Tag Archives: Easter Eggspress

Steam, Sun, Mist and Film: RPSI 461 at Bray Head, Part 2.

Exposed on Fuji Provia 100F using a Canon EOS-3 with 40mm pancake lens. Exposure calculated with the aid of a hand held Minolta Mark IV light meter. And yes, I hiked all the way around the head with all that equipment including my digital cameras.
Exposed on Fuji Provia 100F using a Canon EOS-3 with 40mm pancake lens. Exposure calculated with the aid of a hand held Minolta Mark IV light meter. And yes, I hiked all the way around the head with all that equipment including my digital cameras.

Why film? A few weeks back, I posted some views I exposed digitally of locomotive 461 emerging from the sea mist at Bray Head. See: Steam, Diesel and Electric at Bray Head on Easter Monday.
This was Railway Preservation Society of Ireland’s annual Dublin-Wicklow Easter Eggspress, which ran on Easter Monday, April 6, 2015.

I wrote in my earlier posting:

    Despite clear skies and warm spring weather, wafting sea fog made for challenging photographic conditions.

     Shortly before locomotive 461 emerged from the tunnels near Brandy Hole, a cloud of fog rose to add a bit of atmosphere.

      The mix of stunning scenery, wafting fog and bright sun made for a spectacular backdrop for the annual special.

While I made a sequence of digital photos with my Fujifilm X-T1. I was also poised with my Canon EOS 3 with 40mm pancake lens loaded with Provia 100F (color slide film). I reserved film for the most dramatic angles. Last week the slides were returned from the processing lab (Dwayne’s Photo in Parsons, Kansas see: www.dwaynesphoto.com/) and I’ve scanned the slides for presentation here.

As the photographer, I feel that these images are the best of my morning’s efforts.

Some people may ask, ‘If you have a digital camera, why do you still use film?’, others may inquire, ‘If you have a perfectly good film camera, why did buy an expensive new digital camera?’

Each mode of making photos has its strengths and weaknesses. I routinely exposed photos both using film cameras and digitally.

When I get a really nice scene on a bright sunny day, I often put it on film (and I may exposed a digital image as well). In that way I get the best of both worlds. I can’t think of a good reason why film and digital photograph should be mutually exclusive, especially since they complement each other nicely.

My color slides from April 6, 2015 are now also digital images, thanks to my Epson V600. If we have a slide show, I’ll project the slides the old fashioned way.

RPSI_461_Bray_Head_6April2015_©BrianSolomon_268120

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Steam, Diesel and Electric at Bray Head on Easter Monday.

The Railway Preservation Society of Ireland operated its annual Dublin-Wicklow Easter Eggspress on Easter Monday.

Irish Rail 218 rests with the RPSI Cravens under the shed at Connolly Station on Easter Monday. Exposed with a Lumix LX7.
Irish Rail 218 rests with the RPSI Cravens under the shed at Connolly Station on Easter Monday. Exposed with a Lumix LX7.

Last year I traveled on the train. See my earlier post: Railway Preservation Society Ireland’s Easter Eggspress.

This year, I opted to take the DART to Bray and hike the cliff-walk around the head to make these views.

Despite clear skies and warm spring weather, wafting sea fog made for a challenging photographic conditions.

Irish Rail's DART suburban service at Brandy Hole, Bray Head on Monday 6 April 2015. Fuji X-T1 digital photograph.
Irish Rail’s DART suburban service at Brandy Hole, Bray Head on Monday 6 April 2015. Fuji X-T1 digital photograph.

I made a point of photographing DART electric trains and Irish Rail’s intercity diesel railcars while in position for the steam special.

Shortly before locomotive 461 emerged from the tunnels near Brandy Hole, a cloud of fog rose to add a bit of atmosphere.

