Do enjoy this film in *4K* where possible. If you have not already done so, would you be able to *like* this film, *comment* and *share* it as widely as possible? This spreads the word of both the film and my channel...I would be delighted to obtain 30,000 subscribers by the end of the year, though with my occasional output and niche subject matter, I appreciate this is rather ambitions!
Have you considered emailing Southwold Railway Trust about your video? Maybe they'll be willing to link to this excellent video, and perhaps you could link to their website in the video description in return. Just an idea. :)
@Tiger313NL a very fine idea indeed. When I was making the film, I did attempt to contact them for the purposes of research, but I never received a reply.
A fantastic video, made even better by using archive footage and photographs. You have certainly brought this railway back to life via your film. Well done all the volenteers and society members who have spent a lot of time and effort on relaying some of the track and clearing the trackbed to enable us to walk most of the line.
As someone very much involved presently in actively restoring this wonderful line, I enjoyed watching this and well done to you for providing us with such an enjoyable and informative film.
A daunting task for so few volunteers. If only the energy’s and skills of say 500 of the men hemmed up in hotels could be put to use, the line would be restored in months.
Yeah, mate, your production quality is first-rate. Uplifting music, varied shots, great find and use of archive materials, fabulous post-production. You have a real talent for this kind of documentary making. You could easily do this for a living.
As ever the research is fantastic, the archive footage and the present day footage so skillfuly edited, this is a television level documentary as good as the BBC could make. Thank you.
Wow, what a beautifully researched video, with very clear narration. I was surprised at the sheer variety of great scenery on the route. And I was further surprised to see how much of the route survives. The volunteers have made a great start with 'boots on the ground', and momentum is clearly on their side. The railway will surely be a great asset to Southwold.
Thank you very much for your kind words and comment, greatly appreciated. Do subscribe if you've not already done so and enjoy my other films in the series.
Stunning film. The work you do to make these videos is really appreciated by all of us. Super footage and so interesting to watch. This line needs to be brought back to life. Thank you.
Amazing video! for a line that closed so early I wasn't expecting to see as much video footage from operation! Some real gems still to see on this line and great to see some of the work carried out at Blythburgh such a beautiful part of England.
This was well worth the wait and many thanks for all the time and effort this must have & it should definitely reopen as an attraction i highly doubt that this will happen though i have brought you a coffee to say thanks😀
I liked Southwold, the very essence of what a market town should be. Like so many in the East Anglian coastal area, it was neglected by all but the lower classes who depended on it, then came sufficient affluence to the local landowners that they preferred to have their motor car and it lost their support. Others that went the same way can be found a little further south on the Essex peninsulas
A nice video! I've met the guy who took some of the film of the Southwold Railway! The harbour line once had tracks and a buffer stop at Blackshore Quay, but that has all gone except the one bit of rail you spotted. The original railway bridge spans were still extant at the time (1971) when I took my footbridge photo - which I see you've used in your video. Had you looked through my stuff you might have spotted a sign that said 'Halesworth for Southwold' - yet another photo of mine - that sign survived on the platform at Halesworth until about 1973.
I'm very glad you got in touch because it is a really fine photo of that bridge and I greatly enjoyed reading your notes on the subject. Thank you for your kind words about my film 🙏
As always an amazing video incredibly well crafted, great research inserting old paintings, footage and HD drone images. Mind, soul and heart on every single one of them, you brought back railway nostalgia in flawless way.
First rate video on this lovely line. Your narration is spot-on and the combination of archive photos and film, interspersed with present day footage and drone useage makes for a very watchable programme. I was unaware that the trust had been so productive in recreating small pockets of the line.
I hardly ever comment on videos but having stumbled across this one today I just had to say how fantastic it was! Excellent production values, obviously thoroughly researched, and the mix of drone, on the ground and archive footage/photos really brought the story of the line to life. I’ve now subscribed and can’t wait to watch all your others. Thank you!
@richardblewett6078 I'm so pleased you've found my channel and I hope you enjoy my films. May I personally recommend my film concerning the Lynton and Barnstaple Railway which I hope you enjoy 🙏
Good evening absolutely brilliant video so very interesting i really enjoy the history of the railway that you have visited the hard work you put into is fantastic so very enjoyable 😊
This was excellent. The mix of period footage, use of drones and current footage on the ground was perfect. Nice to see some preservation activity too!
Knowing my interest in old railways a family member brought me a copy of the "Narrow Gauge Album" 1961 by P.B. Whitehouse that she randomly came across in a second hand store - unusual considering I'm in South Africa! And yes - there on pages 78 and 79 is the section on this railway. As per that section "It displayed an unusually stubborn reluctance to lie down and die decently".
I hope one day that it can be restored as a heritage railway. The scenery is fantastic and tourists would just love it. I have bicycled some of the route. 30” gauge could be replaced with a cheaper 15” for tourists from Southwold to Walberswick? Like Bressingham Gardens? Just a thought, it all costs money. Great film, well done and thank you 👍🏼🇬🇧👏🏻🥳🇬🇧
The railway was 3ft gauge, not 30 inch. The trust already has several items of rolling stock in the original gauge, including two locomotives, one a new build replica so 3ft gauge it is...
