In the old days I used to use a real camera. You remember, those big, heavy and clunky things with lots of settings and multiple lenses - oh, and film...
I was bought a Canon Ixus Digital V for my 21st birthday in 2001 and that was the end of that - in the name of progress the ability to capture and share images changed forever and now, today, I can take a photo and post it online immediately.
What is it about midlife that has us yearning, even lightly, for the 'good old days'? I'm not sure I'm able to answer that any better than anyone else but I recognise it in myself - not only with my modelling and story telling BUT also, now, with some ideas about technology. So... as an experiment, I set my phone to 'Noir' (not brilliant but evocative of some black and white photos I took on an Ilford film in the late 1990s), set myself a limit of 24 photos and not re-cropping or adjusting photos AFTER they were taken (I only adjust two things - one, I tweak the sharpness up to about 50/100 which introduces a feel of grain in the photo, and two, a slight vignette of about 5/100).
What follows is the end of that experiment - just as the
Ffestiniog was the start. A nostalgic ride from Ruabon to Manchester Piccadilly via Altrincham and the Mid-Cheshire line, and return via Warrington Bank Quay. Enjoy the now, through the lens of the current but with the ideas of the past and passion in my heart...
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| My son loves Avanti West Coast. I don't - he was very excited to see their Hitachi units for the first time at Chester... |
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| We had arrived on 197007, saw Pride of Crewe (a loco bonus) and wandered over to find the 156/150 combination waiting for us... |
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| The first stretch of the journey between Chester and Delamere is really picturesque, especially through the large picture windows on the 156. Open windows allow full thrash to be appreciated. |
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| Approaching Northwich and we see a DB Class 66 - but in my ignorance I'm not sure what the working was!! |
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| A 'staged' photo, the 156 and the route put me in a rather pleasant relaxed space and I really really enjoyed this part of the journey. I used to travel this way with my Dad to Altrincham on old 101 DMU or Pacers over the years - lots gone now, including the model shop (sadly). |
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| Piccadilly - a whistle stop twenty minutes and a chance to see quite a bit of action. A Transpennine CAF unit IIRC, heading somewhere from Liverpool? |
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| The Transport for Wales 66 leaving for Cardiff with the Mk4 set whilst another Northern 156 arrives... |
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| On our way home and at Warrington a DB 66 goes onto the stabling point at Arpley. |
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| Back at Chester, via the TfW 197 that headed onwards to Llandudno. A sole 156 now on the Mid-Cheshire route, a 158 and 197 stabled beyond. |
All in all, a wonderful day out and less than £25 all in... I don't think I'd travelled from Altrincham to Stockport either, so some new trackage for me too! I hope you liked these photos, and appreciate the attempts in framing them nicely IN THE MOMENT - these are mindful and deliberately composed scenes, shared as much for my memories as your enjoyment. Until next time, more soon...
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James, I feel like I’ve been taken back in time to reading the Railway Modeller sometime in the 1980s & 1990s! Articles by Ian Futers and the like. So, it’s a thumbs up from me!
ReplyDeleteThank you Andrew! Futers, great urban layouts… thanks for reminding me, I’m going to dig out some old RMs!
DeleteIt's interesting how your son's taste in trains will be significantly different from yours, for example liking Avanti West coast. I remember being excited to ride in a refurbished VEP or CIG slam door unit freshly turned out in NSE toothpaste colours in 1987 for the first time. Mum hated it! She remembered riding behind Western diesel hydraulics just over a decade before. The current railway scene looks so different to me. Not better or worse, just different. Great photos James, and a great day out with your son. Take care.
ReplyDeleteHe enjoyed the 156 too Tom, his first ride on one… there is hope yet!
DeleteWonderful photographs James, thanks for sharing them. I've been doing something similar with my phone camera. Nice to have splendid day out.
ReplyDeleteThe class 67 Manchester/Cardiff service passes our house as the South Wales main line is at the end of our garden. Good selection of freight too.
(I took two O9 micro layouts along to Larkrail yesterday and had a wonderful day there. Your name was mentioned in several conversations and Simon had a good selection of books on sale.. There's some good photos on RM Web already of the show et cetera)
Best wishes Roger.
Thanks Roger, glad you enjoyed Larkrail, I must go to RMweb and look at the photos!
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