About Me
- Chris Nevard Model Railways & Photography
- Professional Photographer, Model Maker, Writer & Pretend Musician
Monday 28 October 2024
Mixed Weather
Sunday 27 October 2024
The Railway Automotive Club
Saturday 26 October 2024
Harman Phoenix 200
Some results from this new ‘quirky experimental’ Harman Phoenix 200 colour negative film made at the Ilford plant in Mobberley Cheshire. It’s definitely an ‘art’ film, with increased sensitivity to the warmer end of the spectrum, grain and limited anti halation layer.
Box speed is supposedly 200 iso, but in reality it’s a 100 iso film as rated here. But could drop it further tbh. Probably not at every day film, but interesting nevertheless.
I wasn’t sure what to expect, so just shot a few images around the garden aiming for warmer coloured subjects that I’d read and seen suits the film well. Definitely a Marmite film, with very mixed reviews online, especially YouTube. I like Marmite with a dash of hot sauce on toast btw.
Whilst I process my own B&W, I got Southsun lab to C41 process this set. Having done colour processing at college many years ago it’s not something I wish to get involved with, even with all the right gear it’s a real faff with processing temperatures around 40c and chemistry with very limited shelf life.
Southsun provided these 25mp scans to download, which were nice and neutral so I could pop them through Adobe Lightroom to boost colour and contrast a little to suit my palette. When the negs arrive back shortly I’m keen to see how my scanning will compare, the film having a mauve colour mask rather than orange.
Will I use it again? Possibly, it’s not something I’d use for my miniature photography, far too grainy and off the wall colour and contrast wise. But it could be interesting to use for some urban grot environmental photography, I imagine old brickwork and graffiti would respond well to it. Of course I could easily recreate what you see here shooting 100% digitally, but that’s rather too easy and throwaway.
Zenit 12XP with 28, 58 and 135mm lenses.
Saturday Morning at Whitehall Halt
Saturday morning at Whitehall Halt, as Arthritic Arthur powers around the bend at breakneck speed with the 8.23 & 1/2am mixed goods from Hemyock to Tiverton Junction, there the wagonload behind his engine will be added to the 6.37am express milk and perishables train from Penzance.
Waving Wally waves at Arthur to slow down. For he has to collect a fresh consignment of country air which has just been loaded into the wagon. The air being destined for that there London.
In olden times, fresh country air destined for smokey towns and cities was always transported in open wagons, it helped to keep it fresh with the constant ventilation, thus avoiding a musty aroma upon arrival.
Alas, with forgetful Arthritic Arthur at the helm, the little train doesn’t stop, Arthur simply waving back at Waving Wally whilst shouting ‘see you in the pub later, it’s skittles night! To which Wally mutters to himself “no that was last night, and you were there with me.”
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Friday 25 October 2024
From our Westminster commentator Hilary Gove-Tuckshop-Fugg
Thursday 24 October 2024
38 years ago (and a bit)!!
Wednesday 23 October 2024
Watercress Line Autumn Gala 2024
Saturday 21 September 2024
Balsawood, Pitheads and Pit Ponies
Thursday 5 September 2024
Slow Speed 1
The first train on the new and much hyped SL1 (Slow Speed 1) service has just arrived at the remote Brew Street dockland location somewhere in North Somerset.
A former London Underground tube train has been repurposed, and because there is no electricity to power it, the little diesel mechanical locomotive on the extreme left pulled the train on its 86 hour journey from somewhere near Cockfosters - much of it under the cover of darkness.
The harebrained scheme instigated by The Ministry of Miserable Transport to rejuvenate deprived parts of The West Country, is unlikely to be a success, for the train ran empty with no media interest whatsoever, even though there was free moonshine and pickled winkles on offer. Not even Nasal Nigel is to be seen, and he loves hanging around on the final train of the evening to Hatton Cross playing with his slightly sticky TT gauge Flying Scotsman in the company of slightly sticky Adenoidal Andrew.
And finally, Bob Geeza Cat is after some milk, and hasn’t even noticed the arrival of the train.
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Tuesday 3 September 2024
Seahorse
Inch High Portillo is recording another TV series, and as regular UK based railway nuts will know he has a love of railways, but has never recorded an inch high series of programmes. Until now.
Next, Neal and Neil are trying to warn Bob Geeza Cat about PC Rob Banks and former artisan ice cream makers, now turned security guards Ben & Gerry creeping up behind him. Though quite why they’re after a harmless cat I’ve no idea.
Behind ’the law’, synchronised railway guard dance duo are alerting everyone of the diesel shunting engine which has just appeared through the archway with a freshly packed wagonload of misery from that there Westminster in London.
And finally, Hubert the conversational Latin speaking horse is watching from the comfort of a departing fishing boat, having decided to become seahorse for the day.
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Sunday 25 August 2024
Off for Scrap
The present day at Brew Street, and an old hopper wagon is being removed for scrap, having been dumped on the wharf for more than a decade. Very little rail activity happens here now, and rumours are afoot that the whole area will soon be redeveloped and turned into posh condominiums and luxury yacht harbour for foreign investors.
On the left ‘Oh My Gawd’ Oliver’s grandson ‘Easily Triggered’ Toby is having a bit of a crises about the wagon being moved after so many years. He struggles with change, including changing his underwear, but we won’t go there.
