Astley Green and Walkden Railway in the snow, Part 5

[@Johnthecardboardsmileyface]

It's still impressive Stanley got as far as it did with that train. Was not expecting it to be so long.

[@arbuthnotmumsboy8178]

Noticeable that some have a much lighter hand on the regulator than others. Guy in the previous part managed to stop a wheel slip within half a turn of the wheel. There must have been some impresive flatspots on the tyres after that lockup. Brilliant catch as ever. Thanks.

[@davidahugill9614]

Great footage ! My uncle was a bobby in Walkden around that time and I used to trainspot at Walkden High Level and Manchester Vic . Went to China in 2004 , lots of coal mines and steam there then , great days ! DAVE , Carnforth.

[@GandyDancerProductions]

Thanks for your comment Dave. Unfortunately never got to China to appreciate the steam there.

[@garryferrington811]

You certainly captured vanishing history. Reminds me of India when I was there in '80.

[@danielwalker2613]

I just love the smoke bellowing from the old fella's pipe at 2:03 .....

[@GandyDancerProductions]

Cool isn't it. He almost looks like a steam engine.

[@harrypenn611]

I'm glad I found your channel these uploads and your narrating is spot on

[@jstadnicki]

stunning cinematography

[@TonyKitchen471]

Great a window into a bygone era thanks for sharing.

[@Seymourphotos]

Fantastic, enjoyed every second....

[@MrXbow4300]

You can really see, hear and feel the effort needed for these train

[@IJHougfhton]

great vid ..lost bygone days captured many thanks

[@martianmagician6215]

Absolutely superb , thanks for uploading this.

[@christopherbutler7588]

Great video

[@Isochest]

Excellent stuff! Thanks for sharing.

[@dave41184]

Great footage!

[@GandyDancerProductions]

Thanks, it was all shot without sound so I have to build quite an elaborate sound design. Luckly I recorded lots of steam engines around the collieries at other times that I use.

[@RestoFever2134]

The uploads are fantastic & the way that you narrate them adds to the nostalgia. You've helped to preserve history.

[@GandyDancerProductions]

Hi Resto, thanks for the comment. I try to describe these films sharing my personal experience of being there.

[@Steven_Rowe]

The long train over the canal needed more than Stanley. I think a garret was needed. or Big Bertha

[@GandyDancerProductions]

The engine probably would have made it if it wasn't for lorries spreading mud over the tracks at the bottom of the climb. It would have been cool to have seen Big Bertha.

[@iansmith5576]

Fantastic videos on Worsley and the surrounding area. Are you releasing a video DVD I can buy?

[@GandyDancerProductions]

Hi Ian, I don't know whether I'll make a DVD. If I do it'll be sometime in the future. Here's a lot more film to come so stay tuned.

[@tonyrobinson362]

Excellent well done from a ex fireman BR, Shirebrook.

[@thef1rew1tch]

@@GandyDancerProductions So enjoyed watching these 9 short films.Brought back happy memories of the 8 year old me of 1968.A DVD sometime with all this stuff on would be fantastic.Thanks for posting.Keep up the top notch quality work.Ta again.

[@mercury7590]

A unique railway, sadly lost to time. Were all of these Austerities fitted with Giesls?

[@GandyDancerProductions]

All but 'Harry' had Giesls. NCB Walkden Central Workshops bought a lot of Giesl kits in mid 1960 and fitted them to their engines not just austerities. The main reason was to reduce smoke with other modifications done to the locos as well.

[@mercury7590]

At least we have two veterans of this line today. We don't get anything like it here in Michigan.

[@GandyDancerProductions]

Glad you enjoyed the films. Don't forget to subscribe. Thanks

[@weybournejunction9183]

Hello I know you probably won't reply but I really wanted too know what where the locos that worked at Astley green I know there was Harry, Respite and Stanley but was warrior one before she moved to the other colliery

[@GandyDancerProductions]

Hi, Warrior was there in the last two years I was filming plus the three others you mentioned. There were many different locos over the years before my visits and this is covered in a book by Alan Davies called 'Walkden Yard and Locomotives of the Central Lancashire Coalfield'

[@weybournejunction9183]

@@GandyDancerProductions oh ok thank you yeah I was just not sure since in the videos you only see warrior once so and also I just want too say these videos are probably the best on KZbin and also would love too speak too you about it more but yeah sorry if I'm being a pain but being 15 years old I never saw this in real life so yeah

[@GandyDancerProductions]

@@weybournejunction9183 I have more videos to come once i get my office sorted in a couple of mouths and some do include Warrior. I was 16 when I shot these films at Astley Green.

