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Steam traction was eradicated on British Railways in August 1968. Gone with regret and steam was dead! But was it really?

In our "Steam Still at Work" series of films (formerly called "Return to Steam") we discover that steam never really went away during this these "Wilderness years" when main line steam was officially banned from British Railways after the end of steam in 1968. The ban ended with the "Return to Steam" tours in October 1971 when steam officially returned to BR with 6000 "King George V". There are six volumes in total covering these often forgotten (but historically significant and fascinating) times of over 40 years ago when main line steam was supposed to be banned.

Here we follow how a typical enthusiast could find steam again, mainly in Great Britain. It’s 11th August 1968 and we see Pacific 70013 "Oliver Cromwell" with that last BR steam hauled train on the Settle & Carlisle, followed by the last leg into Liverpool with Black 5 No.45110. Later the Pacific is seen running light engine to Norwich and into preservation at Bressingham (see Part 2 for footage there). Earlier in 1968, 9F 92203 is seen en route to Longmoor for preservation along with 75029. This was the first steam on the Southern since July 1967. At Woodhams scrapyard at Barry there are rows and rows of mostly now preserved steam. But at Cashmores none survived and at Cohen’s Yard, Kettering, the scrap man is busy with his cutter!.

However hundreds of engines could still be seen at work on industrial sites. We feature many scenes including unique Beyer-Garratt "William Francis" and 0-6-0STs fly-shunting at Hadley Colliery. We even see some ex-BR tank engines such as 3F 47745 at Williamthorpe Colliery and ex-GWR Panniers both at South Wales collieries and in daily use on London Transport. We visit Northern Ireland to see "Jeep" 2-6-4Ts on passenger and motorway construction trains.

Overseas also became a popular destination, especially when as close as Calais and Boulogne where Pacifics still hauled trains including the GOLDEN ARROW. There were years of steam traction left in Germany and most of Europe; even behind the Iron Curtain for the adventurous few. Further away was South Africa for main line double headers and Garratts!

In the UK, a few preserved railways had started up and there is rare footage of the early days on the Bluebell, Keighley, Middleton, Severn Valley and Dart Valley railways. Over on the Lochty Private Railway, we see A4 60009 "Union of South Africa" and a matching beaver-tail observation coach! We tour the various narrow gauge and miniature lines with a variety of scenes including a BR blue liveried Vale-of-Rheidol, the Talyllyn with "Dolgoch" and the Ffestiniog with "Prince" hauling trains.

Back on the mainlines, 4472 "Flying Scotsman" still had a further year to go before the start of its infamous USA trip and occasionally other preserved engines strayed on to BR tracks if you knew about it. Our series is an in depth look at all of this. Part 1 is only an introduction to memories of steam from over 40 years ago. We close with one of those "Return to Steam" specials in October 1971 with newly restored 6000 "King George V" hauling the Bulmers Pullman train , 4472 at Kings Cross and, for contrast, 45110 hauling last BR steam train on 11th.August 1968.

Please note this DVD was formerly called "Return to Steam Part 1". It has been renamed and now has a different cover photograph but the content is mostly the same.

Cover Photo:- 3F No.47289 at Williamthorpe Colliery, May 1969.

Part two of the series can be found here: Steam Still At Work (after August 1968) Part 2

All text is © Wolverton Rail

Availability: AVAILABLE

Cover photo: 3F No.47289 at Williamthorpe Colliery, May 1969.
First published on DVD: January 2003
Screen aspect ratio: 4:3 SD
Classification: Exempt
Number of discs: 1 DVD-R
Media Format: DVD-R

Running Time: 60-mins (1hr 0min)

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Steam traction was eradicated on British Railways in August 1968. Gone with regret and steam was dead! But was it really?

In our "Steam Still at Work" series of films (formerly called "Return to Steam") we discover that steam never really went away during this period which lasted until the "Return to Steam" tours in October 1971 when steam officially returned to BR with 6000 "King George V". There are six volumes in total covering these often forgotten (but historically significant and fascinating) times of over 40 years ago when main line steam was supposed to be banned.

