Why was the South Eastern division more photographed than the Central?

[Sad Sprinter]

I was looking through a few photo albums of SR EMUS on Flickr and it made me realised the Kent lines are always have more attention paid to them than the Brighton. Tonbridge, Dover, London Bridge, Dartford, Ramsgate etc are pictured much more than say, Redhill, Brighton, Victoria or Littlehampton. This just wasn't on Flickr, but I've noticed this in railway books and magazines as well. In fact, out of the three divisions the Central seems to be photographed the least. Although, Battledown Flyover seems to be overrepresented in photographs. Has anyone else noticed this or perhaps knows why?

 

[Dr Hoo]

I was looking through a few photo albums of SR EMUS on Flickr and it made me realised the Kent lines are always have more attention paid to them than the Brighton. Tonbridge, Dover, London Bridge, Dartford, Ramsgate etc are pictured much more than say, Redhill, Brighton, Victoria or Littlehampton. This just wasn't on Flickr, but I've noticed this in railway books and magazines as well. In fact, out of the three divisions the Central seems to be photographed the least. Although, Battledown Flyover seems to be overrepresented in photographs. Has anyone else noticed this or perhaps knows why?

Although rather OT (for a nominal Central v South Eastern discussion) I had always assumed that Battledown had the benefits of being visually interesting and (most importantly) having a parallel public footpath on the southern side of the line. So well-lit and attractive shots almost guaranteed on a reasonable day. I have long thought that it gets 'over-exposed'.

With the best will in the world standard three-quarter views of EMUs on plain line soon start to pall. Hence the attractions of coastal locations, river bridges and so forth.

 

[Helvellyn]

Is Battledown not one of those locations that whilst having easy access and offering interesting backdrops is also historically somewhere that in the 1980s or even early 1990s would actually offer up some real treats locomotive wise.

 

[geoffk]

The Ouse valley or Balcombe Viaduct seems well represented in photographs, the coastal section around Shoreham perhaps.

 

[Romsey]

I would like to point out that Battledown Flyover is on the premier division - South Western, or Wessex under current terminology...

 

[32475]

I was looking through a few photo albums of SR EMUS on Flickr and it made me realised the Kent lines are always have more attention paid to them than the Brighton. Tonbridge, Dover, London Bridge, Dartford, Ramsgate etc are pictured much more than say, Redhill, Brighton, Victoria or Littlehampton. This just wasn't on Flickr, but I've noticed this in railway books and magazines as well. In fact, out of the three divisions the Central seems to be photographed the least. Although, Battledown Flyover seems to be overrepresented in photographs. Has anyone else noticed this or perhaps knows why?

My thought on the Kent lines having more attention paid to the SR Central Division may be because much of Kent didn't get 3rd rail electric until the very late '50s or early '60s so steam loco hauled passenger trains lingered longer than much of Sussex which was served by EMUs from before WW2. There was also a prominence particularly of steam, electric and diesel hauled boat trains to Dover and Folkestone including the Golden Arrow until September '72 and Night Ferry until October '80 (although you had to be up very late or very early to see the latter).

 

[30907]

A similar take to 32475's.
For the late 50s steam era, the SE had:
a great variety of locos and trains (seaside, boat and branch line)
numerous photogenic locations in the suburban area (Shortlands Jn to St Mary Cray Jn/Petts Wood Jn is only 3-4 miles and that got you both main lines).

By contrast, the Brighton main line had very little steam, and it was much more homogenous (the Oxted lines in particular), and the classic steam photo spots (Forest Hill bank and Wandsworth Common) were quite a bit further apart and less attractive - Honor Oak Park is 4 tracks and pretty much dead straight. The seaside traffic was all EMU and Newhaven boat trains interesting but relatively few.

I suspect dedicated EMU photographers were rare until the ex-SR units started to disappear, and that most of what we see was "by-catch."

I also wonder whether H.C.Casserley's living by the railway at Bromley South influenced people?

