**RELEASED October 2024**

This, the 12th episode of our popular series of LONDON MIDLAND STEAM MISCELLANIES, is a feast of steam traction filmed mostly in the North-West and Midlands. And once again we are using a considerable amount of previously unseen cine-film from our extensive archives*!

Our journey starts with a visit to the major rail interchange of Carlisle. Here we see steam action in the area before all the line closures and major rationalisation of tracks of later years. One of the major homes of steam was the Kingmoor Shed and we see it and it’s approaches in all their glory. Wonderful! Then to the hive of activity of Citadel station for scenes including Stanier “Princess Coronation’ Pacifics.

Now a real treat for enthusiasts – The Langholm branch freight with (now-preserved) Ivatt 4MT No.43106 in charge; it is seen paralleling the A7 road and also at Canonbie. Further north we have film at Stirling (including a ‘Clan’ Pacific) and Glasgow.

Another area seen in detail is the climb to Shap summit. Most was filmed around the Tebay and Scout Green areas although the climb from the north is not forgotten. All manner of traction combinations are seen – single-handedly, with bankers, and even one with a pilot on the front. Diesels also make occasional appearances with English Electric Type 4s and Brush Type 4s, one of the latter in charge of the down ‘Mid-Day Scot’.

On the Settle & Carlisle line we see locations such as Horton-in­Ribblesdale, the famous Ribblehead viaduct, and Kirkby Stephen West. Visits are also made to Windermere, Oxenholme, Carnforth, Carnforth Shed, Hest Bank (including action on the water troughs), Lancaster, Warrington, and the approach to Standedge tunnel. .

Other places seen in the north of England are Ditton Junction, Mouldsworth, Preston, Lostock Hall Shed, Newton Heath Shed, Sheffield, and Leeds.

We also visit North Wales and the Borders. Places as Chester, Shrewsbury, Abergele and Pensarn. A particular delight is coverage around Denbigh, Llanrhaiadr, and Rhydymwyn.

London Midland power is also not forgotten towards the south of England, such as at Spetchley (site of Worcester’s first station), Norton Junction, and even Didcot in the heart of GWR territory.

We cover the last days of steam throughout the 1960s to the end in 1968. Classes seen include (in no particular order): ex-LMS 2-6-4Ts, Ivatt 4MT 2-6-0s, 4Fs, Black 5s, Jubilees, 8Fs, Jinty 0-6-0Ts, 47000 Dock Tanks, Patriot and Royal Scot 4-6-0s, Princess Coronation (Duchess) Pacifics, Ivatt Class 2 2-6-0s and BR Standard Britannia & Clan Pacifics, Class 4 & 5 4-6-0s, 2-6-4Ts, 9F 2-10-0s (including ex-Crosti boilered) and WD 2-8-0s. The new order also creeps in from time to time such as English Electric ‘Type 4′ and Brush ‘Type 4 ‘; even the early AC Electric “AL” series locomotives!

Our nostalgic look at the last years of London Midland steam has been assembled in the order the film runs off the original cine reels. It is mostly in colour with a soundtrack and a commentary.

*A Footnote for the Miscellany Series. Over the years, we have amassed a vast collection of archive cine-film from a variety of owners. When we produced our much earlier volumes, they were based on telling a “story” or following a “journey”. As a result only relevant short clips from various the original archive cine-films were used along with specific soundtracks and commentaries. When more recently reviewing our extensive archives, we realised that much of the original cine films had never been used for one reason or another such as it didn’t fit the story or we didn’t know the location. In some cases there were reels of previously unused and unseen cine-film. And this historic footage would never be seen and lost forever unless we did something about it. Hence the Miscellany series where this time the footage has been assembled in the order it runs off  the actual cine-films along with completely new sound tracking and a new commentary for each volume.  In some cases all of the footage is completely new. There are some real gems in this series!!

