Tag Archives: steam

Nov 17 2025
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Daily Post, Transport

Sir Nigel Gresley, and admirers

Saturday 15th November 2025, 12.30pm (day 5,196)

Gresley loco at York, 15/11/25

We were passing through York station today when this impressive hunk of metal pulled in on platform 9, and we were almost crushed in the stampede of trainspotters and steam enthusiasts which greeted it. But it’s a photogenic object, so I joined the crowd for a minute or two. The Sir Nigel Gresley, named after the engineer whose oversized statue now stands at King’s Cross, holds the post-war steam speed record of 112mph — and unlike Mallard this speed was achieved not on some specially organised run but with a train full of passengers. And it arrived more punctually at York this afternoon than any of the other train companies’ services.

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Sep 19 2023
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Art and architecture, Daily Post

The factory district, late

Monday 18th September 2023, 10.05pm (day 4,407)

Low Moor factory, 19/9/23

I would say that there is no reason to come through the factory districts of Bradford late at night, but this is not the first time I’ve found one: see 21st December 2021 for instance, a shot taken in much the same place as this one. Both were the result of going to an evening game at Bradford Park Avenue FC but that’s another story. I must admit that I like walking through this part of town, whether at night or not; the convolutions of the factories and their pipes and lights and ducts, clouds of steam, lights on but very rarely any people — all these make for interesting photography.

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Dec 22 2021
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Daily Post, Urban scene

Factory at night

Tuesday 21st December 2021, 10.10pm (day 3,771)

Factory at night, 21/12/21

It’s the longest night of the year. On my walk to Low Moor station in Bradford tonight, I passed through this industrial zone in which all the factories were still lit, burbling away internally, though no people were in sight. The robots may well now be in full charge. It would explain a lot about current political trends.

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Mar 17 2021
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Daily Post, Urban scene

Reyner Street, Manchester

Wednesday 17th March 2021, 2.50pm (day 3,492)

Reyner Street, 17/3/21

Reyner Street is a back alley if ever there was one. But it looked good today. I doubt the establishment pictured has seen much business lately, and I managed to obscure its phone number, too. Apologies to them.

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Feb 09 2020
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Daily Post, Transport

The ‘Scots Guardsman’, Preston station

Saturday 8th February 2020, 6.00pm (day 3,089)

Scots Guardsman loco, 8/2/20

Preston station this evening was the showcase for this gorgeous lump of metal — the horde of sightseers was not limited to the people seen here, the group extends round behind me and the camera. And why not: there is something undeniably attractive about these machines, proof that technology can also sometimes be art. It was pointing north, so presumably was about to steam up to Scotland; appropriate considering its name, as loco no. 46115 is known as the Scots Guardsman.

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Jul 08 2019
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Daily Post, Landscape

Tourists at the Gates of Hell

Monday 8th July 2019, 1.55pm (day 2,874)

Hverir, 8/7/19

Astonishing vistas throughout our road trip today, to the east of Akureyri. Could have chosen any one of a dozen shots of the active volcanic region around the lake of Myvatn and the lava fields of Krafla. This one of Clare and Joe at the mudpools of Hverir wins though — because of the sexy curves of the hills behind, and because of their seemingly casual attitude towards wandering around a place that is as near as I’ve ever experienced to what it must be like in Mordor, or the Gates of Hell. This is, I guess, what I came to Iceland to see; something that surely doesn’t exist in many other parts of the world, and certainly not in Europe.

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Jan 29 2014
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Daily Post, Hebden Bridge, Urban scene

Front step view

Wednesday 29th January 2014, 5.40pm (day 888)

Front step view, 29/1/14

Day 888, so a neat day numerically, but I’m still laid low by whatever virus it is that has taken up residence in my body so my horizons have shrunk somewhat. What is this abstract? A footway sign, the flare from a street lamp, and steam from a neighbour’s heating vent illuminated by the traffic light behind.

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Dec 12 2012
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Daily Post, Flora/Fauna

Tree and steam

Wednesday 12th December 2012, 12.05pm (day 475)

Steam tree, 12/12/12

It was the MA: DTCE graduation today but although it was a nice event, this was the best photo of the day, the 12th hour of the 12th day of the 12th month of the 12th year, marked by this tree getting a steam bath from a nearby vent.

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