 

[Sad Sprinter]

I've also found this trait exists even in the Network SouthEast era, perhaps its because of the CEPs and EPBs? The latter I understand, considering the Central is has been mostly 455s for 35 years, but were CEPs more popular than CIGs with enthusiasts?

 

[Bald Rick]

The Ouse valley or Balcombe Viaduct seems well represented in photographs, the coastal section around Shoreham perhaps.

The West Coastway, Shoreham, Lancing, Goring etc gets well represented now mostly because John Vaughan, a well respected railway photographer, lives there.

 

[Taunton]

There seem to have always been plenty of photos of the Brighton Belle units.

 

[yorksrob]

I've also found this trait exists even in the Network SouthEast era, perhaps its because of the CEPs and EPBs? The latter I understand, considering the Central is has been mostly 455s for 35 years, but were CEPs more popular than CIGs with enthusiasts?

Not this enthusiast. CIG's all the way for me.

 

[ianhr]

Until the 1960s there was quite a strong prejudice among enthusiasts against anything that was not steam. The Southern Electric system in general was derided and often referred to in derogatory terms, "tramway", "electric worms" etc. As explained above the Central section/Brighton lines were extensively electrified from the early 1930s and as soon as Baltic tanks, B2s, Atlantics and Arthurs were displaced from successive lines photographers lost interest. In Kent steam lasted until 1962 and the electrified system did not extend beyond Sevenoaks, Maidstone and Gillingham until c1958 while steam continued all the way to Victoria, Holborn Viaduct, Cannon street and Charing Cross on the longer distance trains. Anyone interested in the Southern Electric would have been regarded as distinctly nerdy (sorry Rob!)

 

[yorksrob]

Anyone interested in the Southern Electric would have been regarded as distinctly nerdy (sorry Rob!)

I prefer my kettles for making tea

 

[RichJF]

Not quite so much EMUs, but the Central section branch lines throughout East Sussex, Kent (Tunbridge Wells West, East Grinstead, Cuckoo Line etc) were photographed pretty extensively in their heyday.
I think it's because (as mentioned similarly above) there were a stronghold of steam until much later than the main BML routes and were much more picturesque.
I live in East Grinstead so would be marginally biased .

 

[WesternLancer]

Not quite so much EMUs, but the Central section branch lines throughout East Sussex, Kent (Tunbridge Wells West, East Grinstead, Cuckoo Line etc) were photographed pretty extensively in their heyday.
I think it's because (as mentioned similarly above) there were a stronghold of steam until much later than the main BML routes and were much more picturesque.
I live in East Grinstead so would be marginally biased .

I bet that logic applies to the Horsham / Steyning steam routes too.

 

[30907]

Not quite so much EMUs, but the Central section branch lines throughout East Sussex, Kent (Tunbridge Wells West, East Grinstead, Cuckoo Line etc) were photographed pretty extensively in their heyday.
I think it's because (as mentioned similarly above) there were a stronghold of steam until much later than the main BML routes and were much more picturesque.
I live in East Grinstead so would be marginally biased .

I suspect photographers may have shifted their preferred locations gradually from the mid-50s to the mid-60s

I bet that logic applies to the Horsham / Steyning steam routes too.

Horsham more than Steyning, which from about 1960 was an outlier in steam terms and rather predictable with 2-coach Maunsell rail motor trains all day. At any rate, my impression is that it was the least photographed of the ex LBSC routes.

 

[WesternLancer]

I suspect photographers may have shifted their preferred locations gradually from the mid-50s to the mid-60s

Horsham more than Steyning, which from about 1960 was an outlier in steam terms and rather predictable with 2-coach Maunsell rail motor trains all day. At any rate, my impression is that it was the least photographed of the ex LBSC routes.

Interesting to read that thought about Steyning, thanks.

 

[30907]

Interesting to read that thought about Steyning, thanks.

I hope I'm right, as I was too young to travel those routes. By Horsham BTW I was meaning the Guildford route.