**RELEASED JULY2013**

FROM THE RON DAVIES COLLECTION: And now for something completely different from B & R: Steam in Cuba in the 1990s!

Cuba, in the Caribbean, was one of the few countries in the world where large numbers of industrial steam locomotives could been seen in daily use into the late 1990s, well after steam traction had been eliminated in other parts of the world. The 1959 revolution resulted in the island spending little on the railways and they became a “time warp” until further investment was available.

There are three gauges in use in Cuba: standard gauge, 3’ gauge and 2’6” gauge. Although steam power was eliminated from the main lines in the 1950s, it remained in use for many years on the sugar mill railways. These are used to transport cane from the collection points in the fields to the mills. In fact steam power can still be seen in parts of Cuba today, especially in the Spring during the sugar cane harvesting season.

Ron Davies visited the island on a number of occasions between 1995 and 1999 to record all this steam activity amid the breath taking tropical scenery. He used Super- 8mm cameras with the ability to record sound.

Some of the locomotives featured in this film were built at the beginning of the 20th. Century (some even earlier) from builders such as Alco, Baldwin, and Rogers. There are a variety of engines including 2-6-0s and 2-8-0s moving cane from the fields, whilst 0-4-0T, 2-4-2T, and other tank engines shunt cane wagons to the crusher. There is even footage of some very large fireless locos

We see street running, shed scenes, multiple gauge railway level crossings and many trains passing by at speed both loaded and empty. But witness the extremely poor state of the track; it’s a wonder they don’t derail! A very interesting film and a complete contrast to the UK scene.

The archive film used is in colour with its original sound track. An extensively researched commentary has been added.

Cover photo:- Baldwin 2-6-0 No.1626 of 1914, at Panchito Gomez Toro, Cuba.

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**RELEASED JULY2013**

THE CHRIS NOYLE COLLECTION No.2. Chris Noyle filmed railways in Britain and Europe from 1962 to 1972. This is the second volume from his collection and features the steam scene in England, Scotland and Wales in the 1960s.We start in Scotland at Aberdeen and Perth for B1s & A4s including 60016 “Silver King” before views at Derby in 1962 of the last remaining unrebuilt Patriot, 45543 “Home Guard” and of “Clun Castle” on the first part of the Paddington to Gloucester to Birmingham Snow Hill rail tour in 1965.

Chris then visited Bridgnorth on the Severn Valley Railway in 1968. In those very early preservation days, steam trains only ran as far as Hampton Loade. A far cry from the scene today!

Then onto the Southern in 1967 and a variety of scenes right up to the end of steam at a number of locations including Basingstoke, Guildford and Nine Elms Shed featuring Bulleids, Standards, USA Tanks and even an A4 Pacific! The very last “Bournemouth Belle” Pullman passes by…

In 1966, Chris went on a rail tour, this time from London to North Wales hauled by Britannia 70004 from Crewe, a pair of Stanier 2-6-4Ts from Llandudno to Blaenau Ffestiniog and a Crab to Denbigh. Another rail tour is Black 5 hauled around the Walsall & Wolverhampton area before going forward via Shrewsbury to Chester with 7029 “Clun Castle” and then returning to Crewe with a former Crosti boilered 9F.

In 1967, he visited the Banbury area to see the last two ex-GW steam hauled trains to Chester pass by with preserved Castles and he also visited the shed to see the last remnants of steam.

The North East Region was of great interest to Chris. There are many scenes in this area before steam finished in September 1967, including at Tyne Dock shed. Onto the Midland Region for footage around Carlisle and Leeds in 1966 including a visit to Holbeck Roundhouse and Farnley Junction sheds featuring Britannias and ex-LMS Black Fives. Whilst in the area, Chris also visited Wakefield to see WD 2-8-0s and the other engines there. Finally, back to the North Eastern Region in 1967 for extensive footage of J27s, Q6s (including the now preserved 63395), WDs and K1s hauling coal trains and empties to and from Seaham, Hall Dene and Vane Tempest Collieries.

All the archive film used is virtually all in colour and an extensively researched commentary along with an authentic soundtrack has been added.

Cover photo: K4 2-6-0 No.62050 on coal empties, 1967.

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**RELEASED JUNE 2013**

In this volume, we cover the industrial railways in the South East of England including London. After steam had finished on the main lines, this area still had steam workings at the various industrial sites and for enthusiasts it was the place to visit until the mid 1970s.

We start with a visit to London’s Acton Lane Power Station and saddle tanks “Birkenhead” and “Little Barford” in action complete with wasp stripes on their smokeboxes! At Slough Estates complex, Hudswell Clarke tanks are shunting oil wagons. Mind the cars, there’s just a gap!

In 1972, we visit Rye House power station near Hoddesdon on the ex-GER main line to see RSH tank No.7597 shunting (more wasp stripes!) before witnessing its transport by road (mind those 25kv wires) for preservation on the Stour Valley Railway. Later, we see it in action on the SVR and on the GCR at Loughborough.

Onwards and there are Peckett saddle tanks at Ipswich Sugar factory and at Ford’s Dagenham Works (it had 25 miles of lines), where we see a variety of scenes including the foundry and dockyard.