Sea fog made for atmospheric images.
Sea fog made for atmospheric images.
A DART electric skirts the cliffs at Bray Head. Fuji XT-1.
A DART electric skirts the cliffs at Bray Head. Fuji XT-1.
Fog obscures the tunnels at Bray Head as the Easter Eggspress makes its way south toward Wicklow. Fuji X-T1 digital photograph.
Fog obscures the tunnels at Bray Head as the Easter Eggspress makes its way south toward Wicklow. Fuji X-T1 digital photograph.
By the time engine 461 reached the optimal spot for photography it was in bright sun. Fuji XT-1 photograph.
By the time engine 461 reached the optimal spot for photography it was in bright sun. Fuji XT-1 photograph. I exposed some wide-angle views on colour slide film from this spot that take in the whole scene. 
Steam, smoke and sea mist mark the passing of 461 at Bray Head.
Steam, smoke and sea mist mark the passing of 461 at Bray Head.
An Irish Rail ICR from Rosslare works toward Dublin.
An Irish Rail ICR from Rosslare works toward Dublin.

In addition to these digital photographs, I exposed a series of 35mm colour slides on Provia 100F using my Canon EOS-3 with 40mm pancake lens. The mix of stunning scenery, wafting fog and bright sun made for a spectacular backdrop for the annual special.

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Railway Preservation Society Ireland’s Easter Eggspress.

To Wicklow and Return, April 21, 2014.

Railway Preservation Society Ireland celebrates 50 years this year. Canon EOS 7D with 100mm lens.
Railway Preservation Society Ireland celebrates 50 years this year. Canon EOS 7D with 100mm lens.

A clear bright day and an excellent crowd made for a great day out with locomotive 461 and the preserved Cravens carriages.

The train boarded at Dublin’s Connolly Station and ran directly to Wicklow with stunning views of Dublin bay from Killiney and Bray Head.

Irish Rail 227 with the Belfast-Dublin Enterprise rests alongside locomotive 071 (now 0117071 & etc) that was about to shunt the RPSI train from platform 3 at Connolly. 461 was steamed up and ready to couple to the train and take it into platform 5 for boarding. Canon EOS 7D with 100mm lens.
Irish Rail 227 with the Belfast-Dublin Enterprise rests alongside locomotive 071 (now 0117071) that was about to shunt the RPSI train from platform 3 at Connolly. 461 was steamed up and ready to couple to the train and take it into platform 5 for boarding. Canon EOS 7D with 100mm lens.
Steam on a sunny morning. Locomotive 461 pulls into platform 5 at Connolly Station. Canon EOS 7D with 20mm lens.
Steam on a sunny morning. Locomotive 461 pulls into platform 5 at Connolly Station. Canon EOS 7D with 20mm lens.
Departing Dublin offered views from the Loop Line bridge of the Customs House and RIver Liffey. Canon EOS 7D with 20mm lens.
Departing Dublin offered views from the Loop Line bridge of the Customs House and River Liffey. Canon EOS 7D with 20mm lens.
Passengers and RPSI staff at Wicklow. Canon EOS 7D with 100mm lens.
Passengers and RPSI staff at Wicklow. Canon EOS 7D with 100mm lens.
Unloading prams from the van. Canon EOS 7D with 100mm lens.
Unloading prams from the van. Canon EOS 7D with 100mm lens.
461 runs around at Wicklow for the short turn up to Greystones. Canon EOS 7D with 100mm lens.
461 runs around at Wicklow for the short turn up to Greystones. Canon EOS 7D with 100mm lens.
461 couples up at Wicklow. I miss the old mechanical semaphores with lattice masts that once protected Wicklow station. Canon EOS 7D with 20mm lens.
461 couples up at Wicklow. I miss the old mechanical semaphores with lattice masts that once protected Wicklow station. Canon EOS 7D with 20mm lens.

At Wicklow, the special was overtaken by a holiday ‘relief’ special to Gorey that operated with the freshly painted candy apple green 29000 set.

A short trip was run from Wicklow to Greystones and return, with some spirited running along the beaches south of Greystones.