In this second part, we cover 1968 to 1969 and include some preserved railways that started running in those years. Their early preservation scenes contrast starkly with what we see today! From 1968 to 1971, 4472 "Flying Scotsman" was the only steam locomotive permitted on the main line (due to a unique contract negotiated with BR by Alan Pegler) and so we feature a number of its tours. Yes, it had two tenders!

We begin, on 11th.August 1968, with that last steam hauled train on BR, the "15 Guinea Special" seen on the Settle & Carlisle along with views of the last steam locos at Carnforth. The latter include the locomotives used on the last train plus some now preserved. In the Autumn 1968 we visit the Severn Valley Railway and Keighley & Worth Valley Railway for early preservation scenes plus 4472 on the ECML. Next, a maritime interlude for rare footage of paddle steamers on the BR owned Humber ferry. BR still employed firemen... on these steamers!
Then to the Wallingford & Cholsey line for steam with the GWS‘s 1466 & auto-trailer. A visit to the Longmoor Military Railway at Liss before it closed for views of blue-liveried 0-6-0ST "Errol Lonsdale" and 2-8-0 "Gordon" in use on service trains. At Tyseley Open Day we see "Clun Castle" and "Kolhapur" on shuttles with 4472 arriving on the main line (I was there!). Count the number of steam whistles on display!

A short trip to France, where steam was still in everyday use, to see SNCF 141Rs on rail tours and service trains. Back to the UK for 4472 on the "Yorkshire Harvester" train from Kings Cross to York and a visit to the old York Museum. At Bath Road Depot Open Day, we see steam visitors & electric loco AL4 E3044! We next visit Bulmer’s at Hereford to see newly restored No.6000 "King George V" pulling their Pullman train up & down the lengthy sidings. Then off to Bury depot for 5596 "Bahamas" and, despite the ban, its transfer trip (in steam with no diesel pilot) along BR lines to a new home at Dinting!

We visit Northamptonshire for the industrial workings in the quarries and the steelworks at Corby. Some special trains feature including a wagon train of enthuiasts. I bet they were cold!

Then more early views in 1968 of the KWVR and the Bluebell Railway. These are such a contrast to today. At Bressingham Gardens, a "caged" 70013 "Oliver Cromwell" is seen giving cab rides plus scenes of the narrow gauge lines there. More 4472 tours include the Midland (in the snow), ECML, Ely & March. At Finsbury Park Shed, the narrator (Colin White) is seen cleaning 4472’s nameplate!

Finally a few visits in 1969 to Dinting, the KWVR (for a glimpse of unrestored 46115 "Scots Guardsman" before its transfer to Dinting), the Bluebell Railway for restored "Earl of Berkeley" and lastly to the newly reopened Dart Valley Railway for auto-train workings of "engine in the middle" (i.e. two 2autocoaches-pannier-2 autocoaches).

Cover Photo:- Colin White, Fairburn 2-6-4T No.2085 at Haverthwaite, L&HR.

Part one of the series can be found here: Steam Still At Work (after August 1968) Part 1

All text is © Wolverton Rail

Availability: AVAILABLE

Cover photo: Colin White, Fairburn 2-6-4T No.2085 at Haverthwaite, L&HR.
First published on DVD: Julyy 2012
Screen aspect ratio: 4:3 SD
Classification: Exempt
Number of discs: 1 DVD-R
Media Format: DVD-R
Origination: 8mm cine-film

Running Time: 60-mins (1hr 0min)

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1. Vol.196 - Steam Still at Work after August 1968 Part 3 (Ref: BR196)

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Our "Steam Still at Work" series of films features the steam scene after the end of main line steam on British Railways in 1968. The series continues until the "Return to Steam" tours on BR in October 1971. In this third part we discover that whilst BR main line steam did indeed finish in August 1968, enthusiasts could still find their cherished 'Iron Horses' at work around the country during 1969.

That bête noire of 1960s railways, Dr. Richard Beeching, proved that a leopard can change its spots, as in April 1969 he reopened a line - the Dart Valley Railway.

