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Being a big Steam Locomotive fan I’ve noticed a lot of fascinating programs on TV recently about Steam Locomotives, which is fine by me .

Dangerous Adventures for Boys

Last Week there was an enjoyable episode of Dangerous Adventures for Boys in which ex-Grange Hill, Eastenders & The Bill actor Todd Carty took his son to drive the Southern Railway 4-4-0 no 30926 “Repton” across the North York Moors Railway from Grosmont to Pickering. First though they went to the Bluebell Line to serve a sort of apprenticeship where they learnt all about cleaning the Engines, Breaking the Coal, Doing Safety Checks & Oiling the Mechanical bits. I was really jealous, having spent many happy hours down at the Severn Valley Railway, I’ve always fancied having a go at being an engine driver.

Between the Lines – Railways in Fiction and Film

This interesting documentary narrated by novellist Andrew Martin has also recently been on & looks at how Steam Locomotives have been portrayed in books & films. Featuring films such as The Titfield Thunderbolt, The 39 Steps, The Lady Vanishes, The Railway Children, Brief Encounter & Harry Potter. It also examines how steam was portrayed in literature & examines the important roll played by the poet Sir John Betjemen in the saving St Pancras Station. Interestingly Goathland station on the NYMR (which was featured in Dangerous Adventures for Boys) is the also the location used for Hogsmead Station in the Harry Potter films.

Last Days of Steam

I’ve also recently watched this absorbing and rather fascinating look at the last days of steam locomotives in the UK. Starting before World War II it mentions the big 4 railway companies – The London Midland & Scottish, London North Eastern Railway, Great Western Railway and Southern Railway, and looks at how WWII almost bankrupted them, causing them to be nationalised by the Labour Government in 1948 and led to the creation of British Railways.

It then examines how Labour bought in Dr Beeching to do something about the railway’s dire financial situation, which he did by closing any branch-lines which were losing money. It then explains why the Government was keen to modernise the railways and how they did this, by scrapping Steam locomotives and bringing in Diesel locomotives instead, which in the early days were alarmingly unreliable & prone to breaking down, and looks at the effect that all these cuts had, with many people becoming unemployed & many almost brand-new engines being cut up & scrapped, not to mention many rural communities who relied on the railways, being cut off.

The program also looks at the birth of the Steam Locomotive Preservation movement, and how, thanks to people like Dai Woodham of Barry Island, and many other dedicated Steam enthusiasts, many locomotives were saved from the cutting torch for future generations to enjoy, and also mentions New build locomotives such as the A1 Pacific no 60163 Tornado, which seems to have really captured the public’s imagination since it was completed.