2014-2015 Archive
In 2014, I didn't stray too far from my usual haunts of South Devon and the Bluebell Railway with the significant exception of the Hungarian Railway Museum in Budapest. 2015 saw me take to the water to find a different angle of the Dartmouth Steam Railway, with a trip to Yorkshire and another return to the Rails and Ales Gala at the South Devon Railway
South Devon Railway - Rails and Ales Gala 28/8/15
This event is now becoming an annual pilgrimage! Accompanied by my dad and our 11 year old Labrador, I had my first ride behind 6412 up to Totnes and back to Staverton. We left the train and took the Dog for a walk along the river, walking to Nappers Halt and looping back through the church in Staverton itself. After a couple of pints at the festival, we took an afternoon train to Totnes behind 3205, and back to Buckfastleigh. Union of South Africa could be found inside the works, whilst L92 was in charge of the other service train.
The beer festival was a little quieter than I am used to seeing it, presumably as it was the Friday (I usually go at the weekend). It was as good as ever, with fewer wasps than in previous years! Unfortunately it was spoilt somewhat by the fact that smokers remained unchallenged.
I tried to be a little adventurous with the camera settings, trying to prevent the bleaching effect that spoils so many of my photos.
The beer festival was a little quieter than I am used to seeing it, presumably as it was the Friday (I usually go at the weekend). It was as good as ever, with fewer wasps than in previous years! Unfortunately it was spoilt somewhat by the fact that smokers remained unchallenged.
I tried to be a little adventurous with the camera settings, trying to prevent the bleaching effect that spoils so many of my photos.
Dartmouth Steam Railway - 26/8/15
Something a little bit different! My dad is a kayaking and canoeing instructor, and I used to join him on the water quite a lot. It has been about 3 years since I last paddled, so took advantage of us both being free at the same time to go out onto the Dart estuary at Kingswear, with the aim of taking some photos of the railway. Whilst kayaking is rather like riding a bike in that you don't really forget how to do it, I was a little rusty and not so stable in windy conditions. I was also using my dad's battered waterproof camera and with little effort going into researching when the trains were running, so all of the photos taken are opportunistic. Hercules and Lydham Manor were on duty.
I've been a fan of the GWR heavy tanks since my first ride behind Hercules, but have never been so keen on the Manors, finding them incredibly generic. However, seeing Lydham Manor for the second time this year in such lovely condition is starting to win me round. I was initially a bit put off by the DSR business plan but have found myself increasingly in impressed. Whilst it rarely caters to enthusiasts, it does everything else right and is set up to last for decades to come.
The kayaking trip took us on a 7 mile round trip to Dittisham, passing the DSR's steamboat on each leg of the journey.
I've been a fan of the GWR heavy tanks since my first ride behind Hercules, but have never been so keen on the Manors, finding them incredibly generic. However, seeing Lydham Manor for the second time this year in such lovely condition is starting to win me round. I was initially a bit put off by the DSR business plan but have found myself increasingly in impressed. Whilst it rarely caters to enthusiasts, it does everything else right and is set up to last for decades to come.
The kayaking trip took us on a 7 mile round trip to Dittisham, passing the DSR's steamboat on each leg of the journey.
North Yorkshire Moors Railway - 9/8/15
I spent a warm summer's day in the Moors, with a trip to Whitby in mind. Future visitors must bear in mind that parking costs a small fortune in Pickering, with the town's car parks making the railway's £5 all day fee seem a bargain. The timetable had indicated that whilst a diesel service would be running, the Whitby trips would be steam hauled. I waited just North of Pickering for my train to arrive and was greeted by the spotless Black 5 45428 'Eric Treacy'.
On the journey North, the train passed the 101 DMU and 2-6-0 4MT 76079 on the other service trains. Unfortunately, I was unable to get any shots of the 4MT. A surprise was to see Q6 63395 parked up at Levisham, I later found out that it had failed a day or two before and was waiting to be rescued (it appears to have been back in regular service the next weekend). The biggest disappointment of the day came at Grosmont. Sat waiting for the road to Whitby, not expecting any action, the Black 5 backed past my window and a diesel engine started up. I hopped out onto the platform and was dismayed to see that the class 25 was at the head of the train. As diesels go, I quite like the look of the 25s, but still dislike the noise and smell they produce. I was particularly disappointed as I had paid the extra cost to ride to Whitby, expecting steam. There was no warning before buying my ticket that this wouldn't be the case. I decided not to go to Whitby so as to increase the number of steam photography opportunities.
