Description

The second of our “Miscellany” series to cover Great Western Steam. This time we mostly use previously unseen film from the Jim Clemens Collection. Once again the footage has been assembled in the order the film runs off the original cine reels and features wide coverage across much of the old GWR Empire. A veritable feast of all that ex-GW steam which includes the branch from Oxford to Witney and Fairford, the “Great Western” high speed special on 9th.May 1964 from Paddington to Plymouth and back, a shed visit to Exmouth Junction, Gloucester (Horton Road), Worcester and Stourbridge. We feature the route of the “Cathederals Express” from Hereford via Malvern, Worcester, Evesham, Honeybourne, Campden Bank, Kingham, Oxford, Didcot and Reading to Paddington. Onwards and we witness the last steam from Swansea to Milford Haven and Fishguard in September 1965, Dowlais Cae Harris and Dowlais Top, Savernake Low Level to Radstock West via Holt Junction in 1959, Three Cocks Junction and the Mid-Wales line, Kingham to Cheltenham via Stow-on-the-Wold, Chipping Norton, the Bromyard branch, Shepton Mallett High Street, the Helston Branch, Malmesbury, Highworth and Faringdon branches, the Ditton Priors branch and finally Stourbridge Junction to Wolverhampton Low Level. A huge variety of ex-GWR steam locomotives is seen ranging from all types of 4-6-0s (Kings, Castles, Counties, Halls, Granges and Manors), 28xx, 43xx, 2251, 72xx, 45xx, 41xx, 61xx, 66xx, 57xx, 94xx, 16xx, 14xx and even a very brief glimpse of a condensing pannier tank! BR Standards put in an appearance as does the odd Warship diesel hydraulic. There is something for everyone and a Great Western delight for all GW enthusiasts! The archive film is in both colour and Black & White and was mostly filmed in the 1950s and 1960s. An authentic sound track has been added along with a commentary to complement this further nostalgic look at the last years of GWR steam.

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