That is really very kind of you to say so! The pleasure of making these films is that one can do them on their own terms - I can imagine the BBC would have some very specific programme making requirements!
Yes, so much better than if it were narrated by, say, Bill Nighy, who called a Brush Type 4 a "D47-class". That sort of programme will always fail because someone, somewhere doesn't know his or her stuff.
@@rlock5758 Sorry, I can't remember. I didn't watch it, just caught a snatch which was enough to identify it as "celebrity narrates rail/travel programme as not enough people will watch an expert doing it properly" stuff. Actually, it could have been from "the world's most scenic railway journeys" on C5. The target audience wouldn't notice or mind, however. To my mind, better to do a Portillo and ignore the traction!
@@mikeuk4130 To be honest, the Brush Type 4 was later known as the Class 47 and pre-TOPS all units of the class used the prefix D, so it would be a pretty excusable mistake to make in my opinion.
What a lovely fim, complements the Betjeman programme perfectly. A sad loss, but the hard fact was that there was very little traffic, certainly not enough to support what must have been an expensive operation. All that double heading didn't come cheap.
The double headers with 9fs were unlikely assisting the 9f, but instead, the train was transporting the smaller engine to another place to be used as a locomotive pilot there for another train.
So made financial sense to put a chemist in charge instead of an engineer and close the lot and spend ten times the treasury money on Roadways and 'Development Opportunities.' Nothing to do with, 'We can HIKE the cost of running a car or lorry,over the next thirty years either !'
Thank you for another excellent insight into England's railway past. The loss of the S&D, together with the Great Central, illustrates the folly of the Beeching report and the political short-sightedness of the time.
@@RediscoveringLostRailwaysYes it's sad to see that wonderful railway go the problem is no one looks any Further than there nose if the railway was there now it would make money just look at the roads now full and overflowing plus pillups and police service fire service ambulance service doctor service road damage And don't take that into account £££££££££££
Easily the best documentary on the S&DJR on RU-vid. I'm an avid railway enthusiast and have recently taken to train simulators to revive the line and put it into a state of "What could have been" as in the line never closed and operates semi preserved with regular trains from Bath to Broadstone. I'm definitely going to be rewatching this religiously to get the infrastructure and scenery just right 👍🏻
You are very kind - thank you - this was such a joy to make. I don't know if it is your cup of tea, but you might share one of your simulator videos on RU-vid - if you do, let me know, as I would certainly watch it!
Magnificent production; you must be very proud of this piece which, in my view, stands superior to TV productions like "Walking Britain's Lost Railways." I hope you continue your invaluable recording of Britain's Lost Railways.
Excellent production…..as are all Rediscovering Lost Railways……….but who do we thank for all the hard work and research that goes into the making of these films. It would be nice to be able to put a name on comments. Or perhaps you prefer to remain in the background? That’s ok. Thanks 😊
Many thanks for your very kind remarks - really glad you enjoyed this film - it was a pleasure to make. As for me...I must admit that I prefer to remain in the background (for me, the subject of the films should be front and centre), though you can spot me piloting the drone in this film a couple of times and in other films in the series!
The best video ever, so sad that the S & D was killed off, but the time has come! The last steam train I took from Wimborne to Poole was hauled by a battered 70 year old GWR 0-6-0 and cost more than a gallon of petrol at 1s.6d. We came back by bus and used our 1933 Lanchester from then on. Since then we have walked the track to Sturminster Newton and South to Poole.
Wow! Thank you for that remarkable compliment! Do share far and wide if you're able to do so - and thank you for your evocative memories of the line post-closure!
Superb. I've explored some of the disused structures, mainly around Bath and hate the small single track roads so appreciate the scale of the work needed to present a documentary like this. The documentary is fast paced so although over an hour long it never seems ponderous. Can enjoy in the comfort of my armchair what would take days.
This is a masterpiece, your best video yet! I can't imagine the hours of research and hard work you put into this. The BBC should give you a job! Barbara Castle was as bad as Ernest Marples, different politics, but equally bad!