A4 No.7 took the dining train to Pickering, before I rejoined the Black 5's train for the return to Pickering. I took a break at Levisham so that I could travel behind a different locomotive. A pleasant surprise was that Sir Nigel Gresley was at the head of the last service train. Levisham painted a busy scene, with volunteers carrying out several different maintenance tasks.
Overall an excellent day. Possibly one of the most relaxing and enjoyable railway visits I've had in a long while. It was however, disappointing that there was no warning of the lack of steam to Whitby, leading to unnecessary expense on top of the parking fee, taking the basic cost of an adult ticket over £30.
On the journey North, the train passed the 101 DMU and 2-6-0 4MT 76079 on the other service trains. Unfortunately, I was unable to get any shots of the 4MT. A surprise was to see Q6 63395 parked up at Levisham, I later found out that it had failed a day or two before and was waiting to be rescued (it appears to have been back in regular service the next weekend). The biggest disappointment of the day came at Grosmont. Sat waiting for the road to Whitby, not expecting any action, the Black 5 backed past my window and a diesel engine started up. I hopped out onto the platform and was dismayed to see that the class 25 was at the head of the train. As diesels go, I quite like the look of the 25s, but still dislike the noise and smell they produce. I was particularly disappointed as I had paid the extra cost to ride to Whitby, expecting steam. There was no warning before buying my ticket that this wouldn't be the case. I decided not to go to Whitby so as to increase the number of steam photography opportunities.
A4 No.7 took the dining train to Pickering, before I rejoined the Black 5's train for the return to Pickering. I took a break at Levisham so that I could travel behind a different locomotive. A pleasant surprise was that Sir Nigel Gresley was at the head of the last service train. Levisham painted a busy scene, with volunteers carrying out several different maintenance tasks.
Overall an excellent day. Possibly one of the most relaxing and enjoyable railway visits I've had in a long while. It was however, disappointing that there was no warning of the lack of steam to Whitby, leading to unnecessary expense on top of the parking fee, taking the basic cost of an adult ticket over £30.
Bluebell Railway - Model Railway Weekend 28/7/15
I was keen to make sure that I saw the Q class in action this summer, and this happily coincided with the model railway weekend. The weather was forecast to be good, though unfortunately, it turned out that shorts and t-shirt were not quite adequate! Very little sun and the odd prolonged downpour were not conducive to good photography. I therefore only caught the last train of the day at the line-side, deciding to spent the rest of my time enjoying the model railway exhibits.
The Q class was at the head of the Southern vintage set, with the S15 in charge of the Mk1/Bulleid rake. The C class was on Golden Arrow duties wilst Baxter and the H class top and tailed the LNWR observation car on a shuttle between Sheffield Park and Horsted Keynes.
The Q class was at the head of the Southern vintage set, with the S15 in charge of the Mk1/Bulleid rake. The C class was on Golden Arrow duties wilst Baxter and the H class top and tailed the LNWR observation car on a shuttle between Sheffield Park and Horsted Keynes.
Dartmouth Steam Railway - 22/4/15
I decided that I should take advantage of the good April weather and visit a beach. As I usually have the dog with me, most of the Torbay beaches are usually out of bounds. I didn't have him on this trip so took the chance to visit the red sands. The fact that the Dartmouth Steam Railway was running was an added bonus. I went in the late afternoon, so only caught a couple of run-pasts.
South Devon Railway - Rails and Ales Gala 24/8/14
Its becoming a bit of a tradition that I attend this event. This year I was accompanied by my Granddad. There was none of the drama of last year - I didn't miss any trains, and managed to be around for most of the steam turns. It was my first time seeing occasional resident 5542 in steam and 3205 was the other loco in steam. The class 25 and 37 were in charge of the diesel turns, and L92 was warming up for the next day's services in the shed. A slight shame was that the class 33, now in a more appropriate green livery, wasn't ready for the event.
Hungarian Railway Museum, Budapest 1/8/14
A first for this website - a railway centre outside the UK! I spent a great couple hours at the Hungarian Railway Museum. Entry is roughly £3 and there is a lot there for your money! The site is based around 2 turntables, one surrounded by a roundhouse, with several other sidings and an impressive minature railway. Once there, you have pretty much free reign and can get up close to all of the locomotives, some of which have steps up to the cab. There's a good selection of slightly different railway items.
