MANCHESTER PICCADILLY: 86248 The 16:00 Euston catches the last, faint afternoon rays of the winter sun in 1985 or 86 in the hands of 86248 'Sir Clwyd - County of Clwyd'. The 16:00 departure was the last departure that could be reliably photographed on a bright winters day.

TODDINGTON: 26043 26043 is starting to look very shiny indeed. Still much to do, but it is coming along very nicely indeed.

POYNTON: 47543 & 87019 Well it is Sunday afternoon, so a look back 36 years to spring 1990 and 47543 on the Sunday drags. About the time with the DVTs in use the electric loco stayed on, whereas in the past the locos had swapped at Stafford. Happy memories of watching these!

MANCHESTER PICCADILLY: 31408 A lovely Autumn afternoon around 1984 sees 31408 departing Eastbound from Piccadilly. Highly likely the 13:45 Cleethorpes service.

NORWICH: 86226 Stockport Trains on Tour! A clean and tidy looking Norwich in spring 1988. Norwich felt like a very far flung destination, yet there was a world beyond over towards Yarmouth, with a direct service from Liverpool. With 31/4 haulage, the trip took around 3 weeks.

STOKE-ON-TRENT: 86/4 A very clean and tidy 86/4 pauses at Stoke with a northbound service. I seem to recall that this is 86403, and it is most likely 1988.

CREWE: 86427 'The Industrial Society' waits to take a service north. Looking at the light this would seem to the middle of the day in the summer. I'm going with 1986, but could be a year later.

STOCKPORT: 87004 'Britannia' manages to avoid the sun on a bright day in spring 1989 on an up Euston service. This one must be shot from an incoming train, which makes the lack of camera shake/motion blur quite remarkable (for me!).

MANCHESTER PICCADILLY: 08790 Hopefully getting back to regular postings now. Much parcels action on 10,11 & 12. One of the Longsight 08s is the centre of attention for a young fan on platform 10, as parcels are loaded on platform 11. I should say 1985 or 86.

CREWE: 47480 'Robin Hood' runs off Crewe diesel depot probably to take forward a Holyhead service at some point. This is spring 1983, and I'm being taught photography so not sure if this is me or Dad!

This by the way is how platform signs were done correctly; no hyphens/dashes (which were centred on x-height and looked terrible with numbers) or ampersands (which can easily be mistaken for a number)—better to use the words ‘to’ and ‘and’ (which is what the new Wayfinding guidance specifies)

Stumbled upon another unofficial Willesden duck (Brent goose?) on a blue locomotive, namely 86233 Laurence Olivier; worth bearing in mind this was one guy with scissors and vinyl and nothing to do with the depot itself :) flic.kr/p/AM9MDR (Roger Varley)

I heard that Dr L A Nixon passed away earlier this week. He was one of the inspirations of my youth. His regular magazine columns outlining his photography and darkroom work were great and helped me hugely. This shot is from my Les Nixon phase. Clearly, much, much work needed!

BURY BOLTON STREET: 40145 Not that I am slavishly following the trends set by @miles-and-chains.bsky.social this week, but here's a side on shot of 40145, probably in 1989 at an East Lancs diesel day. Nothing beats rail blue on these in my view!

MANCHESTER VICTORIA: 37714 A railfreight metals branded heavy class 37 waits at the west end of Victoria most likely in spring 1989. Didn't see too many 37/7s, it was mainly the 37/5s on the limestone trains which we saw.

CREWE: 86417 Dramatic skies over Crewe in 1986 for 'The Kingsman' which has just arrived with a northbound service. I seem to remember that the driver wasn't thrilled with his steed on this occasion and said so!

BURY BOLTON STREET: D1041 A sunnier day than we've seen for a while for 'Western Prince' at Bury in late spring 1989. Always a very willing, claggy performer I remember many great runs behind this loco. Hopefully we will see it again before too long.

