Engine 76079, a photo from North Yorkshire, England

Photographer's Note

Today’s post is another change from me. I can’t pretend to be a steam train enthusiast, but we started our Saturday’s walk at the village of Grosmont on the North Yorkshire Moors, approximately 25 minutes drive away from home, and it is the northern terminus of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway (NYMR). It seemed rude not to join the enthusiastic photographers in taking pictures :o)
The 18 mile long steam railway of the NYMR is a private trust that carries upwards of 200,000 passengers a year and links Grosmont with Pickering. Re-opened in 1973 it follows the route of the 19th century line that originally connected to Whitby.
Many of the UK’s lines were closed in 1962 by the infamous Transport Minister of the time, Dr Beeching, and steam engines disappeared in 1967. It is thanks to enthusiasts in various parts of the country that have opened lines such as this one for people to experience the steam heritage. Incidentally it was in the northeast of England where rail travel began in the 19th century.
I have two similar shots of this train and have had great difficulty deciding which one to post, so I have put one in the WS.
The one I chose as the main one is because it had just set off and was moving: the only person superfluous to the shot is a workman: the people looking out of the windows improve the composition I think. One downside is the signal apparatus on the right might be a distraction. For the Ws version, again there is a workman in shot but also someone’s head: there is inclusion of part of a station building complete with Union Flag bunting: there are the moors in the background. I think technicalities are pretty much equal between the two. So I leave it to you to decide which one is best.
I have tried to find details of the engine without success, so if anyone knows anything about it please start a thread.
edit: 76079 is a BR Standard Class 4 MT That means absolutely nothing to me but it might mean something to some of you :o)

ajcsousa, Tracker, devimeuxbe, nwoehnl, tjanze, eza1701, carper, weswang, robiuk, Cliffy, Tue, supereira, john_c, sarju, DLM, apazevedo, Steft ha puntuado esta nota como útil.

Critiques | Translate

t0mmm1 (5442) 2005-10-04 7:03

Hi Kath,
great POV, and composition. I like the steam and smoke that are adding an extra dimension to the photo but also the dramacity. Usually I preffer sepia on this shots but here are really good colours. I wish only that the man didn't wear that yellow thing, it would ad a good old look effect. For my opinion the version in WS is more dramatic and dynamic, but I like them both.

[3] +

ajcsousa (1804) 2005-10-04 7:07

Hi Kath,
Very nice picture. Nice composition and POV. Amazing colors, light and details. The train it's beautiful. Well done
Regards, António

P.S. I like both versions, but i prefer the one in WS

[workshop] [compare] +

Tracker (1942) 2005-10-04 7:10

Hi Kath,
I like the original more, not ws. There is impression the train is going right among the town streets, which is unusual. The people made the picture more alive. Good compo and contrast between black and red. tfs, regards.

devimeuxbe (58557) 2005-10-04 8:35

Hi Kath
Nice train and nice trip to the past.
Good light colors and frame.
Well done
Berrtand

leonorkuhn (16237) 2005-10-04 9:01

Hi Kath,
WOW!!! Very nice shot. I also love trains. Excellent POV, colors, light and perspective. Very good job. TFS.
Greetings,
Leonor

nwoehnl (122) 2005-10-04 9:07

Hi Kath. Good tightly-framed shot of the old engine surrounded by the railway station details. Nice details and colors obtained in the bright sun, and of course a nice add with the steam clouds as well as including the guy in the safety vest. Interesting notes, too.

eza1701 (3345) 2005-10-04 10:34

Nice shot Kath,

As usual the composition is good with the front of the train in the lower left corner and the detail level on the engine is spot on.

I also like the workman in the shot as I feel he adds extra interest and a different splash of colour.

carper (96) 2005-10-04 12:57

very good shot Kath,
for a train shot well composed, fine details, good crop, very good atmosphere, nice job,
gr. jaap

Graal (103040) 2005-10-04 13:34

Hi Kath,
unusual train. Old scenery.I remember when by us it was really our trains. Interesting note. Good composition and colours. Good capture and the work.
Rgs, Aleksander

bantonbuju (51815) 2005-10-04 13:46

hi kath, i opt for the main version with the replaced man: the one in the workshop is somehow more, how to say that? - fitting the whole of the bill;
anyhow - very attractive shot, bit funny, bit nostalgic; good composition;
best, j.

robiuk (10807) 2005-10-04 14:22

Hiya Kath,
Like it or not, we have to agree we all love to see old engines as there's something in their design that appeal to us, as Antonio managed to convey through his workshop of your original that had been posted in the Workshop for comparison (huh, what a sentence!)
Hard to say which one I prefer, but to be honest, I like the other one only because of the BG!
It's really difficult to compare and rate them two photos as they're completely different.
I'm happy you posted both!!!
Thanks a lot,
Robi

