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
The old PLM (Paris-Lyons-Mediterranean), or ‘Ligne Impériale’ as it styled itself, is still very popular among French railway enthusiasts, even those who remember nothing of it. Perhaps this is because of the romantic southern destinations, or perhaps the style of the locomotives, trains and buildings. Here, in a typical scene, a ‘coupe-vent’ compound 4-4-0 hauls an express on the main line around the beginning of the 20th century.
Romance on the Rhine
Oil on canvas 33 x 46 cm
The famous ‘Rheingold’ luxury train of the 20′s and 30′s is seen running majestically along the banks of the Rhine, on its way from Basel to the Hook of Holland. The train, in its distinctive violet-and-cream colours, is pulled by an ex-Bavarian compound Pacific.
Electric energy
Oil on canvas 38 x 46 cm
As an electric storm blows away on the horizon, an SNCF 16000-class ‘BB’ locomotive also creates sparks from its pantograph, negotiating a web of 25,000-volt catenary. The time is the late 1950′s, and the place is a junction on the Nord region. These locomotives, initially used for Paris-Lille expresses, were still in use at the time of writing (2006).
3.628
Oil on canvas 33 x 41 cm
Nord Railway du Bousquet 4-6-0 no. 3.628 waits to leave Paris Gare du Nord in the 1930′s. She is in the beautiful Nord ‘chocolat’ livery and has the large-diameter chimney associated with the Lemaitre exhaust system. At the time of painting, this locomotive was stored in England, and was the subject of an appeal to return it to France.
Meeting on the Cote d’Azur
Oil on canvas 46 x 38 cm
At Villefranche-sur-Mer, two locomotives of the Paris-Lyons-Mediterranee Railway (PLM) meet between the platforms. At left is a 4-8-4 tank locomotive of class 242TA on a stopping train. At right is one of the mighty 4-8-2 ‘Mountains’, with a paraboloid smokebox door, on an express.
The Christmas scarf
Oil on canvas 38 x 46 cm
The driver of a Paris-Orleans express wraps up against the weather on the footplate of his Forquenot 2-4-2 with its polished brass boiler cladding. These locomotives were extremely successful, both in performance and maintenance terms, and hauled main-line trains for around 40 years.
At work
Oil on canvas 50 x 65 cm
…both track inspectors and engine! An ‘H’ class Pacific is admired by railway workers as it passes with a Paris-Le Havre express on a perfect late spring day in the 1950′s. The locomotive’s clean, soft exhaust is a typical manifestation of the efficiency of a French compound.
All out
Oil on canvas 46 x 38 cm
An American-built class 141R 2-8-2 storms up an incline in central France. These post-war two-cylinder locomotives gained a true American-style reputation for getting the job done, and not keeping quiet about it! They were popular with crews and lasted to the end of French steam. Several have been preserved.
The dirt and the glory
Oil on canvas 41 x 51 cm
Two French Pacifics, former competitors, stand in a northern French depot. The one to the left is one of the famous ‘Chapelons Nord’, based on a Paris-Orleans Railway (PO) locomotive. The engine to the right is a rebuilt Paris Lyons Mediterranee Railway (PLM) design. Both worked together on the ‘Region Nord’ almost to the end of steam.
‘The Elizabethan’ comes through
Oil on canvas 25 x 36 cm
With its chime whistle blowing, streamlined class ‘A4′ Pacific no. 60014 ‘Silver Link’ speeds through Retford station in Nottinghamshire in 1958 with the non-stop Edinburgh-London ‘Elizabethan’. This train held the world record for a non-stop run.
Arras ambience
Oil on canvas 46 x 62 cm
Three locomotives of the former Chemin de Fer du Nord stand at the side of the depot at Arras in northern France. The star of the line-up is the Nord 3500 class 4-cylinder compound 4-6-0, reclassified by the SNCF as class 230D, of which Arras depot was the most important user. To the left is an 0-8-0 tank locomotive of class 040TG. In the foreground lies a ‘jalon’, a portable ‘stop’ signal for depot use when locos were not to be moved.
Blaisy beauty
Oil on canvas 38 x 46 cm
A former PLM (Paris-Lyons-Mediterranée) class ‘G’ Pacific storms up Blaisy Bas bank with a train of Wagons-Lits blue Pullman cars. The vineyards in the background speak of the famous produce from this beautiful region.
Montsoult-Maffliers vers 1900
Oil on canvas 38 x 46 cm
A Nord ‘Outrance’ 4-4-0, with typically-British outside frames and inside cylinders, passes the outer suburban station of Montsoult-Maffliers with a northbound train from Paris around 1900. These engines were direct descendents of Archibald Sturrock’s 2-4-0′s of the English Great Northern Railway, and performed express, and later secondary, duties with great success.
Mountain scene
Oil on canvas 46 x 62 cm
The SNCF class 241P 4-8-2 (‘Mountain’) was a post-war class of express locomotives based on the pre-war PLM (Paris-Lyons-Méditerranée) Mountains, redesigned in accordance with Chapelon’s principles. Here, 241P20 rests on-shed somewhere in the Région Ouest (Western Region) in the 1950′s. 241P17 has been rebuilt and is now in working condition.