@@MorrisPV If Economy is the desired effect from making Tourists smile, 24 inch or 60 Cm equipment can still be located. The Wiscasset Waterville and Quebec line have bee busy assembling some lovely rolling stock, in that once popular gauge. That group may have demonstrating as well as any historical group, how you can apply the maximum amount of Humans per mile, or smile, as any other Gauge being operating anywhere.
@@danielhutchinson6604 So, what do you suggest the Southwold Railway Trust should do with the new build working 3 foot gauge replica of Blyth that was recently completed?
@@MorrisPV Dual Gauge Tracks are found all over the Planet. The cost of an extra rail, is not a game changer. I believe we can provide real transportation preservation and historical sites that will provide actual transportation facilities as well as historical presentations that function as a normal part of life. Cars now appear to have become a Wealthy Mans Toy. The cost of a fine automobile as well as the insurance has been driven to a point that the majority of humans are incapable of providing. We can create Rail transport facilities that offer an alternative and maintain the Past for those who might desire a glimpse of what was at one time a common method of transport.
@@RediscoveringLostRailways I grew up near the north Liverpool extension line and used to play on it (after it had been ripped up ) near Walton triangle . I now live about 8 miles from there near what was Halewood triangle . It’s a fascinating disused bit of infrastructure. Absolutely no fore sight those responsible for taking it off the network .
Superb video again, an absolute masterpiece. Always a real pleasure to watch. As I have said before, the work and effort you put into these videos is appreciated. 👍🙂
What a beautiful part of Britain. As always a very professional video, well documented and narrated. As you said . Would have made a very interesting heritage railway line. Great video. Keep up the excellent work. 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
The effect of WW1 would have been significant, but the final nail in this railway's coffin was the mismanagement of the economy by the government of the day when the Chancellor of the Exchequer, a certain Winston S. Churchill, put the UK back on the Gold Standard at too high a rate. This caused stagflation as British goods became overpriced both here and overseas. And then came the Great Depression. So, don't think of this closer as anything other than leaving early to avoid the rush.
Wow, I really enjoyed the video 👍 it is amazing that some sections let alone a station has been preserved and this kinda reminds of the Lynton & Barnstable where it too has many stations restored. I will be surprised if the Southwold Railway will get planning permission to restore a section to run the replica of the original steam loco in the near future.
Such a talented, so expertly researched, filmed, edited and narrated channel doesn’t deserve 30k subscribers, you deserve 300k. Thank you so much for posting, enjoyed every second.
7:04 I didn't parse that as "the goods shed" the first time and thought you said "we observe the good shit", like you thought that was just a really nice looking curved railway
Another excellent documentary from your editing suite, complete with such appropriate music and - as always - top quality informative narration. It's not difficult to appreciate why, with changing economic and social cultures at the time, the railway sadly came to an end. Full marks to the dedicated volunteers who are providing a Southwold railway rennaisance!
This is a remarkable video. Beautifully written, beautifully edited, and the presentation is just perfect. I was hooked from start to finish. A marvelous and piece of work, congratulations to all involved. And good luck with the railway restoration - you are right, it would make a brilliant preserved line!
Wonderful! Terrific film. The Southwold Corporation didn't want the railway in Victorian times, and I suspect the wealthy locals and Londoners who own the town today are not supportive of the excellent preservation efforts. It's a pipe dream, but just imagine 3' gauge trains running from Southwold to Halesworth once again!
I understand the attitude in the town at the eastern end is much the same today. As much of a narrow gauge nut as I am, the entire transhipment process rendered the line uneconomic as soon as demobbed servicemen were able to buy ex-WD lorries to open their own haulage businesses. The effect on the perennially skint Southwold was such that the area didn't even need to await more the powerful diesel buses which over the next decade, did for many a branch line, long before BR, let alone Beeching. It says a lot that even the redoubtable Col.H.F Stephens, that patron saint of railway lost causes, never got involved.
Thank you once again for another wonderful, informative and evocative film. Personally i would like to see all the old railways still with us!. I have never really read much about this railway, compared to the L&B or the Welsh narrow gauge ones, thanks again
Well, everyone else beat me to giving you accolades about this very well presented and produced video of this obscure little branch line. I thank you because it actually added life to my Middleton Press book of the Southwold Railway! Thanks again😀👍🏻
Very interesting to hear for my first time about the "chain" unit of measurement. 1 chain = 66 feet, 80 chains = 1 mile, 10 square chains equal 1 acre. It was devised by the English clergyman and mathematician Edmund Gunter around 1620.
22 yards or 1 chain is the length of a cricket pitch. !0 chains is a furlong, a measurement used on racecources, 8 furlongs to a mile. Miles and chains are still used as measurements on older railways.