London Transport was still using steam for things like permanent way trains with ex-GWR pannier tanks doing the job. Whilst we would have to wait until October 1971 before 6000 King George V removed the main line steam ban, in 1969 this magnificent locomotive could be found at Bulmer's cider factory, Hereford.

Dedicated steam hunters could also venture over the water, and we follow the RPSI two-day tour from Belfast to Cork. "Flying Scotsman" was the exception to the ban on main line steam, as owner Alan Pegler had secured a contract with BR allowing him to do so. There was also narrow-gauge steam, and we visit the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway in Kent during May 1969. In the same month a trip is also made to the Talyllyn Railway.

At Didcot the Great Western Society had moved in during 1967 and were preparing for their first open day in May 1969. Another first open day was the Steamtown Railway Museum, Carnforth on 1st. June 1969.

We cover the Longmoor Military Railway in Hampshire in detail - David Shepherd is present for the naming ceremony of 92203 and famous engine driver Sammy Gingell helps with 35028. WD 2-10-0 "Gordon" is seen hauling a BR special around the system during July 1969. By now the Keighley & Worth Valley in Yorkshire had been operating for one year and we see this delightful line basking in the summer sunshine.

Industrial steam is not forgotten - the Walkden system near Manchester featured North Staffordshire 0-6-2T "Sir Robert", and the British Oak Coal Disposal Point near Wakefield used "Jinty" 47445. Another trip in the summer of 1969 was to the Cricklewood open day with 7029, 5593, 5428, and the legendary "Kestrel" - the 4,000hp diesel later sold to the Soviet Union.

Filmed entirely in colour, a detailed commentary plus authentic sound track complements this nostalgic look at steam after August 1968.

All text is © Wolverton Rail (a trading name of ADVANCE MICRO COMPUTERS LTD.)

Availability: AVAILABLE

Cover photo: Keith Pirt/Courtesy Book Law Publications 3F 0-6-0 shunting NCB wagons at Williamthorpe Colliery.
First published on DVD: July 2015
Screen aspect ratio: 4:3 SD
Classification: Exempt
Number of discs: 1 DVD-R
Media Format: DVD-R
Origination: 8mm cine-film

Running Time: 60-mins (1hr 0min) , Colour
.

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1. Vol.170: Steam Still At Work after August 1968 Part 2 - 1968 to 1969 (Ref: BR170D)

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1. Vol.92 - Steam Still At Work After August 1968 Part 1 (Ref: BR092D)

2. Vol.170: Steam Still At Work after August 1968 Part 2 - 1968 to 1969 (Ref: BR170D)

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The fourth part of in our “Steam Still at Work” series of films which feature the steam scene both at home and overseas after the end of main line steam on British Railways in 1968. The series continues until the “Return to Steam” tours on BR in October 1971.

We begin by visiting Woodham's vast scrap yard of over 200 locomotives at Barry Docks in South Wales, followed by lineside at Blea Moor on 11th.August 1968 to witness the passing of the last BR steam train, “The Fifteen Guinea Special”. Then to the solemn lines of dead and withdrawn locomotives at the former BR steam depot at Carnforth. All was not lost here as a lease had been obtained lighting a preservation era spark which would transform the site into “Steamtown Carnforth” in subsequent years.

Next we visit the Keighley & Worth Valley and the Severn Valley lines in their very early preservation days. Quite a contrast to today!

Pockets of industrial steam still existed and we find “The Lady Armaghdale” and “Isabel” working for ICI near Manchester before preservation. The NCB was the largest user of steam locomotives nationally after 1968 and we travel to Widdrington Colliery where the one-time 'J94' No. 68078 is seen at work.

Flying Scotsman” made a final trip along the East Coast Main Line, complete with its two tenders, in August 1969 before heading to Liverpool for shipping to the USA. BR’s only remaining steam, the narrow gauge “Vale of Rheidol” line is visited followed by a trip around the Manchester Ship Canal system in September 1969. Steam was still active in Northern Ireland and operations are seen in 1969 including the famous spoil trains from Magheramore quarry to Belfast Lough.

