THE ARCHIVE FILES

THE ARCHIVE FILES
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Archive-1976 I suppose that 1976 is best remembered for the incredibly long and hot summer with drought conditions across much of the country. It was also the first year that I took any proper railway pictures and only then very few and of dubious quality; I was only aged 11! I used the hand-me-down Exa camera filled with cheap 'free' film, the negatives of which have not survived well with considerable degradation. Statistics - 9 trips, 37 photographs, 1.5 GB

I suppose that 1976 is best remembered for the incredibly long and hot summer with drought conditions across much of the country. It was also the first year that I took any proper railway pictures and only then very few and of dubious quality; I was only aged 11! I used the hand-me-down Exa camera filled with cheap 'free' film, the negatives of which have not survived well with considerable degradation.

Statistics - 9 trips, 37 photographs, 1.5 GB
Archive-1977 Silver Jubilee year found me in the third year at school in Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire. My interest in railways was growing but my trips were limited by a lack of money and confined mainly to the local area. I did manage a few 'away days' when funds allowed. This included two memorable visits to, and tours of, Swindon Works. The highlight was the scrap-lines where I took some now classic pictures. I also visited Crewe Works Open Day with two friends and a teacher from school who helped and encouraged me to develop my new-found hobby. Throughout 1977 I was using my mum's 'hand-me-down' Exa camera. It had a maximum shutter speed of 1/150th sec. so some of the photographs of trains at speed show a little motion blur! However, at least I was using 35mm which was a considerable step up from my mates who were having even more problems getting their Kodak Instamatics with 126 film to produce any decent pictures! Statistics - 17 trips, 123 photographs, 4.7 GB
Silver Jubilee year found me in the third year at school in Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire. My interest in railways was growing but my trips were limited by a lack of money and confined mainly to the local area. I did manage a few 'away days' when funds allowed. This included two memorable visits to, and tours of, Swindon Works. The highlight was the scrap-lines where I took some now classic pictures. I also visited Crewe Works Open Day with two friends and a teacher from school who helped and encouraged me to develop my new-found hobby. Throughout 1977 I was using my mum's 'hand-me-down' Exa camera. It had a maximum shutter speed of 1/150th sec. so some of the photographs of trains at speed show a little motion blur! However, at least I was using 35mm which was a considerable step up from my mates who were having even more problems getting their Kodak Instamatics with 126 film to produce any decent pictures!

Statistics - 17 trips, 123 photographs, 4.7 GB
Archive-1978 During 1978 I was at school, in the third year (or Year 9 as it is known today!), and still living just outside Bradford-on-Avon in Wiltshire. My spotting horizons continued to widen and trips were taken to various exotic locations. The highlight was the Eastern Region railtour that I carried out with Simon Petremeredies. Other trips were undertaken with friends and a teacher from school and my neighbour Jo. It is also the year that I met the most influential person in my railway life, Graham. I was still using the Exa 35mm camera but in the autumn I did borrow my mum's Rollie. However, in December I did move on to the Zenith EM that led to marginal improvements in the quality of pictures. My record-keeping also improved becoming less haphazard and more logical. Statistics - 28 trips, 271 photographs, 10.4 GB

During 1978 I was at school, in the third year (or Year 9 as it is known today!), and still living just outside Bradford-on-Avon in Wiltshire. My spotting horizons continued to widen and trips were taken to various exotic locations. The highlight was the Eastern Region railtour that I carried out with Simon Petremeredies. Other trips were undertaken with friends and a teacher from school and my neighbour Jo. It is also the year that I met the most influential person in my railway life, Graham. I was still using the Exa 35mm camera but in the autumn I did borrow my mum's Rollie. However, in December I did move on to the Zenith EM that led to marginal improvements in the quality of pictures. My record-keeping also improved becoming less haphazard and more logical.