Each and every hour invested in making this film was a joy - truly an involving experience I will never forget. So glad you enjoyed the film and thank you for your greatly appreciated high praise 🙂
Excellent video. My late Godfather was born in Child Okeford and cycled to Shillingstone for his first job at Shillingstone Station with the S&D. In his career, he worked for different railway companies/departments, from Euston to Bristol, until his retirement at Exeter, St David's.
@@RediscoveringLostRailways He was very interesting to listen to when he spoke of his "journey" with the railways. Even his final home for a number of years was in a lodge of a big country estate, which was over a railway tunnel, with a ventilation shaft in his garden.
An excellent video covering the S&D and its branches in a lot of detail. Interesting to see so many of the surviving structures as well as many old photographs of the stations when they were still open. Thank you!
Fabulous video and the branch very much brings back memories of the branch line to burnham film with Sir John. Your quotes of his poems very much added to your film. Excellent sir subscribed of Somerset!
Many thanks for your kind words and subscription - I could not have made this film and not alluded to the great Sir John! Have a rummage through my channel and let me know what you think!
Yet another excellent informative video , detailing a line I now have the pleasure to walk part off. The evocative sights and sounds bring the journey to life , it beats the offerings on MSM .
Thank you very much! Yes - the planning and editing took the most amount of time, the filming was short by comparison - but I enjoyed every minute of it - glad you did too.
The subtitles are superb. They are not of the predictive text variety, which means that rather than stabbing a guess at place names, they seem to have captured every one in a way I have never seen before on RU-vid. What a change that makes if you care about the English language and history and geography and social endeavour all brought together under one roof.
Any channel with a growing subscriber count is remiss to not provide proper subtitles. It took me hours to type them up, but I'm glad they were worth it!
Really good documentary, must have taken a lot of planning and research. I think Ivor Peters would have been sadden to see how the old S&D has virtually disappeared. Thank - you.
Thank you - and it certainly did! Yes, I think Mr Peters would not be best pleased, but I'd wager he could still capture some fine photographs of the line in its present state.
A very enjoyable and engaging watch, thank you. Call me a cynic, but watching this makes me realise how much of this country’s charm has been lost forever. Oh, and subscribed!
I'm very grateful for your subscription - thank you! I know what you mean, there's something more corporate than characterful about our country I fear...
Damn it's unfortunate about this railway's fate, I am still satisfied though you can still find some traces of the railways and and a heritage line. also great work again mate
Really interesting, plenty of nostalgia there. I went to school in Taunton long ago but never knew about any of this, until recently I saw the Channel 5 series. Your work here compliments the series. It's a great shame nothing of local and recent social history is taught in schools at least in my days. I can only imagine fragments of lines reopening in due course. I need to track down the books covering this.😊
Very informative & well researched video, thanks! I live in Street and have noticed remnants of the S&D in the area...this joins the dots together nicely. We could certainly do with this railway now, as in many other parts of the country.
What an excellent video. Far better than anything on TV. This was informative, professional and didn't waste time interviewing people along the line. The best i have seen about the S & D. I will watch this a few times no doubt.
So kind of you to say so - yes, I can't abide the programmes where the presenter is invited to 'have a go' at some local craft or competition...please watch repeatedly and if you can subscribe, like and share it, I'd be most grateful!
I always enjoy your work, but your narrated videos are always just that much better ... this is way beyond. What a wonderful review of a much loved line and so well done. Thank you for taking the time to produce such a detailed historical review. This should be on BBC2!
My grandfather grew up in Bridgwater and lived for a time in Shepton Mallet he would refer to the S&D as the Slow & Dirty rather than the more popular phrase of Speedy & Delightful. I noticed a small passing reference to Flanders and Swanns Slow Train song in the film. Very much enjoyed this film thank you.
Yes, you're the first to tell me they spotted the reference to the song! Glad you enjoyed the film and thank you for sharing your memories of this line 🙂
Thank you for your well produced series. With Hazzard's series on London's tube and overground, the two of you are very much appreciated. I think the name Beeching will go down in British history as being as disreputable as Cripin, Moseley, Blunt, and William Joyce. I hope you will someday look at the Bangor-Caernarfon-Afonwen-Pwllheli railway.
It turns out that Jago and I read English at university together, but I only found this out recently - I did not know that we shared this enthusiasm! As for Wales - now there's a place I have to explore!
