The Embsay and Bolton Abbey Railway is one of those local lines I (Ben) don't tend to visit often, which is a shame, because it's a characterful little line with an eclectic selection of trains. It's a tad tricky to get to by public transport on weekdays (especially when you have to race back to do the school run, the timings are just too tight for comfort), and we haven't been free much at weekends. But I had a need to photograph industrial tank engines on vintage stock as real-world inspiration for a garden railway project, so May and June saw me making repeated visits.
The first visit was a bit of a recce- the normal weekday services don't use the vintage stock, but I wanted to try a location I hadn't visited for a bit. It was a pity the Austerity tank was facing bunker-first; we (me and Father-in-Law) were chasing the Blue Pullman up on the Settle-Carlisle and there wasn't time to hang around for the return.
The next attempt was a Saturday shortly afterwards, and again, we were racing off somewhere else on a jolly day out, and again, the loco was bunker-first. Pretty poor weather too.
Illustrating the problem with this location; that annoying telegraph wire overhanging the scene.
Rather better conditions when the ex-Keighley Gasworks no.2 was visiting from the Tanfield Railway. There's something of a shortage of accessible spots to see and photograph this railway where you can park, and not have to negotiate fields of livestock. I was a little irked that, after taking 2 hours to get here from Keighley due to roadworks, and having sat on the bridge for 25 minutes waiting for this train, two other photographers raced up and shoved-in, clearly irritated I was there. Not much attention to Social Distancing...
After some shopping (to make the most of the day, what with the debacle of a journey to get here via Eldwick and Ilkley), we tried another spot, on the B-road out of Embsay where there was a tiny bit of parking. Again, another photographer raced up at the last minute and seemed irked we were parked there. Anyway, not a great shot; into the sun, and if I'd realised, I'd have bought a zoom-lens.
Not too bad for a train-in-the-landscape shot.
Having to head back via Ilkley again, we caught up with the train near Bolton Abbey, so I dived into a layby for another couple of distant shots.
I didn't do too badly I suppose, I got the shots I wanted for the article, but it could have been much better. I had planned to return for the gala, but never got chance, so I might have to try a return run in September before the scenery starts to look too bleak.
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