B/W film of W&LLR in 1960s

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B/W film of W&LLR in 1960s

Post by ge_rik » Thu Apr 25, 2019 12:53 pm

Whilst researching railway coal yards for the coal bins thread, I came across this video of the Welshpool and Llanfair shot in the 1960s. I've not seen it before. It contains a wealth of useful visual info. I think H&S might have something to say today about some of the practices - I certainly found it well worth a watch. Just in case you've not seen it ......
https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/wat ... 960-online

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Re: B/W film of W&LLR in 1960s

Post by BorisSpencer » Thu Apr 25, 2019 6:59 pm

Thanks for posting Rik, made a great little break from work with this afternoon's cuppa.

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Re: B/W film of W&LLR in 1960s

Post by tom_tom_go » Thu Apr 25, 2019 7:52 pm

In the days before money making H&S wankers, great video.

We like to think we have progressed with our modern world but people seemed happier with less and and life being at a slower pace...

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Re: B/W film of W&LLR in 1960s

Post by Peter Butler » Thu Apr 25, 2019 10:20 pm

It is a great video indeed, I remember seeing the track through the houses when I was about ten or so..... I possibly saw the train crossing the road at Raven Square too in the early sixties? Difficult to recall in detail but I do remember travelling on the line as far as the bridge after it was washed away.
I agree with the poor state of the present society Tom, life was better with fewer gadgets and far less influence by do-gooders. We had community spirit and personal interaction, and kids could be kids with no fear of being outside playing safely. I know we had something called 'common sense' then which kept us alive and well, something which isn't found in more recent generations.
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Re: B/W film of W&LLR in 1960s

Post by gregh » Fri Apr 26, 2019 7:39 am

Rats! Can't be viewed outside UK.
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Re: B/W film of W&LLR in 1960s

Post by Andrew » Fri Apr 26, 2019 8:46 am

That's wonderful, thanks for posting it!

The gentle, almost timeless, and seemingly largely carefree atmosphere seems to be what lots of us are trying to recreate in our gardens, so this is great inspiration. Some of the scenes even looked like set-pieces from a model railway - the chap painting the level crossing sign, and the tractor chugging through the field just as the train passed over the bridge. I loved the children in the brake van (wasn't there something very poignant about them waving cheerfully as they roll off into the black and white distance?!), the cows chewing contentedly in the cattle van, and the calm and relaxed but very skilled way in which the crew go about shunting...

On the Health and Safety front, it's interesting that many of us make our lines much Healthier and Safer than the narrow gauge lines we're recreating, adding full height platforms, level crossing gates and signalling when the original lines often didn't. And next time I equip an engine or guards van with a crew figure, they'll definitely have a fag casually hanging from their lips!

Cheers,

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Re: B/W film of W&LLR in 1960s

Post by FWLR » Fri Apr 26, 2019 9:26 am

Great film Rik, well done for finding it and posting... :thumbright:

Agree with Tom and Peter, although I have mentioned before, the days were a lot more easy going and longer it seemed. We used to play on the Coal "tips" in the yard at home, sadly no sign of it ever being there now. We never had a trouble with the older generation then, mainly because we never caused any trouble or give rude and nasty comments (swear at them) so we were allowed to use our "common sense" and play and also learn about life more then they do now I suspect??

Hoping to see your [Coal Project] progress. It will be another fantastic build again.... :thumbright:

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Re: B/W film of W&LLR in 1960s

Post by IanC » Fri Apr 26, 2019 12:01 pm

Wonderful and nostalgic find Rik, Thanks for sharing it.
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Re: B/W film of W&LLR in 1960s

Post by ge_rik » Fri Apr 26, 2019 1:11 pm

I like the way they indulge in fly-shunting, presumably to save time and effort. Having just re-equipped all my stock with my new hook and loops, it's not something I can indulge in (though sometimes the great hand from the sky does provide assistance on the PLR!)

