An amateur film produced by Ken Ellwood who was a passenger onboard the final main-line passenger train service from Liverpool to Carlisle to be pulled by a steam locomotive. Known as the ‘Fifteen Guinea Special’ it took place on Saturday 11th August 1968 with the journey beginning at Liverpool and heading to Rainhill, Blackburn and across into Yorkshire crossing the famous Ribblehead Viaduct and arriving into Carlisle. The train stops at several locations along the route allowing those...

An amateur film produced by Ken Ellwood who was a passenger onboard the final main-line passenger train service from Liverpool to Carlisle to be pulled by a steam locomotive. Known as the ‘Fifteen Guinea Special’ it took place on Saturday 11th August 1968 with the journey beginning at Liverpool and heading to Rainhill, Blackburn and across into Yorkshire crossing the famous Ribblehead Viaduct and arriving into Carlisle. The train stops at several locations along the route allowing those onboard to admire the four locomotives used to pull the train, the most famous being the BR Standard Class 7 70013 Oliver Cromwell. A certificate made out to the filmmaker for ‘travelling on the last journey on Standard Gauge of any Steam Train owned by British Rail’ dated the 11th August 1968. A hand appears and places a rail ticket on the certificate allowing travel from Liverpool/Manchester to Carlisle and back. On a platform at Liverpool railway station a large crowd of rail enthusiasts gather around the footplate of a steam locomotive wanting to get their rail ticket signed by the driver or fireman. A man stands on a signal gantry taking photographs of the train, beneath him other men and boys taking photographs beside a film camera mounted on a tripod. The cameraman films two men, one in a bowler hat and the other in mayoral chains, standing on the footplate posing for photographs beside the driver and fireman. A policeman walks the track beside the locomotive where another film camera captures the scene. Again, the nearby platform is packed with onlookers. At Rainhill railway station a large red and white metal sign marks the site of the Rainhill Locomotive Trials from October 1829 won by George Stephenson’s Rocket. The train has stopped at the station and a man with a film camera shoots the sign watched by the guard and a second man. A group of dignitaries, including another man in mayoral chains, gather on the platform. A young woman in blue poses with a medallion around her neck embossed with the image of Stephenson’s Rocket on it. The train pulls out of the station past a crowd of spectators, a man races down the platform to take one more photograph. From inside a carriage crowds can be seen gathered along the trackside watching as the train passes at speed. Now stopped near Newton Le Willow rail enthusiasts gather around to admire the LMS Stanier Class 5 45110 steam locomotive pulling the train. Nearby the marble Huskisson Memorial mounted on the base of an old water tower. A railway guard walks the track with a megaphone as passenger climb back aboard the train. The driver and firemen pose for photographs in front of their locomotive which stands in a railway platform. Once again crowds gather nearby. The Stanier 45110 is de-coupled and departs with a new engine passing crowds on an adjacent platform. A man with a film camera records the train as it picks up speed through an urban location, again more spectators line the trackside watching the train pass. In the countryside the train crosses the viaduct and passing through Entwhitle station. At Blackburn railway station crowds gather around the locomotive that is pulling the train; the BR Standard Class 7 70013 Oliver Cromwell. As the spectators continue to admire the train, the fireman and driver fill the tender with water. After the Oliver Crowell has been turned around the train departs passing a tower or castle on a nearby hill. People wave as the train passing through a station, inside passengers sit at table enjoying a lunch of salmon salad and Vin Rose wine. The train continues its journey passing though the Yorkshire countryside with passengers onboard sitting happily chatting over drinks. As the train approaches and crossing Ribblehead viaduct crowds have again gather on both sides of the viaduct to wave as it passes. The train enters Blea Moor Tunnel changing to vantage point on the other side of the tunnel with the trains appearing from the tunnel and speeding past over Dent Moor Viaduct passing a long line of cars parked along Newby Head Gate. From the train crossing the viaduct, passengers wave at watching spectators, they enjoy drinks as they follow the edge of Great Knoutberry Hill. The train slows as it approaches and passes through Dent station with more spectators lining the tracks. The train continues its journey along the long drag up to Ais Gill in the Mallerstang Valley. The train once again comes to a stop outside the signal box at Ais Gill Summit with crowds standing on the steps of the signal box as well as the water tank and around the locomotive itself taking photographs of the Oliver Cromwell. A policeman attempts to clear the lines so the train can depart, people scatter. The train pulls away around the edge of Wild Boar Fell and along the Mallerstang Valley toward Carlisle. The train slowly pulls into Carlisle railway station where once again large crowds gather on the platform to greet it. Passengers disembark while the Oliver Cromwell is replaced with two LMS Stainer Class 5 44871 and 44788 for the journey back to Liverpool. The train departs Carlisle heading back the way it had come passing through Blea Moor Tunnel. At Ingleborough 44871 takes on water watched by rail enthusiast. On the mover again the train passes through a gully before crossing the Ribblehead Viaduct heading south. End title: The end