Monthly Archives: December 2017

The French photographer, Robert Doisneau, has taken lots of pictures of the French railways…some of these were official, others were more informal. This is an image of holidaymakers in la France profonde, circa 1940 it turns out. I was amazed … Continue reading →

It’s been great to look at historic images of the people who ran the railways… There are lots of photo images. You can imagine how delighted I was to discover that Salgado had been invited to document the life of … Continue reading →

The French have a long tradition of coloured paper cut-out models…this story begins with paper figures associated with the playhouse and with the battlefield… I posted before about these kinds of images, here http://paulrennie.rennart.co.uk/post/122765079235/napoleon-illustrated-again  

Another lovely picture of tracks, buildings and people…this time from Switzerland.

I like these coloured prints of provincial railway stations and seaside views. Usually, they are black-and-white albumen prints with hand-colouring added, through a pochoire stencil. The French were very good at producing these kinds of images. The combination of colour … Continue reading →

Ages agi, I posted about the way that modernist architects have tried to satck the railway station platforms above and beneath the ground. This makes for a better footprint, Here is a picture of Limoges stato in France. I know … Continue reading →

Lovely speedy artwork…

I love the photographs of all the people, from top to bottom, who help run the railway. The railway system, in its mechanical form, quickly became a very large employer…and, from the early days nwards, photographs recorded every aspect of … Continue reading →

Pinhole brakeman…very 1960s vintage looking. Lovely.