Regarding the last set of Class 302 pictures, I’m always impressed David at how many pictures you took of what, to me back then, would have been boring, humdrum subjects going about their daily business.
On a related subject, do you (or any of your followers) know if it’s possible to walk all the way from Shoeburyness to Leigh along the sea front? It looks like it from Google Maps but some local knowledge would be handy to make sure.
Here she is passing Dawlish just now, complete with headboard and a nice fanfare on the horns. Having seen these replace Class 45s, 46s, 47s and 50s on this stretch of line in my childhood, it was strangely emotional to see this last passing today.
31135’s livery variation seems to have lasted quite a while as it pops up at Grantham in this video (about 22 minutes in) in 1987, still in this condition.