Volume 239

Wales & The Marches (A Steam Miscellany) (82-mins) Price £19.75

**RELEASED 12th. January 2022**

Covering Wales and The Marches area in the days of steam, this volume has been has been mostly compiled from previously unseen footage in the late Ellis James-Robertson’s Collection. Ellis was born in Swansea in 1922 and had moved to near Pwllheli at the age of 11 before taking up residence in Worcester in the mid 1950s.

We start with scenes at Bangor on 7th.April 1961, before moving to South Wales for a visit to the Swansea & Mumbles Railway. This was the first passenger carrying railway in the World and we feature both rare monochrome and colour footage.

We return to North Wales for glimpses of the Snowdon Mountain Railway and Vale of Rheidol Railway before the first of a number of visits to the area around Pwllheli. Ellis travelled on the SLS “farewell to the Cambrian Railways” rail tour that ran on 17th.January 1965 and features such places as Shrewsbury, Welshpool, Ellesmere, Whitchurch, Oswestry, Llanymynech and Llanfyllin.

On Saturday 6th.June 1964, a round trip was made from Hereford which included Pontypool Road, Hafodyrynys, Crumlin Viaduct, Hengoed, Quakers Yard, Aberdare, Neath and Landire to Swansea High Street before continuing along the Central Wales route to Swansea Victoria via Gowerton South, Pontarddulais, LLandovery, Cynghordy Viaduct, Builth Road, Llandrindod Wells, and Craven Arms.

There is excellent coverage, filmed on 7th.April 1964, of the freight only, 14xx worked branch from Leominster to Kington and Presteigne with Ellis travelling on the engine to and from Presteigne. Great Western enthusiasts will thoroughly enjoy this 15 minutes and more of branch line delight!

Next we visit the old Carnarvonshire Railway north from Afon Wen with all steam action at Chwilog, LLangbi, Ynys and Brynkir including double-headed summertime specials. Ellis also filmed the last inbound freight train to Lydbrook Junction from Gloucester via Ross-on_wye and Kene Bridge on Friday 29th.October 1965. Other locations include Dolgellau, Porthywaen, Llynclys, the last day of operation in August 1963 over the town section of the Welshpool & Llanfair narrow gauge line.

We conclude with scenes at the NCB collieries of Merdy and Mountain Ash.

The film covers the period from 1960 to 1966. Motive power includes ex-GWR 14xx, 2251, 28xx, Hall 4-6-0s and pannier 57xx, 78xx, 94xx classes, an ex-MR Dock Tank, ex-LMS Fairburn 2-6-4Ts, Black 5s, Scots, 8Fs, Ivatt Class 2 2-6-2Ts & 2-6-0s, BR Standard Class 5 4-6-0 73000s, Class 4 4-6-0 75000s, Class 4 2-6-4T 80000s, Class 3 2-6-2T 82000s & Class 2 2-6-0s 78000s. Plus NCB industrials.

Filmed almost all in colour, an authentic sound track has been added along with an informative commentary to complement this nostalgic look at the last years of steam across Wales and The Marches.

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Released in Miscellany Series (post Vol.190), Steam in Wales & The Borders, Volumes 239 and above | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Volume 235

Cambrian Steam Miscellany No.1 (86-mins) Price £19.75

**RELEASED 6th. February 2021**

The first volume in our popular “Miscellany” series to cover the Cambrian Coast routes and compiled from mostly previously unseen footage from the B & R archives.

Travelling along the coastal route we visit places such as Pwllheli, Penychain, Afon Wen, Criccieth, Portmadoc, Minffordd, Penrhyndeudraeth, and Harlech. Then back at Barmouth we see the up bay platform, opened by the GWR in 1923, and the Old Chapel Viaduct which was rebuilt in the early 1950s. All followed by glorious views of the world famous Barmouth Viaduct across the Mawddach Estuary.

Continuing south we pass Morfa Mawddach, Fairbourne, Friog Rocks, Llwyngwril and stop off at Towyn for a few minutes before heading up the Dovey Estuary.