Former artisan ice cream makers, turned security guards Ben & Jerry are trying to catch Bob Geeza Cat the 4th, but they don’t stand a chance, for the Bob Geeza line of cats are very smart indeed.
PC Pretend isn’t a policeman at all, but likes to dress in vintage police attire at weekends and will frequently turn up here and there in an old Citroen 2CV which he calls his unmarked police car. He’s a strange man who lives alone with a Hornby trainset on top of the bath. Rumour has it ‘mother’ is in the bath, she has been for many years.
And the chap with the yellow jacket, could that be TV’s inch high Portillo?
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Friday 16 August 2024
20 Years Ago Today
20 years ago!!!!!
Here’s my view on 16 August 2004 grabbed through a long lens of the containerised waste transfer terminal at Calvert in Buckinghamshire, England. At the time they were filling up a huge disused clay pit.
The loco 66529 is the 4M60 Bristol to Calvert containerised rubbish train and to the right we have 66077 on the recently arrived 6M35 King’s Cross to Calvert, which looks like it’s loaded with spoil. I’m not sure of the details, it was 20 years ago. But I’m pretty sure some of you knowledgeable people here will know far more than me.
The same view more recently is very different, with this being the course of the new HS2 Hight Speed rail route - pop 51.9169580, -1.0007465 in to your favourite map browser or Google Earth or Maps https://maps.app.goo.gl/hFotFmfUg2XJnfnZ7?g_st=ic
Nikon D70, Soligor 400mm lens.
Wednesday 7 August 2024
Midweek Murkiness
It’s a murky Wednesday in the Somerset coalfields as Peter prepares to top up his trusty Peckett loco water tank. Dud calls caution, “Be careful Pete, not all water towers have water in them these days, best not light up that cigarette until after you’ve checked.”
This pic was taken on traditional film (Kentmere 100) and scanned in to the pixel grinder. It was taken with a 35mm Zenit 12XP SLR (found on Marketplace locally for £15), with a Tamron 28mm Adaptall 2 lens set at f32 - a £25 eBay find.
Tuesday 30 July 2024
Ted’s Quiff
Meanwhile trespassing Ted, part time Teddy Boy and French polisher from Bromsgrove surveys the scene, before passing his comb through his huge quiff. Hopefully it’s well loaded with Brylcreem, for if it storms it will hang down to somewhere just below his groin.
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Sunday 28 July 2024
Sunday Shine
Over on the left, multiple pub owner and moonshiner, Shamus O’Shandy, accompanied by Bob Geeza Cat, stand next to their still enjoying the soft morning sunlight next to the brew house at the rear of the pub. Shortly they’ll be firing up the still for another intoxicating 180% proof run using liquor from fermented apples, turnips and anything else that they could find like Nasal Nigel’s underwear.
In addition to ‘shine, the beer brewed here is said to have psychedelic qualities due to the water being drawn from the stinking orange mine-water contaminated pond. The ‘psychedelic’ aspect is more likely due to a huge depth-charge of moonshine being added to the fresh beer at the barrelling stage, purely to extend the shelf life of course.
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Saturday 20 July 2024
Computer Glitch
A computer controlled signalling error at Neasden Junction has resulted in a shiny red museum-engine from that there London Transport ending up at this little known railway served dockyard on the North Somerset coast. And due to further errors, it’s even ended up being rostered onto the works train.
Double Denim Dancing Dando brings the little red loco and coach to a halt at Brew Street, and word must have got around, for even Dizzy Lizzie & Awkward Teresa have left their gins in The Kettle Inn to witness the spectacle. DDDD is of course performing a footplate shimmy, something that he’s able to do anytime of night and day, his magnetic tap shoes giving him a firm grip on anything made from iron and steel.
Meanwhile Barry Bullhead from The Ministry of Misery mutters to himself “heads will roll for this almighty glitch”, whilst his snivelling sidekick Neil takes the knee to examine the fine wheel flanges.
And finally, Oh My Gawd Oliver and Bob Geeza Cat look on in awe at the shiny red beast, as well as balancing the composition of this photograph.
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I’m only a temporary custodian of many of the locos featured in these posts, but www.buymeacoffee.com/Nevardmedi3 helps to fuel the nonsense.
Sunday 14 July 2024
Canal Aged Moonshine
You’ll note that Templecombe shed’s 3F number 43216 has been carefully positioned so Stroppy Syd (half cousin of Waving Willy) the local jobsworth can’t see the illicit exchange. Anyway, he’s more Interested in the photographer taking this photo as he shouts “Do you have permission to be here? If not you’re contravening railway trespass law 73492a section ii, and I’m going to report you to Barry Bullhead at The Ministry of Misery!”
And finally, wheezing old 58072 which is soon to be withdrawn, sneaks past Stroppy Syd, the crew having a secret plan to take the engine to an undisclosed location the other side of the Bristol Channel deep in ‘The Forest’ so it can evade withdrawal.
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Thursday 11 July 2024
Return of the SS Canberra from the Falklands Conflict 11 July 1982
42 years ago today as a whippersnapper, I was standing with Dad’s camera on Weston Parade, Southampton witnessing the return of the troops from the Falklands conflict upon the SS Canberra.
Whilst the focus was in the ship which I recall was covered in rust streaks, pointing the camera the other way captured possibly equally interesting cameos of those who’d come out to witness the spectacle on this calm, hazy sunny day - 11 July 1982.
All photography my copyright