BRANCH LINE - 1 - Sir John Betjeman

[StormadoStormChasing]

The New Somerset and Dorset Railway was formed in 2009 to reopen the old Somerset and Dorset Railway from Bournemouth to Bath and to Glastonbury and Wells as a new main line railway. They have acquired several station sites and some sections of trackbed along the route. The New Somerset and Dorset Railway is progressing well and with ever growing support for them. Remember, the more support they get, the closer we are to seeing the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway rebuilt to its former glory.

[spiccybaby]

Prophetic words from JB, yes, we do regret the loss of railway mileage now. Our crowded railways now carry more passengers than in 1921.

[tain36]

A sublime little film. Erudite without being stuffy, JB was a natural at this sort of thing.

[jeffwhi]

Betjeman had a monotone voice, which somehow brought alive anything he narrated. I was actually 13 when this film was made and well remember, fondly, the England that existed then. One reason for the growth of preserved railways is an attempt to bring back to life this small part of life then. I think the growth will eventually lead to preservationists providing a slice of the national rail network.

[yeovil50]

Being a Somerset boy and born just one year after this was made it makes me so sad to see how wonderful things and life were then...and Betjeman was such an amazing orator..

[biharandorissa]

we shall never see the like of this again,lost forever and replaced by gloss and empty sparkle,so sad for me to remember an England now gone,

[mekydro]

That BR standard 64' composite non-corridor at 8:19 is a rare gem

[yippitydodah]

passing cows and sheep in a field, our Britain.

[bensimps123]

@yippitydodah now i pass cows and mutton ..of a diffrent kind :(

[yippitydodah]

@bensimps123 ...and a few posh trouts too, no doubt, diamond and pearled?

Heard they are slowly reinstating the Waverley line south of Edinburgh, and they hope to eventually re-lay the line through Hawick to Carlisle also. Do not think they will get to Carlisle in my lifetime. What a waste to dig it all up and take down all throse bridges in the first place.

[eoin730]

now we want the railways back because the roads ar full and block up!

[sfwplant]

The only trouble with nostalgia is that it isn't what it used to be. Fantastic, reminds me of a time i never new.

[starstruckone]

if we were all so happy then, why did we allow government to take it all away?

[mekydro]

@starstruckone absolutely. Not everyone was happy, but the Government of the day was so short-sighted that they really could not foresee today's crowded railways

[dogstoerd]

@starstruckone Because we didn't use the branch lines and the railways were bleeding money - in other words we didn't pay for the railways with bums on seats...

[gotham61]

I used to live near this line in a village called Ashcott, about a mile east of Shapwick. Of course the line had already been gone for 9 years when I got there in 1975.

[TrainmasterCurt]

Also, think of all the people who would go to Glastonbury on the train now!

[railwaystationmaster]

This just has to be one of the finest railways films ever made, but sadly the ruthless destruction conveyed so eloquently by JB still thrives today in the hearts and minds of those too stupid to learn from past mistakes, after 31 years as a village station master i discovered the managers want to reduce the manned hours from 128 a week to 15 throwing 2 livelihoods in jeopardy ,JB would turn in his grave if he knew lessons from the past had not been learnt .

[oldsyphilitic]

True joy! Thankyou for posting

[Gail940]

hmv stocks them occasionly along with many others check it out also you might try the railway enthusiast shop at picadilly station manchester, if its available anywhere they will have it

[railwaystationmaster]

i've searched high and low for this on DVD no joy, anyone out there know if it exists?

[eastindiaman]

as a kid, I used to watch a pannier shunt the yard where I lived on a daily basis. When our family moved across town I was old enough to have a 'step through' Honda 50cc and I used to travel to Midsommer Norton and Radstock and watch the final days of the S&D being played out - If ONLY I had a camera in those far off days

[longhairedbeatnik]

A thousand to the 2 kind souls who identified 2 pieces of wonderful music in this gem of a short film, if there are any other titles that can be identified i will buy them as well from itunes, i of course would love to buy a copy of this film but as far as i am aware it is not available on DVD or to download which is criminal given the magic of it.

[eastindiaman]

@longhairedbeatnik it IS available on dvd - I have a copy - the title music is I believe a rendition of 'On the Banks of Green Willow' [peter Butterworth]

[paosborne1969]

@eastindiaman

On what DVD does this feature then? I can find no reference to it other than on a 1987 BBC VHS release. There is nothing on Amazon.

[BillyIsATwat23]

@longhairedbeatnik You can actually download videos from Youtube quite easily. The easiest way by far is to use the Firefox web browser rather than Internet Explorer, and install it's "Download Helper" plug-in.

