John Snell’s Railways Recalled

This programme is a little gem!

A selection of archive films from the collection of the late John Snell and his 16mm camera.

John Snell had been a follower of railways since childhood days and was involved in preservation too for many years with his respected period at the Romney Hythe and Dymchurch Railway.
From revenue-earning freight trains on the narrow gauge lines in Wales, from brake van rides behind a ‘Deans Goods’, from British Railway’s crack expresses on the Western Region and Southern, on the other side of the Channel to France, to film the ‘Fleche d’Or’, John’s variety of film is quite astonishing.
He was able to capture very rare sequences in the Purbeck clay mining areas around Norden with scenes of 2’ gauge engines Russell and Septimus. Film from the narrow gauge Wales railways in the 1950s and many branch lines destined for closure.
He visited the Isle of Man at a particularly interesting time and captured all forms of transport with his 16mm camera. He was able to get some colour film of the final operations of the Cambrian Coast Express and GW railcars on branch line work.
Scenes at Midford on the S&D show tablet exchanges and nice colour film in the north east where coal trains were in their last moments.
Classic footage of the last days on the Crom­ford & High Peak Railway and much more.
His great enthusiasm for the last days of steam operation has left a great legacy for us to enjoy today.

DVD – 50 minutes duration