An amateur film by David Williams that uses maps, plans, engravings, archive photographs as well as moving images to tell the story of how during the during the 19th century Durham City was connected to the railway via a series of  branch lines.     The film begins on an engraving of an early 19th century coalmine with locomotive pulling wagons. Title: Rails into Durham: How the Railways Came to Durham The film cuts to a set of railway tracks crossing each other to reach a shed in the near...

An amateur film by David Williams that uses maps, plans, engravings, archive photographs as well as moving images to tell the story of how during the during the 19th century Durham City was connected to the railway via a series of  branch lines.     The film begins on an engraving of an early 19th century coalmine with locomotive pulling wagons. Title: Rails into Durham: How the Railways Came to Durham The film cuts to a set of railway tracks crossing each other to reach a shed in the near distance. General views of a railway track and a manual signal point.   A man walks along a section of tracks carrying a large hammer. Following behind a small petrol generator is mounted on a small carriage which is moving along the track.  The bolts attaching the track to the sleepers are unscrewed by a motorised industrial screwdriver, while nearby the man with the hammer smashes the tracks breaking them away from the sleeper. An acetylene torch is lit and a pair of hands begin to cut up the metal track. The film changes to show archive film of Locomotion No. 1 travelling along a set of tracks, possibly as part of the centenary celebration of the Stockton and Darlington railway in 1925. A general view shows the company seal for The Clarence Railway Company. This is followed by a still of a plan for the development of the railway. The film cuts to show a map with Durham City in the centre and a line drawn around it indicating the branch lines leading into and around the city. A view follows showing the plans for a bridge with a 100ft span. A general view shows a railway crossing with traffic moving over it. A small building stands nearby. The film cuts to the rear of the building and a view shows a derelict platform and siding. A steam locomotive pulls a number of goods wagons across the crossing points. The film cuts to show a partially completed railway cutting with some sleepers laid out, but no track. The film cuts to a 19th century engraving of a bridge crossing the River Wear into Durham, Durham Cathedral in the background. The film cuts back to the railway crossing featured previously, opened again after the goods train has passed through. General views follow showing the company seal and plans for The Durham Junction Railway Company with branch lines through the Wear Valley to Gilesgate in Durham built between 1830 and 1835. A drawing on the Victoria Bridge at Penshaw is followed by views of a passenger steam locomotive crossing the bridge. The film cuts to a drawing of the docks at Hartlepool followed the company seal for The Hartlepool Dock and Railway Company. The film cuts to the map with Durham City at the centre showing a branch line leading into the city from Sherburn to Gilesgate. A hand holding a pen or pencil points out the two alterative branch lines proposed on a plan. An engraving of Sunderland dock cuts to general views of the map of Durham City and plans showing proposed branch lines for The Sunderland and Durham Railway Company between 1842 and 1844 from Gilesgate to Sherburn and Whitwell. The film changes to show archive footage of men laying sleepers and track followed by an engraving of Whitwell Colliery. An engraving for the engine at Pillington cuts to show views of pistons of a steam engine rising and falling. The film changes to show general views of a wagon way with cables laid along the track and wagons being pulled along it. An engraving for The Durham and Sunderland Broomside Colliery shows both coal and passenger wagons in use. A sign attached to a building reads ‘Railway Tavern Free House’. In the distance traffic moves along a road, another brick building stands nearby. Another drawing shows a bridge across the Wear which cuts to views of the now dismantled bridge. A new 19th century map of the north of England highlights the new line for The Great North of England Railway moving from south to north. The film cuts to show the previous map with Durham City at the centre as well as views of plans showing the  branch lines into the city ending at Frankland. A map of The County of Yorkshire highlights the railway between Thirsk and York. General views show plans and sections for The North Union Railway or Newcastle and Darlington Junction Railway. This is followed by an engraving of George Hudson, a railway financier from the 1840s. A general view of the map shows Durham City and the branch lines through Shincliffe between 1843 and 1844. An engraving follows of a steam locomotive crossing Sherburn Viaduct, the film cuts to show archive material of navvies walking along a section of track with shovels over their shoulders. A general view of a railway cutting near to Durham is followed by a view of a branch line between Durham and Gateshead. An engraving of what is believed to be the Grange Ironworks is followed by views of a wheel of a train passing over a track. General views follow of a train travelling slowly up a gradient between Durham and Gateshead with views of the landscape. Three boys play on the track at the point that it becomes a double track. General views show plans and archive photographs of the station and surrounding engine shed at Gateshead and Durham, Gilesgate. Describing the opening on the Belmont to Darlington line in 1844, the film shows archive film of a 19th century locomotive travelling along a section of track followed by crowds in costumes waving and cheering. The film changes to show the Flying Scotsman comes along a section of mainline railway followed by a modern diesel passenger train passing at speed. At Belmont Junction a section of wall is all that survives of the station. The film cuts to show a stone plinth and a photograph of a water tower at Walker Iron Works that once stood on the plinth. Etchings follow of Durham and London to illustrate the new mainlines to the capital. The film cuts to the map with Durham City at the centre and The Durham and Sunderland Railway Company Elvet extension plans of 1843. A second view of the map shows the Leeds and Thirsk Railway Company proposed Team Valley route of 1848 as well as the route from Ferryhill to Newcastle via Durham. General views follow showing etching and plans of