Peintre du Rail
Prêt a partir pour St Tropez
Oil on canvas 46 x 33 cm
L'ancien service de navette entre Cogolin et St Tropez se prépare à quitter la gare de Cogolin. Ce site est maintenant occupé par un bâtiment de bureau de poste très laid et ordinaire, et la ligne a disparu, bien sûr. Moins de 10 km de long, il fournissait un service local essentiel pendant pas plus de cinquante ans.Northern Beauty
Oil on canvas 55 x 38 cm
Orange juice
Oil on canvas 22 x 16 cm
What is it about nostalgia? Why is it that things of the past are often more interesting than things of the present? Indeed, there are many people who think that the original TGV orange livery was more lively and attractive than the bland blue-and-grey, or the new carmine-and-grey. This train is shown in the Rhône valley near Donzères. The painting is based on a photograph by Philippe Morel.PLM paradise
Oil on canvas 38 x 46 cm
Romance on the Rhine
Oil on canvas 33 x 46 cm
Electric energy
Oil on canvas 38 x 46 cm
3.628
Oil on canvas 33 x 41 cm
Meeting on the Cote d’Azur
Oil on canvas 46 x 38 cm
The Christmas scarf
Oil on canvas 38 x 46 cm
At work
Oil on canvas 50 x 65 cm
All out
Oil on canvas 46 x 38 cm
The dirt and the glory
Oil on canvas 41 x 51 cm
‘The Elizabethan’ comes through
Oil on canvas 25 x 36 cm
Arras ambience
Oil on canvas 46 x 62 cm
Blaisy beauty
Oil on canvas 38 x 46 cm
Montsoult-Maffliers vers 1900
Oil on canvas 38 x 46 cm
Mountain scene
Oil on canvas 46 x 62 cm
Black beast
Oil on canvas 46 x 62 cm
Cannes ‘Cigare’
Oil on canvas 38 x 46 cm
Northern fields
Oil on canvas 33 x 46 cm
Down shining rails
Oil on canvas 50 x 62 cm
A Pacific passes
Oil on canvas 38 x 46 cm
Tunnel of speed
Oil on canvas 73 x 60 cm
Autumn in summer
Oil on canvas 54 x 73 cm
Au revoir, Paris
Oil on canvas 65 x 92 cm
Ancient and modern
Oil on canvas 46 x 38 cm
Red racer
Oil on canvas 54 x 73 cm
An everyday scene
Oil on canvas 16 x 22 cm
Côtes du Rhône
Oil on canvas 65 x 92 cm
Fire, steam and speed
Oil on canvas 54 x 73 cm
Chapelon’s ‘Grande Dame’ at Lannion
65 x 130 cm
Autumn of life
Oil on canvas 33 x 46 cm
Swan song
Oil on canvas 65 x 92 cm
Lost at sea
Oil on canvas 100 x 100 cm
How it used to be
Oil on canvas 33 x 41 cm
Homage to Bugatti
Oil on canvas 81 x 65 cm
Mikado moment
Oil on canvas 46 x 33 cm
‘La Divine’ and ‘La Déesse’
Oil on canvas 60 x 81 cm
Eastern workhorse
Oil on canvas 73 x 54 cm
New York Bronzes
Oil on canvas
These two very large paintings were done as originals for two bronze bas-relief panels in a landmark New York building. The building is the former Helmsley Building (now called simply 230 Park Avenue) at the top of Park Avenue over Grand Central Terminal. It was built as the head office of the New York Central Railroad in the 1920′s and is a listed art-deco monument. It was refurbished between 2004 and 2010 by developers Monday Properties, working with architects BBB. The bronzes replace former directory panels in listed frames in the bronze-and-marble foyer. Using the paintings as a base, the bronzes were modelled by Excalibur Bronze of Brooklyn, being lost wax castings in the traditional method. They measure approximately 4.5 by 2.2 metres. The scenes depict the Dreyfus-designed 20th-Century Limited streamlined train hauled by a Hudson locomotive, with an allegorical background including the 230 Park Avenue building and a New York skyline. The originals hang in the boardroom of the developers. [caption id="attachment_236" align="aligncenter" width="369"] One of the two bronze bas-reliefs which flank the entrance lobby.[/caption]Ego trip
Oil on canvas 100 x 100 cm
French-born American industrial design pioneer Raymond Loewy has the right to feel self-satisfied. He influenced the design of both car and locomotive. He sits at the wheel of a 1951 Studebaker Commander Regal Deluxe Convertible, while pacing a Pennsylvania Railroad T1 Duplex, this magnificent steam locomotive being by then near the end of its career.To the north
Oil on canvas 45 x 90 cm
