Great Western Coffee Shop

I'll lay my cards on the table here. I joined this forum because I travel often by rail and have an interest in rail related topics.

I also have a keen interest in photography (but do not consider my self a professional)

In the past there have been occasions where I have thought "I wish I had got some pictures of that before it changed and/or disappeared for ever". A classic example of this is when I used to live in South Wales I wish I had taken pictures of the coal mines before they were flattened.

So on my way into Paddington this morning I noticed the mass of gantries everywhere required for overhead electrification. Now don't get me wrong - I'm certainly not against electrification I just don't find the required mechanics that aesthetic!

So this got me thinking...is anyone else planning to take any pictures of stations that they frequent pre-electrification? Ignoring the practicality and copy right issues I'm just wondering if it would be worth trying to make a collective collection (!) before they change forever

I know that photos are often taken of station benches and exits for the various quizzes on here but was thinking of some more general pictures.

Just a thought

Dave

I've got literally hundreds of photos of stations across the FGW network taken over the last 5 years.

They aren't all of benches and exits!  ;D

I'm sure they are not BNM :)

In which case my suggestion may seem superfluous but I didn't want to miss an opportunity

When the wires are up I may look at my existing photos and see if I can replicate the images from a similar vantage point for 'before and after' comparison.

That won't be easy at Reading though. Many pictures taken from the old footbridge!

I've been busy out and about on the network over the last couple of years (concentrating on the 'west' end), and taking lots of 'before' pictures.  I'll return to these spots, which are stations, junctions and other areas of interest, in a couple of years for some 'after' pictures and do some comparisons in the same vein as I have done with some other places, such as Princes Risborough and Bicester North in the thread below:

http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=7250.90 (http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=7250.90)

It will be interesting to see how many classic GWML views are spoilt by the coming of wires and gantries.  I will, of course, share the best of them with the forum.

Hmm. That's a rather tenuous justification for your action, Dave.  :P ;) ;D