10th November 2025: The End of Steam 1966-68,  Part 2  by Michael Smyth

Michael presented an excellent Part 1 when he was photographing steam in his native West Yorkshire during his last school days, prior to leaving for University .

In Part 2, during holidays from University, he returned to the area and was out and about snatching the very last of steam on his patch. As the years turned from 1967 into 1968, he was forced to travel further afield across the Pennines to the north west, and the last steam stronghold - Manchester. He captured superb,  gritty shots on Manchester Victoria Station; engines toiling Miles Platting Bank; and the last sheds in the Rose Grove area, which were disappearing rapidly. On each holiday trip home he returned to the area, venturing further north up the WCML to Preston, Hest Bank and Carnforth. He was there photographing the very last scheduled trains behind steam and was also one of the chasers on the Settle and Carlisle battling the traffic jams photographing the 15 Guinea Special.

After steam on BR finished, he turned to the industrial scene, but it didn’t quite fill the gap and he was relieved when BR finally lifted the steam ban and he could once again go out and about following steam  specials on the main line. After graduating he was able to travel further afield, chasing steam across the world, but that’s another story.

As last time Michael used black and white images, which captured the grittiness of the steam railway in its final years, complete with the background shots of the mills, terraced houses awaiting demolition, classic 1960s cars and the rain!, and as before, another wonderful afternoon.

Richard Deacon

Chairman/Secretary