The second of two amateur films produced by Ken Ellwood that features many LMS Stainer Class Five 4-6-0 steam locomotives, more commonly known as Black Fives, working along the Skipton and Carlisle railway line. With steam power coming to an end, locomotives like these were used primarily for cargo with modern diesel trains being used to pull passenger carriages. The film often features Ken’s son David following some of the trains featured and includes his wife Kath and other children Deborah...

The second of two amateur films produced by Ken Ellwood that features many LMS Stainer Class Five 4-6-0 steam locomotives, more commonly known as Black Fives, working along the Skipton and Carlisle railway line. With steam power coming to an end, locomotives like these were used primarily for cargo with modern diesel trains being used to pull passenger carriages. The film often features Ken’s son David following some of the trains featured and includes his wife Kath and other children Deborah and Peter walking around Lowgill viaduct. The film ends on beautifully footage of the Ribblehead viaduct at sunset with the sun illuminating in shadow the various trains that are crossing it. Over the opening credit the LMS Stainer Class Five 44984 steam locomotive passes slowly. Title: The Decline of Steam Title: on the Skipton Carlisle Railway A second Stainer Class Five pulls a set of wagons and a brakes van into Skipton railway station changes to a man atop a set of signals near the Skipton Station South signal box. A third Stainer Class Five 44902 slowly steams past out of Skipton station pulling its wagons followed by fourth Stainer Class Five 44897 steaming past pulling its cargo of wagon. On a siding a different black steam locomotive stands it water compartment being filled and steam coming from various part of the engine. With its tank full it moves off away pulling a series of wagon and a brakes car, stencilling along the side of the engine the words ‘De Vliegende Hollander’. Near Skipton station another Stainer Class Five 45350 stands waiting as the driver or engineer walks back towards the footplate. The engine reverses along the track, behind it a brakes van also moving backwards apparently under its own steam. Eventually the engine and van couple up and with the engine now pulling the van towards Skipton station with the filmmaker’s son David runs alongside the train following it. The engine stops again waiting on a passenger train to pass being pulled by a diesel locomotive. The train gone the Black Five continues on its journey. David runs along a road overlooking the Skipton railway station and climbs onto a fence to watch the Black Five and brakes van pass through the station. He climbs down from the face and races across the road to look over the other side and the train passes. The Black Five and brakes van travels under a bridge passing two workmen walking beside the track. It continues its journey parallel to a busy road. Another Stainer Class Five 45310 travels past along an embankment pulling three wagons and a brakes van. It travels past again this time pulling only the brake van. From onboard a moving train the coupling between the carriage and engine followed by another cargo train passes in the opposite direction. A phantom car ride following another Stainer Class Five 48757 and brakes van travelling along an embankment. Back onboard the moving train then engine slows as it passes the Settle signal box. It waits on an embankment as a diesel commuter passenger train passes in the opposite direction. The driver and fireman walk along the track. Another Black Five travels along an embankment crossing a small road bridge, in the cabin of the train the fireman shovels coal into the firebox. Another Stainer Class Five 45260 travels in the opposite direction over the road bridge seen previously pulling two brakes vans. From the footplate of an engine a signalman is seen looks out from his box changes to the fireman on the tracks changing the points so that his Stainer Class Five 45420 can be reversed onto a siding near the signal box and be coupled to two wagons. The driver of his locomotive looks out of the cabin as he passes. David Ellwood stands beside the platform sign for Horton in Ribblesdale, in the distant the peak of Pen-y-ghent. A Black Five pulls a series of wagons through the station followed by a diesel passenger train passing at speed. Another cargo train passes in the opposite direction and inside the signal box the signalman changes the points allowing a brakes van to be moved onto a siding away from the cargo train it was attached to. In the signal box David Ellwood pulls the levers to changes the points again. The cargo train pulls into the platform before reversing again. At dusk another cargo train passes under a bridge, bright orange flames leap into the air from the firebox as it passes before disappearing into the distance. Another cargo train speeds through Horton in Ribblesdale after which a second slowly pulls into the platform. A wagon is slowly reversed and attached to a brakes van before heading off at speed. In the signal box the signal man changes a set of points. David Ellwood looks down onto the railway line from a road bridge as a Black Five pulling a series of wagons and box cars passes. He and another boy sit on a wall watching as another Black Five cargo train speeds past along an embankment with Pen-y-ghent in the distance. Another cargo train crosses Lowgill viaduct changes to Kath Ellwood and her children David, Deborah and John walking along a road near to the viaduct. They cross a stile walking under the structure and crossing over a small stone bridge. The three children look up at the stonework of the viaduct. Several cargo trains cross in both directions. A British Rail Standard Class 9F 92017 crosses followed by another Stainer Class Five 45001 passing a sign that reads ‘The Thames Clyde Express’. Standing along the tracks a small group of rail enthusiasts watches as Jube Stainer 45562 passes. At Ais Gill Summit near to the signal box another British Rail Standard Class 9F passes followed by Black Five travelling at dusk, the sun peering through thick engine smoke. With the sun setting just about one of the arches on the Ribblehead viaduct David Ellwood sits watching the sunset. A diesel passenger train crosses the viaduct, the foreground landscape misty and red from the setting sun. The film ends on another British Rail Standard Class 9F locomotive crossing the viaduct in the opposite direction pulling a wagon a brakes van. End title: The end