Cliffy (590) 2005-10-04 14:47

For a self confessed non steam buff this is a shot any "Trainspotter" such as myself would be proud of.Technically it is absoluteley superb and the composition just spot on.Even the man in the high vis jacket is far enough away not to spoil the overall shot,for those who say post in sepia this is a 21st century shot and has every right to be in colour.Re the Standard 4 it was a workhorse of the BR days and interestingly I have posted a shot of this Standard 4 crossing Barmouth Bridge and have a couple more that I was planning to post

Tue (91604) 2005-10-04 18:06

Hej Kath,
Very nice capture of this steam train, that you took from a good angle. I like the colours too, but maybe I would have prefered a B&W version (or a version as I saw in the WS), to create a kind of classical look. Anyway, very nice picture and thanx for sharing.
Hilsner,
Lars

PixelTerror (0) 2005-10-05 3:30

Hi Kath,
A post for me, I love trains, spent years building models and deeply regretting not to have enough space in my flat now :-(( Of course such a nice oldie is highly appealing to me, the angle is fine and I enjoy the steam that comes out and adds dynamism to the view, I prefer this one to the WS because I can see more details here.
Have a nice day,
Jean-Yves

[2]

coco (30439) 2005-10-05 3:40

Hi again Kath.
I like the colours and also the composition. I think that you has cropped the photo, isn't it?
Regards.

kebek (5438) 2005-10-05 6:26

Serwus Kath !
It is always a great pleasure for me to see such steam engines in good condition :) You chose very good perspective for this shot to admire details of this old-fashioned machine. I'm not sure about tight framing, but i understand you had to shoot in a hurry while the train was already moving. Some space left on the left would be maybe better for the overall composition. But, anyway i really appreciate this one with well chosen elements of the place all around.
Have a nice day,
Mat

supereira (9576) 2005-10-05 8:07

I like the composition and prespective.Great details and framing.Good contrasts,light,sharpness and colors.I like the detail of the person.Good job!

john_c (24666) 2005-10-05 10:48

Hi Kath,
A well composed shot of this steam train. You have captured the dynamic beast well, with steam belching and superb colour. I like the way the train is angled in the frame. The worker warms the scene. I marginally prefer the WS version because its a little crisper and cleaner, though this one is very well composed. Perhaps slight overexposure on the worker in yellow here. Overall, a very successful shot.
John

weswang (18247) 2005-10-05 10:50

Hi Kath, A nice capture of the train with nice perspective view. I like the tight crop of the picture. A very well taken clear picture with nice contrast and sharpness. It is fun to see the heads stretching out from the passenger session. I guess that they were taking a picture of you.

sarju (5324) 2005-10-05 11:00

Hi Kath
Thanks for going through the effort of taking this photo ... for I am a steam engine enthu (well just to the extent that they portray era long gone but not that far ago also)
I do love your photo especially the fact that you also have included the signals in this photo ..... But I just had a few suggestions based on my personal preferences
1. I would have used a bit wider angle just to include more of the train at the back ... just to make it more dramatic I guess (a bit more on the lines of the photos in WS)
2. A bit of more space over the building should have been good too ... just to give it some room for breath
cheers for now .... sarju

hdl (7035) 2005-10-06 7:23

Impressive engine. Good pov; good framing (not too tight) and colours. Well done.

DLM (6479) 2005-10-06 13:36

Hi Kath this is a bit special,Composition is very nice,great plumes of smoke and adding the working man is a good idea,nice details.Well done.
Dave.

cam (9043) 2005-10-06 22:09

Hello Kath
It is quite something to look at,all shiny.
I have a slightly preference for the other one in the WS,because we can see more of it.
Both are well done with a good POV and composition.
An intemporel topic
Charles

Steft (6109) 2005-10-09 13:29

Some part of the train (by the windows) and of the man are a bit overexposed, but I really like this photo. The composition is very good, the train is almost leaving this picture and that makes this photo very dynamic. Really beautiful old fashioned train.
Thanks,
Stef

DiaAzul (1403) 2005-10-10 16:19

I think I would have to say that I prefer the workshop (non sepia) photo over this one. Not to say that this is a bad photo, just that it is a little to tightly cropped at the front and doesn't leave enough space for the train to move forward. In the workshop photo the 'character' on the platfrom adds a human dimension and it is a shame that you missed the opportunity to include him completely in the image - perhaps pre-framing with the chap in the image and then allowing the train to run into the frame may have helped. But two nice images and allways a pleasure to see images from the Norf of the country - eee by gum.