Search For A Photograph

The easiest way to search the collection is by entering a description or location name (or part of one) into the Description box. You can also restrict results to one type of subject, country and/or year if desired and the results of a search can be displayed in either alphabetical or date order.

The Society is grateful to have been donated a number of historic indexed photographic collections:

1. Dr Angus O McDougall was a keen active member of the Branch Line Society, and was our Chairman from 1969 until 1989. During his lifetime, Angus amassed a collection of over 30,000 railway images dating back to the 1950s, including just about every signal box in the UK and most stations, as well as much foreign material. It was Angus's wish in life, and in his will, that the collection be kept together, with the Branch Line Society as custodians.

2. Ron Meredith had a particular interest in the railway infrastructure of Herefordshire and surrounding counties. He photographed almost all the stations in Herefordshire during the 1960s and 1970s, many of which were by then derelict. Closed and open stations, along with other items of railway interest, are included.

3. Chris Totty has had an interest in railways since his father built him a Triang 00 layout for his third birthday. One of the great advantages of being his father’s son was that Dad’s hobby was black and white photography and would often convert the bathroom to a darkroom to produce his own prints. So Chris had virtually unlimited access to the darkroom and he and his father would spend many happy hours there when Chris, or perhaps both, returned from a railway expedition. These photographs are the result of their work.

4. Gregory Marchant developed a fascination with the operation of public transport from an early age. His parallel interest in photography owes more to a scientific education. Putting the two together has resulted in a somewhat heterogeneous collection of transport related photographs, all digitalised some years ago and relevant ones now entrusted to the BLS Archive.

5. Ian Umpleby, a Leeds resident all his life, joined the Branch Line Society over 50 years ago (member 513). Soon afterwards he started railtouring and began taking photos with what might be described as lower range cameras. He also took a great interest in diverted passenger trains greatly enabled by Roy Hamilton's BLN posts.

6. John Harrison took his first railway photos at the age of ten at Rose Grove in 1968. He didn’t really start until the early 1970s when branch lines, stations and Railtours became the main subjects.

The Society would be pleased to consider hosting and preserving further collections.

On this web page anyone can search the collections but the full resolution images are only available to members of the society. These photographs are for personal use only. Anyone wishing to use an image from the collection for other than personal purposes must contact photo.collection@branchline.uk to discuss arrangements.