iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Graeme Pickering @pickgs.bsky.social · 13h

Nice and bright in Dunston this morning - and feeling very much like autumn today. Just the kind of conditions I was hoping for with this shot of the 3J80 Beam Mill Jn-Carlisle Yard Colas Rail RHTT working with 56105 at the trailing end.

Tree-lined cuttings on either side of double track with a very work-stained Class 56 at the rear and evidence of exhaust from both it and leading loco in the air plus spray from rear blue tank wagon on RHTT.

1211

Graeme Pickering @pickgs.bsky.social · 14h

Oct's The RailwayMagazine out today. Inc chance to win SVR santa steam special places & a celebration of 50 yrs of HST services. In news, all the details of TPE's new train order, the work required for 'Metro to Washington' and a look at DRS's new £1m driver simulator facilities.

Railway Magazine front cover - 50 years of the Journey Shrinker, plus pic of Midland Pullman liveried blue and white HST

020

Reposted by Graeme Pickering

RSPB @rspb.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

The Redwing steals the show in today’s Autumn Arrival Spotlight! 🍂 Their rusty red flanks and soft ‘seep seep’ calls are a sure sign of autumn as flocks sweep in overnight from icy Scandinavia, Iceland and Russia. Spot them enjoying berries in our fields and hedgerows.

025231

Graeme Pickering @pickgs.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Another 'going away' shot. Nine-car 'Azuma' No. 800103 works the diverted 1S16 London King's Cross to Aberdeen LNER service through Dunston this afternoon. It is pictured from Ravensworth Road bridge just west of the island platform of Dunston station. 📸: ©️ Graeme Pickering

Back of the train and rear seven of the nine coaches can be seen curving through the tree-lined cutting (mainly green trees with odd tinges of yellow and orange) as the double track rejoins its normal alignment after splitting for the island platform at the station.

070

Graeme Pickering @pickgs.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

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.

0181

Reposted by Graeme Pickering

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

0545

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

051

Reposted by Graeme Pickering

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."

071

Reposted by Graeme Pickering

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

2477

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

020

Reposted by Graeme Pickering

anthonyf2024.bsky.social @anthonyf2024.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.

0669

Reposted by Graeme Pickering

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.

626434

Reposted by Graeme Pickering

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.

0505

Reposted by Graeme Pickering

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

This 👇 👇 👇

744106611833

Reposted by Graeme Pickering

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.)

27515

Reposted by Graeme Pickering

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

1323

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

010

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.

070

Reposted by Graeme Pickering

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.

21047

Reposted by Graeme Pickering

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

1506

Reposted by Graeme Pickering

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

1464

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.

020

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.

030

Reposted by Graeme Pickering

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

101

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

4/ Check online for hours, generally twice-weekly and alternate Saturdays, same times as the library.

000

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

wylamparishcouncil.gov.uk

101

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

2/ Stephenson Locomotive Society headboard for the Alston branch closure, reads "SLS Alston Farewell". There are plenty of pictures of this online attached to a DMU which worked the trip.

100

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

100

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

040

Reposted by Graeme Pickering

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

1558

Reposted by Graeme Pickering

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

2898

Reposted by Graeme Pickering

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?

932315828

Reposted by Graeme Pickering

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

1598

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

050

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.

030

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

140

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.

020

Reposted by Graeme Pickering

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.

0978

Reposted by Graeme Pickering

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.

27611

Reposted by Graeme Pickering

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 🙄.

3830121003

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.

000

Reposted by Graeme Pickering

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.

11089

Reposted by Graeme Pickering

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

2425

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.

060

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.

030

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

Yes - and there is no sign of that changing as things stand.

000

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.

021

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

Just announced this morning, Alstom will provide charging infrastructure for them at Hull, Scarborough and Saltburn.

020