Black beast
Oil on canvas 46 x 62 cm
A ‘Mountain’ (4-8-2) of the French Eastern Railway piles on the speed on its way from Paris towards the Rhine. This engine is in its original condition, with small smoke-deflectors. This renowned class was 4-cylinder compound, dating originally from 1925 and, as was usual in France, developed and improved over the years.
Cannes ‘Cigare’
Oil on canvas 38 x 46 cm
The prestigious ‘Train Bleu’ pauses at Cannes in the early 1930′s. The engine is a PLM ‘Mountain’ (4-8-2), nicknamed ‘Cigare’ because of its paraboloid-shaped smokebox door. The type was first introduced in 1924. The station depicted here does not exist today – the railway has virtually disappeared underground and a beautiful setting has been lost for ever.
Northern fields
Oil on canvas 33 x 46 cm
A Nord railway ’3500′ class 4-6-0 sprints across the misty fields of Picardy with a short train of teak-bodied coaches of the Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits (International Sleeping-car Company). These engines were one of the great French locomotive classes, and lasted almost to the end of steam.
Down shining rails
Oil on canvas 50 x 62 cm
One of the famous Chapelon Pacifics speeds down the Nord main line during the last stages of its run, about 30 kilometres from Paris. The train is a prestigious ‘rapide’, probably from Calais Maritime, and includes several blue-and-cream CIWL (Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits) Pullman saloons, as well as a container ‘fourgon’ immediately behind the engine. The scene is set in the late 1950′s.
A Pacific passes
Oil on canvas 38 x 46 cm
Under a threatening sky, a PLM (Paris-Lyons-Mediterranean railway) Pacific of the original 1909 series disturbs the peace of the junction station at Moret-les-Sablons, as it passes quickly through with an express on the ‘artère impériale’, the PLM main line to the south.
Tunnel of speed
Oil on canvas 73 x 60 cm
On 28 and 29 March 1955, the French assaulted the world rail speed record. At the time, we were told that Bo-Bo electric BB9004 and Co-Co CC7107 had both achieved 331 kph. Later, it emerged that CC7107 had ‘only’ reached around 325 kph and that the ‘little deception’ was so that the CC’s maker was not given an unfair market advantage over the BB’s. Never mind, CC7107 was first off the mark and here she is, tearing down straight track through the arches formed by the Midi Company’s famous ‘ogive’ catenary supports.
Autumn in summer
Oil on canvas 54 x 73 cm
Towards the end of its relatively short life, an SNCF streamlined 4-6-4 of class 232S speeds through the northern French countryside. These locomotives, conceived by engineer Marc de Caso of the Nord railway and built during the Second World War, were 4-cylinder compounds. The last was withdrawn in 1962.
Au revoir, Paris
Oil on canvas 65 x 92 cm
One of the famous ‘Chapelon Nord’ Pacifics says a temporary goodbye to the Gare du Nord, departing for Calais in the late 1950′s. These locomotives were originally delivered as Chapelon’s rebuilds of early PO (Paris-Orléans railway) Pacifics, but were so successful that further examples were built new to precisely the same design. The original PO influence is particularly present in the form of the cab, and in many other details. The tender is pure Nord.
Ancient and modern
Oil on canvas 46 x 38 cm
From the locomotive built in 1907 but streamlined in 1935, to the semaphore signals yet up-to-date track, this picture of the PLM’s ‘Train Aerodynamique’ is one of contrasts. The streamlined casing, apart from theoretically saving precious horsepower, was evidently effective in lifting exhaust clear of the train, just like that of the British ‘A4′ Pacifics. The run from Paris to Lyon (512km) was achieved in 5 hours, when the norm for the period was between 7 and 8.
Red racer
Oil on canvas 54 x 73 cm
The three class ’05′ 4-6-4′s of the German State Railways were built in 1935 for high-speed services. Two were conventional 3-cylinder simples, the other being a cab-forward version for burning pulverised fuel. Number 05 002 achieved a speed of 200.4 kph on the level in May 1936, then a world record. On another occasion, a speed of 189 kph was maintained for 42 km. 05 002 is seen here in service between Hamburg and Berlin.
An everyday scene
Oil on canvas 16 x 22 cm
Retford station, East Coast main line, around 1958. A Gresley ‘K3′ class 2-6-0 chugs slowly through the up platform line with a mineral train. This happened several times a day, but the scene has vanished now. The line is electrified and the platform from which the view is taken has been demolished. There are no ‘K3′s any more!
Côtes du Rhône
Oil on canvas 65 x 92 cm
Speeding majestically along the banks of the Rhône between Lyon and the Mediterranean, an SNCF class 241P 4-8-2 ‘Mountain’ is captured hauling the famous ‘Mistral’ from Paris to Marseilles. The 241P was the last class of steam locomotive to be built in France, 35 being constructed in 1948-49 by Schneider at le Creusot. At the time of writing, 241 P 17 is maintained in working order at le Creusot.
