The Flickr Passenger Image Generatr

One of the final vehicles delivered to United Automobile services prior to the Arriva branding, was Optare MetroRider MR15 no. R701MHN, the first of a batch of longer examples. It is seen here on Tubwell Row, Darlington, as fleet no. 2701 on service 23 Skerne Park-Whinbush, in June 1998.
The date is confirmed by the display of the winning numbers of the UK National Lottery to the bottom right in the window of Arkley News - 1, 15, 23, 31 and 42 are visible along with bonus number 5 - this combination, including 48 was drawn on Saturday 6th June 1998.
Behind is a Lunn Poly holiday shop - this chain disappeared in 2004.

MSC Virtuosa is a Meraviglia-Plus-class cruise ship owned and operated by MSC Cruises.

Built by Chantiers de l'Atlantique in Saint-Nazaire, France, she is the second ship in the Meraviglia-Plus class and sister ship to MSC Grandiosa

Pictured here alongside at the Horizon Cruise Ship Terminal, Southampton International Port, Hampshire, UK.

Fuel tanker / Oiler MV Whitonia is outboard

A photo from last year and strangely a family of locomotives I've not given too much attention to. The famous Czech Goggles as we call them in the UK. These locomotives are for me one of the most distinctive Czech locomotives and one I am always glad to see.

I started the morning before the drive to Slovakia at Náměšť nad Oslavou for a repeat photo but this time the locomotive was in retro colours with České dráhy
754 043 in charge of train R 651 Rosenberg České Budějovice - Brno hl.n.

Recently transferred to Locomotive Services Limited's ownership, 47830 brings up the rear of a Reading Traincare Depot to Southall empty coaching stock working. The coaches had presumably been in Reading for servicing between rail tours.

Locomotive: British Rail Class 47/4 (Brush Type 4) 47830.

Location: Twyford station, Berkshire.

Running on the Chicago & Alton main through downtown Springfield, IL, UP Big Boy 4014 with train PBNSL crawls in front of the Illinois State Capitol building. This was a historic moment, as it's almost certainly the very last time a steam locomotive will pass by the state capitol, as the original Alton main will be abandoned and replaced by a new alignment a mile or so east.

Royal Australian Air Force 737 MAX 8 BBJ A62-001 "Aussie 315" arriving at Dublin.

Royal Australian Air Force 737 MAX 8 BBJ A62-001 "Aussie 315" arriving at Dublin.

In 2026, this loco is a 62 year old survivor 😊👍

63866 is another BB63500 awaiting its fate in Road 1 of the Graveyard with 35 other classmates.

The 580 strong BB63500s were built for over 15 years between 1956 and 1971.

Most of the class are withdrawn, though a few were rebuilt in the early 2010s as BB64600s and are still active in 2026.

Quite a few in this Road 1 line were included in these lucky ones. But not 63866, which had a different, positive future.

63866’s History:
Big thanks as usual to Christophe Hespel for his trainsso.fr database information🙏

63866 was built by Brissonneau & Lotz and delivered into service with SNCF on 24/12/1964.

It was first logged stored at Sotteville from the Achères Depot as far back as August 2006, stored in the scrap line by Sotteville Depot.

It was first logged after being moved to the Graveyard roads on 29/08/2010.

63866 was officially withdrawn from on 25/06/2011, (almost 5 years after its arrival).

It was last sighted at the Graveyard in August 2011.

63866 became a lucky loco when it was preserved by Loco Vapeur R1199 de Nantes at Nantes-Blottereau depot and repainted into its original green livery.

It moved preservation owners on an unknown date. Possibly 2016 when Nantes-Blottereau depot was redeveloped as part of Nantes station expansion and Loco Vapeur R1199 de Nantes had to leave.

I63866’s new home is the CFV - Chemin de Fer de la Vendée at Mortagne-sur-Sèvre, about 60km’s South East of Nantes.

It is definitely active, as it has been loaned since April 2025 to CFTVA - Chemin de fer touristique de la vallée de l'Aa, in Arques.

It was also in use in early July 2026 at their annual Festival 😊

ScotRail Sprinter DMU Class 158 Nos 158719 & 158701 arrive at Haymarket Station with 1RL78 - the 1324 Perth to Edinburgh service on 18th July 2026

SR HST 43143 waits with 5B28 - 1446 ECS Edinburgh - Haymarket Depot

Copyright Photograph Robin Stewart-Smith - All Rights Reserved

From the lower right, Ge 4/4 II
Nr. 629 "Untervaz" in green, red and blue "Südostschweiz" wrap pulls a Regio train to Arosa. Two EW B cars are in shot behind the lok, the second in Arosa Bärenland branding. A well kept brown timber farm house conceals the rear of the second car on the left.
There is a flower covered meadow in the foreground, dark green woodland descending in the background, with meadows and villages on the other side of the valley visible above.

