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I have always liked cameras with direct vision viewfinders. I do use SLRs too particularly for close up photography and their versatility.
Since I was young I was fascinated by the viewfinder on our family camera, a boots Instamatic which took 126 film. I like a clear bright viewfinder and an uninterrupted view when the exposure is being made.
These cameras use range finders, autofocus or distance estimation. My prefference is either rangefinder or single point AF where I can identify the point of focus and hold the focus until the exposure is made.
Befoer this photograph was made I had just finished a roll of Portra 160 in the Super Isolette, the last frame being a portrait of my son at St Albans Abbey.
Most of these cameras are Olympus, my favourite camera maker. I have OM SLRs too. Any Olympus camera from the Maitani years I find a delight to use and I can rely on it havong a good lens. I Prefer the MJU-1 over the MJU-II, MJU-1 is so smooth and ealy to use, just lift it to my eye and make a photograph.
Direct Rail Services Class 88 No. 88008 "Ariadne" takes the up goods line at Acton Bridge as it works the 4M27 05:46 Mossend to Daventry intermodal on 3rd January 2022.
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Direct Rail Services 88010 is photographed at Beckfoot in charge of the 4S43 Daventry to Mossend Tesco Express.
Direct Rail Services Class 88 No. 88009 "Diana" & Class 68 No. 68008 "Avenger" + 1 FNA seen passing South bound through Heworth station while working the 6E44 0738 Carlisle Kingmoor Sdg(Drs) to Seaton-o-t British Energy flask working.
07/02/25
Direct Rail Services' 37087, leased to West Coast Railway Company, shunts through Crianlarich onto the rear of the Royal Scotsman having hauled the train from Taynuilt, while WCRC's 47854 ties on to the front of the train to take it forward to Wemyss Bay
Direct Rail Services Class 66 No. 66413 approaches the Seymour Road bridge, Rainham working the 6Z74 Sheerness steel works to Hitchin empty bogie wagons
For the first time since at least 2016 when the DB 92s were restricted to the Channel Tunnel/HS1 only, a Class 92 ran under its own power direct from Dollands Moor to Crewe ETD.
GB Railfreight Class 92, 92 032 "IMechE Railway Division" made the c.225 mile trip from the Kent coast to Cheshire for a brief visit to DB Cargo's Crewe ETD - or Crewe International Electric Maintenance Depot (IEMD) to give it its full name.
Crewe IEMD was the original base for the entire Class 92 fleet and after over a decade away, the 92s owned by GB Railfreight are once again regular visitors for major repairs and certain specific work that cannot be done at Wembley.
032 - seen at Crewe - was on its way to have its annual TVM430 recertification performed. Crewe ETD is one of only two places to have the equipment to do this - the other being Eurotunnel in France.
TVM430 is the in-cab signalling used in the Tunnel/HS1 - the antennae is housed in the black box beneath the buffers. TVM stands for "Transmission Voie-Machine" or "track-to-train transmission" with the 430 referring to the maximum speed in km/h it can control trains up. 430 km/h is required for the TGVs where this system is used in France, but is more than enough for the 140 km/h top speed of the 92s.
Direct Rail Services Class 57312 "Solway Princess" leads 1Z56 London Victoria - Kingscote through the tranquil settings of the old Riddlesdown Quarry with Class 57305 "Northern Princess" on the rear of the train
Direct Rail Services Class 37/4 37401 'Mary Queen of Scots' diesel-electric locomotive at Nethertown on the Cumbrian coast line with Northern's 2C41 the 08:45 Barrow-in-Furness to Carlisle passenger service.
Direct Rail Services Class 37, 37029, pauses at Carlisle with 6C11 13:11 from Carlisle Kingmoor Yard to Sellafield
Minolta 7000AF
Minolta 50mm 1.7
Kodak Vision 3 250D
Developed In Bellini C 41
Epson V 850 Scanned
New York City
Captain directing his men in the effort to reclaim Eston from the Khazdanians. Fighting in Strakhoten Kraĭbrezhie (Страхотен крайбрежие) Eastern Eston.
Direct Rail Services Class 37s, 37601 "Class 37 - 'Fifty'" and 37607 are seen on Whisker Hill at Retford working top and tail on a Network Rail test train.
1Q64 08:53 Derby RTC - Neville Hill T&R.S.M.D.
