Brian Green, ' a professor of railways' and renowned photographer, dies aged 88
RENOWNED photographer Brian Green, whose images delighted generations of enthusiasts and trainspotters over six decades and who was fondly described by his daughter as a' professor of railways; has died at the age of 88.
Known universally as BKB ( Brian Kenneth Bayliss) Green, London- born Brian became a trainspotter in 1943 when he was living in Enfield, north London, and joined BR as a junior clerk at Liverpool Street in August 1948, shortly after Nationalisation. There he was taken under the wing of Roy Vincent, the Eastern Region's official photographer, which enabled him to take the first steps on a path that led to him becoming a household name in the world of railway photography.
In 1949 Roy took him to King's Cross, where from platform 1 O - the platform revered by enthusiasts as the ideal location for trainspotting in the steam era - they crossed the tracks to the locomotive servicing point, which the public was not allowed access to. That visit, Brian told Heritage Railway in a 2016 interview, was to be his introduction to railway photography.
Later that year he and his family moved to Manchester, where for 10 years he worked in a number of clerical roles at the London Road ( Eastern Region) station and in the station masters' offices at Guide Bridge and Sheffield Victoria, and in Mottram Yard master's office, Wath electric depot, and Penistone electric control room. In 1959 he took up a clerical position at Reddish depot, where he remained until 1976.
During this time he forged a bond with the Manchester to Sheffield Woodhead route, and in his interview he recalled riding through the three- mile Woodhead tunnel on the footplates of A3 No. 60104 So/ ario and Bl No. 61380, the latter occasion being a "dreadful experience" due to the loco's rough riding and the smoke.
He also spoke of travelling on the Woodhead route in the guard's van behind unique LNER Ul Beyer- Garratt No. 69999 in the early- 1950s from Guide Bridge to Woodhead and back after the 178- ton 2- 8- 0+ 0- 8- 2 had been newly out shopped from Gorton following overhaul.
Thanks to his work he was given a lineside track permit covering a wide area, from Manchester to Rugby, and Doncaster to King's Cross, and the East Coast Main Line became his favourite location, particularly in the Grantham and Retford areas. He always had his camera with him, and kept meticulous records of his photographs, even to the extent of often noting which trains locomotives were working.
Saddened by what he felt was a rundown industry, Brian left the railways after a 29- year career in 1977 to work for the Automobile Association, retiring in February 1990, while his lineside photography continued until 2013.
Three years later Brian, by then physically frail but still with a razorsharp mind, sold his collection of 25,000 negatives to another railway photographer, the late Norman Preedy, who described the collection at the time as "without doubt one of the most significant to have come onto the market for some time:'
Judgement and skill
Brian'sy ounger daughter Christine told Heritage Railway." Dada lways opted for the traditional 35mm single lens reflex cameras, and had quite a collection. He swore by them, saying you got better quality and could use your own judgement and skill, which is evident from his own photography success.
"What sticks in my mind about dad so much was his ability to recall numbers and times so incredibly well- it was like he was a' professor of railways: You only had to reel off an engine number and he'd tell you its name, where it was from, when it was built, the main routes it took, and its complete timetable.
"He knew the London Underground like the back of his hand, he would never need a map, and he also knew through his many friends when Network Rail works and repairs were on, which lines to avoid and which services were cut.
"Some years ago my husband Mark and I were driving to Edinburgh on the coastal route, some of which is parallel to the railway line, and a train went by quickly and I noted the number and the time. Dad said it was the 1.01 pm service from Edinburgh to Euston, passing through that particular point at 1.45pm or something - it made total sense at the time:'
Christine also recalled another example of her dad's railway knowledge. "When he couldn't drive any more due to sight loss, I would take him and mum out shopping. About three years ago we were passing Warrington Central station, and we heard a train but couldn't see it as the bridge sides were too high. Dad said: ' That's the Peterborough service that comes through at 12.04pm: I looked at the time and it was 12.04pm - he wouldn't have been able to see that. I was floored!
"We are all going to truly miss him. He's such a loss to us all as a family and to all of his friends, who also have a great passion for the railways and some of whom were life- long friends:'
Brian, who lived in Oakwood, Warrington, died at Warrington Hospital on May 6, leaving a widow, 83- year- old Margaret, to whom he had been married for 61 years, and two daughters, Janet and Christine. He and Margaret met when he was based at Manchester London Road station, where she also worked.
His funeral was held at Walton Lea Crematorium, Warrington, on May 26.