#130 – People in railway photographs

The overwhelming majority of railway photographs tend to be of the hardware, but I find it just as interesting to take photographs of the people on the railway as well. This is a subject that is rarely covered by railway photographers, but why is that? I think people who are involved with the railways are often (but not always)…

#124 – Narrow Gauge in West Lancashire

OK, not my usual style as it’s not black and white, but I made the short journey to the West Lancs Light Railway for it’s Quarry Engine gala. I’ve often cycled to their base at Hesketh Bank as it’s a pleasant ride from Chorley, but they don’t seem to run on Saturdays when I tend…

#100 – Lead in lines

Railway lines are a great way to lead into a photo, although, you do normally need permission to be on them! This was taken at a charter on the Ribble Steam Railway in Preston, and  I got down low, to take the shot. With an increasing number of DSLR’s having live view on them, using…

#99 – Light Engine

Another one from Snibston, I used a telephoto to isolate the loco as it ran light engine along the sidings to meet up with the coach it was hauling for the day. I wanted to capture the diesel shunter in the background and some of the industrial backdrop, but only succeeded in getting the shunter in. …

#98 – Horwich Loco Works

Horwich Loco Works is somewhere I’ve been meaning to look at for some time, but never got round to it. For years I’ve looked at it’s huge long brick Erecting Shop as I pass it on the M61, and last went in the early 90’s when the site was used for car boot sales on…

#97 – The Y

Unfortunately there wasn’t much happening at Loughborough station but a visit to the sheds and a mooch around the bookshop killed an hour. In the distance here is a demonstration freight train, but it’s maybe too far way to see here. Still, I like all the period features in the scene.

#96 – Explosives!

Unlike proper heritage lines, Snibston didn’t appear to have a demonstration freight train running, at least not a steam hauled one (although there was a charter on the Friday, but I only found that out afterwards). That was a shame as they’d brought a steam train in especially from the Chasewater railway and it ended…

#95 – Cobbles and Steam

The area around Keighley station seems pretty much as it was 50 years ago, all cobbled streets, ginnels and old stone mills. I wanted to make a feature of this landscape so I had a scout around the area on foot, which is often the best way as you see things you wouldn’t if you…

#93 – Book Review – Hans Steeneken’s ‘All Trains To Stop’

 An enjoyable trip to Peak Rail in Derbyshire didn’t produce any great photos, but a visit to their 2nd hand book wagon did yield a couple of 50 pence gems. First up was ‘Steam’ by Ian Krause, whose work I’d seen in the classic Ian Allan ‘Steam Portfolio’. It’s mainly steam in action, and some…

#92 – Peak Rail 2

Nikon D700, Nikkor 28-70, 1/100 @ F18, ISO 400 Another one from Peak Rail. 8624 waits at Rowsley South to be turned on the new turntable. I wanted to inclde different elements of the railway in the scene, as most photos taken from platforms are, frankly, boring record shots. So I waited for the driver…