With the clock ticking on the final day of seeing steam locomotive No. 70013 Oliver Cromwell in steam looming, we decided to attend our very first photographic charter. This Charter was organised by Martin Creese from 30742 Charters.
The destination? The Keighley and Worth Valley Railway, where the Britannia class was visiting for its Spring Steam Gala.
The 6 am alarm clock goes off, up, washed and dressed. What next? The cameras in… check, charger, check! Tripod… check! I think we are ready! A quick check of the weather forecast says cloudy, must take the umbrella just in case.
Oliver Cromwell was built in May 1951 and is most notable for hauling a section of the last steam hauled service under British Railways in 1968. Saved for preservation by the National Railway Museum and placed in the national collection, most of 70013's preserved life has been spent inside Bressingham Steam & Gardens as a static display. In 2004, however, it was decided to put a new lease of life back into 70013 by overhauling the engine, ready for hauling 40th-anniversary trains on the mainline in 2008. Ever since then, 70013 has been a popular engine on both the mainline and heritage lines, in particular, the Great Central Railway, where 70013 is based when not on the mainline, where maintenance work is also carried out. 70013 carries BR Lined Green with late crest livery.
Now, a little bit of history on the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway – the railway runs for 5 miles from the town of Keighley to the village of Oxenhope via Ingrow West, Damems, Oakworth and Haworth, the station at Keighley is joined by Network Rail services from Skipton/Settle to Leeds and beyond.
The railway became famous for being the location of filming for the popular film ‘The Railway Children‘ and you can break your train journey and take a ‘Railway Children' Walk from the filming station of Oakworth, situated about halfway along the line.
Memories of The Beast From The East are brought back as snow drifts scatter the road between Colne and Oxenhope – best be careful. Watching out for the floods on the way.
Oxenhope is in sight, where we start our day, hi-vis on and a final check that we have everything.
Walking onto the station, we meet up with friends, past and new, as we eagerly await Cromwell's arrival.
Being our first charter, we had no idea what to expect, but we were made very welcome to the group and quickly got chatting to the other photographers, such as our friends, Liam, and Matt, this made the day very enjoyable.
Cromwell's chuff can be heard as she (or he!) pushes the short freight set into the platform, plenty of smoke around on this damp day… very atmospheric!
A quick few photos are shot, everyone trying to get their first photos of the day – but everyone is allowed there turn to get a shot… no pushing or shoving here!
Everyone present and correct? Yep, lets all board the two brake vans at the back of the train – a first for us!
Oliver Cromwell couples up to the front of the train ready for the departure. Our first destination is Haworth Loop, just above Haworth MPD and Haworth station.
Disembarking of the brake vans is simple, going down like you are on a set of step ladders. “All off?”, says the organiser, Kieran. Speaking into his walkie-talkie, the right away is given, and the locomotive with its train backs down just out of view ready for the first take.
Everyone makes sure they have their settings right, and that they are correctly placed… action! The beat from the Britannia's chimney can be heard around the valley as she rounds the bend and up the incline, bursting under bridges like the good old days of steam. More takes are taken at this location, different angles, different sides of the track, allowing you to take plenty of photos for you to take home and show your friends and family.
Moving on up towards Oxenhope, we walk to Top Field, where the train storms towards Oxenhope, with a little toot from the chime whistle. Five or six takes are taken at this location, low down, panning, from across the field, all of your shot ideas can be taken here before anyone moves to the next location.
Once we are all done, the train comes back and we board the brake vans once again. Our next location is Mytholmes Tunnel, the photographers head off in all different directions, each with their own photos in mind. Us? We head off into the tunnel – an unusual photograph as nobody is allowed into the tunnel in normal everyday service, so the Charters are the only opportunity to get this shot.
A few run pasts later, we head to the Haworth end of the tunnel. The noise produced by this fantastic locomotive will be something we remember for a while as it leaves the 75-yard structure. The sun peaks out as it leaves, just shining on the smokebox door of the 4-6-2 locomotive.