Statistics - 28 trips, 271 photographs, 10.4 GB
Archive-1979 1979 found me still at school and with a little more money earned from various jobs I was able to get out and visit more exotic locations! I continued using the Zenith EM camera using various types of film including black and white, transparency and colour negatives. Where possible, I used 'premium' film makes such as Ilford FP4 and Kodachrome but the cost was a problem. However, some forty years on, I have reaped the benefits of this as the original material has survived well. More trips were taken out with Graham in his Mini. During the summer, I undertook a bike tour of the West of England Mainline, camping as I went. Statistics - 23 trips, 353 photographs, 10.9 GB
1979 found me still at school and with a little more money earned from various jobs I was able to get out and visit more exotic locations! I continued using the Zenith EM camera using various types of film including black and white, transparency and colour negatives. Where possible, I used 'premium' film makes such as Ilford FP4 and Kodachrome but the cost was a problem. However, some forty years on, I have reaped the benefits of this as the original material has survived well. More trips were taken out with Graham in his Mini. During the summer, I undertook a bike tour of the West of England Mainline, camping as I went.

Statistics - 23 trips, 353 photographs, 10.9 GB
Archive-1980 1980 was a big one for me! I left school in the summer to then attend Trowbridge Technical College to undertake my A-Levels. I made a number of visits to the West Country to capture the mechanical signalling prior to its replacement as well as a big summer trip to the east of England. Most of these trips were made with Graham Vincent in his trusty Mini but he too moved on this year inheriting his father's beige Austin 1100. I continued to use 35mm film in either black and white or slide film format in the Rollei B35 camera but towards the end of the year I moved on to a very advanced Pentax ME Super . Statistics - 22 trips, 509 photgraphs, 17.5 GB

1980 was a big one for me! I left school in the summer to then attend Trowbridge Technical College to undertake my A-Levels. I made a number of visits to the West Country to capture the mechanical signalling prior to its replacement as well as a big summer trip to the east of England. Most of these trips were made with Graham Vincent in his trusty Mini but he too moved on this year inheriting his father's beige Austin 1100. I continued to use 35mm film in either black and white or slide film format in the Rollei B35 camera but towards the end of the year I moved on to a very advanced Pentax ME Super.

Statistics - 22 trips, 509 photgraphs, 17.5 GB
Archive-1981 1981 marked a year of transition for me. It was my first year away from school attending full-time Trowbridge College and undertaking three A-levels. As far as railways went my activity began to decline somewhat with me increasingly juggling the trappings of life as a seventeen-year-old finding girls, beer, learning to drive and part-time work all challenging time out on the lineside. There were far fewer trips out but with those being undertaken on a larger scale and further afield. As I was able to process and print black and white negative film in the college darkroom I took an increasing number of monochrome images but there was also a significant number of slide images too. Unfortunately, in a cost-saving move, I began to use Fujichrome slides rather than Kodachrome. These slides have not fared so well over time with them taking on a strange hue that, amongst other things, has turned a lot of blue skies purple! Statistics - 20 trips, 566 photographs, 19.6 GB
1981 marked a year of transition for me. It was my first year away from school attending full-time Trowbridge College and undertaking three A-levels. As far as railways went my activity began to decline somewhat with me increasingly juggling the trappings of life as a seventeen-year-old finding girls, beer, learning to drive and part-time work all challenging time out on the lineside. There were far fewer trips out but with those being undertaken on a larger scale and further afield. As I was able to process and print black and white negative film in the college darkroom I took an increasing number of monochrome images but there was also a significant number of slide images too. Unfortunately, in a cost-saving move, I began to use Fujichrome slides rather than Kodachrome. These slides have not fared so well over time with them taking on a strange hue that, amongst other things, has turned a lot of blue skies purple!

