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STEAM TRAINS | A celebration of some great British engines, enthusiasts and journeys.

About this collection

In this collection of television and radio programmes we celebrate the craftsmanship inherent in steam trains and the beauty of the British countryside through which these locomotives have passed.

These broadcasts also acknowledge the dedicated enthusiasts who have saved this important part of British heritage for the enjoyment of generations to come.

Steam Trains Collection

Steam train in Belfast, 1943.

Unusual Recordings

Some Famous Trains

BROADCAST 1936
13 MINUTES

The atmospheric sounds of railways and trains from a bygone era.

go to Unusual Recordings - Some Famous Trains
Dog looking out of train window.

Children's Newsreel

A Dog's Day Out

BROADCAST 1952
4 MINUTES

Steaming down to Eastbourne with a canine passenger on the footplate.

go to Children's Newsreel - A Dog's Day Out
The Mallard steam locomotive.

On Railways

P Ransome-Wallis Studies Mallard

BROADCAST 1960
8 MINUTES

The Mallard's swansong on the line from Grantham to Peterborough.

go to On Railways - P Ransome-Wallis Studies Mallard
Dr Beeching © Getty Images.

Tonight

Railways

BROADCAST 1963
3 MINUTES

A lyrical memorial to some of the stations closed by 'The Beeching Report'.

go to Tonight - Railways
Steam train, Great Western Railway.

Time Out

The Four Steamers

BROADCAST 1964
28 MINUTES

'Diesel engines are machines, steam locomotives are practically human.'

go to Time Out - The Four Steamers
John Noakes and Patch.

Blue Peter

John Noakes on the Flying Scotsman

BROADCAST 1966
6 MINUTES

John Noakes gets his hands dirty on a trip from London to Brighton.

go to Blue Peter - John Noakes on the Flying Scotsman
Flying Scotsman train travelling across a viaduct.

4472: Flying Scotsman

BROADCAST 1968
40 MINUTES

Non-stop from London to Edinburgh - can the Flying Scotsman do it again 40 years later?

go to 4472: Flying Scotsman
Hills in Dartmoor © Getty Images.

Nationwide

BROADCAST 1975
11 MINUTES

A quirky celebration of our love for steam trains.

go to Nationwide
Snow Hill station, Birmingham.

Steam Scene

BROADCAST 1978
14 MINUTES

Reminiscences about Birmingham Snow Hill station in the 1920s.

go to Steam Scene
A steam train at Buckfastleigh station.

Steam into Summer

BROADCAST 1979
29 MINUTES

An affectionate look at the Dart Valley Railway.


go to Steam into Summer
A steam train.

The Getaways

Bluebell

BROADCAST 1980
30 MINUTES

Which hobby unites an airline pilot, a carpenter, a schoolboy, a diplomat and a science teacher?

go to The Getaways - Bluebell
The Yorkshire Dales.

The Past at Work

Railway Mania

BROADCAST 1980
25 MINUTES

Take a trip through the Yorkshire Dales on the Clan Line.

go to The Past at Work - Railway Mania
Michael Palin leaning out of the window of a carriage.

Great Railway Journeys

Confessions of a Train Spotter

BROADCAST 1980
58 MINUTES

Join Michael Palin as he travels from London to the Highlands of Scotland.

go to Great Railway Journeys - Confessions of a Train Spotter
The 4498 Sir Nigel Gresley on Knaresborough viaduct © Corbis.

The Great Railway Cavalcade

Rocket 150 at Rainhill

BROADCAST 1980
59 MINUTES

A celebration of locomotion, from the Rocket to the APT.

go to The Great Railway Cavalcade - Rocket 150 at Rainhill
A steam train © Corbis.

See Hear!

BROADCAST 1981
7 MINUTES

Restoring the Green Knight at East Somerset Railway.


go to See Hear!
Dornie, Scotland.

Steam Days

The Fishing Line

BROADCAST 1986
29 MINUTES

Travel on the footplate on the West Highland Line.

go to Steam Days - The Fishing Line
A steam engine arriving at Totnes station.

Steam Days

Going Great Western

BROADCAST 1986
29 MINUTES

Visit the Cornish and Devon Riviera on the Great Western Railway.

go to Steam Days - Going Great Western
The 44767 George Stephenson between Fort William and Mallaig © Corbis.

The Train Now Departing

The West Highlander

BROADCAST 1988
29 MINUTES

A stunning journey from Fort William to Mallaig with a very contented train driver.

go to The Train Now Departing - The West Highlander
A steam train on the Isle of Man.

The Train Now Departing

Steam on the Isle of Man

BROADCAST 1988
29 MINUTES

The story of the Isle of Man's Victorian steam railway.

go to The Train Now Departing - Steam on the Isle of Man
A Battle of Britain-class 4-6-2, No 21C167 'Tangmere' at Cannon Street station © Corbis.

The Train Now Departing

The Survivors

BROADCAST 1988
29 MINUTES

Enthusiasts keep steam alive on Britain's tracks.

go to The Train Now Departing - The Survivors
A blue butterfly in a field.

Secret Nature

Steam and Wildlife

BROADCAST 1989
29 MINUTES

How the arrival of the rail networks changed the British countryside.

go to Secret Nature - Steam and Wildlife

Explore the BBC

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