All our video products are classified for General Exhibition.
Quality Railway Videos and Documentaries
Steam Fever
After a beautiful opening with big close ups of loco's running gear, and majestic scenes of big 1067 mm (3' 6") gauge engines in all their glory, the scene moves to massive 25nc class 4-8-4, first at night, then early morning, with 3000 hp working hard towards Orange River, with views in the cab, lineside, surprisingly steady views from atop the loco, and from a wagon part way along the train.
Next follows a segment on rail photographers, their results, humourous segment on tangles with a barbed wire fence, interspersed with lovely views of big main line power. Then we are treated to a beautifully maintained 25nc on a passenger tour, with excellent lineside and running alongside shots. A considerably detailed segment on the condensing 25 class follows, in the dry plains, the land for which they were built. Even more powerful than the class 25, the Red Devil, slips as she accelerates, then magnificent as she races past in several scenes.
As a contrast, diesel 34-055 and 4 other similar units in multiple, speed past with a freight. From the spring 1989 steam festival, we are shown many classes of steam on the Kimberley-deAar line, incl class 12 AR, 16E, 23, and Garratt, and a short segment on the part of the festival where visitors could drive a loco.
Some crew are interviewed, with happy reminiscences, drivers and firemen who left England when steam ended, to drive their beloved locos in South Africa, only to see steam disappearing there too.
The story continues, with Red Devil and 25 double heading, the Karoo dry plains, village of Witput and hotel with its diesel generator cranking into life as the pickup goods shunts the yard.
Taken on 16mm film negative and scanned to broadcast standard video tape. Beautiful photography, excellent picture quality, clear commentary and well produced. We have no hesitation in ranking it PQ A