January 31st and February 1st saw the Great Central's annual winter gala and 70013 "Oliver Cromwell" is seen storming through Quorn and Woodhouse with the demonstration TPO 01/02/09

Spitfire Railtours "The Fellsman Chopper" ran from Birmingham International to Carlisle with 20304 and 20305. The return featured 20309 and 37423. Here the choppers are seen at Birmingham International waiting for departure 07/02/09

March saw the Nene Valley Diesel Gala and 31271 approaches Ferry Meadows with one the continental rake of coaches 08/03/09

46115 "Scots Guardman" worked a private charter from Kings Lynn with the Queen of Scots coaches and is seen here passing Cossington on the Midland Mainline 21/03/09

March 28th was the first of three enthusiast open days at Statfold Barn which is a 2 " and 2 " 6 ' gauge railway 28/03/09

In April two Pendolinos came together at Wembley so a loco hauled set was brought back into use. The unique liveried 90036 was the first loco to work the set which is seen passing Gayton in Northamptonshire 15/04/09

One of the big galas of 2009 was the Steel, Steam and Stars II gala at the Llangollen Railway. One of the highlights was the visit of 6100 "Royal Scot" 19/04/09

The other highlight was the repainting of the Dukedog into Black as shown here at night at Carrog 20/04/09

56098 mades its Battlefield Line debut with 73114 during the spring diesel gala 25/04/09

43056 was the last power car to be re-furbished with an MTU engine after it had transferred from the East Coast and is seen at Loughborough shortly after emerging from the works 25/04/09

The number of active 60's has decreased through 2009. One of the regular duties was the 6M34 Crawley to Peak Forrest and the loadhaul 60059 is seen with it at Cossington 25/04/09

60011 was also in action the same day and passes Loughborough with the 6E38 Colnbrook to Lindsey tanks 25/04/09

70013 "Oliver Cromwell" was in use throughout the year on various railtours and here 70013 approaches Rearsby on a London to Sheffield charter 09/05/09

35028 "Clan Line" usually only works the luxury VSOE charters but it did make a couple of railtours appearances like here approaching Milbrook with the Eastleigh Centenarian 23/05/09

Class 37s seemed to be Spitfire's locos of choice in 2009 and DRS 37602 and 37069 pass Redbridge Flyover working the Wessexman from Crewe to Eastleigh and Weymouth 23/05/09

The same pair of 37s power the railtour back to Crewe past Saint Cross near Winchester 23/05/09

In May there was a major open weekend at Eastleigh works to celebrate 100 years of the works 24/05/09

60163 "Tornado" made its debut in 2009 and in May made its first visit to South Wales seen here after passing over the Bishton Flyover 30/05/09

5972 "Hogwarts Castle" made a rare visit to the Gloucestershire and Warwickshire railway unusually running with both the Hogwarts name plate and headboard 30/05/09

47580 made its mainline pasenger preservation debut in June working the diesel leg of a Vintage Trains tour 20/06/09

6233 "Duchess of Sutherland" rounds the curve at Hatton North Junction with a move from Ilford to Butterly after a trip to the wheel lathe 03/04/09

The 4-BIG returned to Southern Region green at the Great Central and operated during the 4-Big running weekend 04/07/09

5972 "Olton Hall" made an appearance of the Shakespeare Express after stopping of at Tyseley after railtour duties from London 19/07/09

5043 "Earl of Mount Edgcumbe" was a regular performer in 2009 and is seen ascending Wilmcote bank with the Shakespeare Express 09/08/09

With the demise of the Fastline Intermodal service in the spring of 2009 class 56s returned to intermodal work in the summer between Dollands Moor and Hamshall and 56312 "Artemis" is seen passing Easenhall near Rugby with the colas working 17/08

Tangmere visited Stratford-Upon-Avon in August with the Cathedrals Express and is shown here on the climb up Wilmcote bank 27/08/09

67029 "Royal Diamond" passes Whitnash with one of the many charters for sporting events in 2009 29/08/09

33207 was used with 37516 on Joint Line Railtour from Worksop to Marylebone and passes Hatton. This was the only use of a 33 on a class 1 duty in 2009 05/09/09

In September I spent a week volunteering on the buffet cars at the Ffestioniogg Railway. In lovely evening sun "Earl of Merioneth" crosses the Cob on the approach to Porthmadog 10/09/09

50007 "Sir Edward Elgar" passes Kinchley lane being the first 50 to visit to line during the GCR's second diesel gala of the year 12/09/09

Another visitor was 47714 still in Anglia livery 12/09/09

September also saw the "Gridlocked diesel gala at the Battlefield line and 56086, 56040 and 73114 approach Market Bosworth 20/09/09

The end of September also saw the Severn Valley Autumn Steam Gala. 813 was used on the demonstration goods train and is seen here approaching Water Works crossing near Hampton Loade 27/09/09

Colas operated a Thursday only Burton-Upon-Trent to Dollands Moor empty steel working using a variety of Colas, Direct Rail Services and Riveria Class 47s. Riveria 47839 is seen here clagging past Holmes Farm near Bishop's

50135 "Ark Royal" made its debut since overhaul during the three day Severn Valley Diesel Gala 8/10/09

60040 was in action quite a lot during 2009 and is seen here waitin in Elford loop with 6M57 Lindsey to Kingsbury tanks 17/10/09

60163 "Tornado"made a weeks visit to the Severn Valley during the October Half Term and ran with the LNER teak set 29/10/09

2009 saw the demise of Advenza Freight. 66843 and 66844 transferred to GBRF. 66844 was used with 31190 on the Buffer Puffer around London and is seen passing Wandsworth Road with Battersea Power Station in the background 24/10/09

October and November saw the RHTT season with class 66s and 67s featuring in the East Midlands. 67001 and 67029 are seen here near Hinckley on the Midland Mainline RHTT working 17/11/09

Refurbished 86701 and 86702 made their debut in 2009. The majority of their work so far has been on the mail as seen here as 86702 "Cassiopeia" passes Easenhall working 1F10 Willesden to Warrington 20/11/09

Class 31's and DBSO's has been the main have worked the majority of test trains in 2009 plus some class 37s, the 950 unit and the New Measurement Train HST. 31465 had an overhaul in 2009 and is seen working 1Z16 Derby Railway Technical Centre to Woking 23

There have been regular empty coaching stocks moves by the West Coast Railway Company between the headquarters at Carnforth and the London base at Southall. 47245 is seen at Cathiron with one of these moves 25/11/09

37609 and 37259 were another DRS pair to feature on a Spitfire tour this time on from Birmingham International to York and Newcastle 28/11/09

The class 70's made their debut in the autumn. Here 70001 is seen on its first Freightliner Intermodal working from Lawley Street to Felixstowe 03/12/09

56312 "Artemis" also featured on a few railtours including Pathfinders' "The Pye Bridge Pie-Man" 12/12/09

Many preserved railways operated santa specials in December including the Great Central were 78019 is seen 12/12/09