Statistics - 20 trips, 566 photographs, 19.6 GB
Archive-2013 Not a fine year starting just two weeks after the tragic death of my father in a road accident. Despite the devastation, as time slowly moved on, I developed a kind of inner calm and a greater sense of positivity that looking back now was somewhat cathartic. Also in January, I had an operation to put right the damage caused by my own accident twenty-four years earlier. The death of my father meant that my amazing wife and I had to deal with his affairs including his house that was located in the West Country some distance from where we live in Northamptonshire. With everything going on my railway activity was squeezed a little but I still managed to get out with my camera slung over my shoulder. The death of my father made me realise that time really ought to be called on my career with a change of direction needed as priorities changed. My ever-supportive wife worked it through with me and the decision was made that the next year, 2014, should be the one when things move on - for both of us.
Not a fine year starting just two weeks after the tragic death of my father in a road accident. Despite the devastation, as time slowly moved on, I developed a kind of inner calm and a greater sense of positivity that looking back now was somewhat cathartic. Also in January, I had an operation to put right the damage caused by my own accident twenty-four years earlier. The death of my father meant that my amazing wife and I had to deal with his affairs including his house that was located in the West Country some distance from where we live in Northamptonshire. With everything going on my railway activity was squeezed a little but I still managed to get out with my camera slung over my shoulder. The death of my father made me realise that time really ought to be called on my career with a change of direction needed as priorities changed. My ever-supportive wife worked it through with me and the decision was made that the next year, 2014, should be the one when things move on - for both of us.
Archive-2014 A year of huge change in my working life. Circumstances enabled me to leave my full-time career in education and become self-employed in the motor trade. This change took place midway through the year but the preparation began pretty early on. This change meant much preparation and that I did not get out to the lineside quite as often with significantly fewer trips. I did get away with Andy a few times with our summer trip to the north taking in the Tyne Valley route and the northeast, an area that I have not visited that often. Statistics - 70 trips, 1,117 photographs, 46.4GB
A year of huge change in my working life. Circumstances enabled me to leave my full-time career in education and become self-employed in the motor trade. This change took place midway through the year but the preparation began pretty early on. This change meant much preparation and that I did not get out to the lineside quite as often with significantly fewer trips. I did get away with Andy a few times with our summer trip to the north taking in the Tyne Valley route and the northeast, an area that I have not visited that often.

Statistics - 70 trips, 1,117 photographs, 46.4GB
Archive-2015 A busy year and my first full one after retiring from my full-time career in education and going part-time into the motor trade. I made a lot of journeys to and from the West Country as I was renovating my late father's house in order to prepare it for sale. As a result, I managed a number of 'stop-offs' on the GWML to capture the scenes before the arrival of the electrification masts. I also did a number of days out with Andy with our big trip of the year being to Scotland via the Sleeper. Statistics - 71 trips, 1,120 photgraphs, 47.1 GB
A busy year and my first full one after retiring from my full-time career in education and going part-time into the motor trade. I made a lot of journeys to and from the West Country as I was renovating my late father's house in order to prepare it for sale. As a result, I managed a number of 'stop-offs' on the GWML to capture the scenes before the arrival of the electrification masts. I also did a number of days out with Andy with our big trip of the year being to Scotland via the Sleeper.

Statistics - 71 trips, 1,120 photgraphs, 47.1 GB
Archive-2016 Not such a busy year railway wise, in fact one of the lowest for numbers of trips for a few years. I am not too sure why as I seemed to be out and about a fair bit. My annual summer trip with Andy was to the Welsh Marches and then South Wales. Statistics - 62 trips, 1,108 photgraphs, 68.6 GB
Not such a busy year railway wise, in fact one of the lowest for numbers of trips for a few years. I am not too sure why as I seemed to be out and about a fair bit. My annual summer trip with Andy was to the Welsh Marches and then South Wales.

Statistics - 62 trips, 1,108 photgraphs, 68.6 GB
Archive-2017 A reasonable year for trips. The spring and early summer were particularly busy. This was due to my spotting companion Andy, having taken early retirement, which meant that we could get out more. However, after the summer and into the autumn, things went quiet as he went back to work again and I had to spend most of my waking hours working on a property my wife and I had bought! Still, 75 trips out was at the top end so I must not complain. The highlight was a trip on the Night Riviera Sleeper followed by three lovely mid-summer days exploring Cornwall, Devon and Somerset with Andy. Statistics - 75 trips, 1,184 photgraphs, 66.5 GB
A reasonable year for trips. The spring and early summer were particularly busy. This was due to my spotting companion Andy, having taken early retirement, which meant that we could get out more. However, after the summer and into the autumn, things went quiet as he went back to work again and I had to spend most of my waking hours working on a property my wife and I had bought! Still, 75 trips out was at the top end so I must not complain. The highlight was a trip on the Night Riviera Sleeper followed by three lovely mid-summer days exploring Cornwall, Devon and Somerset with Andy.

Statistics - 75 trips, 1,184 photgraphs, 66.5 GB
Archive-2018 2018 was a record year for the number of trips that I made out! It was a varied year with me visiting some familiar and a number of new places. The highlight of the year was the summer trip to southwest Scotland. Andy and I had four superb days away exploring the area. Statistics - 84 trips, 1,050 photgraphs, 68.3 GB
2018 was a record year for the number of trips that I made out! It was a varied year with me visiting some familiar and a number of new places. The highlight of the year was the summer trip to southwest Scotland. Andy and I had four superb days away exploring the area.