We then spend some time at Aberystwyth, with ‘Manors’ everywhere, before heading back inland through Bow Street, after a token exchange, to Borth, Ynyslas, Glandyfi and Dovey Junction. This famous isolated junction has no road access and we make a number of visits including seeing the Pwllheli and Aberystwyth portions of the up ‘Cambrian Coast Express’ being combined together for the onward journey to Shrewsbury

Machynlleth is well covered and highlights include scenes at the shed showing the preparation of 82033 for duty, plus ‘Dukedog’ 9017 acting as pilot on both the up and down “Cambrian Coast Express” in 1960. There are overhead views here plus panoramas across the valley.
We continue inland via Cemmes Road with its token exchange before extended coverage of the final stages of the ascent of Talerddig Bank with passenger and freight trains battling their way up the grade. The final up “Cambrian Coast Express” is seen here in March 1967.

Other locations featured include Newtown, Welshpool, Buttington, Llanymynech, Llanfyllin, and Oswestry. Although not specifically Cambrian there is also film of Shrewsbury, Hookagate, Llangollen, Llandderfel, Bala Junction, Bala, Bontnewydd and Dolgellau (including on what is believed to be the last day of services).

The cine-film was taken between 1960s and 1967. Motive power seen includes ex-GWR Manor, 43xx, 2251, 45xx, Pannier & Dukedog classes as well as BR Standard Classes 75xxx, 78xxx, 80xxx and 82xxx. Even the odd DMU manages to put in an appearance!

Most of the film is in colour and has been assembled in the order the film runs off the original cine reels. An authentic sound track has been added along with an informative commentary to compliment this nostalgic look at these last years of steam on the Cambrian.

Cover Photo: Keith Pirt/Courtesy Booklaw Publications, Manor Class 4-6-0 No.7828 “Odney Manor” at Aberystwyth Shed, August 1963.

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Released in Great Western, Miscellany Series (post Vol.190), Steam in Wales & The Borders, Volumes 230-238 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Volume 199

Great Western Steam Miscellany No.1 (80-mins) Price £19.75

**RELEASED November 2015**

Over the years, we have amassed a vast collection of archive cine-film from a variety of owners. Quite a lot has been used in our volumes but there is still considerable footage that remains unused because it either did not fit in with our volumes or we were not aware of the locations. Much of this film is now over half a century old and it is a shame to think that so much of it could end up being either thrown away and lost forever, unseen. To help solve this we are making this series of “Miscellanies” using most of this   previously unseen footage and assembled in the order it runs off the cine reel without any story.  Some could run into several volumes!

This is the first volume in our new “Miscellanies” series and it features Great Western Steam. It has something a bit different and the first 20 minutes or so is devoted to the 54xx, 64xx & 74xx light pannier tanks. The remainder of the footage features all the classes you love to see including 4-6-0 Kings, Castles, Counties, Halls, Granges, & Manors 4-6-0s, the freight 28xx 2-8-0 & 72xx 2-8-2T, the 57xx, 94xx 0-6-0 panniers, the Prairie 2-6-2T 45xx & 41xx and the diminutive 14xx 0-4-2Ts!. Of course, non-GWR power appears, perhaps the most noticeable being 0-4-0 dock tank No.41525.

Although we feature broad coverage across most of the former GWR empire, certain areas as seen in much greater detail. These include The Golden Valley push-pull to Stroud and Gloucester, Ponytpool Road to Neath, Swansea Victoria to Craven Arms and the delightful Exe Valley and Culm Valley branches with their 0-4-2 tanks.

Other include Yeovil Town to Yeovil Junction, Dymock, Cinderford, Coleford, the Dursley branch, the Aberayron branch, Barmouth, Hatton Bank, Oxford, Paddington, Langley, Slough, Worcester, Hereford, Carmarthen to Aberystwyth, Torquay, Birmingham Snow Hill and Chester.

The archive film is in both colour and Black & White and was mostly filmed between 1960 and 1965. An authentic sound track has been added along with a commentary to complement this nostalgic look at the last years of GWR steam.

Keith Pirt/Courtesy Book Law Publications. Pannier 5410 on the Yeovil Junction to Yeovil Town auto train, 1963.