[@wideyxyz2271]

I noticed that at least one/two of the locos (Stanley/Respite) had a Giesl Ejector chimney fitted. Was it on trial?

[@GandyDancerProductions]

No the ejector had been fitted in the mid 1960's and proved quite successful. Harry was the only engine on the system with a conventional exhaust system. During the same period with the help of Hunslet Engineering walkden had fitted Lempor exhausts and underfeed stoker to some of the engines. i cover some of that in my series on the Asterity here: kzbin.info/aero/PL8qT-Y3E_on2SSGfqib4wVJGz7XRR2kYN

[@clivebroadhead4381]

Very dramatic coverage, but the retired yard foreman is sceptical about the job.

[@fatlad5090]

imagine nowadays just walking on tracks in a mine. lol. Today they will close place for day. and Ring health n safety nasa SAS police army. cause they some one site with a camera. ha how the world has changed

[@tonykula]

come on harry come on stanley said the fat controller lol great vid

[@Shelfandtabletoplayouts00gauge]

Glad I eventually found this great time capsule. Enthralling, every frame packed with detail and the old film is visually ‘realer’ than today’s airbrushed digital imaging. Loved every second, thanks Jonathan. Darren

[@davldcooksey4137]

What a long train for one little loco, 🚂👍.

[@stephensmith799]

Brute force. Very evocative. Somehow we get the impression of 'what it would be like to BE a steam locomotive'!

[@JintySteam1]

The sound mixing is really good!

[@bobbrown3141]

Superb footage!

[@Pogle]

i love this

[@Hornhausen]

Very nice video.

[@stevehessle1959]

I remember the Austerities as a small child in Grimsby in the early 60's. Usually working in the old timber yards on the Alexandra dockside. Only 3 feet of rail to show that there had ever been a railway there at all. Strong memories of B1's on London bound fish trains though.

[@michaelmiller641]

Just happened across this video, wow!! That is so fascinating, steam at work working hard,in adverse conditions. I've never seen anything like this ! Thank you so much!

[@colinlothlorian]

Superb, thanks for sharing.

[@steverowe8785]

Wow, what great footage. Thanks for sharing.

[@Calebtrain]

These are my favorite videos to watch, thanks so much for uploading them and presenting them in such nice way.

[@GandyDancerProductions]

Thanks for your comment. I'm gratified so many appreciation my films.

[@HROM1908]

Your camera work is that of an artist. Hats off to you.

[@andrewbailey7999]

Glad I've found your channel! I've been enjoying these videos. Just a quick question about the working of a steam engine. I've been wondering why they occasionally vent steam as seen at 6:03. Is it to let off overpressure?

[@GandyDancerProductions]

You''re quite right Andrew, that's the safety valves letting off excess steam so the boiler doesn't over pressure. The engines comes up the slope with a big fire in the firebox to generate enough steam for the climb but unfortunately with it stalling it's still making lots of steam so the safety vale have lifted to let that steam escape otherwise the boiler would go bang with to much pressure.

[@eliotreader8220]

@@GandyDancerProductions a lot of steam boilers did blow up in the early of steam locomotives and I recently read about one that happened on the Great Western railway

[@machiningbasics1729]

Marvellous footage but very sad , since I was 11 I've worked a lot with steam locomotives and stationary engines. Even lucky enough to be on tornado for the 120mh run. Sad but not forgotten.

[@GandyDancerProductions]

Hi, I'm pleased you like the footage. The loco work here could be spectacular at times and I tried to capture some of that. You were lucky to be on Tornado on that record run. Keep up the good work in your machine shop.

[@machiningbasics1729]

Gandy Dancer Productions thanks very much , having a friend (same age) who's a railway apprentice helped me get on that one. We're both fire men (volunteers) at the pumping station. So it's early sleep tonight as it's up very early tomorrow to light the fires.

[@GandyDancerProductions]

Sounds brilliant, keep the fires burning.

[@perrysimpson7466]

These are all excellent films. It takes me back when I used to ride the locos. My uncle was the driver for the North Staffs, based at Walkden yard. Happy days. Thank you.