We cross the Channel to France to enjoy the ruggedly handsome North American-built 141Rs at Boulogne. Plenty of steam could also be found in West Germany with the 012 4-6-2s on express passenger services (including a footplate run), heavy freight work with the class 044 2-10-0s and classes 023, 038, 050, 064, 065, and 078 on a variety of workings. A cornucopia of steam! Portugal was another favoured haunt, even including narrow-gauge 2-4-4-0 compound mallets.

Back to Blighty for a visit to Tyseley’s open day in September 1969, the LCGB 'takeover' of Bowaters paper mill system in October 1969, the Bluebell Railway, and finally to Didcot and the GWS, where ex-Wantage Tramway “Shannon” is seen in steam for the first time since 1942.

Filmed entirely in colour, a commentary plus sound track complement this nostalgic look at working steam after August 1968

All text is © Wolverton Rail (a trading name of ADVANCE MICRO COMPUTERS LTD.) and may contain trackable codes.

Availability: AVAILABLE

Cover photo: Cover Photo:- Keith Pirt/Courtesy Book Law Publications, Vale of Rheidol 2-6-2T No.7 “Owain Glyndwr” at Aberystwyth, 1969.
First published on DVD: June 2018
Screen aspect ratio:
Classification: Exempt
Number of discs: 1 DVD-R
Media Format: DVD-R
Origination: 8mm cine-film

Running Time: 60-mins

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1. Vol.222 - Steam Still at Work after August 1968 Part 5 (Ref: BR222)

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1. Vol.92 - Steam Still At Work After August 1968 Part 1 (Ref: BR092D)

2. Vol.170: Steam Still At Work after August 1968 Part 2 - 1968 to 1969 (Ref: BR170D)

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The fifth part in our “Steam Still at Work” series of films which mostly features the steam scene both at home and overseas after the end of main line steam on British Railways in 1968. The series continues until the “Return to Steam” tours on BR in October 1971.

We begin in Kent during 1969 where Mogul U-class 2-6-0 No.31618 (the 2nd locomotive rescued from Barry scrapyard) is seen near Maidstone, followed by the first of two journeys to the Ashford Steam Centre where there is a strong South Eastern & Chatham representation. We next visit Bridgnorth during 1965 at the very beginning of the Severn Valley Railway followed by scenes of the early days of workings to Hampton Loade featuring Nos.46443, 3205, 8233, 43106, and GWR railcar 22.

Many ex-GWR pannier tanks found a new commercial working life after BR and visits are made to see them on London Transport (No.L92) and on the NCB at Coventry (No.1502), Merthyr Vale (No.9600), and Mountain Ash (No.7754) collieries. In South Wales further NCB sites seen are Hafodyrynys, Celynen South, Brynlliw, and Maesteg.

Although not steam, another system of interest to enthusiasts visited at the end of 1969 was the “Woodhead” electrified system from Manchester to Sheffield Victoria.

Next we visit the Dart Valley Railway in May 1970 with its first ever through trains from the BR network - one by the LCGB with Praire No.4555 & Pannier No.1638 and the other one by Ian Allan with 0-4-2T No.1420 & again No.1638.

Further locations include Quainton Road, Bulmer's at Hereford, Carnforth, Tyseley, and the Bluebell Railway on the occasion of their tenth anniversary. In North Wales visits are also made to the Welshpool & Llanfair (including the legendary “Monarch” 0-4-4-0), Talyllyn and Vale of Rheidol railways.

Steam could also still be found across the Channel. We visit the last entirely steam-worked terminus in Paris at Gare-de-la-Bastille using 2-8-2 tanks during December 1969 plus also near Boissy and Vincennes. A trip was also organised to North Germany by the LCGB in April 1970 and includes Lingen (with a visit to the locomotive works) and Emden. Motive power features double-headed 011 Pacifics, Nos. 012, 023, and even an 082 0-10-0 tank.

