New Exhibition Honours a Lancashire Railway Photographer’s Legacy – Tracks of Life: Trains Places People
Community Rail Lancashire and Clitheroe Castle Museum, in partnership with Ribble Valley Rail, are proud to present Tracks of Life: Trains Places People, an exhibition celebrating the life and work of talented professional railway photographer Ken Roberts (1928–2024). The exhibition, located in Clitheroe Castle’s Steward’s Gallery, showcases a remarkable collection of Ken’s images, capturing the essence of railways, landscapes, and communities across Lancashire and beyond.
Exhibition launch L-R Mike Cliffe, Peter Eastham, Cllr Simon O’Rourke, Nigel Harris & Claire Sutton
Timed to coincide with Railway 200 celebrations nationwide, the exhibition highlights Ken’s lifelong dedication to documenting Britain’s railways and his contribution to railway heritage. The exhibition runs until 26 April 2026 and entry is free.
The official launch took place on 13th October and was attended by Nigel Harris, custodian of Ken’s photographic archive and co-presenter of the Green Signals railway podcast. He expressed his delight that Ken’s work is now being exhibited in his home area. Ken is fondly remembered by many for his deep passion for the local railway network and his role as a founding member of Ribble Valley Rail, which successfully campaigned for the reopening of the Clitheroe Line to regular passenger services.
Lancaster Castle Station 1963 – photo © Ken Roberts Collection
Pete Eastham, Chair of Ribble Valley Rail, explained: “Ken Roberts took up railway photography as a hobby following medical discharge from the Army in 1949 following a spinal injury in service. Over the next five decades he produced some excellent photographic records of the local trains, railways, people and places, winning the national Ian Allan Railway Photographic award for a photo taken at Hellifield. He became well known in railway publication circles, contributing many photographs for books and magazines.”
Two photographs in the exhibition both © Ken Roberts Collection
Claire Sutton, Museum Manager at Clitheroe Castle Museum, said: “We’re absolutely thrilled to host this special exhibition of Ken Roberts’ remarkable railway photography. His images capture not only the technical beauty of the railways, but also the everyday experiences of passengers and the enduring appeal of rail travel. It’s a real privilege to share his work with the community.”
Nigel Harris, Custodian of the Ken Roberts photo collection with Peter Fitton, a well known railway photographer from the South Fylde Line.
Mike Cliffe, Chair of the Clitheroe Line Community Rail Partnership and Rail Development Manager at Lancashire County Council, added: “We are delighted to be showcasing the beautiful photographs of trains, people and places taken by Ken Roberts. He spent a lifetime living alongside the Clitheroe Line and played a key part in the campaign to reopen it. Ken is well known in the railway world, with his photographs often published and it is well overdue to showcase his work in Clitheroe thanks to his friends at Ribble Valley Rail and Nigel Harris, the custodian of his collection. His photographs will resonate with many, providing an illuminating reminder of just how the railways and this part of the world used to be.”
The exhibition has been funded by the Community Rail Network’s Community Rail Development Fund and the Department for Transport, with support from Community Rail Lancashire and Ribble Valley Rail. It has been curated in partnership with Clitheroe Castle Museum which is managed by Lancashire County Council Museum Service on behalf of Ribble Valley Borough Council.