In its distinctive chocolate livery, Chapelon Pacific number 3.1197 forges its way along the Nord main line from Paris towards Belgium. This locomotive was one of the series built new in 1936 for the Chemin de Fer du Nord, after the first series of locomotives of 1934, which were rebuilds of former PO (Paris-Orléans) Pacifics. The class totalled 48 machines and they were extremely successful in service. Locomotive number 3.1192 is preserved at the Cité du Train at Mulhouse.Speed in Green
Oil on canvas 33 x 55 cm
The great W.O. Bentley’s first ambition was to be a locomotive engineer, and he was thus apprenticed to H.N. Gresley at the Doncaster works of the Great Northern Railway. However, his love of speed and competition was better satisfied on road and racing track. Here, we see a classic Bentley tourer of the 1920′s in a duel with Gresley’s ‘Cock o’ the North’ of 1934, a ‘Mikado’ locomotive built at Doncaster for service in Scotland.Sunrise and Sunset
Oil on canvas 50 x 100 cm
It will soon be sunrise over the large steam shed at Exmouth Junction in the west of England. However, it will soon be sunset for the rebuilt “Merchant Navy” class locomotive number 35020 “Bibby Line”. Built in 1945 and rebuilt in 1956, she was withdrawn from service in 1965 – a short life for a magnificent locomotive.French Grace
Oil on canvas 73 x 100 cm
A Citroën Traction 11BL crosses the Viaduc de Millau – one of the most beautiful and technically advanced cars of its time on one of the most beautiful and technically advanced bridges of our time. The bridge is the world’s highest. The slight conundrum is that the outer appearance of the car was designed by an Italian, and that of the bridge by an Englishman. No matter: both were brought to reality by French engineers.Mediterranean excursions
Oil on canvas 54 x 73 cm
Sometime around 1930, a Citroën light bus, a motorcycle, an Hispano-Suiza, a PLM Pacific and a sailing boat are all rushing about their business along the beautiful Mediterranean coast in the South of France. The bus has its passengers’ cycles strapped to the roof, and the lady in the car has taken her lap-dog along for the ride. No doubt, everyone is enjoying the wonderful views over the sea. The tracks of the former tramway are still in the roadway, although the overhead masts and wires have disappeared.The Golden Arrow 1926
Oil on canvas 54 x 73 cm
The Golden Arrow was two trains – one carrying passengers from London to the Channel, and the other onwards from Calais to Paris. The inaugural French service was in 1926, and here we see a Nord SuperPacific of the first series in chocolate livery, with a beautiful matching train in chocolate-and-cream. Note the classic container truck for large amounts of luggage.The Michelines
Oil on canvas 46 x 38 cm
The term “Micheline” refers to a railcar running on rubber-tyred wheels, although in France conventional railcars are also often referred to using the same name. There were many varieties of Micheline, and a few were even exported to Britain. In the picture, one of the first types is on the right, and a later variant (now in the museum at Mulhouse) stands on the left. The original painting is now in the collection of the Michelin museum at Clermont Ferrand.For the price of a train ticket
Oil on canvas 90 x 90 cm
The famous French writer Albert Camus intended to return to Paris from his country house by train, and had bought his ticket. However, his publisher, Michel Gallimard, persuaded him to accept a lift in his Facel-Vega FV3B. After lunch, on 6 January 1960, the car collided with a tree on the RN5 between Sens and Fontainebleau. Camus and Gallimard were both killed, but Gallimard’s wife and daughter-in-law survived.Midland memory
Oil on canvas 54 x 73 cm
And this scene is really only a memory, because all of the railway has disappeared, except for the viaducts which still stand – one out of use entirely, the other used by walkers. This is the Midland Railway station at Millers Dale, between Derby and Manchester. One of the most scenic routes in Britain, the line was closed in the 1960s. The two trains are in the beautiful Midland Red livery.Belle époque
Oil on canvas 38 x 46 cm
The belle époche – the beautiful era – refers to the height of French splendour in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. At that time, France had a dense web of narrow-gauge secondary railways, one of the most scenic being the Sud-France, along the Côte d’Azur between Toulon and Fréjus. This train is entering the station of La Croix, today’s settlement being known as La Croix Valmer. The station site is now covered by modern developments.Chapelon’s dream