Ex First London / Tower Transit Enviro 400 DN33776 (SN12 AVR) now operates for City Direct as 12-G-7463 and is seen in Galway, 12th July, 2023.
Direct Rail Services Class 66 No. 67305 is seen here passing Maryhill Station Platform 1 with service 6K05 which was the 13:19 Singer to Millerhill S.S.
[Network Rail/EWS JNA/MLA Open Wagon Engineers Train 'Loaded with Spoiled Ballast'].
DRS - Direct Rail Services Class 57/0 No.s 57010 FEA's 642019/041 & 57009 power away from Ely Cathedral at Dock Junction with the 1502 Norwich Cpt. - Stowmarket leg of 3S01 0920 Stowmarket DGL - Stowmarket DGL via Ely, Lynn, Norwich & Acle 'RHTT' - Railhead Treatment Train on the 23.10.2014.
Direct Rail Services 37059 along with 68003 and 66302 seen crawling through Wigan North Western on 0Z37 Carlisle Kingsmoor to Crewe Gresty Bridge, the train was crawling due to the 37 having severe wheel flats
Direct Rail Services Class 37/4 37409 'Lord Hinton' diesel-electric locomotive departs from Carlisle Citadel railway station on the west coast mainline pushing Northern's 2C34 the 14:33 Carlisle to Barrow-in-Furness passenger service.
Batman. It was dark and foggy. Batman was in the car with me. He had been in the car for the past week, waiting for something.
The story of the Elibank Castle reads like a ripping yarn. She was one of the earliest vessels built in the Great Lakes Area of NSW.
This image, obtained from recent satellite imagery, shows the location of Banyetta Point where the massacre of crew members on the first voyage of the Elibank Castle to the Solomon Islands in 1884/5.
To fully present the astounding events surrounding this vessel a report is presented for each of three periods in her short life:
- grounding in New Zealand in 1875
- first trip to the Pacific Islands in 1884
- final trip to the Islands in 1885
Section 1 deals specifically with her movement to New Zealand and subsequent grounding. Section 1
Section 2 deals with her first visit to the Pacific Islands in late 1884 and the murder of 5 crew members, including the captain.
Section 3 deals with her second and final visit to the Pacific Islands in 1885 when all but two of the crew were murdered - the survivors sailed the ship to New Guinea and were forced to abandon her and take to the long boat. Only one man survived and he turned up in Cooktown; seven months after the massacre in the Solomon Islands. Section 3
Details
Name: Elibank Castle
Type: Topsail Schooner – two masts
Official Number: ON 71811
Registered Sydney 3/1875
Length: 80 ft
Breadth: 18.5 ft
Depth: 6.85 ft
Registered net tonnage: 69.62 tons
Builders: William Peat and Donald Cameron
Location: Coolongolook, NSW.
Launched: September 1874 (no specific record)
Owners:
1875 – 1877 James Mathew Banks (NZ)
Registered in Wellington, New Zealand (2/1875)
Stranded Ninety Mile Beach; Recovered
Registered in Wellington New Zealand (10/1875)
1877 – 1879 George Parkman Austing (NZ)
Registered Dunedin, New Zealand (17/1877)
1879 – 1880 James Anderson (NZ)
1880 – 1884 Keith Ramsay, John Graham & James Anderson (NZ)
1884 - Capt. Augustus Otto Wilhelm Routch
Registered in Sydney 114/1884
Early Life
The Elibank Castle was built by William Peat and Donald Cameron on the banks of the Coolongolook River at Coolongolook. No details of her launch have been found but a report from 7th September 1874 indicated that launching was imminent.
"Peat and Cameron's vessel now building at the Coolongolook is nearly ready for launching. She is a pretty model and right well put together with well seasoned timber, and bids fair to prove a first class little craft to brave the dangers of the coast. September 7, 1874." The Maitland Mercury - 19 September 1874.
SECTION 2 - FIRST TRIP TO PACIFIC ISLANDS - 1884/5
Events on Bentley Island - 1884
Following the purchase of the Elibank Castle in October 1884 she was registered (Sydney 114/1884) and set sail from Brisbane for the Pacific Islands on 6th November under the control of Captain Howie. Her first port of call was the Louisiade Group of Islands off the Eastern tip of the mainland of what was then British East New Guinea (now part of the Milne Bay Province of Papua New Guinea). She reached Teste Island (also known as Wari Island) and then travelled on to Bentley Island (also known as Anagusa or Angusa Island) where the ship’s owner (Otto Routch) planned to establish a copra station. Two members of the crew William Reid and John McCord were left on Bentley island while the Eilbank Castle continued to Goodwin Island and then on the Bayetta on Rendova Island.
