Rob Does Trains

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Rob Does Trains

I’m Rob, and I like taking photos of trains.

06/06/2026

Dependable BR Standard 4 tank engine departs Kingscote, heading south bound for Horsted Keynes and Sheffield Park, during a normal running day on the back in March.

With the impending Spring Gala featuring several south-facing locomotives, we used this as a practice day to see what shots worked with locos facing a different way than we’re used to. This shot isn’t bad for photography, with the locos working hard to get up to speed, but videographers should consider going elsewhere.

1/640sec, f/5.6, ISO 800, 190mm

05/06/2026

34059 Sir Archibald Sinclair powers through Ketches Wood pulling the last public train of the day during the Road Meets Rail event last month.

With the track along this stretch of the line being relayed back in January, it’s opened up a new assortment of captures as locomotives are able to get up to speed sooner. Previously there was a temporary speed restriction in place meaning engines were trundling along at 10mph for most of this section. It did make for a good photography spot as locos opened up at the end of the TRS, but I’m happy it’s still a good spot despite the changes!

04/06/2026

6989 Wightwick Hall passes along Freshfield Bank during a sunny mid-February day, as we marked the first operating day of the new season at the earlier this year.

We haven’t seen this locomotive at the Bluebell for a little while. Aside from a visit to the Epping Ongar she’s spent a lot of her time being a TV star, with her appearance as the Hogwarts Express in the upcoming Harry Potter TV series growing ever closer. I’ve also heard reports of her having a few repairs lately too. But hopefully we’ll see this steam engine back on Bluebell metals before too long.

1/640sec, f/5.6, ISO 200, 170mm

03/06/2026

Old Victorian locomotive № 65 passes under Three Arch Bridge on her way into Horsted Keynes during the Road Meets Rail event a few weeks ago.

With the clock ticking on her boiler ticket, this lovely old steam engine is making the most of her time and has been putting in some great performances of late.

1/800sec, f/5.6, ISO 160, 210mm

02/06/2026

It’s time for another , where we celebrate the volunteers keeping vintage trains running on heritage railways and the mainline.

Today we have the crew of 34059 Sir Archibald Sinclair as the locomotive passes through Ketches Wood on her last passenger service of the day during the Road Meets Rail event a couple of weeks ago.

1/800sec, f/5.6, ISO 2500, 28mm

01/06/2026

When Road Met Rail

As you may know, I sometimes post Monday Medleys, where I share some of the more abstract shots I’ve captured in and around heritage railways. For a Monday Medley special edition today I bring you an assortment of shots from last month’s Road Meets Rail event at the . Several heritage railways do events of this nature, which celebrate old industry from the age of steam with a bunch of demonstrations of steam-powered road vehicles and equipment.

In this bumper batch we have:

1. An old steam-powered lorry. I know, from briefly getting stuck behind this machine on my way to Horsted Keynes, that it isn’t particularly fast.

2. A closeup of the headlight of an old tractor.

3. A couple of lamps hanging beneath a steamroller. The large chain is part of the steering mechanism.

4. A tractor on a goods wagon. It spent the day going up and down the line as part of the Goods Demonstration Set, ably and fittingly pulled by old Victorian locomotive № 65. Yes, that is a tin of beans on the exhaust pipe – I assume it was to keep rainwater out of the exhaust system.

5. The flames at a blacksmith demonstration stand.

6. One of the crew at a demonstration, cutting up tree-sized logs with a steam traction engine-powered wood saw.

7. The gauge on said traction engine.

8. A pile of bricks at equipment at the roadmaking demonstration. A steamroller was crushing these down into a road.

30/05/2026

Trusty BR standard 4 tank engine and stalwart 80151 departs Horsted Keynes heading south towards Sheffield Park during the railway’s Road Meets Rail event a couple of weeks ago.

I wasn’t really expecting much from this shot since it’s on a downhill gradient, but we were teased with a nice run as she departed Horsted making some decent noise and exhaust. It didn’t last long though, as the locomotive shut off as soon as she was past the goods yard. Even so, I’m pleased with the result, with a dramatic sky and the light reflecting off the steam engine nicely.

1/800sec, f/5.6, ISO 160, 40mm

29/05/2026

№ 65 Delivers the Goods

On her last run of the day, lovely old Victorian locomotive № 65 passes through Ketches Wood pulling the Goods Demonstration Set during the Road Meets Rail event a couple of weeks ago.

It’s an all-too-rare pleasure to see the goods set out and about, and when it is it’s usually paired with 65, since set and steam engine look so good together (plus it puts slightly less wear on 65’s aching bones).

If you look closely, you might be able to make out a tractor on one of the open trucks.

28/05/2026

6880 Betton Grange passes through Harmans Cross pulling a non-stop express train eastwards towards Swanage during the Spring Steam Gala back in March.

Just about visible in the background is the brake van of the goods demo set, waiting patiently for the incoming locomotive to clear the section before heading on towards Corfe Castle.

1/640sec, f/5, ISO 125, 100mm

26/05/2026

It’s time for another , where we celebrate the volunteers keeping vintage trains running on heritage railways and the mainline.

Here, one of the crew of standard 4 tank engine 80151 hangs out the window as she crosses Horsted House crossing during the Road Meets Rail event just over a week ago.

This year marks 75 years since the introduction of the British Rail standard locomotives, and many are still going strong. 80151 in particular is one of the workhorses of the Bluebell Railway, often at the top of the annual mileage figures for the railway.

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BH19 1HB

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http://robdoestrains.creativesplurges.com/

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