Tag: East Lancashire Railway
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#509 – 500 Post Retrospective – More Railways
More from the East Lancs Railway, this time they are all from the works and yard at Buckley Wells in Bury. It’s not normally accessible unless you work there, but is sometimes open for group visits or for photographic night shoots which is where all these were taken. 60163 Tornado, 24th October 2010 70013 Oliver…
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#508 – 500 Post Retrospective – Railways
I don’t do as much railway photography as I used to (or would like to) due to other priorities, but this and the next couple of posts are a selection from the past ten years. Today’s were all taken on the East Lancs Railway – it maybe not one of the bigger or more prestigious heritage…
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#370 – Union of South Africa on the East Lancs Railway 2
Of course, it’s not all rural locations, but the urban locations around Bury aren’t really accessible. Even those around the railway station are only accessible on occasions like this, but it did allow for some variety as I do like to capture the people side of the railways where I can. Finally, some alternative…
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#369 – Union of South Africa on the East Lancs Railway
If I could draw an automotive comparison to the sound of a streamlined A4 steam loco it would be to a flat 6 Porsche engine – a taut, highly tuned mechanical beat with the underlying threat of huge power. I’m not well up on the different noises of steam locomotives, but hearing the Union of…
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#287 – East Lancs Railway Photo Locations 13 – Rawtenstall Station
Unlike Ramsbottom, Rawtenstall is a terminus station, so if you’re travelling on the train, you will have more time to get out and walk round as the engine has to run round to the other end of the train to head back down the line. Rawtenstall is a good place to actually start your journey…
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#286 – East Lancs Railway Photo Locations 12 – Townsendfold
The spot by Townsendfold Signal Box is quite popular, and in the right light (such as above) can yield some nice results. It’s also a very easy spot to access and park at, which is always a good thing, especially if you’re not terribly mobile. It’s also possible to get a decent shot looking north…
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#285 – East Lancs Railway Photo Locations – Ewood Bridge
There’s only one view here, and it’s looking due south! Framing is important, as at the west side of the line is the decaying ruins of a non-league football ground, which last time I was there still had the floodlight posts in shot. A pity, because the more distant background is lovely. I wouldn’t recommend…
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#284 – East Lancs Railway Photo Locations 9 – Irwell Vale
This is a favourite location with those who like to leave the confines of the main stations. It is a small halt, and has a small car park next to it, and there is some street parking nearby. The standard view is a good one, but I’ve only ever done it twice, one of which…
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#283 – East Lancs Railway Photo Locations 8 – Stubbins
Heading north out of Ramsbottom, turn right after the garage on the right hand side. This will take you up past a playing field to a level crossing. This is a excellent place to catch the trains leaving Ramsbottom as they are working pretty hard to get up the incline to Rawtenstall. Some people venture…
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#282 – East Lancs Railway Photo Locations 7 – Ramsbottom Station
Ramsbottom station is a nice little to photograph, as it’s got some nice period features, especially since the addition of the wrought iron canopy over the up platform. This is adjacent to the main station buildings, and combined with the water tank and general platform paraphenalia, gives plenty of potential. The station is a passing…
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#281 – East Lancs Railway Photo Locations 6 – Brooksbottom Tunnel
A short walk from the previous location is one that I quite like, the entrance to Brooksbottom tunnel. Although there are various possibilities here, the best one seems to be on top of the tunnel entrance, offset to the west to get a nice three quarter shot, and the curve of the line going over…
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#280 – East Lancs Railway Photo Locations 5 – Summerseat
Summerseat has a small halt, and there are a couple of spots worth visiting. I must confess to never having spent much time here, mainly because the best spot is standing on the road on a bridge, normally with a line of other photographers, which isn’t my style, but that doesn’t mean it is without…
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#279 – East Lancs Railway Photo Locations 4 – Burrs
Burrs is a popular location and one that has changed over the past few years with the opening of a caravan park. It will be changing again in the next few years if the proposed halt is built, so it is worth visiting soon before some more unique photo locations are lost. There are numerous…
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#278 – East Lancs Railway Photo Locations 2 – Buckley Wells
The yard at Barron Street is one of my favourite spots on the line, but is not open to the public except on night shoots. The shed itself is the Victorian loco works of the original East Lancashire Railway Company, and is now the home of Ian Riley’s Engineering business as well as the East…
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#277 – East Lancs Railway Photo Locations 3 – Bury Bolton Street Station
Not being a station dweller, this is a place I tend to get on and off trains rather than take photos. The station itself is a pretty large affair, and has plenty of parking next door and across the road, even on busy events like Santa Specials. There’s also a buffet on the platform, and…
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#276 – East Lancs Railway Photo Locations 1 – Roch Viaduct
As I mentioned in the first installment, there are few decent photo opportunities on the Bury – Heywood line. Certainly, the ‘ski-jump’ over the Metrolink can give some spectacular exhausts, but the area in the immediate vicinity is uninspiring. This location is more pleasant. The line crosses a wide valley, going over a river and…
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#275 – East Lancashire Railway Photo Locations – Introduction
As a regular visitor to the East Lancashire Railway over the last ten years or so, I’ve got to know many of the best locations for lineside photography. Regular readers will be aware of my tendency to look for something beyond the standard ‘train in station’ photographs, and as quite a lot of the lineside…
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#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…
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#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…
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#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…
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#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…
Mechanical Landscapes 