34081 - 92 Squadron

I actually think the shot works better in B&W....

So is it 1967 or 2017?...............

 

In that livery it can't be 1967 I'm afraid.

 

Picky!

 

Picky? Moi?

 

...and although 34081's performance wasn't the total blackout in the above photo from the charter, a bit of dark exhaust on the 11.22 van train yesterday definitely helped create the best shot of the day for me. Thanks to all concerned.

 

What I have been preaching is a front-end adaptation to present day circumstances: different coals, lower speeds, less carriages and
above all sparing the locomotives since we want to use them as long as possible and hand them over in proper condition to the next generation.
That simply means a second look at the front-end since they are so easily and cheaply remedied!
"Two carriages stronger" in the heritage context means a less strained locomotive.
Kind regards
Jos Koopmans

 

A few pics from last Mondays charter.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/albums/72157683327667444

 

Just want to say THANK YOU to the Nene Valley Railway and Railworld for showing around a group of Network Rail apprentices (which may have included yours truly!) at very late notice.

One of our lecturers was unable to attend today so it was very good luck to have the preserved railway nearby to show the apprentices some steam era operation and a truly astonishing bit of landscaping.

I was very impressed with everyone who helped and we all enjoyed our impromptu visit.

92 Squadron looked terrific too and my thanks to the crew today who made a great first impression on eighteen apprentices who’d never seen a steam locomotive in the flesh before.

Top stuff, many thanks.

 

As ever Simon there is always an LNER connection with you!

 

Maybe I'm in a minority here, but why do so many photographers insist on adding 'dramatic' filters in post-processing? This may be a slightly controversial view, but to me they are always overdone and make photos look amateurish, like the photographer has simply clicked on a 'consumer' preset in Lightroom or Photoshop, rather than the professional approach of individually tweaking parameters until the right effect is obtained. In photography, as in so many things, less is invariably more...

Yeah, but look at those gritted teeth. He'd be smiling like a loon if it was designed by E*****d T*******n...

 

Alas, there’s only two of those left and I won’t be seeing them any time soon.

Far from gritted teeth mind! I really enjoyed seeing 92 Squadron. Makes me long for a working one on the Bluebell...

 

Have to say I do like 34081 in that shade of green the sun really does shine with it in that livery!

 

Going by previous posts anyone would think that tweaking photos is something new. Anyone with any knowledge of darkroom techniques will know it’s been going on since almost the dawn of photography. Add to that the fact that unless everyone’s monitor is calibrated exactly the same, what one person sees could well be different to others. Some do look over the top but that could be monitor issues or the photographers eyesight being different but even if it isn’t, that may just be the way they want it. As for judges in photo competitions, don’t get me started.

 

I think the one process I take vigorous exception to is an overuse of HDR - the "oil painting" look, with overuse of sharpening tools second. I think the stance of The Railway Magazine is to be applauded where photography is concerned.

Anyone here remember Farmers Reducer?

 

My darkroom technique stopped and dodging and burning.

 

Yes and Intensifier.

 

I must admit to have contributed to the thread drift but this is supposed to be about 34081, not photo technique.

 

I think it's great that at the moment, the NVR has two locos in "immediately post-Nationalisation" liveries.

 

Any chance of 92 Squadron making a return visit to the NNR in the future?