Early Birds

Very early morning on the 26th January 80 as Howe and Revenge get ready to tackle the Cornish banks with the 0005 Paddington Penzance sleepers.
I had joined the train at Taunton having travelled up from Newton Abbot on the up sleepers behind 50029, 50023 was put on top at Exeter and I stayed on board until Plymouth where I grabbed this shot. 50009 to Saltash for a shot of a 50 on the Royal Albert Bridge on a cold misty morning followed by 50035 to St Germans for a shot of 50026 on Teddy Viaduct followed by a day of haulage.
Such were my weekends in my late teens. Combining riding behind class 50s and photography. I don't ever remember being bored and I lived life to the full with an air of excitement about all I did.
The majority of people / staff tolerated us and life was easy. Guards mostly were way too busy drinking coffee from their billy cans and reading newspapers to bother with us. How I miss those days.