Description

DVD – Colour/B&W – 57 minutes

On 29th December 1962, the old Plymouth to Launceston steam train service ceased in very dramatic style during one of the worst blizzards to hit the West Country in years. Amateur cinematographer Reg Blackett was there with his 16mm camera to record the journey.

He also filmed many of the old stations on the active line complete with their familiar engines, mainly Pannier & Prairie tanks in the 1960s. The images have a great nostalgic content and coupled with the beautiful camera work of best selling cameraman Roger Underwood, this film gives the viewer a now and then view of the old line that used to run on the fringes of the great national park of Dartmoor and through some of the most beautiful countryside in Devon.

Featured too is the Launceston Steam Railway and some unique footage of the Plym Valley Railway with their No.3 engine in full steam.

An Aarchive Film Production in association with Roger Underwood
Produced and Directed by Roger Lilley
Camera and editing by Roger Underwood
Titles and Sound by Phil Lilley
Archive footage by Reginald J Blackett

With thanks to: Bryan Gibson, Bernard Mills, Colin Bastin, Paul Fox, Nigel Bowman, Tony Kingdom, Lens of Sutton, David & Charles Publishers, King Street Curios, R C Riley, Hugh Ballantyne, The Great Western Society (Didcot), Gerald Lilley and Roy Taylor.