Chris Noyle filmed railways in Britain and Europe from 1962 to 1972. This is the third volume from his collection and mostly features the steam scene on the Midland Region in 1967 & 1968.

We start at Carlisle with 8Fs on passing trains followed by footage of locos being turned on Kingmoor shed’s turntable featuring Black 5s and 9Fs (even a former Crosti boilered example.) At Upperby Shed there is a line of withdrawn Britannias but inside we see a clean 70013 “Oliver Cromwell”. Back at Citadel station there is a lot of activity with Ivatt 4MT 2-6-0s on freight trains.
South to Tebay and scenes of passing goods & parcels trains as well as the Standard 4-6-0s banking engines on duty and positioning ballast trains for local trackwork relaying.

Chris visited Stoke-in-Trent during the last days of steam in 1967 and we see many shed scenes featuring 8Fs, Black 5s and Standard 4s including (now preserved) 75029 being serviced.

Returning to the North West, Chris visited Patricroft shed for more 8Fs and Black 5s including 45156 “Ayrshire Yeomanry”. There are a variety of 8F workings on Chequerbent incline before a visit to Bolton in 1968. Amongst all the steam workings we see a rare glimpse of a pair of Metro-Vick CoBos passing by, light engine. On the Padiham line, 8Fs are on coal trains before we visit Rose Grove shed, at the end of steam, Todmorden and Copy Pit Incline. At Accrington 70013 passes by and there are some shots of Eccles, Lostock Hall Shed and (now preserved) 45305.

At the very end of steam, Chris recorded many specials. The last remaining Britannia, 70013, is seen passing through Bolton on a special and on the line towards Skipton. Then at Kearsley double-headed Black 5s pass by on specials and towards Entwhistle. The very last day of BR steam was 11th.August 1968. Chris was on the Settle & Carlisle line to film the two Black 5s and 70013 pass by both light engine and hauling the famous last steam hauled special. The following weekend, Chris visited Carnforth shed to see the last steam engines there; some would be preserved but most would be scrapped…..

With the end of main line steam, Chris visited industrial sites with ex-BR locos. We see an ex-GWR pannier in the Rhondda Valley and J94 68078 at Widdrington Colliery. He then visited France, to see 141Rs at work in and around Calais & Boulogue, then to Spain, Portugal and Germany. We finish in Austria with snow covered tracks, a steam hauled double headed train leaving in sub zero temperatures, and a steam hauled snow plough clearing the tracks!

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

Standard 4s

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