Statistics - 84 trips, 1,050 photgraphs, 68.3 GB
Archive-2019 2019 was a pretty tumultuous year on the railways with the disappearance of the fabled HSTs from all but the Midland Mainline and with them set to increase on that line for the next eighteen months at least. It has also been a year when the much-derided Pacers have started to be withdrawn. In theory, by 31.12.19 they should all have been out of service but as is all too common on our railways, this deadline has slipped due to issues with the introduction of new stock. Personally, 2019 was a record-breaker in terms of the number of trips out. I have also got extremely close to taking two thousand images. I enjoyed some smashing trips out with Mike, a retired and former work colleague. My big trip of the year was with Andy and to Scotland again - this time sampling Caledonian Sleeper's new Mk.V accommodation. As can be seen, despite the efforts of the operator, things were far from perfect! I hope that 2020 finds me out and about as much as it did in 2019. Here's to it! Statistics - 89 trips, 1,338 photgraphs, 98.6 GB
2019 was a pretty tumultuous year on the railways with the disappearance of the fabled HSTs from all but the Midland Mainline and with them set to increase on that line for the next eighteen months at least. It has also been a year when the much-derided Pacers have started to be withdrawn. In theory, by 31.12.19 they should all have been out of service but as is all too common on our railways, this deadline has slipped due to issues with the introduction of new stock. Personally, 2019 was a record-breaker in terms of the number of trips out. I have also got extremely close to taking two thousand images. I enjoyed some smashing trips out with Mike, a retired and former work colleague. My big trip of the year was with Andy and to Scotland again - this time sampling Caledonian Sleeper's new Mk.V accommodation. As can be seen, despite the efforts of the operator, things were far from perfect! I hope that 2020 finds me out and about as much as it did in 2019. Here's to it!

Statistics - 89 trips, 1,338 photgraphs, 98.6 GB
Archive-2020 At the start of 2020, I titled this page with the phrase 'The new decade begins.....'. I kept it in place throughout the year as the COVID-19 pandemic gradually enveloped us and came to dominate every aspect of our collective lives. It certainly affected my railway activities with far more trips out as part of my permitted bout of daily exercise throughout the first lockdown. Consequently, 2020 has me out far more times than any other year at one hundred and fourteen. However, the actual number of photographs taken is well down at a mere seven hundred and sixty largely as a reflection of no big trips away with Andy. All our plans that we had for 2020 have been pushed forward to 2021 that is if the much-heralded vaccines are rolled out to the masses sooner than later and that the dreaded R Number falls well below one. Statistics - 114 trips, 760 photgraphs, 56.4 GB
At the start of 2020, I titled this page with the phrase 'The new decade begins.....'. I kept it in place throughout the year as the COVID-19 pandemic gradually enveloped us and came to dominate every aspect of our collective lives. It certainly affected my railway activities with far more trips out as part of my permitted bout of daily exercise throughout the first lockdown. Consequently, 2020 has me out far more times than any other year at one hundred and fourteen. However, the actual number of photographs taken is well down at a mere seven hundred and sixty largely as a reflection of no big trips away with Andy. All our plans that we had for 2020 have been pushed forward to 2021 that is if the much-heralded vaccines are rolled out to the masses sooner than later and that the dreaded R Number falls well below one.

Statistics - 114 trips, 760 photgraphs, 56.4 GB
Archive-2021 When 2021 began myself and most others thought that it be a year of improvement following the COVID-19 year of 2020; how wrong we were! In fact, through the dark days of the third lockdown in February things were pretty dire for the country. This also impacted on my railway activity limiting considerably what I did and how far I went. However, I did get out on both work and personal related trips that got me to Yorkshire, the West Country and Wales. I suppose the most significant railway event of the year was the ending of HST services as we knew them, running fast express services to and from London. This came about following the final services operated by East Midlands Railways that Andy and I got out to witness back in May . In terms of numbers of trips it was well down on last year as were the total number of photgraphs taken; I need to work on this for 2022! Statistics - 81 trips, 842 photographs, 53.3 GB

When 2021 began myself and most others thought that it be a year of improvement following the COVID-19 year of 2020; how wrong we were! In fact, through the dark days of the third lockdown in February things were pretty dire for the country. This also impacted on my railway activity limiting considerably what I did and how far I went. However, I did get out on both work and personal related trips that got me to Yorkshire, the West Country and Wales. I suppose the most significant railway event of the year was the ending of HST services as we knew them, running fast express services to and from London. This came about following the final services operated by East Midlands Railways that Andy and I got out to witness back in May. In terms of numbers of trips it was well down on last year as were the total number of photgraphs taken; I need to work on this for 2022!