I’ve known Southwold since I was a nipper. Great to see the history of the line. Pretty sure I remember some structure by the harbour many years ago that may have had something to do with the railway.
It's an easy and enchanting ramble, Southwold to Blythburgh, on the old line, ending at a fine pub. Return to the river, turn right and, from the pub, walk back to town across the fields.
You should check out the old historic line that ran from bishops Stortford through dunmow into Braintree. Few bits remain, like the original station in Rayne that has a cafe on the platform. I still haven't been able to find any footage of the line.
@@RediscoveringLostRailways not sure where you find your archive footage but I for one would love to see footage of an old train passing through dunmow. The bridge is still here but a by pass passes where the line and station use to be. Somewhere in the trees on outskirts of dunmow by a120 is a carriage somewhere aswell. There's an old station/house in felsted but it's not accessible as it's was planned to be taken down but locals are not having it.
Excellent video, thank you. An area I visited a few times with my wife and children when we lived near the Herts/Essex border. Happy times!Fascinating to see the old footage and what remains.
Another excellent film, really brings the railway, which I was aware of but knew very little about, back to life. Your 'expanded' videos are a delight.
That's an interesting video. I spent a few days in Southwold during 2023. I was not aware of the railway until the final day, hence I could not explore it. I did find an old faded photograph in a local charity shop, showing the station. It does not have a photographers name on it, only stating Train entering Southwold station, with the number S 9663.
Hi, Again fantastic job, (my wife's grandad was born there ,as many of the time was a fisherman, hard job), everyone thinks it the best thing to do get the of the railways, now it's get rid of the car's, (back to the horse and cart, Thanks for the enjoyment, , All the best Brian
Wonderfully produced account, fully doing justice to this unique and much-lamented little railway. The geography and relationship of the various sites along the line are wo much clearer, now, and also just how much still remains. Thank you for this.
Thank you so very much for taking us on this journey on this beautiful railway through England's green and pleasant land. Had it survived it would indeed have been a very popular heritage railway usefully commencing the journey at a mainline station and travelling to the most attractive of destinations at Southwold. We are indeed most grateful for the heritage association that have preserved parts of the line. We are absolutely delighted with the work that you have done in providing us with this excellent production.
Brilliant film thank you! I managed to see many of the remaining traces on a visit some years ago. I have a great photo of my late wife, looking bemused, sitting on the Walberswick bench. I also found some bits of rail at the harbour branch. There have been many additions thanks to supporters of the line. Your video brings it all together forming a complete trip along the line. Excellent.
Thanks for the video. I just moved to wenhaston - even if they don’t produce the line - I wish they would open the route up for active travel (walking and cycling) to give a safe route from Halesworth to Southwold. Much of the route in theory is a bridle way but it’s not maintained, it’s far too overgrown and the local farmers have knocked down many of the signs.
The perfect late evening trip through lovely countryside. I do hope planning permission and funding is forthcoming, it would be a delightful heritage line judging by what you've shown. Loved the archive footage and photos, and the fast runs through trees and cow parsley. Delightful as always, and great to learn about a line I knew nothing about.
Great video. Having visited Southwold (and Walberswick) many times from my home in Norfolk, I was unaware this railway had ever existed. Having an interest in 'old' railways I, like many others, found your look back at how things were very enjoyable. It would be a dream come true to see some of the line around Southwold restored and, with a live steam powered train, would give the town an extra attraction for the residents and visitors alike. Maybe one day....
Thank you So much for this Fascinating video it came up in my UA-cam Recommendations and I’m glad it did 😋 As I was watching it being a Canal and Narrowboats Man I sadly thought of the Irony of it all It was Deja Vu really because the Canals came into being because of the Industrial Revolution to to move goods more quickly as everyone knows Then along came the railways and goods where transferred to rail and over the years many of the smaller Canals was closed and sadly filled in and the same has happened with the smaller railways like the one in this Excellent video And it’s called Progress 😢 I have subscribed for more of your Informative vides, Thank you 😋
Thank you for your subscription, kind words and comment - all are greatly appreciated. Yes, it seems that one form of transport quickly replaced the other in Victorian times!
What a beautifully produced presentation. I love the abundance of pretty pastoral scenery and your sensitive judgement of the blend of archive and modern film to tell the historical story. Thank goodness too, for good quality drone scenes. I almost feel I want to rush out and discover it for myself right now ! It would make a great day out on the bike. And who is that nice looking young woman on the bench at Walberswick, (14:35) ? Huge thanks !
I love the now-and-then visual overlays. As a railway enthusiast , i can always spot old railway right-of-ways when travelling thru the countryside. I find old abandoned railways quite .. wistful? . Thank you for a delightful video. ;)
Another cracking video ,amazing from the drone footage how much of the trackbed is still visible , now Southwold is famous for the Adnams brewery ,and my fav' tipple Broadside
What a lovely little documentary. One point, the replacement for the old swing bridge is ex-Royal Engineers Bailey Bridge. And yes, I've built a few of them in my timn!
