
Tag: railways


Cardiff in lockdown – stations, street photos and night scenes, July 2020
Although the lockdown is slowly easing in Wales, Cardiff remains strangely quiet with many of its once-bustling streets remaining empty. Here’s some photos from an (essential) trip earlier this week.
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In photos: The eerie emptiness of Waterloo station in rush hour lockdown, Thurs 4th June, 2020
It’s Britain’s busiest railway station, handling an astonishing 94 million passenger entries and exits every year, but yesterday the station was almost deserted during the evening rush hour, with more …
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Castle, sheep, signalbox and beer – a photo walk from Robertsbridge to Bodiam fifteen years ago, April 2005
Virtual countryside walks are the only ones possible during the ongoing pandemic, so here’s a collection of 25 photos from a 2005 walk from Robertsbridge to Bodiam Castle and back, …
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In photos: an unexpected stop at Thetford railway station, as storm-felled trees blocked the line
As Storm Ciara battered the UK, my Sunday morning trip from Norwich to London was beset by cancellations and hefty delays as uprooted trees blocked multiple locations along the route.
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Photos of the rain-drenched streets of Cardiff – city centre and Llanishen at night, Jan 2020
Growing up in Cardiff – Britain’s wettest city – I’m very familiar with being endlessly pelted with rain, drizzle and thunderous downpours, and yesterday my home town delivered in full …
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Shoes on power lines, fake houses, trains, photos, gentrification and architecture – the most popular posts in 2019
With the year nearly over, here’s a listing of the fifteen most popular posts on this blog in 2019, with the mystery of sneakers dangling on the power lines of …
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Cefn Onn Halt fifteen years ago, photos of a closed station, December 2004
Following on from Rob Masterman’s excellent archive photos of Cefn Onn, here’s another selection showing the now-closed station in December 2004 – exactly fifteen years ago.
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Cefn Onn Halt, Cardiff – nine historic photos by Rob Masterman
I’ve always been fascinated by Cefn Onn Halt, a tiny former station located at the southern end of the mile-long Caerphilly tunnel. Accessible only by foot – and some considerable …
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Macomer, Sardinia: steam loco, narrow gauge railway and abandoned warehouses – in photos
After jumping on the wrong train, we found ourselves with an hour to kill at the Sardinian town of Macomer in the province of Nuoro – and it turned out …
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In photos: Alghero railway station terminus, Sardinia, Italy
Serving the coastal town of Alghero in northwestern Sardinia, this small terminus station offers daily trains to Sassari in the east.
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In photos: Blaenau Ffestiniog and a narrow gauge steam journey to Tan-y-Bwlch in Snowdonia, Aug 2018
Here’s some photos from a recent visit to the slate mining town of Blaenau Ffestiniog in north Wales, with our day trip taking in a journey on the Ffestiniog Railway to Tan-y-Bwlch and back.
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London St Pancras station – archive photos of the semi-derelict Midland Grand hotel from June 2003
Back in June 2003, I got the opportunity to visit the then semi-derelict Midland Grand hotel at St Pancras station in central London and take some photos. The former hotel had …
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In photos: the modernist swagger of Surbiton station – an Art Deco masterpiece in London
The masterpiece of Scottish architect James Robb Scott, (1882-1965), Surbiton Station is a stunning example of At Deco architecture, created when the original 1867 railway station was rebuilt seventy years later.
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Empty chairs, rain-soaked tables and the last of the Christmas lights, Cardiff in photos, 2nd Jan 2018
Here’s another short selection of photos taken around Cardiff yesterday. It rained for the entire duration of my trip. Here’s some pictures taken on my travels:
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In photos: the magnificent curves and Victorian architecture of York railway station
Here’s a short photo-essay showing off some of the splendour of York railway station, a marvel of Victorian engineering and architecture.
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Pubs, a chalky penis and pavement history: a look around the streets of Chepstow, south Wales
Here’s my second short collection of photos of the small border town of Chepstow in south east Wales, taken as I headed to and from the nearby Green Gathering festival.
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The beautiful architecture of Canterbury, Kent, England – in photos
An historic cathedral city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, Canterbury is a truly beautiful place to visit, and it’s easily reached from London which is just 54 miles away.
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In photos: a trip along the Bluebell steam railway from East Grinstead to Sheffield Park, Sussex, England
It’s been some time since I took a trip along the Bluebell Railway, and this time I got the opportunity to ride the long awaited extension from their new East …
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Steam locos, memorabilia, a stuffed dog and much more at the wonderful Railway Museum in York
Last month I finally got to visit the fabulous Railway Museum in York, a veritable cornucopia of railway history, stuffed full of historic locomotives, carriages, rolling stock and railway memorabilia. Incredibly, …
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Crossing a chilly border: Bad Bentheim station in winter, Germany
Located on the border of Germany and the Netherlands, I spent 20 minutes on a frozen Bad Bentheim railway station last week and grabbed a few photos as we waited for …
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In photos: Glasgow street scenes, pubs, station and architecture
Since I’ve been fortunate to rejoin The Monochrome Set, I’ve had the opportunity to travel around the UK a lot more and, of course, I’ve been taking my camera with …
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Cardiff’s Bute Road railway station listed as one of the UK’s top 10 most endangered buildings
We wrote about the terrible state of the former Bute Road Station, in Cardiff Bay, exactly five years ago, and it’s sad to see that station continues to decline. Such is …
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Tintern Massive, flabby fish and a big gun: A quick look around Chepstow, South Wales: in photos
En route to the lovely Green Gathering festival earlier this month, there was time to take a short walk around Chepstow in Monmouthshire, Wales, a small town (pop: 12,300) adjoining the border …
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Photos: Crossrail station designs on the Elizabeth Line, and a look around RIBA in London
Currently on display inside the swishy environs of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) offices in London is an exhibition showing off the proposed designs for the forthcoming Elizabeth Line …
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Lewes: architecture, stickers, a disused railway line and a fine chippie – in photos
Last week, I took a trip south to return to the charming East Sussex town of Lewes. I was there to watch my team, Dulwich Hamlet lose (once again) to …
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