An incredible, joyful documentary of our extraordinary 7 mile trip on the Ffestiniog Railway's gravity-powered freewheeling slate train! The concept is now approaching 200 years old, yet still able to run on the heritage railway. It's the world's longest rollercoaster - and it's in North Wales.
Join me (Tim Dunn), Tom Bright and Chris Gilson of Steam Railway for an adventure on rails that’s seven miles steam-hauled uphill (the “anti-gravity” service) and a bonkers freewheeling descent seven miles back downhill along the Ffestiniog Railway to Porthmadog.
These trains aren’t public; invitations to take a trip are at the discretion of the company and so when an invitation arrived for Tim Dunn, Chris Gilson and Tom Bright of Steam Railway Magazine arrived - we hot-footed it to the Ffestiniog Railway for the ride of our lives.
This video was filmed by me in 2022 - but it’s taken this long (18 months!) to get it right. To be on that train was a privilege - and I’ve been determined to get its portrayal just as i wanted. There are still a few glitches but I've learned lot about video production on the way!
I know that most people don’t get to do many of the things that I’ve had the privilege of experiencing this last couple of years, so taking a camera and making a short film is my way of trying to extend that privilege to others. If you’re involved with the FR, then this is my way of thanking you too: by spreading the word of your hard work.
So. With the longest title sequence I’ve yet produced, with a classic theme tune that I’ve had remixed and reinterpreted that was written for a railway-based sequence in the first place - I do hope you enjoy your trip aboard this gauge railway journey with no engine (but some well-tested brakes and well-trained brakesmen).
Cheers!