Visited Southwold for a long weekend quite a few years back, well worth going there as it is an all round interesting and very photogenic town. Stayed at the Blyth Hotel which was originally the Station Hotel and is still in business today, you can see it quite clearly on the right of the picture at 18:36 in the video. It is partly obscured by what I'm guessing may be an engine shed. The defunct police station which still occupies the railway station site closed in 2016 and was operational at the time of my visit. The police station was preceded by Southwold Fire Station at that same site. Liked the video very much, thanks.
Another very-well presented video, thank you. I wonder how much this line may have been subject to periodic flooding, or how stable the track bed may have been during wet conditions. Still, best of luck to the heritage folks, gradually restoring the line!
Do enjoy this film in *4K* where possible. If you have not already done so, would you be able to *like* this film, *comment* and *share* it as widely as possible? This spreads the word of both the film and my channel...I would be delighted to obtain 30,000 subscribers by the end of the year, though with my occasional output and niche subject matter, I appreciate this is rather ambitions!
Have you considered emailing Southwold Railway Trust about your video? Maybe they'll be willing to link to this excellent video, and perhaps you could link to their website in the video description in return. Just an idea. :)
@Tiger313NL a very fine idea indeed. When I was making the film, I did attempt to contact them for the purposes of research, but I never received a reply.
A fantastic video, made even better by using archive footage and photographs. You have certainly brought this railway back to life via your film. Well done all the volenteers and society members who have spent a lot of time and effort on relaying some of the track and clearing the trackbed to enable us to walk most of the line.
Glad you enjoyed it and all power to the volunteers!
As someone very much involved presently in actively restoring this wonderful line, I enjoyed watching this and well done to you for providing us with such an enjoyable and informative film.
I'm so glad it stands up to the scrutiny of someone 'in the know' such as yourself!
A daunting task for so few volunteers. If only the energy’s and skills of say 500 of the men hemmed up in hotels could be put to use, the line would be restored in months.
Impecable delivery,research, and content, always a pleasure to watch. You are a very talented person. Thank you.
Wow, thank you very much 🙏
Yeah, mate, your production quality is first-rate. Uplifting music, varied shots, great find and use of archive materials, fabulous post-production.
You have a real talent for this kind of documentary making. You could easily do this for a living.
@@k.r.baylor8825 You are very kind, thank you! if I could do this full time, I'd be delighted!
@@RediscoveringLostRailways Your diction is impeccable, too.
@1anhunter1 very kind of you to say so, thank you 🙏
As ever the research is fantastic, the archive footage and the present day footage so skillfuly edited, this is a television level documentary as good as the BBC could make. Thank you.
Wow, thank you - that's really very kind!
Simply the best documentary series on UA-cam.
That's a very great compliment, thank you
Each time, I am delighted at the research and crafting of these great videos. Always worth the wait.
Wow, thank you!
Wow, what a beautifully researched video, with very clear narration. I was surprised at the sheer variety of great scenery on the route. And I was further surprised to see how much of the route survives. The volunteers have made a great start with 'boots on the ground', and momentum is clearly on their side. The railway will surely be a great asset to Southwold.
Thank you very much for your kind words and comment, greatly appreciated. Do subscribe if you've not already done so and enjoy my other films in the series.
It must have been a pleasure to travel on this line ...I can imagine if it returned it would make a fantastic tourist attraction..
Agreed on both counts!
Especially for the Latitude festival
Stunning film. The work you do to make these videos is really appreciated by all of us. Super footage and so interesting to watch. This line needs to be brought back to life. Thank you.
Thank you very much - such a very kind thing to say!
Amazing video! for a line that closed so early I wasn't expecting to see as much video footage from operation! Some real gems still to see on this line and great to see some of the work carried out at Blythburgh such a beautiful part of England.
Thank you very much!
Ahhh, the definitive story of the southwold that o have craved for years! Bravo!
That is a very great compliment, thank you
This was well worth the wait and many thanks for all the time and effort this must have & it should definitely reopen as an attraction i highly doubt that this will happen though i have brought you a coffee to say thanks😀
Glad you enjoyed it and thank you for your generous contribution!
An absolutely fascinating commentary of the Southwold Railway.. hope it has a reserection.
Thank you - so glad you enjoyed it!
I liked Southwold, the very essence of what a market town should be. Like so many in the East Anglian coastal area, it was neglected by all but the lower classes who depended on it, then came sufficient affluence to the local landowners that they preferred to have their motor car and it lost their support. Others that went the same way can be found a little further south on the Essex peninsulas
Many thanks for your comment and thoughts.
Sadly Southwold is now mostly owned by Londoners - all second homes and holiday lets. It's not a real town any more.
A nice video! I've met the guy who took some of the film of the Southwold Railway! The harbour line once had tracks and a buffer stop at Blackshore Quay, but that has all gone except the one bit of rail you spotted. The original railway bridge spans were still extant at the time (1971) when I took my footbridge photo - which I see you've used in your video. Had you looked through my stuff you might have spotted a sign that said 'Halesworth for Southwold' - yet another photo of mine - that sign survived on the platform at Halesworth until about 1973.
