Chris Green" in NSE Livery is seen calling at London Bridge with 2H48: 1726 Charing Cross to Tunbridge Wells service during the evening peak Getting a photo from P5 during the peak is always risky with frequent Thameslinks!

So, I need to be down south but I was up in Edinburgh last night Oh, an excuse to use the sleeper? Absolutely! Not as good sleep as last August as I had a cabin near the bogie but still acceptable enough! Two winning 92s in the book and my traveling hotel has done its job 😁

Today was a "Boxes Day" By filling out one of my two boxes, I was granted 1st on LNER, so myself and @pacerclara.insanity.tube made best use of it by going from London to Edinburgh via a "Signature" menu 225 to Leeds then an Azuma from York Delicious food as always, rateable traction to start 😎

Oh my word Hadestown, you were absolutely phenomenal! @pacerclara.insanity.tube got me a pair of tickets for Christmas and we had such a fantastic time watching Hadestown. Wait for Me is the best song of the lot by far, THOSE LAMPS THO! So glad to get back into watching shows again 😊

Well, that's me done for 9 days now 🎉 Have three Meridians all satisfyingly lined up in a row with a TMST lurking in the background Time to relax for a couple of days before an exciting few days of getting the mileage in

That's exactly what happened one rainy Friday and how a new chapter for MkIV Preservation began It's going to be ambitious, but with the right people in hand, we've got a brilliant team and I look forward to seeing what we achieve Welcome to 225 Preservation 😊 225.org.uk

Some absolutely fantastic news coming out of Strawberry Hill, hats off to you all! It'll be lovely to relive my childhood for many more years to come down the line 😊

It's gone 2am and I've randomly booked a sleeper I truly live the dream ADHD life you see

Roses are red Violets are blue Your train has been cancelled Due to lack of train crew

This week is my "Late Late" week where I have all the latest starts. It's been helpful for me as it's given me time to beaver away at possibly one of the most fun projects I've got to work on in a long time Have a fun image in the meantime from Monday with 360104 parked up alongside 222104 😁

Yeah okay I like this camera, decent investment Have a selection of photos from Pride Parkway near Derby. Sadly the rain put me off taking more photos around there but it is what it is hey

So, after a year of not picking up the camera, I've got a brand new Z50, my first mirrorless! 😄 Let's give it a test shall we?

Both units have now been stood down, that's it, no more 7 car Meridians 🫡

Bit of radio silence here, nothing to worry about, just had not much to report really, just plodding along 😅 I do have another project lined up at least, I look forward to being able to announce it. For now, have an unrelated photo of a 225 at Leeds in 2023

As of today, there are now 3 Auroras out in daily passenger service now! This means that the 7 car Meridians have now gone entirely ad-hoc, it won't be long until they head over to Lumo with just 003 and 004 available for passenger service currently

Another fun long weekend in the big smoke with @pacerclara.insanity.tube! Friday consisted of doing the Thames Valley branches. They're always great fun to do, especially the Marlow Donkey with its funky ground frame Back in the hotel early though, couldn't miss The Traitors final! 😆 1/3

It appears to have released, enjoy shiny new train but with Nick youtu.be/Ta8xY9oKuI4?...

The year is 2026, I had a pair of these to Wimbledon yesterday Bloody marvelous!

7 days of trade plying the trade up and down the Midland complete once more Was back on Auroras once again throughout the week, seen here is 810006 ready to make yesterday's 1C68: 1535 Sheffield to St Pancras which went nice and smoothly What to do with 5 days off? Adventure methinks!

Half way through this run of shifts and my Aurora hiatus broke through today with 810013 for my first time Hadn't worked one for the entire week! More Aurora work as we break into the new week at least

Horrific news coming out from Spain's high speed railway network this evening. My thoughts are with the emergency services, everyone onboard and those caught up directly and indirectly in such a tragedy

It took 17 days this time, solid effort

Spent the two days off darting around all over the place 14 days in and I've done my first visit to Scotland! A lovely day spent around Edinburgh with @pacerclara.insanity.tube in my favourite city, now with a not-as-scafolded North Bridge which looks amazing!

