Steam on Shap , Grayrigg and the Keswick branch in 1966/7

8mm cine film shot by me showing ex LMS and BR standard locomotives at work on these steeply graded lines with authentic soundtrack recorded at the time of filming.
Locations include Tebay, Shap Wells, the Lune gorge, Loops Fell, Grayrigg, Oxenhome, Scout Green, Greenholm, Thrimby Grange, Keswick, Penruddock, and Tebay shed.
The final shot was taken on my final visit to Shap and shows Flying Scotsman approaching Shap summit with the "Moorlands Railtour" on the 26th October 1968.

[@updistant]

Outstanding footage. Given the cost of equipment and film at the time, massive appreciation for those who took this wonderful footage of what is now a record of a time long gone and of course the same for the posting of it.

[@andrewelliott4436]

In 1967 a Pentax Spotmatic was advertised, new, at £149. 10s. The average wage for a workingman would have been around £20/25 per week. And a "scrap condition" A1 or V2 could be bought for around £3,000. Of course it was also possible to have a night out - with three pints of beer, ten Woodbines and a bag of chips for under ten bob.

[@Goldenoldie49]

Fantastic footage. Watched it through once, then closed my eyes reran it and revelled in the sounds. Thank you

[@melodymonger]

Fantastic footage again - this archive you're making available on this channel is just amazing 🤩. Thank you 😊👍

[@peterstudley1804]

Corporate blue coaches, in the last steam days amazing, thank you great video.

[@larx4074]

Absolutely marvellous footage, with a terrific soundstage to accompany it. Many thanks for sharing, much appreciated.

[@bradleythomasburdentrainta366]

The sound quality is brilliant! Nicely done!

[@PeterHutchinson-jc6wv]

Hello Bradley, Thank you for your comments. I began recording sound in 1964 and in late 1965 I was able to afford a new cine camera but continued with sound recording as well. This was not easy but a friend of mine Raymond Atkinson helped.

[@cedarcam]

Brilliant sound and vision again.

[@TERRYBIGGENDEN]

Superb filmong and memories of these famous climbs! Thanks. :-)

[@GandyDancerProductions]

Great footage. Thanks for posting.

[@ich-d1h]

some blue & grey cars already showing up. cool

[@levelcrossing150]

There was a LMS coach knocking about in grey and blue during the last days of steam.

[@robertbate5790]

Pictures of the sounds I had on record many moons ago, 👍👍👍👍

[@MrDodgedollar]

Pure Gold

[@andrewtaylor5984]

If the photos round the two-minute mark were taken today, the photographer would be mown down by traffic on the M6.

[@andrewtaylor5984]

Before the Lune Gorge and Shap Fell were destroyed by the M6.

[@nervousnellyterencemorton]

Fantastic, thank you.

[@levelcrossing150]

Fantastic.

[@andrewtaylor5984]

The footage includes Sir Nigel Gresley's special on 1 April 1967. The introductory view could be Britannia 70032 on the same day. I remember standing on Penrith Station that day. Hearing the bell ringing, which was a sign that a train not stopping was approaching, my friend and I thought it would be Sir Nigel, but no, it was Britannia 70032 with a massive freight of 50 wagons, with a long flat one at the front. Although the line is level, the engine was having a real struggle through the station, and was throwing out clouds of black smoke. Sir Nigel came through shortly after. The clean(!) Britannia at the 11 minute mark is 70013 working a football special from Carlisle to Blackpool on Boxing Day 1967, and is believed to be the last steam-hauled passenger train over Shap before the era of steam specials. If steam had continued, the M6 would have been delayed longer. Steam engines stopped for banking assistance about where the M6 crosses the line, just north of Tebay Station. Steam blowing across the M6 was considered to be a danger to road users. There were also concerns that steam locos in the Lune Gorge would interfere with visibility on the M6.

[@PeterHutchinson-jc6wv]

Hello Andrew, You are absolutely correct, the Britannia which is seen emerging from Loops Fell with a down freight is No 70032 Tennyson and also about No 70013 on the football special. I was told that the returning football special stopped at Tebay for a banker but the by this time the shed had closed and so it climbed Shap unaided from a standing start. The final shot of a Britannia in fading light at Thrimby Grange is No 70015 Apollo on the last steam worked Carlisle to Manchester parcels train. Glad that my film has brought back memories as that was my intention when setting up my channel. Peter.

[@andrewtaylor5984]

@@PeterHutchinson-jc6wv Unfortunately, I never saw Shap until the summer of 1968; the previous autumn, the school's Transport Circle tried to see if a brake-van ride could be arranged one-way. In those pre-Health and Safety days it was theoretically possible, but there was nothing scheduled on the day at a suitable time. (The service to Tebay was so sparse that we could not do a day trip from Carlisle, and get back to Newcastle the same day.) With the end of steam three weeks away, I did manage a trip to Preston and Carnforth, my first run over Shap. There was still a through train from Newcastle to Blackpool, and it was hauled by a Class 24. It made really slow progress to Shap. I may have noticed a new bridge at Thrimby Grange, but I cannot remember. Approaching Tebay, I noticed a real shock; first of all a massive overbridge just before the station, then came the bulldozing of the Line Gorge, then an even bigger bridge at Grayrigg. A vast amount of work had been done in just six months.

[@andrewtaylor5984]

A Class 24 on Shap must have been pretty rare, especially on a passenger train. If you still have Railway World for (I think) June 1967, there is a picture of Sir Nigel on the Kingmoor turntable. A duffel-coated youth is clearly visible. That is me, age 14.

[@billbasey6518]

No M6, remember it.

[@tonywise198]

As someone else commented - before the M6. It totally destroyed the scenery, and "isolated" a farm. And of course we have the blight of Catenary Wires and pylons.

[@Fuzzbrain61]

Which clips are the Keswick line on the timecode? Great 8mm

[@PeterHutchinson-jc6wv]

Hello, The two clips on the Keswick branch begin at 12.12. They show the "Keswick Convention" special which was double headed by ex LMS 2MTs numbers 46426 & 46458 approaching Keswick and the returning empty stock working wrong line near Penruddock. This special train ran on the 16/7/1966 The last clip on my film is of Flying Scotsman approaching Shap summit with the Moorlands rail tour on 16/10/68. This was the last time that I saw and filmed steam on Shap. Peter.

[@Fuzzbrain61]

@@PeterHutchinson-jc6wv Thanks. It's great to see footage of that line working. It's a tragedy it was closed as it would have been one the most scenic lines in the UK and also useful in reducing road traffic. At least you can walk or cycle some sections but not as atmospheric as a railway.

[@andrewelliott4436]

Halcyon!

[@amazoniaamazonia7225]

Are you the photographer Peter?

[@PeterHutchinson-jc6wv]

Yes, I took this firm on a Bolex standard 8 clockwork camera with a zoom lens. The sound was recorded on a Phillips reel to reel battery tape recorder running at 17/8 inch speed and I later used the same microphone with a replacement cassette recorder when the reel to reel machine had a mishap.

[@amazoniaamazonia7225]

@@PeterHutchinson-jc6wv We are indebted to you Peter for your foresight and expense in recording this important archive, thank you for sharing.