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**RELEASED MARCH 2024**

A further installment of our popular miscellany series of classic “modern” traction featuring many of the diesel & electric classes that operated across the whole of the BR network during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, from Cornwall to Aberdeen and from Aberystwyth to Great Yarmouth. When creating our extensive steam volumes we often omitted scenes that included diesels and electrics simply because they were not part of the “story” at that time. And in our diesel and electric volumes, time constraints also resulted in much unused and unseen footage. Here, those “cutting room floor” clips are presented for the first time as well as that previously unused footage. All with a new soundtrack!

We begin on the !Southern Region (SR) at Waterloo with Brush Type 4s (latterly Class 47s) on the “Bournemouth Belle”, including the final working. Meanwhile at Clapham Junction the electric 5-BEL “Brighton Belle” Pullman passes through. Other locations visited are Redhill and the Guildford line, the Epsom Downs branch (Sutton, Belmont and Banstead), the New Forest, the electric Isle-of Wight in Network South-East days, diesel hydraulic “Warships” on Waterloo to Exeter services and Basingstoke and Weymouth.

Next to the Eastern Region (ER) and we visit locations such as Ipswich, Peterborough, King’s Cross, Hadley Wood, Hatfield, Great Yarmouth and Reedham plus Class 47s top and tailing off the wires on Inter-City services with a “dead” Class 90. Further north, we visit the North-East for scenes at York, Driffield, Scalby, Cloughton, Darlington, West Hartlepool, Bedlington, Darlington and Manors.

Even further north there are scenes on the Scottish Region (ScR) at Thornton Junction, Inverness, Aberdeen and Edinburgh.

We return south to the London Midland Region (LMR) where we visit Euston, Tamworth, Norton Bridge, Stoke-on-Trent, Crewe, Warrington, Allerton, Northwich, Preston, Mouldsworth, Manchester, the Bury third rail electrics, the 1500v DC Woodhead line electrics, Stockport, Giggleswick and the Settle & Carlisle. And a very sad journey from Wolverhampton Low Level to Birmingham Snow Hill just before closure amid total dereliction. Wales and the Borders are not forgotten, with visits to Barmouth, Aberystwyth, Shrewsbury, Weston Rhyn, Shotton, Much Wenlock, Caernarvon, Oswestry, Porthywaen and the Brymbo branch.

Finally, and completing this volume, we visit the Western Region (WR) for scenes at Bodmin, Saltash, Plymouth, Rattery Bank, Paignton, Bristol, Bath, Swindon and Reading, the London Approaches, Paddington, Oxford, Banbury, Kemble, Worcester, Newent, Ledbury, and the Lickey Incline. Plus Sunday diversions through Honeybourne and Winchcombe (on the now preserved Gloucestershire & Warwickshire Railway). WR Highlights include D6346 shunting at Charlbury and the Forest of Dean with D9555 and D6329. WR diesel-electrics are also not forgotten, even unique “Falcon”. Plus there is extensive coverage of the “Blue Pullmans”.

The period covered is mainly from 1959 to the end of steam and beyond. Motive power is of course very varied and features: English Electric Types 1 (Class 20) & 3 (Class 37), Brush Types 2 (Class 31) & 4 (Classes 47 & 50), BRCW Types 2 (Class 26/27) & 3 (Class 33), BR Type 2 (Class 24/25), North British Type 2 (Class 21/29), Clayton Type 1 (Class 17), Deltics (Class 55), and Baby Deltics (Class 23). Pioneers also seen are 10001, 10201, 10202, DP2, D0280 plus a Metrovick Bo-Bo. WR diesel-hydraulics seen are Westerns (Class 52), Hymeks (Class 35) and Warships (Class 41/42/43), NBL Type 2 (Class 22) and BR D95XX (Class 14). Not forgotten are the various AC Electrics (Classes 81-86) and a multitude of railbuses, DMUs, EMUs and shunters.!

Filmed almost entirely in colour, this plethora of electric and diesel power includes a informative commentary and an authentic sound track.

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**RELEASED OCTOBER 2023**

ALL NEW FILM!

The fifth and final instalment in our series of all new and never previously seen, high quality cine films taken by the late Brian Parnell. Here we feature footage taken from one side of the erstwhile Southern Region to the other; from Kent, Sussex and Surrey to Hampshire, Somerset, Devon and Cornwall.

