Railway Program on BBC4 on Monday Nights

[Georgeconna]

I came Across a Program on BBC 4 Last Monday Night (I know its late telling ye now), It was pretty well done and about Narrow Gauge Railway in Wales and how people got together to Rescue some of them, There was some Excellent cine footage of NG railways back in the 50/60's along with industrial steam.

 

It was repeated again on BBC 3 at 9pm Wednesday pm.

 

Review blurb by:Patrick Mulkern

This charming film shows how a band of volunteers preserved derelict narrow-gauge railways and dinky Thomas-like steam engines. A lot of their labours in the 1950s to 70s were captured on remarkable colour cinefilm.

 

There’s the story of the Reverend Teddy Boston who bought a clapped-out engine called Pixie and built the Cadeby Light Railway in his rectory garden. Even more ambitious were two projects in north Wales: the Talyllyn railway that used to serve a slate quarry, and the Ffestiniog, whose restoration required a new tunnel through 271 metres of granite.

 

Fittingly, Jenny Agutter, forever associated with The Railway Children, is the narrator.

 

 

About this programme

 

Part one of two. The story of the visionaries who rescued some of the narrow gauge railways that once served Britain's key industries, including its mines, quarries, factories and docks. Home movies reveal how volunteers set to work to bring the lines and steam engines back to life after they disappeared in the years following the Second World War. Narrated by Jenny Agutter.

 

 

Next Mondays is about Standard Gauge railways and preservation featuring the Severn vally railway and KVR Railway.

 

Watch out for it as programs on BBC4 tend to get repeated, it is an hour well spent unlike the IR tripe some time back.

 

Heres the Link for more info: http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/collections/p01277qd/steam-railways

 

G

Edited December 13, 2012 by Georgeconna

[WRENNEIRE]

Watched it myself George

Best bit of railway related TV I have seen in ages

Ffestiniog, the work put in, especially the bit of tunneling was incredible. Weekends spent working on this line must have been fantastic.

Have seen the line in the flesh and its a tribute to these far seeing people, it was the first preserved railway in the world and loads of the work

done by volunteers with picks and shovels, incredible!

The story about Rev Teddy Boston was also great, built his own railway in the church grounds!

If you ever get a chance to see this watch it, as George says it puts that tripe that RTE produced to shame.

[Broithe]

Ffestiniog ... it was the first preserved railway in the world

 

I'm not one to pick a fight with a super-moderator, but wasn't Talyllyn the first..?

[FrankS]

I'm not one to pick a fight with a super-moderator, but wasn't Talyllyn the first..?

 

As a life member of the TRPS I've got fly the flag - yes indeed The Talyllyn was the FIRST preserved railway in the world beating the Festiniog by several years. Also the TR never closed passing from the original owner, Sir Haydn Jones to the Preservation Society. The Festiniog had several years of closure.

 

Mind you, that's not to belittle the Festiniog, when I visited all the Welsh NG lines in 2009, I was VERY impressed by the Festiniog, to my mind a much more professional organisation than my beloved Talyllyn.

[Warbonnet]

Must agree, saw the 1st part last night and it was very enjoyable. Almost has me yearning for a bit of narrow gauge. I wonder if the Bord na Mona lines ever went would there be such a drive to preserve them?

[WRENNEIRE]

Sorry troops

I was watching the program, not taking notes

Welsh, it all sounds the same to me....

[Broithe]

I was watching the program, not taking notes

Whatever happened to " Whatever you say will be taken down, twisted round and used against you."...?

[WRENNEIRE]

Pleading the 5th

 

No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation