Peppercorn

From the car window in Arizona (I think) a 'deserted' (sorry!) train... Cliff

For any eccentrics amongst us... Flagstaff logging locomotive Nov 2016 Cliff

Bargain day! Two engines for the price of one! Logging locomotive at Flagstaff, October 2016 Cliff

I'm still taking them from the carriage window, in this case approaching Los Angeles travelling from San Diego, November 2016.

I found this photo posted on a facebook group for the L T & S R without so much as an acknowledgement. Either that or someone managed to take an absolutely identical photo of the same two trains down to the same distance apart (counted in bricks)

Wolseley - terrific, thanks so much. Kind regards' Cliff

Wolseley, What a super photograph. Erm I'm a bit of a painter and wondered if you'd mind if I used your photograph as the basis of a painting. I'm thinking oils or acrylic, and would love to - correction: would love to try - and capture the essence of these huge beasts. It would interesting to reverse the process, too, by then depicting one in full steam with lots of heat, smoke and steam. Regards, Cliff

Masthead next Midland mainline south of Bedford

I had the privilege of visiting Pakistan for work reasons in '84 and '85. I loved my trips - the people I met were friendly, very welcoming, interested and very proud of their country (the state was only 36 years old at that stage) and which, they enthusiastically pointed out, was self-sufficient in food. That the country had its It's problems was evident (which country or state doesn't?) but it's not very sensible to talk politics in a dictatorship, and religion was off limits, too. I've always wanted to return, but as time goes on, that becomes ever less likely. But I treasure my visits and was absolutely delighted to find steam in action there, despite Jane's Railways of the time saying that steam had been phased out about eighteen months prior to my visit. The engine drivers were immensly proud of their engines, and the cabs that I was welcomed into gleamed with highly polished brass and copper. Oh, that I could have had a digital camera with the unlimited number of shots but, of course, the digital age was not yet upon us. And so I used my faithful Petri with either 50 or 35mm lenses on either colour or slide film. Here's another shot, this one of an oil-burning 0-6-0 on shunting duties at Hyderabad. Hope you like it. Cliff I had the privilege of visiting Pakistan for work reasons in '84 and '85. I loved my trips - the people I met were friendly, very welcoming, interested and very proud of their country (the state was only 36 years old at that stage) and which, they enthusiastically pointed out, was self-sufficient in food. That the country had its It's problems was evident (which country or state doesn't?) but it's not very sensible to talk politics in a dictatorship, and religion was off limits, too. I've always wanted to return, but as time goes on, that becomes ever less likely. But I treasure my visits and was absolutely delighted to find steam in action there, despite Jane's Railways of the time saying that steam had been phased out about eighteen months prior to my visit. The engine drivers were immensly proud of their engines, and the cabs that I was welcomed into gleamed with highly polished brass and copper. Oh, that I could have had a digital camera with the unlimited number of shots but, of course, the digital age was not yet upon us. And so I used my faithful Petri with either 50 or 35mm lenses on either colour or slide film. Here's another shot, this one of an oil-burning 0-6-0 on shunting duties at Hyderabad. Hope you like it. Cliff

Do we know if the BG still exists, and where? Cliff

By contrast an oil-burning pacific on a local passenger train, Hyderabad, 1984

A Diesel-electric being got ready to haul a long goods train at Hyderabad, 1984. I think it may be an Alco, but am not sure.

Not a good photograph, but it shows something which may not now exist: a view over the yards at Osnabruck in early '77, looking, I think, towards the city itself - I think the towers in the distance are of the Dom and Johanisskirke.

My favourite photo, No. 90273 at York, May 1964.

Thanks Matt - super! Cliff

Super, interesting and enlightening photo, Matt: got any more? Cliff

Whereas the Deltic appears haughty, but perhaps that's just anthropomorphic rubbish...

This, too of Newark, in '74, same telephoto lens, same camera

Peter Kazmierczak says: " I just point and shoot and hope for the best.........." And I'm glad you do, I always like to see your photos. I like this topic, too, for it is here that we can place the everyday, "boring" photos. I'd like to add one such, taken in, I think, '74, with my then new addition of a Prinzflex telephoto (200mm I think) on my also new Practica LLC, this is a goods yard at York in an everyday occurrence. I'd love to have the cahnce to be bored by this kind of scene now

45033 at, I think, Newcastle in 74 or 75. The 45's had nice faces.

Negs just found! Sir Nigel at Carnforth, summer of '78. Taken with Petri 35mm 08 171 at Scarborough 44932 in green, Carnforth summer '78 4472 at Carnforth summer '78 - published before, but this is from the neg

And today's deliberate mistake is.... You know the old saw about measuring twice and cutting once? I wish I'd been more careful in measuring, that is, I should have measured the length of the chassis and used its measurement. As it is I am now faced with an unenviable choice: shorten the chassis or make a new footplate. I'd started a separate post under soldering, and can attest that it took me a good while and lots of tries to get to that footplate. Rats! Rethinking required (including "why not go out and buy one...?") Depressed Cliff

Evidently Network Rail couldn't make up its corporate mind between different track makes, so decided to use SMP on the up track and Peco on the down.... Cliff

To which shadow do you refer? If you mean the one at the front of the loco, I think it looks fine, giving the photo tonal depth, moreover, the shadow on the left hand bank of the handrail is doing a good job of leading the eye into the picture. I think it 's a nice, interesting and well-made shot.

Dear all, Is there a prize for getting everything so wrong that it's not possible than anything in a photo is right? If so, may I humbly submit the attached, taken at Stevenage sometime in the late nineties? It's so bad, it's laughable; however, in my defence, and, of course, things to learn from this: 1. Be familiar with the camera - this one belonged to the firm and, of course, I was sent out to do a survey with it that morning, no instruction manual available and, oh look! there is a film in it, and, hey, the batteries aren't flat! Wonder of wonders, the last user left it in a reusable condition! 2. Be ready. I was standing on the platform and heard the growl of a fast-moving train, so whipped out the camera, switching it on as I did so, pointed the camera and took the photo. No time to consider, just to react. 3. Be on the right platform. Well, I was, for the train I was to catch, but obviously not for the one in the photo. 4. Be clear of the assorted platform furniture, something more easily said than done. 5. Check in advance what trains will be running - easier to do nowadays, but in any case, I was told to go and do the survey as I arrived at work that morning, (as we serfs often are) 6. There are probably other lessons here, but I think I've done enough for the prize: cash, cheques, all are welcome...