Screen Archive South East is a public sector moving image archive serving the South East of England. The archive's collections of magic lantern slides, films, videos and associated materials capture the many varied aspects of life, work and creativity from the early days of screen history to the present day and serve as a rich and invaluable historical resource.
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Somerset & Dorset Railway
Memories of smoke and steam fill this superb film about the Somerset & Dorset during its final years of operation - and watch out for some guest stars
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Overview
This superb film will delight fans of the Somerset & Dorset railway. Filmed during the last years of operation we see a huge variety of locomotives hauling passenger and goods trains as well as shunting and running light. Two significant engines are S&DJR Class 7F 53808 and BR Standard Class 9F 92220 'Evening Star', the very last locomotive built by British Railways. There are also views inside signalboxes and from the footplate of a friendly Jinty, a Fowler Class 3F 47465.
For many years a joint venture between the LSWR and Midland Railway, the Somerset & Dorset linked the North and Midlands to resorts on the Dorset coast, as well as servicing the needs of collieries in the Radstock area. The LMS and Southern railways continued this arrangement, which accounts for the large variety of motive power from those companies, the Great Western and even later British Rail types, seen in this remarkable film. Two locomotives featured in the film have since been preserved for posterity - Fowler Class 7F 53808, which can be seen at work on the West Somerset Heritage Railway and BR Standard Class 9F 'Evening Star', which is now part of the National Collection.
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