View From An Engine Front - Ilfracombe (1898)

[steamforme]

The film starts after leaving Mortehoe station, I walked up the tracks one evening, as a boy,(about 1950) from Ilfracombe station. After 60 years living overseas, I visited Ilfracombe, such a shame the tracks are now all overgrown, as are the Cairn woods, but I recognised every spot in that clip. Wonderful memories of how it used to be.

"steam for me" Feb 2011

[SYKAROST]

A couple of years ago I'm sure I rode my bike up this line from Ilfracombe to Morthoe which must have been 'singled' many years ago & is now a very pleasant woodland ride. (I would much prefer it to still be a railway!!)

[cyclingmartin]

stoysville. Yes. The film starts after the station, just over a mile towards Ilfracombe, marked on the OS as Higher Campscoll. (Maps online from the British Library.)

To other commentators: The film was taken by fixing the camera either to a wagon in front of a locomotive or to the front of the engine. Note how the camera points OUT on curves. Also, the line was built by the LSWR. So it was never broad gauge.

A great film. Thanks so much!

[colliecandle]

Wonderful filming - when you think of it, the film outlasted both cameraman and sadly, railway! I note the signalman was a tad late taking off that outer home though! Nostalgic stuff indeed - let's hope the line can be 'resurrected'

[JimTLonW6]

Very interesting, both as a film and as a record of the line.

[stoysville]

This is fantastic, where is the train travelling from?

[stoysville]

@stoysville. In reply to my own post, I think maybe it's going down the hill from the Morte Hoe / Woolacombe station? Can anyone verify this?

[JamesTKirkCobain]

Just think; Even this is better than Adam Sandlers new movie or a Kevin Smith movie. Well anything is better than a Kevin Smith movie. 2 frames of dogshit is better than a Kevin Smith movie..

[Richardhedditch261]

One thing is for friggin' certain. This train from 1898 runs more smoothly and more efficiently than the Virgin trains plagueing today's British Rail service. Damn that rotten capitalist imbecile, Richard Branson.

[blauckner]

Corrected comment. I am amazed that film of this quality could be made in 1898. I travelled (with my parents) to Ilfracombe from Birmingham New Street by train on a summer saturday in 1948. In those days seaside resorts all over England had holiday services from many big cities. I was very young and remember little about the journey except having lunch (dinner in those days?) in the dining car. I remember Ilfracombe station and I think that we arrived at the same platform as this train

[blauckner]

I am amazed that film of this quality could be made in 1898. I travelled (with my parents) to Ilfracombe from Birmingham New Street by train on a summer saturday in 1948. In those days seaside resorts all over England had holiday services from many big cities. I was very young and remember little about the journey except having lunch (dinner in those days?) in the dining car and I Ilfracombe station and I think that we arrived at the same platform as this train.

[Isochest]

@blauckner Yes, it's a pity it's gone:-(((

[left888]

Interesting too that there's a very wide track bed - must have been broad guage at one time

[edwardianeccentric]

@left888 I doubt it this was LSWR territory, the GWR's arch rival!

[dessireluvals]

.........Continued from previous post

I am pretty sure there would be no requirement to stop at a Distant Signal as it represents the position of the next home signal which would have been set at danger and requiring the train to stop. Bearing in mind that the decent in to Ilfracombe was at 1:36 (very steep) the driver must have been pretty confident that he wouldn't have to stop at the home signal

[JollyRodders]

dessireluvals...

You are right. There is no requirement to stop at a distant signal. If the distant signal is ON, {at caution}, the driver must be prepared to stop at any signal within the section controlled by the signal box operating the distant signal. My guess is that the distant in this film was permanently at the ON position as the train would be approaching a dead end.

[Isochest]

@JollyRodders You are right. One other thing I note is the Home Signal was held a danger until the train was close to it to slow it down. This was standard procedure at Junctions, too when trains had to slow for a turnout. I think that was why the flashing yellow aspect was introduced more recently.

[dessireluvals]

Sorry to have come so late to the party.

This is a great bit of film, but what the heck is the sound track supposed to be?

For reference the Ilfracombe branch was never broad gauge although the line as far as Barnstaple Junction from Exeter.

To Be Continued......

[dessireluvals]

Please ignore the soundtrack comment, just realised my 8 year old son left Club Penguin running in a different browser!!

[devonman1949]

Wonderful to see. The track is now a cycle track, part of the National Cycle Network connecting Ilfracombe to Plymouth. Amazing how the trees have grown up over the past 30 years.

[thornerg]

Stunning... amazing bit of film. I go up there a couple times a month. It is now only half the width and completely shrouded in trees. But I still recognise every inch of it. Oh! to have come down there on a train, not just on my bike!! Unfortunatly, some of the sections have been sold off and the trail doesn't link to the rest of the line from Braunton.

[routeoz]

wow. mazin. i was to go to infracombe by train in 1968. i distinctly remember the big hills on the right. i sang 'jumping jack flash' , recenty released by the rolling stones, to myself, as we cruised by those hills.

[firststepmanagement]

we need a line back here

[pants735]

Wish the train was still running today.

