Despite all the technology availably it was just bad timing that meant we didn't arrive soon enough to have time to get set up to video and photograph 46115 Scots Guardsman with the Robin Hood.
Perhaps it's due to a summer off from mainline steam photography that was the cause. With a summer long steam ban on locomotives operating on the mainline in the eastern region photographic opportunities within a reasonably distance from home have been very few and far between. It's been a summer and autumn of Heritage Railway photography.
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| 61994 The Great Marquess at the East Lancashire Railway Autumn Gala October 2014 |
So despite tracking times quite carefully with Realtime Trains we didn't manage to make it to Swinderby Road level crossing with any time at all to do any preliminary setting up. Unfortunately we were slightly delayed on our journey and the train was running a few minutes early which meant it was approaching Swinderby Road crossing as we got out of the car. A cry of, "It's coming!" and a whistle from Scots Guardsman meant it was panic stations to get cameras up and running as the train passed never mind any scene setting or thought about best camera location.
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| 46115 Scots Guardsman with The Robin Hood at Swinderby Road level crossing |
The sun was bright and I couldn't tell whether of not the video camera was set to record. All I could do was hope it was filming as checking at this stage would guarantee missing the train in any case. My luck was sort of in and the camera did turn out to be recording.
Here's my video in any case.
We certainly didn't have any time hanging about waiting for Scots Guardsman to arrive but next time I would like to arrange it so I get at least a few minutes to decide on a location before having to press the record button.
