Railway Modernisation (1960)

Dinsdale on the main railway line between Durham and Newcastle.



M/Ss of a long railway line being hoisted by a crane and carried to the right to be lowered onto a wagon for transporting. High angle M/S as the train carries the lines up the track; high angle L/S of the train moving along the track with large piles of train lines and tracks either side.



Panning M/S and C/U of the ballast cleaner in action with numerous men working with it, some digging out the old ballast from the sleepers. M/Ss and C/U of a steam crane carrying a section of old track to a pile of others and lowering it. M/S of a twin job track laying crane (?) carrying a section of temporary 30 ft rails pre-assembled on concrete sleepers which it gradually lowers as it moves along. M/S as the section is carried into position then C/Us of the men levering it into position and making it stable.



M/S of the Morris Track Layer; the top of it (the track carrying part) is moving along the length of the wagon it is mounted on, carrying a section of the new track. Commentator tells us it "doesn't need cranes on the adjoining lines, so that services need not be disrupted". Interesting C/U shot from inside the track layer as the moving part comes towards us, then M/Ss from the base of the carrier as the rail section is lowered and from the side as a group of men guide the section down and into position. M/S of the ballast tamping machine; C/U of the jaws as they move along the line then lower to pack the ballast around the sleepers.



M/S of wagons moving along very slowly and carrying 600 ft lengths of rail. Several men are standing on top of the rails and walking along the adjacent track. M/S of the end wagon where the rails are being laid out behind the train, then high angle shot showing the men watching the rails being lowered. Interesting point of view M/S from the end of the wagon as we see the rail moving off in C/U either side of us, and the men shifting the temporary rails and guiding the new rail into position as we move slowly backwards. M/S of the same process from the side; the men following close behind the wagon are pulling out holding nuts from the temporary rails so they can be removed easily. Low angle M/S looking up from the line as the machine heads away in front of us while the men working on the line lever up the temporary rails so they fall to the centre of the sleepers.



C/Us from sleeper level of the new rail being lowered into position, then of an impact wrench as it tightens the nuts on each sleeper. M/Ss of a man operating the impact wrench; as he moves along we see a large generator that powers the wrench.



M/S of the arch of a very high viaduct, tilt up to show an observation car on an arm out over the side of the bridge. M/S from the bridge showing the observation car on the arm attached to a train on the track, with three men examining the bridge for renovation work needed.



C/U of a section of railway track, panning up to show a diesel train approaching in the distance. It speeds into view and past the camera, leaving us with a good view of an electric pylon!



Note: print used for telecine transfer is quite scratched.
FILM ID:103.09

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