Class A3 4472 - The Flying Scotsman

This 103-year-old steam locomotive - originally built for the service that bears its name, is always a popular draw. Crowds gather wherever it is running, made up of steam enthusiasts, or those that want to catch a glimpse of a bygone age.

It was retired from service in 1963, and after being saved from the scrap heap it undertook extensive tours of North America and Australia. Today, it was running on the Swanage Heritage Railway, and is pictured here between Norden and Corfe Castle.

© 2026

Storm Austen

Storm Austen - the first named winter storm - arrived overnight, causing predictable chaos across the nation. The good news is there are no reported fatalities because of it. 

Although not immune to the worst effects of these atmospheric uproars, storms generally skim the south coast. All the same, the winds are often strong and the rain is just as wet.

© 2026

Oh, I do like to be beside the seaside

Well, for the next five months or so, yes I do. The sun is dropping lower in the sky each day; winter storms are expected (and predicted); the trees are beginning to turn and the gorgeous - and ever changing - autumn light makes almost anything photogenic.

 

© 2026

In, or out?

It's not often that I shoot sprawling vistas in portrait format, but it can have its merits. The technique will occasionally create a more abstract feel to the image; a case of leaving as much out as I might cram into the frame with a wide-angle lens.

The coastal town of Swanage lies in the distance.

© 2026

When the mood strikes

Changing plans when en route to a chosen photo location may, or may not, pay dividends. I'm keeping a watchful eye on the sky whilst travelling and repeatedly remind myself that I've got a plan, so stick to it. But the early morning clear blue sky quickly gave way to something more dramatic. It's too much to resist, and suitably inspired, I head for the hills. 

The intended shoot of the Swanage Heritage Railway steam locomotives will have to wait a week or two, by which time something more famous will be running a service at the end of the month.

© 2026

Shooting on the back of a front

A typical weather front that sweeps in from the Atlantic is approximately 200 hundred miles (322 km) across, and travels at roughly 25 mph (40 km/h). It gives some credence to the old weather saying: 'Rain before seven, fine before eleven', assuming, of course, that it has been raining during the night. Although archaic in this day and age, the maxim does give the landscape photographer a clue as to what to expect weatherise later in the day. 

The front in question cleared by 9:30 this morning, leaving behind bright sunshine and blue skies, with the occasional sprinkling of fair-weather cloud; ideal conditions for some light and shade, no matter what the subject. Today, that subject is Corfe Castle and Boar Mill, in the Dorset countryside.

© 2026