Matt Ditch Photography

Tanfield Railway - "Legends of Industry" 22/06/24

Visiting Bagnall 0-4-0ST "Harwarden" from the Foxfield Railway storms up East Tanfield bank with a service for Sunniside.

Full gallery >> https://www.mattditch.photography/rail #/tanfield-railway-legends-of-industry-230624/

Tanfield Railway "Legends of Industry" 22/06/24

Andrew Barclay 0-4-0ST "Stanley" departs Marley Hill yard with a demonstration freight train bound for Sunniside.

Full Gallery >> https://www.mattditch.photography/rail #/tanfield-railway-legends-of-industry-230624/

Statfold Barn Railway - "Summer Spectacle of Steam" 08/06/24

Davenport 0-4-0 "Ryam Sugar Company No.1" and visiting Bagnall "Sir Tom" from Threlkeld Quarry and Mining Museum run parallel on their way back to Statfold Junction.

Full gallery >> https://www.mattditch.photography/rail #/statfold-barn-railway-summer-spectacle-of-steam-080624/

A couple of my pictures from the gala at Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway Co.Ltd appear in this month's copy of the Railway magazine.
The picture of "Synolda" is one of my personal favourites :)

Statfold Barn Railway - "Summer Spectacle of Steam" 08/06/24

Visiting Fowler 0-4-2 No.15513 and Hudswell Clarke 0-4-0ST No.19 head towards Oak Tree halt

Full gallery >> https://www.mattditch.photography/rail #/statfold-barn-railway-summer-spectacle-of-steam-080624/

Statfold Barn Railway - "Summer Spectacle of Steam" 08/06/24

"Isibutu" leads a train made up of the former South Tynedale coaches away from the balloon loop.

The full gallery can be found here >> https://www.mattditch.photography/rail #/statfold-barn-railway-summer-spectacle-of-steam-080624/

Last week I ventured up to Mosedale Viaduct on the now sadly closed Cockermouth, Keswick, and Penrith Railway. The viaduct carried the line over Mosedale Beck and operated until the lines closed in 1972.

Construction of the viaduct commenced in 1862, and the first test train crossed it in 1864. The stone structure features 12 arches and stretches just over 140 yards (420 feet or 130 meters) in length. Originally built as a single-track viaduct, it was extended to the north in 1900 to support two tracks.

The full gallery can be found here >> https://www.mattditch.photography/disused-railways #/mosedale-viaduct/

In this month's Narrow Gauge World magazine

Gala visitors "Mr Hallworth" and "St Egwin" meet at Irton road

In this month's Old Glory magazine 📸🚂

Good news everyone!

Two of my recent photos have been used in this month's Steam Railway magazine.

The first image was taken several weeks ago on a tour of Bowes Railway. I'm hoping this image and the others I've published will help boost interest in the railway. They may not be running trains at the moment. But, the museum is open for tours and I would highly recommend going on one of them.

The second image was taken at Irton Road on the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway Co.Ltd during the recent gala there. It shows the two visiting engines passing in typical lake District weather. The Ratty is another railway I'd highly recommend visiting.

Summerhill Force & Gibson's Cave

Full gallery >> https://www.mattditch.photography/landscape-nature #/summerhill-force-gibsons-cave/

Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway Co.Ltd May 2024 Gala

"St. Egwin" from the Evesham Vale Light Railway storms up Hollin How bank with a train for Dalegarth

Full gallery >> https://www.mattditch.photography/rail #/ravenglass-eskdale-railway-2024-steam-gala/

Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway Co.Ltd gala May 2024

"Mr Hallworth" visiting from the Perrygrove Railway heads its train past the Forge at Beckfoot

The full gallery from the gala can be found here >> https://www.mattditch.photography/rail #/ravenglass-eskdale-railway-2024-steam-gala/

Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway Co.Ltd May 2024 gala

Bassett-Lowke 4-4-2 "Synolda" sits on the turntable at Dalegarth. In typical Cumbrian weather, the loco had just hauled a two-coach train from Ravenglass.

The full gallery from the gala can be found here >> https://www.mattditch.photography/rail #/ravenglass-eskdale-railway-2024-steam-gala/

Good news everyone!

I've been published again 😀 One of my many photos from the recent steam gala at Beamish Museum appears in this month's The Railway magazine.

I thought a little look back at my April might make for a fun post. I didn't travel too far from home in April. But I did attend two tours at the Bowes Railway where I was able to get a behind-the-scenes look at the railway and learn about its history.

I also made two trips to Beamish Museum, one for the Steam Gala and another trip a few weeks later because I needed to get out of the house!

Also this month I started to edit my photos with Adobe Lightroom. So far I'm really impressed and pleased with the results and I look forward to improving my future pictures with it.