[@GandyDancerProductions]

Hi Perry, unfortunately I missed the North Staffs engines working. One was laid up round the back of Walkden Shed when I was filming last two years of the line working.

[@routeman680]

Surprised by the GIesl ejectors, which I didnt know were fitted to any 0-6-0s. And surprised by the length of the train at the end. Looks more like a jb for a 9F!

[@GandyDancerProductions]

That's the advantage of steam engines if you're crazy enough to try it's amazing what they can pull.

[@parthobasistha6135]

Hello sir. Why was the coal fired shunting locos used for moving the loaded and unloaded rakes through gradients, when Britain has developed powerful diesel shunting locos? Was it one of the reason that the colliery did not invest sufficiently in improving its railway infrastructure? Was the signalling system inside the colliery of pure semaphore based mechanical origin ?

[@GandyDancerProductions]

Hi Parthjo, the first advantage of using steam in the collieries was the mine produced the fuel they burnt. The second was their robustness and ability to withstand the rough treatment. Some collieries used diesels because they were easier to service, just press a button to start and shut down. None of this lighting a fire and waiting for steam. There were no signals in the colliery nor along the line.

[@qbsaber]

Hi Johnathan, I have watched most of your videos with keen interest on the austerity loco's and the Astley Green Railway. Very interesting and well narrated. Thank you very much for not only filming and sound recording all those years ago but also now editing and uploading so we may all enjoy history as it was. I cant help thinking Ivo Peters is just around the corner somewhere to have look see as well, Cheers Brian, Melbourne.

[@GandyDancerProductions]

Hi Brian, thanks for you comment. I hope to release more film as time goes on. I've always enjoyed Ivo Peters film especially the S&D ones.

[@qbsaber]

Amongst other interests I have a 9mtr x 4 mtr shed being built in the backyard for my own Bath Green Park in 00gauge. I told my late wife its all Ivo's fault but Anne enjoyed his S&D films as much as I did. Hopefully by the end of this year I have something worth while to post here on the net.

[@GandyDancerProductions]

I regret that I never experienced the S&D. Peter Smith's books about his firing days on the railway and the exploits with the Standard 5's on the Pines Express are classic. I bet there are a lot of people sorry the line was closed and not just railway enthusiasts.

[@qbsaber]

My only trip back to UK 6 years ago after emigrating at the age of 8 in 1965 (am now 60). I went to the Somerset railway just to see the 7F, unfortunately it was parked in the shed so only had a glimpse. Peter Smiths Over the Mendips great read. My Grandfather took me all over England on steam before I left. I remember bits and pieces, but do have good memories of the Reading shed as Grandad had a friend who was a foreman there. Not much here in Oz in the way of steam but what there is is worth the treks to go and see. My last was 4,ks 1 way to Normanton Qld to see the Gulflander on my motor bike and no steam!

[@qbsaber]

Johnathan have you seen this railway? its on my must see for next trip to UK kzbin.info/www/bejne/kIKTdoWgbLmEi6s

[@gussyt1761]

Doubtful pushing will help

[@thisnicklldo]

It's the moral effect - sympathising with the driver who got the train to within 5 yards of the top. Sometimes if you are rooting for a lost cause, even pointless help is better than just watching it fail.

[@jims6323]

Could you tell us more about Harry, Stanley, and the rest of the locos? They have a very unusual funnel!

[@GandyDancerProductions]

The funnels where called Giesl Ejectors invented by an Austrian Dr Giesl. You can check them out on Google. They were fitted to reduce the smoke in built up area.

[@jims6323]

@@GandyDancerProductions Thanks! I'd like to know about the engines themselves, inside connected locos have been non-existant here in the US of A since the 1850's or so. I did alot of train watching [and still do] in the 70's and wish I would have captured more on film, like you did. Thought the old stuff would be around forever!

[@GandyDancerProductions]

@@jims6323 Watch my series of 6 films on the Austerity Tank engine featured in these film. Here's the link to the first one: kzbin.info/www/bejne/o2jXqJSgnM2kf5I&ab_channel=GandyDancerProductions

[@ivanrowland6353]

Absolutely brilliant , love seeing the struggle of these great engines and drivers 👍 How heavy where the engines ?

[@GandyDancerProductions]

Hi Ivan, thanks for your comment. The engines weighed around 50 tons.

[@ivanrowland6353]

@@GandyDancerProductions I'm not surprised they cleaned the tracks 😁 200 plus tonnes can be excused for a little wheel spin