Oil on canvas 54 x 73 cm
The great French steam engineer André Chapelon produced diagrams for a range of modern steam locomotives of various wheel arrangements to cater for all SNCF traction needs after World War 2. Only the 2-10-4 got as far as detailed drawings. Using these, and other sources of reference, I produced this painting of the projected 4-8-4 and one can clearly see the combination of French and American practice visually expressed. What a locomotive this would have been!Yellowstones
Oil on canvas 60 x 120 cm
The Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range Railway was exclusively a mineral line in Minnesota USA, with trains of iron ore descending laden to the port of Two Harbors on Lake Superior, and returning empty. Between 1941 and 1943, the DMIRR took delivery of 18 enormous Mallet simples of 2-8-8-4 wheel arrangement. Two of these monsters, among the largest of their type, are seen meeting at a passing loop in the night.A rare bird
Oil on canvas 54 x 73 cm
The 240Ps were rebuilds of old PO Pacifics, created by the brilliant mind of André Chapelon. They were his masterpiece. In terms of efficiency and power per ton, they were unequalled in the world. Introduced during the war, and increasingly chased into the far corners by the spread of electrification, they never had the chance to be used to the full extent of their capabilities – nor to be frequently photographed. All were gone by 1953.Venice by train
Oil on canvas 100 x 100 cm
You can arrive in Venice by train, but not on the Grand Canal itself! This fantasy was created for the annual Autumn Salon at the Grand Palais in Paris. The occupants of the mythical carriage are enjoying not only the view, but also a Bellini, the classic Venetian aperitif. They have been tempted to come by the brochure, which strangely displays the same scene…Through the suburbs
Oil on canvas 16 x 22 cm
Having left the Gare St Lazare some five minutes earlier, our train now passes through the Parisian western suburbs, with a spider’s web of electric wiring and catenary silhouetted against the sky, and all the typical clutter that so fascinates the railway enthusiast.Jumbo jet
Oil on canvas 16 x 22 cm
The “Precedent” class of the London and North Western Railway (LNWR) were nicknamed “Jumbo” – strange for such small locomotives. Amongst other things, they were known for their free-running capabilities. Here we see No.5036 in the red livery of the London Midland and Scottish Railway (which absorbed the LNWR in 1923) doing what came naturally to her!Pennsy power
Oil on canvas 73 x 60 cm
The story of the Duplex locomotives of the Pennsylvania Railroad is not the happiest, with these complicated engines of classes S1, T1, Q1 and Q2 arriving right at the end of steam development. Only ten years passed between the first delivery of twenty-six Q2s, and the withdrawal of the last from service. The painting shows one of these magnificent machines doing the job she was designed for – pulling a heavy freight up a long hill.The colour of Le Capitole
Oil on canvas 16 x 22 cm
The “Capitole” ran between Paris and Toulouse between 1960 and 1990. From 1967, it became the first train in France authorised to run at 200kph (125mph) over certain sections of the route. To mark this distinction, locomotive and coaches were painted in an attractive red livery. The painting shows a class BB9200 electric locomotive pulling its matching train.Flashed in the night
Oil on canvas 54 x 81 cm
Light reflects off the sides of a speeding “Mountain” of the Chemin de Fer de l’Est. These handsome 4-8-2s, introduced in 1925, had a mixed reputation. Although their haulage capability was never in question, they were suspected of being hard on the track, and they suffered several derailments. They were subsequently permanently limited to 110kph, but had long careers, the last being withdrawn in 1967.Atmosphere “Nord”
Oil on canvas 70 x 140 cm