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Re: B/W film of W&LLR in 1960s

Post by ge_rik » Fri Apr 26, 2019 1:29 pm

FWLR wrote: ↑Fri Apr 26, 2019 9:26 am Hoping to see your [Coal Project] progress. It will be another fantastic build again.... :thumbright:
Thanks Rod
A bit more progress - just hoping the rain clears up long enough for me to get out into the garden and position everything.
https://gardenrails.org/forum/viewtopic ... 20#p146420

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Re: B/W film of W&LLR in 1960s

Post by Soar Valley Light » Sat Apr 27, 2019 4:55 pm

Peter Butler wrote: ↑Thu Apr 25, 2019 10:20 pm
It is a great video indeed, I remember seeing the track through the houses when I was about ten or so..... I possibly saw the train crossing the road at Raven Square too in the early sixties? Difficult to recall in detail but I do remember travelling on the line as far as the bridge after it was washed away.
I agree with the poor state of the present society Tom, life was better with fewer gadgets and far less influence by do-gooders. We had community spirit and personal interaction, and kids could be kids with no fear of being outside playing safely. I know we had something called 'common sense' then which kept us alive and well, something which isn't found in more recent generations.
Peter sums things up very well. It's easy to forget that some aspects of life back then were far from perfect, ask any of the minority groups of the time, but as well as putting that right, we seem to have utterly lost our way as we 'progressed' to the present day. Turning our back on the basics, like relying on common sense, has taken us into a very different world.

With regard to the operating practises beautifully depicted on the wonderful film clip, it has to be remembered that fly shunting was an accepted part of every day railway life. It save fuel and engine mileage (every little helps!) and it speeded the job up. We should never underestimate the ingenuity and eagerness of pretty much everyone to find a quicker way of getting the job done - even if it wasn't in the Rule Book. In remote places like Llanfair it didn't really matter if it was against the Rules - officialdom was far far away and there was no chance of something grabbed on i-phone appearing on social media! Having said all that, going in between two closing vehicles for the choppers looked perilously tight, even to my eyes and reckless desrire to get the 'job done'! There must have been a 'thinness test for prospective new employees!

As a youngster I used to be taken on a two week holiday caravanning in Wales. In those days an afternoon start from Nottinghamshire only go us as far as Welshpool by 9:0pm. Our regular pitch for the night was the car park down the side of which the W&L used to run. This would have been very late sixties and early seventies. When we left the car park on foot for fish and chips on the first night I was amazed to see rails disappearing between the houses opposite. An exploration the following morning and on subsequent visits (taking the dog for a walk gave me the opportunity to explore many bits of railway!) revealled track still running through the houses to the next road crossing and a large amount of bulk timberwork still in place (right across some downstairs house windows!) where the line used to run on towards Raven Sqaure. Now on the lookout for where the line ran, I could clearly make out the course of the railway at Raven Square as we left Welshpool. I believe on that first trip there may even have been some rail still in the ground. Gradually over our visits the traces of the railway began to vanish. By the time of the last trip in 1978 almost nothing remained. Very sad. It was that aspect of the W&L which absolutely confirmed my love for narrow gauge (that and cleaning engines on the TR).

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Re: B/W film of W&LLR in 1960s

Post by Peter Butler » Sat Apr 27, 2019 10:30 pm

Watching the film made me search for other related material and I came across a series entitled... 'Great Little Trains of Wales' presented by Wynford Vaughn Thomas. They include WHR, VOR, Bala Lake and W&L, filmed for the BBC in 1964. Well worth watching.
Just search ... 'Great Little Trains of Wales'
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Re: B/W film of W&LLR in 1960s

Post by gregh » Sun Apr 28, 2019 4:03 am

gregh wrote: ↑Fri Apr 26, 2019 7:39 am Rats! Can't be viewed outside UK.
Thanks to Rik sending me a copy, I too can enjoy.
Now can someone tell me what these things are for?
side irons.jpg
side irons.jpg (26.79 KiB) Viewed 6001 times

If I didn't know it was in the UK, I'd be sure one of those kids was me!
I grew up on a diet of UK Railway Modeller magazines so my initial idea of railways was just like this movie. But the stone buildings just don't fit the aussie scene.

