Tag Archives: I love my job

Going back to my roots…

28 Sunday Jan 2018

Posted by in I love my job, London, Photojournalism

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I’m working in London for the next few days and for a change – it’s nothing to do with railways. Instead, I’m going back to old haunts and shades of a former career.

Back in the 1980s-90s before I became a photographer I used to work and live in social housing. In fact, it was the focus of my life. I was a Housing Officer for the London Borough of Tower Hamlets as well as being very much involved in running the tenant management Housing Co-op in which I lived – which went by the name of ‘Wilfrid’ (after one of Beano comic strip Bash St kids). It’s over 20 years ago now as I moved out of the co-op in 1996 and left housing in 1997 but I always maintained an interest in the sector – helped by the fact my ex-wife worked for various charities at the time, including Homeless Network and the Big Issue. I look back on those days with fondness and treasure a lot of the memories. The stories that I could tell…

For the next three days I’m looking forward to combining my love of photography and interest in housing as I have a commission to take pictures in a trio of private homes for the elderly in North London. I suspect I’m going to meet some fascinating people and hear some interesting stories in the process.

Another day, another dollar…

27 Friday Oct 2017

Posted by in I love my job, Railways, Travel, Uncategorized

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Days at home are all too rare right now, although I shouldn’t really complain. Monday – Tuesday saw me commuting to London for various jobs, Wednesday had me working out of the ACoRP office in Huddersfield, Thursday was a chance to catch up on some paperwork and picture editing at home. Today I’m back on the rails again, heading to York for another job for RAIL magazine. This afternoon I return to London as Dawn and I are spending a couple of nights in the capital to celebrate my birthday, then have a day with friends to celebrate our forthcoming wedding. I’ve eschewed the traditional stag night. Instead I’ve opened the day up to both sexes and invited friends to meet the pair of us on Saturday as we visit one or two of London’s finest hostelries!
As much as I love travelling, I’m looking forward to having more time at home. The Pennines are beautiful this time of year. Autumn brings crisp mornings, gorgeous light and a fantastic array of colours as the trees shed their leaves. I’m looking forward to being able to enjoy these sights on some weekend walks – if we can fit them in before the wedding!

Derby bound…

11 Monday Sep 2017

Posted by in I love my job, Railways, Travel

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After a weekend of DIY at home I’m on my travels again, heading for a job in Derby. An advantage of having a fiancé who works by Huddersfield railway station is that it’s easy for me to get a lift to a station that has a far greater selection and frequency of services than my local one. I’d a number of routes to choose from but today the best option was a Northern service to Wakefield Westgate for a connecting Cross-Country train to Derby. It nearly didn’t happen. As is often the case, Trans-Pennine Express services were running late. Today, they were very late*. My 09:31 was held to let a York through that was 50 minutes down. Despite this, quick work by the crew of our Pacer turned a 7 late departure into an on-time arrival. It wouldn’t have mattered – my onward connection was late too! A pair of Voyagers rolled in 6 down. I’m sitting in one now, scribbling this before posting it via the wifi. We’re gradually making up minutes en-route so I’m expecting a right-time arrival at Derby. The beauty of Voyagers is they’ve plenty of horsepower when needed!

To say the weather is changeable at the moment would be an understatement. It really has been a case of four seasons in one day,  I need to be carrying a brolly and waterproof sun cream in weather like this! At least today’s job is undercover. I’m heading for the Bombardier plant to shoot a mock-up of one of the new Aventra trains that’ve been ordered by Anglia, so expect a few pictures to be added this afternoon.

See you later!

* In fairness to TPE, this wasn’t their fault. Torrential rain caused the line to be flooded at Greenfield. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Time to get into the festive spirit.

23 Wednesday Dec 2015

Posted by in I love my job, Railfreight, Railways

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I’m writing this in Costa Coffee on Liverpool Lime St, having just finished the last overnight job of 2015. I hadn’t planned to be here. The commission was one of those last minute requests that found me available & able to make my way across to the Seaforth container terminal in Liverpool to document the arrival, loading, unloading and departure of the first intermodal train to use the site since Freightliner pulled out in 2007. Despite the gloomy forecast the rain (mostly) held off, whilst the water on the ground added extra light & contrast to my pictures. Even the notorious River Mersey wind, (which can cut through you like a knife) was pretty relaxed.

Needless to say, it’s a flying visit. I was on the last Trans-Pennine service in and I’m on the first one out – which is a shame as I’d loved to have had spare time to explore the city of my birth. Then again, trudging round in a full set of PPE with camera bag and tripod in tow is hardly conducive to sight-seeing or shopping. There’s also the fact that I’ve been up all night – hence the coffee stop! For the first time in several years I’m not actually working over the festive season. Normally I’d be spending Xmas and Boxing day documenting the hard work of Network Rail and their contractors as they rebuild or renew the railway. Instead I’m spending Xmas with Dawn’s family at a holiday cottage in the Yorkshire countryside. I’m sure my body clock won’t know what the hell is going on! No long shifts, no overnights – just the chance to experience what most ordinary folk do this time of year. Of course, I’ll still be thinking about the members of the ‘orange army’ who don’t have that luxury. Stay safe folks…

It’s a tough life…

18 Thursday Jun 2015

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Well, there are days when that’s true. Back to back 12 hour shifts kitted out in PPE & freezing your nadgers off in the 4 foot of the WCML on winters nights springs to mind. But today wasn’t like that. Instead, imagine a couple of hours work getting PR shots of the great & good for a TOC, then relaxing for another couple of hours with a fantastic range of seafood & sundry canapes, washed down with bottles of champagne – all provided free at their own expense by the wonderful South African partners of one of the retail outlets we were there to see. We even managed to rope in passers by of all nationalities and other rail colleagues.

I love my job.

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