JoshHW Photography
Rail Operations Group 37884 & 317885 & 317341 - Waterbeach
Rail Operations Group class 37 No. 37884 ‘Cepheus’ grumbles through the flat fens in the morning sun hauling Greater Anglian class 317s to scrap, 317885 and 317341, on the approach to Waterbeach working 5Q76 08:00 Ely MLF Papworth Sidings to Newport Docks (Simsgroup) running 30 minutes late. 15/02/2023.
I’d tried this location before in the summer with this same loco when the class 317s were being taken to Papworth to storage. The shot didn’t go well as something wasn’t right about it l, not to mention the fact I mucked up the composure but mainly because the vegetation next to the track had grown up making it difficult to see the train. I was wanting to go out for this movement today as it was half term and I had the day free so I was checking Google Maps for good locations when this one came to mind. The spot is taken on the edge of Bannold Road on a grass verge before a field and works well most of the day as the sun position up until about 14:00 this time of year. I had to make sure that the vegetation wasn’t going to be too high this time of year and luckily street view was taken during colder months and showed a lot of of what I knew was there before.
Luckily for the shot, there service was running half an hour late which gave the sun more time to break through the clouds and fog, if it had passed on time, the sun would not have broken through yet. Very happy with how this shot tuned out, I've never had a good shot with this loco so pleased to finally get one. I used my bigger set of steps for this which have 4 steps, I was stood on the highest point, this was necessary to attempt to be more level with the train at this location as the railway is slightly higher than the road. An extra note is the Union Flag positioned above the coupling on the front of 37884, it may not be very visible in my shot as I am aware you can't zoom in very far but I noticed it afterwards and though I best point it out.
Rail Operations Group 37884 & 317885 & 317341 - Waterbeach
Rail Operations Group class 37 No. 37884 ‘Cepheus’ grumbles through the flat fens in the morning sun hauling Greater Anglian class 317s to scrap, 317885 and 317341, on the approach to Waterbeach working 5Q76 08:00 Ely MLF Papworth Sidings to Newport Docks (Simsgroup) running 30 minutes late. 15/02/2023.
I’d tried this location before in the summer with this same loco when the class 317s were being taken to Papworth to storage. The shot didn’t go well as something wasn’t right about it l, not to mention the fact I mucked up the composure but mainly because the vegetation next to the track had grown up making it difficult to see the train. I was wanting to go out for this movement today as it was half term and I had the day free so I was checking Google Maps for good locations when this one came to mind. The spot is taken on the edge of Bannold Road on a grass verge before a field and works well most of the day as the sun position up until about 14:00 this time of year. I had to make sure that the vegetation wasn’t going to be too high this time of year and luckily street view was taken during colder months and showed a lot of of what I knew was there before.
Luckily for the shot, there service was running half an hour late which gave the sun more time to break through the clouds and fog, if it had passed on time, the sun would not have broken through yet. Very happy with how this shot tuned out, I've never had a good shot with this loco so pleased to finally get one. I used my bigger set of steps for this which have 4 steps, I was stood on the highest point, this was necessary to attempt to be more level with the train at this location as the railway is slightly higher than the road. An extra note is the Union Flag positioned above the coupling on the front of 37884, it may not be very visible in my shot as I am aware you can't zoom in very far but I noticed it afterwards and though I best point it out.