Welcome to my Railway Fotopic site, I hope you enjoy browsing the phots and that they bring back some happy memories. My interest in railways began when we used to live in Leicester and had a colliery line at the bottom of our garden. Apparently as soon as I could crawl I was to be found by the fence watching the trains! It never got any better and when we moved to Norwich in 1981 I started hanging around the station (it was more interesting than accountancy lectures at college) taking photographs, and then I discovered 'bashing'. Well, it was all downhill from there really, anything English Electric particularly 31's, 37's and 50's were enthusiastically followed. I was lucky to be able to photograph East Anglia whilst it was still a 'real' railway system, and from this a love of linesiding also developed. I joined BR in 1987 at Paddington and moved around the country a great deal before settling in Cheshire in the 1990's and finally moving to Wiltshire in 2000 where I still reside. As te railways became less intersting in our country my interests moved abroad to Europe and is reflected in some of the collections. Hurrah a long overdue update will be coming this very soon! As I write (Feb 25th) I've ploughed through another dozen or so boxes of old slides and have found a couple of hundred worth adding to this site. I'll probably call it Rail Blue part 6 as the photos are from all over the country, I'll take them in to Jessops for scanning tomorrow and hopefully make a start this weekend. Cheers Dave H.
Hodge's mostly 'Rail Blue' railway photo galleries
2009
 
Platforms 5 and 6 at Moorgate
Thu 19th Mar 2009
Last rites for the Moorgate Branch in London
Sun 3rd May 2009
Saltash Royal Albert Bridge 150th Anniversary
Tue 23rd Jun 2009
The Volks Electric Railway, Brighton
 
Having arrived on the ferry the train trundles down the per to meet us, the trolley at the front is for luggage and pushchairs that don't fit inside the small coaches.
Sun 28th Jun 2009
The Hythe Pier Railway, Hampshire
Mon 21st Dec 2009
A snowy Reading general station December 2009
[ index | top of page ]
2008
 

Mon 25th Feb 2008 to Sat 1st Mar 2008
February 2008 RhB Switzerland Trip 		A Plymouth - Paddington HSt zips along the seawall after departing Teignmouth
Sun 22nd Jun 2008
A day trip to Dawlish 		Loco 66059 pushes its way through the undergrowth as it heads towards Coopers metal recycling works
Thu 17th Jul 2008
The Highworth Branch
 
The Kings Arms in Wells, a good freehouse serving local guest ales from the barrel by gravity
Sun 17th Aug 2008
The Summer Bus trip to Wells 		M61 010 basks in the Spring sunshine on 23rd April 2000 at Balatonszentgyorgy with the 0629 Szomnethely - Pecs
Sat 13th Sep 2008
May 2000, hunting Nohabs in Hungary
[ index | top of page ]
2007
 
57011 passes Bourton Crossovers East of Swindon on Jan 5th 2007 with a Southampton bound liner complete with 'Freightliner Eastleigh on tour' headboard
Fri 5th Jan 2007
The current scene in Swindon and the Vale of the White Horse areas 		A Bristol LH seen on the 72 service from Swindon Bus station to Wroughton Kelsborough Avenue via Old Town, seen here in Wroughton High Street.
Fri 19th Jan 2007
Swindon Running Day October 2005 and Farewell to the Fleetlines Feb 2008 		Within a few miles of Highworth there are 4 pubs serving beer by gravity from the barrel. The Woodman at Fernham near Shrivenham is one, a free house with 4 guest beers on tap.
Wed 10th Oct 2007
A collection of photographs celebrating the great British Inn
 
May 2008, still a lot of piles of dirt around.
Sun 16th Dec 2007
Bath Spa and Southgate redevelopement
[ index | top of page ]
2006
 
RhB loco 705 departs Bergun village and startes to climb the 5 spirals up to Preda.
Mon 20th Feb 2006 to Mon 27th Feb 2006
The RhB metre gauge system in South East Switzerland
Wed 12th Apr 2006
Egypt April 2006 		Shunting at Prahe smychov
Wed 17th May 2006 to Tue 23rd May 2006
Germany and the CZ May 2006 (a railways and beer trip)
 

Sat 1st Jul 2006
July 2006 around Severn Tunnel Junction
Sat 1st Jul 2006 to Thu 28th Sep 2006
Summer 2006 		Fighter with vector thrust for better manouverablility, apparently
Tue 25th Jul 2006
Fairford Royal International Air Tatoo 2006
 
We've been round the bend since 1831? Not anymore we're in Bedford
Tue 1st Aug 2006
A trip to the Youngs Brewery, Wandsworth, London 		Bubble cars stabled at Aylesbury
Fri 24th Nov 2006
Day Trip to Aylesbury 		47818 passes Cantley station with the 1130 Liverpool Street - Great Yarmouth service.
Thu 30th Nov 2006
A trip to Great Yarmouth Summer 2005
 
[ index | top of page ]
2005
 
The Arkells Brewery site
Fri 23rd Sep 2005
Arkells Brewery, Swindon, Wiltshire Open Day
[ index | top of page ]
2004
 
