The Train Now Departing - EP 1 The Long Drag (1988)

The Train Now Departing documentary aired on the BBC in the United Kingdom from 1988-1989. This is the first episode in the Series of 6, This episode covers the Settle to Carlisle route and includes historic footage of locomotives that operated on the route.
All rights for this video belong to the BBC.

[@arthurdailey5064]

Watched this as a ten year old child fascinated by railways. Excellent series. Now I am a train driver in Scotland, living the dream, railways forever!

[@saltspringrailway3683]

See, now what you have got here Terrance is a real railway enthusiast. You mark my words.

[@alexbakermault4518]

Watched this as a 13 year old. Watching this as if I watched it yesterday. Still amazing to see.

[@ieuandavies4134]

This brought back so many memories, I fired this loco, 4498, and driven it;'s sister 60009. The shots in the tunnel on the footplate are a flashback of my railway life, Happy days!

[@mattgibbs73]

Great to find. I had the pleasure of meeting some of these older retired (and some now passed on) staff whilst I worked as a signalman on The Ling Drag at Settle Jn, Blea Moor, Garsdale and Kirkby Stephen.

[@leematthews7423]

Did you work on the Ingleton branch?

[@davecommentator]

The theme music for this is so haunting and so appropriate - to me it just suggests "ending".

[@marcalex201]

Very good production. Looks very similar to The Settle and Carlisle that I edited in 1983 at Border TV. Happy Days.

[@michaeldelz]

That is one of my all time favourites, great job, thank you.

[@Shadow78UK]

omg this music just hit me in the feels, I forgot about this show. thank you posting. 😥

[@BegudMaximan-zp2tc]

Britain's pride and glory of the railway kind, across the hilly backbone spine of northern England. Each time I travel the route I spy something different which I missed previously, so much varying variety of scenery and sights to view, is quite remarkable to think of the great effort put in to create it, that we may ride its route in comfort and style, most of us who don't even bat an eyelid whilst travelling its length. Truly one of the best of British victorian engineering feats.

[@edwardbarnes2702]

Great to see this series again, which reminded me that I still have boxed Video set, may have to explain to youngsters what a ‘Video’ is lol.

[@flippop101]

This is an epic piece of filmmaking, and I especially enjoyed this episode from the series. Thanks for sharing it. (Incidentally, for anyone who may be wondering, the music is called „Bare necessities“ from the Album „English country dances“ by Bare Necessities)

[@JintySteam1]

I was looking down in the description and saw it was called Bare Necessities, not to be confused with that of the song from Disney's The Jungle Book with the same name. I always thought it was composed especially for the series. I guess I learned different now. :)

[@swanvictor887]

watched this great series when it was new. remember those days, when the BBC made such great stuff like this?

[@mikesanders5433]

Wow I used to have these on video as a child (born 1985) I watched them endlessly as a child. It’s amazing to see it pop up on my feed, thanks and subbed!!

[@carlyeiter9263]

As an American, I would love to have traveled on this railway. This is an excellent example of history needing to be seen in the future for those not knowing of the past and the effort it took to get to this presence. Keep this video alive and well for all to see and hear!!!! Thanks for caring to share this video.

[@p.istaker8862]

You still can. The line is still in use, Handles a lot of freight and sees regular steam tours.

[@gquayle]

the opening Shot was filmed by the Late, Great Ivo Peters at Low Gill. Its on the old 'Little' North Western Line from there to the 'Other' Clapham Junction. The train in it is a Ballast Train, filmed after the line had been Closed to Regular traffic in 1964. You can still see the old viaduct from the M6 motorway and the West Coast Main Line.

[@philipdavey9182]

It’s not often I congratulate myself about anything, but at the age of 38 I VHS’d all editions of this programme, including this one, and am I glad I did? I still have the tapes, and they are valuable additions to my old VHS library, as they would be to any guy who was weaned on steam.

[@mikewatt8706]

believe me those tape become fragile over time and will break up in ur hands

[@paulweeks2006]

What a superb series this was ! Remember it so well - thank you for sharing, watching it again after all these years brought back so many memories for me ........... Thank god for Michael Portillo .........

[@Embracing01]

You reckon? just because he's making train documentaries doesn't mean he's a man for the people.

[@paulweeks2006]

@@Embracing01 - It was thanks to him that the S&C was saved from closure - hence my point as he was Transport Minister at the time .......... Nothing to do with making train documentaries.

[@flippop101]

How I love this piece of film! Thank you.

