#Team70 70005 waits in the goods loop at Banbury this evening with a service to Southampton Maritime.

It's been a hot minute since I last drove a 70. #Team70 70016 with a service from Southampton Maritime to Trafford Park. Seen waiting time at Coventry. I'm now at Nuneaton waiting for my return working which should have 70005 up front 😁

4 years ago today, I worked my final shift as a Commercial Guard with SWR. 450040 formed 2E91 from Southampton Central to Portsmouth & Southsea. Then, after a long break, I worked 1P27 from Fratton to Portsmouth Harbour with 444024 & 031.

66613 at Maritime today. Not my loco sadly. However, I'll shortly be departing with a service heading for Doncaster, but I'll only be going as far as Basingstoke with it.

66512 will once again lead my train out of Southampton Maritime for Garston tonight. With me as far as Birmingham International.

My first night back at work. 66512 has just arrived at Birmingham International from Southampton and will continue on to Garston.

Meet Wes! Several Volvo Olympians were painted into Stagecoach South West Trains livery for use on rail replacement services. These replaced the tri-axle Leyland Olympians, which were withdrawn about mid 2011.

A late entry into #FrontEndFriday as #Freightliner 70009, still on long term hire to #ColasRail, storms through Chesterfield on 0Z02 Bescot Up Engineers Sidings - Doncaster West Yard. #Class70

This is Vic. Based on the shorter wheelbase chassis, as can be seen by the missing smaller window. Also note that the entrance doors are level rather than split. And they're wearing the original chevron livery, which I can remember them in (and is my personal favourite).

Meet Oly! 👋🏻 Based on the Volvo Olympian. Once the most numerous types of double-decker with Stagecoach, being completely withdrawn by 2015. I had great fun driving these in service and very much miss them!

Meet Big Blue. I've been working on this character for a long time (on & off) and couldn't work out how to finish it to a standard I was happy with. After many changes, I'm happy with how it turned out 😁

Pair of Vectrons! 248 106 & 248 105 top and tail at Frankfurt Hbf earlier today.

Bit of a dreary evening down at Maritime this evening. Taken from the doorway of 66563 shortly before departure.

#Team70 70008 is scheduled to work 4o31 tonight from Leeds to Southampton MCT. Seen at Wallers Ash Loop on 27th December 2024.

66523 sat at Maritime in Redbridge sidings 1, shortly to depart with a service for Leeds. With a crew change at Eastleigh.

Back in March of this year. 08530 tucked up inside the wagon shed at Maritime.

08683 drags a rake of auto ballasters adjacent to platform 3, while 69004 "RIDC Melton" passes light engine through platform 3. Eastleigh, August 2025

May 2024. #Team70 70020 pauses at Wolvercote Junction with 4M65 while 70007 races by with 4S59.

66548 at Basingstoke, having just arrived from Maritime. Travelled through some pretty heavy rain, even on the fastest setting, the wiper couldn't clear it fast enough. Even had to sound the horn and clear it of rain water 😂 🌧📣💦

66540 "Ruby" at Maritime after arriving with 4o25 and its 30 wagons of motorcycle doors. The heavens opened up shortly after this photo was taken 🌧

Greeted by two test trains at Eastleigh this morning when starting work. One top & tail 37s, the other 73s. 37254 "Cardiff Canton" and (I think) 73964 "Jeanette" at one end of their respective trains with matching class mates at the other.

Spare shift today, went to Maritime to find my wallet I thought I'd left there on Saturday (spoiler.... it wasn't). So, while waiting to get back to Eastleigh, we see a pair of GWR 158s heading for Cardiff and SWR heading for London, passing through Redbridge. (My wallet was in my work bag 🤦🏻‍♂️)

DB 66001 sat on 3 road down at Maritime this morning while 66508 "City of Doncaster" is parked up in the sidings for the weekend.

#Team70 70005 waiting silent and idle at Maritime. Which will form my train as far as Basingstoke via Andover.

