GARDEN TRAINS (on film)

Not narrow gauge........................ but films well worth viewing

HD 720p video of the Tanfield Coal Train Day 2008

'Snow' is available to buy as part of the BFI DVD 'Geoffrey Jones: The Rhythm of Film' - http://filmstore.bfi.org.uk/acatalog/... . For details of other British Transport Films available for sale see http://filmstore.bfi.org.uk/acatalog/...

Comprising train and track footage quickly shot just before a heavy winter's snowfall was melting, the award-winning classic that emerged from the cutting-room compresses British Rail's dedication to blizzard-battling into a thrilling eight-minute montage cut to music. Tough-as-boots workers struggling to keep the line clear are counterpointed with passengers' buffet-car comforts.

In a mere half-dozen films released between 1959 and 1975, director Geoffrey Jones revealed himself as an outstanding talent, embracing industrial filmmaking as consistent with a personal style, blending movement and sound into a joyous, rhythmic whole. Brilliantly aided by Wolfgang Suschitzky's shimmering camerawork, the Oscar-nominated 'Snow' is Jones' masterpiece. It's crisply invigorating enough to induce brief amnesia about our trains' notorious inability to cope with the white stuff - then and now. (Patrick Russell)

For more information about 'Snow' see http://www.screenonline.org.uk/film/

Twenty years before,John Betjeman made a series of film on railways. This is an attempt to do something similar but with a railwayman`s dialogue accompanying the cinema-verite film.

A 1963 BBC programme showing the 24 mile S&D line from Evercreech Junction in 3 parts. 

Film by 21C123 on Youtube

Film by Brittonian on Youtube.

Bitter Creek Western

By Sudheergid

By 1z64

HD 720p video of the Tanfield Coal Train Day 2008

The Cass Scenic Railroad is a working, living museum of logging railroads. This State used to have over 3000 miles of logging lines, sadly they are all gone now, except for this 11 mile line between Cass and the mountain summit at Bald Knob. This is the second highest mountain in West Virginia and on a clear day, the views of the Virginia boarder can be seen, some 20 miles away.

This logging line never carried passengers, it's sole purpose was to bring the timber off the mountain, to the mill at Cass, as quickly and as cheaply as possible. To do this a special type of engine was needed. A Shay, unlike normal locomotives, the Shay has it's cylinders mounted vertically on one side of locomotive and the boiler off-set. The multiple vertical cylinders drive all the locomotives wheels through a cerdan line shaft and spur wheel. This gives the Shay it's sure footed power. It can move heavy loaded trains over rough track work with comsummate ease.All of the axles are driven and mounted in flexible sub-frames, thus the loco has total traction and adhesion all of the time.

 This line lasted for 60 years, until it closed in 1960. Now a tourist attraction, the Cass Scenic Railroad carrys passengers, not timber on a journey that takes you back to the hay-day of American railroading. This 2 disc  production shows the full history of this line, workshop tours, cab rides, run bys and this production is fully narrated by rail lover Bob Symes.

For more information on this and other titles, please visit our website at

www.sprucestudios.com