I thank everyone for the comments left here, PM’s and email sent through my website; much appreciated! This was my first time travelling abroad to experience steam, but definitely not the last. Everything felt so new and exciting. I need and want more. I am hooked.
In regards to preservation, an interesting fact about each of the railroads visited:
- The Festiniog Railway Company which owns the railway is the oldest surviving railway company in the world.
- The Talylynn is the world's first preserved railway.
- The Vale of Rheidol Railway, unlike most other preserved railways in the United Kingdom, did not have a period of closure between its being part of the national rail system and becoming a heritage railway, and so has operated a continuous service for residents and tourists.
Tgbcvr: It’s my opinion that anyone can take a pretty picture on a nice day with any type of camera, including a smart phone. Come out and play in what you call the “grubby weather” – that is where the photographs come from and not just snap shot pictures. Your choice of a favorite is a great one, for its mine also. One of those times when the pieces fell nicely into place – all I had to do is be there and press the shutter button.
Chris: My memory of the sunrise shot you speak about was the peacefulness and serenity. I was there well before sunrise alone, enjoying Mother Nature and all the sea going birds wake up from a night of rest.
John: Thank you for taking the time to both view my images and to compliment me on them.
Michael: A little more detail about standing up to my knees in water. It was low tide in the brackish swamp, Bernd Seiller and I decided to gamble and go for the unique photo. I had on a pair of 100% waterproof boots, but being so deep the water came over the top and inside. They don’t let water in, so naturally the water did not come out until we got back to the apartment. They were taken off on the front patio and left in the mudroom. I wore them for the rest of the trip over a pair of neoprene socks – my feet stayed dry but the boots were ruined. They were left behind at the hotel near Manchester airport.
Olaf: Thank you! “Tiny trains in big country”. Exactly what you & I did south of Silverton, hiking through the high country to get those overlook views of the D&S trains below.
Mike: Snowdonia is God’s country. With narrow gauge steam trains running with it.
Jim: Thanks for waiting. I had a little bit of client work to get finish before running these through Photoshop. I am very happy with the way the gallery ended up.
Bob: Thank you again for organizing and leading this tour. You are correct, it was a chilly morning at Sumpter, and you should have been there earlier when I was shooting the star trails silhouetted against the water tower.
Michael again: I too strongly suggest considering Wales 2020. Three words: “James Spooner locomotive”. Two words: Garratt locomotive”. Two more words: Slate Train”.
Back into Photoshop for me and closer to home, I will have some Locust Heights & Western 3-foot gauge Class A Climax replica photos from West Virginia to share soon.
Tootles,
Matthew
