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Graeme Pickering @pickgs.bsky.social · 10h

Sun in wrong place for their approach so here are Colas Class 56s Nos. 56105 and 56078 heading away from Blaydon en route back to Carlisle with the RHTT (3J78 from Nunthorpe), 27 mins late at this point. Hoping for plenty more 'Grid' shots this autumn.📸:©️Graeme Pickering

Green leafy trees surround the Colas liveried (yellow and orange) Class 56 pairing, in shadow with their train of blue RHTT spray tanks and both platfrom edges on either side of tracks visible.

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Brad Holkesvig @bradjholk.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Some artists are hired to paint some interesting looking images on a rollup door in Barcelona. #artists #art #rollupdoors #barcelona #photography

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Graeme Pickering @pickgs.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

A Metro Cammell DMU is seen at Featherstone Park station on the Alston branch in September 1973, two years and eight months before closure of the line by British Rail. 📸: Johnragla/CC BY-SA 3.0

Featherstone Park Station House in grey stone with three ornate chimney stacks. Yellow fronted DMU in BR Blue stands at the single platform white painted edge and white lantern style lamp on platform to left. Stop/whistle board tomthe train's right is facing away from camera relating to ungated level crossing immediately ahead

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Suffolksnaps @suffolksnaps.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Office wisdom.

A sign on a wall that reads: "Rage Against the Machine never specified what type of machine they were furious with, but I reckon it was probably a printer."

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Miles and Chains @miles-and-chains.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

47815 ‘Great Western’ on the rear of the return excursion to Carnforth. The finish on this loco is outstanding, and you can still smell the paint! All credit to West Coast for this one. #Class47 #Duff #WestCoastRailways #York

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Graeme Pickering @pickgs.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

This has gathered real momentum on X, but I think it's worth remembering it was going to happen anyway as part of the transition to GBR and that act of transfer to DfTO in itself won't be a magic 'cure all ills'. But yet again the spin is already pushing up expectations it will.

Labour Party X account. For years, Avanti West Coast passengers have been left paying the price for underperforming services. Enough is enough. We will bring Avanti into public ownerahip. Labour Party poster: LABOUR IS BRINGING AVANTI WEST COAST INTO PUBLIC OWNERSHIP

Labour - Hope Again

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Anthony @anthonyfurnival.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

We switch road for rails now and today’s haulage at the Epping Ongar Railway starts with the stunningly beautiful 33116 ‘Hertfordshire Rail Tours’ which is visiting from the Great Central Railway.

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John Angus Spencer-Barnes 🏳️‍🌈 @johnbarnes.org · 26/09/2026

It was wonderful to lead the Preston Pride parade today as the Town Crier and Bellman of the city and to make the opening proclamation. Love is love my friends.

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Andreas Wiedenhoff @andreaswiedenhoff.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

#Sarajevo 🇧🇦 station, one early morning in September 2008. In the foreground we see the train bound for #Ploče 🇭🇷 by the #Adriatic Sea, via the scenic Ivan Sedlo mountain pass line, Konjic and Mostar. In #BiH, a #ŽFBH Class 441.3 electric is hauling the train composed of former Swedish #SJ carriages.

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4fuxake @blueheartedly1.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

This 👇 👇 👇

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Brian Groom @groomb.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

The Stockton and Darlington Railway, the world's first public railway to use steam locomotives, opened on this day 1825. Its first line linked collieries near Shildon with Darlington and Stockton. (Painting of opening day by Terence Cuneo, 1949, National Railway Museum.)

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Miles and Chains @miles-and-chains.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

56112 Powers through Melton Ross heading east with MGRs. The loco had 21 years of service before its withdrawal in 2003. It was a further 8 years until the loco met its end at Kingsbury. #Class56 #Grid #RailfreightCoal

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Graeme Pickering @pickgs.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Boulogne Maritime-Paris Gare du Nord, en route to Austria, Summer 1989. Yes - that is me!

Standing in the vestibule of the carriage with orange exterior door behind me to my left and smoked glass saloon door to my right. 13 year old me with dark hair wearing a grey and brown striped shirt

Close up head and shoulders seated in carriage with brown seating and orange curtains

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Graeme Pickering @pickgs.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Hasty grab with the phone. Sunset over Pelaw station where I'd been finding out more about 'Metro to Washington' for October's The Railway Magazine

White setting sun in distance with orange and grey hue. Shrubs to left of frame on embankment. Class 555 with red tail lights in middle distance. Grey/blue curved platform building at right of frame.