While on Bentley, William Reid was murdered on 23rd December 1884. John McCord wrote from Teste Island as follows “I regret to state that my mate William Reid was killed on 23rd December by natives on one of the Engineer Group. I have every reason to believe from the statements of the natives that a Chinaman named Ah Sing, camped on that island beche-de-mer fishing, either instigated the murder or is chargeable with complicity in the crime. Reid was, at any rate, shot with his (the Chinaman's) rifle. Being ill with fever I did not consider it safe to stop at Bentley Island by myself, therefore went to Teste Island, where I am at present stopping with the missionary”. The note was written to Mr. J.C. Baird and delivered by the master of the ketch Wild Duck when she docked at Cooktown on a voyage from New Guinea. The Queenslander - 31 January 1885
Events on Renova Island in the Solomons - 1885
Despite the death of Reid, the Elibank Castle continued her journey to Banyetta on Rendova Island in the British Solomon Islands. On Tuesday February 3rd, just a few days after the news of Reid’s death was received, the Elibank Castle arrived at Double Island flying distress flags that were reported by the steamer Port of Melbourne. The customs authorities at Port Douglas dispatched the tug Dingo and escorted her into port. Henry Charles Banks, the chief mate, brought the news of terrible events at Point Banyetta. He reported that the Captain - James Howie; Able Seaman - Carl Johann; and three kanakas (Ki-haah, Pine-ee, and My-le-Sah) were brutally murdered on the 15th January by the natives off Point Banyetta, of the Solomon group, while attempting to land. “On the boat getting towards the beach they were attacked by a number of the savages; there were probably over 60 in number. The murder was witnessed by those on board the vessel at anchor, and was committed with tomahawks, spears, and other weapons. Some of the natives, upon the boat nearing the shore, rushed suddenly into the water up to their waists and made for the boat. The captain had no suspicions that the natives were hostile, as he gave instructions before leaving the schooner that he would return during half an hour. The natives pulled the bodies out of the water and carried them ashore, together with the boat with the oars and articles of trading. The natives were accompanied by a large number of dogs, who were licking the blood of the victims. The boat was carried inland and ultimately disappeared. The mate says he fired two shots from the schooner with a rifle, to which no response was made. At about 10 a.m., however, there were rifle shots fired at the vessel, which passed over our heads and around the men on board. At about 11 a.m. George Palmer, the cook, went aft with a rifle and ammunition to keep up a continual fire until we got the canvas set.
We knocked out the shackle of the 45th fathom of the anchor cable, so as to be all ready for slipping. Whilst the hands were loosing the topsail a bullet severed the starboard clew, while another passed through the bunt of the sail. The shots were fired by the natives under cover of the bush. A consultation was held to consider the best means of saving the lives of the men and property on the schooner, and it was decided to slip the cable, but the vessel twice canted towards the shore. A squall fortunately came up, which favoured our getting away from the shore, when we slipped the cable and got away in the mist. It was thought to be the most prudent to proceed to Sydney direct. Being without anchor cables we put into Cairns Roads [Double Island], but the winds being exceedingly boisterous and heading, and our canvas being very dilapidated we were compelled to come on to Port Douglas".
LATEST BY WIRE - PORT DOUGLAS, February 3. - Cairns Post 5 February 1885
Inquiry into events on Rendova Island
An inquiry was subsequently held on the events at Banyetta Point (current name) and reported as follows:
"MURDERS AT THE SOLOMON ISLANDS.
On the 4th instant we published a telegram from Port Douglas announcing the arrival at that place of the schooner Elibank Castle, in charge of the mate, Henry C. Banks, who reported the murder of the captain and four hands at Point Benyetta, Solomon Islands. Pursuant to instructions from the Colonial Secretary, the police-magistrate at Port Douglas (Major Fanning) has since held an inquiry into the matter, and has forwarded to the Under Colonial Secretary the depositions, which have been kindly placed at our disposal.