Not all media players play the FLV format that video sites like Youtube use, so if your's doesn't I advise downloading the GOM Media player as it's IMO the best media player for Windows as it'll play almost anything.

[minnie179971]

You're right....thanks

[GRAHAMAUS]

My Great-Great-Grandfather was stationmaster at Glastonbury in 1880. A life worth living indeed. A delightful little glimpse of what it must have been like.

[minnie179971]

I thought the music was Rufford Park Poachers, the third part of Percy Grainger's Lincolnshire Posy. There are other parts of the Lincolnshire posy in the video. Isn't the music playing when Mr B is jumping about on the sand at Burnham 'Lost lady Found' ???

[bcars100]

to: @minnie179971

I believe you are correct on Grainger's "Lost Lady Found" in the closing scenes on the strand at Burnham. For the comparison reference to the music at "6:05 until 7:13" listen to ARNOLD:DANCES Andrew Penny and the Queensland Symphony (1996) available on iTunes.

[flanneryged]

This is perhaps "the" best ever black and white railway documentary I have ever seen.This production is utterly delightful,the station names and the thoughts of what might have been astound me.I will never get tired of listening to this great man.The

Saviour of St Pancras Station,what a utter tragedy it would have been if Beeching and Marples were allowed to continue their destruction of our prime national asset.

[MiLLwallpaul231258]

modernisation........stick it up your jacksee

[haynet1962]

"I mean even in America..." Love it!

[soaringstar]

Is this vid available on a DVD? If so, can you advise which? I have the 9 volume BTF boxed set with a couple of BTF productions featuring the engaging Sir John Betjeman, but this particular one isn't on it. Another golden must have for me.

[RobinCarmody]

@soaringstar this was a BBC production - it's never been released on DVD, and this upload has been taken from a 1987 BBC VHS release. The Betjeman BBC work that *should* be on DVD is 'Thank God It's Sunday' of course ... that 1995 repeat was key for me.

[betjeman71]

The John Betjeman Young People's Poetry Competition is open for entries till 31st July. Competition is for 11 -14 year olds. Full details available online.

[longhairedbeatnik]

Does anyone happen to know what the incidental music that starts at 6:05 until 7:13 it sounds pastoral english and to know what it is would make my day, all sensible suggestions welcome, thanks.

[bcars100]

@longhairedbeatnik

The music is "English Dances: Set 2, Op 33 No.3 Grazioso" by Sir Malcom Arnold.

[longhairedbeatnik]

Absolutely heartbreaking to see the warnings so elloquently made by JB and not to have heeded them, only a philistine like Dr Beeching would say we have made progress, WE BLEW It, BiGTIME !

[Freddowasher]

We gave all this up to sit in huge traffic jams, pay extortionate prices for cars and oil and to damage the environment. Progress?

It's not just nostalgia, we ought to learn from this.

[oldwarrant]

Amazing how prophetic Sir John is in this commentary. Beeching definitely threw the baby out with the bath water! We are still paying for it!

[Stereolabdream]

Its hard not to be swept away with an impression that this was England...it wasn't then, and it isn't now...

what a pity..

[b5b9]

Thank you for this visit to the country of my dreams.

[Chriseycarlyeah324]

my god he was right

[EelingStudios]

A delight to watch. I highly recommend an evening dining train experience now offered on many preserved steam railways. It'll take you right back to those days and help keep them going too!

[natty444]

Thanks for uploading this. Betjeman was a man well ahead of his time. This has inspired my latest poem: NOTE TO DR. BEECHING Oh but that you could see it now This mess that you have made It matters not for on my life Ill have our lines re-laid Our stations built and staffed again In these congested times A railway renaissance For our long-abandoned lines And by my tenure Ill restore Rebuild, remake, replenish Until our lines lay proud and strong So naught but greed may perish.

[stiletto56]

The porter in the last scene is pulling a cart load of Airfix boxes. (railway kits perhaps!)

Lovely film, lovely man, lovely times.

[Marillionmad]

This man was so right wasent he.

[idle44]

This is fantastic.

Am I the only person struck by Sir John's comentary? His knowledge, the cadence and seductive language are identical to 'Metroland'.

Put it on DVD and I'll buy it tomorrow

[photony54]

totally agree.....both wonderful :)

[britishbulldog5505]

It's quite depressing to watch. England has lost so much.

[Afrobeat100]

Is there any way of getting this series on dvd ? wonderful stuff.

[EasternRegionspotter]

they did a video back in 1987 i think

[Afrobeat100]

You're absolutely right and I have managed to get hold of one . Don't believe it is up for sale by BBC in DVD format. Vid contains excellent bonus material on production of 7 series locomotives and all is intorduced by a still very young Michael Palin ....