31128 stables at Westbury with the Wessex standby stock, June 2004
Tue 1st Jun 2004
A trip to Weymouth June 2004
Tue 1st Jun 2004
SNCF phots from 2004 onwards
[ index | top of page ]
2003
 
Early on a frosty February morning 602 waits at Filisur with a local train to Davos
Wed 19th Feb 2003
Switzerland February 2003
[ index | top of page ]
2002
 
A St.Moritz - Tirano train waits at Pontrsina with an impressive snow plough fitted.
Tue 1st Jan 2002
Switzerland January 2002 		Woodborough looking West
Mon 1st Jul 2002
Berks and Hants photographs from Summer 2002
[ index | top of page ]
1995
 
9402 near Pirgos with an Olympia - to Pirgos service. Gruntle and Mr Tipple seem interested in the coupling between the loco and the coach!
Sun 1st Jan 1995
The Pelopennese, the Greek metre gauge railway system
[ index | top of page ]
1993
 
753306 pauses at Mlada Boleslav, possibly the most polluted place I have ever got out at
Fri 1st Jan 1993
Railways in the CZ republic
[ index | top of page ]
1992
 
Hydraulic 2095 015 standsa at Ober Grafendorf after arriving with a local service from Wiesselburg
Wed 1st Jan 1992
My favorite Austrian Narrow Gauge System - Mariazell
[ index | top of page ]
1990
 
Carhaix, Brittainy 22nd August 1994
Mon 1st Jan 1990
French Railway Byways and Highways 		218440 thrashes out of Kempton in Jan 1992 with a Munich bound train.
Mon 1st Jan 1990
German Railways in the 1990's 		A greek enthusiasts special headed by original Alco PA A302 waits to depart Chalkis for Pireus
Mon 1st Jan 1990
Greece in the 1990's Alco loco heaven
 
[ index | top of page ]
1989
 
3rd Nov 1991, OL49 38 pauses at an unidentified station between Ruciane Nida and Elk
Sun 1st Jan 1989
Steam, Bigos and vole burgers, Poland 1991
[ index | top of page ]
1988
 
A224 pauses at Lianokladi with the morning Larrisa - Pireus service
Fri 1st Jan 1988
Continental Railway slides (just a start!)
[ index | top of page ]
1984
 
20308 and 20311 taken the Middlewich branch at Northwich with the Sellafield - Sandbach Hays Chemicals train.
Sun 1st Jan 1984
North West Railways in the 90's
[ index | top of page ]
1983
 
On 23rd October 1982, ex works 50028 Tiger waits at Paddington at the head of the 1905 to Oxford.
Sat 1st Jan 1983
West Country Wanderings Part 1 		The up Torbay Express storms past Milkhouse Water near Pewsey behind 50035 Royal Oak on 10th July 1984
Sun 2nd Jan 1983
West Country Wanderings Part 2 		Cowbit was the last block post before Spalding, this photo shows 46047 returning from MArch Yard to Spalding with an ECS to form a Flower Parade Special in May 1982.
Sun 27th Nov 1983
The GE and GN joint line, March to Spalding RIP Nov 1982
 
[ index | top of page ]
1982
 
Easter Extras in the Highlands, 26038 and 26041 drop onto the front of the 1653 relief to Glasgow Queen Street at Inverness on 8th April 1985.
Fri 1st Jan 1982 to Mon 1st Feb 1982
Rail Blue memories part 2 		31405 and 31466 deputise for a 47/8 at Derby on 20th Jan 1997 with the 0645 to Birmingham
Mon 4th Jan 1982
Rail Blue Memories Part 3 		31414 breats the summit at Ais Gill on 20th June 1990 with the 1403 Leeds - Carlisle.
Tue 5th Jan 1982
Rail Blue Memories Part 4
 
On a freezing 2nd Feb 1996, 31450, in very rundown condition backs onto the stock of the 1024 to Bangor at Crewe.
Tue 19th Jan 1982
Railblue memories Part 5 		The Barchester Chronicle at journeys end, 31200 and 31145 dreams at Weymouth Quay station, and they siad it would never happen!
Wed 20th Jan 1982
Railtours and Seminars 		Stored o8 locos hidden away in Dunfermline Townhill depot on 2nd May 1983, they are 08441 and 08425.
Sat 27th Feb 1982 to Mon 27th Feb 1984
Rail Blue Memories Part 6
 
[ index | top of page ]
1981
 
40001 waits at Crewe in Jan 1983 with a Southbound
Thu 1st Jan 1981 to Sun 1st Feb 1981
Rail Blue Memories Part 1
[ index | top of page ]
1980
 
The sight of no heat locos on aircon stock on portions used to be a regular site, here 47049 waits at Great Yarmouth with a Liverpool street service
Tue 1st Jan 1980
East Anglian Railways in the 80's
[ index | top of page ]
983
 
A Wilts and Dorset Optare seen in Marlborough High street on the 20A to Bedwyn via Hungerford
Wed 1st Jan 0983
A random selection of bus photographs
Return to the Index