An evocation of the atmosphere at the Gare du Nord in Paris in the late 1950s, before electrification. In the centre, at the head of an international express, stands 232R2, a 3-cylinder simple 4-6-4. In the background waits a 141TC, a member of a numerous class of 2-cylinder 2-8-2 tank locomotives for suburban services, while on the right a 230D, a 4-cylinder compound 4-6-0, prepares to leave with a ‘rapide’ for the north.Speed in grey
Oil on canvas 41 x 51 cm
Elburg
Oil on canvas 60 x 120 cm
Elburg is a small, walled, medieval town in the south of Holland. It is frequented by tourists, but nothing in its centre would lead them to believe that a standard-gauge tramway once penetrated its ancient walls. My view shows the depot, which was situated just outside the town – the church is visible through the trees – and whose buildings are now used as a supermarket. Everything else has gone, but Elburg is still a beautiful place.Toulon train
Oil on canvas 16 x 22 cm
Toulon is now my home town, so I have become interested in its history. As far as the station goes, surprisingly little has changed since this picture. Yes, steam has gone, along with the station’s overall roof. But the buildings on the left remain, while the station itself has just been renovated, removing architectural horrors that were added in the 1980s, with the result that the frontage looks more like the original than it has done for years! The glorious blue sky is still typical.Dream team
Oil on canvas 65 x 81 cm
The British A1 Steam association completed the new-build Pacific “Tornado” in 2008, and it has been running successfully on British main lines since then. They are now building a second locomotive, a “Mikado” from 1934. Due to be completed in 2021, it is seen here running alongside “Tornado”. For more information on this extraordinary project, visit a1steam.com.Fast tracks
Oil on canvas 38 x 46 cm
On a straight track, the TGV would win, but add in some sinuous curves, and the Porsche would have the better chance. Here, one of the original orange-painted TGV rakes runs alongside a Porsche 911 3.2 “Jubilee” from 1988. One is tempted to say that here is a real TGV with a real Porsche!Waiting and dreaming
Oil on canvas 16 x 22 cm
I wonder how much time I have spent just looking at empty railway tracks, sometimes waiting for a train, but often just looking and contemplating. And wondering what has passed over those tracks since they were laid down. A very pleasant occupation.Rocherolles
Oil on canvas 38 x 46 cm
A Chapelon 4-8-0 of the PO series passes over the Viaduc de Rocherolles in the late 1930’s, with a train of mostly OCEM stock. These locomotives were the predecessors of the SNCF 240P’s, and are considered, along with those machines, to be Chapelon’s masterpieces. None survived into preservation. In the picture, I have cheated slightly by leaving out the catenary on the viaduct.My station back then
Oil on canvas 54 x 73 cm
Woincourt was the production centre for fine French taps and fittings, and is on the Nord line between Abbeville and Le Tréport. A Nord “3500” class 4-6-0 in its SNCF guise as a class 230D, enters the station under the watch of a typical, huge Lartigue semaphore signal. The engine has the later, large-diameter chimney with Lemaître exhaust.Precision
Oil on canvas 16 x 22 cm
This is the central focus of the outside Walschaerts valve gear of the Chapelon Pacific Nord in the French national railway museum (“Cité du Train”) at Mulhouse. In my opinion, this valve gear is visually the most fascinating and satisfying.“Le Capitole” at Limoges
Oil on canvas 60 x 81 cm
The first train to run at 125 mph (200 kph) in Europe was “Le Capitole” between Paris and Toulouse in 1967. It was given a distinctive red-and-grey livery. This picture represents the Toulouse-Paris service making its call at Limoges, a grand station building erected in the 1920’s. In the background is the ghost of a Forquenot 2-4-2, a type which performed with great distinction over this line for more than 40 years.A King in Devon
Oil on canvas 27 x 41 cm
