The 50's in the 80's

8405_barford_50020_p, a photo by nevardmedia on Flickr.

50020 powers through Barford St Martin a few miles west of Salisbury with a Waterloo bound service during a rather splendid April day in 1984.

It's incredible just how the railways have changed over just a couple of decades, for back in the 1980's the majority of long distance trains were loco-hauled. As a photography student in Salisbury during the mid-1980's, this meant that I was perfectly positioned to capture English Electric Class 50's on the Waterloo to Exeter service weather permitting.

Luckily though, it is still possible to travel behind one of these powerful locos from time to time on the main line, albeit as stuffed tigers, but they do occasionally get hired out to TOCs for use on normal service trains from time to time.

For a whole load more Class 50 photos like the above follow this link...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nevardmedia/sets/72157628706915311/

And if you'd like to see some Class 33's follow this link
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nevardmedia/sets/72157628677193769/