A Bulleid and a Bentley

Last weekend a message was received that Richard Law, the East Lancashire Railway's Operations/Heath and Safety Director, wanted to discuss a potential photo charter cameo, as he was the owner of a Mk 6 Bentley.

As is common knowledge, the celebrated photographer Ivo Peters owned a Bentley that frequently appeared in his Somerset and Dorset photos and there is a good selection of these in Volume 2 of his series of books on the line that covers 1955 to 1959. As Bulleid West Country Class Pacific 34092 (City of) Wells is currently based on the East Lancs for the summer, Richard felt that the two would make a good photographic combination. This cameo can only take place in the summer as his Bentley goes into winter hibernation as soon as the weather turns frosty and salt goes down on the roads.

The Bentley will posed adjacent to the running line as if Ivo Peters had parked up to take a shot of a Bulleid with the S&D lamp code hauling the Nottingham to Bournemouth (SO) with M227 as the reporting number. When this event was being discussed with the owning group, they informed me that 34092 was in fact loaned to the S&D for a couple of weeks.

Stock will be a 6 or 7 coach rake of mixed maroon/blood and custard Mk1s, which combined with the original design of high sided tender and early emblem firmly places the train livery in the late 1950s and Volume 2 of the Ivo Peters' books.

The proposal is to run a photo session before the service trains commence on Saturday 8 August 2015. Wells has been rostered for the second steam diagram which means that we will have a full one hour photographic slot before the loco has to be back at Bury for 10.00 am. Attendance at the event will be from the train with no vehicular access.

Cost is £20.00 (£21.00 if using Paypal). For further details of the event and to make a booking, please contact event organiser Richard Newton by email at 3p20.parcels.gp@gmail.com

General Disclaimer

Whilst every effort will be made to run these photo-charters by the arrangements described above, neither the organiser nor the host railway can accept responsibility for any unforeseen circumstances that may entail alteration or cancellation of this event. In addition neither the organiser nor host railway can accept any liability for any personal injury sustained; or loss or damage to any equipment, however caused, during this charter. Participants must comply with the Safety Briefing Notice, the requests of the host railway officials and wear an orange high visibility vest as required.

Richard Newton

3p20.parcels.gp@gmail.com

 

Cracking morning - thanks to Richard & all concerned re setting this up.

 

B&B on the ELR 8 August 2015

A Bulleid and a Bentley were the stars of today's early morning photo charter on the East Lancashire Railway. West Country 4-6-2 No 34092 Wells, designed for the Southern Railway by OVS Bulleid and exiled from its home railway at Keighley by access problems, is currently delighting enthusiasts on the western side of the Pennines. One of the directors of the ELR is the proud owner of a Mk 6 Bentley, and had the idea of reproducing the scenes where Ivo Peters used to park his Bentley beside the Somerset and Dorset Railway to take his brilliant photographs.

This idea was swiftly taken up by the 3P20 Parcels Group, who put together a plan for a charter before the public service began. The train picked up photographers at Bury and Ramsbottom, then proceeded to Irwell Vale where the scene was set. The warm sun and cloudless sky made perfect conditions for photographs, and the lamp code set on the engine reproduced the M227 (SO) Nottingham to Bournemouth via the S&D in the late 1950s.

A lady re-enactor complemented perfectly the impeccable machines we had all turned out to photograph. Thanks to all involved for an event which was excellent in every way.

26 photographs are at http://pjhtransportpix.zenfolio.com/p789436722

Peter, at the end of a lovely summer's day in Manchester
http://pjhtransportpix.zenfolio.com