One of the most picturesque lines in England is the coastal section between Starcross and Teignmouth, which was breached by the sea in 2014, and since repaired. Here, we imagine ourselves to be a sea bird, able to follow the train from just out to sea! The locomotive is the preserved “King” class no. 6000 “King George V”, the pride of the Great Western Railway.A P.O. in Nord dress
Oil on canvas 16 x 22 cm
A classic “Chapelon Nord”, a class that was based on early Pacifics of the Paris-Orléans Railway (PO), speeds by, resplendent in the Nord Railway “chocolate” livery. These locomotives were the result of the spectacular rebuilding of the PO originals by André Chapelon. The Nord ordered a number of rebuilds, and then ordered a further series, identical but newly built, from private builders.BB67000 at Toulon
Oil on canvas 16 x 22 cm
One of the most successful French diesel locomotives pays a call at Toulon in the 1970’s. With its train, it has just run along the Côte d’Azur between Nice and Fréjus, and then crossed the inland section of the PLM main line over the Massif des Maures. It is now destined for Marseille. Toulon station still has its overall roof, which was later demolished.Restored, and newly built
Oil on canvas 73 x 100 cm
Six locomotives in England, four of them restored to running order, one newly built from scratch, and one being built. The new locomotive is no. 60163 “Tornado”, which has been running on main lines since 2008. The locomotive being built is no. 2007 “Prince of Wales”, on the left. The other locomotives are two A4 Pacifics, an N2 tank locomotive, and a V2 2-6-2. This picture represents a vibrant steam scene in the UK. For an impressive description of no.2007, see www.p2steam.com Simply magnificent.Efficiency with emotion
Oil on canvas 60 x 81 cm
Chapelon’s most impressive and efficient rebuild was the class 240P. Here, one of the class leaves the Gare de Lyon with a night train for the south. Rebuilt from Paris-Orléans Railway Pacifics, these were the world’s most efficient steam locomotives in terms of power-to-weight ratio. For many, they were also the most beautiful French locomotives, with a dynamic, yet solid, appearance.Ambiance PLM
My clients wanted a typical PLM scene, with certain elements to be included – the 4-8-4 tank locomotive starting off, a level crossing, vintage vehicles, a vegetable plot. The scene is thus fabricated. The “Picasso” railcar was added by me at the last minute to balance the composition.Gare de Caux
Oil on canvas 81 x 100 cm
This is a large picture, commissioned by the Baron de Caux, to recall the glory days of ‘his’ station in the Hérault. Trains run no more, but the station buildings still exist. The train in the picture is a Midi 4-6-0, and behind are seen (among others) the Baron, his wife, their two dogs and two Percheron horses.Superlative!
Oil on canvas 81 x 100 cm
Transformed by André Chapelon into Europe’s most powerful locomotive from a disgraceful Etat 4-8-2, the 242A1 remained the only 4-8-4 in France. A 3-cylinder compound incorporating much American detailing, it proved itself conclusively in trials, so it was scrapped! The SNCF didn’t want steam to put up performances superior to electric traction of the time, so 242A1, a world heritage object, was cut up. Sad.This painting is for sale. Please contact me for details.
Beating the Mistral
Oil on canvas 16 x 22 cm
A former PLM Pacific streaks up the Rhône valley towards Paris, making good progress against the famous wind that blows down from the Alps towards the Mediterranean.Reductio ad Absurdum
Oil on canvas 46 x 61 cm
My wife found an old JEP train-set in its original box in a local market. Seeing the inscription “Real Trains, reduced in size” on the label, I thought it might be interesting to test the claim by putting an enlarged model in a real situation. You can form your own conclusions here, but I think the models are remarkable for their time.This painting is for sale. Please contact me for details.
Galeries Lafayette
Oil on canvas 22 x 16 cm
Before the war, large advertising panel surmounted one of the trainsheds of the Gare St Lazare. It wasn’t there in Monet’s day, of course, but I found a hazy old photo of it, with a Pacific starting a train for the west. I had to guess at the colours, so I chose the patriotic option.This painting is for sale. Please contact me for details.
