14th December 2020 · On-Line Meeting: A Touch of Winter

Presenter: Peter Robins

We closed 2020 with another “Zoom” meeting on Monday 14th December when Peter Robins gave a presentation entitled “A Touch of Winter” to a record audience, for our Zoom meetings, of 63.  Peter explained that he was a lifelong railway enthusiast, and from 1974 a professional railwayman. This provided him with travel concessions to maximise the photographic opportunities of his hobby.  His presentation concentrated on demonstrating the best use of available light in murky conditions and limited sunshine in snow and – sometimes – extreme cold.   His opening shots mainly featured examples of   “modern” traction in Great Britain and even a preserved “Deltic” (55022) and Class 40 (40106).  Throughout this section his admiration for the Class 253 InterCity 125 High Speed Trains was evident.  Locations ranged from Achnasheen in the north via Peter’s favourite vantage points on the Great Western main line and beyond.  He also treated us to some shots of restored steam locomotives on preserved lines such as the Great Central Railway.  “And now for something completely different” quoted Peter as he left the U.K.’s snowy delights to take us on photographic expeditions in search of steam tours in similarly snowy winters in Germany (especially the former East Germany, for plandampf operations and narrow gauge ), Spain, Portugal, the Ukraine, and the USA (where snow lingered into April), in the ‘cold season’ (winter but – lacking snow – not as we know it) to India, Pakistan, South Africa and Zimbabwe; before culminating in the snow and extreme cold of China, where he had managed to photograph the famously massive double-headed freight trains in China.  All in all a fabulous trip around the world’s snowy regions.