An Evening at Didcot, 13th December 2025

Someone needed to put a smoke generator in the smoke box of the King so it looked like it was actually in steam rather than smoke issuing from random points under the loco.

 

I would have preferred no smoke at all

 

A credit to the organisers of a great event. They're back at Didcot in March, but do lots of other transport-related events as well:

https://www.timelineevents.org/prod...ning-inside-the-shed-at-didcot-railway-centre

 

It's normally a good event at Didcot. Nothing can replicate the atmosphere of a real steam shed that some of us are old enough to remember but Didcot and Barrow Hill are as close as it gets.

 

Good point. It’s very difficult to replicate a live loco. Well executed shots though.

 

Marley Hill is pretty good if you’re into industrials.

 

Was.



https://www.mattditch.photography/r...FmrciA#/tanfield-railway-delivered-by-diesel/

A very sterile atmosphere compared to what was there before. It's just another exhibition space now.

 

That's actually an insult to the team at Tanfield who have found the funding to repair and sort out the shed. Talk to any of their folk and they will tell you that this is how the shed was under the NCB in the 50s and 60s. Regualrly whitewashed under the relevant Act and with replaced smokehoods. It'll age and mellow with time - look at the floor, that's coming on already, certainly not "another exhibition space" but a recently repaired and repainted working loco shed.

 

It's was still good for outside scenes especially night scenes under the yard lights. The Russ era was always good for photography - his charters are sadly missed

 

They offered both smoke and smoke-free options. You just need to ask for something and they arrange it there and then.

You could also get shots of the locos and shed without the re-enactors, as they moved around.

It was amazing how they ran an event which seemed to suit so many different styles of photography.

 

I did hear that 6023 may be up for overhaul next year. It hasn't done a great mileage so there shouldn't be a lot to do.