I'm very glad you got in touch because it is a really fine photo of that bridge and I greatly enjoyed reading your notes on the subject. Thank you for your kind words about my film 🙏
As always an amazing video incredibly well crafted, great research inserting old paintings, footage and HD drone images. Mind, soul and heart on every single one of them, you brought back railway nostalgia in flawless way.
Many thanks indeed!
First rate video on this lovely line. Your narration is spot-on and the combination of archive photos and film, interspersed with present day footage and drone useage makes for a very watchable programme. I was unaware that the trust had been so productive in recreating small pockets of the line.
Glad you enjoyed it - it was such a pleasure to make!
Excellent stuff yet again. Many thanks for all your hard work in puting this together. 👍🚂
Many thanks for your support 🙏
History lost forever thank you.👍👍👍👍👍🦘
My pleasure 🙏
Enjoyed this immensely... What a fun way to spend an afternoon
I'm so pleased you enjoyed it 🙏
I hardly ever comment on videos but having stumbled across this one today I just had to say how fantastic it was! Excellent production values, obviously thoroughly researched, and the mix of drone, on the ground and archive footage/photos really brought the story of the line to life. I’ve now subscribed and can’t wait to watch all your others. Thank you!
@richardblewett6078 I'm so pleased you've found my channel and I hope you enjoy my films. May I personally recommend my film concerning the Lynton and Barnstaple Railway which I hope you enjoy 🙏
Good evening absolutely brilliant video so very interesting i really enjoy the history of the railway that you have visited the hard work you put into is fantastic so very enjoyable 😊
Many thanks indeed!
This was excellent. The mix of period footage, use of drones and current footage on the ground was perfect. Nice to see some preservation activity too!
Thank you very much!
Knowing my interest in old railways a family member brought me a copy of the "Narrow Gauge Album" 1961 by P.B. Whitehouse that she randomly came across in a second hand store - unusual considering I'm in South Africa! And yes - there on pages 78 and 79 is the section on this railway. As per that section "It displayed an unusually stubborn reluctance to lie down and die decently".
Wonderful quote! Thank you so much for sharing!
I hope one day that it can be restored as a heritage railway. The scenery is fantastic and tourists would just love it. I have bicycled some of the route. 30” gauge could be replaced with a cheaper 15” for tourists from Southwold to Walberswick? Like Bressingham Gardens? Just a thought, it all costs money. Great film, well done and thank you 👍🏼🇬🇧👏🏻🥳🇬🇧
Many thanks indeed - and yes, a heritage line of some description would be such a boon to the area!
The railway was 3ft gauge, not 30 inch. The trust already has several items of rolling stock in the original gauge, including two locomotives, one a new build replica so 3ft gauge it is...
@@MorrisPV If Economy is the desired effect from making Tourists smile,
24 inch or 60 Cm equipment can still be located.
The Wiscasset Waterville and Quebec line have bee busy assembling some lovely rolling stock,
in that once popular gauge.
That group may have demonstrating as well as any historical group,
how you can apply the maximum amount of Humans per mile, or smile,
as any other Gauge being operating anywhere.
@@danielhutchinson6604 So, what do you suggest the Southwold Railway Trust should do with the new build working 3 foot gauge replica of Blyth that was recently completed?
@@MorrisPV Dual Gauge Tracks are found all over the Planet.
The cost of an extra rail, is not a game changer.
I believe we can provide real transportation preservation and historical sites that will provide actual transportation facilities as well as historical presentations that function as a normal part of life.
Cars now appear to have become a Wealthy Mans Toy.
The cost of a fine automobile as well as the insurance has been driven to a point that the majority of humans are incapable of providing.
We can create Rail transport facilities that offer an alternative and maintain the Past for those who might desire a glimpse of what was at one time a common method of transport.
Absolutely adore everything about this channel
You are very kind and always welcome here 🙏
@@RediscoveringLostRailways I work in the rail industry and love disused and old railways . This is the place for me
@@ste2442 Sorry - I only just saw your reply - I'm all the more pleased to have the approval of an insider, so to speak!
@@RediscoveringLostRailways I grew up near the north Liverpool extension line and used to play on it (after it had been ripped up ) near Walton triangle . I now live about 8 miles from there near what was Halewood triangle . It’s a fascinating disused bit of infrastructure. Absolutely no fore sight those responsible for taking it off the network .
An absolutely charming and adorable video. Well done, keep up the fantastic quality work.
You are so kind, thank you
Superb video again, an absolute masterpiece.
Always a real pleasure to watch.
As I have said before, the work and effort you put into these videos is appreciated. 👍🙂
You have been such an encouraging voice across the years, I am delighted this does not disappoint
I think this film deserves a John Betjeman Award?! 🧐
Very kind, thank you
Yes, that would have made an amazing heritage railway! Perfect fit for beautiful Southwold. Alas, not to be 😢
My thoughts exactly!
