New archive web gallery

[upney sidings]

Some of you will recall that I used to own a Fotopic web gallery until the hosting firm went bust in March 2011. I decided at the time that I needed an extended break from such activities and set everything aside for what I’d intended would be three months or so but that eventually became fifteen months. At the end of June this year I set up a SmugMug site which was sparsely populated with images (mostly Southern pre-grouping) and I realised that in order to attract new viewers there needed to be a substantial injection of images across most of mainland U.K. which is, of course, the ongoing project.

There is now much more of interest from the eastern side of the U.K. on the site and so I hope that you enjoy viewing the material - much of it acquired since the demise of Fotopic - which is at this web address:

http://mikemorant.smugmug.com/

I do have three requests :

1. Please don’t use the “gallery comments” button as the message I receive gives no indication of which image you are writing about.
2. For image comments there is a facility which I have to admit is far from obvious but it is there and available for each and every image.
3. As I’m ‘announcing’ this site on several message boards over the next couple of days then please be patient with slow responses from my end. It wouldn’t surprise me if I become inundated with help, support and enquiries. All are welcome but ...... time, it seems, is never on my side.[/list]

In my opinion this new site is already on the way to becoming far more rewarding for viewers than the Fotopic one was but I reckon it will take a couple of years to build it and there’s new material coming in quite frequently. All images are derived from original film material that I own and nothing from prints or film that has been loaned to me for whatever reason.

Regards,

Mike M.

[2002EarlMarischal]

Very much enjoyed looking through the photographs Mike. Thank you.

WD 2-10-0 Gordon seems to have crept in amongst the Gresley Express pics. I have always rather liked that engine. The cheerful livery helps, along with the round-topped firebox!

[upney sidings]

WD 2-10-0 Gordon seems to have crept in amongst the Gresley Express pics.

Thank you for pointing that out. It's been moved to the Longmoor gallery.

Rgds,
Mike M.

[S.A.C. Martin]

Fascinating viewing Mike, thanks for sharing. One particular picture screams out at me - this one:

St. Simon at Nine Elms shed

60112 has unlined cabsides, lined black boiler bands minus the orange lining, and no lining on the running plate at all. Couple that with the white bufferheads and cleanliness of the tender...what a superb variation and how clean too!

[Blink Bonny]

Ay up!

An interesting piccie of a "bulled up" engine.

[61070]

Fascinating viewing Mike, thanks for sharing. One particular picture screams out at me - this one:

St. Simon at Nine Elms shed

60112 has unlined cabsides, lined black boiler bands minus the orange lining, and no lining on the running plate at all. Couple that with the white bufferheads and cleanliness of the tender...what a superb variation and how clean too!

One of my photos - posted here: download/file.php?id=5318&mode=view - shows lining on the cabside of a rather grubby 60112 at Grantham on 1st August 1963. Thus the locomotive must have been repainted (presuambly at Doncaster?) specially for the excursion to Weymouth just over 3 weeks later. It appears that this work may have been hurriedly done and there wasn't time to re-apply all the lining before the trip the the SR. Would this have been the final repaint of an A3 (except for 4472)?

There's a b/w photo of 60112 preparing to leave Waterloo the following day on the excursion as the centrefold of the September 2012 Steam World.

[DaveGN]

[/quote]
One of my photos - posted here: download/file.php?id=5318&mode=view - shows lining on the cabside of a rather grubby 60112 at Grantham on 1st August 1963.[/quote]

What a fantastic photo - proper railwaymen! Has anyone got any idea from their 'uniforms' what jobs these lads did?

[S.A.C. Martin]

I concur - superb photograph that. Really gives a feel for the grime too. Thanks for sharing

[strang steel]

Some of you will recall that I used to own a Fotopic web gallery until the hosting firm went bust in March 2011. I decided at the time that I needed an extended break from such activities and set everything aside for what I’d intended would be three months or so but that eventually became fifteen months. At the end of June this year I set up a SmugMug site which was sparsely populated with images (mostly Southern pre-grouping) and I realised that in order to attract new viewers there needed to be a substantial injection of images across most of mainland U.K. which is, of course, the ongoing project.

