**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 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 1at.September 2022**

Our tenth episode covering London Midland steam within our popular “Miscellany” series which mostly features previously unseen and unused cine film from our archives. Once again, it has been compiled in the running order of the original cine film..

We start at Carlisle Citadel station: this is very well covered with material from 1963 until 1967. Also visited are Carnforth, Hest Bank, Appleby West, Tebay, Dillicar water troughs, plus the climb to Shap summit. Then Crewe, extensive coverage in the Warrington area, Wigan North Western, Blackburn, Hellifield, Preston, Farrington Junction, the East Lancashire line, and the Copy Pit line. The famous Sankey viaduct is seen and then we continue on via Gathurst, Croston, Borwick, Liverpool Lime Street, Fazakerley South Junction, Manchester, Clifton Junction, and Entwistle.

The south of England is not forgotten with visits to Worcester, Spetchley, Norton Junction, Didcot, Oxford, and Evesham, before the most southerly location of all at Barnstaple Junction. East of the Pennines we see LM locomotives at York with the RCTS ‘Jubilee Commemorative Rail Tour’, then Farnley Junction, Sheffield, and Normanton.

Scotland is not left out with film at Stirling, Glasgow, and Carstairs. Returning south, Nuneaton and Beeston are seen next with the “Midlands Locomotive Requiem Rail Tour” and then it’s Northampton and Bedford.

The final locations in this video are near to and at London Marylebone, Bromford Bridge, Garstang & Catterall, plus Chester.

Numerous shed visits are made including: Carlisle Kingmoor, Carnforth, Preston, Lostock Hall, Rose Grove, Bolton, Patricroft, Newton Heath, Stockport Edgeley, Stoke, and Birkenhead. Plus also Buttigiegs scrap yard in South Wales.

From the 1960s up to 1968, motive power includes (in no particular order): ex-LMS 2-6-4Ts, Crabs, Super Ds, Ivatt Class 4 & 2 2-6-0s and 2-6-2Ts, 4Fs, Black 5s, 8Fs, Jinties, Patriots (rebuilt and unrebuilt, Royal Scots, Princesses, Coronations, BR Standard Britannias, Clans, Class 5 & 4 4-6-0s, Class 2 2-6-2T and 2-6-0s, WDs and 9F 2-10-0s (including ex-Crosti). The new order also creeps in from time to time and diesel enthusiasts will particularly enjoy a D400-hauled Freightliner service passing Patricroft shed.

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

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**RELEASED 11th.August 2021**

THE JOHN RYAN COLLECTION.
The ninth volume in our popular “Miscellany” series to cover London Midland steam. This time it is compiled entirely from cine film taken by John Ryan from the Wirral and assembled in the running order of the original cine film. There is coverage across England, Scotland, and Wales and we include previously unused footage from the B & R archives with the emphasis on London Midland material.

There is some excellent film across the Wirral which includes 9Fs hauling ore trains from the dock at Bidston via Storeton, Heswall Hills, and Burton Point to the John Summers works at Shotton—the heaviest regular unfitted mineral workings on the whole of BR. The line from Birkenhead Woodside to Chester is covered in detail, such as Birkenhead shed, Rock Ferry, Bebbington & New Ferry, Spital, Hooton, Capenhurst, and Upton-by-Chester. We then move to Gresford bank, Wrexham, the Brymbo branch, Ruabon, Cefn.viaduct, Chirk, Chirk viaduct Gobowen, and Shrewsbury.

The North-West of England is another area well-photographed by John at locations such as Preston, Layton, Poulton-Ie-Fylde, Kirkham & Wesham, Croston, Ormskirk, Town Green & Aughton, Maghull, Aintree Sefton Arms, Wigan Wallgate, Hindley North, Clifton Junction, Bradshaw Brook viaduct, Southport, Banks, Hoole, Penwortharn (Cop Lane), the Horwich to Blackrod and Chorley push-pull, Royton, Manchester, Ashburys for Belle Vue, Guide Bridge, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Didsbury, Meir, Pleasington, Rose Grove shed, Hest Bank water troughs, and Whalley viaduct.