What a beautiful part of Britain. As always a very professional video, well documented and narrated. As you said . Would have made a very interesting heritage railway line. Great video. Keep up the excellent work. 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
Many thanks - and you're absolutely right - delightful landscape!
I did enjoy that video. absolutely well done, and what a charming railway and a lovely part of the country
I am so glad you found the film fulfilling - thank you
Amazing production values as usual from your channel. Many thanks for the enjoyment you give us. Regards, Robert.
Glad you enjoyed it, my pleasure 🙏
Another incredibly well made video many thanks.
Many thanks to you too!
So glad that someone has properly covered this line! Also No.4 was a Manning Wardle design
Thank you - and thank you for the correction - locomotives were never my strong suit!
The effect of WW1 would have been significant, but the final nail in this railway's coffin was the mismanagement of the economy by the government of the day when the Chancellor of the Exchequer, a certain Winston S. Churchill, put the UK back on the Gold Standard at too high a rate. This caused stagflation as British goods became overpriced both here and overseas. And then came the Great Depression. So, don't think of this closer as anything other than leaving early to avoid the rush.
Yes, thank goodness those tedious Beeching related arguments can be avoided here!
Another amazing video. Thanks very much. :)
My pleasure!
Wow, I really enjoyed the video 👍 it is amazing that some sections let alone a station has been preserved and this kinda reminds of the Lynton & Barnstable where it too has many stations restored. I will be surprised if the Southwold Railway will get planning permission to restore a section to run the replica of the original steam loco in the near future.
Glad you enjoyed it and I hope the railway is at least part of the line is restored 🙏
YAY!!! A day off work and I can watch this!! and I am the first comment!!
You are! Nice one! Enjoy!
I do love your videos. Old trains (steam especially) have always interested me. Those combined with sort of urbex is a match made in heaven.
Thank you very much! And I share your enthusiasms!
Superb quality as always. You clearly spend a lot of time researching and producing these videos.
I certainly try - and even then I don't get everything right - but it really is a labour of love!
Such a talented, so expertly researched, filmed, edited and narrated channel doesn’t deserve 30k subscribers, you deserve 300k. Thank you so much for posting, enjoyed every second.
You really are very kind, thank you
Definitely. This is my first and I'm speechless at the quality and professionalism. It certainly won't be my last
@TheOriginal_BigMac you are very kind, thank you, please subscribe and rummage about my channel. Thank you again 🙏
A brilliant combination of extensive footage and brilliant current footage ❤
Many thanks indeed 🙏
Such an amazing journey ; thank you
My pleasure!
7:04 I didn't parse that as "the goods shed" the first time and thought you said "we observe the good shit", like you thought that was just a really nice looking curved railway
🙏😄
Loved this as much as I love Southwold
I hope you like Southwold a lot! Many thanks :)
Excellent & very interesting . It is good to see the good work done to restore small parts of it.
Glad you enjoyed it - and agreed RE restoration!
Another first class video. Superbly narrated and perfectly edited footage. Bravo
You're very kind, thank you
Excellent coverage! Thank you 🙂
Thank you too!
Another excellent documentary from your editing suite, complete with such appropriate music and - as always - top quality informative narration. It's not difficult to appreciate why, with changing economic and social cultures at the time, the railway sadly came to an end. Full marks to the dedicated volunteers who are providing a Southwold railway rennaisance!
You are very kind and I fully agree with your assessment and remarks concerning the volunteers
Another excellent film, you capture perfectly the spirit of a bygone age. Thank you.
Thank you - and my pleasure!
This is a remarkable video. Beautifully written, beautifully edited, and the presentation is just perfect. I was hooked from start to finish. A marvelous and piece of work, congratulations to all involved. And good luck with the railway restoration - you are right, it would make a brilliant preserved line!
You are very kind, thank you. Do subscribe if you've not already done so and enjoy my other films in the series 🙏
Wonderful! Terrific film. The Southwold Corporation didn't want the railway in Victorian times, and I suspect the wealthy locals and Londoners who own the town today are not supportive of the excellent preservation efforts. It's a pipe dream, but just imagine 3' gauge trains running from Southwold to Halesworth once again!
Wouldn't it be wonderful! So glad you enjoyed the film 🙏
I understand the attitude in the town at the eastern end is much the same today.
As much of a narrow gauge nut as I am, the entire transhipment process rendered the line uneconomic as soon as demobbed servicemen were able to buy ex-WD lorries to open their own haulage businesses. The effect on the perennially skint Southwold was such that the area didn't even need to await more the powerful diesel buses which over the next decade, did for many a branch line, long before BR, let alone Beeching.
It says a lot that even the redoubtable Col.H.F Stephens, that patron saint of railway lost causes, never got involved.
Great to see another fantastic video from you
Thank you! Cheers!
The HSNGR volunteers have done an amazing job.
Just so!
Thank you once again for another wonderful, informative and evocative film. Personally i would like to see all the old railways still with us!. I have never really read much about this railway, compared to the L&B or the Welsh narrow gauge ones, thanks again
My pleasure - a really wonderful line to explore!