@@RediscoveringLostRailways How small our world, indeed, proves to be. I was sent to school in England from '58 to '63 and well remember being a guest each Christmas exeat (Dec 27-Jan 2, only, as I attended a cath choir school) at my roomie's home in N Wales: the Irish Mail train Euston-Bangor, the Bangor-Caernarfon branch line, then the Caernarfon-Pwllheli line, getting off at Llangybi. The return ticket for a boy, First class, was 14/6 in 1959. I still have the stub...and still maintain a close friendship with my former roomie, 60 years after we went off to different senior schools; he to Charterhouse, and me to Bishops Diocesan in Cape Town.
@@RediscoveringLostRailways A labour of love, which is very apparent. Worth waiting for. If it is not too patronising, you must be very proud of your work.
One thing that stood out for me on this one compared to many other lost lines that you have done, was that goods traffic at most of the stations stopped before passenger traffic which is kind of telling as generally goods traffic would of brought more money in then passenger traffic did during the 60s when passenger use was low. I guess once that stopped it was curtains for most of the line...
Have you considered making a programme about the Camerton & Limpley Stoke Railway? You could also include the Somerset Coal Canal on which some of the line was built and the filming of 'The Titfield Thumderbolt'. Just a thought! :)
Top effort, it must be said. Makes me so sad and yet so hopeful at the same time, as to how many of these could be restored given the right funds. Hopefully the government or a billionaire will one day get the wheels in motion...
An enjoyable video however there are actually remnants of Binegar station. Some of the sheds and I believe the station house remain but are now residential. The houses in the video were new builds on the track bed
That was the most depressing video I have ever had the misfortune to endure. I had looked forward to viewing the video. To see the destruction of multiple Viaducts, Station houses, Bridges, makes me feel ill. WHY are jewels allowed to be obliterated from the face of the earth ??. I admired the Adoption of old railside buildings to living accommodation etc.. Thank you for your efforts. Sean.
I've just looked that up on the map and it remains absolutely remarkable to me that my film should find itself upon such distant shores! You may be my most remote subscriber! Thanks for your kind words about my film - it was a labour of love!
I'm so pleased that you enjoyed the film - do consider subscribing - fascinating connection you have with the line, I wonder how he approached this task? I mean, where does one start?
Another fantastic and informative programme. It would be lovely if, at a later date, you could also explore and cover the track which once extended from Wimborne through Ferndown, West moors, uddens water, and Ringwood, before eventually joining the existing mainline just south of Brockenhurst. I walked a lot of this lost route whilst briefly working and living in the area in 2012, and would love to find out more about its history.
@@RediscoveringLostRailways I shall look forward to that. FYI I found a bit of info on the lost New-Forest lines in question here www.disused-stations.org.uk/b/breamore/ Also this map from wikipedia shows the whole area as it once was. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ringwood,_Christchurch_and_Bournemouth_Railway#/media/File:RC&B_1888.gif
@@jennyd255 On the map it shows a station called Herne Bridge. This was converted into a pub / hotel called the Avon Causeway (not sure when but at least since early 1980s). Heading towards Christchurch you can walk or cycle along the old trackbed for a few miles.
An excellent watch recalling the railway that I travelled several times in my teenage years. Just one point....At 32.08 to 32.17. The statement that there is nothing obvious to denote the presence of the station is not strictly correct as Sturminster Newton goods shed can be seen with its steel canopy supports and loading platform still very much in evidence. It is easily spotted with the smoke vents on its roof and the giveaway is that it is at an angle to the other adjacent buildings ie it is parallel to the course of the line through the station. It is now Streeter's Carpets & Beds warehouse. The camera operator in this shot is standing in the part of the town car park which used to be the track bed though the station.
Hi there...great work! I've written a poem about "people like us" ....let me know what you think? "viaductophile" I'm a chronic viaductophile, I just can't get enough of that feeling, When i see a gulf spanned with brutal elegance, Embankment as foreplay, Enmeshed in the dance of the landscape, Created to carry the weight of the world wherever it needs to go, Passengers and freight, And post that cannot wait, So span the river, Cross the gorge, The iron works, the mine, the forge need linking to the town, And railways can't go up and down too much, you see, So now my Higher Powere is Brunel! And I dribble at the Ribblehead and swoon at Miller's Dale, Maidenhead gets me all worked up and the Forth Bridge cannot fail To drop the jaw, In deepest awe..... They just don't make 'em like that anymore! So now my browsing history is littered with bridges and tunnels and cuts, I need to put it all in perspective..... I know I'm a viaductophile,but, If this isn't love Why does it feel so good?
