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Strathspey Railway Photo Guide?

Discussion in 'Photographic Guides' started by steamingyorkshire, Jun 14, 2011.

  1. steamingyorkshire

    steamingyorkshire Well-Known Member

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    We're heading up to the Strathspey Railway on Friday morning to do some filming till Sunday evening. We've never been before and were wondering if anyone could suggest any photo locations?

    We've being allowed Line side access and have a slot for some cab filming on the Sunday.

    Thanks in advance, Simon.
     
  2. Neil_Scott

    Neil_Scott Part of the furniture

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    If the loco is facing south then the 10.00 departure from Boat of Garten is your first shot:

    1) One of the typical locations is south of the station (BoG) - walk up the No.25 signal where the loop line joins the single line and a headshunt exists, you can get a nice shot of the train leaving the station and climbing away to the south.

    Other south facing locations (from Broomhill to Boat of Garten):

    2) Broomhill: the overbridge at the south end of the station allows a shot of the train leaving the station.
    3) Broomhill: if you walk down the side of the overbridge there is a track down to the Spey with parking for fisherman, from that track there is a farm track parallel to the railway that you can get a really nice shot of the train coming under the overbridge.
    4) Broomhill: Park the car about 1/4 south of the station on the A95 and you'll see the railway sweep on a long curve to the south (from NE to SW), depending on the position of the sun you can get a good shot from the top of the hill or you could walk down, cross the line and get a shot from the inside of the curve.
    5) Fisherman's Crossing - a layby on the A95 about 2-3 miles from Broomhill. Gives you a decent shot close to the Spey but the engine may be shut off or working lightly here as the gradient is flat.
    6) Boat of Garten: from the north - take the first turn-off the A95 for BoG (you'll pass the sawmill) and as you drive down that road it bends 90 degrees to the right with a house on the corner before it passes a small pond. Stop at the house, and the railway line is opposite you on an embankment. You can get a shot there or go through an underbridge, walk up the fields until you get to the top and you'll have a very good view of the railway line from Fisherman's Crossing (about 1/2 to 3/4 of a mile).

    Gradients: Climbing from Broomhill almost all the way to Boat of Garten with a slight flat big at Fisherman's Crossing. Best of the gradient is coming into Boat of Garten in location 6.

    I'll give you the rest later - I have to head out at the moment.
     
  3. Neil_Scott

    Neil_Scott Part of the furniture

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    Boat of Garten to Aviemore (south facing locomotive).

    As already mentioned, if you have lineside access then walking to the headshunt gives you a good shot of the train coming out of the station. Being on the outside of the curve you'll get a nice shot, particularly in the morning when the sun will be over your shoulder.

    1) Down distant signal: head down Kinchurdy Road (opposite the Post Office - Boat of Garten) until the road becomes a dirt track. On your left there is a path down to the railway line, you can get a good shot from the far side of the train climbing up to the distant signal (gradient is about 1:150). If you walk further down the track you can get a good shot of the train on the straight.
    2) Carry on down the dirt track until you get to a house, there is a stile opposite it by the railway line (the road goes under the railway line at Kinchurdy Bridge). Around here you can get one or two good shots of the train on the inside or outside of the curve.
    3) Where the road dips down under the railway line there will be a forest track straight ahead of you, before the road goes under the railway. Follow this for about 400 - 500 yards and it should fork, take the left hand fork and if you climb up the side of the cutting you'll be right on top of the railway line. This is the summit of the line from Boat of Garten to Aviemore.

    After the cutting the line starts dropping down for about 3 miles to Aviemore. The best of the climbing is done on this bit where most of the gradient is 1:150 to the distant signal and then about 1:200 to the summit.

    I'll do north facing engine tomorrow, I'm off to work soon.
     
  4. steamingyorkshire

    steamingyorkshire Well-Known Member

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    Thanks for those Neil, much appreciated.

    46512 is booked to run, does that face south?

    Simon
     
  5. henrywinskill

    henrywinskill Well-Known Member

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    Faced north last weekend Simon
    Henry
     
  6. Paul Grant

    Paul Grant Well-Known Member

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    Also theres the end of Dalfaber industrial estate where theres a gate and a path that leads down under the railway (Speyside way, a lot good spots to shoot, I can't rememeber them off hand but any where after coming out of the woods to the summit is a favourite spot). Probably best for Northbound as the locos working hard after the level crossing on the uphill. Because the railway basically is North - South all the locations are suitable for either direction, it all depends on how much smoke and noise you want.
     

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