Ah! The elusive freshly painted 29117!
Ah! The elusive freshly painted 29117!

Engine 461 is a former Dublin & South Eastern 2-6-0 goods engine, so it was working on old home rails. The locomotive was steaming well and made for a great performance.

Reported difficulties with the points at Wicklow resulted in minor delays on the return trip, but clear signals up to Dublin and excellent running by the steam crew found us back at Connolly only a few minutes behind the advertised.

I traveled on the train, and used opportunities at station stops to make photos of the crew.

These are some of my digital results. I also used my old Nikon F3 with a 24mm lens to exposed some Fuji Acros 100 black & white film. Somehow steam and B&W seems like an appropriate combination! Those images remain latent, and perhaps will be a topic for a future post!

The bushes match 461's buffer beam.
The bushes match 461’s buffer beam.
Assisting passengers at Wicklow.
Assisting passengers at Wicklow.
Dublin-Rosslare ICR approaches Wicklow. Canon EOS 7D with 100mm lens.
Dublin-Rosslare ICR approaches Wicklow. Canon EOS 7D with 100mm lens.
Steam crew in the cab of 461. Canon EOS 7D with 100mm lens.
Steam crew in the cab of 461. Canon EOS 7D with 100mm lens.
461 shunts the train at Wicklow. Canon EOS 7D with 100mm lens.
461 shunts the train at Wicklow. Canon EOS 7D with 100mm lens.
Shoveling coal is a dirty job, but someone has to do it!
Shoveling coal is a dirty job, but someone has to do it!
Canon EOS 7D with 100mm lens.
Canon EOS 7D with 100mm lens.
Watching for a signal.
Watching for a signal.
RPSI Cravens under the shed at Connolly Station.
RPSI Cravens under the shed at Connolly Station.

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Tomorrow: The DART in Pictures.

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Railway Preservation Society Ireland’s Easter Eggspress at Dalkey, April 1, 2013

Great Southern & Western Railway 0-6-0 186 Under Steam.

GS&WR 186 with Easter Eggspress at the Dalkey Tunnel April 1, 2013. Exposed with a Canon EOS 7D fitted with 28-135mm lens, ISO 800.
GS&WR 186 with Easter Eggspress at the Dalkey Tunnel April 1, 2013. Exposed with a Canon EOS 7D fitted with 28-135mm lens, ISO 800.

This morning (April 1, 2013), I rode Irish Rail’s Dublin Area Rapid Transit service from Dublin to Dalkey, and walked out via Sorrento and Vico Roads to an overlook on the old Dublin & South Eastern line near the Dalkey Tunnel. While I photographed the parade of passenger trains, my primary objective was to catch GS&WR 186 exiting the tunnel with the Railway Preservation Society Ireland’s Easter Eggspress.

I featured this 19th century 0-6-0 in my book Steam Power  (published by Voyageur Press in 2009) on pages  158-159 and 180-181. While I’ve made many photos of this engine over the years, I wanted to catch it at least one last time, as it’s my understanding that the locomotive is due to be withdrawn soon and may not be returned to traffic in the near future.

Using two cameras, I exposed two parallel sequences of digital images, which required some ambidextrous action on my part. I positioned my Lumix LX3 on a pocket tripod, and operated this with my left hand, while with my right hand I worked my Canon EOS 7D with 28-135mm lens. Displayed here are selected results from both cameras.

Lumix LX3 view.
Lumix LX3 wide angle view.

Just a reminder:

I’ll be presenting my illustrated talk “Ireland through American Eyes 1998-2008 My first Decade in Ireland” to the London area Irish Railway Record Society on April 18, 2013.

The program begins at 1900 (7pm) upstairs at the Exmouth Arms, 1 Starcross Street, LONDON NW1, (advertised as a 5 minute walk from London’s Euston station). A nominal donation of £3.50 is asked of non-IRRS members (members £2.50).

 

 

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