The photography of L Perrin

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Darwin4975
H&BR Q10 0-8-0
Posts: 181
Joined: Thu Oct 24, 2013 7:08 pm

Re: The photography of L Perrin

Post by Darwin4975 »

The supply of Perrin negatives would seem to be at an end as none have appeared on the market in recent months.

Here is a picture taken by Les Perrin in August 1958, of an A3 approaching Peascliffe tunnel.
60104 Peascliffe 040858.jpg
The subject is what was without doubt one of the most camera-shy pacifics based on the Eastern region, No 60104 'Solario'. At the time of this photograph the locomotive was allocated to Doncaster. Previously, in the early 1950s it had been a GC engine and in its entire existence it was shedded at Kings Cross just three times. First a 7 year stint from 1943-1950, a difficult period when the railway was very run down. The second and third spells at Kings Cross were of very short duration: six weeks in September/October 1957 and 18 days in November 1959 -following which it was sent to Doncaster and condemned. It was the first Gresley pacific to be withdrawn from normal service and was cut up immediately. It was well over a year before the next one went the same way (Flamingo in April 1961).

One can't help feeling sorry for 'Solario'. Not much in the limelight on prestigious trains it seemed to be something of a black sheep and shunned by Top Shed. (I have heard that Kings Cross held on to their best engines like limpets to a rock. They certainly kept their best V2s). Solario was fitted with a double chimney in April 1959 so will presumably have been withdrawn just 7 months later because of a serious defect to its frames. Photographs of it in double chimney form will be like the proverbial hen's teeth. Despite all of the foregoing, Solario still managed to achieve a career mileage of 1,874,150 which compares quite favourably with the 1,905,610 of 'St Simon' an A1/A3 of similar age.

It seems that sharing adjacent berths whilst under construction at Doncaster could act as a portent of ill luck. Look at what happened to No 4469 which was built alongside Mallard. Whilst No 4473 managed to avoid becoming a total write off when in service, it never came anywhere near scaling the heights of its illustrious companion No 4472.

What about the other camera shy Gresley pacifics? Of course the Carlisle ones stand out, simply because where they worked there were hardly any active photographers - but this is not true of the ECML based examples. I don't recall seeing much in the photographic record of Sir Frederick Banbury, Woolwinder, Tagalie or Ladas.
Jarroo
NER Y7 0-4-0T
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Sep 07, 2023 12:13 pm

Re: The photography of L Perrin

Post by Jarroo »

LNER4479 wrote: Thu Jun 17, 2021 6:23 pm Well, a bit more information following trip to my Dad's yesterday.

He met Les Perrin in the 1970s more or less by chance having seen a notice in Boston advertising a display of paintings. He more or less parked up there and then, walked in and was met by all these wonderful railway paintings. He introduced himself, got talking and bought the following painting on the spot:

LP1.jpg
I'm not sure if it's based on any specific location or more of an idealised image but Dad was certainly taken by it. He then struck up a correspondence and they agreed a commission, Dad sending him a picture in the post, with the following result:

LP2.jpg
Yes, it is indeed based strongly on one of WJVA's wonderful photos at Glenfarg and I think you'll agree Les made a lovely job of it.

Just in case you think all he could ever paint was A3s going round right hand bends(!), Dad also commissioned another picture, this time of a Duchess heading south from Carlisle. But that's not an LNER subject ...

Dad believes Les wasn't actually a professional artist, just an enthusiastic - and obviously talented - painter. He didn't know any more about him than that, unfortunately, so unable to comment any more re his profession.

Has the 'Perrin Collection' ever been published? I think many of us would love to see a book of photos such as the ones you've posted so far.
Hi, My late Father obtained the book that Les kept details in of the paintings that he painted. My dad had a large collection of Les Perrin paintings, including around a dozen water colours.
rockinjohn
GER D14 4-4-0 'Claud Hamilton'
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Joined: Fri Mar 15, 2019 6:10 am

Re: The photography of L Perrin/Brian Morrison

Post by rockinjohn »

Hi all, I always looked out for Mr Perrin's Blk&White photos of the G.N in the '50's&'60's in Railway Magazines/Books, he favoured the Southern Area from memory with lots of V2's &K3 along with the normal Express Locos of the time,another photographer in much the same vein was Brian Morrison who also managed to capture the true nature of the Southern end of the G.N with photographs of B1's/J50/J52 &N1 loco classes &others,I think Mr Morrison spread his wings a little further, taking photographs of London &near areas of all the Region's Steam to be seen @ the time,but it would appear amongst his favourites by volume would have been the Copenhagen/Holloway Bank vicinity.
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