Off the Rails

Hello again. 

I have been fascinated with railways all my life and the place they have in society so when I get the chance I love to get the camera out and see what stories there are to be told.

There's probably nowhere better than London for storytelling so I headed out into the metropolis on a wet and windy day in January starting out at St Pancras. I like to travel light so it was my trusty Sony A7 4 (good in low light) and just 2 lenses.
If you have never seen the refurbished St Pancras Hotel it's a wonder of its age, stunning design and interiors but I was more interested in the people, the stations and the stories. 

St Pancras spans the entirety of the railway age from the early days of steam to the latest high speed travel with Eurostar and more. It also embodies luxury with champagne bars, Belgian chocolate shops and literally thousands of people moving through its. stunning spaces every hour.

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For someone my size with a camera in hand (6' 4" and chunky) being incognito in order to capture those interesting and different moments isn't easy. However, with practise, it can be done and you merge into the background in these busy places. Next up was Kings Cross, literally one street over as the 3rd of the north London mainline hubs. Kings Cross has had its moments too with it being the main Scotland - London terminus, home of the flying scotsman and latterley platform 9 3/4 being famed for its connection with Harry Potter. Here the architecture has had a refresh yet is equally stunning with its modernist lighting.

My final location later in the day was Baker Street underground. Why here, well because it was one of the first underground stations built (1883) and much of the original architecture from those early steam driven underground trains still remains as part of our capitals 'modern' transit system. Here it is the low light that is most challenging so, being handheld, I had to pick my spots and slow right down.
​It really is amazing to just observe as the world passes by, folk in their own worlds, passing through and paying little attention to what is around them .

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You can find my take on the whole day below and it would be lovely to get your feedback and to know what subjects you would like me to cover as the year unfolds.

​Lindsey