[longleeton]

this is a lovel film of a bygone age. There was acutally a railway station like this im my own town and it brings back many memories now. Also John Betjeman is one of my favourite poets, "Miss Jane Hunter Dunn" to name just one

[deeb1978]

Can anyone varify the traffic stats for the UK over the last 40 years?

[andyg3]

Oh the good old days. When station staff were friendly, stations presented nicely and of course proper trains.

R.I.P. John

[mbrookfi]

I forgot to say that my grandfather was the stationmaster at Highbridge at the time so we got cheap tickets.

[mbrookfi]

I used to travel on this line Glastonbury to Burnham on Sea when a kid (10-15) with my grandmother in the 1950's. I regret you can't take a train anymore - but I do not regret steam trains which would shower you with soot and poison you with sulphur dioxide if you leaned out of the windows. Also some had no corridor carriages so there was no way to go to a toilet. They would be better now. Pity Brunel great 7 foot gauge never took off too: you can still see his great bridges though

[peacemtn]

WOW

[thedukeofantioch]

what a nice civilised place it was.yes i am enjoying it as much as sir john is.

[amigolakota1974]

what an amazing gent ,r.i.p sir john!

[robmcg567]

Very, very, nice.

[kryztlship]

thank's so much for uploading this, it's wonderful.

[BackwoodPictures]

It would be very interesting to see where would be now if the job was given to someone like Betjeman instead of Marples and Beeching. I think that a small amount of lines would have to be closed but in essence, lots would remain open and provide a great and valuable service today. I don't think that Beeching saw the cultural influence that a lot of these lines provided. I know that I would have paid a higher tax rate to live in a better country. That's would we would have now. Don't you agree?

[bronzeonion]

yeah there now opening alot of them up again

[congo1024]

Magical. Words of wisdom.

[porno6361]

at 5:16 he says "i hope your enjoying it",no john,i'm loving it,at least you were lucky to travel omn it

[brucesterman]

It makes me feel queasy and quite sad to think what we have lost and to think of the hell we have sponsored to replace it. If we all wanted it to stay like this so much how have we let the rats destroy it. Resist their

influence at ever opportunity!

[RobinCarmody]

@brucesterman well, you have to remember that at the time (1962/3) a lot of people *didn't* want it to stay like that - many things people have now (for good reason) got bored with/depressed by (the universal car, pop culture, mass commercialism/Americanisation, etc.) seemed exciting then to an extent that is hard to understand now. That is why this film moves me, actually - the sense that that world was crumbling, the Beatles just on the edge (read Ian McEwan's 'On Chesil Beach').

[Lytton333]

@brucesterman The Planster's vision..

Damn them all..

[PhilipGriffin1234]

I'm live not far from this line (And the line from Wells to Yatton used to run through my village), but I recognize so many locations, such as the Girder bridge (at 5:55) and Shapwick, and there's no sign of the station now. A crying shame all the lines in the area were taken up.

Worth mentioning too that the bus services in the area now are expensive and absolutely appalling! The railways are a link that we need, but we can't rebuild them.

John. B was absolutely right, to the letter!

[TrainmasterCurt]

@PhilipGriffin1234 If they were built, we most certainly CAN rebuild them, in fact, i think the oil companies should pay for it!

[jontibloom]

What would Betjeman have written about cars and traffic if he were alive today. To me looking at this clip it seems like from a byegone and tranquil age.

[GWR1940]

John B,was right the goverment where wrong!

he saw all this coming road jams e.t.c

this was a crime when this was closed,

[AustinSomerset]

This is delightful, many thanks. As his Metroland film shows suburban villas with stained glass windows and proud clipped hedges that have (now) more than likely been replaced by upvc and 4x4's sitting on tarmacadam'd front gardens - so a quick google of today's images of the area shows how most of this line is now buried under housing estates and supermarkets - all generating the extra traffic he spoke about. Where did I put that time machine!

[THERESALWAYSSOMEONE]

Austin Somerset that's an 'A40'

[flanneryged]

@AustinSomerset Even the name you use reminds me of better times.As for Somerset it's self it must be "the" most tranquil and beautiful County of them all.I live

in the far north east and while I am proud of where I come from,if I had the Money I would have no hesitation of moving to the Somerset Levels.This sequence of Railway Nostalgia is utterly brilliant as the old S and D is my favourite private Railway

company.The Stations are a total delight,really beautiful.

[webrarian]

Prophetic words from JB about the need for railways given the 'hellish' state of roads in years to come.

Thank you so much posting these three films

[01276]

thanks for uploading :)