Bob Avery "Trains of Thought"

Train enthusiast Bob Avery from Carluke Camera Club was our invited speaker on Tuesday evening - his presentation entitled "Trains of Thought". Starting at Central Station in Glasgow Bob took us on a train-spotting trip around the world taking in locations in Pakistan, China, Guatemala, Ecuador, Eritrea, Australia and closer to home Austria, Germany and indeed Scotland. And what spectacular images were displayed! One shot taken in Ecuador depicted a train pulling over-crowded carriages supporting even more passengers (and the ticket collector) on their roofs! Another shot captured in China showed new steam trains hauling freshly won coal from huge deeply terraced Chinese open cast mines. Other shots taken in Cuba showed very old steam locomotives being used to cart waggons of freshly cut sugar cane to the refineries. Modern trains just didn't seem as photogenic as old the locomotives which simultaneously belched out black smoke and white steam as they moved gracefully trough often strikingly beautiful countryside. Sadly the day of steam trains is nearly over - but enthusiasts particularly in Austria and Germany are keeping the old trains going. Bob Avery clearly is not only a train enthusiast but also a very accomplished photographer very able to show off his favourite subject material in the best light and surroundings. At the end of the evening a warm round of applause followed club president Bob Arnott's vote of thanks.