Railway Photography

[Tony]

323's work the Wolverhampton - Birmingham - Walsall stoppers too most of the time, and I've had a WMR liveried one turn up more times than not recently. The service is completely 323 operated on Saturdays and Sundays too in my experience.

You could always park yourself somewhere at New Street, I've found that the north/west side of the station is pretty good, usually at the end of Platform 4C, as you can see workings coming in from Soho as well as Five Ways.

Photographs are awful in New Street though. Aston is a far better place

[Sh4318]

323's work the Wolverhampton - Birmingham - Walsall stoppers too most of the time, and I've had a WMR liveried one turn up more times than not recently. The service is completely 323 operated on Saturdays and Sundays too in my experience.

You could always park yourself somewhere at New Street, I've found that the north/west side of the station is pretty good, usually at the end of Platform 4C, as you can see workings coming in from Soho as well as Five Ways.

M-F - There's one that does the 0719 WVH-FOK. Another starts at 0908 BHM-WVH, one at 1508 BHM-WVH, eventually all diagrams become 323 as afternoon peak/evening services get into full flow

[DJ]

Photographs are awful in New Street though. Aston is a far better place

I wouldn't say awful, the ends of the platforms have a decent amount of natural light, and even on the platforms themselves, you can get some good shots with a good enough camera.

[Tony]

I wouldn't say awful, the ends of the platforms have a decent amount of natural light, and even on the platforms themselves, you can get some good shots with a good enough camera.

I've got a good enough camera, but photo quality is still poor and photographing units with only one or two carriages in natural light does not produce quality. Hence why it is extremely rare you see a photograph taken in New Street published in a magazine

[Tony]

This is what I mean. If you wait for the end to be in enough natural light the other end has disappeared into the tunnel

[DJ]

I've got a good enough camera, but photo quality is still poor and photographing units with only one or two carriages in natural light does not produce quality. Hence why it is extremely rare you see a photograph taken in New Street published in a magazine

Good point, what I consider a good photograph would be far from what would get published in a magazine.

[Tony]

If you try and take a photo along the platform, if you are not careful you get light burn out at the far end

[Tony]

You can photograph signs that have got the wrong platform number showing though! Why a screen on platform 4B says it is 3A is anyone's guess

[CL]

Finally tracked down 172339 (the trial livery one) not too long ago, at Moor Street... Unfortunately, at the time, I was on the top deck of a Harborne branded MMC! ::)

According to trainline, it's due to arrive into Kidderminster for 1850. I presume its due back out from there at 1855, where it'll go out on a trip to Birmingham Snow Hill; arriving into Jewellery Quarter (my local station) for 1930, or thereabouts. Not a bad station for photographs, if I do say so myself.

Thanks for all the help, @StourValley98 @Tony - It's been much appreciated. Will try my luck on the CrossCity line another day, perhaps on the stations south of Birmingham, as I'm more familiar with that section of the line. I'll keep Aston in mind, though.

[JIM H]

@StourValley98 Some impressive shots there! Loving that Southern 377 coming round that bend...

Would anyone be kind enough to point me in the direction of the newly liveried West Midlands Railway trains? Not sure whether my best bet are the Class 172s or the 323s. I've had multiple people tell me the 323s on the CrossCity lines, but to be fair, they are the people who live in the area in which that line serves! Should I just try my luck with the 323s?

I spent a couple of hours on the CrossCity route last week and noted 9 different Cl 323's in the new livery

[CL]

Finally tracked down 172339 (the trial livery one) not too long ago, at Moor Street... Unfortunately, at the time, I was on the top deck of a Harborne branded MMC! ::)

According to trainline, it's due to arrive into Kidderminster for 1850. I presume its due back out from there at 1855, where it'll go out on a trip to Birmingham Snow Hill; arriving into Jewellery Quarter (my local station) for 1930, or thereabouts. Not a bad station for photographs, if I do say so myself.

