Get this close to some of the finest steam engines in the world
We have partnered with the famous East Lancashire Railway in Bury to offer unique steam train photography courses (covering diesel engines as well). To go straight to the booking page at the East Lancs Railway CLICK HERE
Our new video explains what the course entails
We go behind the scenes to areas not usually open to the public to see the engineering teams hard at work repairing and maintaining the magnificent collection of engines and carriages, as well out on the trains to the picturesque Irwell Valley station with its historic buildings.
Candid photos like this would be a fantastic addition to your portfolio
The day is suitable for photographers of all abilities as we tailor the content to your requirements and the small group size means that there is plenty of opportunity for one to one tuition on exactly what you want from your photographs of steam and diesel trains
We begin at the ELR main station in Bury with a welcome over a cup of tea and then we begin in earnest, developing your technique both in our classroom at Bolton Street Station and on the platforms.
After a quick sandwich lunch (included in the price) we board the train, shooting more images as we make our way to the picturesque surroundings of Irwell Valley station which has great vantage points for photographing trains as they make their way up and down the line.
After rejoining the train, we make our way back to Bury where we lift the barrier to let you into areas the public cannot see and we spend a good amount of time with the maintenance teams at work on the engines, getting up close to the trains and providing you with scores of opportunities to take photographs of the trains and the historic workshops.
The signal box is like a time capsule from the 1960s a great photographic subject
The final part of the day is returning to our classroom on the platform where we can review our work and ask those final few questions before the day ends – perhaps with a visit to the Trackside bar.
The course begins at 08:30 with arrival at Bury and ends at about 17.00
There are two ways to book for your photographic experience course:
- Book online on LINK (scroll to the bottom of the page to select the date you want)
- Call the booking office 0161 764 7790 (lines open daily, 10am – 4pm)
What to bring on our steam train photography courses
- Bring your own camera, fully charged battery with a spare and plenty of memory card space. Tripod and flash not essential.
- Due to the nature of the East Lancashire Railway and the surrounding landscape, suitable outdoor clothing for being outside for several hours is essential. This especially includes appropriate footwear for walking over uneven and wet tracks and pathways. Not being properly dressed may mean that you are unable to join the course so please err on the side of caution.
- Disabled access is available in the areas open to the public though the nature of the track, engine sheds and signal boxes means that access is limited in some areas. If you have mobility concerns please contact the East Lancashire Railway on 0161 764 7790 before booking.
- Course is not suitable for under 18s
- You will receive (and be asked to indicate that you fully understand) a safety briefing as you will be on a working railway and visiting industrial facilities.
- You will be asked to keep a close eye on time during our time on the network, so it is important that you have a watch or phone with you to keep to the timetable to avoid missing any trains which would disrupt the course for others.