E54447 + E53377 Peterborough
So what exactly was the reason for my friend Phil - who had infinitely better camera equipment than me and virtually no interest in railways - accompanying me on a couple of Anglian Ranger tickets back in 1986 ?
Well here is the reason ! The wonderful / dreadful, depending on your point of view, Cravens class 105 dmus which had been part of the East Anglian scene for many years, had finally been targeted for 'early' withdrawal. Inroads into their ranks were already well underway. Some would say not a moment too soon, but for the hardy Cravens fans like myself, this was distressing news indeed.
At least with Phil alongside, we could get some decent shots before their demise.
Never for one moment did I envisage that these would ever be seen publicly mind you and it was only just before Christmas 2011 that Phil came to see me and presented me with an envelope containing the negatives of these films which had remained in an envelope in a drawer since 1986. I must say that the notion that I would one day be moderator and joint instigator (with Mister C) of a Flickr group called 'Craven Images' was light years away.
Anyway, much digression, here we are still at Peterborough on a very cold 15th March 1986 with the man on the left still dressed in his 70s gear and dear old set 33 about to set sail for Cambridge. In a matter of weeks it would be transferred away to Ayr. Only one thing for it, a quick check of the timetable and we hastily board en route to Whittlesea for what might - if we are lucky - be a Cravens for a Cravens move !
Photo by Philip Mott
E54447 + E53377 Peterborough
So what exactly was the reason for my friend Phil - who had infinitely better camera equipment than me and virtually no interest in railways - accompanying me on a couple of Anglian Ranger tickets back in 1986 ?
Well here is the reason ! The wonderful / dreadful, depending on your point of view, Cravens class 105 dmus which had been part of the East Anglian scene for many years, had finally been targeted for 'early' withdrawal. Inroads into their ranks were already well underway. Some would say not a moment too soon, but for the hardy Cravens fans like myself, this was distressing news indeed.
At least with Phil alongside, we could get some decent shots before their demise.
Never for one moment did I envisage that these would ever be seen publicly mind you and it was only just before Christmas 2011 that Phil came to see me and presented me with an envelope containing the negatives of these films which had remained in an envelope in a drawer since 1986. I must say that the notion that I would one day be moderator and joint instigator (with Mister C) of a Flickr group called 'Craven Images' was light years away.
Anyway, much digression, here we are still at Peterborough on a very cold 15th March 1986 with the man on the left still dressed in his 70s gear and dear old set 33 about to set sail for Cambridge. In a matter of weeks it would be transferred away to Ayr. Only one thing for it, a quick check of the timetable and we hastily board en route to Whittlesea for what might - if we are lucky - be a Cravens for a Cravens move !
Photo by Philip Mott