There is more film in Wales at Llandudno, Llandudno Junction, Conwy, Penmaenmawr, Rhyl, Gwersyllt, Gowerton South, Swansea Victoria, and Bynea Halt. Other locations visited include London Marylebone, Camden, the Newport Pagnell branch push-pull the “Newport Nobby” , Rugby, Alston, Lanarkshire, Gleneagles, Carlisle, Alston, Stanley Bridge Halt, Bristol, Berkeley Road, Gloucester, Fenn’s Bank, Birmingham, the Kingsbury branch & Baddesley colliery.

The time period for this film is through the 1960s up to 1968. Motive power includes ex-GWR 56xx, ex-LMS Stanier Class 3 2-6-2Ts, 1Fs, Class 4 2-6-4Ts, Crabs, 4Fs, Jinties, 8Fs, Ivatt Class 4 & 2 2-6-0s, Black 5s (including experimental types), Jubilees, Coronation Pacifics, Super Ds, BR Standard Britannias, Class 5 (including Caprotti examples) and 4 4-6-0s, Class 4 2-6-0s, Class 3 77000 2-6-0s and 82000 2-6-2Ts, Class 2 2-6-0s & 2-6-2Ts and 9F 2-10-0s.

An authentic sound track has been added along with an informative commentary to complement this further nostalgic look at the last years of London Midland steam.

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**RELEASED October 2018**

The sixth volume in our popular “Miscellany” series to cover London Midland steam compiled from mostly unseen footage and in the order the film runs off the original cine reels. Not only do we cover London Midland engines operating in their home region but also elsewhere.

In fact, we start with a few shots of them working on the Southern Region in 1965, before visiting the Gloucester and Bristol areas for a variety of steam action, including some rare footage of ex-MR dock tank No.41537 going about it’s business, and then on to North Wales for scenes at Bangor, Menai Bridge and Bodfari.

Next we visit Rugby in January 1962 and amongst all the action, the unique Class 8 Pacific No.71000 “Duke of Gloucester” passes by. Two visits are then made to Staveley Ironworks to see the Victorian ex-MR 1F “half-cabs” at work followed by visits to Boroughbridge, Shap, Carlisle (including Canal Shed), Oxford, Hereford and Bletchley.

The “East Devon” rail tour is seen in 1965 on the Lyme Regis branch and near Exmouth, followed by the “Farewell to the Stratford-on-Avon and Midland Junction Railway” tour of April 1965, and a few months later by the “Northamptonshire Branches” brake van tour with 2-6-0 No.78028. Other tours covered in 1965 are the Warwickshire Railway Society’s “Midlander” plus the SLS’s “Midland Locomotive Requiem”.

Travelling south once again, we visit the S&DJR at Shepton Mallet, Evercreech Junction and Templecombe. Then to Stonehouse (Bristol Road), the Nailsworth branch and Coaley Junction plus the west bank of the Severn Estuary including Aylburton, Bullo Pill, Lydney and Undy.

There is extensive coverage at Banbury with steam on passenger and freight workings including the short time when Britannias were allocated there. Super “D”s are seen in the West Midlands and other places such as Crewe, Wakefield, Wrexham, Chester and Birkenhead Woodside.

Finally we visit the North-West for steam action at locations such as Farrington Junction, Preston, Carnforth, Rose Grove, Bolton and Manchester.

The archive film is almost entirely in colour and was taken in the six years leading up the end of steam in 1968. Motive power includes ex-LMS Black 5s, 8Fs, 4Fs, 2-6-4Ts, ex-MR dock tanks, Jinties, Class 2 & 4 Ivatts, Duchesses, Jubilees, Royal Scots, Patriots, Super “D”s and BR standard Britannias, 72xxx, 73xxx, 75xxx, 84xxx and 9F 2-10-0s. An authentic sound track has been added along with an informative commentary to complement this nostalgic look at the last years of London Midland steam.

Cover photo:- Keith Pirt/Courtesy Book Law Publications:- Britannia 70014 “Iron Duke” at Carlisle Upperby, July 1967.

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