Rus Hillier Photo charter at the Rutland Railway Museum . Brilliant day despite the weather with three engines in steam . Cranford no.2 , Andrew Barclay 1931 and Sentinel no.7. Many thanks to all at the RRM for a great day

A visit to Amberley Working Museum for the annual gala , this year themed around the products of Bagnall's of Stafford

Updated 26/07/08 for 5029 at Leamington & Hatton

Updated 19/05/2007 with 4965 & 4953 at Leamington Spa

updated 05/05/07 with a couple of images of the Chiltern steam express with 4965 at small heath

Updated 6th November with two shots on the Lickey from the 9th september

Updated 17th September for 4965 heading north at Shirley

Updated 9th September for 4965 & 4953 on the trip to Newport

updated 3rd September for 4953 on the Shakespeare Express

Two trips in three days right on my Doorstep . Thursday 29th June saw the return of 30777 to the main line with an evening run to Stratford , followed by an 06:35 departure from Tyseley with 4936 Kinlet Hall on a trip to Holyhead

www.vintagetrains.co.uk

Just a few from Visits to the Amerton Railway and Chasewater Gala

Images from a Russ Hillier & Geoff Silcock photographic event . Featuring a stellar cast of North Eastern Motive Power , the former midland roundhouse at Barrow Hill , Staveley was transformed for the event and subsequent weekend gala.

It was great to see Tornado for the first time and strangely I had this image that it would somehow seem different to it's genuine colleagues . It looked wonderful complete with a patina of steam age grime and well worth it's place in the pacific line up's

Surprise star loco for me was th N7 which looked genuinely steam age dirty and could have come off the Liverpool Street Suburbans that morning

In the last week of it's current boiler ticket Caley 0-4-4 55189 appears in BR Black livery for a series of photocharters run by 30742 Charters , Russ Hillier, Sentimental Journeys and 3P20 Parcels Group.

My thanks to everyone involved in the SRPS for making this dream come true

In conjunction with Jason Cross and the EMRPS we took the opportunity of an evening photoshoot with visiting Fowler Jinty 47279 from the KWVR and Fowler 4F 44422 at the now closed Oakamoor sand quarry at the eastern extremity of the Churnet Valley Railway. Oakamoor is one of those little gems that time has forgotten , unchanged for years , bucolic in the extreme and just oozing character . Soon it will probably all be gone and a few images will be all thats left .

My thanks to Jason and his lighting crew for another brilliant job

A little overdue but a small selection of the images taken on the 7th December on the SVR Santa's

30742 Charters event at Tyseley to help celebrate the 100th anniversary of the depot and the return of 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcombe. The night also featured the added bonus of Dukedog 9017 as well a the attractions of a stellar Swindon supporting cast. My thanks to Bob and Alastair Meanley and everyone at Tyseley for their help and support for staging the shoot. All proceeds of which went to the appeal for the return to steam of 7029 Clun Castle

I made 3 visits in 2008 to the very wonderful Statfold Barn Railway and this collection contain images from the March and October events

Two wonderful days with 9017 & 3440 in pure Great Western Heaven , even if the weather was a little unkind on the first day

Nightshoot at Didcot featuring a last appearance of 1363 before overhaul and a debut of 3650 in it's industrial Livery. Many thanks to those those involved with 3650 for the support on the evening . On a short freight set alongside the shed she looked superb

Organised by Steam team charters this was a great little evening. The GWSR ballast rake looks the part and the 4F just had a great patina of use on it. The weather wasn't totally generous but at least we had some sun

Compo Club outing with 5619 at Telford.

The first appearance of 5619 at "home" since it's recent overhaul at the flour mill. The opportunity was taken to run with both passenger and the recently repainted toad brake van. the whole scene looking rather like a sleepy midlands branch line towards the end of steam. Added to the mix was Peckett "Rocket" brewing up for the Bank holiday Gala

Many thanks to all at the railway for their helpfulness and hospitality

A Russ Hillier photocharter featuring LNWR Super 49395 on freight at Cheedleton

The latest 30742 Charters event was a night shoot at Didcot Railway Centre. the highlight was the repainting of 1363 into BR livery for the occasion. In a night of surprises 5058 Earl of Clancarty ad 7908 Hevingham Hall , both Laira residents made a reappearance thanks to the work of a Didcot volunteer and a huge thanks to him and all those involved in repainting 1363. 3822 and 6697 also made appearances in BR Livery.

