Spotting 2026…

I was trying to run with a weekly trains post last year but some issues with health and the world in general got in the way. I’m going to give it another try this year but it will be both about rail outings and some more general subjects.

So – here we are in 2026. I’ve got a few plans for the year ahead. I want to clear off the Class 700 units for haulage. Add to that the 345’s and at a pinch, the 710’s and that will keep me busy in the London area. But this year I really want to spread my net further within the confines of what the football season will allow. So, with luck, I’ll get to travel a bit further afield in the summer months – perhaps to a couple of preserved lines.

Even so – there will be longer trips for more grounded reasons. This week is a case in point. On Friday we travel as a family to Warminster to attend a memorial to my Cousin Tina who passed on in December. It is to be a celebration and colourful clothing is requested. Then on Saturday I should be travelling down to Chichester for our league game there – a poignant moment for both clubs as it will be the first meeting since the tragic accident that saw Billy Vigar die after sliding into the wall at our ground back in September.

Enough of the future. The first 2 weeks of 2026 have not been ideal from a football point of view – A combination of injuries and confidence have seen defeats against sides that are also struggling. For the 3rd time in my tenure as Wingate & Photographer I actually refused to publish the photos from our game against St Albans on December 27th because I felt the players didn’t show up!

The start of the year saw me heading out to do a just see where the day took me trip😅 I drifted down to King’s Cross before heading out to Ally Pally where I photographed some of the LNER units passing through like 801210 on a London to Edinburgh service…

January 2nd was a City of London treasure trail that Epi and I do every year. While this year’s subject was Snoopy, I took a more general photographic view and captured this interesting office block along the route…

We enjoyed a nice evening meal in The Mad Hatter and were amused by some young American visitors looking for guidance about what beers they should try – Ten out of ten to the barman who suggested a sensible not-to-strong option 😅👍

The trip home saw me lagging behind the boss at Kentish Town and getting a questioning eyebrow. Sorry dear – wanted to photograph 222008 on a shunt manoeuvre😅…

January in London – Might get some frost like in this shot of 66547 at Gospel Oak on the 6th…

…But snow? More likely to be sleet…

…falling as 165030 passes through West Hampstead. Of course, sometimes a little settles as seen on the platforms at West Hampstead Thameslink…

But West Hampstead did have a nice new sighting for me – East Midlands Railway’s 810012…

…A great new sighting to kick off the year 😎👍

On a different note – It seems that there is an American who thinks he knows my city better than I do and can categorically state that there are Police No-Go areas in London. If you believe that crap than you don’t belong on my blog. You want the truth? Ask someone who lives here! I get very pissed off with lies being told about my home 😡