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Semaphoria @semaphoria.co.uk · 25/09/2026

Semaphore at New Cumnock. 25 March 2022. #railway #photography

Semaphore signal NC31 at the end of the southbound platform at New Cumnock.

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Miles and Chains @miles-and-chains.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

The late summer sun rises over Leeds as GBRf 66315 passes through with 6D71, Rylstone to Hunslet. #GBRf #Class66 #Shed #LeedsCityStation

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Miles and Chains @miles-and-chains.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

A couple of shots of 37410 ‘Aluminium 100’ collecting the logs from Dalmally on the Oban line. The 37 adorned with the Transrail logo of the time. Sadly cut up in 2013 at Booth’s in Rotherham. #Class37 #Tractor #Dalmally #Transrail

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Graeme Pickering @pickgs.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Class 156 Nos. 156465 and 156496 (the latter leading) seen departing Blaydon at 17.18 today with the 1J84 Northern Carlisle-Newcastle service.📸: ©️Graeme Pickering

A four-car Northern-liveried Class 156 consist with 496 at the front (furthest from the camera) departs the tree-lined platforms in dappled sunlight ..taken from the footbridge.

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Graeme Pickering @pickgs.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Class 800 No. 800104 works the diverted LNER 1S20 London King's Cross to Edinburgh service through Blaydon on the Tyne Valley Line at 17.26 today. 📸: ©️ Graeme Pickering

The train can be seen threading its way through platform one at the station with a Blaydon station mural on the wall of the station to its right and a black car making its way up the flyover in the background with green trees and station lighting either side of the frame.

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Graeme Pickering @pickgs.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

3/ Would highly recommend a visit to Wylam Railway Museum. Its founders and current curators at Wylam Parish Council really deserve more recognition for keeping the memory of long-gone aspects of the area's railways alive with their displays. More info: wylamparishcouncil.gov.uk/wylam-railway-…

wylamparishcouncil.gov.uk

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Graeme Pickering @pickgs.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

1/ Also as part of Heritage Open Days, a chance to look around the little gem that is Wylam Railway Museum. In a room at the Falcon Centre (ex-village school) it usually has the same opening hours as the village library and a great selection of artefacts, models/historical displays.

Diorama of the long-demolished North Wylam station capturing how it would have looked in the 1950s/60s

old station wall-mounted gas lamp and George Stephenson Birthday Special 1781-1981 headboard

Gas lamp and standard from Greenhead station in N&CR colours

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Graeme Pickering @pickgs.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

This morning we visited the cottage near Wylam where George Stephenson was born. It's a National Trust property but only open these days for special events such as the Heritage Open Days this and last weekend. Only one room open and about an 18 min talk but nice to finally visit.

View of the whitewashed stone cottage with red tile roof which would have been shared by multiple families and hedge in front and trees to either side from trackbed of what would have been a colliery waggonway in Stephenson's early years, later the Scotswood, Newburn and Wylam Railway. The line was closed under BR in 1968.

Interior looking out through one of the front windows of the cottage and various commemorative busts and fruit and veg on a kitchen table

The range where water would have been heated and food cooked

Plaque attached to the cottage in 1929, marking the Rainhill Trials centenary

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Miles and Chains @miles-and-chains.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

DB Cargo 66100 ‘Armistice 100 1918-2018’ rolls through Manchester. Victoria with 6M16, Tees to Knowsley. #Class66 #Shed #DBCargo #ManchesterVictoria

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AndyH @andyh616.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Sometimes i think it's worth getting soaked for a shot.. D8069, 20069, was being taken off the stock in a wet Bury Bolton Street station yesterday, a dash down the platform in the rain for a shot resulted in some well timed clag & tones from the driver 😃👍 top loco too #BuryChopperGroup 18/9/26

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Zack Polanski @zackpolanski.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Palantir have just bought themselves a Labour Lord with close links to the Labour government. No other word to describe this other than corruption. How can Watson remain a member of the House of Lords and keep the Labour whip?