Arrival at La Croix
Oil on canvas 33 x 46 cm
I continue to be fascinated by the now-closed (1951) coastal metre-gauge line from Toulon to Fréjus. It’s a real shame that one can only now imagine the atmosphere and spectacular sea views from that train. After calling at La Croix (the little town is now called La Croix Valmer) the train would plunge into a tunnel, one of several on the line, on its way towards Fréjus.Big Diesel
Oil on canvas 16 x 22 cm
Simple but sturdy
Oil on canvas 16 x 22 cm
Intricate movements
Oil on canvas 22 x 16 cm
By a peaceful canal
Oil on canvas 46 x 33 cm
Manchester departure
Oil on canvas 81 x 60 cm
Evening Star
Oil on canvas 92 x 65 cm
Snow train
Oil on canvas 22 x 16 cm
Cavalcades at Cavalaire
Oil on canvas 46 x 33 cm
Eccentric
Oil on canvas 22 x 16 cm
Nord style
Oil on canvas 46 x 33 cm
Le Mans
A daily scene at the station at Le Mans, “the great staging post for the west”, with a beautiful 2D2 electric locomotive at the head of a train for Paris St Lazare. In the background is a red railcar. These were nicknamed “Formula 1” for their accelerative ability. In effect, they served as feeder services from branch lines into principal stations like Le Mans.Pennsy puissance
What a loco the T1 was! Cruising at 100mph with 1,000 tons on the hook! They were far from perfect, they slipped at speed, they broke their valves, BUT what a dramatic look and an enormous impression of power. Steam was on the wane when they were built, but what a way to go out! They were magnificent, but the diesels were all-conquering and there was nowhere for the T1 to go from there.Le Rayol – Canadel
I must admit to being rather obsessed in imagining the narrow-gauge line that ran from Toulon to Fréjus, until it was closed in 1951. Whenever we drive along the coast East from Toulon, we see remnants of the line, the main one being the cycle path that is a close companion to the road. What a benefit that line would be now, with road traffic at unheard-of levels, and major delays during the summer months. Too late now.Pittsburgh scenery
This is a very large painting of an industrial scene in Pennsylvania, including the Monongahela River, the Edgar Thomson steelworks, the Pennsylvania Railroad main line and a magnificent steel girder bridge. Such was the powerhouse of the USA in those distant days before airplanes and consumer electronics conquered all. Polluted, indeed, but in an obvious way rather than the insidious pollution of the 21st century.Gotthard ambience
Around the turn of the 19th/20th centuries, two locomotives of the Swiss Gotthardbahn struggle over the Rohrbach bridge, one of an incredible total of over 1,000 bridges on the railway. This arch bridge, one of a small number of such out of the total, was replaced by an enclosed concrete structure in 1985.Paris-Orléans triumphant!
Two classes of locomotive rebuilt by André Chapelon from Paris-Orléans Pacifics of the early years of the 20th century. On the left, still as a Pacific (4-6-2) is a 231H, which was the most powerful French Pacific and, on the right, is a 241A, a Pacific rebuilt as a 4-8-0. This latter is regarded as Chapelon’s masterpiece. In relation to its size, it was the world’s most powerful locomotive, with an effiency that no other could match.An ”R” in the south
The American-built class 141R was imported into France after the second world war to assist in the country’s recovery. Being of simple and robust construction, it outlasted most native classes. On certain lines, notably along the Côte d’Azur between Marseille and Nice, these locomotives enjoyed a near-monopoly, most of them being oil-fired, which reduced the risk of forest fires.Belgian beauty
The Belgian streamlined Class 12 steam locomotive has become a cult image, partly thanks to the strip cartoons of François Schuiten. A most unusual mechanical design, featuring two inside cylinders with outside valve gear, this was complemented by an equally unusual and striking exterior. For a time in the 1930’s, the class hauled the fastest timetabled train in the world, between Brussels and Ostende.Dieppe : a lost world
The port of Dieppe was the arrival and departure point for a generation of travellers who crossed the Channel. There are still cross-Channel ferries, of course, but the “Gare Maritime” outlived its usefulness and was demolished in 1995, a year after rail/ferry services were discontinued. Scenes like this are now history.The Lumières at La Ciotat
