Eastleigh 100 line up of steam trains

I don't think so Rumpole,Im sure Eastleigh for most was a grand day out (or two),we were really talking in general terms.I had these instances,by being shouted at, just on normal railway platforms before now.

I can understand if the photographs by these guys were being published in a national magazine,and please clear a space..no they are not,just taken and placed in an old shoe box & pushed under the bed.

The picture that would make a classic icon,Steve,would have been the young girl looking up to the engine.A reminder of the 1925 Southern Railway poster of the young boy at Waterloo station looking up to the fireman of the engine.It became the most famous poster of all time under the title of "South for Sunshine Holidays".The child was,Ronald Witt,and picture taken by his father,a former employee of the Southern Railway.

An opportunity missed,far better picture than a static engine alone.

Ah,Well!

 

Yes, on time. Seen here at a very wet Bentley.

 

The difference is when someone stands directly in front of a line of photographers,no good shouting at the general public,its ignorant folk that's the problem.

 

Photographers annoy the people who want to look at things, the wall of lenses is intimidating enough. As for the language - who taught these people their lack of manners.

On the other hand, if a crowd of photters have been politely, patiently waiting to get a shot - the view is clear. Then a stoat wanders across at a snails pace, its no wonder the photters get annoyed.

Never mind, its on digital.

Besides, every time a 'plane went over the Works, a third of the cameras were pointed at the sky!

 

What i don't get is why the people who want a closer look don't/didn't go down the shadow side,except of course not with Can Pac which was in the middle...

 

Becuse they prob wantted to have some light to have a look at things .

I had paid the same amount as the guy wantting to photo it . If i wantted a look , i wouldnt go have a look at the shadow side of a tender so the photographer can get a nice smokebox end sunny photo .

Personly , with the attitude of photographers there , all i could think was , screw them , ill have a look with my dad weather they like it or not , but i do know it has put me off wantting to pay money to go to any more event.

 

Just found this shot of an open day 21 years ago.

Nice to see 35028 still looking spotless back then too!

http://jdsrailway-photos.fotopic.net/p56704015.html

 

I stood between Manston and Eddystone a few times and enjoyed the majesty of these machines up close whilst in steam. But it really was one of the few places I didn't feel intimidated by the lenses. Even there , if you wandered toward the cylinder end to survey the valve gear you would look up and see a line of scowling faces in the distance. As I am non confrontational by natutre I stayed out of what ended up feeling like any number of "no go" zones , especially around the diesel line ups. Dream non photographer attendee perhaps , but at the expense of my enjoyment a little.
It was a great event for the ticket price with lovely weather as well. It was reminiscent of the Meinengen works day I attended last year (which I hope is a compliment to the organisers), especially with the railtours arriving. But Meinengen , in contrast, appeared to have a much larger contingent of families and locals. And although there were a lot of enthusiasts, there was nothing like the "conflict" between enthusiast photographers and "others" that seemed apparent on times at Eastleigh (on Saturday at least). Maybe that is the difference:-when jo public is in the majority the photographers are more civilised and better behaved.
For all that was there to see it can be the little things that make your day. For me the disocvery of the third Merchant navy on site that day:- and an unrebuilt one at that. The beautiful live steam 5" gauge(I think) loco at the model engineering display.I wonder if it had chain driven valve gear?!!

 

Yes, it did. Got into a conversation with the guy who built it, and in as many respects as possible it is exactly as built, so steam reverser, chain driven valve gear in the sump etc. A stunning piece of work.

 

quick pic i took on my phone yesterday morning, shame about the weather!

 

Good grief, 21 years ago...? That's 828's chassis in the background. I remember Clan Line and Port Line side-by-side, but I'd forgotten that 828 was there too. '88 was a good year for Southern steam, being the LSWR's 150th anniversary. Maybe it's time to start thinking about LSWR 175 in 4 years time?

 

This one?

 

Excellent event in my opinion, the entrance into the works up over the bridge was a bit of a pain but not really sure what else could of been done about that, nice selection of stands and exhibits.

Finally got my pics up, a little late but editing 60 odd pics on a slow computer with RAW takes forever!, less than happy with some of then as a lot of positions were into the sun but that's outside anyones control so just the average open day phots im afraid: http://david1984.fotopic.net/c1704373.html

 

That was built by John Lloyd, a local (and gifted) model engineer. It has chain driven valve gear, steam reverser with hydraulic lock, thermic syphons etc.
You can read more here:
http://www.bulleidlocos.org.uk/_mnOr/mnJohn.aspx Click 'Merchant Navy' then 'MN-John's'

 

It's the best example I have ever seen. Strangely, he wasn't open to offers to sell. Pity ;-)

Best wishes

Tim Beere
Marketing Manager
The Mid Hants Railway 'Watercress Line'

 

I was stewarding on Monday and didn't notice any "unsocial" behavoir from enthusiasts. One or two non enthusiasts could have been a bit more relaxed and not got upset about getting their designer clothes dusty! It's an industrial site, not a shopping centre. The stewards did have instructions not to get involved in any disputes, but to get the paid security staff to the problem. The only problem I heard about was a couple of members of "pond life" who tried to get through the fence at the far end of the works site to get numbers of stored coaches.

If you wanted photos without the great British public drifting into that carefully composed shot, it was possible to pay to get on site at 0800 or hang around until the end of the day when it was quieter. The better photographs seem to support that view.

I don't normally like open days, but I did enjoy this one.

Much of the time I seemed to be talking to railwaymen (national network and preservation) that I knew or former works empolyees. Many non railway people were quiet suprised that there was still work taking place in the works.

One humbling moment was talking to a family group with grandfather in a wheel chair suffering with altzheimers being taken around his former workplace. It was very hard work mentally and physically for them as he was in an advanced stage of the disease. There was just a glint of memory in his eyes for a minute or two. That instant meant so much to the family. If we all helped their day, it was time very well spent.

Regards, Neil

PS Apologies to the very earnest teenager who I nearly conviced the DRS class 20's were fuelled with uranium! (Strong tea would be more suitable...)

 

Personally that was one of my favourite things. For example, I was on the M7 on Sunday morning chatting to an old Eastleigh fireman who is now a volunteer at Swanage, when all of a sudden he got off the footplate and disappeared into the crowd next to the loco.

A couple of minutes later he reappeared with a chap who bounced up the steps onto the footplate; "Nick, I'd like you to meet my old driver, he's 89 now; not that he looks it"! If only I'd had a tape recorder for the conversation that followed, a truly special moment.