[@superbracey]

I've found it!!! My dad had an episode of this recorded from TV onto VHS in the late 80s (I was about 7). I liked this theme tune and it has stuck with me note for note for nearly 30 years. But the video has long since gone and I never knew the name of the documentary. Thanks for sharing!

[@ajaxengineco]

I too really enjoy the music, it's catchy yet soothing, much in the same was as the Railway with a Heart of Gold music.

[@adamquirke6024]

same for me, my grandad recorded this episode onto a tape back in the 90's

[@AllenORourke1954]

Fantastic watching this again, this line is a national monument alongside of Hadrian's Wall and Durham Cathedral; it should go on and on...

[@alexkrycek21]

The viaduct in the opening titles actually linked all the way across to settle junction.

[@dadodydo]

I simply love trains. Best means of transport - comfortable and least damage to the environment. It's got rhythm and vitality, yes. These people ought to appreciate the infrastructure which is already there. This is a beautiful documentary.

[@cremulator69]

Thank you for posting this, sheer magic

[@bcoffey]

Michael Portillo may not have had many fans as a politician, but it was he who refused BR permission to close the line as Transport Secretary.

[@Isochest]

That is so true. And It's a bloody good job this line is still open as it is now a crucial freight artery for the English and Scottish economies: Some days see 30 plus freights not to mention the increasing passenger traffic and charters.

[@alexkrycek21]

No doubt. Thank god he stepped in. Love that line.

[@flippop101]

Michael Portillo was not only actively against BR, but also persuaded Mrs. Thatcher not to close this line. Either way, he deserves a medal! I visit the line once a year, a drive from Germany to do so. Even my wife loves the line and the countryside around it.

[@Embracing01]

@@flippop101 None of these politicians have any power or say in any matter, whether they are genuine or sincere or not they are not the ones that call the shots, same for the puppet prime ministers and presidents.

[@I7275-p2d]

@@Isochestthe last good thing a Tory ever did.

[@CALVO36]

Brilliant video my dad worked on the aisgill box and dent head also 👍 in the steam days .

[@BritishRedCoat2025]

Thanks for this. It is great watching it and knowing that, for once, people power worked and that the whole idea of closing the line (using the same time-worn excuses used by Beeching) was proven to be utter fallacy.

[@simonfunwithtrains1572]

Living Settle so pleased that this line is still open and busy. God send to us locals.

[@jacovanlith5082]

A present from my grandmother in 1951: a English Signal Box with a Semaphore. Now in front of me on a bookshelf. All is left from early ages. Today I was in the Dutch town of Brielle; On the first of april 1572 the English an Dutch navy kicked the Spanish army out of town. In 1920 there was a station of the the RTM railway. The RTM is gone and the station is a Chineese take away. The railway track is gone; now there is a dubble lane for the bus.

[@michaelhunt4445]

Although I didn't work for the railways, I had a lot to do with the staff of all grades. I was told that the Ribblehead Viaduct needed repair and it was going to cost over £1m. The Chinese whispers started among BR staff. Suddenly it was £2m then "over £2m" and soon it reached the sum of £7m just to repair the viaduct. I don't know how much Laing charged BR to bring it up to standard, but I believe it was below the original estimate of "over £1m"

[@melincourt]

I was part of the ‘business use’ committee that sent a report to government suggesting that closing the line would damage our businesses. My memory of a ‘consultation meeting’ in Settle was that BR were certain that they were closing the line, using the £7m cost as an excuse. ISTR that the actual bill for Ribblehead was £700,000. Creative accounting??

[@eddherring4972]

Excellent.

[@joehedley6964]

glad that the lines friends won the line is now booming and ribblehead viaduct was repaierd and steam trains still do excursions so nice to see old videos like these

[@deepdiver51]

For those who are interested the Blea Moor signalman’s house is up for sale. It needs a LOT of work doing to it. Water has to be tankered up, electricity from windmill and generator, cooking with Calor Gas, heating with multi fuel stove, no vehicular access unless you pay the farmer £125.00 per year and then only with a 4 x 4. Yorkshire 3 Peaks trail comes right past the front door and is always very, very busy with hikers. Yours for £250,000.00 March 2023.

[@tango6nf477]

The opening scene with the train slowly disappearing and the sad music, it is almost too much. How could this country have been so short sighted?

[@Embracing01]

Because destroying our heritage is all part of the agenda. They want rid of anything that makes us proud and happy. Trains now are becoming soulless and futuristic looking like something straight out of a dystopian sci-fi film.

