Ch. 51 - Some Railways Guidance

PossumCorner

The nearby Puffing Billy Railway is a heritage steam engine railway line run by about 600 volunteers, a few paid staff, a lot of fund-raising and a tiny speck of government support (more goodwill than financial). So for the Volunteers, this is their hobby, passion, obsession. (And we're pretty partial to it also).

Not sure what kind of shot would give the "Hobby" feel to a Challenge entry.
Could it be just something like - a shot of the points levers (all hand-control with the trains waiting for a wave-through before they cross the points).


Or an in-cabin shot of the controls/instruments.



Or just an engine in the yards.



or being topped up with coal.


or being cleaned at the end of the day



Hot and dirty work


or reversing into the sheds after coaling and cleaning ready for next mornings firelighters to start it up.



These are all hand-held, if anything is worth entering subject-matter-wise but not good enough quality-wise I can go back with tripod and try for something a bit better. I'm looking for ideas that say "hobby" rather than just "steam trains" and not finding them.

Very open to any suggestions please.

snapapple

I found this whole series very interesting. Enjoyed the photos. But, I don't think any single picture told me about a hobby. The life size train looks too businesslike to speak out "hobby". A miniature type train would say "hobby" right away. Steam trains are not actually used today, so working with them has to be a sideline, obsession or hobby. But, how to convey that in one picture is beyond me.

The levers or engine parts don't do it. The guy shoveling coal says, right away, this is an "old style" train. But, I don't know if that's enough. Wish I could be of more help. I do like the pictures though. That's a very neat train.

erich6

I'd take a shot like the third one and have a kid looking up at the engineer. The boy would be wearing an engineering hat and perhaps holding a toy train or a train book.

Erich

PossumCorner

snapapple wrote:

.... But, I don't think any single picture told me about a hobby. The life size train looks too businesslike to speak out "hobby". .... a very neat train.

Thanks for looking and the comments Snapapple. Yes I can't see how to convey the hobby/total past-time concept. (Train-spotting is another full on hobby for some people, and Ginger's "Birders" entry could equally be a group of trainspotters on a bridge waiting to document a rare run by a vintage locomotive).

I might give up on the heritage railway hobby, and trot down to the local hall on Railway Modeller's night, try for some indoor images of the Littlies in steam instead of the real thing. I've enjoyed messing with the idea though.

PossumCorner

erich6 wrote:

I'd take a shot like the third one and have a kid looking up at the engineer. The boy would be wearing an engineering hat and perhaps holding a toy train or a train book.

Erich

Erich thanks, I like your suggestion - but they'd freak out at the idea of a child being allowed onto the tracks. With several engines in steam at any time it is like 'Fifth Avenue on a Monday' and I don't know any parent who would lend me their kid to play around live steam. (On second thoughts ..... no no I didn't think that).

Anyway I'll try the model railway group to change the proportions/perspectives and try for some absorbed expressions as they watch Thomas & Co choof around Sodor.

Alkhemist

Being a long time railfan I like all of them, though 1 & 2 are my favs. As for depicting the hobby aspect in an image... whew. Not to say it can't be done, but at this momentI don"t see it.

morrisphotography2003

I would have to agree with snapapple, but I would like to add that I have never seen these types of shots before, we just don't have these trains around here. Thank you for sharing a great story with your photos, I learned alot about this style of train just by seeing your photographs.

Bob.

snapapple wrote:

I found this whole series very interesting. Enjoyed the photos. But, I don't think any single picture told me about a hobby. The life size train looks too businesslike to speak out "hobby". A miniature type train would say "hobby" right away. Steam trains are not actually used today, so working with them has to be a sideline, obsession or hobby. But, how to convey that in one picture is beyond me.

The levers or engine parts don't do it. The guy shoveling coal says, right away, this is an "old style" train. But, I don't know if that's enough. Wish I could be of more help. I do like the pictures though. That's a very neat train.