POYNTON: 47431 A marmite shot - and a huge rescue job. The light and vegetation proved troublesome at Woodford Rd in 1988. I *just* found a gap though, and I love the composition. Never seen until Sunday when I scanned the neg! The A555 now crosses about where the train is.

CREWE: 45123 'The Lancashire Fusilier' out on test following a nine month (!) long heavy overhaul. The loco was released in April 1983, assuming that is what we are seeing, I'm being taught photography by Dad, who, I expect, shot this with his Voigtländer. Check out the cars!

Been an interesting but fun day at the East Lancs Railway for their Winter Diesel Day which was the last running day of 33109 before it is stood down for overhaul and refurbishment. There were plenty of opportunities to photo the loco and get some mileage behind it during the day. 😁

STALYBRIDGE: 45060 Today is a cold grey sort of day, invoking memories of the windswept platforms at Stalybridge so let's take a look back at such a day in Spring 1985. Something a little less than usual in the shape of 'Sherwood Forrester' to warm up the day, if not the train.

A minor technical hiccup in this afternoon's scanning session. No interest in the monochrome Deltic shots earlier, but all over some early colour shots I've just found of 47480!

MANCHESTER PICCADILLY: 304 VARIATIONS Contrasting window styles between the older 304/1 and later 304/2 and /3 EMUs. I took these with a view to scratch building a model of a 304 - can't ever fault my ambition, which then as now far exceeded ability!

MANCHESTER PICCADILLY: 86222 Continuing a theme. 'Fury', the future 86502 arrives into Piccadilly with an inter-regional working. This is probably how I remember 86/2s best - blue, short classic name, turning up everywhere. Loved them!

MANCHESTER PICCADILLY: 86502 Another 1989 view of the short lived 86502 showing the RF general decals. Apparently only four locos ever carried these decals. The 86/5s didn't last long being demanded back by IC, and 502 went back to being 222, but sadly not 'Fury'.

MANCHESTER PICCADILLY: 86502 A first sighting of the first generation of 86/5 in 1989. The former, and to be, 86222 stands at the blocks having brought in an ECS from Longsight. To note the Willesden Greyhound and the lack of sector marking (the other side had rare RF general).

MANCHESTER PICCADILLY: 86406 @miles_chains posted a great shot of the Royal Scot Pendelino a day ago in more or less this spot. Whilst the Pendelino might have a shot at the APT's record, and the 86/4 would surely get us there, sadly there would be no record set speedwise in the process!

STOCKPORT: 86252 'The Liverpool Daily Post' arrives into Stockport in 1985 with the 12:08 Euston, formed with a Pullman rake. I like the backdrop in this general view - the bay platform is intact, and there is actual coal visible in the coal yard! It still feels like yesterday!

MANCHESTER PICCADILLY: 86/4 Plenty of action on platform 10 - a mail trolley, some Fords and an inter-regional service brought in by most likely 86420. Looking at the front end it is probably early summer, and most likely 1986.

WILLESDEN: 86209 A visit to Willesden (sanctioned by the depot manager who escorted us round!) sees 'City of Coventry' and 86224 'Caledonian' next to an 85 and another 86/2 in spring 1986.

This sketch of Stockport Viaduct (1969) is by LS Lowry a graduate of @McrSchArt and leading Northern Artist. @stockportcouncil.bsky.social @stockporttrains.bsky.social @manmetuni.bsky.social @stockportviaduct.bsky.social #Northernart #art #artist #stockport #Manchester #mmu #manmet

MANCHESTER PICCADILLY: 86421 Interestingly (maybe, it is a slow day!) the 86/4s seem to have a different washer arrangement to the 86/2s. Here 86421 is fitted with a system on the wiper arm. The 86/2s had tabs with a jet on the bottom window frame. Never noticed that before!

MANCHESTER PICCADILLY: 86212 "This is a platform alteration. The 16:00 service to London Euston will depart from platform 10. Calling at Macclesfield, Stoke-on-Trent, Milton Keynes Central and London Euston"

MANCHESTER PICCADILLY: 86102 'Robert A Riddles' stands at the platform 7 blocks. The loco has most likely brought in an inter-regional service. The wood panelling in the mk2d BSO caught my eye - always seemed odd to have air-conditioned stock with wood interiors!

