1996/12/21, 1. 47778 with the ECS for the "Bedford - Bletchley 150" shuttles at Bletchley on Saturday 21st December 1996.

1996/12/21, 2. BR Standard 4MT 2-6-4T No. 80079 comes on to the stock of the "Bedford - Bletchley 150" special at Bletchley station on the cold and miserable morning of Saturday 21st December 1996. Class 47 No. 47778 had brought in the ECS some hours earlier and had been keeping it warm for the first trainload of passengers for Bedford. The first train should have departed by 07:30, but due to a dispute over the crewing arrangements did not depart until 09:54! This caused the rest of the day's celebrations to be somewhat chaotic!

1996/12/21, 3. 2-6-4T 80079 is hard at work on Brogborough bank as it comes up the gradient from Lidlington and passes that station's distant signal for trains in the opposite direction. This was supposed to be the 09:10 departure from Bedford to Bletchley during the "Bedford - Bletchley 150" celebrations, but due to earlier crewing problems it was running somewhat late at 12:20! Saturday 21st December 1996.

1996/12/21, 4. 80079 is now in charge of the combined 10:25 and 13:25 train, departing from Woburn Sands station at 13:42 on Saturday 21st December 1996. Plans for the series of shuttles for "Bedford - Bletchley 150" that day had gone rather awry due to a crewing dispute at the beginning of the day!

1999/04/28, 1. 37693 descending Brogborough bank and approaching Lidlington's distant signal with a ballast train working from Rugby to Forders Sidings at 14:34 on Wednesday 28th April 1999.

1999/04/28, 2. 37713 heads towards Bletchley, passing Lidlington's distant signal on Brogborough Bank with an empty spoil train from Forders to Rugby, 15:16, Wednesday 28th April 1999.

1999/04/28, 3. "Bubble-Cars" 121 027 & 121 031 pass the brickworks at Stewartby and approach the station with an afternoon train from Bedford to Bletchley, Wednesday 28th April 1999.

1999/04/28, 4. 37693 at Ridgmont station with a train of empty ballast wagons from Forders to Rugby, Wednesday 28th April 1999. Note signalframe on station platform.

1999/05/01. BR Standard 2-6-4T's 80079 & 80098 on Brogborough bank Bedford to Bletchley line with "The London Standard" from Leicester to Stratford, Saturday 1st May 1999.

1999/05/01. Fragonset 31s 31601 & 31452 pass Lidlington's distant signal on the climb of Brogborough Bank with the 15:46 from Bedford to Bletchley, Saturday 1st May 1999.

2004/05/11, 1. Class 150 DMU No. 150128 passes the signalbox at Forders Sidings with a train from Bletchley to Bedford at 10:40 on the very dull morning of Tuesday 11th May 2004. Resignalling was in progress, but the new signals not yet commissioned.

2004/05/11, 2. Forders Sidings at 11:25 on Tuesday 11th May 2004. New signalling is in place but not yet commissioned as 66025 arrives with its train under the control of the calling-on shunt signal and then reversed into the sidings.. The train is 6A41, 08:05 Rugby Virtual Quarry to Forders Sidings loaded spoil train.

2004/05/11, 3. Forders Sidings at 11:30 on Tuesday 11th May 2004. New signalling is in place but not yet commissioned as 66025 reverses its train into the sidings under the control of the ground disc signal. The train is 6A41, 08:05 Rugby Virtual Quarry to Forders Sidings loaded spoil train.

2004/05/11, 4. 66025 reverses its train into Forders Sidings under the control of the ground disc signal, 11:30, Tuesday 11th May 2004. 6A41, 08:05 from Rugby to Forders spoil train.

2004/05/19, 1. Wednesday 19th May 2004 was a glorious day and here is the view along the Marston Vale line at Forders Sidings, looking towards Stewartby at about 08:30 in the morning. Resignalling was in progress, new signals in place but the old semaphores still in use.

2004/05/19, 2. 150 131 at Forders Sidings with the 08:40 from Bedford to Bletchley, while 66529 shunts its "Binliner" train in the sidings, 08:52, Wednesday 19th May 2004.

2004/05/19, 3. 66529 departs from Forders Sidings somewhat early at 09:15 on Wednesday 19th May 2004 with 6C51, 10:25 Forders to Cricklewood empty "Binliner" train. The old signalling is still in operation, though new signals are in place.

