By the last embers of the dying fire...

A change from railway photography- the weekend after the KWVR Diesels, we were on camp with our Cubs and Scouts up at Blackhills, Bingley.

There wasn't much in the way of photography, but whilst we were sat up by the dying fire, waiting for the Young People to finally acknowledge lights-out.

Kelly Kettle burning away for a last brew before bed.

Bit of arty photography, spinning the phone around...

...and whacking the embers with a stick to create some sparks.

 

British Railway Modelling Magazine; Station Top 10

I (Ben) have been working away on a few projects lately, a commission for a series of articles in British Railway Modelling Magazine. This is a lovely job, I've had a couple of layout building pieces in BRM over the years, and have been subscribed for a long time. But to be asked to contribute regularly? That's something I've wanted to do for years!

This first article was a 'top 10' feature on items you'd find at preserved railways, so lots of prototype shots taken over the Spring.

I also built a simple photoplank for the header image; there's plenty more on this over on the model-making blog.

Nice spot to shoot it, on location near Penrhyndeudraeth. "Merddin Emrys" rumbling by.

On the cover!

Really, really pleased with this- and more to come over the next few months too.

 

KWVR Diesel Gala; an evening at Oakworth

Last of the pics from the KWVR Diesel Gala, and an evening at Oakworth Station. Saturday Evening to be exact.

We'd gone up there in the hope of pics with a dramatic, thunderstorm-sky, but it was just light enough to confuse the light-sensors on the camera.

50 rolling in.

Bit of wildlife between the trains.

We didn't hang around too long, just a few trains; there was a lot of drunken window-hangers which made photography a bit tricky, but between trains it was lovely and peaceful.

 

KWVR Diesel Gala; 20's at Oakworth

More from the KWVR Diesel Gala, and a pleasant few hours spent at Oakworth Station over the Friday. Mainly the purpose was to get some shots of the Class 20's (again, another upcoming article). 

Having come in from the mainline, bringing some of the other visitors, the Friday saw them rostered for a few turns together up and down the valley.

Extremely low angle, by placing the camera through the gap between crossing gate and post.

And from the road.

 

KWVR Diesel Gala; Moving the Goods

A few pictures tonight from riding the Goods Train at the KWVR Diesel Gala.

Looks like a pic taken of the train travelling through the morning mist, but it's actually the exhaust clag from the Deltic at the front of the train.

It's nice that even after 20 years, and more visits than I can remember, I'm still finding new angles for photography here.

Up near the old house; interesting for a new angle on a very familiar location for me.

"Vulcan" bringing the engineers train down into Keighley.

 

KWVR Diesel Gala... Love a Deltic

The Class 55, or "Deltic" is one of those design classics and icons of the British railway scene.  The KWVR had "Alycidon" on the roster for the Diesel Gala, and I (Ben) was anxious to get some pics of the machine ready for an upcoming article.

Incidentally, the first train pic I had published in a mag was a Deltic at the KWVR.

Working the goods, the main pic I was really wanting to get for the whole weekend.

Though I preferred the angle for the return.

I'd booked for myself, Elder Child, and Father-in-Law to ride the goods train to Damems and back.

The shots of the loco were taken on the run back downhill, with the 55 trailing; it was throwing out so much oil that everyone in the brakevan on the way up got splattered. No fault to the loco, it's designed to blast up the ECML with a dozen coaches, not hill-climb slowly through the Yorkshire hills.

Back at Keighley.

Running-round.

And on a passenger train at Keighley.

Lurking in the gloom.

 

KWVR Diesel Gala, 2025

Ah, the Worth Valley Diesel Gala. I've been going to these every year they've run since about 2008, and love them. For sheer variety of photogenic traction, they can't be beaten.

The day started up at Haworth, with Father-in-Law and Elder Child (both working volunteers, but on their day off here). Network Rail 47 trundling past...

...though we were here for the Goods which followed (pics in a separate post).

Then it was down to Keighley to ride the goods, and there was the 47 again.

The ride on the goods train was great- completely different atmosphere to the one we rode on the steam gala.

"Alycidon" doing the honours on one end...

"Vulcan" was on the other.

Then back up with the car to Ingrow to join the train, and the start of two days of actually riding the passenger services (Friday with Elder Child and Father-in-Law, and me and Amy on the Sunday).

Weather was... changeable.

There was a bit of photography around the site at Ingrow, for some model making project work.

A great weekend overall- there'll be more in some future posts.