Watching the Western Trains Go By - Ponsandane, Penzance 1960

The start of my interest in transport Will the next one be a Castle, Warship or Hall? Probably one of the reasons why almost 60 years later I am still fascinated by things Great Western and the West Country. A photograph taken of me watching trains arriving and departing Penzance in autumn 1960 or spring 1961 by my mother Elsie Luxton using a Kodak Brownie 127. The unusual flat roof of Ponsandane Signal Box which lay beside the level crossing which then gave access to the beach can just be made out along the fence line. Why did my mother waste the shot on me and not those fast vanishing GW locos or those nice shiny new hydraulics?

Penzance Harbour Circa 1963

Exploring Penzance Harbour with my father John William Luxton. I am standing on the grab which was used to unload the colliers which brought in coal for the nearby Penzance Gas Works. Camera: Kodak Brownie 127 mark 1

Giew Mine 1965

Exploring Giew Mine in 1965 - the start of my interest in Industrial Archaeology and mines in particular

RMV SCILLONIAN II at Hugh Town Harbour 1965

I am sat on the bollard next to RMV SCILLONIAN II at Hugh Town Harbour, St Mary's, Isles of Scilly. Photograph was taken on my first visit to the Isles of Scilly taken shortly after the BEA Helicopter service started operations from Penzance. I did not return to Scilly until 1991, though became a regular visitor between 1991 and 2005. I intend to start visiting again in the near future. Camera: Kodak Brownie 127 Mk1

Exploring the remains of the Pentewan Railway - 1969

I am seen here exploring the remains of the Pentewan Railway here in April 1969. There had been an article on the railway in the February 1969 edition of Model Railway News and I asked my father to take me to have a look. The point still worked! The remains present were from the railway's second period of operation when the harbour section had been rebuilt to serve a concrete works. The full line 2ft 6in gauge line to St Austell had closed in 1918. Camera: Brownie 127 mark 3

Lytham Creek Motive Power Museum 1971

Your webmaster aged 11 photographed on the footplate of a 2ft gauge diesel locomotive at the Lytham Creek Motive Power Museum in Lancashire. I am in school uniform as at that time there was school on Saturday mornings to 12:15. My parents would pick me up direct from school and we would go out for the rest of the day. Camera: kodak Brownie 127 Mark 3.

Morwellham Quay - April 07, 1976

Your web master sat on the Manganese Mill grind stone at Morwellham Quay on the River Tamar, West Devon in April 1976. As well as using the Praktica I had not quite finished with the Brownie 127 which can be seen in my hand. this camera being used for prints by this time. Camera: Praktica Nova 1 SLR.