Lastly, I just wanted to thank everyone for the positive feedback on my last post. I very much appreciated all the kind comments and likes.

These aren't the kinds of posts I like to make; but, it's an important message that I feel needs to be conveyed.

I recently became aware that an organization was using one of my pictures in their publicity material without my permission. While I did make them aware and the issue was resolved, organizations should be aware that they can’t take images off Google without permission. The reality is that they'll now profit off of my work and I won't.

When it comes to using my images for commercial purposes, there is a cost involved. This isn't about being uncooperative; it's about highlighting the true value of my work in commercial applications. Photography isn't free, especially in a professional context, where it involves considerable time, effort, and costs.

I will continue to share my work, but for any commercial use, there will be costs involved. If you're interested in using one of my images for a commercial project, please feel free to reach out and discuss the available options.

Contact — Matt Ditch Photography Please note no unauthorized use of my photos. If you would like to use any of my photos please contact me through the contact form on this website.

One of my pictures from the recent steam gala at Beamish Museum has been used in the May edition of Steam Railway magazine.

The picture shows the two visiting Quarry Hunslets "Britomart" and "Hugh Napier" on the museum's narrow gauge railway.

Beamish Museum 23/04/24

Replica "Puffing Billy" outside the locomotive shed on the Pockerley Waggonway.

Full gallery >> https://www.mattditch.photography/rail #/beamish-museum-230424/

Experimenting with Lightroom 📸

Bowes Railway April 2024

This series of images was taken on two separate guided tours of the Bowes Railway. The first tour concentrated on the wider Bowes site with a trip to the site of Mount Moor Colliery followed by a visit to both Black Fell and Blackham’s Hill Hauler Houses.

The second tour was focused on the Springwell site and included a look at the original buildings, which still house many of the original tools and machines. A further look at the rope-hauling infrastructure and, the locomotives and stock.

Tours can be arranged by contacting Barry on 07850916484 or email [email protected].

The full gallery can be found here >> https://www.mattditch.photography/rail #/bowes-railway-april-2024/

I've recently been on two separate guided tours at the Bowes Railway. I'll be sharing my pictures from those over the next few days. But in the meantime here's a little teaser at what's to come.

Beamish Museum "Wheels of Industry" Gala

Visiting Quarry Hunslet ‘Britomart' & museum resident 'Glyder' at the start of the gala. The buildings make for an impressive backdrop.

Full gallery >> https://www.mattditch.photography/rail #/beamish-museum-wheels-of-industry-060424/

Sparrowhawk
08/04/24

Beamish Museum "Wheels of Industry" gala

Visiting Manning Wardle 0-6-0ST ‘Sir Berkeley’ is coupled up to the museum's rake of Chaldron wagons on the colliery railway.

Full gallery >> https://www.mattditch.photography/rail #/beamish-museum-wheels-of-industry-060424/

I've got one copy of my 2024 railway calendar left. And once it's gone there will be no more made. Whoever buys it will get two bags of Haribo free! what a deal 😂

So hurry up and grab a piece of history from the link below 😂

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/134698581835?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=BFNBBPTARoq&sssrc=2524149&ssuid=BFNBBPTARoq&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

- The Kent Coast Express....in Eskdale

Visiting Romney, Hythe, and Dymchurch Railway locomotive "Northern Chief" thunders towards Beckfoot with a service for Ravenglass.

Full gallery >> https://www.mattditch.photography/rail #/river-esks-100th-centenary-290423/

For this week's throwback Thursday I thought I'd take a look back to May this year when Replica "Puffing Billy" returned to steam at the Pockerley Waggonway, Beamish Museum.

The full gallery can be found here >> https://www.mattditch.photography/rail #/pockerley-waggonway-beamish-240523/

After some careful reflection, I've made the decision to take a break from creating videos for YouTube. It's been obvious to me for a while that I wasn't enjoying the process. But, I forged on in the hopes that my mood would improve the more I did it. And unfortunately, it has not and I'm now feeling very burnt out and disheartened.

There are several factors that have contributed to this decision. But I don't want to go into too many details. I have every intention of continuing with my photography, so this page and my content aren't going anywhere. But there won't be any new YouTube videos for the foreseeable future. Although I do have some ideas for the future just right now I want to focus on my photography.

Thanks for your understanding in this matter.

The weather is a bit naff today so I thought for today's I'd take a look back to this summer when the weather was nicer!

Tasmanian Government Railway K class Garratt "K1" departs Statfold junction on the Statfold Barn Railway with a demonstration goods train. Fowler 15513 can also be seen in this shot.

The full gallery can be found here >> https://www.mattditch.photography/rail #/statfold-barn-railway-summer-spectacle-of-steam-100623/