Branch Lines of Britain - 3 DVD Set

[Claude_Dreyfus]

For Christmas my sister bought me a three DVD set entitled Branch Lines of Britain. A picture of the main slieve, with separate DVDs is below...

 

 

Now based on the images shown, I was sort of expecting some old cine-films of little tank engines struggling along with some equally ancient carriages in tow. So it was a little suprising to be confronted with a class 56 in the first shot. In fact, all three disks contained nothing more vintage than about 1988; and most were from the early to mid-1990s.

 

The blurb on the DVD box did nothing to suggest that these are in fact a compilation of one or more railway enthusiasts standing by the trackside with a video camera; although closer inspection of the branch lines involved perhaps should have pointed me in the right directions; Flixborough, Leicester - Burton, Bates Staithes, Frodsham - Runcorn, Hendon Jc, Bishopbriggs...to name the first few that appear in DVD one.

 

Now, I for one am not too upset about the content. I like class 31s on engineers trains, class 37s labouring on a heavy rake of oil tankers and assorted class 56s on MGRs, but am I being a little too naive in thinking that I would have been sorely disappointed had I bought this for someone thinking that this would have pretty little branch lines and Pannier tanks, as opposed to slag-heaps and class 58s?

 

I should also add that I have watched all the DVDs, and enjoyed them...a gratefully received present. There is plenty of interest for those who like 1990s freight operations, or the sight and sound of a class 56 disappearing beneath its own exhaust smoke. That said, I really don't think the packaging tells the whole story about the contents - nor is there anything on the box to say that these are 'modern' videos

 

I am tempted to have a quiet word with the shop that this set was purchased from, as Past Times are not a noted supplier of railway materials and therefore do not necessarily cater for those whose idea of nostalgia is 56127 on the Wisbeach - Deanside petfood train!

[Captain Kernow]

I acquired this set second hand a while back, and was equally surprised/slightly disappointed for the same reason - I passed it on to someone who would appreciate the films more than me....