The archive film is entirely in colour. An authentic sound track has been added along with a commentary to complement our nostalgic look at this period from 1969 to 1970.

All text is © Wolverton Rail (a trading name of ADVANCE MICRO COMPUTERS LTD.) and may contain trackable codes.

Availability: AVAILABLE

Cover photo: Colin White:- Andrew-Barclay 0-4-0ST No.8 at Celynen Colliery, 4th.June 1970.
Narrated by: Mike Clemens
First published on DVD: February 2019
Screen aspect ratio: 4:3 SD
Classification: Exempt
Number of discs: 1 DVD-R
Media Format: DVD-R
Origination: 8mm cine-film

Running Time: 60-mins (1hr 0min) , All Colour
.

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1. Vol.217 - Steam Still at Work after August 1968 Part 4 (Ref: BR217)

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THE LATEST B & R DVD TO ARRIVE AT WOLVERTON RAIL WILL BE.....:-)

>>>>IN STOCK 21st. MARCH 2022 YOU CAN PRE-ORDER NOW! <<<<<<

The sixth and final part in our “Steam Still at Work” series of films mostly featuring the steam scene, both at home and overseas, after the end of main line steam on British Railways in 1968. In this volume we also include a few historical sequences from earlier years.

The Severn Valley Railway was a favourite location for enthusiasts and is visited a number of times. Trips are also made-to other early preserved lines such as the North Yorkshire Moors Railway and Keighley & Worth Valley Railway. Ex-GWR King class 4-6-0 No.6000 “King George V” is seen with the famous 'Return to Steam' special in 1971.

The last main line steam locomotives working anywhere in the British Isles were in Northern Ireland. Here we spend time in 1970 watching the ex-NCC class 'WT' 2-6-4Ts top and tailing quarry spoil trains running alongside Belfast Lough. The wagons were specially built by Cravens of Sheffield and made up into three trains of twenty hoppers each with a “WT” engine at each end. They were used to transport fill for motorway construction. Also in Ireland the RPSI 1971 tour is seen behind Class J15 0-6-0 No.186, the most numerous class of locomotive to ever run in the Emerald Isle.

Other heritage locations seen include the Dart Valley Railway, Quainton Road, Bluebell Railway, Whipsnade and Umfolozi Railway, Sittingbourne & Kemsley Light Railway, Tyseley, Lincolnshire Coast Light Railway, Didcot, Dinting, Longmoor Military Railway, and the Llanberis Lake Railway.

The industrial steam scene is also well covered with crane tanks at Doxford's Shipyard Sunderland, the last exclusively steam-worked ironstone line at Nassington, Northamptonshire, at London Transport with ex-GWR Pannier power, and the oldest steam locomotive working commercially anywhere in the country at Wirksworth Quarries, Derbyshire.

We then travel across to mainland Europe where steam was considerably still in daily use. Here, amongst others, we feature 141Rs at Boulogne, push-pull 141TCs at Paris, the LCGB tour of West Germany in May 1971 (including 012 4-6-2, Prussian G8.1 0-8-0, and Class 50 2-10-0), the Rio Tinto Railway in Southern Spain, Northern Portugal (Iberian gauge plus narrow gauge) and the Erzberg iron ore rack railway in ice and snow.

Filmed entirely in colour, mainly between 1970 and 1971, a commentary plus sound track complement this nostalgic look at the steam scene largely after August 1968. Although this is the concluding volume of this series we will still be creating many more volumes covering other topics from the days of steam.

All text is © Wolverton Rail (a trading name of ADVANCE MICRO COMPUTERS LTD.) and may contain trackable codes.

Availability: NEW RELEASE

Cover photo: Keith Pirt/Courtesy of Book Law Publications, Class “WT” 2-6-4T passing Adelaide in the suburbs of Belfast.
Written by: Ray Jones
First published on DVD: 21st. March 2022
Screen aspect ratio: 4:3 SD
Classification: Exempt
Number of discs: 1 DVD-R
Media Format: DVD-R
Origination: 8mm cine-film

Running Time: 80-mins (1hr 20min) , Colour
.

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