2004/05/19, 4. EWS 66086 running light engine at Lidlington, from Rugby to Forders Sidings on Wednesday 19th May 2004. New signals are in place but the old semaphores are still operational, as are the hand operated level-crossing gates. The refurbished station building is now a private house and the new platform for Bletchley bound trains can be seen beyond the level-crossing.

2004/05/19, 5. 66207 on Brogborough Bank with 6B41, 12:43 from Forders to Rugby empty spoil train, 12:11, Wednesday 19th May 2004.

2004/05/19, 6. 66086 at Lidlington station with 6Z74, 15:50 Forders to King's Cross empty spoil train, 13:50, Wednesday 19th May 2004.

2004/07/19, 1. 66168 greeted by the signaller at Stewartby station during the last week of operation under the old signals, 13:06, Monday 19th July 2004. 6A41, 08:05 Rugby to Forders loaded spoil train.

2004/07/19, 2. EWS 66168 is passing Stewartby brickworks and approaching the station at 13:35 on Monday 19th July 2004. It has just left Forders Sidings light engine as 0B41, 12:43 to Rugby virtual quarry. This was in the last week of operation under semaphore signalling, a blockade from 24th July 2004 to September then took place for resignalling.

2004/07/19. 3. 150 127 "Bletchley TMD" pulls away from Woburn Sands at about 16:30 on Monday July 19th 2004 with the 16:17 train from Bletchley to Bedford, during the last week of operation under the old signals. Woburn Sands' home signal is prominent in the foreground - all the semaphore signals were due to be replaced and the track, stations and level-crossings upgraded from 24th July 2004 to early September. Photo taken from a public footpath across the line!

2004/07/28, 1. Lidlington station during the re-signalling blockade of the Marston Vale line from Bedford to Bletchley from 24th July 2004. The semaphore signals and ground frame have already been dismantled and the level-crossing gates removed. The new platform is in situ beyond the crossing, this was brought into use for Bletchley trains after the blockade was lifted, and the old platform in the foreground closed off. Wednesday 28th July 2004.

2004/07/28, 2. 66095 is "topping & tailing" a works train at Forders Sidings with 66149 at 13:05 as work continues with the re-signalling of the Marston Vale line. Much of the semaphore signalling had already been dismantled but it survived a little longer here, though already disconnected from the signalbox. Wednesday 28th July 2004.

2004/07/28, 3. View looking towards Bedford, 66095 is "topping & tailing" a works train at Forders Sidings with 66149 on the rear at 13:05 as work continues with the re-signalling of the Marston Vale line. Much of the semaphore signalling had already been dismantled but it survived a little longer here, though already disconnected from the signalbox. Wednesday 28th July 2004.

2004/07/28, 4. At Forders Sidings on the Bedford to Bletchley line during the re-signalling blockade from 24th July to September 2004. Work is in hand on the new signalling and new trackwork, though some of the old semaphore signals are still in place, as is the signalbox. Wednesday 28th July 2004.

2009/05/16, 1. Forders Sidings at 08:56 on Saturday 16th May 2009, seen from Wootton Broadmead level-crossing. Almost five years after closure, the old signalbox still stands, though looking a bit sorry for itself. The landfill site to the right of the picture is now full and no "binliner" trains run, just a few departmental trains. The same OTP machine (DR76101?) is still in the sidings in the background, having not moved for years. The Stewartby brickworks are also no longer in use, several chimneys have been demolished and the remaining "Grade II listed chimneys and kilns" are for sale or to let!

2009/05/16, 2. London Midland single unit No. 153 334 is about to pass the level-crossing and stop in Kempston Hardwick station with the 09:33 Bedford to Bletchley train, due to depart here at 09:43. 09:41, Saturday 16th May 2009.

2009/05/16, 3. London Midland Class 153 No. 153 334 has just departed from Kempston Hardwick at 09:43 and is now heading for Forders Sidings and Stewartby, where the signalbox and remaining chimneys can be seen at the brickworks in the distance. This was the 09:33 train from Bedford to Bletchley on Saturday 16th May 2009.

2009/05/16, 4. London Midland Class 153 No. 153 334 has just departed from Kempston Hardwick at 09:43 and is now heading for Forders Sidings and Stewartby, where the signalbox and remaining chimneys can be seen at the brickworks in the distance. This was the 09:33 train from Bedford to Bletchley on Saturday 16th May 2009.