Statistics - 81 trips, 842 photographs, 53.3 GB
Archive-2022 I thought that with the COVID years of 2020 and 2021 that things would improve during 2022, at least that is what I wished for at the start of the year: how wrong I was to be! With the massive economic knee-jerk following Putin's invasion of Ukraine, things have got tight for many both here in the UK and elsewhere. The fallout from the huge rise in inflation triggered pay demands and consequential economic unrest in the form of strikes. The railways were the first to embark on the action and this has really had a massive effect on the travelling public and all this just as numbers were beginning to pick up post-COVID. The number of charters fell through the floor from the summer onwards as did my trips out with very little of interest to see. The exception was LSL's short-lived but bold move to cash in on Avanti's woes during September running 'proper' locomotive-hauled trains up and down the West Coast route. All in all, a pretty depressing year, let's hope 2023 sees a resolution to our very many problems! Statistics - 82 trips, 845 photographs, 55.27 GB
I thought that with the COVID years of 2020 and 2021 that things would improve during 2022, at least that is what I wished for at the start of the year: how wrong I was to be! With the massive economic knee-jerk following Putin's invasion of Ukraine, things have got tight for many both here in the UK and elsewhere. The fallout from the huge rise in inflation triggered pay demands and consequential economic unrest in the form of strikes. The railways were the first to embark on the action and this has really had a massive effect on the travelling public and all this just as numbers were beginning to pick up post-COVID. The number of charters fell through the floor from the summer onwards as did my trips out with very little of interest to see. The exception was LSL's short-lived but bold move to cash in on Avanti's woes during September running 'proper' locomotive-hauled trains up and down the West Coast route. All in all, a pretty depressing year, let's hope 2023 sees a resolution to our very many problems!

Statistics - 82 trips, 845 photographs, 55.27 GB
Archive-2023 At the fear of repeating myself, what a disappointment 2022 was! Whilst COVID thankfully took somewhat of a back seat other issues drove a coach and horses through 2022 so I really hope that 2023 sees some more positive news. Let's get the railways back to work, stop fighting in Europe and learn to be nicer to each other; is this too much to ask I wonder? Statistics - 92 trips, 913 photographs, 63 GB
At the fear of repeating myself, what a disappointment 2022 was! Whilst COVID thankfully took somewhat of a back seat other issues drove a coach and horses through 2022 so I really hope that 2023 sees some more positive news. Let's get the railways back to work, stop fighting in Europe and learn to be nicer to each other; is this too much to ask I wonder?

Statistics - 92 trips, 913 photographs, 63 GB
Archive-2024 Another year dawns and another passes. 2023 was not the best for a number of reasons both in and out of my railway world so I sincerely hope that 2024 is better. Andy and I have a plan to resurrect our big summer trip that we have not organised since COVID-19; something to look forward to. I hope that the railways can sort themselves out in terms of industrial relations, with just one union now in dispute. The embarrassing and scandalous farce of newly built trains that have yet to enter service leading to lines of stored and incredibly expensive stock in sidings around the country needs dealing with somebody being accountable. I hope to get out on the lineside and for some better weather to accompany me, 2023 did seem a dull and wet year photography-wise!

Another year dawns and another passes. 2023 was not the best for a number of reasons both in and out of my railway world so I sincerely hope that 2024 is better. Andy and I have a plan to resurrect our big summer trip that we have not organised since COVID-19; something to look forward to. I hope that the railways can sort themselves out in terms of industrial relations, with just one union now in dispute. The embarrassing and scandalous farce of newly built trains that have yet to enter service leading to lines of stored and incredibly expensive stock in sidings around the country needs dealing with somebody being accountable. I hope to get out on the lineside and for some better weather to accompany me, 2023 did seem a dull and wet year photography-wise!
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