On this day. Kirton in Lindsey on the 29th January 1976, and an unidentified class 47 heads towards Gainsborough. Sadly due to the state of the track, large parts of the Brigg line, including here, were single in the early 1980s. © Phillip Hewson.

#SNCF 🇫🇷 #RGP unit #X2728 arrives at #Lyon Perrache station, most likely from its depot at Lyon-Vaise, with driving trailer 7728 leading. Picture taken in early January 2005, on a lovely winter day: the snowfall stopped and the sun came out.

Not looking too bad for 50 years and 1 day, even if I do say so myself! 😉 Round at the in-laws for celebration part 2 this afternoon.

There is an interloper in Harwich Yard this morning. I assume it’s related to the overhead wire problem at Stowmarket last night.

Many thanks for the good wishes today. Much appreciated. My parents take a very hands-off approach, talking us out of visiting and direct involvement in celebrations these days so it's been a good one (thanks to Mrs P) albeit strange. Celebrating with in-laws tomorrow!😃

I'll be in York on March 10th giving a lecture on 'These Isles: A People's History of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales' at Yorkshire Philosophical Society, Yorkshire Museum, 2.30pm. Non-members £5. Book due out Feb 26th, available for preorder. www.ypsyork.org/events/these...

67015 Awaits departure from Manchester Piccadilly with 1V42, destined for Cardiff Central. What a way to travel! Transport for Wales, like Chiltern Trains, know the value of running loco-hauled services. #Class67 #TfW #ManchesterPiccadilly #DB #Trainspotting

oh no not gavin williamson, the most beloved tory mp since er suella braverman, seriously is Kemi paying Farage for this service

Auschwitz was at the end of a process. We must remember that it did not start from gas chambers. This hatred gradually developed: from ideas, words, stereotypes & prejudice through legal exclusion, dehumanization & escalating violence... to systematic and industrial murder. Auschwitz took time.

Good news, #Hamburg 🌙🚆 From 13 July 2026, our Paris–Berlin #nighttrain will also stop in Hamburg. A new city to board in the evening, or wake up to in the morning. With easy onward rail links, Scandinavia is now closer than ever. 🎟️ Bookings are open 👉 www.europeansleeper.eu/hamburg

27 January 1945, early morning: liberation of #Auschwitz. #WeRemember Remembering guides us: it tells us where we come from, and it teaches us where to go - and where never to go again. This is about the essence of our civilisation. #HolocaustMemorialDay

And so begins a few days off! Many thanks to Michelle for the amazing presents. Celebrating with family tomorrow and a day out on Thursday.

47739 shunts stored 56091, formerly "Driver Wayne Gaskell - The Godfather" at Leicester L.I.P., while the two Class 99s, 99001 and 002, await their next test run. 19/01/2026 #SteelCityDoggoPhotography

It’s behind you…

A familiar TV face when I was studying journalism. I wrote to him when I was doing my final year thesis on the BBC under John Birt and I got a lovely, very helpful handwritten reply. He was also a big fan of using the train on his travels across India. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

A rather nice Saturday shift allocated to me from ‘Spare’. An 8.26 start for a trip to Rugeley, a decent break & then a round trip Lichfield/Bromsgrove to finish. A pleasant days driving. I’m back on the rails Monday where I move over to afternoon shifts. #DayInTheLife #TrainDriver #WomenInRail

2 of 2 - 37403, 19 Jan 2018, looking south at Barrow as the driver walks into view to ready it for its afternoon trip to Carlisle. When we got off at Dalston the platforms were covered in snow nicely illuminated by station lights. Kicked myself I didn't get pics there, too! 📸: ©️Graeme Pickering

Inspired by a @miles-and-chains.bsky.social post, 1 of 2 of pics of 37403 'Isle of Mull' at Barrow, about to work an afternoon Northern service to Carlisle on 19 Jan 2018. Looking north with then DRS-owned Mk. 2 6001 in foreground, loco up front, semaphores in distance. 📸: ©️ Graeme Pickering

The Green Dragon: L&YR Class 25 'Ironclad' no.52044 at Keighley during her return to service, running as 957, her L&Y number, and in her iconic Railway Children Green livery. She also had her previous smokebox door here! #SteelCityDoggoPhotography #Steamfix #KeighleyAndWorthValleyRailway

Looks like a sunrise sort of thing to me.

4061/4032 at #SouthShields, lovely to see these beauties still out and about, #TyneandWearMetro 24/01/26

#Villach 🇦🇹 Hbf. in the early 2000s: a long distance train is entering the station from the west. The long consist is hauled by an #ÖBB Class 1016 “Taurus” electric, still displaying the original #Pflatsch logo.

