Bere Alston to Callington was one of those beautiful LSWR lines cutting through some of the most vivid terrain in Devon and Cornwall. This long awaited documentary features the journey with unique archive footage, rare photographs and modern day aerials to show the route of the track bed.
In 1966, the section from Callington to Gunnislake was cut short, and Luckett, Latchley and Chilsworthy, as stations in between, were axed as a result of cut backs. But, thanks to amateur cinematographers such as John Sandercock, we are able to reconstruct those nostalgic days of steam and early diesels to tell the story.
First, we take a brief look at the history of the East Cornwall Mineral Railway and the building of Calstock Viaduct. Then we journey from Bere Alston to Callington, linking each station from the air. Using more archive footage we undertake the return journey at ground level, calling at all stations, including those now closed. John Snell, a veteran of the line, narrates some fine experiences and also included is a montage of steam-powered units used on the line in those memorable days.
The section ‘now and then’ shows how things looked in the vintage days and how they look today. With interspersed shots of the beautiful Tamar Valley, this documentary will invoke happy memories of those great days on a unique vintage branch line.
Chapter:
0:00 Introduction
2:35 A railway was needed
5:16 The journey
6:28 Bere Alston
10:13 Calstock
16:47 Gunnislake
27:23 Callington
30:40 Archives of the line
40:25 The workers and locomotives
43:54 The Last Train to Callington
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