Class 50 Finale - The Laira Years
 It is
more than 15 years since we released two ground breaking documentaries
detailing the dramatic run down and farewell programme of the British
Rail Class 50 fleet. The two programmes – CLASS 50 FINALE and FALL
& RISE OF THE 50s – were produced with the co-operation of Network
South East and the management and staff at BR’s Laira depot at
Plymouth and they detailed every aspect of how the 50 fleet was
maintained and managed - from A exams to overhauls. These two programmes
have now been merged into one 2 hour programme and cover the period from
the summer of 1991 (when the last 12 locos were working the
Waterloo-Exeter route) to the final railtours in March 1994. As well as
featuring plenty of ‘behind the scenes’ footage at Laira there is
also plenty of coverage of the Class 50s at work on the main line as
they work a variety of service trains, railtours and specials. As well
as featuring some classic Class 50 locations, the locos are also seen
‘off the beaten track’ on many ground-breaking routes.
Never before had the rundown of a BR locomotive class been filmed at
such close quarters and Laira’s former Area Fleet Manager, Geoff
Hudson, tells the story of what is now a chapter in railway history.
Among the featured are – the last scheduled day of Class 50 haulage on
the Waterloo-Exeter route, the adventures of ‘Valiant’ and ‘Thunderer’,
convoys of withdrawn locos heading to the scrapyard, the return of
‘Sir Edward Elgar’, the remarkable story of ‘Glorious’, many of
the Class 50 railtours from August 1991, the entire farewell railtour
programme, A and B examinations …plus footage of 50 033 being restored
for the National Railway Museum. Also covered are test runs, flashover
damage assessment, removal and re-fitting of a power unit, bodywork
preparation and re-painting, the fitting and removal of
nameplates….and several performances of the famous ‘Laira
Concerto’ as various Class 50s are fired-up in spectacular style on
Laira depot! These were the last class of diesel locomotives to be
withdrawn by BR – and this DVD recalls the story of how the class went
out in fitting style.
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Programme Fact File
Narrator: Geoff Hudson, Area Fleet Manager - Plymouth
First Published: 2010
Area Featured: UK wide but generally South and South West of England
Class Featured: 50.
Availability: Now
Click here for
ordering details |
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Other Locomaster Profiles Programmes featuring Class 50 motive
power:
Class 50 Swansong, The 50 Terminator, Vac
Attack, Power
Hour and the Traction
Series. |
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