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Released in Along GWR Lines, Great Western, Great Western Steam Miscellany Series, Steam Routes Series, Steam in Wales & The Borders, Volumes 190-199 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Volume 160

Steam in Wales & The Borders Part 3 (70-mins) Price £19.75

**NOW IN STOCK**

Part 3 begins at Shrewsbury in the 1970s and 1980s with a brief look at the main line runs with steam that returned here on the North-and-West route to Hereford. Back to the 1960s proper, and archive film at Hereford on its route to Gloucester. Then on to Talyllyn Junction for the northern section of the Brecon and Merthyr Railway with its pannier tank service through Talybont-on-Usk and Torpantau. The Aberystwyth to Carmarthen line was another route into South Wales and we  travel this route including a visit to its Aberayron branch, a source of important milk traffic. Then southwards to Pencarder and Bronwydd Arms, now home of the Gwili Railway. The Central Wales line from Llandovery to Portardulais and Swansea is shown in the early 1960s including a visit to Swansea East Dock for pre-grouping 0-4-0 tank engines. We travel the Vale of Neath line from Pontypool Road to Neath via Crumlin, Dowlais and Quakers Yard leading through the coal mining area of South Wales and visit Abersychan and Graig Merthyr collieries for their “Paddy” trains. The South Wales main line from Severn Tunnel to Cardiff and Newport in the 1960s is also covered. Our archive film has many types of Great Western locomotives from Castles, Halls, Granges and Manors to 28xx, 72xx, 56xx and Panniers.

All in colour with an authentic sound track and a highly researched and infomative  commentary.

Cover Photo:- Dr. Gaius Sutton, 3691 at Bedwas on a Newport to Brecon train.

Click Here for Vol.152 Steam in Wales & The Borders Part 2

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Released in Steam in Wales & The Borders, Volumes 158-166 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Volume 152

Steam in Wales & The Borders Part 2 (80-mins) Price £19.75

In this second part, we begin at Gobowen on the Shrewsbury to Chester main line before looking at the connection to Oswestry and the Cambrian line south to Llanymynech and Llanfyllin, prior to its closure in 1965.
We return to Gobowen with a stone train and then onwards to Shrewsbury. Steam finished here in 1967 and there is a rare appearance of the Blue Pullman amongst the Black 5s. Onwards, we travel west along the Cambrian route to Machynlleth and Aberystwyth, using ex-GWR Manors and the later BR Standards for motive power. Along the way we see steam scenes at the narrow gauge Welshpool & Llanfair Railway both before and after preservation. The Vale of Rheidol is also visited when its original Aberystwyth terminus was in use. Finally, with steam reigning supreme, we return to Shrewsbury via Talerddig Incline with some contrasting views of steam returning to the route in later years. Included are some black & white film scenes of the estwhile Corris Railway. Manors, Halls, Black 5s, Ivatts and BR Standards are all featured, even a Dukedog!

The archive film material used is in colour, except for the Corris Railway scenes, with an authentic soundtrack and an informative commentary.

Cover Photo:- Dr. Gaius Sutton, 75012 climbs Talerddig, 20/8/66.

Click Here for Vol.152 Steam in Wales & The Borders Part 3

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Released in Steam in Wales & The Borders, Volumes 150-157 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Volume 144

Steam in Wales & The Borders Part 1 (60-mins) Price £19.75

This video concentrates on the northern area of Wales and its borders from the North Wales coast through Chester to Gobowen.

Branch lines visited are the Conway Valley to Blaenau Ffestiniog and, by way of a rail tour, the Wrexham, Mold and Connahs Quay route ending at Wrexham.

North to Chester for the end of steam here in 1967 and includes visits by preserved main line locos 40 years on.

Over Gresford bank to Wrexham and a visit to Croess Newydd shed and steam activity at Ruabon in the 1960s. A journey along the Dee Valley through Corwen to Barmouth.

Portmadoc with early scenes on the Ffestiniog Railway before returning along the Dee Valley to Ruabon. The video reaches Gobowen via Chirk and the Ifton colliery sidings at Weston Rhyn.

Many ex-GWR classes are seen from Dukedogs to Castles and ex-LMS Black 5s and Jubilees.

Cover Photo:- Dr. Gaius Sutton, 6357 at Bala Junction.

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Released in Steam in Wales & The Borders, Volumes 142-149 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment