A Railwayman's Film Darlington 1960

[@grahamrobson5954]

Reminds me of my dad , and the tales he would tell me of a time gone by growing up around railways, I miss him so much

[@271250cl]

I'm a soft southerner but my family came from Darlington and my uncle, who was a driver based in the town, took me to the marshalling yard, where, aged about 10, I got to clamber about on the locos and even took a brief ride on the footplate of one. I guess this would have been in 1959, just a year before they made this film. Brings it all back!

[@ianspencer9837]

As one of the hundreds of teenage boys who spent their weekends in the 60,s visiting sheds and works, absolutely fantastic footage. Should I have done something more worthwhile? Definitely not. I am so glad I saw it. So many great memories. Thanks for posting

[@noeldunford4955]

Yes i remember brilliant golden days so sad to se it all go overnight i live in Peterborough England we lost how steam locomotives early when deltics took over still miss steam to this day ian

[@martinsims1273]

Such a brilliant era. Yes it did have it's faults, but there was a sort of quality of life then which seems missing nowadays.

[@PreservationEnthusiast]

There should have been lots of pictures of steam loco scrapping!

[@steves5172]

Thank you for posting! At the time this film was made I lived at Eaglescliffe, our house backed onto the then 4 track main line. I spent many hours in the signal box at both Eaglescliffe and Darlington. At age 10 I could barely reach the signal levers let alone operate one of them! What I did enjoy was the tea, made in an enormous aluminium pot complete with milk and sugar! Great memories brought back to life by your post - cheers!

[@anthonyjames9594]

Takes me back to the days when I was apprentice at North Road loco works and I remember the Majestic ballroom in town as well

[@ianthomsonnewman4048]

Very good. A true documentary of how things were. I travelled King´s X-Darlington-King´s X, one day in May, 1959. Coming back, the locomotive was a D200 diesel; going there, it was No. 60022, "Mallard".

[@amtrakjohn]

Wonderful stuff- enjoyed the songs. "Remember the blokes on the old footplate, a'workin' through the night." Really captured what is was like in the transition years from steam to diesel, on one of the most famous railways in the world. Hats off to the Darlington retirees and current workers, from a Yank across the pond.

[@stephensmith799]

I'm across the pond in your direction to see the Big Boy roll when UP have finished restoring it. They are doing an amazing job. Mighty beast.

[@joelcartagena953]

Speaking of Railway engines, this year is actually the 75th anniversary of Mr.Awdry's Famous Railway engines.

[@joelcartagena953]

You know while I was watching this, I can imagine these engines with faces.

[@eliotreader8220]

a lot of people think a BR standard 9F named after a GWR broad gauge engine was the last steam locomotive built in England this is not true as the real ones I have read was built in 1965 and 1971

[@eliotreader8220]

@@joelcartagena953 I think i saw a black five chuff past in this film

[@geoffreydavies6570]

No it's not"the way we live" it's more the way we used to live good day's. Love it😥

[@Trainman5862]

I go to Darlington station really often its great to see how it used to look back in the age of steam. Thanks for sharing.

[@Sameoldfitup]

Priceless footage thanks

[@pwareham61]

Really enjoyed this, great film and great songs.Fascinating.

[@gr0use350]

I live in Darlington seeing it back in the day is amazing

[@Picnicl]

@Truth Seeker Darlington's riff raff is largely white, Truth Seeker.

[@slug7829]

@@Picnicl and plenty of it too! Im from darlington and its not the blacks I have an issue with, its the wankers

[@philsa9402]

Wow my home town My grandfather was a fire man based at Darlington mpd Thanks so much for posting some nice footage of North Road locomotive works

[@bladerunnersn]

Gread old film , as a Darlington man this special and my grandad worked at north road shops .

[@LeoStarrenburg]

A little gem, thanks for putting it on You Tube !

[@TalkeTalker]

That's how it was all over the UK, not just Darlington. Did you notice the p/w gangs? No hard hats, no high viz, no gloves, no steel toe cap boots. Just wellies and woolly hats! A good historical insight to how the working man dressed, drank and played in his time off. All round historical footage, not just for railway buffs.

[@stevehodgson1724]

I was there, worked on the first Bo-Bo in North Road - pure nostalgia

[@majackson14]

My late dad was a guard in 1960. I was born in Pensbury Street that runs alongside the station that year. Never worked the railways but I was a "stoker" in the Royal Navy...

[@nicholasmorrill4711]

Loved this little film.A real gem.