🥳🥳🥳 🖍 Big red pen moment! 😃 66597 "Viridor" has evaded me for almost 4 years. Well, today I got to drive it for the first time. All I need now is 552 to return to traffic and that will complete all 66/5s, then all I need is the 66/6s 😁😁

#Team70 70004 "The Coal Industry Society" behind Redbridge station. The train will go via Laverstock & Andover to Basingstoke, where I will hand over to a colleague, who informed me this is his last ever train with FL before he joins Avanti 🥳 all the best 🫡

This.... this right here is why I can't be trusted with Internet access and a disposable income 🤦🏻‍♂️ but I had to! A #Team70 USB stick! I think it's a promotional item made for the class 70s when new, I don't really know anything about it, other than I had to have it 😂😁

#Team70 70004 "The Coal Industry Society" waits at a red at Worting Junction this morning as the last passenger service of the day goes ahead via Andover towards Salisbury.

My newest purchase has returned home 🤩

Beautiful sunset at Maritime this evening. 08785 can just be seen in its usual spot, 66414 on the fuel point and #Team70 70015 chugging away to itself in the sidings. Photo taken from aboard 66415 "You Are Never Alone"

It’s a fair cop gov! There may be some questions we need to ask about the validity of your emissions certificate Sir! 70812 Starts away with a heavy load of ballast from York following a quick driver change. #Class70 #ColasRailfreight #York

😱 SECOND RED PEN OF THE SHIFT 🖍🖍🖍 And it's another 66/6 🫠😁 this time 66610 at the head of (the now heavily delayed) 4E48. This now gives me reason to get 610 in model form 😂 but two 66/6s in one shift!? That only happens to Heavy Haul drivers 🤣

🖍🖍🖍 Red pen moment 😁🥳 66615 made an appearance on 4o99 today, and it just so happened that I was booked to work it from Eastleigh to Maritime for the last leg of its journey.

#Team70 70004 "The Coal Industry Society" waits time at Wolvercote Junction, just north of Oxford this morning with a service to Birmingham Lawley Street.

#Team70 70015 appears to dwarf 66001 as it draws towards me as my train is being put together 🤩 I also may or may not have smoked out Southampton Central with it as I passed through 😶‍🌫️

☝🏻 Shed, numero uno 🥇 DB 66001 parked under the road bridge at Maritime this morning.

Another early morning start today and #Team70 70004 "The Coal Industry Society" has just been put away at Southampton Maritime.

#Team70 70010 roars into life as it departs from Eastleigh with a service to Birmingham, having just brought it up from Southampton.

An interloper at Maritime this morning. 66610 sat in the loco sidings next to 66419 "Lionesses Roar". Would be a winning shed if it was on one of my trains. Next time maybe.

A rose 🌹 between two thorns at the Greatest Gathering. Halfway up the country to see a loco I have driven plenty of times at work 😂 but had an enjoyable railtour up from Eastleigh (& return) with a great group of friends, saw lots, but feel like I missed loads 😅

66506 "Crewe Regeneration" watches as 66522 drags 66531 off the fuel point and puts it away into one of the loco sidings this morning.

Right place at the right time. 57313 "Scarborough Castle" & 47815 "Hreat Western" departing Eastleigh earlier with 1Z84. I just so happened to be booking on for shift as it came through and stopped at a red.

66542 & 66540 "Ruby" waiting to depart Maritime early tonight in order to beat a possession taking place at Eastleigh later this evening.

A rather large collection of locos heading up to Derby for the Greatest Gathering just now (66501,90018,70008,57604 and 59201)! Hopefully it doesn't make @teamgreen70020.bsky.social too weak at the knees😂

Colas Railfreight 66848 & 66849 "Wylam Dilly" with 56051 "Survival" sat over at East Yard, while EWS liveried DB 66096 can be seen opposite platform 3.

#Team70 70020 waits patiently to depart from Maritime tonight, via Redbridge/Andover. Being diverted due to emergency possession at Eastleigh.

Had belting run from Nuneaton to Maritime this morning, even managed 73mph through the middle at Eastleigh 🫨😂 #Team70 70020 seen waiting outside Maritime terminal in the early hours this morning.

444014 & 444035 head towards Southampton Central as it passes through Redbridge & Maritime under a clear blue sky. The heat haze is clearly visible too 🥵

#Team70 70020 disappears into Maritime as I'm about to climb up into 70002 and take it forward to Eastleigh.

#Team70 70020 seen at Landor Street Junction this evening with a service from Leeds. I take it the remaining 140 miles south to Southampton Maritime and then work one forward to Eastleigh.