We begin on the Withered Arm at Barnstaple Junction, with film of trains crossing the Torridge at Torrington, T9 4-4-0s at Wadebridge and ‘Beattie Tanks’ on the Wenford Bridge china clay line.

The fearsome grade between Exeter St Davids and Exeter Central is well covered and includes ‘W’ class 0-8-0T bankers. A short sequence then follows at Tipton St Johns.

Somerset & Dorset material comprises film at Bath Green Park, Midford Viaduct (near Shepton Mallet), Wincanton & Templecombe.

A route very well covered by Brian in Spring and early Summer of 1963 was the ‘H’ class 0-4-4T operated push-pull service between Oxted and Tunbridge Wells West. This also includes film taken at Hurst Green Junction, Edenbridge Town, Hever and Groombridge.

On Sunday 24th March 1963 Brian spent the morning watching engineering work close to Wimbledon including filming pre-assembled 60ft track lengths being lowered into position with the help of two ‘Q1’ 0-6-0s. Plenty of action is seen on the main line including the down ‘Bournemouth Belle’ plus shed visits to Nine Elms and Feltham. Locations visited along the North Downs line include Gomshall & Shere, Dorking Town, Deepdene, Betchworth and Reigate.

At the end of 1963, Redhill was the Central Division’s principle steam depot and time is spent here watching the comings and goings. There is also footage inside one of the signal boxes here. Other locations visited in and around London were Banstead, Epsom Downs, Sutton, London Waterloo, Vauxhall, Clapham Junction and Latchmere Junction.

Finally, we visit Isle of Wight for steam action at Ryde Pierhead, Ryde Esplande, Ryde St.Johns Road, Smallbrook Junction, Newport, Cowes, Shanklin and Ventnor. Watch those ‘O2’ 0-4-4T tanks scurrying about!

The film was taken mainly between 1961 and 1967. Motive power includes ex-SR Bulleid Pacifics of the ‘Merchant Navy’, ‘West Country’ & ‘Battle of Britain’ classes, Maunsell 2-6-0 N and U moguls, Q1, H, S15, M7, O2, W classes, ‘Beattie’ well tank 0298, ex-GWR 45xx and ex-LMS Ivatt Class 2 2-6-2Ts. Plus BR Standard Classes 4 & 5 4-6-0s, Class 4 2-6-0s, Class 4 2-6-4T and Class 3 2-6-2T. EMUs and even the occasional diesel make appearances.

This nostalgic look at the last years of Southern steam is entirely in colour and as usual includes a informative commentary and an authentic sound track.

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**RELEASED AUGUST 2023**

ALL NEW FILM!

The fourth and penultimate installment in our series of all new, and never previously seen, high quality cine films taken by the late Brian Parnell. This time it mostly features the area covered by the former London Midland Region but also footage from Scotland, Wales and Southern England including some rare snippets of the famous Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway.

We begin at Morecambe on the Lancashire coast in the summer of 1965, before travelling up the West Coast Main Line (WCML) via Shap Summit and Tebay to arrive at Carlisle. Amongst the locomotives seen In and around the Kingmoor shed area are the unique (and now preserved) Stephenson Link ‘Black 5′, 44767 plus Jubilee 45660 “Rooke” which achieved fame during the 1937 load tests developing 1250hp climbing to Ais Gill summit on the Settle and Carlisle line.
Back down the WCML, we visit Oxenholme to see the “Lakes Express”. Then to Lancaster and Hest Bank where we see locomotives picking up water at speed from the water troughs there.

One of the earliest public railways was the Leicester West Bridge branch and Brian visited during May 1963. Here the motive power was the Johnson 2Fs 0-6-0s and the last use in the country of these Victorian era locomotives. He also visited the Leighton Buzzard to Dunstable line in the summer of 1962 where we spot an ex-LNWR ‘Super D’ 0-8-0 pottering about.

