The most well-known film maker around Shrewsbury was Bill Cross who really loved the Cambrian and Borders country. Thankfully he had the forsight to record the lines of this area when steam still reigned supreme. He used a 16mm camera. The Cambrian system is probably only second to the Somerset and Dorset in popularity with enthusiasts. Steam returned to Cambrian metals in 1987 and 1991 so here is the chance to see it when steam arrived on every train. We travel from Whitchurch in the east to Aberystwyth in the west calling at Barmouth, Dovey Junction and Borth to see local trains and the famous “Cambrian Coast Express”. Nostalgic scenes on the Mid-Wales line from Moat Lane Junction through Llanidloes, Rhayader, Three Cocks Junction, Pantydwr and Builth Wells are seen on this long closed line. Oswestry where the Cambrian had their headquarters was full of steam and we visit Gobowen, Tinkers Green and the Ellesmere to Whitchurch line via Fenns Bank. The locos of the early `60s were Standard and Ivatt designed but we also see six different Manors and the Talylynn special hauled by 7827 and 4555 in GWR livery. The final section of the tape covers services that are no longer with us including the Caernarvon branch and a journey by DMU from Wolverhampton to Birmingham Snow Hill. Bill rarely filmed far from home but he did visit the Isle-of-Wight in 1966 and 1967. We include a short section on this popular venue. A highlight of the film is what is believed to be the only known piece of film of the Corris Railway in the 1920s!. The Vale of Rheidol railway ends this beautiful programme filmed in the early `60s when the terminus was near the river. Bill, himself an authority on all things Cambrian, narrates this video and of course the equally fascinating Volume 22.

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A film devoted almost entirely to freight workings in the North East of England as it was in the 1960s. The Q6 and J27 locomotives were the last pre-grouping engines working on BR and are seen really hard at work alongside Class K1 and WD 2-8-0s. The locations vary between Seaton Bank, West Hartlepool, Dawdon Colliery and Ryehope Grange. Coverage of the famous Silksworth branch is seen from the lineside, footplate and guards van. Ride with us to Sunderland on a coal train and listen to the power of J27s in full cry for the sounds were recorded at the same time as filming by George Woods. The area was rich in industry and this is not omitted with coverage of some unique locomotives at work at Seaham harbour with the Lewin of 1863 vintage parading in front of our cameras. There is another visit to Doxford ship yards for crane tanks and some of the collieries that abounded in this area. There are the large tanks at Philadelpia with their chime whistles, an ex-LNER J94 68078 at work at Widdrington pit and examples of other locomotives at the various colliery systems of Northumberland like Ashington, Backworth and Whittle. Finally tribute is paid in the North-East Locomotive Preservation Group from their early days when they restored Q6 63395 to BR livery, an engine seen at work earlier in the video. Their locomotives were to be seen immaculately turned out at Shildon in 1975 and lastly the Q6, J27, K1 and Black 5 44767 are seen hard at work on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway in 1976.

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With full electrification on the Southern main line to Weymouth now operating we return to Dorchester to witness the operation of steam trains reversing up workings at the ex-LSWR terminus. Southampton and Eastleigh in 1967 and steam’s last fling in the London suburbs on the LCGB 100th. railtour to Windsor and Reading using 77xxx, 76xxx, 80xxx and West Country complete this section.

Tribute to a King. We profile 6000 “King George V” in its preservation life from 1970 to 1987 covering its travels to Paddington, Didcot, Swindon, Gloucester and the North-to-West route to Chester. The trip for Swindon Borough in 1974 with unique smokebox side-plates is featured. Hard workings steam in the North-East of England in 1966/67 where ex-NER type Q6 and J27 locomotives worked to the last around the collieries of Tyne and Wear. The last Tyne Dock to Consett working with 92063 is seen complete with headboard. K1, WD 2-8-0, Q6 and J27 workings at Pelaw, Ryehope and Seaton Bank make this selection relive the days of steam as they really were. So popular was this section of the video with our customers that Volume 18 was devoted to this area for even morepower to the pit.

