Volume Nine – Narrow Gauge Steam In The Early 60s

NARROW GAUGE STEAM IN THE EARLY 60s Ivo Peters continued to film the progress of the narrow gauge railways of North Wales throughout the 1960s. The Vale of Rheidol was the first to be filmed, with No 9 sporting BR green livery. His 1961 and 1963 visits to the Tallyllyn Railway are next seen, with trains on the main line and locomotives being shunted at the then very basic Pendre Yard. The Welshpool & Llanfair follows, with both “The Earl” and “The Countess”. A brief visit to Tan-y-Bwlch on the Ffestiniog rounds off this part of the programme.

New railways were rare in the early 60s, so Ivo was attracted to the Bicton Woodland Railway in East Devon, where he filmed a 1916-built Avonside tank. The major feature of this programme recalls Ivo’s first visit, in 1961, to the Isle of Man, where he filmed both the Groudle Glen Railway and the main Isle of Man Railways, then still running to Port Erin, Peel and Ramsey from Douglas. There are comprehensive views of the locomotive depot and station at Douglas, together with film on each of the lines, including the famous “race” out of St Johns!