© Geoff’s Rail Diaries 2011 28 May: With an overnight stay booked in Dover, we had all day to spend on our southbound journey, so took the opportunity to take a few photos on the way... We started at Didcot North Junction, where along with lots of 165 / 166 units, we snapped 47 188 on a very short northbound freight, and 47 853 on a southbound passenger. Moving to the former GWR main line, an eastbound oil train headed by 60 027 provided our first subject, then a little further east, the first hint of tunnel-bound traffic passed in the form of a car train, hauled by 47314. Oh, and a few HSTs and units passed by... Deciding it was time to move on, we headed for the M25, pulling off again near Merstham, where Steve thought we ought to try a few pictures of the "Gatwick Express" service. Not a very easy stretch for photography - a deep dark cutting for the southbound pictures (the loco end, inevitably), but a reasonably open view for the northbound trains and the motor parcels van. Further south and east now to Ashford, where we ended the day on the line south-eastwards towards the tunnel. Firstly, we took to the footbridge at the point where the international main line crossed a minor road on the level - not a common sight then, and since removed as work progresses on the new main line to the tunnel. The first train here was, once again, 47 314 and its tunnel-bound car train. All the others were emus, including the illustrated 421 set no 1871. Lastly, we found a quiet spot a mile or two further down the line, near Sevington, and here we were rewarded with a couple of tunnel-bound "Eurostar"s. And that was it for day 1 - on to Dover for a pint and a bite to eat, and our overnight stay.