I finally got around to booking some time off work so hopefully the weather will be kind to me this week. I had a look at the table and decided to have a go at 4O51 Wentloog – Southampton freightliner as it is pretty much the only eastbound freights along the GWML during the day. I decided to try the shot at Shrivenham as I only have one othere shot at this location looking west.
The booked time came and passed but while I was waiting I had a surprise visit of 60077 heading west with Murco tanks. I’m guessing it was an early 6B33 Theale – Robeston although what is odd is that 60077 was working 6V84 Lindsey – Theale last night so there was a switcheroo at Theale this morning. Shortly after the tug had passed the heavens opened and I had to take cover in the car and while I did 66579 passed on 4O51 along with 66560 on 4V60 Calvert – Bath/Bristol binliner!!! 
A very early start for me today to capture the ‘Tractors’ working Kingfisher Railtours ‘Welsh Mountain Explorer’. The train was due to depart Reading at 05:35 and was picking up at Didcot so a chance of a night phot was on the cards. I arrived early so I could setup and I could hear a GM yinging away in the platform.
I had plenty of time before the tractors arrived so I head over to have a look and found 66086 waiting the road north in platform 3 with the 4V40 Purfleet – Cowley ‘Blue Worm’. I grabbed a few shots before moving down to the footbridge to shoot the 37s.
As the shed was blocking Platform 3 this guaranteed the tour would arrive in Platform 1 which I had been hoping for as it would enable me to take an overview shot of the station. 37410/417 arrived heading up the 1Z37 Reading – Aberystwyth, a spirited departure was made once the road had cleared and I could hear them for nearly 5 mins as they thrashed westwards! 
The tractors were due back into Didcot at 22:57 but when I saw a report of them running nearly 30 minutes early through Ashchurch and more slack in the timings I decided to head out early. Good job I did as the pair arrived back into Didcot still running 30 minutes early and just about stopped in the platform enabling me to grab the shot above. The driver was obviously keen to get home as the pair departed on full power, Excellent!!
Time for another update from the Vale of White Horse, line closures around Reading meant that the normal route to Southampton was blocked this weekend and the one to follow. To get around this problem all the freight was diverted along the GWML through Swindon, Chippenham and down the branch to Westbury before heading south to the coast.
Unfortunately I was working in the morning and missed a number of workings however I finished in time to phot a couple. It was an absolutley glorious day with lovely warm sunshine, I had taken my camera to work so I could head out directly and my first stop was across the fields near Uffington. A light engine Freightliner 66 headed down shortly before one from the newest batch, 66593 passed me on a well loaded 4O54 Leeds – Southampton.
As soon as it had passed I moved off further west and this time to a brand new location for me. I moved along to Bourton’s eastern bridge, I knew there was a shot there but had never made the effort to investigate. I didn’t have long to wait before 66577 rolled through with 4O02 Lawley Street – Southampton again with a well loaded train. Fingers crossed for goods conditions next week!
