In the 1970s and 1980s, the history and heritage of Britain’s railways were still plain to see—it was still recognizably the railway of steam locos, pick-up freight trains, isolated stations, parcels trains, semaphore signals, and a timetable that hardly ever changed. The railway seemed old and tired; trains were often late, crowded, and uncomfortable, and stations were often less than appealing. It had been constructed in a haphazard way in the previous century, when the railway was seen as the future. Despite this, there remained a dedicated community of enthusiasts who considered the railway to be a masterpiece and would capture it on film whenever possible. These photographs, published here for the first time, illustrate perfectly why so many view the BR Blue period with such fondness.
BR Blue: A Personal Reflection
