An evening ride to Wolverhampton to see 1Z31 Pathfinder Tours “The Cambrian Coast Express”, return run from Pwllheli to Bristol. First video shows the train approaching the station, the second shows it departing.
I hope this is all working as it is meant to! The “updates” posts will link to the videos as I add them to my video page index. I’m bound to do something wrong until I get into a routine. Don’t mention spelling mistakes – I’ve corrected quite a few recently, I blame it on the keyboard I am using!!!!!
Having arrived a few weeks ago, it worked its first train on this date, a 9 coach load which included the Venturer dining set. The first clip shows it leaving Arley on the way to Kidderminster, the second (and also third) on the return run as it heads for Bridgnorth.
EDIT – another clip has been included now, showing 5643 arriving at Arley on the return from Kidderminster. A bit of editing has improved my over-exposed shot.
There are 2 videos, the first shows 4566 entering Arley & the second is of it leaving.
37109 was working the diesel turn and I travelled behind it to Highley. This was my first attempt at filming from a train & I think it has worked very well. There are 4 videos – Kidderminster to Foley Park, departing from Bewdley, passing Northwood Halt & departing from Arley.
Viewing this blog on my smart phone, I got the impression that the youtube links were taking a long time to load on the “updates” page. I then decided to create new pages for each set of video links, hoping it would make the “updates” page load faster. The Stourbridge Junction update from last night has now been modified to link to a new page.
It can only be an improvement, just hope I don’t tie myself in knots!
Regular visitors will have noticed there have not been so many photo updates recently. As you will have seen from the previous 2 posts, I am learning how to take videos of trains!! Using the same camera for stills & videos, I sometimes forget to switch on the image stabiliser before filming – and the picture is a bit shaky. Youtube can improve some of the clips quite well, but not all of them, so please excuse some of the “mistakes”! Turning or “panning” as a train passes is not easy, as I usually have to shuffle my feet around to follow the train – otherwise I end up twisting my body & swaying about all over the place!
The sound of the blowing wind can be a bit of a nuisance, but after a few ruined videos I have now eliminated much of it by fixing a piece of foam over the microphones – the foam comes from those yellow washing up pads!!
I am filming at 1920×1080 – which is full HD (so the manual says) so the picture quality should be reasonably good. It does take a long time to upload, but I suppose broadband speeds will improve in the near future. Nothing worse than taking low quality videos & not being able to improve them. At least you can choose the quality you view at if you have a slow connection.
Once I get into a routine there should be more regular updates. Hope you enjoy the videos, makes a change to actually hear the trains & see them move.
The Network Rail track assessment unit was in the Midlands and running to Kidderminster and Round Oak, so I though it was worth trying to film it. I went to Stourbridge Junction to see it, hoping a Round Oak steel train might also be seen – I was in luck, 66174 worked 6V07 with empty wagons to Margam.
The return run of Vintage Trains “The Whistling Ghost” from Bishops Lydeard to Tyseley, filmed in the dark. Enjoy the sound of the approaching train before it comes into view.
I’ve even learnt how to fit this into my blog page. You can still go “full screen” if you wish.