POYNTON: 253004 A cold snap and OHLE problems in Feb 86. The Plymouth HST makes an unscheduled stop to pick up Macclesfield bound passengers. My Manchester service was operated by a class 108. I was hardier (daft!) back then, I've cried off today's activity due to icy conditions!

Lovely stuff 87002 departs from Crewe working 1Z86 from London Euston to London Kings Cross via Edinburgh Departed 23 mins late from Crewe after being held outside for a platform

MANCHESTER PICCADILLY: 86415 'Rotary International' is unlikely to be greatly troubled by the single BG forming a southbound parcels working in 1985/6. Going over to platform 12 felt like a huge, slightly dangerous adventure, but there was usually something over there!

MANCHESTER PICCADILLY: 86255 As standard a three quarter shot as you can get! 'Penrith Beacon' waits at the platform 5 blocks in 1986. Was the goose an unofficial symbol for Willesden depot? I seem to remember something of that ilk?

STOCKPORT: 86404 Good Morning Everyone. Picking up the regular posts again after a bit of hiatus over Christmas... Here's a neat and tidy 86404 with a Euston service running off platform 1 due to a steam special held on 2. Early 1988 I think.

POYNTON: 47841 Happy New Year! Thank you to all that have followed, liked, commented or just enjoyed the photos. I wish you all a peaceful and most prosperous New Year. 47841 'The Institution of Mechanical Engineers' hurries a cross country train south through Poynton in 1989.

Morning. At Georgemas Junction, 26045 is involved with the attachment of the Thurso and Wick portions of an Inverness train. A ballast rake stands by. It's 29/04/81 and Bucks Fizz are making their mind up. 📷 c.Andy Hoare. Click the image to see his Flickr pages. www.flickr.com/photos/andy_...

47469 too; 7 Class 47s had #ScotRail branding with #FlameRed stripe (47461 had InterCity branding when it had a red stripe) 47430 47469 Glasgow Chamber of Commerce 47492 The Enterprising Scot 47541 The Queen Mother 47637 Springburn (47826) 47642 Strathisla 47643 flic.kr/p/2qsw3kJ (David Hopkins)

Couldn’t resist with the gorgeous sunset, hoping off at Ammington Junction. Waiting for a path out fast line due to a bank slip. #Sunset

Doncaster, 1981 55009 ‘Alycidon’ drops off and picks up on platform 1 at a rather colder and snowier December Doncaster than the balmy and definitely not coat worthy 13°c we’ve had today… #Doncaster #Yorkshire 📷 A Walker

CREWE: 45107 Towards the very end of the peaks in summer 1988 45107 is in use on a departmental working at Crewe. Interesting that the front coach is a disc braked mark 2 - possibly this is a brake / adhesion test working. Last class 45, bar green 106 that I saw on the mainline.

Yes - 637 was. Just found it. flic.kr/p/bbGYVH

MANCHESTER PICCADILLY: 47/4 An unusual visitor to platform 10 at Piccadilly in the shape of a ScotRail class 47/4 (is it 47643?) brings some interest to a routing afternoon in 1987. Something has eaten much of the dye in this negative - took some effort to get the shot here!

MANCHESTER PICCADILLY: 86407 I loved the period around 1986 and 87 when the bulk of the 86/4s emerged from Crewe. Workaday 86/0s were suddenly top link express passenger locos with new exciting names. A shot from volume 3 of the Electric Eighties series: tinyurl.com/electric-eig...

1126 in Basingstoke, 28.10.1983 #Thumper #basingstoke

MANCHESTER PICCADILLY: 86230 'The Duke of Wellington' takes a breather ahead of taking a Pullman rake south to Euston on a lovely sunny day in 1986. I seem to have a lot of shots of 86230 in rail blue - I recall it was one of the last to be repainted into Executive Livery.