Thanks to Matt, Warwick and Nigel for organising this charter, which I really enjoyed despite the weather not being very co-operative.

I hope you like the photos.

I went to the "Harvest of Steam" on the 26th only as the weather was rubbish on the 27th. It was a superb event and it was great to see 78019 on the line. It looked and sounded wonderful.

It was nice to be welcomed in the railway's usual very friendly manner and thanks to all for making it such a great day. I can't wait for next year.

Note: The lineside photos were taken with permission.

Photos in here are mostly of steam on the main line in 2009, including shots of "Tornado" and "Scots Guardsman".

For the first couple of years of my mainline steam photographing career, I barely got beyond Hellifield. This was due to lack of funds and knowledge of all the great locations on the S & C (on which steam featured weekly). However, I eventually got my act together and not only photographed on the S & C, but other places also. I hope you enjoy the photos.

I've always taken back and white photos - usually but not always simultaneously with colour slide shots. It comes into it's own in dull weather and also has the added advantage of making it look more like the "old days". All these shots were taken in black and white - usually on Ilford XP2, which needs some "tweaking" to look half decent, as it lacks contrast/tonal range.

Perhaps my second-favourite preserved line is the ELR. I must have spent literally hours there since the line opened in 1987. It's also the line where I had my one and only steam-driving "turn" - an experience I can heartily recommend.

Since the finish of it's restoration in summer 2007, I've seen the WD 2-8-0 on a number of occasions at the time of writing. So far the novelty hasn't worn off but I'm still waiting to hear that "clank"!

The time of year when the Santa Specials run on preserved railways can be the best for steam photography - assuming that the sun shines! The Worth Valley is no exception and especially given it's north-south alignment some great "glint" shots can be taken. That's not to say that all the photos in this colllection will be "master shots" - especially the older stuff, but hopefully one or two might hit the spot!

One of the country's most beautiful preserved railways. I try and visit as often as I can. Enjoy!

I've not so far done much serious photting at the Embsay Railway and I must say when I have it's been immensely enjoyable. Most of the photos in here were taken at the railway's gala in September 2008 where it was especially nice to see "Morayshire in action. The weather co-operated too which made things all the better.

I shall keep on visiting so please watch this space for more shots

Although I've visited the L & HR quite a bit over the years most of the photos herein were taken on a photographic charter in March 2007 organised by Peter Van Campenhout.

Two visits - one warm glow - need I say more! Go!

Virtually all the shots herein were taken during visits to the Langollen Railway's "Steam, Steel & Stars" events in April 2007 and April 2009. Both were great events organised by the Betton Grange Society, in furtherance of their aim to build a brand new Grange class loco. I wish them the very best of luck and I hope they are successful. How about "Steam, Steel & Stars III" lads?

The SVR is perhaps the major/biggest preserved railway. Despite this I haven't visited for several years. I used to visit quite often in the mid to late eighties however and these are the results...............

I've only been to Didcot once - for one of their superbly organised photographic evenings. This was on Friday, the 26th October 2001. I personally felt that the long trek from West Yorkshire was well worth while - see if you agree.......

A bit of everything in here!

I used to visit Steamtown quite regularly until it closed in the early 1990s. It was used as a base for main line steam locos, including Flying Scotsman, for a while and also various privately-owned industrials. The shed building was the original LMS shed and was full of atmosphere, although in an advanced state of decay, which eventually caused the closure. At the time Steamtown was active, I was on a steep learning curve as a photographer, so I hope you'll excuse some of the worst excesses displayed here. At least it's a photographic record of what it used to be like and I hope you get something of the atmosphere from viewing the photos.

I've been visiting the NRM since 1981 and I have enjoyed every visit. The displays are constantly changing and its a unique place to see some rare examples of our railway heritage. I hope you enjoy the photos.

Mick McNicholas was a good friend of mine, who unfortunately died in 1999. He was an avid and excellent Modern Traction photographer but also loved photographing steam, especially on the Settle & Carlisle railway. Whenever steam specials were about (most Saturdays in the 80's and 90's), he was to be found on the S & C, quite often at Foredale, as his companion, Geoff Greenwood was a video cameraman and Foredale is an excellent vantage point for that particular art. I inherited Mick's slides and while there are fewer steam shots than I would have expected, the best are displayed here. I hope that you enjoy viewing them as much as Mick enjoyed taking them.
RIP. Mick

I hope these pictures give a flavour of what these events were like and I wonder if we'll ever see such events again?

Surely the Festiniog & Welsh Highland Railways must be the premier Welsh narrow gauge railways. Great scenery, great locos and loads of atmosphere. The sound of the locos barking their way up to Blaenau or Rhyd Ddu is unforgettable. What the preservationists have achieved to bring the lines from their state of dereliction to how they are today is nothing short of miraculous. I've visited the Festiniog on numerous occasions, starting at the age of seven or eight, although not in the last five years. Another visit seems urgent!

I've visited the Welsh Highland only once - in September 2006, but I shall be going again. There are other Welsh narrow guage railways of course, but unfortunately the only one I've visited is the Bala Lake Railway. I really must get to the others sometime - especially perhaps the Vale of Rheidol and the Talyllyn. Enjoy!

This was an excellent steam rally with a great atmosphere and some lovely examples of traction engines.