Photographic Memories
Members from the club have been out and about again with their cameras at the ready to record some historical trains and railway related scenes from around the UK.
The first examples this month are from York Railway Station, The Great Central Railway at Loughborough and the unforgetable beauty of the Wemyss Bay Station and Ferry Terminus in Scotland.
NO ORDINARY DAY AT YORK STATION
Highland Chieftan at York Central Railway Station
The first image above, captured by Martyn Feneley, shows the last days of the LNER’s Intercity 125 Class 43 “Highland Chieftan” No.43308 as it arrives under the unmistakeable roof of York’s Central Station close to the last few days of it’s service on the East Coast Mainline. Resplendent in possibly the best version of an LNER Livery Design yet seen, of bright red with a white swoosh and frontal yellow warning panel. It is somewhat hard to believe we are witnessing the end of an era that was so familiar to many of us in our lifetime.
TIME STANDS STILL AT THE GREAT CENTRAL
This is followed by a pretty timeless image of BR Standard Class 5 No.73156 approaching Rushy Lane Bridge whilst on a recent Timeline Events Charter Day at The Great Central Railway, the lack of any modern day clutter in both the background and foreground makes this scene difficult to age, and certainly evokes that authentic steam era feeling.
BR Standard Class 5 No.73156 at The Great Central Railway
No.73156’s Driver and Fireman looking happy with life after the GCR Timeline Event
WEMYSS BAY STATION & FERRY TERMINAL
Martyn has been a bit farther afield in persuit of the often overlooked Victorian Splendour that still exists on today’s Railways. This fantastic spectacle, combining breathtaking engineering, practicality and sheer beauty is the unforgetable Station that greets every train traveller visiting “Wemyss Bay” on Scotland’s picturesque West Coast.
The circular ticket office and information kiosk at Wemyss Bay Station
You will spend hours just walking around with your mouth wide open as you begin to take in it’s engineering splendour and graceful lines, not to mention the feeling of spacial perfection and sheer beauty. It is rightly regarded as one of the world most beautiful Railway Stations, although it was originally built as part of the Inverclyde Line, this station also forms the entrance to the Caledonian MacBrayne Ferry Terminal connecting mainland Scotland to Rothesay on the Isle of Bute. The station is currently managed by Scotrail and is kept in the immaculate condition you see from these images . . . it’s well worth making an effort to see it if you find yourself in the surrounding area, or indeed if you fancy a short trip out from Glasgow Central on a “there and back” visit for a few hours.
The staggering covered platforms at Wemyss Bay Station
The Ferry docked at the end of Wemyss Bay Station