43159 leads UK Railtours' Teddy's Nook tour into Willesden Junction on 30 May 2026, surely a rare calling point for an HST!

Semaphore signals silhouetted in the evening sun at Littlehampton 23/05/2026.

0-6-0 tank engine "Waggoner" leads its train away from Smallbrook Junction on 23/5/2026.

Former London Underground unit 484001 passes the signalbox leaving Ryde St Johns Road on 23 May 2026.

What a day on Saturday on the Brigg line. A line and stations I hadn't visited before, and how great to see the trains so well used, and a nice touch by Northern to provide the headboard. Hopefully, this will encourage them to improve the service levels over the line. @iblrg.bsky.social

Finally, I've alighted at the station that has given its name to the line, Brigg. It serves a small North Lincolnshire town & has a signal box at the level crossing to the east. The town is worth a visit; I recommend the fish & chip shop on the main street. @iblrg.bsky.social

66050 took me by surprise, but is seen here passing Kirton Lindsey with a Tinsley - Immingham freight.

With Northern running a four car set to provide the service, it's interesting that the guard (conductor?) has to open each set of doors manually from outside with the platforms being short. Kirton Lindsey is an isolated single platform station; the station house survives in private ownership.

Barnetby is a particularly bleak station, although has enough steel in the footbridge to build an ocean liner!'

Arrived in Gainsborough Central for the special 4 each way trains over the Brigg line - usually none at all at weekends. In a classic example of provide it and people will use it, about 60-70 people waiting to board. @iblrg.bsky.social

An easy 20 minute connection as I change from Voyager 221125 to a more comfortable 158817 at Sheffield, as I head towards today's target.

Recommend watching this video - among others, Simon visits Avoncliff, my favourite station of all.

Station number 900 on this voyage of discovery is Riding Mill on the Newcastle - Carlisle line. 158908 does the honours at this peaceful station. The original building survives, albeit not in railway use.

158843 departs from Prudhoe on 24/04/2026.

66687 answers the question of whether there is still freight on the Blyth & Tyne route in between the reinstated passenger services, as it passes through Newsham.

I agree with a lot of YouTube creators that the stations on the Ashington branch are fine functionally, but lack something aesthetically. Bedlington is the only one with any original features, being the signalboxes and the original station building.

After a long journey to the frozen north, Newcastle turns out to be sunshine central! 156447 waits before taking me onwards to Ashington, to explore the stations newly opened over the last 18 months or so.

66589 applies power as it passes through Cheltenham Spa on 24/04/2026. Its booked stop in Lansdown loop beyond the station has been cancelled so it is pressing on towards South Wales.

TfW unit 230007 is seen at Wrexham General and Wrexham Central on 12/04/2026.

Nothing typifies the lack of thinking that goes into our Railway services more than getting off one train full and standing, onto a shorter train, full and even more standing, but in between a train trundles through empty stock rather than strengthening either service. Leominster pictured.

While planning a Sunday itinerary to visit the stations on the Marches line, I could see a big gap between trains at Craven Arms. Filling this by continuing to Broome and walking back means I've definitely completed my steps for today!

After problems on the Ivanhoe line this morning, EMR picked up when I switched to the Derby-Crewe line. The main objective of the day was achieved by alighting at Peartree, and the rain held off for the walk from there to Derby. 170271 is seen leaving Peartree.

EMR unit 170530 approaches Tutbury & Hatton with a service to Crewe. The semaphore guards the level crossing between the staggered platforms for trains towards Derby.

I made a pleasant discovery at Kidsgrove - tucked between platforms 2 & 3 is a secluded garden area with benches. Given I was only here as I didn't fancy sitting in the Stoke on Trent wind tunnel for an extra half hour, this was most fortuitous. 170512 & 170273 are pictured.

Attenborough is a beautifully presented station, although like many EMR smaller stations it seems to be lacking in amenities. EMR themselves are performing to their usual standard, with cancellations and late-running thwarting my plans.

