More Bluebells at the Bluebell

Last year, I took what is now my annual trek to the Bluebell Railway to photograph the bluebells at the start of May. Although by all accounts the bluebells sprouted earlier this year, I think I went out a little too late last time. Although they were still present in decent patches, the ferns were beginning to take over, ultimately softening the colours. I also didn’t exactly travel the track much, only making it from Sheffield Park to the broken bridge.

This year, I went out a bit earlier, in the middle of April. I also had a companion this time in frequent collaborator 72B Photography. Like last time we started out at Sheffield Park, and decided to trek up the line, this time with the hope of getting to Lindfield Wood – usually a reliable bluebell area – in time to shoot the lunchtime train, by which point the sun should have moved enough for the light to be good.

The first decent patches of bluebells we found were up near Ketches Wood. With a bit of time to make decisions before the first train came along. we were first distracted by the impressive fields of bluebells that lined the railway.

It was a little annoying – but entirely expected – that these bluebells all lined the track beyond the fence boundary, meaning there would be no way that we could get into a position to shoot the trains with them included. It was a shame, since the patches were so dense.

So with that in mind, we continued looking for a patch we could use.

Ultimately we settled on a patch near the signal that had previously marked the end of the temporary speed restriction out of the station. Although I’ve shot many trains at this location, it’s never been from this angle – I’m usually further away. We realised at the time that the light would not be ideal, as it would largely be behind the locomotive, but we decided we couldn’t get to another, better-located patch before the service was due. We did, however, earmark a different spot for the way back, when the light would be on the right side.

Soon, long-term loaner locomotive 2999 Lady of Legend came chuffing around the corner.

Compared to my usual settings, I shot at f/8 to get more of the bluebells in focus (or at least, less out-of-focus). As you can see though, the light really fought against me. The exhaust is equal parts shady and blown out, and the locomotive looks flat and dull. Ultimately, I am disappointed with my results from this pass, although I’m not exactly sure what I could have done better (other than picking a slightly different location).

We carried on up the line past Freshfield Bank (where there were very few bluebells) and before long reached the broken bridge. Considering this was basically the limit of my previous year’s saunter I was pleased we managed to make it before the second train of the day, but it does beg the question of how I managed to cover so little ground last time. I can only assume I was trying to get back home by a particular time – either that, or it’s just the fact I knew so much less of the line then than I do now. We decided on a spot just before the bridge, concerned that there would be less patches a reasonable distance up ahead, and we wanted to get the light from the right direction whilst still being somewhere where the locomotive would be putting down power. There is so much to think about when trying to get good shots of steam trains – part of the reason, I suspect, that I like to go out on the railway with other people who can help with the thinking.

The next train would be pulled by 73082 Camelot. Annoyingly she wasn’t working too hard by the time she came round the corner.

We’d positioned ourselves next to a patch of bluebells next to an old hut. Annoyingly there was a bit of a dead spot which I didn’t entirely manage to conceal.

This shot would go on to become one of the first shots used by the Bluebell Railway’s social media team.

Annoyingly again the light didn’t entirely play ball. As you might expect for a spring day, conditions were changeable. It was often hit-or-miss as to if a cloud would pass by just when the train did. It was also a decently warm day, which means that the dramatic exhaust I love to capture would be largely non-existent (save for the earlier first train of the day). So I’m happy enough with this shot but I certainly feel it could have been better.

After Camelot had passed by, we then had a little over an hour to make the rest of the journey up to Lindfield Wood. The bridge was roughly the halfway point between Sheffield Park and the wood, so we knew we had the time, but all the same, covering another mile and a half is always a bit tricky when walking along a railway line.

After a brief distraction escorting a trespasser off the line at Rock Cutting and a short pause for Lady of Legend to come back down the line (which, as is typical, we didn’t bother to photograph), we eventually made it to Lindfield Wood.

The wood was everything we’d hoped for. The embankment on the side of the line we’d need to be on for the light was engulfed in bluebells. The challenge was finding the right spot to maximise their coverage. There were two other photographers there too, and we all ended up lining up in a spot. Luckily one of the other photographers was also a lineside volunteer and so happily cleared away a bunch of the non-bluebell flora for a cleaner shot. At some point I need to remember to pack a set of secateurs whenever I’m lineside for the same purpose.

Before long Lady of Legend came along on her second train of the day.

Unfortunately the atmospheric conditions meant there was no exhaust at all. It didn’t help that the crew also shut off as they came round the corner, although once they saw us they gave the regulator a good shove because the noise got substantially louder, but sadly there was no extra exhaust alongside it.

With that pass done, we held firm. The spot was ideal, and old Victorian locomotive № 65 would be along not long after pulling the Wealden Rambler afternoon tea coaches. The green locomotive with the blood and custard rolling stock promised to compliment the bluebells beautifully.

Even better, as she came round the corner, she even was throwing out some exhaust.

She kept the exhaust on all the way past us.

As you might imagine I’m pretty happy with these images – they are exactly the shots I had set out to get. My one complaint, after comparing to 72B’s shots which were shot from a stool, is that the nearest rail, and with it the bottoms of the wheels, disappear behind the bluebells. Ideally I’d have preferred to be able to see a bit of ballast between the rail and the flowers, but that is only with the benefit of hindsight.

With this service now passed, we had only two services left in the day. 72B and I agreed that our priority would be to get back to Ketches Wood in time for the last service of the day pulled by Lady, and that we’d just shoot Camelot wherever we happened to encounter her.

It turned out that we’d encounter her at Rock Cutting. We didn’t expect much, given the general lack of exhaust and the fact this spot is not typically on the power.

I am a bit annoyed I managed to blow out the sky in this shot. I think I need to start deliberately underexposing by a stop or so and see if I get better results, especially now there is less exhaust to use as an exposure point.

We then continued on our journey back to Ketches Wood. When we reached the broken bridge, we decided to take a pause and give Lady of Legend a chance to come back down the line. There was a decent patch of bluebells on the other side of the bridge (and the other side of the line) which we hadn’t used that morning because it was in the wrong place for light, for seeing the locomotive do any work, and even just getting a good angle on the engine. Given that it was a shot of Lady going tender-first and the sun was generally staying in, we figured it was a shot better than nothing.

Whilst we waited, I caught sight of a bee buzzing around the bluebells, and got a bit distracted trying to catch a decent shot of it.

Soon Lady came by – although typically, the sun came out when we didn’t really want it to.

We then got on with heading back down past Freshfield Bank to Ketches Wood. We made it in good enough time to figure out the spot to use. Whilst we were waiting, № 65 came back down towards Sheffield Park tender-first, and since we had a patch of bluebells to use for the angle, we made sure to photograph it too.

Soon, it was time for Lady to come back north.

That was the last outbound service that day, so we headed back towards Sheffield Park call it a day. On the way, I took a quick snap of the signal gantry outside the station.

This trip was good for thinking differently about my composition. Usually I’m mainly focussed on the locomotive, but with the bluebells I was forced into making sure there is more environment included too.

That said, I think I was a bit disappointed by these shots. A lot of them haven’t come out as good as they felt in the moment, and I think I could have done better, although they’re better than last year to be sure. At time of posting I haven’t actually been out on the railway since this trip due to the rest of life, but I’m keen to get back out soon and get myself back in the groove.

As ever, I have included more shots from this trek in the gallery below.