said routes. The film cuts back to the map showing the York, Newcastle and Berwick Railway Company 1846 proposed route into Durham via Team Valley. This is followed by the route via Bishop Auckland and Team Valley. General views follow of said plans. An illustration of George Hudson cuts to one of TE. Harrison. Various images are used to illustrate the merger completed by TE Harrison of the Leeds Northern, York and North Midland and York, Newcastle and Berwick railway companies into the North Eastern Railway Company. The map of Durham shows the Bishop Auckland proposed route by the North Eastern Railway Company between 1854 and 1857. General views show plans and an etching of the Belmont and Durham Viaducts. These are followed by archive stills, plans and etchings of the 80ft cutting through Neville’s Cross battlefield. General views follow of plans and archive photographs showing the building of the Durham Viaducts, followed by photographs of Leamside railway station and branch line. General views follow of plans and photographs of Durham railway station followed by a view of a goods train travelling across Durham Viaduct towards the station. More etchings and photographs of the viaduct follows. An etching showing a horse and carriage on Silver Street in Durham is followed by etchings of passengers on a train in the 1850s representing the first journey from Durham to Bishop Auckland. The film cuts to show the Flying Scotsman locomotive coming into Durham railway station followed by another passenger steam locomotive crossing Durham Viaduct making its way into the station. General views show other passenger steam locomotives travelling along railway tracks. A painting on Newton Gap Viaduct at Bishop Auckland cuts to view of a steam passenger locomotive travelling under a bridge. Another train crosses Durham Viaduct towards the station representing the return journey from Bishop Auckland back to Durham. A section of a 19th century map is highlighted to show the engines sheds at Gilesgate. The film cuts to show the map with Durham City at the centre showing the North Eastern Railway main line route north of the city as well as the Team Valley section opened in 1868. General views show a passenger steam train travelling at speed along a railway line. The film cuts to show the Durham City map again and the North Eastern Railways Tursdale section built 1868-1872. A passenger steam train crosses the Langley Moor suspension bridge followed by another train travelling at speed past a signal box. The film cuts to show the Flying Scotsman travelling at speed across the bridge and through the deep cutting at Croxdale. Anothe cut to a large metal sign built beside the main line railway that reads ‘Newcastle - Leamside’. A steam passenger train passes at speed.   Plans and archive photos of Durham railway station are shown to illustrate that stations needed to look more like a mainline station. Next a painting by Clement Burlison showing Durham Viaduct, with Durham Cathedral in the background. The film changes to show a steam passenger train crossing the viaduct towards Durham station. Plans showing the alterations to the bridge follow next. Title: Durham Viaduct circa 1910. Photographed by George Fillingham General view of said photograph. Title: The “Silver Jubilee” in 1935. Filmed by Major Greenfield General views showing a railway train travelling across the Durham Viaduct and an A4 class locomotive pulling into Durham station. Title: 4472 on a Summer Evening. Filmed by David Williams General views of a steam passenger locomotive crossing Durham Viaduct towards Durham station. Title: ‘Bittern’ in November. Filmed by David Williams Filmed from the signal box just outside Durham station, the Class A4 steam locomotive Bittern travels past at speed heading north. The film cuts to show a circular engine nameplate that reads ‘North Eastern Railways 1621 Gateshead Works 1893’. Views of plans and photographs showing Elvet Station and its staff changes to show archive footage of a train leaving a station and passengers on the platform waving. The film cuts to show a map of the Elvet Ward in Durham with the racecourse at the centre. Photographs follow of Pittington Station c.1930 and c.1950 and Sherburn House Station. A series of slightly out of focus photographs of Elvet Station are followed by more photographs show the station in decline and derelict. Film footage shows Parsons Field Lodge, a building on the site of the old station, the buffer stop the only part remaining of the station. More photographs show houses built beside the now empty Elvet railway line. A photo of a bridge crossing the Wear nearby fades to show a photograph of the same bridge, only the abutments remaining. General views show a quarry along an old railway embankment and a large digger collecting earth. Lorries and trucks are loaded with its content. A photograph of a motorway under construction along an old branch railway line cuts to views of a spur road that would lead onto said motorways. A group of dignitaries walk along the road and two men look at a plan on a board. The film cuts to show the Chairman of Durham County Council cut a ribbon official opening the spur road. The sequence ends with cars driving along the new road. End credit: Still photograph by courtesy of J.W. Armstrong, Alan Bowman, Ian S. Carr, Dr W. Gibby, Ken Hoole, Alan Maitland, Cowen Robinson and The Newcastle Journal End credit: Clement Burlison painting by permission of Durham County Council End credit: Additional cine photograph by Chris Mann, Alan Lovekin and Paul Patten End credit: Engraving and maps from Durham County Records Office, Durham Reference Library and British Rail, York End credit: Electronic sound effects by Simon Elliot –special thanks to Chris Woolstenholme End credit: Written, photographed and edited by David R. Williams End title: Postscript. In March, 1989, major work on the Viaduct and Station at Durham restored the Old Main Line to its 1844 glory General views show workmen and equipment as they carry out renovation work on both Durham Viaduct and Durham station. The film cuts to show a small diesel commuter train coming into Durham station. Passengers on the train get off, as commuters on the platform climb aboard. The train leaves the station heading north and is filmed heading off into the distance. A 125 Intercity diesel passenger train heads north across Durham Viaduct into the station. The film ends on general views showing various north and southbound 125 Intercity passenger trains travelling along various sections of mainline track, passing Fence House signal box. End title: Rail into Durham. The end.