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Miles and Chains @miles-and-chains.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Regional Railways liveried 37414 ‘Cathays Carriage and Wagon Works’ powers the Viking Venturer rail tour toward Milford Junction. #Class37 #Tractor #RegionalRailways #BritishRail

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Graeme Pickering @pickgs.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

On this day eight years ago, we had someone keeping us company as we waited for our train home from Edinburgh Waverley.

A mainly dark grey feral pigeon with white and lighter grey feathers on its back and a brown tail sits on the black and grey/white flecked tile flooring in the Booking Hall at Edinburgh Waverley station

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Graeme Pickering @pickgs.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

DRS kindly allowed those of us who attended to have a go at driving on conventionally & digitally signalled stretches of line. Pleased to report I didn't hit the buffers in the bay platform, but forgot I was on AWS at one point leading to automatic brake application! Thanks to Andrew Butler for pics

Graeme looking at camera from driver's seat with night time view through windows

Graeme ready to drive. Night time view as instructor looks on to left of cab.

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Graeme Pickering @pickgs.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

In October's The Railway Magazine I'll be reporting on the new Direct Rail Services Class 68 full cab and desktop simulators installed at its Carlisle offices ahead of ETCS training for drivers. Thanks to the team and instructors for giving an insight in the programme/how the simulators work.

Full cab simulator Class 68 driving seat and cab controls and daytime view through side windows. DRS picture

Two of the computer terminal based desktop simulators for Class 68 ETCS training with green desk sears and large light wood coloured computer tables. the desktop setup has a control console on a touch screen along with brake and power levers attached. Main screen is forward facing cab view

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Graeme Pickering @pickgs.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

September 13, 2024 - 3008 rests at St Pancras International after arriving from Brussels. It brought us back to the UK after a week in Antwerp. 📸:©️ Graeme Pickering

Cab side of 3008 in current blue and grey Eurostar livery with yellow stipe. An EMR Class 222 can be seen in the background

Eurostar train nose with red tail lights lit and grey skirting and yellow/blue on the upper cab front and rest of train seen into distance along platform. EMR Class 222 in background.

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Semaphoria @semaphoria.co.uk · 14/09/2026

Departure from Silecroft. 27 March 2022. #railway #photography

Northern DMU 156463 is about to pass a cleared semaphore signal having just departed Silecroft working 2C43 Barrow-in-Furness to Carlisle.

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Semaphoria @semaphoria.co.uk · 13/09/2026

Semaphore at Blea Moor. 13 April 2025. #railway #photography

With Ingleborough in the background, the semaphore signal at the end of the siding at Blea Moor.

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Tanita Tikaram @tanitatikaram.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

What I love about Western democracy is you can bung a political party £ 36 million earned from criminal activity & most media will continue to point at asylum seekers & migrant care workers with families as the barbarians at the gate we need to defend ourselves from 🙄.

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Graeme Pickering @pickgs.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

'Hopping to Get On Board' in Grey St, Newcastle. My favourite on the Peter Rabbit Tales on the Tyne Trail, raising money for St Oswalds Hospice, as it is railway-themed. We've seen about a third of them in situ, but we will view them all at the farewell exhibition next month.

Rabbit wearing glasses with smiling face and red green and white trousers, steam loco themed shoes, Locomotion and railway track in green and turquoise as a jumper and blue railway themed jacket with ticket in its pocket.

Rear of rabbit and its red rucksack with badges in 'Free to be me' and 'I ♥️ Trains'. Book of 1001 facts about trains in top of rucksack.

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Semaphoria @semaphoria.co.uk · 12/09/2026

Passing Whittlesea. 26 March 2025. #railway #photography

Rail Operatioks Group/Europhoenix Class 37 - 37800 “Cassiopeia” - passes a cleared semaphore signal and the manually-operated crossing gates at Whittlesea working 0L46 Derby RTC to Ely MLF Papworth Sidings.

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Miles and Chains @miles-and-chains.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

A couple of shots of one of the East Coast Thunderbirds at York. Colas Railfreight liveried 67027 caught napping in the postal sidings. #Class67 #ColasRailfreight #York #Thunderbird

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Graeme Pickering @pickgs.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Both in the new CrossCountry livery, Nos. 220016 and 220019 await their departure time of 15.40 from Newcastle with the 1V66 Edinburgh to Plymouth service this afternoon. 📸: ©️ Graeme Pickering

Front end of 019 (trailing unit).and back ends of 016 (leading) are seen coupled together with red background and cream 'X' design as passengers are seen walking up the ramp to the footbridge behind the train.