Henry Charles Banks, the chief mate of the Elibank Castle, which was on a trading voyage to the South Seas when the outrage was committed, deposed: We left Brisbane on Thursday, the 6th November, 1884, the Solomon Group being the last islands we touched at; the name of the last island, at which the murders occurred, is Benyetta; on the morning of 15th January the captain, James Howie, Carl Johann, able seaman, and three kanakas went on shore to trade for copra and tortoise shell; immediately on boat getting towards the beach she was attacked by a multitude of savages numbering, as far as we could guess from the vessel, over sixty, witnessed from vessel with glasses by me and the crew, the attacking party of natives using tomahawks, spears &c., some of them being up to their middle in the water; the captain, when going on shore, said that he would be back in half-an-hour, and we saw two natives; I did not see, myself, the two natives pulling a dead body out of the water; l and the rest of the crew saw natives carrying the boats, oars, lengths of calico, &c., along the beach; the boat disappeared, and I never saw it again; I fired two shots towards shore with a Snider rifle to see if any of the crew were alive, that is those that went ashore; about 10 o'clock a.m. the natives kept firing at us from the bush, the bullets coming in all directions among us, over our heads and between us; at about 11 o'clock a.m. I sent the cook, George Palmer, aft with rifle and ammunition, to keep up a continual fire, which he did, whilst we got canvas on the vessel and pulled up chain from below, and knocked out forty-five fathom shackle-pin, all ready for shipping; whilst a kanaka was loosening topsails one bullet severed starboard clew, another went through bunt alongside of him; at noon we looked everywhere from the vessel with glasses, and could see no-one, the natives being all concealed in the bush; after due deliberation and consultation to save our lives, the vessel and property, we unanimously decided to slip our cable, the last shift for our lives; the vessel canted in shore twice; at last a heavy squall coming away, favoured us; we slipped our anchor and cable, and got away in the mist; after the mist cleared away, I took glasses, but could see no one; we then held a consultation - by we, I mean myself and the crew - and decided that it would be most prudent to proceed to Sydney and do our best to get the vessel there; set all canvas, and proceeded; the following are the names of the murdered boat's crew which left the ship for the island - Captain James Howie, Carl Johann, able seaman; and three kanakas, named Ki-haah, Pine-ee, and My-le-Sah; all the names appear on the ship's articles; I saw the boat attacked immediately it arrived on shore; the ship was about 600 yards from the beach, and from what I saw I have every reason to believe that the persons enumerated previously were foully murdered; I have nothing more to say with regard to this matter, excepting that the reason I could not arrive at Sydney was because I was so very short-handed; there being only one man upon whom I could depend, I had to make for the first port - namely, Cairns. I arrived at Double Island, and anchored there. When at that place the harbour-master rescued me, and brought the ship to this port ; Double Island is about half- way between this port and Cairns; the captain and Carl Johann were both armed with revolvers when they started for shore, but from the sudden attack were unable to use them, as I did not hear any shots; to my knowledge the captain and other members were perfectly sober; the trade was solely confined to copra, beche-de-mer, tortoiseshell, and anything of that kind, there was no recruiting for labour; I can form no opinion as to the reason why the natives made this wanton attack, as I never visited any of these islands before ; I believe the captain had been at this island before; at the other islands in the Solomon Group which we visited we were received well by the natives ; when the captain left the vessel he did not ex- press any fear of danger; we remained at anchor exactly four hours after the boat was attacked ; the ship was well provided with arms, ammunition, and every other department; we had no arms for traffic; there were six Snider rifles and six revolvers only on board; I saw the captain and boat's crew land ; there were about sixty or seventy natives close by with spears, tomahawks, and shields; the captain had no time to trade, as directly the boat touched the beach they were attacked by the natives; as far as I know, the captain gave no provocation to the natives.
David Brown, boatswain, gave corroborative evidence, and added that the captain had bought some ground while at Bentley Island, that the captain and crew who were murdered had previously been ashore on the morning on which the outrage was committed, and that natives had been off to the vessel to trade, but that nothing had occurred likely to lead to any disturbance.