Penultimate train of the day from London to the mainland.

Aboard the 20.54 Newcastle-Metrocentre service on this day in 2015. The 'Pacers' have gone and although some trains are still as quiet, most I travel on are considerably busier. 'Lucky to get a seat," I saidto the conductor. He laughed: "Yeah, train to yourself tonight."

Three years ago I was aboard Class 777, No. 777049 - the first of Merseyrail's fleet of 53 new trains to enter service - on its inaugural public journey. Here it is shortly after arrival at Kirkby from Liverpool Central. © Graeme Pickering

'Take me picture, mister.' Bensham kids, Alston Street, Gateshead, 1985, photo by Trevor Ermel.

So. Farewell Then, 85B / GL / Gloucester Horton Road. You are partly to blame for my career choices.

1/ Really disappointed about how this is already being skewed by NECA. If people are choosing to spend time here and therefore spending money in the region in the process, why hit them with another charge?

Sprinter 150109 pauses at Manchester Victoria with a service bound for Stalybridge. An interested passenger grabs a quick shot of the unit whilst the Conductors complete their handover. #Class150 #Sprinter #Northern #ManchesterVictoria #RailwayLife

Today on the 9153, an anxious passenger approached me during boarding. He doesn't like flying, and being from Spain, was upset about yesterday's accident. My colleague found out that the poor guy's parents were due to be on one of the trains. He'd had no news at that point. They're OK apparently.

#Zurich🇨🇭#Airport has got its own railway station, conveniently located right underneath the terminal building. On my photo, taken in April 2016, we see a train bound for northeastern #Switzerland which makes it first station stop here after departing from Zurich HB. It’s hauled by an #SBB Re 4/4 II.

Morning all. A bitterly cold morning as I recall, as 37408 ‘Loch Rannoch’ traversed the Oban line with the Grangemouth to Connell Ferry oil train. Another service that was lost to road transport shortly after. Hope you all have a great day. #Class37 #Tractor #LargeLogo

Crossing Dandry Mire Viaduct. 5 January 2026. #railway #photography

Time for another one of my old London paintings. I completed this one on a crowded street and the main focus is St Martin-in-the-Fields but I also enjoyed dashing in the passing people with a few pen strokes. This went into an exhibition and sold immediately. #art #streetart #London #watercolour

The irony illustrated, yet again, of right wing mouthpieces who shout about 'free speech', but try to gag reporting when it concerns them.

Snowy bus stop, Bolton, January 1986 (Daily Mirror).

1/ I hope the MPs and regional leaders who readily regurgitated Govt spin on the rail announcements in the north will be just as eager to push for detail, delivery and greater ambition.

I’m off for a drive in the country with 66543 and 1600 tonnes of train. It’s dark out tonight… ✨🌙

Apparently, it is now acceptable to attain a new status in life, simply by proclamation. I hereby declare I am a 6' 2", 27 yr-old EGOT winner who is currently dating Taylor Swift. Thank you for your attention to our delusions.

170476 at #Doncaster on the 16.25 to #Scarborough #class170 13/01/26

Looks like the phrase "for too long" is going to be featuring imminently in another DfT announcement. Even when used to introduce something positive, how long after a general election can you credibly hang onto terms like that?

No.1 of the fleet of 96 class 142s built for the Provincial sector. 142001 Adorned in its rather fetching GMPTE livery stands at Crewe awaiting its next turn of duty. #Class142 #Pacer #GMPTE

Good to see a lifeline thrown to Clayton. Formerly Clayton Equipment, it becomes Clayton Locomotives having been acquired by Langley Holdings company Clarke Chapman. Not the first time the firms have been linked. Both were once Rolls Royce subsidiaries. www.clarkechapman.co.uk/2026/01/08/c...

Farage is like Trump - it’s a vehicle to make money for himself and help his puppet master to de-stabilise Europe and NATO.

Semaphore at Hellifield. 3 January 2026. #railway #photography

Hull-born Amy Johnson’s plane crashed, off-course in foggy weather over the Thames Estuary, on this day 1941. She was the first woman to fly solo from London to Australia and broke many long-distance records. Her corpse was never recovered. She was only 37.

Two tone Railfreight Metals liveried 37250 stands at Perth station awaiting fuelling. Thankfully a locomotive that is still with us in preservation on the Wensleydale Railway, albeit now in EWS colours. #Class37 #Tractor #RailfreightMetals #Perth #BritishRail

On 28th Dec 2025 Northern 156443 departs on time at 13.55 from platform one of the heavy rail, Metro and bus interchange at Heworth with 2W20 Newcastle-Middlesbrough service. 📸: ©️ Graeme Pickering