Fire, steam and speed
Oil on canvas 54 x 73 cm
The elemental nature of the steam locomotive is demonstrated by its dramatic appearance by night, and even more so at speed. Here, an ex-PLM pacific of the rebuilt ‘K’ series, coupled to a Nord bogie tender, flashes by as the driver stares intently at the road ahead and the fireman responds to the appetite of their mount.
Chapelon’s ‘Grande Dame’ at Lannion
65 x 130 cm
The star of this large painting is André Chapelon’s masterpiece, the 242A1 of 1949, which was the most powerful steam engine ever built in Europe, and the most efficient. At the request of the client, it is shown in black livery at Lannion station in Brittany, with a train of Wagons-Lits coaches.
Autumn of life
Oil on canvas 33 x 46 cm
SNCF ex-Nord Railway Du Bousquet 4-6-0 no. 230D116 crosses the viaduct of ‘La Reine Blanche’ at Chantilly, with a train of Nord side-door carriages in the 1950′s, late in its long working life. This locomotive was recently repatriated from England, where it spent many years, having been saved from scrapping by three British enthusiasts. It now resides at the Ajecta site at Longueville, where it will be restored to working order.
Swan song
Oil on canvas 65 x 92 cm
Marc de Caso, designer of the 232U1 pictured here, likened the decorative metalwork on his engine to a stylized bird, in fact a ‘chant du cygne’ – swan song. There could have been no more appropriate epithet for this locomotive, which was one of the final high points of French steam. She was built in 1949 as a one-off, and is seen here leaving the Gare du Nord on an international express.
Lost at sea
Oil on canvas 100 x 100 cm
On 14 April 1947, the Norwegian cargo ship SS ‘Belpamela’ sank in a storm in the North Atlantic. Her cargo was 17 steam locomotives of class 141R, manufactured in the USA for the French railways to replace locomotives destroyed in the Second World War. Here, 141R1234, or her ghost, is ‘lost at sea’, condemned to drift on a turntable without exit, while the ‘Belpamela’, or her ghost, steams by on the horizon.
I belong to Dan Jacobsen’s group of ‘Maxiréalistes’, and this large painting was done to be shown in their space at the annual ‘Art en Capital’ salon in Paris in November 2009. ‘Art en Capital’, which comprises five individual salons, is the largest art event in France, and takes place in the spectacular Grand Palais in the Champs Elysées.
How it used to be
Oil on canvas 33 x 41 cm
This painting was commissioned by the grandson of the couple in the foreground. His father is the baby in arms. Apart from being a reminder of one family’s past, the picture depicts a scene that was once common in France, with a small tank locomotive and its train on a narrow-gauge secondary line (‘chemin de fer économique’). The platforms are beaten earth, the buildings are standardised and the arrival of the train is an event in the day. Mareuil-sur-Arnon is in the Cher region.
Homage to Bugatti
Oil on canvas 81 x 65 cm
The Bugatti ‘Tank’ racing car of 1923 was an early attempt at aerodynamics which, although a pioneer, was not a great success. However, its form was applied to the nose of the famous Bugatti railcars. In 1935, strongly influenced by these railcars, Sir Nigel Gresley, Chief Mechanical Engineer of the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER), launched his A4 Pacific class. One of these 35 locomotives, the ‘Mallard’, gained the world speed record for steam of 126 miles per hour. The pioneer and the record-breaker are pictured in an imaginary race.
This painting was commissioned as the poster for ‘Retromobile’, the annual international classic car show in Paris, in 2010.
Mikado moment
Oil on canvas 46 x 33 cm
Preserved 141R class 2-8-2 no 141R840, with its distinctive yellow footplate edging, hauls the train that belongs to its owning association (AAATV CVL) through a typical landscape in the centre of France. The locomotive is based at Les Aubrais and regularly hauls special trains. The painting was commissioned by a member of the association.
‘La Divine’ and ‘La Déesse’
Oil on canvas 60 x 81 cm
One of the last French steam locomotives, the iconic streamlined 4-6-4 no 232U1 known as ‘La Divine’, is paced by another wheeled icon of French style, a Citroën DS. ‘DS’ is pronounced ‘Déesse’ in French, which means ‘goddess’. Apart from his invisible exhaust, the DS driver is adding his pipe smoke to the evocative, odourous output of the locomotive.
Eastern workhorse
Oil on canvas 73 x 54 cm
These massive 2-10-0′s of the Chemin de Fer de l’Est were constructed from 1926, and were heavily influenced by earlier German designs. Here, number 150-041 is prepared for her next duty at a depot in the east of France. In the background is a 140C 2-8-0, many of which were constructed by North British in Glasgow
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.
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
A Chapelon-modified Pacific of the Paris-Orleans Railway (PO) speeds south with an express. The locomotive is in the ‘artillery grey’ livery of the PO. This is one of the second series of rebuilds by André Chapelon of the original PO Pacifics, which were the most powerful of their type in France, distinguishable by their sloping footplate front and large sand domes. This painting won the Prix Schefer in Paris in 2004.
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.
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.