Steam returned to the North Wales coast in the late `80s but we visit it in 1966 with an LCGB railtour along the coast and up the Conway Valley to Blaeneau Ffestiniog and Denbigh with Britannia, Crab and ex-LMS 2-6-4Ts. Soak up the steam atmosphere with LNWR signalling at Chester. We still had 3-minutes left to give a full hour so we inserted the industrial scene at Maerdy Colliery in 1970 when ex-GWR pannier tank 9792 breathed its last in the summer sunshine. To say it was in full steam would be an understatement!

Click Here for Vol.14 – Archive Newsreel 1

Click Here for Vol.15 – Archive Newsreel 2

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In collating Colin White’s steam films for production B & R noticed that there were enough scenes of early diesels to make a one hour programme of types of diesel traction mostly lost in BR service in the 1980′s. Certainly some liveries are gone and generally all the film was taken before the video age. So we can re-live these early diesel scenes from the 60′s and early 70′s starting with the Hydraulics of Western, Warship and Hymek classes. They are seen at work on railtours and normal service including a journey on the double-headed Hymek Swansong from Paddington to Hereford. The Blue Pullmans looking so much like early HSTs at Paddington. Class 50s double-heading the “Royal Scot” in pre-electrification days is followed by a view of “Kestrel” at a Cricklewood open day in 1969. Electric traction is represented by views of the now lost “Brighton Belle” seen in both it’s liveries. A complete journey by Channel Islands boat train along the Weymouth tramway with Class 12 haulage, 15233, having arrived behind D6529 a class 33 in blue. Deltics are well covered at Kings Cross and Peterborough and even their wanderings to Harlow and Wandsworth. We see Class 31s in green and blue liveries on a variety of workings including the Royal Train at Cambridge. The whistling Class 40s follow at Bersham, Kings Cross and Manchester Victoria when they hauled stock to Rainhill in 1980. D200 restored to its green livery is seen at Whitchurch. Memories of Peak haulage on the Midland main line is relived. Brush Type 4s in a unique form which started the new era of colourful liveries is featured by 47 164 at Chelmsford with the large Union Jack on its sides. We end this look at the locos of this age with green-liveried 47s on the East Coast Main Line. All told there are 14 different classes of traction and several locomotives seen in BR service now in preservation on this compilation.

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The second video in the series offers a further multitude of fascinating subjects in nine sections. We begin with a look at the 9Fs on British Railways (including the ex-Crosti type) and 92203 and 92220 on railtours in the 70′s. Others are seen around Warrington and the Lune Gorge. The Marlow Donkey was famous in Great Western history and was re-lived in 1973 using 1450, 6106 and 6998 on the branch from Maidenhead to Marlow via Bourne End. When main line steam on BR came to an end in 1968, many farewell specials were run and we next include two of them, the Lancastrian No.2 Railtour and an SLS tour from Stockport to Carnforth using Britannia 70013 and Black Fives 45156 and 44949. Narrow gauge working is depicted by scenes on the Bowaters Paper Mills in Kent before closure. The scenes contrast the locomotives working days with the pleasure they now give to passengers at Whipsnade. There is a tribute to steam power out of Waterloo in 1967. Featured are the Bournemouth Belle, an immaculate 34057 (as only Salisbury shed could do), 75069 (now preserved on the SVR), Bullied Pacifics, Standard 5s, 80xxx and 82xxx tanks. The steam shed visited on the volume is Stockport Edgeley showing Stanier Class 5′s and 8F’s in their natural environment, the motive power depot and the men who worked on them while they were turned and coaled. The continental section shows Pacific power with action from France and Germany which lasted some years after the end of steam in the UK. Both preserved continental pacifics at Carnforth are seen in action in 1976 and the French Pacific at the head of the Golden Arrow leaving Calais Maritime. Hof, Trier, Crailsheim, Lathen and Berlin feature 01 and 03 classes at work. WD 2-10-0 “Gordon” is shown over the last 25-years from its rare appearance on the Southern Region in 1966 through its days at Longmoor to its visit to Shildon and preservation on the Severn Valley Railway. We conclude with industrial steam at Shilbottle Colliery in Northumberland where 0-6-0 tanks worked hard on the three mile branch of the NCB in 1969. Again another good mix of steam traction in full variety from the humble colliery tank to the great expresses of yesteryear.

Click Here for Vol.14 – Archive Newsreel 1

Click Here for Vol.17 – Archive Newsreel 3

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‘Run by Enthusiasts for Enthusiasts since 1987′.
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