Original post December 18, 2014 By: Peter Ellis
These images are the ‘Fragments’ of the title, small reminders of what was once a thriving industrial dockland environment. Although relatively new to Ipswich there are parallels in my home town of Swansea – once the largest port in the UK Copperopolis. The change from a working port to a leisure based industry is fraught with both success and failure, especially in an economic recession.
These images show reminders of the rail network that was so important to the efficient operation of the Docks, moving goods in and out.
Ipswich has also seen and experienced these ups and downs and will eventually succeed.
Comments from original blog
Good to see your work up here Peter. The railway lines were working when I first rolled up here and insufficient cargo gets transported form the current docks by rail these days. Perversely, IBC are talking of a new distribution centre at Sproughton with a new rail link. we will wait and see. I took some railway line images at the weekend on the ‘island’. I have a love hate relationship with them. I love to see them like this but hate them in the darkk on my push bike!
Yes, wet cobbles and spilt Diesel – the motorcyclists nightmare. I had to keep an eye out for passing cars and being splashed! Which part do you call the Island – you will have to show me some time, I want to get some images of the railway bridge on Wherstead rd as well…
Instead of walking straight ahead towards the UCS building just after you photographed these submerged tracks, bear 20 degrees to Starboard and walk towards the Marina office leaving the dock on your Port side. That is the lump of excavated dock that borders on the new cut/Stoke Quay and the dock. This ‘island’ is earmarked for a new innovation park if and when the dock is bridged. It houses the grain shed in the gated area and the motor yacht sheds in the publicly accessible areas.
You can make one of your images a featured image so it displays above your prose. Call me if you want me to explain how to do it.
Aah – I didn’t realise you could go into the motor yacht shed area – all is clear now… cheers! Also I couldn’t find out how to re-size featured image, will give you a ring later…
Great set of images Peter, the light on the rails, especially on Fragments 1 and 4 create enjoyable abstracts.