[@leeosborne3793]

I'm a hardcore railway enthusiast and have worked in the industry for nearly 30 years. In all honesty, most of the Beeching closures were justified.

[@flybobbie1449]

@@Embracing01 There's a place for everything.

[@steamgent4592]

Excellent film the S&C is certainly the most beautiful in England remaining but the Midland line now gone in the Peaks was the most beautiful of all.

[@christinaburton9297]

Thank you so much!

[@Embracing01]

According to the BBC Genome website, this series got repeated about 4 times during the early-mid 90s. Does anyone know if the Train Now Departing series was ever shown on Channel 4? specifically during the Going Loco season in Sept 1990?.

[@mywargoneby]

I can't answer that question but I remember that season CH4 did. I was just a teen then but taped some great things, wish I still had them.

[@Brian-om2hh]

Settle to Carlisle line remains open, and thriving in 2024, with Blear Moor signal box still manned 24/7 365 days a year...... Trains passing over Ribble Head viaduct are now restricted to 30 mph, in order to preserve the integrity of the viaduct.

[@1TruNub]

A steam locomotive is at its best when it's working hard uphill With a long heavy train behind it

[@Wessexshire]

The last of the great WW2 era veterans serving in many industries including government were about to if not had already timed out by this point in our nations history. I believe that it was from the mid eighties this country really started to slide. Coincidentally as these strong minded, hard but practical men started to leave the work place.

[@andrewtaylor5984]

It is just sad that there are no Inter-City services on this main line. Leeds and Carlisle are cities, after all. According to British Rail, Inter-City trains have to serve London.

[@hellooldchap]

Gosh, I didn't recognise Adrian! Still going strong although much greyer now.

[@jackharrison6771]

It was terrible how Railways were treated by Government after 1979. Thatcher and her clan hated railways, and their Unions. But she was proved to be massively wrong, when traffic used the S & C line, when wires were down on the WCML.

[@NRP589]

Lovely Series. One questions though; Where was the opening shot of the steam hauled freight taken that appears in the opening sequence?

[@chrisbentley6674]

I had a quick look and the only information I could find was from IMDB.com. "The opening title sequence shows archive film of a steam train crossing Low Gill viaduct near Grayrigg in Cumbria. This dissolves into a modern-day shot of the viaduct, now devoid of track, seen from the same angle."

[@ivanreis1538]

YES.

[@DominicAmann]

I wonder if that minister has any idea of how loathsome he sounds with his "class" accent among the people who actually work for a living?

[@saltspringrailway3683]

Different accents is part of our rich heritage and some posh boys work very hard for a living.

[@little_britain]

@@saltspringrailway3683 I feel sure that in general there must be some some "posh boys" who work hard for a living. Just not that one specifically.

[@volvobus272]

Hi any idea what the theme music is called from the start please thanks

[@chrisbentley6674]

After some digging it appears the song is called 'Bare Necessities' by a band based in Boston, USA of the same name. more info can be found here: mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=115110

[@boidsen]

12:05 - A Border Collie that herds trains!

[@flybobbie1449]

Is this not now the North Yorkshire moors heritage line?

[@p.istaker8862]

No.

[@andrewtaylor5984]

The North York Moors line goes from Whitby to Pickering. The section from Settle to Ais Gill is historically in the West Riding.

[@george_monks]

Hi, Do you know where the opening is filmed? The bit was where the line is no more.

[@george_monks]

+George Monks Found it Low gill viaduct

[@darrylord2746]

Go south on m6 from Penrith keep looking left and you will see low gill viaduct!

[@matttredrea2500]

The Train Now Departing - EP 1 The Long Drag (1988)

[@billbarman]

Do you have any more episodes? I really love this series.

[@chrisbentley6674]

billbarman I shall upload the rest of the series within the next few days :)

[@ronholfly]

Great days, trouble is there are other forces trying to take England away from us.

[@Jimyjames73]

🙂🚂🚂🚂

[@HarryApps-Drsyn]

Sir Nigel gresley 4498

[@WhyAyeMann]

Hello all. This is the song played in the beginning. kzbin.info/www/bejne/o4iyeJh7Zcdoipo

[@freddieellis8449]

Not available in UK apparently! ARGH!

[@WhyAyeMann]

What the... Songs about rural England not available in the UK? Huh?

[@Trek001]

@@WhyAyeMann This is a fairly good duet of the track actually... kzbin.info/www/bejne/qHjReJitl9OYlZI

[@tomhiggins4124]

whot make,s you obsolete !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, them do !!!!!!!!!!!.