I found it quite difficult to plan my visit to the railway. The website provides directions for bus and train but I found that the train wasn't running and the buses didn't run from anywhere near Budapest's main station. I decided to walk the next day - 5km/1 hour from the city centre.
This holiday also included time in Vienna and Bratislava. I've included photos of trains and trams from all three cities.
I found it quite difficult to plan my visit to the railway. The website provides directions for bus and train but I found that the train wasn't running and the buses didn't run from anywhere near Budapest's main station. I decided to walk the next day - 5km/1 hour from the city centre.
This holiday also included time in Vienna and Bratislava. I've included photos of trains and trams from all three cities.
South Devon Railway - Delivering the Goods Gala 19/4/14
This trip to the SDR was a little different to my previous visits as I had my Labrador, Joey, with me. He's 9 years old and very well behaved (most of the time) but taking photos whilst controlling a dog on a busy platform can be a little difficult. He has visited several steam railways before and takes it all in his stride, often providing entertainment for the other passengers.
We started at Staverton, catching the first available train to Totnes. This was hauled by the smartly lined out 3205. I have wanted to explore some of the famous photography locations closer to Totnes for some time, and took the opportunity to not only stretch the dog's legs, but also find Dartington. I found an ideal spot for photos, but as it was still morning, and the track was shrouded in darkness, I decided to move on. Whilst this walk didn't produce any good photos, I now have some ideas for the future, particularly for shots later in the day.
We continued onto Staverton and returned to my usual photography haunts, allowing Joey to have a swim and cool down. We then caught the train to Buckfastleigh, where we spent a couple of hours waiting for visiting Ivatt 2MT 46521's last return trip. At Totnes, L92 joined the Ivatt, and they put in a spectacular performance on the run back to Buckfastleigh.
As can be seen, my camera didn't catch much in the way of goods trains. These mostly ran between Buckfastleigh and Staverton, often diesel hauled (sometimes double headed, despite being 3 wagons long) so I gave them a miss. It was interesting to see the BR liveried Land Rover incorporated in the trains and the GWR shunter's truck in use at Buckfastleigh.
We started at Staverton, catching the first available train to Totnes. This was hauled by the smartly lined out 3205. I have wanted to explore some of the famous photography locations closer to Totnes for some time, and took the opportunity to not only stretch the dog's legs, but also find Dartington. I found an ideal spot for photos, but as it was still morning, and the track was shrouded in darkness, I decided to move on. Whilst this walk didn't produce any good photos, I now have some ideas for the future, particularly for shots later in the day.
We continued onto Staverton and returned to my usual photography haunts, allowing Joey to have a swim and cool down. We then caught the train to Buckfastleigh, where we spent a couple of hours waiting for visiting Ivatt 2MT 46521's last return trip. At Totnes, L92 joined the Ivatt, and they put in a spectacular performance on the run back to Buckfastleigh.
As can be seen, my camera didn't catch much in the way of goods trains. These mostly ran between Buckfastleigh and Staverton, often diesel hauled (sometimes double headed, despite being 3 wagons long) so I gave them a miss. It was interesting to see the BR liveried Land Rover incorporated in the trains and the GWR shunter's truck in use at Buckfastleigh.
Bluebell Railway - First Anniversary Gala 22/3/14
This gala provided a good opportunity to catch the visiting 56xx and my first sight of the Bluebell's own S15 847. It was also my first outing with a new camera. The set below was taken using both cameras, as I didn't want to expose my new camera to the rain. I'm still teaching myself to use this camera and hopefully some good results will follow!
My first shots were taken at Three Arch Bridge. Whilst an improvement on my previous attempt from this location, I feel that there is much more to be gained in future. It was a nice surprise to see the P class deputising for the H class, though a shame that the latter had failed. I spent most of the day around Horsted Keynes and the intensive service and Baxter busy with brake van rides meant that there was always plenty of entertainment. The railway can be proud of putting on a fantastic gala.
My first shots were taken at Three Arch Bridge. Whilst an improvement on my previous attempt from this location, I feel that there is much more to be gained in future. It was a nice surprise to see the P class deputising for the H class, though a shame that the latter had failed. I spent most of the day around Horsted Keynes and the intensive service and Baxter busy with brake van rides meant that there was always plenty of entertainment. The railway can be proud of putting on a fantastic gala.