[@anthonyparker1650]

Great movie and a good choice of music too. Thanks for the upload, very enjoyable

[@dunxy]

Great footage,great music and great times.Not all progress is good...

[@bobsmodelrailways]

When men were men, ladies were ladies and the men grafted to provide.

[@falcons1988]

Blame feminism for the perversion of this

[@JohnSmith-xi3sq]

Went on that Saltburn train many times. Once caught bathe Queen of Scots at Darlington. Mallard up front.

[@paulrounding5260]

My father was a signalman at Saltburn until it’s closure, us wee bairns used to visit the box on Saturday mornings and setup our train set on the window sill, my father called Darlington Darlo. Summer holidays the same wee bairns used to travel to York, no adult supervision required, to stay with aunts and uncles, happy days.

[@timspooner59]

I met my grandf ather once in about 1960. Was a train driver at Southport. I recall the black waistcoat etc as worn by all drivers then.

[@JOYOUSONEX]

Those old steam loco's were filthy, hot steam in your face, acrid smoke filling your nostrils. I loved it and miss it badly. Great video.

[@colinhutchinson1664]

I'm from Darlington (Firthmoor) and I remember my Dad telling me that he worked on a Darlo track maintenance crew for six months before joining up to see the world, just in time to get posted to Belfast in 69. 😣

[@jasenwright1178]

Darlington when people actually HAD TO WORK! Bless them all!

[@brandonp1038]

My Grandad worked in this period, also around darlo and ferryhill...

[@Azena63]

Evocative of a time long gone and replaced with electronic gadgets and a world obsessed with things juvenile - no stupid meerkat adverts in 1960. Great accompaniment with Ewan McColl - if you liked this look for 'The Ballad of John Axon' which also features some of these songs. Thanks for uploading!

[@petertyson1112]

Wonderful stuff. Thank you.

[@felixthecleaner8843]

an awesome film - thanks for this AA.

[@Ash-ky8jo]

Amazing. Thanks for sharing.

[@surpenc]

Darlo pride.Thanks for posting.

[@Trevor_Austin]

A brilliant clip, thanks. It is unfortunate that we had to lose so much but this is the price we pay for selfish politics. The current rail system has never, ever carried so many people so quickly but so little freight. Had we had more reasonable unions, more understanding governments and a more educated public who were proud of what we had things would be different now.

[@DepakoteMeister]

The actual facts are the majority of people would rather drive their own car, car ownership and fuel are very affordable, and goods that go door to door in a truck are better for many.

[@georgesmiley4680]

Unions have nothing to do with us having sold our heritage, quite the opposite. Throw your tabloid Tory prejudice away and wake up to the facts, the ruling parties have sold BP, the railways, telecoms, post office, gas, steel, Land Rover, British airways, council housing, electricity...I could go on here but you know this has NOTHING to do with trade unions without whom you would have fewer rights and terrible working conditions. Funny isn’t it, how those who seek to take more from you are so quick to blame any wrong on those who seek to help you most? It’s an accident of circumstance that puts us here in our privileged place, don’t be so quick to denigrate achievement and success. “Blame the unions?” Shame on you.

[@ItzDecster]

@@DepakoteMeister The actual facts is that railways are far more efficient at mass transit and overal cheaper for the traveller. The average car can transport 5 people max, with the average train carrying 500 or more.

[@DepakoteMeister]

@@ItzDecster I don't disagree, but those facts don't negate or trump the facts I posted.

[@philiprufus4427]

@@DepakoteMeister Cars soon won't be affordable,in fact for many they are already not. I can also remember as a youngster two and a half gallons of petrol for a pound, not ten pounds a gallon. Dozens of efficient railways and the way in which they were mendaciously destroyed to suit the agenda.s of one man and his pals. Who all made fortunes at the taxpayers expense. The main culprit fleeing to Luxumbourg overnight and eventually ending up in France, where he had a Chateau. No doubt funded by the British taxpayer. He was already being investigated by Lord Denning for non payment of tax. This individual,was also a slum landlord (property makes great landbanks,hence demolish railway property and sell it back to the taxpayer for motorways) and reputed also to be on the periphery of the Profumo Scandal.And people thought the Banking Scandal of the noughties was a biggie?

[@johnrees5867]

What a great bit of film from the archive`s of the North East............. lets see more of this material on Utube please.

[@richardwestwell4902]

Great movie. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

[@davidb3172]

My Grandad was a driver at West Auckland shed till 1960. He drove J39's latterly and didn't want me getting into railway preservation.

[@ivanreis1538]

Great video, thank!!!

