Welcome to "Phil's Loco Photos"

A very welcome return trip to Finland after a gap of twelve years, plenty of trains now formed of double deck carriages since my last visit. I flew with Norwegian from Gatwick - Helsinki and thanks to the new loop line being open I was straight onto a train from the airport. I was naturally off the EMU at Tikkurila to start chasing the locos. It was a good start with two pairs of Sr1 electrics out on the loco hauled commuters. H235 was the major attraction as it takes the "new" line from Kerava - Lahti, and no better way to do it than with a pair of Sr1 locos. I did the train all the way to Kouvola and returned with a new Sr2 to Helsinki. Next day I went north to Seinäjoki and covered both the Sr1 turns on the Vaasa branch and then returned to Tampere for some winners, a nice run of four new Sr2 was good and got me back to Helsinki. Next morning I had a few new Sr1 on locals and then went to Tampere and another winner to Turku and then back to Helsinki for the evening rush and finally a late evening trip to Tikkurila with a pair of winners on P269. The next morning after I made my way to Tampere and took Sr1 traction all the way north from there to Oulu via Pieksämäki and Kajaani, it was a long trek! On arrival at Oulu I then did a trip to Kemi where I found a good pizza and an Sr1 back to Oulu. The Saturday was Kolari day as peak winter timetable was running with three pairs of Dr16 out, I picked up three winners. We broke the northbound journey at Kemi as there is a warm waiting room there and after some photos at Kolari we went to a local café for warmth and wifi. We left on the first departure with the expected different pair and again got off a Kemi for IC266 behind with a new Sr1. We went south via main line and I got off at Tampere, managed a couple of new Sr2. It was then back Helsinki for last two nights. Early start to go to Kerava to cover Sr1 turns and then to the east of Finland to chase some Russian power. I was met at Joutseno by a local railfan and we drove to some spots around Imatra for some 2TE116 action, getting some nice photos and then back to Helsinki on IC12 with a winner Sr2. Final day so up early and a couple of new Sr1 and an Sr1 and then to the airport via the loop line. Nice quiet flight home with a row to myself ended a good trip