Yesterday was day 7/7 on the Iron Road The weekend was eventful indeed with my unit on Monday also holding Luton up for a bit (whoops!) Nonetheless it's been good fun, time for a couple days off before continuing the week solely on Meridians 😱

I've spent quite a bit of time this week on Auroras! I'm just 25 chains short of 3,000 miles on 810s now as I've copped quite a lot of late turns which finish on the new trains Have 810010 at Sheffield after completing 1F82 on Friday. I also worked it today for two trips

Last Tuesday, I hopped on the S&C Diverts trend, but started from Wrexham to be cool 😎 805013 was my train all the way to Carlisle with 009 simply providing extra power as the set was locked out of use I had plenty of fun and some brilliant company from Preston, just wished the S&C had snow! 😅

Once the sun set, my plan suddenly came together Frodsham ✅ Helsby ✅ Lea Green ✅ But most importantly, the Ellesmere parliamentary ran this evening! Ellesmere Port ✅ I'll have to come back for Ince & Elton though! Also scored the rarely used Platform 3 at Earlestown 😎

Off on an adventure with a plan..... which has fallen apart 😭 Was hoping to tick off more than just Kidsgrove and Alasager, but Stone and Longport will have to wait now Also scored Penkridge and Runcorn, but had to also miss out Runcorn East and Frodsham, the railway not being on my side today 🥲

Went to meet a friend in Ely today which meant I ✨finally✨ got to experience the refurbished 158 It's a very simple refurbishment, but does the 158s up fine for their final few years Also shacked off my first station for 2026. Hello Thetford 👋

This lasted 13 hours

I've not worked a Meridian since last year 😌

107,231 miles later, 222007 becomes my final train of the year and the last train I work this year I feel 2025 for me has been one of those that's definitely had ups but equally its downs too. Fingers crossed for a better 2026, that's for sure Have a lovely new year folks! 😄

I did my traction training with 222003 I worked my first train after qualifying with 222003 Unless I get any set swaps or shifts off spare, my last ever 7 car Meridian worked was 222003 last night on the 1802 from St Pancras to Sheffield 🫡 There's roughly 2 weeks or so to go for the 7 cars

Have a very merry Christmas folks! May your presents be excellent and your Christmas Dinners be tasty 😊 (destination set whilst train was being locked up, reverted with plenty of time before boarding commenced)

That's me done until after Christmas! Lovely to work quite a few 810s recently, they're definitely growing on me and I'm preferring to work them over Meridians. Can't wait for there to be more around

It appears 1X01 is back 👀 www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-n...

I've got a lot to hand to the South Western 455s They ignited my passion for trains, these little red boxes were what I remember growing up in Surbiton. They've led to a passion that then became friends for life and a career to be proud of What a brilliant day! I'll miss these lovely trains 🥲

Oh, my original childhood train is being withdrawn Suppose I better enjoy the next few hours 🥲

Any rail staff here had difficulty trying to add PRIV to their Oyster since they were renewed at the end of October? Tried three different places and still no luck

Today ended up being more exciting than expected, most of this was spontaneous To start with, the least spontaneous of the lot. Got to stress test the new Velocity Timetable with a York to Edinburgh run. Just 47 minutes from York to Newcastle was especially great! 1/3

Happy timetable change day to all those who celebrate 🥂 May your Matlock trains go to Cleethorpes and your London to Edinburghs be done in 4hrs 9mins

What's that? You'd also like to host on a shiny new train? (and 222s for now) Good news if you live within 60 minutes of Derby, Nottingham or St Pancras, we're looking for more people! We're a cool and friendly bunch, go on, why not apply? jobs.eastmidlandsrailway.co.uk/vacancies.as...

Ended the week on a real high... by working some 810s! ✨ Worked 006 and 012 for the first time. 810012 in particular was on its first day and also included the first ever 810 to carry passenger through Toton and the Erewash Line... so hey, cool little credits 😊 Now for a weekend off 😌

Good evening, I heard you like satisfying numbers, have 810006 and 222006 next to one another, hope this helps :)