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Graeme Pickering @pickgs.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Taken this pm through railings at Newcastle as you can no longer walk the full distance of what was pl 12. TransPennine Express No. 802217 rests at pl 11 between arriving from Liverpool Lime St at 15.22 and leaving again for Merseyside on the 9M16 (16.02) working. 📸: ©️Graeme Pickering

802217 from platform height front end side-on close-up of wheels, skirting, headlight, nose and windscreen wiper inc distinctive stripes of purple grey blue/white and light blue towards front. Sand coloured exterior of Crown Plaza Hotel on Forth St in background.

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Graeme Pickering @pickgs.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

LATEST: Alstom has announced they'll have circa 300 seats per train, 1st Class and catering facilities. Charging infra will be installed for them at Hull, Saltburn and Scarborough. Deal is £800m for trains £200m for maintenance initially for 8 years.

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Graeme Pickering @pickgs.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

1/NEW: Alstom to build 29 new battery-electric Adessia Stream trains for GBR at Derby in £1 bn deal. The units will be built from 2028 onwards and are due to enter service from winter 2034 on what are currently TransPennine Express services worked by Class 185s.

GBR liveried and branded dark blue red white and light blue unit artist impression at York

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Miles and Chains @miles-and-chains.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

56105 Rattles over the points at York as it heads north with 0Z66, which was a bit of a mystery tour of Yorkshire! Still good to see and hear a grid out in the wild! #Class56 #Grid #ColasRailfreight #York

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Semaphoria @semaphoria.co.uk · 08/09/2026

The Britannic Explorer at Garsdale. 6 September 2026. #railway #photography

GBRf Class 66 - 66764 "Major John Poyntz" - leads a double-headed formation of the Britannic Explorer along with 66748 “St Michael’s Mount” as it passes a cleared semaphore signal at Garsdale working 1Z29 Appleby to Greenford East Junction.

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Miles and Chains @miles-and-chains.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

A few shots of the Northern Belle at York just after arriving from Ipswich with 1Z61. 57601 ‘Windsor Castle’ leading, with 57313 Scarborough Castle’ on the rear. #Class57 #Bodysnatcher #WestCoastRailways #NorthernBelle #York

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Parody Nigel Farage @parodypm.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

In case you had any doubts about the judgement and moral standards of my (former) Chief of Staff, Dan Jukes, here he is with Andrew Tate.

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🇨🇦JOY 🇨🇦 @joycomes.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

Woodlark 14cm Europe, western Asia, and parts of North Africa monogamous They regularly produce 2-3 broods each breeding season between chicks leave the ground nest 13 days after hatching, to ensure their survival family stays tightly together by Autumn the new generations merge into a flock.

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Suffolksnaps @suffolksnaps.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

The gleaming green machine - Deltic D9015 Tulyar at Birstall on the Great Central Railway today. She sounds as good as she looks. @jedkendray.bsky.social @pickgs.bsky.social @gerbil1978.bsky.social @rangercaps66.bsky.social

A green diesel loco fills the air with smoke as it hauls its train up an incline and past the trees.

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Anthony @anthonyfurnival.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

Observation carriage ride with 03179 ‘Clive’ is next on today’s agenda!

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Graeme Pickering @pickgs.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

Incredibly, despite the investigation broadcast last night on C4 and Farage's form for false claims about security threats there were mainstream media sources who just trotted this out this afternoon without even saying it hadn't been checked with police.

Bethany Dawson LBC Tweet :🚨 A Reform UK spokesperson earlier told us that Nigel Farage’s speech was delayed because counter terrorism police advised them of a threat. Now West Midlands police say that they gave no such advice - assert it was a purely Reform UK decision.

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Graeme Pickering @pickgs.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

"Farage senior aide filmed suggesting way to avoid donations law," says the BBC. Much as I can understand it's not going to take verification from another broadcaster as gospel, it's interesting how this has been written-up almost as a 'non-story'. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

bbc.co.uk

Farage senior aide filmed suggesting way to avoid donations law

A film broadcast by Channel 4 shows senior Reform UK figures discussing donations with an undercover reporter.

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