Let's not forget that Barbara Castle & Co closed this line down. The Beeching Report may well have recommended closure, but the Labour Government(post 1964) could have cancelled it. Shame.
Such a paradoxical article. Wonderful memories (for me) mixed with simmering rage at the short sightedness of the self serving, pygmy politicians and officials that we seem to be permanently cursed with. Beeching, Marples and Castle? Should be shot at dawn, every day.
The local spelling is Combe Down, despite the illogical use of one O on its own. I walked through the entire tunnel in the mid 1970s and it is or was very claustrophobic. No vents.!!!
Beeching saved the railways. Remember he introduced the MGR and modern container trains. Lines, like this with little freight and few passenger services where a millstone round the railway's neck. Even though the LSWR owned both lines coming into Templecombe there was little coordination between services on both routes, such as improving the journey times to Bridgewater from Waterloo.
I've done a film about the Metropolitan Line between Verney Junction and Quainton Road, but I'm also planning a bigger film which will look at Amersham and beyond.
Wouldn't it be lovely? I wonder if we would pay it any attention if it was still running, though? I agree - would be lovely to journey this line in full once more!
@@RediscoveringLostRailways IDK but the summerset railway should come back it must start at bath spa andbe electrified the a straight alignment to allow trains with higer speeds
@@Mgameing123 The cost now would be astronomic. Would the passengers, whoever they would be, be prepared to pay the huge cost of tickets? I wouldn't be here if I didn't love railways, but why should anyone pay for it, but those that use it?
it does exist still but in parts. Midsomer Norton is a heritage railway, they currently have rebuilt 1 mile of track from scratch and have been trying to fund and gain permissions over the years to expand it further. The biggest problem is that majority of the old track beds have been developed on since the 60s. There are supermarkets, industrial estates and housing estates on most of it that is not woodland cycle paths. Not to mention they destroyed the viaducts in places to avoid budgeting to maintain their upkeep. Absolute cheapskates they were in the 60s. All for automation, progress and modernisation. What they ultimately did was cut off the towns and villages. Now I dont know the Bournemouth end very well, so I may be wrong, but I think some of it still exists down that way as the mainline connections.
@@therailwaycatuk5477 apart from the mainline route from Weymouth to Waterloo, none of the offshoot lines exist. Bournemouth West was demolished in the 60s or 70s. Broadstone and Wimborne in the 70s & 80s. Blandford in the early 80s I think.
That was just wonderful. Thank you so much for all your hard work in making this brilliant episode. You are going to have your work cut out to better this episode! Thanks again for brightening up another furlough day...
I wasn't going to release this until Spring, but I thought that how it might offer some escape during these dreary lockdown days - and it sounds like it has worked. Really glad you enjoyed the film and thank you so much for your kind words about it.
Excellently made! I know every inch of this trackbed as i carried out a 2 year track survey of the entire route from Bath to Bournemouth. Incorporating a feasibility study of existing bridges, tunnels and those that need replacing if the line was to reopen. 😃The government is all for reopening lines as the roads are reaching capacity. Also the area is not well off and attracts few tourists or revenue. The track bed is in excellent shape for track laying and one section still even has track laid! This would totally regenerate this area of Somerset, with a modern day service To Bournemouth but ALSO more importantly a Heritage line like no other! Imagine travelling the original route hauled by double headed locos! The revenue from this alone would bring in millions, creating jobs and prosperity 👍🏻🇬🇧 One section had its viaduct deliberately blown up as ‘unsafe’. There was little wrong with it, this was to prevent any such re opening! Most bridges are intact some merely needing new single track girder bridges and cuttings excavating. Incidentally the trackbed still remains railway property. Any illegal possession of said land can be simply removed with a court order. Several crafty land owners have taken over the track bed claiming “its mine”....well no....its not.😂 could we raise enough interest to take this before parliament to back the scheme with government grants to bring back the complete S&DJR? This would also return peace to the area removing the need for trucks and cars in the small lanes.🙂 Environmentally also a sound investment. But greedy land owners have DELIBERATELY built a new housing development directly where the old Radstock station could have been replaced. Of we delay too long the chance to reclaim our heritage will be gone. PLEASE EVERYONE WHO IS INTERESTED SUPPORT THE REOPENING OF THE S&DJR for future generations 🇬🇧👍🏻 All the money they are WASTING on HS2 they could use on this more worthy route! If the government can just demolish and tear up ANYTHING in the way of HS2 so should this be to replace the S&D! CLEAR the trackbed and relay the whole line.