Beautiful video. Thank you. As always, your research and presentation are top notch.
Nice one. 👍👍👍
Thank you very much!
The 'Red Lion' pub in Southwold used to have a collection of framed postcards in a humorous genre on a bar wall - it perhaps still does . . .
I think I know the ones you mean
Stunning, such huge potential to be returned to traffic as a heritage line, beautiful scenery, sky's the limit, gr8 video as always 👍👍👌
Glad you enjoyed it - thank you!
Outstanding video, as always. Thanks so much.
My pleasure!
Well, everyone else beat me to giving you accolades about this very well presented and produced video of this obscure little branch line. I thank you because it actually added life to my Middleton Press book of the Southwold Railway! Thanks again😀👍🏻
Wow, thank you! Very kind!
Thank you for this beautiful history film about the Southwold Railway line. I hope to see more films like this one, in the future.
Glad you enjoyed it
Very interesting to hear for my first time about the "chain" unit of measurement. 1 chain = 66 feet, 80 chains = 1 mile, 10 square chains equal 1 acre. It was devised by the English clergyman and mathematician Edmund Gunter around 1620.
I knew the measurement but not its origins! Thank you 🙏
22 yards or 1 chain is the length of a cricket pitch. !0 chains is a furlong, a measurement used on racecources, 8 furlongs to a mile. Miles and chains are still used as measurements on older railways.
Another excellent film! Lovingly put together and worthy of a TV documentary channel
Thank ever so much, as always!
I’ve known Southwold since I was a nipper. Great to see the history of the line. Pretty sure I remember some structure by the harbour many years ago that may have had something to do with the railway.
I hope the film provoked happy memories!
Wonderful.....It is always good to watch a master of his craft present something new. Thank you
Thank you very much! Your ongoing support is greatly appreciated 🙏
How often do you make train noises while walking the old track beds?
I really should start doing that 😄
I particularly enjoyed the opening quote 😊
I'm not a massive fan of John Masefield's poetry, but I can see why 'Sea Fever' is perhaps his most well known!
It's an easy and enchanting ramble, Southwold to Blythburgh, on the old line, ending at a fine pub. Return to the river, turn right and, from the pub, walk back to town across the fields.
Yes, quite delightful
You should check out the old historic line that ran from bishops Stortford through dunmow into Braintree. Few bits remain, like the original station in Rayne that has a cafe on the platform. I still haven't been able to find any footage of the line.
@@JohnJohn83UK thanks for the tip!
@@RediscoveringLostRailways not sure where you find your archive footage but I for one would love to see footage of an old train passing through dunmow. The bridge is still here but a by pass passes where the line and station use to be. Somewhere in the trees on outskirts of dunmow by a120 is a carriage somewhere aswell. There's an old station/house in felsted but it's not accessible as it's was planned to be taken down but locals are not having it.
Wonderful and heart filled coverage !
Really enjoyed it, love your work ❤
Thank you so much!
A delightful educational video thankyou.
My pleasure - thank you!
As usual, a well put together and presented enjoyable video.
Many thanks! Much appreciated!
Excellent video, thank you. An area I visited a few times with my wife and children when we lived near the Herts/Essex border. Happy times!Fascinating to see the old footage and what remains.
Glad you enjoyed it and that it stirred some happy memories!
Another excellent film, really brings the railway, which I was aware of but knew very little about, back to life. Your 'expanded' videos are a delight.
Many thanks!
That's an interesting video. I spent a few days in Southwold during 2023. I was not aware of the railway until the final day, hence I could not explore it. I did find an old faded photograph in a local charity shop, showing the station. It does not have a photographers name on it, only stating Train entering Southwold station, with the number S 9663.
Thank you, and well done on your find in the charity shop!
Thank you for a very well produced and informative programme.
My pleasure 🙏
Hi, Again fantastic job, (my wife's grandad was born there ,as many of the time was a fisherman, hard job), everyone thinks it the best thing to do get the of the railways, now it's get rid of the car's, (back to the horse and cart, Thanks for the enjoyment, , All the best Brian
Glad you enjoyed it
Good evening and thanks for sharing your latest film.
All the effort you put in is greatly appreciated my friend.
All the very best
☕👍
Thank YOU my friend for your continuing support!
Absolutely fantastic video! Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it!
new subscriber from Australia 🇦🇺
👍🏻🔥🚬🤠
Always good to have an antipodean cousin aboard! Welcome! Have a rummage around the channel and let me know what you think of what you find. 🙏
@@RediscoveringLostRailways already shared the video ☝️ yes for sure ❤️ love you guys over in England 🙏
A first rate video in evey single respect. Your commentary, particularly, is skilfully constructed and executed. Thank you.
Thank you, you are very kind
Wonderfully produced account, fully doing justice to this unique and much-lamented little railway. The geography and relationship of the various sites along the line are wo much clearer, now, and also just how much still remains. Thank you for this.