Thanks for all the help, @StourValley98 @Tony - It's been much appreciated. Will try my luck on the CrossCity line another day, perhaps on the stations south of Birmingham, as I'm more familiar with that section of the line. I'll keep Aston in mind, though.

And my presumptious self turns out to be wrong, yet again. Waiting for the 1951 arrival at JEQ before calling it a day.

I spent a couple of hours on the CrossCity route last week and noted 9 different Cl 323's in the new livery

Will definitely be looking out for the 323s another day ;) Thanks @JIM H

[mikestone]

Finally tracked down 172339 (the trial livery one) not too long ago, at Moor Street... Unfortunately, at the time, I was on the top deck of a Harborne branded MMC! ::)

According to trainline, it's due to arrive into Kidderminster for 1850. I presume its due back out from there at 1855, where it'll go out on a trip to Birmingham Snow Hill; arriving into Jewellery Quarter (my local station) for 1930, or thereabouts. Not a bad station for photographs, if I do say so myself.

Thanks for all the help, @StourValley98 @Tony - It's been much appreciated. Will try my luck on the CrossCity line another day, perhaps on the stations south of Birmingham, as I'm more familiar with that section of the line. I'll keep Aston in mind, though.

What on earth made you think that - the 1850 arrival goes ECS to Worcester and the 18.55 starts there in service. Realtimetrains is your friend here - but nothing can turn round that quickly at Kidder as a shunt is required.

[Sh4318]

Finally tracked down 172339 (the trial livery one) not too long ago, at Moor Street... Unfortunately, at the time, I was on the top deck of a Harborne branded MMC! ::)

According to trainline, it's due to arrive into Kidderminster for 1850. I presume its due back out from there at 1855, where it'll go out on a trip to Birmingham Snow Hill; arriving into Jewellery Quarter (my local station) for 1930, or thereabouts. Not a bad station for photographs, if I do say so myself.

Thanks for all the help, @StourValley98 @Tony - It's been much appreciated. Will try my luck on the CrossCity line another day, perhaps on the stations south of Birmingham, as I'm more familiar with that section of the line. I'll keep Aston in mind, though.

The 1855 from KID runs from WOS (1837), diagrammed as 2 x 172/3

[CL]

What on earth made you think that - the 1850 arrival goes ECS to Worcester and the 18.55 starts there in service. Realtimetrains is your friend here - but nothing can turn round that quickly at Kidder as a shunt is required.

Well, Trainline did. And my nonsensical noggin, I suppose.  :P A Kidderminster-bound service, due to arrive into Kidderminster at 1850. Looking at trains back to Birmingham (or Jewellery Quarter, in my case) was 1855. An easy mistake to make for a newbie to the train scene. Especially since I've never been/am yet to go to Kidderminster. Perhaps I should stick to the buses.  :-[

Lesson learned: trains don't run like buses do.

The 1855 from KID runs from WOS (1837), diagrammed as 2 x 172/3

Duly noted.

[Dylanbusboy45]

Finally tracked down 172339 (the trial livery one) not too long ago, at Moor Street... Unfortunately, at the time, I was on the top deck of a Harborne branded MMC! ::)

According to trainline, it's due to arrive into Kidderminster for 1850. I presume its due back out from there at 1855, where it'll go out on a trip to Birmingham Snow Hill; arriving into Jewellery Quarter (my local station) for 1930, or thereabouts. Not a bad station for photographs, if I do say so myself.

Thanks for all the help, @StourValley98 @Tony - It's been much appreciated. Will try my luck on the CrossCity line another day, perhaps on the stations south of Birmingham, as I'm more familiar with that section of the line. I'll keep Aston in mind, though.

I'm not someone who really photos trains but on the South CrossCity, University is good towards New Street as the Station is on a curve so easy to get full unit in shot. Kings Norton and Northfield aren't worth it as there is the old platforms in the middle which will get in the way if standing on one platform and getting them going both directions. The rest are all on straight sections so photos quite easy. Barnt Green is on a curve towards Redditch but straight platform to Bromsgrove