This film by steam engine and railway enthusiast Chris Lawson records various locations where enthusiasts focus on spotting steam engines and recording railway operations. On this occasion a special tour that ran through Yorkshire, Durham and Northumberland is the focus of this film. The tour allows the enthusiasts to enjoy access to the engines and to be passengers on a steam hauled train. The film opens with a busy railway scene, a signal gantry in the distance, nearer to the camera a...

This film by steam engine and railway enthusiast Chris Lawson records various locations where enthusiasts focus on spotting steam engines and recording railway operations. On this occasion a special tour that ran through Yorkshire, Durham and Northumberland is the focus of this film. The tour allows the enthusiasts to enjoy access to the engines and to be passengers on a steam hauled train. The film opens with a busy railway scene, a signal gantry in the distance, nearer to the camera a signal box and a trackside view of a steam train speeding towards the camera.  The locomotive at the head of the train is perhaps the most famous British locomotive the A3 class, 4-6-2 Gresley designed Flying Scotsman no. 4472. The engine in polished green, then speeds away from the camera. Enthusiasts compare notes on the station platform.  A trackside view follows in a railway cutting as another steam engine reverses with a train of empty metal trucks, it moves away from the camera negotiating a curve. A high angle view looking down into a cutting follows as another goods train pulls coal(?) wagons. A trackside view on an embankment shows a steam engine hauling metal trucks. A general view follows of good wagons as they pass each other on an embankment. A trackside view shows engine no. 65892, a class J27 0-6-0 passing a signal box hauling a train of full coal trucks. On the same line a steam train comes the opposite way hauling empty wagons, another simliar shot follows on the same section of line. The film cuts to a middle distance view of a station as a steam train comes through, on the smoke box a white board reads 'Ashington (?) Rail Tour'. Three men at the trackside watch it go by. A panning view of a speeding steam train passing through a cutting follows. As it travels past the nameplate 'Alberta' can be seen. The train is hauling a special excursion. A low angle trackside view, again of 'Alberta' follows. A board mounted above the smoke box reads' Ashington(?) Rail Tour'. A high angle view from a bridge above a rural station platform shows a speeding Alberta heading towards the camera. From a distance a view of a steam train traversing a steel viaduct , probably the Black Bridge over the River Blyth near Bedlington station. Another view follows at a lower angle taken from the river bank, shows another engine going over the same bridge. The film cuts to a trackside view, on a railway embankment near the coast, a steam train heads towards the camera. A notice above the smoke box reads 'Ashington Rail Tour'. The engine is number 39 a small steam engine marked with the letters 'NCB' [National Coal Board] pulls three carriages. It is believed this engine was involved in the rail tour, that took place on 10 June 1967. The section of line filmed may be near Lynemouth Colliery. Another view shows the same steam train on another embankment(?). More views of the engine as it crosses a level crossing. From the track in an urban setting the 45562 Alberta pulls a train, as it passes  Bedlington North signal box. The film cuts to a high angle view of  Alberta pulling the rail tour train along a cutting. The train goes under the bridge and the camera follows it on the other side. Another similar shot follows of the same train taken from the side of a railway cutting.  A trackside view follows of a small goods train, an NCB tank engine named  'Progress', as it pulls empty coal trucks through a colliery marshalling yard. A lone steam engine manouevres to pick up a train of coal trucks which then travels towards the pit head. The film cuts to a dark view of a speeding steam engine, panning right to left. A trackside shot follows taken in a large railway cutting as a steam passenger train goes past. A high angle view of a steam engine follows at a busy city railway station as a green engine pulls out with a passenger train, possibly the Flying Scotsman. The film cuts to a high angle view looking down into a railway cutting, as a 'double header'  [two engines pull the train] goods train goes past, a DMU [diesel multiple unit] overtakes it. Another shot on the same section of track shows another DMU in green livery. A trackside view follows of engine number 34013 a WCBB [West Country and Battleof Britain Class] class 4-6-2.  Cut to a high angle view of the city railway station seen earlier as a steam passenger train leaves. The film cuts to a railway cutting and another view possibly of the same steam train. To end the film a high angle view from a bridge shows a DMU (Diesel Multiple Unit) travelling through a station.