The railways

trevr

trevr

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Hi,

I think I want to try photographing some railways. I can't find what I want on google so hopefully you guys may know. I'm after two things. First, a station still in use (kept) but has traditional looks. I don't mean vistorian or anything, I'm just trying to avoid more modern structures and digital displays etc. Next I wanted to try my hand at some disused track. Somewhere overgrown but the track is still there.

Both of these as close to Surrey as possible if there is any.

Cheers guys.
Trevor
 
Thanks Musicman.

I considered the Bluebell railway. I just wonder about the other visitors and if I would be able to get some shots without them.
 
What might be more suited to your needs is Littlehaven station in Horsham, still oldy world with signal box and wind out gates. See here.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Littlehaven_railway_station


Been there and photographed them myself as it is such a rare sight these days.

Two or three hundred yards north of this place is the Warnham Nature reserve.


John:)
 
trevr said:
Thanks Musicman.

I considered the Bluebell railway. I just wonder about the other visitors and if I would be able to get some shots without them.
Click to expand...

Just wait a couple of weeks and most of the preserved railways will be very quiet on weekdays. Most of them still run services through til Oct or Nov before closing down for the winter, so they'll still be open, just sans noisy photobombing kids.

A preserved railway is definitely going to be your best bet for finding a genuine 'old' feeling station - although some of the Settle & Carlisle stations are fairly period-looking if you can frame your shots just so. e.g Langwathby thrives on the 'Brief Encounter' traffic, and still looks mostly like it did back when the movie was filmed. But Settle/Carlisle is quite a trek when there will likely be a much closer preserved line.

With regards to abandoned track, that's probably going to be tricky given how much of a problem metal theft has become (last year we had a case up here in Leeds where thieves stole sections of track from the main line, so an abandoned line has no hope :).

The best bet there might be finding a nearby industry that still has remains of a siding/spur line (basically, look for any industry that is about 50+ years old), and asking them for permission - the more security concious industries are more likely to still have laid track that's overgrown. Google earth shows up tracks, even overgrown, fairly well, so you can scout out possible places using that.
 
trevr said:
Thanks Musicman.

I considered the Bluebell railway. I just wonder about the other visitors and if I would be able to get some shots without them.
Click to expand...

Just a consideration. If using a tripod you could take multiple shots, so that you can easily erase people from the scene. Its not ideal, but if it comes to it, its always an option.
 
trevr said:
Next I wanted to try my hand at some disused track. Somewhere overgrown but the track is still there.

Both of these as close to Surrey as possible if there is any.
Click to expand...

Nowhere near Surrey but the Blaeanu Ffestiniog To Trawsfynydd line is being cleared slowly so get in quick to snap overgrown track. For really overgrown you could try the Tanat valley line south of Oswestry, Last time I went through Llynclys they'd tarmacced over the railway completely at the level crossing! :nono:
 
It's a bit of a trek from Surrey, but what about Dungeness for track? There are areas of track you can walk along (not sure if it's still used) but saying that not particularly overgrown when I last went. Perhaps not quite what you're after but it's a good photographic location nonetheless.

I could suggest a couple if places nr Aberdeen but that's even further ;)

Mark.
 
How about the remains of Christ's Hospital station? It once had 6 platforms, now down to two in use but the others are still there
 
mmm said:
How about the remains of Christ's Hospital station? It once had 6 platforms, now down to two in use but the others are still there
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I manage the land around Christs Hospital Station and can confirm that although there are remains of some of the old platforms they are very much overgrown with most (if not all by now) of the track removed.

We do have a couple of interesting bridges but the station is a little too modern now for my liking.

Not sure what remains of the track north towards Guildford, might be worth a look.
 
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