Crystal Serenity cruise ship inbound for the CLT, Liverpool

Capacity: 1040 Passengers - 655 Crew - 13 Decks

Name: Crystal Serenity

Flag: Bahamas

IMO: 9243667

MMSI: 311536000

Call sign: C6SY3

Detailed vessel type: Cruise Ship

Gross Tonnage: 68870t

Deadweight: 10810t

Design Draught: 8m

Length Overall x Breadth Extreme: 250m x 32.2m

Year Built: 2003

Registered owner: CRYSTAL SERENITY LTD

Ship manager/Commercial manager: CRYSTAL CRUISES LLC

ISM: V SHIPS LEISURE SAM

Shipyard: Chantiers de l'Atlantique, St. Nazaire, France

Hull number: H32

Contract Date: 12th Dec 2000

Keel laid: 13th Jun 2002

Launch: 10th Aug 2002

Date of build: 30th Jun 2003

Engine: x6 Wärtsilä Italia SpA 12V38B 4 stroke 12 cyls @ 600rpm

Engine Power kW: 52200kW

x2 Rolls-Royce Mermaid Azipod Units @ 13500kW each

x2 Tunnel Bow Thrusters @ 2250kW each

Speed: 21knots services & 22knots max

Crystal Serenity cruise ship inbound for the CLT, Liverpool

Capacity: 1040 Passengers - 655 Crew - 13 Decks

Name: Crystal Serenity

Flag: Bahamas

IMO: 9243667

MMSI: 311536000

Call sign: C6SY3

Detailed vessel type: Cruise Ship

Gross Tonnage: 68870t

Deadweight: 10810t

Design Draught: 8m

Length Overall x Breadth Extreme: 250m x 32.2m

Year Built: 2003

Registered owner: CRYSTAL SERENITY LTD

Ship manager/Commercial manager: CRYSTAL CRUISES LLC

ISM: V SHIPS LEISURE SAM

Shipyard: Chantiers de l'Atlantique, St. Nazaire, France

Hull number: H32

Contract Date: 12th Dec 2000

Keel laid: 13th Jun 2002

Launch: 10th Aug 2002

Date of build: 30th Jun 2003

Engine: x6 Wärtsilä Italia SpA 12V38B 4 stroke 12 cyls @ 600rpm

Engine Power kW: 52200kW

x2 Rolls-Royce Mermaid Azipod Units @ 13500kW each

x2 Tunnel Bow Thrusters @ 2250kW each

Speed: 21knots services & 22knots max

Crystal Serenity cruise ship inbound for the CLT, Liverpool

Capacity: 1040 Passengers - 655 Crew - 13 Decks

Name: Crystal Serenity

Flag: Bahamas

IMO: 9243667

MMSI: 311536000

Call sign: C6SY3

Detailed vessel type: Cruise Ship

Gross Tonnage: 68870t

Deadweight: 10810t

Design Draught: 8m

Length Overall x Breadth Extreme: 250m x 32.2m

Year Built: 2003

Registered owner: CRYSTAL SERENITY LTD

Ship manager/Commercial manager: CRYSTAL CRUISES LLC

ISM: V SHIPS LEISURE SAM

Shipyard: Chantiers de l'Atlantique, St. Nazaire, France

Hull number: H32

Contract Date: 12th Dec 2000

Keel laid: 13th Jun 2002

Launch: 10th Aug 2002

Date of build: 30th Jun 2003

Engine: x6 Wärtsilä Italia SpA 12V38B 4 stroke 12 cyls @ 600rpm

Engine Power kW: 52200kW

x2 Rolls-Royce Mermaid Azipod Units @ 13500kW each

x2 Tunnel Bow Thrusters @ 2250kW each

Speed: 21knots services & 22knots max

Crystal Serenity cruise ship inbound for the CLT, Liverpool

Capacity: 1040 Passengers - 655 Crew - 13 Decks

Name: Crystal Serenity

Flag: Bahamas

IMO: 9243667

MMSI: 311536000

Call sign: C6SY3

Detailed vessel type: Cruise Ship

Gross Tonnage: 68870t

Deadweight: 10810t

Design Draught: 8m

Length Overall x Breadth Extreme: 250m x 32.2m

Year Built: 2003

Registered owner: CRYSTAL SERENITY LTD

Ship manager/Commercial manager: CRYSTAL CRUISES LLC

ISM: V SHIPS LEISURE SAM

Shipyard: Chantiers de l'Atlantique, St. Nazaire, France

Hull number: H32

Contract Date: 12th Dec 2000

Keel laid: 13th Jun 2002

Launch: 10th Aug 2002

Date of build: 30th Jun 2003

Engine: x6 Wärtsilä Italia SpA 12V38B 4 stroke 12 cyls @ 600rpm

Engine Power kW: 52200kW

x2 Rolls-Royce Mermaid Azipod Units @ 13500kW each

x2 Tunnel Bow Thrusters @ 2250kW each

Speed: 21knots services & 22knots max

Crystal Serenity cruise ship inbound for the CLT, Liverpool, executing a port swing to make a floodway approach to the berth