So greedy developers have built houses where a station COULD be placed. Please clarify if this land is owned by greedy developers or by Railtrack/Network Rail or whatever their name is now
In spite of the Bristol area and Bournemouth/ Poole + satellite towns having the largest populations of SW England, when that line was tore up there wasn’t an alternative connection of direct road between them and 55 years after hasn’t seen much improvement to alleviate congestion for the folk living in and along the routes between these cities . HS2 is indeed a horrendous idea and waste . 👍🐢
Fantastic presentation as always. I should imagine films like this would be used in years to come as thorough documentaries, teaching for the many that wish to learn of this line.
Friends! I hope you enjoy this film - if you can *like* it and *share* it far and wide, I'd be grateful - if you can *subscribe* better still! Please let me know what you think in the comments below. Might you consider supporting my channel even more? www.buymeacoffee.com/rediscovering
Thank you so much for the time and effort you put into this video. Sad to see all the craftsmanship of the bridges viaducts and tunnels stations etc just destroyed and lost forever to the UK and future generations to view and enjoy.
What an amazing programme, well done sir. I wish the S&D could be brought back in its entirety, i know when i am driving in the countryside its not long before i have a queue of vehicles stretched out behind me all wanting to overtake me, and i am doing the legal speed limit for that area. People are not paitent anymore, we live in a rat race world now sadly. I would gladly go by train if i had the chance to. Well done ,wonderful channel and program.
Thank you so much for your kind words about my film - it was such a involving process becoming immersed in all things S&D! Agreed - the pace of things today is too much. My channel acts as a stay against all that! Do subscribe if you've not already done so and enjoy my other films in the series 🙂
@@RediscoveringLostRailways she introduced the gra ts that stop or in some cases slowed down the closure processes for uneconomic but socially useful lines
@@RediscoveringLostRailways I believe she was the Transport Secretary that gave consent to close the line. In some circles as vilified as Ernest Marples.
Not just informative but thought provoking. Brilliant presentation, acute sense of detail and filming. Relaxing delivery that proves there are still people who pride themselves with the art of decent production. BBC eat your heart out.
Are you me? I only sat that as this is exactly how I feel about the destruction of the country's infrastructure in the constant quest for "efficiency" as it always seems to be so short-sighted.
@@sarahmiller4734 Felt that way since boyhood, I am seventy one now. Still I saw a lot before it was trashed for profit. Never sawThe S and D but they trashed plenty in Scotland,Wales,The North of England. I am lucky,I have lots of English as well as Scottish relatives,and travelled extensivly 'man and boy,' so saw a lot,especially Devon and Cornwall,Sussex,and Yorkshire and The North as well as Scotland.
What a fantastic presentation. I greatly enjoyed taking this trip back in time along the S&D. I wonder what it is about old railways that fill so many of us with nostalgia and a great interest in lines that many of us never actually travelled? I remember back in the 80's when I was in my late teens I became facinated by the old railways of the Isle of Wight, I spent many happy days exploring the old abandoned lines. And then even more time spent reading about the lines, learning about the engines and the many characters that worked on the lines. A way of life for generations of folk, now nothing more than memories. To stand in a cutting, or in a tunnel, or on a bridge, just imagining what it had been like just a few decades earlier. The engines and their crews, all of which seemed so familiar after reading so much about them, all now long gone. But they leave behind so much interesting history to explore.
Absolutley brilliant! The film exceeded all my expections. A remarkable journey - by far the very best currently on film. A magnificant video. Congratulations on a superb piece of film work
