Throughout his adult life, the late Jim Powe spent much of his spare time travelling and photographing tramways and railways around the world. His photographs and movies are considered amongst some of the most valuable insights into railway life from the 1940s right up until his passing. His early years of travel were made possible with the rail pass he received as a NSW railway apprentice. In an age where on-the-job training was a genuine commitment, he qualified as an electrician responsible for railway signal boxes.