Ivo Peters BEM (1915-1989) was a celebrated English railway photographer and filmmaker whose passion for steam locomotives, particularly those of the Somerset and Dorset Railway, immortalized a bygone era of British rail. Born on July 29, 1915, in Bath, Somerset, Peters spent his entire life in the city, which became the heart of his photographic endeavors. His meticulous and artistic approach to capturing trains within their natural landscape set him apart, making his work an invaluable historical record and a source of enduring fascination for railway enthusiasts.
Peters’ initial foray into railway photography began in 1925, but his interest waned briefly during his university years at Cambridge, where he indulged in road racing. It was after World War II, in 1948, that he returned to serious railway photography with renewed vigor. He became a familiar sight lineside, often accompanied by his distinctive 4.25 litre Mk.VI Bentley, which allowed him to “race” from one vantage point to another to capture the same train multiple times. While deeply associated with his “home line,” the Somerset and Dorset, Peters’ lens also explored other iconic locations, including the dramatic Grayrigg to Tebay section of the Lancaster and Carlisle Railway, the Western Region of British Railways, and various industrial narrow gauge lines.
What truly defined Ivo Peters’ photographic style was his emphasis on integrating the locomotive into its environment. He famously admitted that the technical aspects of photography were secondary to the joy of discovering an “enchanting new location” and striving to create the most “attractive picture of the scene.” This philosophy resulted in photographs that were not merely technical records of trains but evocative landscape studies, imbued with atmosphere and a sense of place. His black-and-white still photography, which dominated his early work, perfectly conveyed the raw power and romance of steam.
From 1959, Peters expanded his repertoire to include 16mm colour cine film, exposing an astonishing 25,000 feet on railway subjects alone. This extensive film collection, later released as “The Ivo Peters Collection” on VHS and DVD, provided a moving complement to his still images, bringing the sights and sounds of steam to life for a wider audience. Some of his railway footage was even broadcast on BBC Television, further cementing his legacy. While his colour still photography was primarily focused on the diesel era, his black-and-white work remains his most iconic.
Ivo Peters authored and contributed to numerous publications, including “The Somerset & Dorset: an English cross-country railway,” “The Narrow Gauge Charm of Yesterday,” “Ivo Peters’ Southern Steam Album,” and “Railway Elegance: Western Region trains in the English Countryside.” These books, along with posthumous collections like “Ivo Peters’ Classic Steam,” continue to be cherished by railway historians and enthusiasts.
Awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) in 1958 for his service in the Royal Observer Corps, Ivo Peters passed away on June 7, 1989. His ashes were fittingly scattered at Masbury Summit on the Somerset and Dorset line, a testament to his profound connection with the railway he so lovingly documented. A street in Bath, leading to the former Green Park Station, also bears his name, ensuring his memory lives on in the city he called home and the railway heritage he preserved.