There is now much more of interest from the eastern side of the U.K. on the site and so I hope that you enjoy viewing the material - much of it acquired since the demise of Fotopic - which is at this web address:

http://mikemorant.smugmug.com/

I do have three requests :

1. Please don’t use the “gallery comments” button as the message I receive gives no indication of which image you are writing about.
2. For image comments there is a facility which I have to admit is far from obvious but it is there and available for each and every image.
3. As I’m ‘announcing’ this site on several message boards over the next couple of days then please be patient with slow responses from my end. It wouldn’t surprise me if I become inundated with help, support and enquiries. All are welcome but ...... time, it seems, is never on my side.[/list]

In my opinion this new site is already on the way to becoming far more rewarding for viewers than the Fotopic one was but I reckon it will take a couple of years to build it and there’s new material coming in quite frequently. All images are derived from original film material that I own and nothing from prints or film that has been loaned to me for whatever reason.

Regards,

Mike M.

I used to spend hours browsing your Fotopic site many years ago, and wallowing in nostalgia. It is great to know that something even better is gradually taking shape on Smugmug.

Thanks very much for all the effort you must have put in over the years.

[61070]

What a fantastic photo - proper railwaymen! Has anyone got any idea from their 'uniforms' what jobs these lads did?

Thanks Dave - proper railwaymen indeed. Fortunately not only do I have their jobs, but their names too:
In the cab are Mick Guy (a fireman but, typically, they've let him have the driver's seat) and Bill Harrison (driver) - presumably the crew of the day. Below, from left to right, are: Albert Bellamy (shed foreman); Stan Robinson, Fred Burrows and Roy Veasey (drivers); Ken Baines (storekeeper); Bernard Nickerson, Cyril Balham and Frank Lawson (drivers).

The story of this picture. Not long after we arrived at the station for another summer's afternoon watching and photographing the trains a driver came up to us and asked my Dad if he would take a photograph of some of his mates and him over at the shed, because they wanted a group picture before the shed closed. It meant a trip 'over the tracks' to where the main line pilot was stabled, on the far side of the coaling stage. I remember the day very clearly because, being 'well brought up' (i.e. having had perhaps a rather more sheltered childhood than many), I had never crossed the railway by a non-public route before. Clambering over all those railway lines at the age of 9, far into 'forbidden territory', felt like a huge adventure. Footplate crew and shed staff were gathered together in front of No.60112 St Simon, the best A3 they had at the time. A few years ago I met Roy Veasey, and I learned that it was he who had inspired the photograph. We're still occasionally in touch, and now I intend to write to ask him if he remembers whether No.60112 was repainted at the shed later that month or if it went away to works.

[kudu]

An interesting collection.

I've spotted one or two incorrectly named locations but in view of your message above haven't commented on the site.

Kudu

[upney sidings]

I've spotted one or two incorrectly named locations but in view of your message above haven't commented on the site.

This has been responded to off-forum.

Mike M.

[upney sidings]

The 'Recent uploads' gallery on my web site contains a few nice LNER items including three pre-war A4 images of good quality:

http://mikemorant.smugmug.com/Trains-ra ... t-uploads/

One hopes that they prove to be enjoyable viewing for you.

Mike M.

[2002EarlMarischal]

Again Mike, I have very much enjoyed browsing through your excellent collection - many thanks!

[upney sidings]

My Recent Uploads web gallery now totals well over 300 images from most parts of mainland UK and I want to start moving them into their relevant galleries within the coming week.

I’ve tried to group those images and the ‘Eastern’ material starts on Page 8:
http://tinyurl.com/cbvrqo4

Further into the depths are BR Standard classes and just to show that I at least try to be broad minded, a selection of modern traction images at the very end of the gallery.

Mike M.