No smokeless zone here

[IMG]http://i799.photobucket.com/albums/yy273/Davidtrout2/LizzieatDurham21402143_1copy.jpg[/IMG]
I know this isn't a high quality photo but it illustrates how the world's railways were showering coal smoke across the landscape until the mid 20th centiury, before anyone had heard of global warming. This shot was taken earlier this year at Durham when a charter steam special hauled by the ex-LMS Pacific loco 'Princess Elizabeth' sped through on full throttle. The image is a big pull from a 10Meg file from my K10 taken with the DA*50-135mm lens. After cropping this image is down to 1.77mp. Apart from the image noise at 400ISO it shows perspective compression, and the trail of smoke back into the distance.

David, in case you're wondering why you've had no notifications on this post, all I get is a 'image has been moved or deleted' graphic

Hi David same here.

Yup. I removed it. It wasn't a great image and no one had commented on it so I took the hint.
David

What a shame! I first saw it this afternoon, quite liked it, but didn't have time to comment then. I usually prefer to look at a picture a few times before commenting anyway. I'm sorry you've removed it!

David,

I did comment on the steam loco direct on your site. The version on Photobucket looked fine to me BTW - no issues with noise visible at their size, and the crop & perspective compression had no adverse impact on it IMO.

Cor blimey! There it was, gone!

I saw it yesterday - and thought about commenting, but didn't want to be first!

For what it's worth, I thought it was a fine photo! Equal of many I've seen in my (warning, geek-alert) books on trains, of which I have a few (ahem).

I was going to comment on how the fireman would most probably have been getting a b*ll*cking from his driver, for having chucked on too much coal, and caused such black smoke. It's a cardinal sin amongst firemen (and I speak from experience... I used to be a volunteer on the footplate myself, at a local steam railway).

But then I realised, that comment wasn't about the photograph, as much as about the subject... so I kept schtum.

But I did like the photo - excellent perspective, and the slightly imperfectly-straight rails, the 'fug' behind caused by the smoke, which neatly obscured the background, and the different tones of the overhead wires, some reflecting the light, some not.

Like I said, I've seen far worse gracing the pages of Ian Allan mags, and yours was much better than them! Put it back!

Well it's back, thanks for the vote of confidence. It seems if you remove your photo its a good way to stir up some support.
Neil I thought the firemen laid on the smoke specially for us photographers. This was some experience, a massive scarey engine belching smoke and bearing down on you at about 60mph, seen through the view finder.
David

In addition to what is said above, I like the contrast between the steam locomotive and the electrical power lines above. Almost like the loco is saying "not for me, thanks".

Bl**dy prima donnas Hehe. Only joking.

Seriously, though, it was too good to lose from the forum... you just needed to give us all time to chew things over, I guess!

He might have - but he would still have got short shrift from his driver. It's a great way of wasting coal (something like 60% of the effective power of the coal goes straight up the chimney, unburned, when you do that). Plus it clinkers up the grate, because the coal 'weeps' all its oils and tars out and makes cleaning the firebox harder later. Worst of all, it means that the steam-pressure is still dropping - usually the reason for putting the coal on in the first place - and if the driver is intending to need that pressure for, say, getting up an incline, he's going to look pretty evil-eyes at you if his boiler pressure needle is low halfway up the hill. Firing really is a black art, and no mistake. Except that it should be a light grey art, strictly speaking! That's the perfect combustion colour, for max efficiency.

Oh my god. I'm a coal geek. Please shoot me now...

You should try it from the footplate! I've only done it at 25mph on a few smaller locos, and on preserved lines rather than mainline... but by golly, it's still awe-inspiring. Searing heat, steam, fire and hot water squirting out various things they usually shouldn't be, rattling yourself half to bits, bouncing around the cab like a pair of pants in a washing machine - and about as much use! Great fun. I highly recommend a day's 'driver experience' (our railway still does them for the wannabe dads, etc). Bags of photo-ops, too. You try getting a white-hot fire to expose right, so that you can see the flame-bed, all the different colours, and the firebox doors looking sharp and bright too! Now there's a challenge!

What an awesome display of shear brute power, Great shot in my opinion David, just wish I could have been there just to get a whiff of that smoke

Just realised something, David.

How on earth did you take that shot without being flattened!

You look like you're on the running rail, mere feet in front of the loco. Even with a tele, I still can't see how you can be on the platform - you'd need a gorilla's arms! And you look to be too low to be on a bridge.

Please don't tell me you were in the four-foot and dived out at the last minute, Buster Keaton style!

Neil I'd love to be able to tell you I have such lightening quick reactions I leapt to safety within a split second. The truth is Durham station is on a gentle curve and I was safely wedged against a fence at the far end of the station just a few feet from ther track. Because of the tele compression it looks as I was on the track.
David

Hehe - in that case, score at least another 99 style points out of a hundred, for the resultant effect! I had visions of you holding the camera out on a broom-handle or something, maybe getting the missus to hit the remote button. Sure, the truth is much more mundane, but the picture lies brilliantly, and that's half the art, ain't it?

I missed this one while I was away on holiday.

I like the head-on/compressed view for the sense of power and I always enjoy a firework display.