Next to Chatham Dockyard and a 1980s view of the derelict saddle tanks followed by later preservation scenes with restored “Ajax”. Then to the paper mills at Greenhithe and Gravesend for fireless locos in action in & around the works.

Sittingbourne’s Bowaters Paper Mill had the largest system for paper and we make an extensive visit to it’s narrow gauge railway with mostly pre-preservation views of steam in action on goods as well as passenger trains. Plus views of standard gauge ex-SECR P “Pioneer II”, saddle tank “Jubilee”, the cableway and the dockside.

Onto Swanscombe Cement Works & Quarry in 1968 for Hudswell-Clarke tanks busy shunting cement wagons and then to Snodland Cement Works to see “Hornpipe” in action plus steam at Holborough Quarry with “Tumulus”.

Finally we visit the Kent Coalfield and the collieries at Snowdown and Betteshanger for extensive steam activity with “J94 type” Hunslets (among others), more wasp stripes, loading & unloading of wagons and a Class 73 electro-diesel at the BR exchange sidings.

All the archive film used is virtually all in colour and an extensively researched commentary along with an authentic soundtrack has been added.

All the archive film used is virtually all in colour and an extensively researched commentary along with an authentic soundtrack has been added.

Cover photo: Colin White”Monarch” at Bowaters in 1969.

Click here to order this Volume 177 and other videos online

(By clicking here you are entering Wolverton Rail Videos web site with over 4000 transport videos & DVDs available

‘Run by Enthusiasts for Enthusiasts since 1987′.

Please note you will be buying from Wolverton Rail and not B & R Video Productions)… Read More

**RELEASED MAY 2013**

“Steam Routes” is a series of films featuring steam traction along specific routes rather than areas, mostly using previously unseen 1960s archive film. Here our fourth instalment contains film of the West Coast Main Line from Tebay and Shap Summit to Carlisle, Beattock Summit and onwards via Carstairs to Glasgow.

We start at Tebay with views of the banking operations to the summit at Shap plus operations at the quarry exchange siding, before descending to Penrith for scenes at the station and its approaches. The line to Keswick, Bassenthwaite & Arnside is visited with an Ivatt 2-6-0 hauled railtour in 1966.

At Carlisle Citadel station, steam is all around and being used on normal service trains as well as railtours. Engines featured include Ivatt 2-6-2Ts, Britannias, Clans, Black 5s, Coronations plus some ex-LNER locomotives from Edinburgh. There is plenty of steam action at Carlisle Kingmoor depot!

Northwards, we travel along the ex-NBR Waverley Route to Riddings and visit the Langholm branch with a J39 0-6-0. A4s and A2s are also seen on specials on the Waverley Route. We return back to the WCML at Rockcliff and Gretna for views of passing steam hauled trains.

Travelling further northwards, we visit Dumfries, on the ex-GSWR main line, and the former “Port Road” to Stranraer for scenes at Castle Douglas plus token exchanging at Crossmichael with a Crab 2-6-0! More scenes at Dumfries station include 4472 on a special and we return to the WCML at Lockerbie for some depot shunting with a Pickersgill tank! We continue on to Beattock for footage of the station, yard and the banking operations for the climb to the 1015ft summit. There are even views inside Beattock Summit signal box and passing locomotives include Clan Pacifics and A4 “Kingfisher” on a freight!

Finally, we descend to Carstairs, Carluke, Motherwell and into the suburbs of     Glasgow including Wemyss and Gourock before arriving at Glasgow Central with steam and blue electrics.

All the archive film used is virtually all in colour and an extensively researched commentary along with an authentic soundtrack has been added.

Cover photo: Keith Pirt/Courtesy Booklaw Publications, Britannia No.70025 “Western Star” on Shap Summit.

Click here to order this Volume 176 and other videos online

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**RELEASED MARCH 2013**

The first in a series featuring the lines in East Anglia in the 1960s; from Liverpool Street in London to the North Norfolk Coast, from Fenchurch Street to Shoeburyness and many more in between.

Steam was eliminated from East Anglia early during the changeover period from steam to diesel and so footage is quite rare. However here we feature a variety of steam scenes as well as some early diesel scenes with both green and blue liveries including some interesting DMU journeys over long lost lines.

In 1970, we witness the early days of preservation at Chappel & Wakes Colne station (now the East Anglian Railway Museum) with the arrival of “Gunby” from Harlaxton Quarry and Fred Youell’s Class N7 0-6-2T No.69621, from Leeds via Lincoln and Colchester.

Early scenes on the North Norfolk Railway contrast vividly with more recent steam at Sheringham and Holt. There is some interesting DMU activity around Cromer Beach.

We journey over the Marks Tey to Sudbury line in 1967 with DMUs and visit Wisbech, Kings Lynn, Hunstanton, Ipswich and Yarmouth, with scenes over the years from 1967 to the present day.

Locomotives seen include Britannia’s, J15s and ex-LMS and Standard tank engines on the Southend Line. A veritable miscellany!

All the archive film used is in colour and an authentic soundtrack has been added along with an extensively researched commentary.

Click here to order this Volume 175 and other videos online

(By clicking here you are entering Wolverton Rail Videos web site with over 4000 transport videos & DVDs available

‘Run by Enthusiasts for Enthusiasts since 1987′.

Please note you will be buying from Wolverton Rail and not B & R Video Productions)… Read More