How about the ending? No graffiti on the shed - weird times they were. But the ghost train coming out of the closed shed - pure magic.
(PS Tour Guide Rik, how come we never got to the WLLR on our wanderings through Wales? - guess we ran out of time.)
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Re: B/W film of W&LLR in 1960s

Post by Andrew » Sun Apr 28, 2019 8:01 am

I don't remember the names of those bits, but I'm pretty sure they're for the drop sides of the wagon to rest against while they're in the open position...

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Re: B/W film of W&LLR in 1960s

Post by philipy » Sun Apr 28, 2019 8:11 am

Andrew wrote: ↑Sun Apr 28, 2019 8:01 am I don't remember the names of those bits, but I'm pretty sure they're for the drop sides of the wagon to rest against while they're in the open position...
Agreed, and as far as I know they are just called "Dropside wagon door springs". Not only do they act as a rest, but more importantly protect the hinges from being over stressed as the heavy door tries to swing past 180degrees when it drops.
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Re: B/W film of W&LLR in 1960s

Post by gregh » Sun Apr 28, 2019 9:23 am

philipy wrote: ↑Sun Apr 28, 2019 8:11 am
Andrew wrote: ↑Sun Apr 28, 2019 8:01 am I don't remember the names of those bits, but I'm pretty sure they're for the drop sides of the wagon to rest against while they're in the open position...
Agreed, and as far as I know they are just called "Dropside wagon door springs". Not only do they act as a rest, but more importantly protect the hinges from being over stressed as the heavy door tries to swing past 180degrees when it drops.
Very clever. Thanks
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Re: B/W film of W&LLR in 1960s

Post by ge_rik » Sun Apr 28, 2019 8:01 pm

Hi Greg
Glad the video arrived ok. Sorry we didn't get to the W & LLR when you were over. Sounds like a good reason for a return visit, Greg .... ;)

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Re: B/W film of W&LLR in 1960s

Post by markoteal » Sun Apr 28, 2019 8:18 pm

Great video Rik - good to see the train running through the back streets of Welshpool - its amazing now walking those streets to think trains ran through!
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Re: B/W film of W&LLR in 1960s

Post by Soar Valley Light » Wed May 01, 2019 9:26 pm

philipy wrote: ↑Sun Apr 28, 2019 8:11 am
Andrew wrote: ↑Sun Apr 28, 2019 8:01 am I don't remember the names of those bits, but I'm pretty sure they're for the drop sides of the wagon to rest against while they're in the open position...
Agreed, and as far as I know they are just called "Dropside wagon door springs". Not only do they act as a rest, but more importantly protect the hinges from being over stressed as the heavy door tries to swing past 180degrees when it drops.
Also agreed - I couldn't remembe the precise name but Philip has nailed it!

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Re: B/W film of W&LLR in 1960s

Post by Soar Valley Light » Wed May 01, 2019 9:27 pm

Soar Valley Light wrote: ↑Wed May 01, 2019 9:26 pm
philipy wrote: ↑Sun Apr 28, 2019 8:11 am
Andrew wrote: ↑Sun Apr 28, 2019 8:01 am I don't remember the names of those bits, but I'm pretty sure they're for the drop sides of the wagon to rest against while they're in the open position...
Agreed, and as far as I know they are just called "Dropside wagon door springs". Not only do they act as a rest, but more importantly protect the hinges from being over stressed as the heavy door tries to swing past 180degrees when it drops.
Also agreed - I couldn't remember the precise name but Philip has nailed it!

Andrew
"Smith! Why do you only come to work four days a week?
"'cause I can't manage on three gaffer!"

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