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Sep 05 2023 12 Comments

Quiet moments from England past

My recent 3 week or so return to England didn’t involve a lot of photography. Primarily it was to see family and spend some quality time together, as due to distance, quantity simply isn’t an option. That said, I did take my camera, and the pictures I took seemed to compliment the enjoyably quiet vacation it was.

Along with that, the photos were in many ways reflective of my past. Or at least my childhood spent in and around the local area. Places that were also well and truly in the collective past before I came along. That latter element in particular providing some similarities with those I take in Japan.

The one exception of sorts is the last photo. It’s a train line that used to be somewhere to explore, as at the time it was no longer in use. Since then, however, it’s been resurrected for steam and diesel train journeys, and on one particular day, there was a visitor from many millions of people’s past. A now global face in a once very unexpected place.

I should also add that I’m now back and settled into Tokyo life, so the usual Tuesday and Friday posts will resume once again.

Quiet moments from England past

Quiet moments from England past

Quiet moments from England past

Quiet moments from England past

Quiet moments from England past

Quiet moments from England past

Quiet moments from England past

Quiet moments from England past

Categorized: Photography

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Denise says

    9/5/2023 at 11:03 am

    I love the first but my favorite has to be Thomas! 🙂

    Reply
    • Lee says

      9/6/2023 at 6:21 pm

      Thank you. Yes, it’s hard to beat Thomas. Absolutely no doubt about that.

      Reply
  2. Steve says

    9/5/2023 at 1:51 pm

    I was not expecting the last shot. That made me smile a lot!

    Reply
    • Lee says

      9/6/2023 at 6:23 pm

      Haha, definitely very different than what I usually post. But yeah. I was the same. It was quite something to see him suddenly appear.

      Reply
  3. cdilla says

    9/5/2023 at 6:13 pm

    Wow, that tree on top of the chimney! A nice collection, especially with the varied skies.
    That football field could have been the one I used to play in. Swing from the crossbar and when you let go the bounce could bring it down. Then, provided you avoided injury, you and your mates had a hell of a job getting it back in place.

    Reply
    • Lee says

      9/6/2023 at 6:27 pm

      Thank you. It was definitely very different weather to Tokyo, and yeah, the growth on both those chimneys is incredible.

      I felt the same about that pitch. With no hints as to the location, and all the boxes it ticks, it could be anywhere in the country, from arguably any time in the last half century or so.

      Reply
  4. Richard says

    9/5/2023 at 8:54 pm

    Similar in many respects to the kind of photos you take around Japan. I bet little kids love the train!

    Reply
    • Lee says

      9/6/2023 at 6:28 pm

      Yeah, definite similarities to be found. And as for the train, it made this big kid smile too!

      Reply
      • Richard says

        9/6/2023 at 9:41 pm

        🤣

        Reply
  5. john says

    9/7/2023 at 9:28 am

    Number one is a winner. You can just imagine the estate agent’s write up.
    The arch and chimney (#4) looks familiar in a railway sort of way but I just couldn’t spot it today?
    Sadly our Thomas ‘up North’ reminds me a bit too much of Lowry’s chimneys and not the white fluffy clouds of childhood.

    Reply
    • Lee says

      9/7/2023 at 5:39 pm

      Thank you. That house has always fascinated me. Something very special about it, although what exactly I can’t explain.

      The arch shot was taken from near a canal. Somewhere between Bury and Bolton. Cycled past it so many times, so good to finally get a photo.

      Yeah, that’s a good call, but it was such a fun and surreal moment to see him appear!

      Reply
      • john says

        9/8/2023 at 10:44 pm

        No 1 might be fascinating but it looks a long way for a loaf of bread.
        Thanks for the location update. No need to keep watch for it on the run in to Piccadilly now!

        Reply

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