Is everyone done? Kieran goes back onto the Walkie Talkie to tell the driver, Graham Hartley, and fireman, Callum Porter, to back down so we can board again. Pulling yourself up can be difficult, so we do recommend you have some level of fitness and ability, back on, we give the right away and head for ‘The Mound', a popular location for taking photographs just below Oakworth, riding on the Brake Van, with a wood burner inside to keep you warm on this cold winters day.
Disembarking at ‘The Mound' the train, once again, backs down a little further ready for the photographs. Snow is still laying around in the fields here, adding to the photographs.
After a little pause for the sun to come out, the train comes chuffing around the corner once again, just as the train appears, the sun has other ideas and goes in… Not to worry! Another take and bingo! The sun is out for this one and makes a superb photo for everyone involved.
After a few more photos in different places and angles. The group decides its lunch time, we board the train and it takes back up to Haworth. Fish and Chips anyone? An hour later, after lunch, a crew change, our driver is now John Morris and Tom Kay is now our fireman, and run around of the locomotive, we board the train, this time, bound for Keighley.
Right up front behind the locomotive, you can really begin to understand the size of this beautiful locomotive. Her chime whistle sounding lovely as we travel over Oakworth Crossing, through Damems, and through Ingrow Tunnel.
Arrival in Keighley platform 3 is a welcomed sight… more photos to be taken. By this time, cameras for ourselves are on charge ready for the next round of photos to be taken.
Disembarking onto the platform is easy this time, whilst the locomotive runs round the freight rake and a top of the water for the ‘Brit'. Time to get set up for the next location. The train backs down under Keighley bridge ready for the first take. Chuffing out of Keighley tunnel makes it sound lovely, and looks like the good old days with the pickup goods off up the branch line.
Next location is Keighley Bank, with the locomotive steaming up the siding to re-enact a dual track line. Keighley Bank is well known for being steep, making easy work of the bank and sounding lovely, the Brit passes on her first turn up the bank. Time for a different angle… let's move back towards the end of the bank to really get a sense of power – everyone moves up, allowing everyone to get a shot without anyone else in the frame.
Adjacent to ‘The Globe' inn, the Brit sounds lovely as she heads for GN Straight, the clouds coming in, but we carry on shooting this fine example of a locomotive.
Everyone is allowed their turn again to get a shot.
Next on our trip of the line is Damems loop. Many different types of photos can be taken here, down low, up on the bank, or in the Signal Box. Again, many run pasts are made here to make sure that you can get your photo in the location you want.
With the clouds looking ever-more rain like, we board the brake vans again, and head back up the line towards Mytholmes Tunnel, where the sun is seen peeking through? Will it come out? We stop and disembark, yet more run pasts are made, allowing us to try out more locations on our first charter, it really was a top day!
The organisers make the decision that the sun isn't going to come through, so the decision was agreed amongst the photographers that we will now head back to Oxenhope.
Arrival at Oxenhope allows yet more photos as the light begins to disappear, and the gas lights come on along the station.
Our thoughts on the day
Being our first charter, we really didn't know what to expect, so we went with an open mind. After a full day with what is our favorite locomotive, we come away with a smile on our faces.
If you haven't yet been on a photo charter, we really would recommend going on one, you get to meet some brilliant people, who all have an interest in taking photos of trains, and you also get to see some locations that nobody else can get to, such as Mytholmes Tunnel.
This was a fantastic photo charter, and we will be certainly going on one again in the future.
This Charter was organised by Martin Creese from 30742 Charters, although, there are other charter organisers.
We would also like to thank Kieran Pilsworth and Anthony French for running the day so smoothly, Liam Barnes, Matt Lowcock, Tom Blackman, Paul Livsey and everyone else for joining us and making us feel so welcome on our first charter.
The photos used in this are all available on our Flickr page in full size. To visit our Flickr page, please click here.
All of the above photos are available as prints, get in touch for more information
- Visit the 30742 Charters website
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