[@peacefullpeople7714]

I want to see the country which has built railway projects with great effort and laid railway lines I salute these workers, drivers, engineers, who have delivered big, heavy goods hundreds of miles away. I want to go to this country, I'm sure there won't be enough of these people now, I want to meet their descendants. Will someone help please? I am from Pakistan, a poor painter, I want to see you all, how interesting people are

[@paulgriffiths3082]

This way of life long gone, very sad

[@peterjhillier7659]

I remember getting Home on a Sunday Morning looking forward to Bed after a hard Saturday Night Shift working in the P Way, after 10 Hours knocking out Clips with a Key Hammer, hard Work but wonderful Days back when we had a proper Railway.

[@tinytonymaloney7832]

Just brilliant

[@tinytonymaloney7832]

Music sounds like music from a bagpuss story... lol

[@wolfgangkrebl3056]

Thx for this wonderful experience. I am a big steam fan and especially the British locomotives are such beauties. I still wonder why we traded this harmonious and structured life for such a torn and hectic one we have today. Also wonder if there a possibilities to develope a steam locomotive that would fit in our current traffic plans.

[@christopherdibble5872]

The engineers don't wave from the trains anymore, not like they did back in 1954.

For many years I worked on the local/national newspaper The Northern Echo in Darlington, (whose earlier editor drowned on the Titanic and made Va liar of Queen Victoria). My home was in lived in a terrace house on Harcourt Street, facing the Whessoe works. I full remember 'Locomotion No 1' on the station platform, and the huge covered market under the "town Clock". Great days, and alas we'll see them no more....

[@bingola45]

I saw the Town Clock this morning...

[@gordonbraithwaite6740]

Anthony Alexandrovic sadly passed away just before Christmas 2002 ❤

[@eliotreader8220]

Active was built in Newcastle I believe then transported to Darlington

[@awilbadoo]

good ole darlo men

[@jimward8095]

A time when we has full employment...and a country to be proud of?

[@kitchenjail3546]

Im sad that the end is cut off, there is like a minute more of music

[@Satters]

When England still was England

[@samandpoppythedog719]

@@clintonepps3666 depending where you went, Islamics first came to our shores in the late 1800s.

[@brycenew]

Bloody great!! @Anthony Alexandrovic what's the music please? Thanks

[@dunxy]

From another reply this is Ewan McColl and these songs were recorded for some BBC special,i enjoyed the music also.

[@jokepy4230]

Tyne Tees Television rather than the BBC.

[@marktonylindo4627]

STOCKTON AND DARLINGTON home of the railway

[@johnclayden1670]

Wonderful!

[@TheAirsoftAction]

Anyone know the song at roughly 5.30? Ta.

[@direktorpresident]

Looks like Geneva Road?

[@direktorpresident]

Eleven quid a week!!! Thank you for this ;-)

[@aaronwilkinson8963]

The platform the train pulls into at the start is the platform i regularly got on to the train heading for Stockton 3 times a week 3 year ago

[@HailAnts]

Britain still had steam locomotives in 1960?!?

[@gm16v149]

Right up until around 1967 I think. I saw one of the last ones working in Grassington, Yorkshire in February 1967.

[@TheWacoKid1963]

11 August 1968 moneyweek.com/403807/11-august-1968-the-last-steam-passenger-train-in-britain/

[@inkyscrolls5193]

+HailAnts Still in use on the mainline until 1968 in England, and until 1971 in Northern Ireland. Narrow gauge steam was in use till 1989, and industrial steam was still on the books until 1994! We had good quality coal and plenty of it, might as well use it.

[@kitchenjail3546]

BR planned to keep the standard steam locomotive designs running into the 80s. Then Beeching sped it all up. God dammit Beeeching. Whats worse is that European railroads followed his example. Thus, steam hauling ended in 1974 is Slovenia when it could have lasted into the 80s and maybe some more engines would have been preserved.

[@germantanker131johnny2]

Is it possible to find this music? Or is it only part of this film?

[@kitchenjail3546]

Steam was supposed to last into the 1980s in the UK, untill the entire system could be electrified. Unfortunately, Dr. Beeching happened, and it all ended far sooner.

