Home»All Photographs»Year Albums»2024»November»2024_11_10 Shakespeare Express

The final “Shakespeare Express” of 2024 ran on Sunday 10th November before Vintage Trains begin their “Polar Express” series of trains for the Christmas period. After Greenwich Mean Time was restored at the end of October, the 16:13 departure of “The Shakespeare Express” from Stratford-upon-Avon is always likely to be a problem with poor light until late February, close to the start of spring. My first shots were taken from the footbridge that crosses the line at Bentley Heath. 5043 EARL OF MOUNT EDGCUMBE was right on time and in great form as it swung round the curve from Dorridge. After the usual few photographs at Stratford Station, I had to decide whether to risk the afternoon departure or not. It was dull and disappointing but I decided to risk it. The location had to be as close to Stratford as possible so I chose the approach to Stratford Parkway Station. I could not risk a shutter speed below 1/500 s, the zoom lenses we out because of limited maximum aperture and the ISO would be greater than I ever normally use at 6400. With both cameras set for multiple exposure I recorded 12 rather grainy but acceptable images that I have included on the website. I just couldn’t choose two or three and leave out the others.