George Palmer, cook, in the course of his evidence, deposed; I saw the natives with their spears and axes, up to their waists in the water, chopping at what I look to be the kanaka making for the ship; I then went for'ard and told David Brown that the boat was attacked, when he came up all we could see was the natives running away with the calico and other trade; I looked through the glasses again and saw the natives dragging the dead body of a white man out of the water on to the beach; I could see the man was dead from the appearance of the body, which was only about 250 yards away; David Brown called the mate, who, on coming up, saw at once what was wrong, and the only thing that could be seen on the beach was the dogs tearing away at something which we could not distinguish; I then called Thomas Hogan, who was in his bunk asleep; he came up; the mate, Mr. Banks, fired two shots towards the shore, but got no reply ; we then decided to wait till 12 o'clock, to see if any of the men would turn up; we were all standing aft, and the natives commenced firing; none of us were armed; they continued firing for about three-quarters of an hour; two bullets went through the topsails, and one was found on the deck; I then got a rifle, and fired in the direction from which the natives were firing; I was standing on the starboard quarter; from what I saw I have no doubt whatever that the captain, Charlie [Carl], and three kanakas were murdered; I did not hear any firing from the captain and his party when they reached the shore; the cable was slipped at 12 o'clock, and we reached Double Island Point about the beginning of this month; the natives' object, I believe, in attacking the boat was to take the trade, and afterwards the vessel; we were not engaged in the labour traffic; the three natives who brought the copra off to the vessel were quite contented with the trade given in exchange; I gave the captain and Charlie the revolvers on the second trip; the captain did not express that there was likely to be any difficulty on shore.
Augustus O. W. Routch, owner of the schooner Elibank Castle, stated that the vessel had been licensed by the Governor of New South Wales to trade in the South Sea Islands, and was registered in that colony.
While the accounts vary slightly, it is quite clear that the stated intent of the voyage was not to recruit for the labour trade and the vessel was not licensed to engage in the labour trade. There is little doubt, however, that the hostile response at Banyetta was a reaction against previous labour recruiters and their actions. This first voyage of the Elibank Castle to the Pacific Islands resulted in the murder of a total of six people and it was a great surprise to many that a second voyage was undertaken in 1885.
Image Source
iTouch Map -Banyetta Point on Rendova island, Solomon Islands
Acknowledgements: The assistance of Mori Flapan (Mori Flapan boatregister) by providing access to his extensive database is greatly appreciated.
All Images in this photostream are Copyright - Great Lakes Manning River Shipping and/or their individual owners as may be stated above and may not be downloaded, reproduced, or used in any way without prior written approval.
GREAT LAKES MANNING RIVER SHIPPING, NSW - Flick Group --> Alphabetical Boat Index --> Boat builders Index --> Tags List
The National Cycle Route 647 on the disused Chesterfield and Lincoln Direct Railway, close to Doddington in Lincolnshire.
Like most new railways of the time its purpose was the carriage of coal. The project's leading light was William Arkwright, a descendant of Richard Arkwright who had made the family's fortune by mechanising the spinning of cotton. William Arkwright had settled at Sutton Scarsdale Hall near Chesterfield and with the land came extensive deposits of coal.
The rail network in the vicinity provided by the Midland Railway and the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway was still in its infancy and would not meet his requirements. In 1887 the Chesterfield and Lincoln Direct Railway was proposed independently to join with Midland lines at each end. It would cross his land but received insufficient support.
Arkwright decided to promote an independent line to provide through roads to opposite coasts of the country. In time it became known as "The East to West". It would be sufficiently large to maintain itself in the face of competition from other railways. There were a number of lines already approved but not carried forward which could be incorporated. With the Newark and Ollerton there was the Macclesfield and Warrington Railway and the Lincoln and East Coast Railway. A number of other lines had been considered but not formally proposed and these, together with plans for dock works at Sutton on Sea which had been approved in 1884, gave Arkwright his route and support from the various landowners involved.
There was initially a deal of opposition from landowners and other railway companies but, in the end, the main opponent was the MS&LR because the line would bypass its own line from Sheffield to Retford and thence to London. The Great Eastern Railway turned from opponent to supporteer, realising that the line could give it an entree to the Midlands coalfields.
Due to lack of investment, only the portion from Chesterfield to Lincoln was built. To have continued west of Chesterfield would have required some extremely expensive and difficult engineering works. It was an ambitious undertaking, with some extremely expensive engineering works, crossing the Peak District which had always been a major headache for railway builders. Even to the east it crossed lines of hills running north and south.
From Lincoln the line would continue eastward over the Lincolnshire Wolds, with a junction near Stainfield as it crossed the GNR Louth to Bardney line. Proceeding well to the north of Horncastle it would cross the East Lincolnshire Railway to the southwest of Alford passing to the south. It would then join that line's loop (at that time known as the Willoughby Railway) near Thurlby turning north east to Sutton on Sea, where the North Sea port would be built. Passenger services over the line to Lincoln finished in September 1955.