A morning hour at Perth, 3rd October 2026

An opportunity to catch-up on ScotRail Inter7City HST services, before attendingt the 5th Scottish Railway History Conference at a nearby venue.

43134 Gordon Aikman arrives with 1T18 07:24 Aberdeen - Glasgow Queen Street.

Moments later, 43134 is further rounding the curve of the platform 1 line from Dundee.

The carriage set was HA06, the set numbers being keyed by the TGFB coach, in this case 40606. This was formerly TF 41104, built at BREL Derby in 1977-78 to Lot 30896, which in the 1980s ran in East Coast Set 24.

43149 on the rear of this train.

43176 with set HA24 1A35 08:41 Glasgow Queen Street - Aberdeen, running into platform 2.

43126 on the rear, as the train heads towards the site of Princes St station, and then the bridge over the Tay.

800103, which was repaired at Eastleigh in May 2026, arrives with 1E16 07:55 Inverness - Kings Cross.

43150 and set HA25, which was reformed in April 2036, with 1H09 08:37 Edinburgh - Inverness, seen approaching the St Leonard's Bridge.

43132 on the rear of this train.

Eastleigh and Southampton, 28th & 29th September 2026

Images from Roger Homan.

Eastleigh 28th September

92020 BILLY STIRLING was returned following wheelset attention, hauled by 66725 SUNDERLAND 0Z13 15:43 Eastleigh Works Gbrf - Wembley Inter City.


A closer view of the Class 92, which was a first time visitor to Eastleigh.


800102 arriving as 5X81 16:21 Reading - Eastleigh Works Gbrf.


800102 will likely be inside the Works for a couple of months to receive the full repair.

Southampton, 29th September

On it's return jouney, 69007 Richard Tevithick is passing in Southampton with 0Z60 07:05 Eastleigh East Yard -Weymouth - Castle Cary - Weymouth - Eastleigh East Yard.


This appears to have been a driver trainer run.

GP30C excusion, Soo Line, Winona, 6th October 1990

An excursion from Winona, Minnesota southwards to the wye at La Crescent, along the western bank of the Mississippi. Originally intended to be hauled by Frisco 1522, but this had a hot box on the ferry move coming up from St. Louis, so Soo Line supported with their latest rebuild. Historically this was a Milwaukee Road line.

Soo 4301 is a GP30C, originally UP 828 (EMD serial 27537) delivered in August 1962. "Acquired by Generation II Locomotives and rebuilt with a 2,000 Hp. Caterpillar 3516 engine (9/1990). Sold to SOO Line (1991) and renumbered to SOO #4301. Sold to Generation II Locomotives (4/1999)."

It would appear not as successful, as perhaps anticipated, for Soo. However it has worked for Twin Cities & Western since 2000, seen operating earlier in 2026.

This appears to be a different location, but I think both images are in Winona. The supporting power was SD40-2 6617, one of the last SD40-2 built, EMD 827034-1, delivered in April 1983. Now through several changes of ownership, and noted being repainted in 2026.

A Milwaukee Road Super Dome, possibly 53, one of 10 built by Pullman Standard in 1952, with 'Hiawatha' logo over the first truck. I was lucky enough to ride in it.

Sister Generation II GP30C 4300 was on display. This started as GP30 832, EMD serial 27541, of August 1962. It also operated for TC&W, but is now reported scrapped in October 2025.

Budd Vista-Dome Silver Solarium built 1948 for the CB&Q (Burlington Route) 'California Zephyr'. Now in Ohio.

Inside the Super Dome.

Fall colours seen from the dome car, with the Mississippi on the left.

More pictures from other photographers.

Interesting Workings at Redbridge and Eastleigh, 22nd - 23rd September

Images from the camera of Ian Knight.

Redbridge, 22nd September

69001 Mayflower + 66780 The Cemex Express + 66729 DERBY COUNTY 6O41 10:14 Westbury - Eastleigh

66063 + 60163 TORNADO (+ 21249)  5Z61 10:30 Swanage - Tyseley.

Eastleigh, 23rd September

93002 + barrier 6346 + Ex-EMR 180113 + barrier 6330 + 93007 

6Q86 10:00 Derby Litchurch Lane - Eastleigh Trsmd

 - repeat working on 24th with 180109

93002 approaching Eastleigh.





93002 running through platform 2.


93007 on the rear.

Further coverage on Flickr.

A pair of 99 'Flakes' to Inverness, Aberdour, 23rd September 2026

99006 + 99013 0S97 11:45 Millerhill S.S. - Inverness T.C. for RHTT usage. Believed to be the first Class 99 working across the Forth Bridge and through Fife.

99006 leads through Aberdour.

99006 had previously been in Scotland to attend the Bo'ness Summer Diesel Gala.

99013 is believed to be the newest locomotive in the UK at this time.

Flickr from other photographers.

40 on tour, "The Highland Peak", Aberdour, 19th September 2026

D213 (40013) ANDANIA (+ 4856 + 1859 + 35185 + 3115 + 1730 + 3096 + 3112) + 37409 Loch Awe
1Z31 07:11 Linlithgow - Inverness, 1Z33 16:00 Inverness - Linlithgow

Running through Aberdour station.

D213 was new from English Electric Vulcan Foundry in June 1959, and was withdrawn in January 1985. My notes show that I first saw it in 1978-79.

Approaching Hawkcraig Road bridge, a recreation of my picture of 40085 from 50 years before.

A going away seen so often in past years.


37409 on the rear.


On the return 1Z33, D213 leads through Aberdour station.


Running past the station canopy, and some videographers.


37409 on the rear.

Further coverage on Flickr.

SRPS Railtours

Class 40 Motherlist

Aberdour observations, early to mid-September 2026

43014 leads 1Q26 13:45 Edinburgh -Slateford, 8th September.


The train was the same formation as seen at Romsey on 20th August. 43013 Mark Carne CBE on the rear.


An evening session as there were three 70s to see within 20 minutes. 70802 passes with 6B36 19:25 Craiginches - Oxwellmains cement empties, 14th September.

The next working was  1B96 20:05 Aberdeen - Edinburgh, led by 43031.


70815 leading the first formal RHTT working in Scotland in  2026, 3S93 18:30 Carstairs - Alloa, which is a complicated diagram immediately followed by 3S93 05:03 Alloa - Carstairs, about 18 hours in total.

70810 on the rear, surrounded by spray. The next reversal would be at Ladybank.

43152 (set HA11 + 43169) 1A75 07:31 Edinburgh - Aberdeen, 19th September.

43141 (set HA18) 1B68 05:57 Aberdeen - Edinburgh, 19th September.

43037 on the rear of 1B68.