The Lumières brothers were the worldwide pioneers of cinema, projecting their famous film of the arrival of a train at La Ciotat, in 1895. Audience reactions varied from fascination to fear. But we do not see the brothers in the film, as they were, naturally, behind the camera. For the first time, we now see them at work, making history in the Mediterranean sunshine.Links
This large painting features just a small part of the motion on an Austrian railways Golsdorf 4-cylinder compound 2-6-4. The directness, at the same time complicated and simple, of the many links – levers, cranks, bearings and so on – express their functions through their shapes, materials and relationships. The beauty of a steam locomotive is largely a function of this powerful transparency.Majestic monster
The “Alleghenies” of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad were probably the largest steam locomotives ever constructed – or were they? They were certainly the heaviest, but the Union Pacific “Big Boy” was of an equal overall size. The wheel arrangement of the Alleghenies was 2-6-6-6, which included a very unusual 6-wheel trailing truck to support the enormous firebox. The size of the boiler made it impossible to position the pumps on the side of the locomotive, hence their presence on the front of the smokebox. What a monster!Trains and Me
Steam locomotives are my passion. To me, no other machine expresses elemental power in such an emotive, impressive fashion. And with what style and variety. British, French, American or German locomotives – and others – all had individual aesthetic appeal, born of their different national cultures and technical developments.
I was born in 1946, and was 22 when the last steam locomotives ran in regular service in Britain. So I remember the glorious phenomenon that was the steam railway. And at the centre of it all were the engines, by then not always so clean any more, but still giving voice to their working, and fascinating all who fell under their spell.
From an early age, I felt the need to express my affection for steam engines, and consequently drew and painted them ceaselessly. At 16, a couple of my paintings were published in the ‘Model Railway News’ and I received a small number of commissions. One of my pictures from that time – an LNER A1 Pacific – is shown above. But then cars and girls took over, along with a career as a graphic designer and image consultant. I was a partner in a practice that worked for the London Underground, British Rail and Eurostar (among others), but I kept my secret passion just that – secret.
Early retirement and a move to France gave me the opportunity to pick up where I left off. Soon after arriving here, I won the prestigious Prix Schefer and, along with it, an appreciative audience. I have been featured in the magazines ‘Correspondances Ferroviaires’, ‘La Vie du Rail’ and ‘Objectif Rail’. A section was devoted to my work in Clive Lamming’s ‘Trains de Légende’ encyclopaedia published by Atlas in 2008. I was awarded the ‘Prix du Salon’ in 2007 at the ‘Salon du Printemps’, Dourdan and have exhibited at the Salon de Chartres, Rosny Rail (Paris), Noyelles-sur-Mer and at Cogolin, near St Tropez. Two of my paintings formed part of the exhibition ‘Un siècle Pacific’ at the Cité du Train (French National Railway Museum) in Mulhouse during 2008. In the same year, I was invited to exhibit at the annual autumn ‘salon’ in the Grand Palais, Paris, as part of the Group ‘Maxiréalisme’, led by Dan Jacobson. I have exhibited there every year since then. In 2011, the ‘Cité du Train’ mounted an exhibition of my work, which included around 30 paintings. This coincided with the publication of my book (see above) by LR Presse.
I now produce 85% of my work to order, so in a sense the choice of subject is no longer my own. However, I do get chance to persuade clients to accept some of my preferences!
In my pictures, I try to express action and moods, with the engines generally the most prominent elements. Proportions and details I make fairly accurate, but paintings are not photographs and I aim to preserve that magical quality whereby a lively brush-stroke can be seen as something real. In other words, the imagination of the viewer does some of the work and, thereby, becomes involved in the picture.
Most of the pictures are of French scenes, some British and I would love to paint trains of other countries as well. I have also painted electric locomotives (which are not locomotives in a literal sense, of course), and cars.
But my first love is steam, and I hope you find this emotion expressed through some of the images on this website.