A 12th Colour Rail Journey
Paul Chancellor, our speaker this afternoon, presented “My Life as Spotter” his 12th in the series of his Colour Rail Journeys, showing his life watching and photographing trains. After being taken to the lineside at a very young age by his parents, we started this afternoon when Paul was 10 years old when, with mother’s permission, he was allowed to go with a friend by train to Bristol Temple Meads station from Weston-Super- Mare. Still quite young, we went with Paul to stations and sheds in Swindon, Reading and South Wales. The photographs from these early years came from his Colour Rail collection. After the age of fourteen, when he bought his first camera, we started to see many of his own photographs.
The way his spotting life started, I’m sure, was very similar to many members as they were growing up. The desire to travel further afield, to see rare loco’s, or complete a shed allocations, drove him on, visiting the North East, Scotland and London. Many of these adventures were made easier once he purchased a car.
In the first instance Paul joined the RCTS in 1963 primarily for the shed visits and the rail-tours the Society held regularly in those days, his first trip took him to Bristol, Kidderminster, Bescot and Saltley. Then with Bristol branch, he visited Salisbury, Eastleigh and Southampton Docks. During many trips out we saw a huge variety of loco’s, like the Pennine electrics 27000 and most of early diesel classes.
When Paul married he moved to Middlesbrough, which enabled him to travel around the North East and Scotland easily. Paul’s involvement with the Society gradually took a different direction when he wrote a book and articles for the Society, this interest continues today now he is a Society Trustee.
An extremely interesting and varied presentation, full of nostalgia.
Dave Elsdon
Branch Secretary