Stars of the Show this year were Green Arrow and 2 of Tyseley's hall's operating main line tours from Birmingham. The weather was somewhat overcast so the day was spent at Bewdley just watching trains go by and catching up with friends.

A weeks Holiday in North Devon brought about a few opportunities for a little railway related photography

The highlight was to visit and travel on the first section to be reopened of the Lynton & Barnstable railway from Woody Bay towards Parracombe . Highly recommended

I also took the opportunity to see Bideford and Instow stations . Little short of heartbreaking to see such a beautiful and scenic railway line as a underused cycle track

The stuff dreams are made of as 61994 returns to the West Highlands on the Railway Touring Company special from Glasgow to Fort William and return . On the Northbound run a wreath was carried for Davey Murray , long time support crew member of 60009 who sadly passed away the preceding week. The sound of the K4 forging it's way in the Scottish Highlands made a truly memorable weekend and it can't go north again soon enough

I had hoped for Tangmere on this Sundays Torbay Express. Unfortunately air brake problem precluded it's use but 6024 deputised . Shots from Dawlish and Rewe . Sadly I made a howler of Cockwood (tide in as well) so that one is missing from here

The grand day out part 3 culminated with an evening photo charter with the wonderful Met 1, making a short visit from the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre as a star of Bluebell 125, and the Ashbury set . Unfortunately she was experiencing a warm axlebox so it was decided to return her to Sheffield Park for attention.

After a wait Eddystone returned for a number of runpasts at Three Arch Bridge as the sun set, the sound of a Bulleid exhaust a perfect finale to a cracking summers day

Parts two of the days adventure saw a visit to the private Bredgar & Wormshill light railway in Kent . With three engines in steam , 4 traction engines as well as vintage cars it made for a highly enjoyable afternoon

Part 3 to follow

A first visit to this wonderful line . With 0-4-2 Melior in steam a morning visit to Kemsley shed , followed by a trip down the line that changes from Kent Countryside to Industry and the wonderful elevated section through Sittingbourne . My thanks to all at the railway for making me so welcome

WIth a feast of steam over the weeknd of the 7th and 8th July to commerate 40 years since the last steam on the Southern Region , it was a challenge to get the best out of the weekend . The plan became an early morning session at Ropley before the crowds arrived on the Saturday Morning , Tangmere at speed through Surbiton , Saturday Evening , followed by the two Waterloo departures on Sunday . So Two Merchant Navies , 2 Spam Cans , A rebuilt West Country , Lord Nelson , Standard 5 and an Ivatt tank made it not a bad weekend . Oh and the sun shone after weeks of unrelenting rain

15 years since it reopened as a museum , Wimblebury from Foxfield visits for a special celebration. A Russ Hillier photo charter produced these memorable images

A small selection from the Amerton Railway Gala . With Resident Bagnall "Isabel" and visiting Hunslet "Jack Lane" and Kerr Stuart "Peter Pan "

My apologies for the small gallery on this one . The digital expired so much of the offering is on film .

Updated 09/06/07 with 6024 on the Cambrian Coast Express through Birmingham

Updated July 2006 with some real oldies in the days of an olympus trip and print film and poor composition !


Over the years I've spent far more time on preserved lines , all to do with MPS (Miles pershot !) . sometimes though the lure of main line steam becomes too much .

I had an enjoyable couple of hours at Toddington this morning , sandwiched between 4965 at Tyseley and 6024 on the SVR . Featuring visiting engines 34007 , 88 , 5542 and 4771 as well as residents 7903 and 92203

A weeks holiday with a lot of steam related surprises thrown in . Some shots from the Lakeside and Haverthwaite railway , having stumblied onto their mixed traffic weekend with the bonus of 5643 as well . plus the wonderful stem yacht on Coniston and finally a dull day but highly enjoyable day on the Ravenglass and Eskdale railway

Easter Monday visit to Irchester Country park to see Britains only Metre gauge collection. Home of the three former Finedon Quarries Pecketts , No. 86 was in steam on the museum's 250m running line

A wonderful warm welcome and facinating collection including the wonderful Cambrai

Have a look at the centre's website at http://www.ingrt.freeuk.com/index.htm