Being passionate about UK railways and in particular the ex LSWR division of the Southern Railway, later to become British Railways Southern Region, my photographs cover the closing years of Southern steam right up to modern day heritage railways. In particular many earlier shots of stations, signal boxes, and general railway architecture were taken not only to record the fast changing scene but with future modelling projects in mind.
Sadly not many of my pre 1968 photos are worthy of a second glance but better equipment and holidays circa 1969/70 enabled the recording of quite a bit of the fast disappearing ex LSWR West Country lines by then affectionally known as the Withered Arm. Exeter to Plymouth via Okehampton, Tavistock and Bere Alston although closed between Meldon Quarry and Bere Alston was still intact with the opened sections fully signalled and run much as they had been back in steam days. Ditto Ilfracombe via Barnstaple along with the freight only Torrington branch and even a small part around Wadebridge and up to Wenford Bridge was still open for freight.
Throughout the seventies and eighties whenever the opportunity arouse I continued to seek out and record the remaining pockets of the old ways in particular Signal Boxes and signals whilst enjoying the wonderful experiences increasingly being provided by the preservationists. I take my hat off to each and everyone of them.
With the amazing equipment now readily available, but little left to record and the return of mainline steam, the last 30 years have seen much emphasis on obtaining the best shot or video possible. Being a perfectionist 99% don’t even get on the first rung of the ladder, but just occasionally I think that’s not too bad and these are the ones displayed here.
A few years ago, after an absence of something like 50 years, I started to drift back into OO gauge railway modelling, fascinated with all the possibilities afforded by modern technology and techniques not even dreamt about back in the day.
Starting with kit building, then kit bashing, I built a couple of diorama’s before eventually moving on to scratch building and now try to model as accurately as possible railway scenes from the past and then photograph them!
Still needing some detailing and weathering to finish, these shots show my latest project ... Okehampton Goods Shed circa 1960.