Mechanical Landscapes

  • #252 – Return To Dinorwic – Details

    #252 – Return To Dinorwic – Details

    Something I try to do when exploring somewhere is to go close in and pick out the smaller details. Not only does it give some variety to the wider landscapes and architectural shots, it allows for a bit more creativity and to look closer at textures, shapes, etc. If you read the Geotopoi blog, some…

  • #251 – Return To Dinorwic – Compressor House

    #251 – Return To Dinorwic – Compressor House

    Now this was an interesting surprise. I’d previously only explored the upper levels of the quarry, but down in the lower levels was another compressor house. It was not as exposed as the Australia Level building, and as such was in better condition. It was also much more accessible as it had a decent footpath…

  • #250 – Return To Dinorwic – Australia Level Part 2

    #250 – Return To Dinorwic – Australia Level Part 2

    Throwing caution to the not inconsiderable wind, I decided to continue wandering along the Australia level, if nothing else to see if there was a less difficult way down. Seeing some buidlings ahead, I wandered over to see what they were. Various bits of scrap littered the grass outside which piqued my curiousity, and inside…

  • #249 – Return To Dinorwic – Australia Level Part 1

    #249 – Return To Dinorwic – Australia Level Part 1

    Climbing the incline is hard work. I’d put the angle somewhere between 30 and 45 degrees, and although there are some crumbling stone steps in sections, the rest of it is a combination of grass and loose slate. The gradient is relentless, and unless you are a Nepalese Sherpa or are seriously fit, it’s probably…

  • #248 – Return To Dinorwic – The Inclined Plane

    #248 – Return To Dinorwic – The Inclined Plane

    Like my previous visit, the quarry was shrouded in mist, only this time it didn’t clear. This trip though I was determined to reach the Australia level as well as see a few other bits and bats I’d not seen before. Not knowing the ‘easier’ way, I simply went straight up the fearsome C3 incline…

  • #247 – Return To Dinorwic

    #247 – Return To Dinorwic

    Industry has it’s own unique way of shaping the landscape, but mineral extraction is one industry that leaves the most permanent mark. From the slag heaps of the coalfields, to the huge holes in the ground that quarries leave, once operations have ended, it isn’t just a case of pulling the buildings down and building…

  • #246 – Fuji X10 – initial impressions

    I’ve used a Panasonic LX3 for the past couple of years and, like the top end compacts from Canon and Nikon, it has a reputation as a photographers camera – well built, wide angle (24mm) lens, the ability to shoot raw, manual controls, etc. Much as I liked the camera, it never fitted in with…

  • #245 – Dinorwic Slate Quarry

    #245 – Dinorwic Slate Quarry

    Bridge Of Doom? No, the gallery had given way beneath this track panel, leaving it suspended precariously in mid-air. Remains of a weighbridge Could there be a more appropriate landscape in which to film ‘Clash Of The Titans’? OK, so I’ve not actually seen the film in its entirety, but when security told me that…

  • #244 – Belgrave Mills

    I’ve had an IPad for a while and find it to be a monumental distraction – mine’s stuffed full of music, photos, games, books and various other apps. It’s ease of use and quick start up make our netbook feel like a Commodore 64. One thing I hadn’t really tried out until recently were the photo…

  • #243 – Failed Heritage – Dunaskin Brickworks

    #243 – Failed Heritage – Dunaskin Brickworks

    I’m a regular visitor to Ayrshire on the west coast of Scotland, and ever since my first visit, I’ve been intrigued by its industrial past. The cross country road from the M8 to Kilmarnock, Ayr, etc crosses a bleak, moorland landscape, pockmarked by past and current mining activities. Today, it’s exclusively opencast, but until the…

  • #242 – Loch Long Torpedo Testing Station

    #242 – Loch Long Torpedo Testing Station

    For a good period of my career, I worked in a compact disc manufacturing plant. Thanks to continuous investment, the factory was arguably a world class facility with excellent yields, excellent quality and the capacity and expertise to be highly responsive to customer demands. Despite all this, it closed in 2009. CD’s were rapidly becoming…

  • #241 – A (slight) change of direction?

    Photography is a fairly solitary pursuit, so a recent photo charter I attended brought me into contact with a load of other photographers. I was intrigued to see the variety of equipment people were using. As well as a few high end pro level DSLR’s such as Nikon D700’s and Canon 5d Mk2’s, the majority were using (for lack…

  • #240 – Crane Tank at Foxfield Colliery – Part 4

    Maybe the only one I took in my usual style. Couldn’t quite get the composition right as the engine was in the wrong place for a good silhouette, but I’m quite pleased with it though.

  • #239 – Crane Tank at Foxfield Colliery – Part 3

    Night photography tends to mean long exposures, but that presupposes everything is going to be static. Even in strong winds, buildings don’t tend to move a great deal, and neither do steam locomotives if they’ve got their brakes on. However, the crane tank was an exception as it had it’s jib extended and a coal…

  • #238 – Crane Tank at Foxfield Colliery – Part 2

    Much as I enjoy photo charters, they’re something of a double edged sword from a creative perspective – on the one hand you get multiple runpasts, in the best locations, in the best light if it’s available. On the other hand, you tend to move from location to location with the rest of the group,…

  • #237 – Crane Tank at Foxfield Colliery – Part 1

    Colliery headstocks were once a common site in the many mining areas of the country, but with the decline of the industry, these industrial landmarks are now virtually extinct. Colliery closures tend to result in a rapid demolition, witness to that is the speedy clearance of Welbeck colliery that I photographed in 2008. Even those…

  • #236 – Best of 2011 Part 2

    #236 – Best of 2011 Part 2

    Misty paraboloids The further I drove into Yorkshire, the foggier it became. In fact, I couldn’t even see the cooling towers until I was right next to them, and this was the site I was met with when I entered the site. Eerie. Three Kings, Thorpe Marsh As the fog cleared, the sun made an…

  • #235 – Best of 2011 Part 1

    In an idea shamelessly ripped off from Martin Creese’s excellent blog, I’ve decided to post up some of my favourite photos from the past year. Regular readers will probably recognise these pictures, but I’m halfway through writing half a dozen posts currently, so this seemed like a quick and easy way to fill in the…

  • #234 – Super D Part 3 – riding the line

    A few more random shots from the day! Riding on the rear verandah of the guardsvan gave some different views than you’d get from sitting in a carriage. This is looking back down the line in Brooksbottom Tunnel. Not sure how to describe these lights, but they are hung on the back and front of…

  • #233 – Super D Part 2 – on the footplate

    I’ve written before about people in railway photography, and how you don’t see much of it. Well, the opportunity came up again to ride up front with the crew on the footplate (thanks to Nigel for organising this again!) which is always a privilege. It was also a bit of a squeeze, as the Super…

  • #232 – Super D Part 1

    #232 – Super D Part 1

    All aboard for an early start! Well, maybe not, but driving from Chorley to Bury at rush hour always takes a little longer than I think it will, especially when going the scenic route to avoid the dick-dance that is the M61/M60 in the morning. The reason for my brisk cross-country drive was Richard Newtons latest charter…