Media centre

Monday 10 Nov 2014

Birds' eye view of London Bridge tracks lead to national photography competition win

Region & Route:

National

A striking black and white aerial image looking down onto people boarding and alighting trains at London Bridge station, which is undergoing one of Britain's biggest station redevelopments, has won the Network Rail Lines in the Landscape Award at this year’s Take a View’s Landscape Photographer of the Year competition.

The winning photograph was captured by Stephen Bright from Hook in Hampshire. His entry was judged the best of around 500 photographs that capture Britain’s extensive rail network and its relationship with our landscape.

Commenting on the winning image, competition founder and renowned landscape photographer Charlie Waite said: “Although Britain is home to the oldest railways in the world, the rail network continues to evolve and improve and stations such as King's Cross and St Pancras have become stunning visitor attractions in their own right. The changes that are currently occurring at London Bridge are impressive in their scale and a traveller coming through the station for the first time in five years would undoubtedly wonder if they were in the same place.

“Stephen’s picture, looking down on the London Bridge platforms gives the idea of a vast train set transporting the many little figures back to their homes and families. The trains are modern but the monotone treatment of the image harks back to times past and reminds us how long railways have been an important part of British life."

David Biggs, managing director of property at Network Rail, said: "This competition celebrates something very special - the way this country looks from its coasts, cities and countryside, much of which can be viewed or visited by our rail network. Stephen's quite striking image captures a view of the railway which is rarely seen but shows how it's like a vital artery through our capital city. Congratulations to Stephen. He obviously has a head for heights and so I'm sure he will enjoy his prize of the flight in our inspection helicopter."

As the winner of the Lines in the Landscape award, Stephen has the option of joining a flight in Network Rail’s inspection helicopter, which has onboard infrared technology to monitor thousands of miles of track, or a ride on the New Measurement Train, a converted high speed train that is used to capture geotechnical track data safely, punctually and reliably, collecting real time data and clocking up 80,000 miles per year. Either prize offers a unique photography opportunity not open to the public, plus £300 for the winner to make a weekend break of it.

The best images from this year's competition will be displayed at an exhibition at London Waterloo Station from 1 December to 31 January.