[@michaelnaisbitt1639]

General Skalinera // Neon Silver British Rail scrapped locomotives than had barely been run in. 150,000-200,000 miles is nothing to a brand new loco. What did this stupid mass execution of steam cost the taxpayer. And the result A Plethora of diesel classes that cost 4 times as much to built and last 10-14 years. Very economical I don’t think

[@cpaton1996]

Who sings these songs they are great as is the video

[@martinsims1273]

Such a brilliant video. I was brought up in the steam era, and through the change to diesels & electrics, and I still prefer steam. Not enough was done to modernise it, steam locomotives can be made far more efficient than the generally accepted type with a standard locomotive type boiler. More efficient in fact, than most diesels (see the Garrett type loco's with L D Porta Secondary Air admission type boilers on "The railway at the end of the world" in Tierra Del Fuego).

[@Jim-fg2cv]

Brilliant.

[@Fadhiil5112]

What's the song that start in 5:29 and 11:10

[@whispjohn]

I have taken that Stckton to Darlington many times, those Stations were always balck and grimey. We didn't care, the journey was all we cared about.

[@daveblue5637]

beuty good history

[@truthfulremedy_aka_lennybee]

Why this thumbs down???🤔

[@teescottageguyproductions]

0:39 what song is that

[@Steam_1402]

Does anybody know the song in this footage? as I would love to know the name

[@TrainsBoatsPlanes]

Great video. That's what it was like.

[@nearto.victory.1343]

nice tecnology development..by british from sixteenth century..nice big help by indian wealth..

[@jackcarter5101]

5:28 football crazy!

[@harrolldthebarroll]

Tommy Wakers Name rings a Bell 🚂🚂🚂👍

[@davidsedlickas8222]

Modern track today has continuous welded track rails Making for better passenger comfort.

[@alejandrayalanbowman367]

It would have been better without the music and some commentary added to explain what was going on to younger viewers who did not know the Railways as they were.

[@mikebutler3263]

OK........... with the sound off!

[@ianjeffery6744]

The accompanying songs would sound much better in the voice of the late Jack Thackray!

[@simongardiner1982]

Folksie music a bit like "Box Car Willie" - real 1960s stuff! Now all you need is the students.

[@Lindsay5137]

Agree,if I didn't know I'd guess the songs came from the other side of the Pond. Having grown up sitting on the fence counting the number of wheels on the trains going past (1947) And the youngsters of today are told they're "wasting their time"

[@alstokesveteranfilmmaker913]

Sorry, but I had to turn off the 'country' music ... I feared ye-harring might follow. Odd choice that. At first I thought it might be an intro to something Benny Hill or Rambling Sid Rumpo might have conjuered up ... excellent library footage of the 1950s though.

[@dunxy]

"Country Music", really? Your profile name suggests your'e a veteran film maker but thinking this was country music makes me think you are far from old enough to be a veteran anything,this is folk music, not country and not even close.

[@peakerboo4310]

I didn’t know Darlington had a C in it 5:54

[@JohnDoe-jv5dd]

It's a G

[@inkyscrolls5193]

Back when England was still English.

[@petertyson1112]

It still is.

[@tridentmusic5570]

Who was Hewin' the Coal ...... Ewan McCall !

[@smogmonster1876]

Great video footage but bloody awful music. Enjoyed watching this tho. The music didn’t put me off.

[@michaelhaw8265]

I remember monty lowther and his son.is the son still on the go I wonder,

[@MrDavil43]

Wonderful film, but oh that soundtrack. Was it Ewan McColl? A brilliant left-wing song writer (Dirty Old Town for example) but his heavy, stentorian delivery gets monotonous after a few minutes...just my opinion.

[@cedarcam]

It was Ewen yes. I have never heard this version of the songs. They were first written for a BBC radio programme about a runaway train 'The Ballad of John Axon' written in 1957 He was one of only 2 railway men to be awarded the George Cross after staying on his runaway locomotive in appalling conditions, when the steam brake pipe fitting broke, knowing death was almost a certainty. The regulator was wide open on a steep falling gradient.

[@tinytonymaloney7832]

@@cedarcam just seen your note and read up about the accident on Wikipedia, quite nasty that one. Poor old driver and guard, what a horrible way to die.

[@cedarcam]

It was about the worst thing that could of happened on a steam locomotive You can find the radio programme on youtube here kzbin.info/www/bejne/aqLTgqKCepdkgNU

[@12macz12]

Not one hard hat or hi-viz

[@mattharte7334]

Very interesting film but sorry to say I didn't enjoy the music

[@RexLancaster]

Intetesting film. Shame I had to mute the awful soundtrack in order to watch it.

[@bingola45]

Grim. Kirsty was much better.

[@christopherjameson2202]

What load of rubbish! Locomotion was built in Shildon. Also, it all started in Weardale. Darlington is not the Cradle of the passenger railway!!!

[@Wooburnmusic]

Great video but stupid music.