Thank you - my very great pleasure!
Thank you so very much for taking us on this journey on this beautiful railway through England's green and pleasant land. Had it survived it would indeed have been a very popular heritage railway usefully commencing the journey at a mainline station and travelling to the most attractive of destinations at Southwold. We are indeed most grateful for the heritage association that have preserved parts of the line. We are absolutely delighted with the work that you have done in providing us with this excellent production.
Thank you for your very kind words and comment - much appreciated
Brilliant film thank you! I managed to see many of the remaining traces on a visit some years ago. I have a great photo of my late wife, looking bemused, sitting on the Walberswick bench. I also found some bits of rail at the harbour branch. There have been many additions thanks to supporters of the line. Your video brings it all together forming a complete trip along the line. Excellent.
Glad you enjoyed it and that it stirred some happy memories
Thanks for the video. I just moved to wenhaston - even if they don’t produce the line - I wish they would open the route up for active travel (walking and cycling) to give a safe route from Halesworth to Southwold. Much of the route in theory is a bridle way but it’s not maintained, it’s far too overgrown and the local farmers have knocked down many of the signs.
I think that would be an excellent idea and a real boon to the area.
Always look forward to your videos. A calming excellent tone for commentary and always great then and now photos that are relatable.
Many thanks!
The perfect late evening trip through lovely countryside. I do hope planning permission and funding is forthcoming, it would be a delightful heritage line judging by what you've shown. Loved the archive footage and photos, and the fast runs through trees and cow parsley. Delightful as always, and great to learn about a line I knew nothing about.
Thank you for your kind words and ongoing support!
Another fantastic video at broadcast quality. Thank you, sir.
Very kind of you to say so 🙏
Another great video - thank you.👍
Great video. Having visited Southwold (and Walberswick) many times from my home in Norfolk, I was unaware this railway had ever existed. Having an interest in 'old' railways I, like many others, found your look back at how things were very enjoyable. It would be a dream come true to see some of the line around Southwold restored and, with a live steam powered train, would give the town an extra attraction for the residents and visitors alike. Maybe one day....
Wouldn't it be a wonderful boon to the area? Glad you enjoyed the film!
Thank you for a lovely film of a wonderful lost railway.
My very great pleasure!
Thank you So much for this Fascinating video it came up in my UA-cam Recommendations and I’m glad it did 😋
As I was watching it being a Canal and Narrowboats Man I sadly thought of the Irony of it all
It was Deja Vu really because the Canals came into being because of the Industrial Revolution to to move goods more quickly as everyone knows
Then along came the railways and goods where transferred to rail and over the years many of the
smaller Canals was closed and sadly filled in and the same has happened with the smaller railways
like the one in this Excellent video
And it’s called Progress 😢
I have subscribed for more of your Informative vides,
Thank you 😋
Thank you for your subscription, kind words and comment - all are greatly appreciated. Yes, it seems that one form of transport quickly replaced the other in Victorian times!
What a beautifully produced presentation. I love the abundance of pretty pastoral scenery and your sensitive judgement of the blend of archive and modern film to tell the historical story. Thank goodness too, for good quality drone scenes. I almost feel I want to rush out and discover it for myself right now ! It would make a great day out on the bike. And who is that nice looking young woman on the bench at Walberswick, (14:35) ? Huge thanks !
I'm so glad you enjoyed the film, it was a joy to make. Many thanks indeed.
I love the now-and-then visual overlays. As a railway enthusiast , i can always spot old railway right-of-ways when travelling thru the countryside. I find old abandoned railways quite .. wistful? .
Thank you for a delightful video. ;)
Couldn't agree more! So glad you enjoyed the film.
Another cracking video ,amazing from the drone footage how much of the trackbed is still visible , now Southwold is famous for the Adnams brewery ,and my fav' tipple Broadside
So glad you enjoyed it - maybe rewatch with a pint of Broadside in hand? It might enhance the viewing experience! Very best wishes and thank you!
What a lovely little documentary.
One point, the replacement for the old swing bridge is ex-Royal Engineers Bailey Bridge.
And yes, I've built a few of them in my timn!
Thank you for your comment and that bit of information, much appreciated!
Visited Southwold for a long weekend quite a few years back, well worth going there as it is an all round interesting and very photogenic town. Stayed at the Blyth Hotel which was originally the Station Hotel and is still in business today, you can see it quite clearly on the right of the picture at 18:36 in the video. It is partly obscured by what I'm guessing may be an engine shed. The defunct police station which still occupies the railway station site closed in 2016 and was operational at the time of my visit. The police station was preceded by Southwold Fire Station at that same site. Liked the video very much, thanks.
Many thanks for these details - I'm glad you enjoyed the film!
Another very-well presented video, thank you. I wonder how much this line may have been subject to periodic flooding, or how stable the track bed may have been during wet conditions. Still, best of luck to the heritage folks, gradually restoring the line!
Yes this is something I should have included. It could be extensive, especially towards Southwold!