Bristol based Class 101 DMU B801 at Haresfield on 27th May 1978.

Class 46 no 46042 rushes past Haresfield on 27th May 1978. This locomotive survived another 2 1/2 years in traffic, being withdrawn in December 1980 from Gateshead depot - one of 9 46s withdrawn in that month. It was cut up at Swindon Works in December 1982.

A Class 50 in almost as-built condition, before naming or refurbishment. 50008 was seen at Haresfield on 27th May 1978 and was later named 'Thunderer'. One of the last survivors in traffic, it was withdrawn in June 1992 from Laira and is now preserved.

HST 253010 at Swindon on 13th August 1978. At this early stage in their careers the 'Flying Bananas' were unloved by enthusiasts, but were revolutionising travel on the Great Western mainline. They still dominate the scene 30 years later.

A Deltic at St Neots on 25th August 1978, it is 55012. 'Crepello' was the sixth of the class to be condemned from Finsbury Park in May 1981 and was swiftly cut up at Doncaster works in September of that year.

NCB No.8 at work at Mountain Ash Colliery on 6th October 1978.

Another shot of NCB No.8

NCB No.8 and her crew.

Black and white version of NCB No.8 and her crew.

NCB No.8 shunting in front of the colliery buildings at Mountain Ash.

NCB No.8 shunting in front of the colliery buildings at Mountain Ash.

Industrial village - No.8 in front of the homes that no doubt housed the miners working the NCB's Mountain Ash pit.

NCB No.8 in front of the colliery's winding wheel.

Black and white version of No.8 in front of the Mountain Ash winding wheel.

An NCB diesel - labelled as NCB No.4 area Aberaman

A saddle tank for which the NCB no longer had any use, in front of lines of coal wagons - location unknown.

Two class 37s can be seen in this picture overlooking Aberdare.

GWR 2-8-0 2857 under restoration at Bewdley on 7th April 1979.

Modified Hall no 6960 'Raveningham Hall' at Bewdley 7th April 1979.

General view of Bewdley station on 7th April 1979

6960 'Raveningham Hall' running into Bewdley station.

GWR tank engines 6697 and 3738 in front of Didcot shed on 14th April 1979

GWR Collett Castle 5029 'Nunney Castle' under restoration at Didcot on 14th April 1979. This loco was running again by 1990 and made a return to the mainline in 2000. Stopped for overhaul in 2005 it is now back on the mainline again since May 2008.

Hymek D7018 was one of the very first preserved diesels, having been withdrawn in March 1975 from Old Oak Common as one of the last Hymeks in traffic. Seen at Didcot on 14th April 1979.

The bunkers of 6106/4144/5572 in front of Hall Class 4942 'Maindy hall'. In 2008 this loco is forming the basis of the project to build a Saint Class engine.

General view of Didcot Railway Centre 14th April 1979

The modern image in 1979 - a blue and yellow HST (253017) at Didcot on 14th April.

Swindon Works Open Day on 19th May 1979 and Collett King 6000 'King George V' is in steam.

'The Bristolian' headboard on 6000 'King George V'

Warship 818 'Glory' and a Hymek at Swindon on 19th May 1979. Sadly, 'Glory' was not destined for preservation despite outlasting most of its classmates by many years. Withdrawn from Newton Abbot depot in November 1972, it was cut up 13 years later at Swindon works, just after it had been announced that the works would close.

Just the frames, two wheelsets, and cab of 08158 remain on 19th May 1979. It had been withdrawn just two months earlier from Selhurst depot, so disposal was clearly fast.

Ten years earlier the works would have been full of diesel hydraulics, but by 19th May 1979 overhaul of Class 08s was the staple work of BREL Swindon.

Another view inside Swindon works, 08s under repair where less than 20 years earlier GWR 4-6-0s would have still been undergoing overhaul at their birthplace.

Class 45 'Peak' no 45023 has something of an ex-works look about it at Haresfield on 14th July 1979. It survived in traffic until September 1984 when it was withdrawn from Toton depot. In common with many of its classmates it met its end in the Leicester scrapyard of Vic Berry, in October 1986.

46038 heads north at Haresfield on 14th July 1979. Withdrawn in March 1982 from Gateshead, 46038 met its maker at Swindon Works, in November 1985.

Unrefurbished Class 50 no 50040 'Leviathan' powers through Haresfield. Withdrawn from Laira's DCWA pool in November 1989, 50040 was officially preserved, but has not turned a wheel in preservation and currently languishes in a sorry state at Coventry.

47196 with 1970s 'Domino' headcodes and Mk1 coaches, passing Haresfield on 14 July 1979. Withdrawn from Sheffield's Tinsley depot in February 1994, it had been cut up by the following month by Cooper's Metals.

ETH Class 31, no 31424 seen at Severn Tunnel Junction on 2nd November 1979. Later numbered 31524, it was condemned from Bescot shed in May 1996, being cut up a little over 10 years later by Ron Hull Jr, Rotherham.

A Paddington-bound HST passing Severn Tunnel Junction's stabling point, 2 November 1979

BR Standard 73096, Barry Yard, 2nd November 1979

6023 'King Edward II' at Barry, 2nd November 1979. Much hard work since that time means that 6023 is now about to return to steam

Stanier 8F 2-8-0 48624 at Barry, 2nd November 1979

GWR '5600 Class' 0-6-2T no 6634 at Barry, 2nd November 1979.