Capacity: 1040 Passengers - 655 Crew - 13 Decks

Name: Crystal Serenity

Flag: Bahamas

IMO: 9243667

MMSI: 311536000

Call sign: C6SY3

Detailed vessel type: Cruise Ship

Gross Tonnage: 68870t

Deadweight: 10810t

Design Draught: 8m

Length Overall x Breadth Extreme: 250m x 32.2m

Year Built: 2003

Registered owner: CRYSTAL SERENITY LTD

Ship manager/Commercial manager: CRYSTAL CRUISES LLC

ISM: V SHIPS LEISURE SAM

Shipyard: Chantiers de l'Atlantique, St. Nazaire, France

Hull number: H32

Contract Date: 12th Dec 2000

Keel laid: 13th Jun 2002

Launch: 10th Aug 2002

Date of build: 30th Jun 2003

Engine: x6 Wärtsilä Italia SpA 12V38B 4 stroke 12 cyls @ 600rpm

Engine Power kW: 52200kW

x2 Rolls-Royce Mermaid Azipod Units @ 13500kW each

x2 Tunnel Bow Thrusters @ 2250kW each

Speed: 21knots services & 22knots max

Crystal Serenity cruise ship inbound for the CLT, Liverpool, executing a port swing to make a floodway approach to the berth

Capacity: 1040 Passengers - 655 Crew - 13 Decks

Name: Crystal Serenity

Flag: Bahamas

IMO: 9243667

MMSI: 311536000

Call sign: C6SY3

Detailed vessel type: Cruise Ship

Gross Tonnage: 68870t

Deadweight: 10810t

Design Draught: 8m

Length Overall x Breadth Extreme: 250m x 32.2m

Year Built: 2003

Registered owner: CRYSTAL SERENITY LTD

Ship manager/Commercial manager: CRYSTAL CRUISES LLC

ISM: V SHIPS LEISURE SAM

Shipyard: Chantiers de l'Atlantique, St. Nazaire, France

Hull number: H32

Contract Date: 12th Dec 2000

Keel laid: 13th Jun 2002

Launch: 10th Aug 2002

Date of build: 30th Jun 2003

Engine: x6 Wärtsilä Italia SpA 12V38B 4 stroke 12 cyls @ 600rpm

Engine Power kW: 52200kW

x2 Rolls-Royce Mermaid Azipod Units @ 13500kW each

x2 Tunnel Bow Thrusters @ 2250kW each

Speed: 21knots services & 22knots max

After stopping for a drink at The Boxcar Restaurant, we sat up on the bridge at Lilly to get the Big Boy passing through town. Here they are heading downgrade toward Johnstown after stopping in Cresson.

2B88 Glasgow Central to Lanark. Class 385 in Scotrail Saltire livery seen here departing Central Station as the low winter sun begins to set.

Majestic Princess Royal-class cruise ship departs Liverpool outbound for sea

she executes a starboard swing off the berth with Svitzer Trident ASD on standby


Capacity: 3560 passengers & 1346 crew - x19 Decks

Name: Majestic Princess

Flag: Bermuda

IMO: 9614141

MMSI: 310865000

Call sign: ZCHI2

Detailed vessel type: Royal-Class Cruise Ship

Gross Tonnage: 144216t

Deadweight: 11277t

Design Draught: 8.55m

Length Overall x Breadth Extreme: 330m x 38.41m

Year Built: 2017

Registered owner: PRINCESS CRUISE LINES LTD

Ship manager/Commercial manager: PRINCESS CRUISE LINES LTD

ISM: PRINCESS CRUISE LINES LTD

Shipyard: Fincantieri-Cant. Nav. Italian, Monfalcone, Italy

Hull number: 6232

Contract Date: 30th Jul 2014

Keel laid: 10th Jul 2015

Launch: 08th Feb 2016

Date of build: 30th Mar 2017

Engine: x2 Wärtsilä 12V46F 4 stroke 12 cyls & x2 Wärtsilä 14V46F 4 stroke 14cyls @ 600rpm

Engine Power kW: 62400kW

x2 @ Azimuth Thrusters 18000kW each

x3 Tunnel Bow Thrusters @ 2500kW each

x3 Tunnel Stern Thrusters @ 2500kW each

Speed: 22knots services & 23knots max