Part 1 (January - June)

My first full day out of the year was a running day at the East Lancs: 47402 pauses at Ramsbottom with the 0950 Bury-Rawtenstall (16/02/2008)

After two months of chemo I was making good progess, and felt well enough to hire a car for the weekend and take a trip down to Gloucestershire. On the opening day of the season, 47105 is pictured on arrival at Cheltenham Race Course with the 1130 from Toddington (01/03/2008)

The following day featured another 'BR blue'-liveried 'Brush'. Having been completely transformed since my previous visit in August 2007, 47270 'Swift' is seen at Peterborough after working 1E52 1445 from Wansford during the Nene Valley Railway's Diesel Gala (02/03/2008)

After a mere 39 minutes in Perth (always makes at the chip shop!) 47826 waits to head back south with Railtourer's return 1Z15 1538 charter to Whitby. Out of sight on the rear of the train was 47787, which had worked the bulk of the outward leg (08/03/2008)

47376+47105 run round at Cheltenham Race Course after working the 1415 from Toddington. The service had been used as a 'test run' for the former Frieghtliner machine after receiving repairs to leaking cylinder liners (30/03/2008)

The pair wait to depart from Cheltenham with the 1500 return service to Toddington. Unfortunately '376 had to be shut down at Winchcombe after steam was discovered in the engine room (30/03/2008)

On arrival back at Toddington, 47105+47376 stand in the north headshunt having been detached from the 1500 ex-Cheltenham (30/08/2008)

After working what turned out to be its first and last train of the year, 47376 is shunted back onto Toddington shed by '105 to allow a closer inspection of its troublesome liners (30/03/2008)

An unexpected bonus on the first day of 'British Summer Time' was the gen that 47828 was heading north with a rake of HST coaches. 'Joe Strummer' is pictured south of Ashchurch with 5Z57 1537 Laira-Doncaster West Yard (30/03/2008)

WCRC's 47804 waits to depart from Sheffield with Green Express Railtours' 1Z22 0539 charter to Canterbury (05/04/2008)

On arrival at Canterbury West, 47787 is pictured on the rear of the train as the empty stock is shunted to the siding (05/04/2008)

Later that afternoon, 47787 is seen again arriving back into Canterbury West with the stock for the return 1Z23 1558 to Sheffield (05/04/2008)

After a run back north along the Midland Main Line, 47787's arrival back into Sheffield was greeted by a blizzard! The 'Brush' waits to take the empty stock forward to Doncaster to stable for the night (05/04/2008)

47826 is seen here on the rear of NENTA's 1Z26 0532 Norwich-Worcester charter (hauled by '787) as the train passes Peterborough. At the time I was heading south behind 47851 on a Rochdale-Canterbury 'Green Express' (12/04/2008)

The next day was the second day of the Llangollen Railway's Diesel Weekend. 47449 runs round at Llangollen after working the 1102 from Carrog (13/04/2008)

47449 is seen again waiting to depart from Llangollen for its second round trip of the day on the 1300 to Carrog (13/04/2008)

Having arrived on the rear of Green Express Railtours' 1Z48 0527 charter from Skipton, 47787 shunts the empty stock out of the station at Dundee (19/04/2008)

47760 is pictured on the rear of the empties as '787 draws the train out of Dundee. The loco had made its passenger debut for West Coast on 1Z48 earlier that morning - just over four years after being stored by EWS. There's nothing quite like a baptism of

47117 pauses at Rothley with 2A30 1415 from Loughborough Central to Leicester North (20/04/2008)

Another view of 47117 at Rothley with 2A30 whilst waiting for a late-running steam loco to clear the single-line from Leicester (20/04/2008)

Its duties completed, 'Sparrowhawk' is pictured on arrival back at Loughborough Central with the return 2B30 1500 from Leicester North (20/04/2008)

This location is now starting to look familiar... Sporting its newly-applied 'Compass' livery, DRS' 47712 'Pride of Carlisle' descends towards Headingley with 5Z48 1230 Harrogate-York (via Leeds) empty stock off a 'Stobart Pullman' charter from Kings Cros

In matching colours, 47802 'Pride of Cumbria' sweeps through Headingley station on the rear of the train. Utilising DRS '47s' and Mklll coaches, the 'Stobart Pullman' had risen from the ashes of the former 'Blue Pullman' oparation earlier in the year (26/

Making its second trip of the day around the Harrogate Loop, 47712 approaches Horsforth with return 1Z49 1449 York-Kings Cross later that afternoon (26/04/2008)