[clemencie]

Amazing. Thanks so much.

[ampy1950]

Excellent footage - the line was standard gauge and the cameraman would most likely be in an open wagon in front of the engine - the railway companies, ever publicity-conscious, willingly provided such facilities for many such clips.

[sewitt60]

Amazing

[smuckerooney]

What fantastic stuff....well done to all concerned...(especially the train driver)

[hrford]

I'd guess that absolutely no-one in that video is around today to see it added to Youtube! Everyone alive today wasn't around when it was filmed. hmm, deep philosophical thought :S

[Woolybak8]

Wow 1898, my Great Great Grandparents were around then!

[gaz318]

The fearsome gradient out of Ilfracombe is apparent in this video.

[applecounty]

Does the BFI know what year this was filmed in?

Interesting that the train goes against the Home signal, until it reaches the station. Could this be a 'Push-Pull' train, which would mean the cameraman would not be clinging to a buffer beam?

The shot is quite 'smooth' as if taken from the coaching stock (ie the train is not lurching about, which may be expected from a ride on the loco itself from the action of the pistons). This is pre ballest blowing days. Some research is needed

[LMSStanier]

If the track is broad gauge (it looks like standard gauge) or if the camera is fixed to the engine or rolling stock (as this appears to be) there would be hardly any movement. It's quite possible that the camera is mounted on a bracket on the engine where a lamp would normally go.

[effyleven]

Not broad gauge at this time, but you can see where the BG rail was previously laid on the sleepers (ties) to the right of the right running rail.

The track to Ilfracombe was taken up during 1960s as part of Beeching's cuts, I assume.

However, the route is still clear in Google Earth, and the two lakes [reservoirs?] to the left of the track are obvious landmarks over a hundred years on.

[scrapper1280]

The place where the train track used to run is called " The tarka trail" and i cycle down it frequently and nowern again walk down it but it is still a beatiful place and yes they are reseervoirs.

[katherine232]

I lived in N.Devon for a few years up to 1970 & travelled from Barnstaple to Ilfracombe by train I think in 1969. I think the line closed soon afterwards sometime in 1970. The line was definitely always standard gauge being built for the LSWR rather than the GWR or one of its constituents. But there had been a plan to have a mixed gauge line at some point so that could explain the ties.

[effyleven]

Katherine,

Thank you for that detail.

Hmmm... A shame that it survived Beeching, but it still isn't there. (shrugs)

Still, the route is in place.....

[leer0y999]

Wow! I grew up in Ilfracombe and used to run along the railway track from the station to Woolacombe. I spent many hours up there running along and wondering what it used to be like in the glory days and now finally i can see it! Very cool.

[soapybumwank]

Thats pretty cool. I guess where the train pulls in is where PALL is now located?

[sensationalfrog]

yes it is sbw,i moved to combe in 1972 the same year i think the station closed

[seekingTranscendence]

wow that was fantastic.

[yawkk]

How can you keep this video 110 years ago? Awesome

[sweetsexypsycho69]

is that tho old ststion in 'combe??

[STILLAVRIL1]

Amazing.

110 years old!

Thanks

[houghtonga]

Is that a SPAD (signal passed at Danger) at 02:26?

[houghtonga]

No, I was wrong, it was a fixed distant.

[aeolus925]

It was indeed a distant, but, the driver certainly didn't seem prepared to stop short of the home signal at danger! My guess, though, is that having the signal drop right in his face was coordinated before hand, to provide some interest for the film.

[LMSStanier]

Amazing footage for it's time with steam being in it's infancy!! I thought it was a distant passed at danger too. If the driver knew the line my thinking is that he would have known that the terminus was coming up and so passed it anyway (but slowing up for the next, maybe). It may have been a push-pull train but were they around in 1898? The camera may have been fixed to the engine. Is that standard gauge track or broad gauge?

[Butchuk2007]

The distant was at caution warning the driver that the stop signals ahead are at danger. The stop signal for the station drops down to off {proceed} as the train approaches it.

---------------

A horizontal distant signal = at least one signal in the section ahead is not at a proceed position.

A up or down {Great Western} distant signal = all signals in the section ahead are at a proceed position.

[LMSStanier]

Different companies had different rules and regulations in those days as nothing was standardised. The crew's instruction could well have been to pass the distant signal at danger. Other companies may have insisted that their crews stop and whistle until given right of way by the signalman.

[Butchuk2007]

The distant was at caution warning the driver that the stop signals ahead are at danger. The stop signal for the station drops down to off {proceed} as the train approaches it.

[LMSStanier]

If you watch the footage again at 03:21 as the train enters the station approach the signal on the gantry behind drops down first for the platform then the signal nearest the train and camera follows. That's why the signal next to the box dropped late. As the info says this footage would have been a demonstration film aimed mainly at cinema audiences to promote rail travel and holiday destinations. The camera would have been fixed and, as I suggested before, the crew would have known the line.

[LMSStanier]

Sorry, meant to say that's why the signal closer to the camera drops late.

[applecounty]

Are you sure?

[signalnorth]

Amazing film thanks for posting. Is there footga eof all the run from Barnstable I wonder?