This is a film showing the Duchess of Kent unveiling two plaques commemorating the opening of the North Yorks Moors Railway on May 1st, 1973.  It also shows some of the work done to the station at Pickering, a journey along the line and the family of the filmmaker, Hugh Newsam. The film begins with a family and children boarding a passenger train at a station.  They are watched by a young curly headed guard.  A driver, smoking a pipe, clambers on board the DMU and the guard checks the...

This is a film showing the Duchess of Kent unveiling two plaques commemorating the opening of the North Yorks Moors Railway on May 1st, 1973.  It also shows some of the work done to the station at Pickering, a journey along the line and the family of the filmmaker, Hugh Newsam. The film begins with a family and children boarding a passenger train at a station.  They are watched by a young curly headed guard.  A driver, smoking a pipe, clambers on board the DMU and the guard checks the tickets.  The train ride is filmed from on board including part from the driver’s cab.  They pass the Fylingdales early warning station.  They stop at Grosmont where there is a collection box.  An old timber carriage stands in a sidings along with some vintage small locomotives, a goods van, and a guard’s van.  A passenger train, hauled by a steam loco, arrives.  The kitchen staff on the train prepare refreshment at the bar.  A boy stands on the footplate while the steam gets up.  They are seen leaving Goathland Station and the journey continues to be filmed, passing Levisham Station.  They stop at Pickering, where there is a tea kiosk and men are working on the track. A boy paints the edge of the platform as the film shows the poor derelict condition of the station with broken windows.  An old rusted locomotive (3035) has “Sold” (8.3.73) written on it.  There is also a rusting shunting engine (3035). Whitby Railway Station.  Here there is an Information Office and a police cabin in the car park.  A brass band is preparing at the front of the station where other dignitaries are congregating.  The film shows boats in the harbour and a crowd standing, waiting in a line. Some are looking out of the window of the Angel Hotel.  The brass band gets ready, and the Lord Mayor greets the Duchess of Kent on her arrival.  Many take photos.   The Duchess of Kent unveils a plaque commemorating the opening of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway.  Speeches are made, and the band plays.  Whitby Abbey can be seen in the background.  A large photograph of the Royal Family hangs above the Information Bureau.  The railway station stands empty of trains as the filmmaker captures images of the surrounding countryside.  A couple of beekeepers and a pack of hunting dogs in a kennel.  The Duchess of Kent arrives at Grosmont Station and unveils another plaque commemorating the opening of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway.  One of the onlookers holds up for the camera a painting of a steam locomotive.  The Duchess of Kent boards a train as she waves to the crowd.   There is more film of the train journey, again passing Fylingdales early warning system [part of this section is underexposed].  Then the family are back home where a woman is tending the front garden.  Two boys, dressed in cowboy hats, are playing in in the street of a new housing development, Park Close, with another smaller boy on a toy tractor.  The boys are then playing in a play area with swings and climbing some logs.