Leaving the LMR area, we visit Gloucester (to see ex-GWR Manor 4-6-0s), Cheltenham, Oxford, Southall, and the Southern at Swanage.
Brian also visited the Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway where he took a significant amount of footage including at Branksorne, Templecornbe, Cole, Wincanton, Glastonbury &

Scottish locations are not forgotten with scenes at Glasgow Central, Edinburgh Princes Street, Stirling, and Perth. And Wales as well with scenes at Barmouth and Llandudno Junction.

Naturally the dying days of steam in North-West of England are well covered with visits to Carnforth (and its shed), Preston, Rose Grove (and its shed), Chester, Warrington Bank Quay (High Level & Low Level), Buxton, Bolton, and Blackburn!

Most of the film was taken between 1962 and 1968. Motive power includes ex-LMS Black 5s (including experimental versions), Jubilees, Class 4 2-6-4Ts, Ivatt 4MT 2-6-0 “Flying Pigs”, Ivatt 2MT 2-6-0s & 2-6-2Ts, 8Fs, Fowler 4Fs, ex-LNWR Super D 0-8-0, Johnson 2F 0-6-0s, S&D 2-8-0s, and BR Standard Class Britannia Pacifics, Class 5 4-6-0s, Class 4 4-6-0s & 9F 2-10-0s.

This nostalgic look at the last years of London Midland steam is entirely in colour and as usual includes a informative commentary and an authentic sound track.

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**RELEASED LATE APRIL 2023**

ALL NEW FILM!

The third instalment of all new, and never previously seen, high quality cine films taken by the late Brian Parnell. In this volume we feature the ex-Great Western system and beyond. Once again it is complied in the running order of the original cine film.

We begin with scenes at Oxford in the summer of 1963 and the footage includes through trains from the south coast to Birmingham, the still steam-hauled Worcester to Paddington service, plus the longest-lived 9F of all, 92004 (built 1954, withdrawn March 1968).

We then visit the Gloucestershire area for such locations as Lansdown Junction, Cheltenham Spa, Tramway Junction, Gloucester itself plus the Golden Valley push-pull from Gloucester to Stroud, Brimscornbe, and Chalford. A highlight is at Brimscornbe where the last steam engine built by British Railways, No.92220 “Evening Star” starts a heavy freight up the punishing grade to Sapperton tunnel, complete with rear end assistance.

GWR motive power is seen along the North Downs line and includes Redhill shed, a departure from Redhill station, then along the 3rd rail section to Reigate, Betchworth, and Guildford.

The summer of 1963 found Brian in Devon with film at Exeter St Davids, Tiverton Junction, plus excellent coverage along the Culm Valley branch via Coldharbour Halt and Uffculme to Hemyock and its dairy; a 14xx enthusiast’s delight.

During August 1964 the Cambrian system was visited: Welshpool, Dovey Junction, Aberystwyth, the Vale of Rheidol line, Abertafol Halt, Morfa Mawddach, Barmouth Viaduct, Barrnouth, and Portmadoc.

There is also film at Southall (three visits in 1964), Birmingham Snow Hill, Worcester Shrub Hill, Worcester shed, Swindon, Trowbridge, Westbury, Frome, Templecombe, Wadebridge, Boscarne Junction, Hatton, and Hatton Bank.

Although Brian had put his camera away by 1965, he did film the GW 150 celebrations some twenty years later in Devon and Cornwall and a few minutes has been included to bring our miscellany of Great Western steam to a close.

Motive power featured includes (in no particular order) classes ex-GWR County, Castle, Hall, Grange, Manor, 43xx, 2251, 72xx, 45xx, 41xx, 56xx, 64xx, 57xx, 94xx, ex-LSWR T9, ex-Southern West Country Pacifics, ex-LMS Stanier Black 5s, Jubilees, 8Fs and Ivatt 2MT 2-6-0s. Also BR Standard Class Britannia Pacifics, Class 4 4-6-0s, Class 4 2-6-4Ts, Class 3 2-6-2T, and 9F 2-10-0s (including 92220 “Evening Star” on two occasions).

This nostalgic look at the last years of steam in these areas was mainly filmed between 1963 and 1966. It is entirely in colour and includes an informative commentary and an authentic sound track.

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