67020 approaches its stop at Nantwich with a TfW service to Cardiff Central on 10/04/2026.

67015 puts in a big effort pushing a TfW service for Manchester as it passes Prees 4 minutes behind time.

The last of the new West Mids stations is Darlaston, which has a large car park adjacent and is clearly intended to be a Park & ride station. 66313 passes on a freight service from Small Heath to Tunstead, but I am concerned about the impending apocalyptic flood!

Willenhall opened about 2 weeks ago, and again seems well designed and executed. The colourful mural enhances the station and is a nod to the local locksmith industry.

Moseley Village is located in a cutting, and has a short tunnel at one end with an unusual entrance. It does have a spacious concourse area at street-level, situated above the tunnel.

The brilliantly named Pineapple Road station is another of the new ones. I like that all the new stations have been provided with proper platform canopies and plenty of seating. The old footbridge from the original Hazelwell station is also here but now used for utilities. 196002 & 005 are the units

WM Railway has done a good job with the new stations on the Camp Hill line. This is Kings Heath, complete with an original sign on the street-level concourse.

66059 emerges from the tunnel at Moseley Village on 10/04/2026.

My day started at Cheltenham Spa on an uninspiring Voyager 221130. I wonder if in the future we will reflect fondly on these undersized workhorses in the same way as the HSTs developed a following as time passed.

Back at Epping, I discovered the hitherto unknown (to me) Epping Signalling Museum, also with the former locomotive L11. This was a great and informative tour, and I would recommend it to anyone!

Some parting shots from North Weald, it seems a well run railway and hopefully they can open up a platform at Epping in due course.

20227 in its non-standard but nonetheless very smart London Underground livery is seen awaiting the right away at Ongar.

GWR 6989 Wightwick Hall is seen at North Weald and at Ongar. It is at the Epping & Ongar Railway for the next month or so. It will hit the small screen (or other streaming devices!) at the end of 2026 pulling the Hogwarts Express.

Not my usual mode of transport - I'm sure someone will know all about it, but to me it's "old bus"!

I took a walk down to Folkestone Harbour while passing through the area. Sadly I never got here when it was open, but they have done a great job of repurposing it as a focal point for visitors, with stalls and food outlets behind one of the platforms.

375704 has just arrived at Westenhanger with a service to Charing Cross. Interesting location, the constant drone of the adjacent motorway blights what would otherwise be a tranquil spot, but the chance to see Eurostars at full speed is unforgettable.

#Avanti and #Northern often get a bad press, but I've got to give them credit today, my entire day's itinerary has gone like clockwork (and an assist with 1st and last trains of the day by #Crosscountry as well). 158861 is pictured at Lancaster.

The Windermere branch was just as scenic as expected; Burneside was a lovely tranquil spot and a pretty village as well.

I had no expectations prior to today of Bare Lane being anything other than a basic unstaffed station, but it turned out to be the gem of the Morecambe/Heysham branches. A community group clearly looks after it and it is beautifully presented.

The station at Heysham seems to have an identity crisis - a lot of information boards en route as well as on train announcements refer to it as Heysham Harbour, but the actual signage at the station says it's Heysham Port. 156419 brings me in and out with the once-a-day service.

Having changed at Wigan NW, realised there were hordes of football fans heading for their local derby at Blackpool. They were pretty chilled though and 331111 took me to Preston, where I changed onto 195132 to Lancaster. Morecambe and Heysham are the next targets.

Today's chariot to whisk me to the North-west is 390117. Recent experiences with Avanti have not been great, so I'm hoping they can improve my perception of them today.

Momentary calm on the WCML at South Hampstead, but a Chiltern Line passes over in the middle distance on its approach to Marylebone.

A station I always forget exists when doing tube map challenges online, but today is my destination to watch Cheltenham Town away at Barnet.

Station number 800 for me is the unremarkable Marsh Barton. It would be a pleasant spot if not for the constant rumble from the adjacent incinerator! It is a pretty standard unstaffed new-build station.