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  • Timeshift Last Days of Steam (Season 8, Episode 3)
  • TV Episode | 59 min | Documentary

Timeshift

Last Days of Steam (Season 8, Episode 3)
TV Episode | 59 min | Documentary

Documentary which tells the surprising story of how Britain entered a new age of steam railways after the Second World War and why it quickly came to an end. After the war, the largely destroyed railways of Europe were rebuilt to carry ...See moreDocumentary which tells the surprising story of how Britain entered a new age of steam railways after the Second World War and why it quickly came to an end. After the war, the largely destroyed railways of Europe were rebuilt to carry more modern diesel and electric trains. Britain, however, chose to build thousands of brand new steam locomotives. Did we stay with steam because coal was seen as the most reliable power source or were the railways run by men who couldn't bear to let go of their beloved steam trains? The new British locomotives were designed to stay in service well into the 1970s, but in some cases they were taken off the railways and scrapped within just five years. When Dr Richard Beeching took over British Railways in the 1960s the writing was on the wall, and in 1968 the last steam passenger train blew its whistle. But while steam use declined, steam enthusiasm grew. As many steam engines lay rusting in scrap-yards around Britain, enthusiasts raised funds to buy, restore and return them to their former glory. In 2008, the first brand new steam locomotive to be built in Britain in nearly 50 years rolled off the line, proving our enduring love of these machines. Written by Anonymous See less
Read more: Plot summary
Director
Producer
George Chan (producer)
Cinematographers
Stephen J. Brand (camera) (as Stephen Brand) | Rob Taylor (camera)
Status
Edit Released
Updated Oct 16, 2008

Release date
Oct 16, 2008 (United Kingdom)

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Cast

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16 cast members
Name Known for
Deborah Maclaren
Self - Narrator (voice) (as Deborah MacLaren) Self - Narrator (voice) (as Deborah MacLaren)   See fewer
Lawrie Hall
Self - British Railways Manager 1966-2005 Self - British Railways Manager 1966-2005   See fewer
Terry Gourvish
Self - Historian, London School of Economics Self - Historian, London School of Economics   See fewer
Danny Hopkins
Self - Editor, 'Steam Railway Magazine' Self - Editor, 'Steam Railway Magazine'   See fewer
Andrew Scott
Self - Head of National Railway Museum Self - Head of National Railway Museum   See fewer
Alfred Barnes
Self - Minister of Transport, 1948 (archive footage) (voice) Self - Minister of Transport, 1948 (archive footage) (voice)   See fewer
Colin Divall
Self - Historian, University of York Self - Historian, University of York   See fewer
Simon Jenkins
Self - Author and Journalist Self - Author and Journalist   See fewer
David Elliott
Self - The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust Self - The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust   See fewer
Ian Marchant
Self - Writer Self - Writer   See fewer
Richard Beeching
Self - 'Reshaping the Railways', 1963 (archive footage) (as Dr Richard Beeching) Self - 'Reshaping the Railways', 1963 (archive footage) (as Dr Richard Beeching)   See fewer
David Shepherd
Self - Artist Self - Artist   See fewer
Dai Woodham
Self - Railway Locomotive Scrapyard Owner, interviewed in 1988 (archive footage) Self - Railway Locomotive Scrapyard Owner, interviewed in 1988 (archive footage)   See fewer
Graham Perry
Self - Railway Enthusiast Self - Railway Enthusiast   See fewer
Mike Peart
Self - Railway Enthusiast Self - Railway Enthusiast   See fewer
Jon Barlow
Self - Railway Enthusiast Self - Railway Enthusiast   See fewer
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