And Now for Something Completely Different – From Austria to Zimbabwe

Presenter: Peter Robins

Hybrid Meeting both Physically at Shenfield Parish Hall and via Zoom

Peter took us on an alphabetical journey around the world with photos mainly from the 1970’s and 1980s. Steam featured heavily but we were also treated to photos of older diesels and electrics too. However, we were not just entertained with railway shots; Peter also included buses, trams, trolleybuses, boats and aeroplanes too making his presentation truly ‘Something Completely Different’.

Many of the countries we visited have changed beyond recognition and perhaps none more so than those in the former Eastern Block. The absence of today’s health and safety culture dated many of the images. Sadly, most of the locos, units and vehicles we saw have long since seen the cutting torch, with very few having made it into preservation. We should give thanks to people like Peter, who recorded them in their prime, for allowing future generations to appreciate what the transport scene was like before the modern world ‘happened’.

The photos shown were of exceptional quality. It is hard to remember the severe limitations the low ASA film speeds that photographers of this era suffered and why hoping for a sunny day was almost always at the top of Peter’s mind when most shots were ‘single-take’ opportunities. It was remarkable too how well these old images had been scanned into a digital format making it hard to believe that we were seeing photos taken over 50 years ago!