Fireworks on Anglesey.

And finally from our Half-Term getaway, some more long-exposure abstract shots, this time of the rather nice firework display taking place at Cemaes Bay, Angeley.

Always interesting to see the odd shapes that the fireworks form.

Strangely organic shape.

 

A Lunchtime stop at Llangollen Station

En-route from Rushbury to Anglesey, we nipped in to Llangollen Station for lunch.

It being an overcast, out-of-season day, the place was reasonably quiet.

The service was being operated by one of the DMU sets.

A pleasantly atmospheric scene, a nice lunch, and a reminder to come back and do the line properly again next year.

 

Coalbrookdale

With the holiday in Shropshire drawing to a close, we nipped to the Coalbrookdale museum.

We didn't take many pics inside, though as usual there were some ideas for art and sculpture projects.

Of more interest to me (Ben) was getting some shots for a possible Hornby project.

Around the back of the site was this little collection of stored pieces, overgrown, so I thought I'd get some shots around the yard whilst The Childs were finishing their lunch.

I know this sort of shot is a bit of a cliché, but I rather liked the contrast between the greenery and the rusting metalwork.

 

Driving at Diesel at Oswestry

Having hit a ...significant milestone of a birthday... I (Ben) indulged in a lifelong dream of driving a locomotive. In this case, Class 73 "City of Winchester" on the Cambrian Heritage Railway at Oswestry.

A thoroughly enjoyable morning pottering up and down in this lovely old machine. With a day job that's all high-end electronics and touch-screens, it was great to spend a day playing with something so decidedly analogue.

I took the opportunity for a few detail shots in the engine bay.

Again, proper, lovely old technology.

A last portrait of the loco- though I'm very tempted to come back and have another go!  a big thanks to the railway and to the Vol, Phil, who did the instructing.

 

Bridgenorth Station on an overcast day

Midweek, we took a trip into Bridgenorth for lunch. Naturally it involved a little diversion to the Severn Valley Railway; once a regular haunt, but we've not been there for a long time.

The day was rather manky and overcast, so I (Ben) took the opportunity to get some more creative angles.

I'm also doing some model-making work on the Class 08 diesel shunter, so thought I'd get some detail and close-up shots of the example parked up in the yard.

"Atlantic Conveyor" waiting for the off. I'd switched to greyscale by this point to try and compensate for the poor lighting.

A final shot on the hill opposite the station.