B&R .31 Dvd: Southern Pride

Description

The Southern Railway was the smallest of the ‘Big Four’ but its locomotives could hold their own against anything on the other three and in some cases certainly out-perform them.

This programme shows them in action from film shot by Jim Oatway in 1961 and 1962 when although Bulleid Pacifics were the main players on the Southern scene (after all there were 140 of them) the last of the Lord Nelsons, King Arthurs and Schools were still at work.

We see them on the ex-LSWR route out of Waterloo on weekdays and summer Saturdays, on expresses and Basingstoke semi-fasts.

Alongside this action, freight to and from Feltham and Nine Elms yards was worked by Maunsell ST5’s, Bulleid Q1’s and the inevitable U and N class Moguls.

A visit to Feltham shed shows us in great detail the massive H16, G16 and W class heavy tank locos, not just a glimpse but long detailed views you can appreciate.

The rural charm of the Hayling Island Branch and workings on the Isle-of-Wight in 1962 at Ryde lead into never to be repeated scenes of Haywards Heath when the famous ‘Bluebelle’ specials ran with preserved motive power on the main line using locos T9 No. 120, Caley Single No. 123, ‘Birch Grove’ and the Adams Radial No. 488.

We have not produced a Southern programme since Volume 21 (B&R No. 21) and to redress this balance we offer you ‘Southern Pride’.

Viewing scenes on the Southern Region, for most part in 1961 and 1962 when so many of the engines so long associated with the Southern Railway were ending their time.

The scenes portrayed in this programme come from the able photography of Jim Oatway whose camera work has been seen in many books portraying the steam railway scene in its last ten years of operation.

Jim was a signalman working the boxes from Waterloo to Clapham Junction, and therefore had the advantage of knowledge of workings and a position by the track from which to record the very best of action on the ex-LSWR route out of London.

Bulleid pacifics dominated the scene, kept very clean in the early 1960s, working the Bournemouth Belle, Atlantic Coast Express and prestige boat trains.

But intermingled with these were the odd Lord Nelson, King Arthur, Schools and Moguls with M7s on empty stock workings.

Freight types like S15, H15 and Q1 are seen alongside their tank engine counterparts of H16, G16, W and M7.

A typical summer Saturday of 1962 at Walton-on-Thames is shown and the variety at Byfleet, where freight to Feltham yards joined or left the procession of express passenger workings.

From thundering pacifics, the rural charm of Terriers on the Hayling Island branch and 02s on the Isle of Wight allow a few moments of calm.

Then we have the excitement of the ‘Bluebelle’ specials on the main line at Haywards Heath with such noble motive power as preserved T9 No. 120, Caley Single No. 123, ‘Birch Grove’ and the Adams Radial No. 488 in 1963.

Beattie Well tanks put in an appearance in the London suburbs, all helping in their own way to make this a superb compilation of the ‘Pride’ of the Southern Railway.

Approx. 60 minutes.

This dvd is being sold on behalf of and with full permission of the copyright owner – B&R Video Productions.