16mm film, original master 'Thornaby Motor Power Depot'

Filmed in 1959 at Thornaby Motive Power Depot in North Yorkshire which opened in 1957. Footage shows signs 'British Railways Modernisation New Motive Power Depot', 'Thornaby Motive Power Depot'. The film presents and demonstrates the different equipment and facilities at the depot, showing the locomotive 63364 going through each of them: mechanised coaling plant, water tank with multiple distribution points, wheel pit, ash pit, external turntable, interior of roundhouse, internal turntable (filmed from the turntable). A film made for Railway Roundabout BBC TV, by John Adams and Patrick Whitehouse. First broadcast on 13 January 1959 on BBC Television. This is the original master film reel, black and white, silent. Duration: 4 minutes

This film is part of the Railway Roundabout collection donated by the makers of the programme, John Adams and Patrick Whitehouse. They produced films on contemporary British and foreign railways for the BBC Children's programme 'Railway Roundabout, broadcast monthly between 1958 and 1962 on BBC Television. The commentary was created and broadcast live, so the original films in the collection are silent. The Railway Roundabout collection includes the original masters, prints, some offcuts and working material for Railway Roundabout programmes as well as other films (non-Railway Roundabout) made by the John Adams and Patrick Whitehouse and a small number of films made by others. The collection also includes the original un-edited audio recordings made between 1960 and 1965 by John Adams and Patrick Whitehouse for the BBC radio programme Railway Roundup. Additionally, John Adams and Patrick Whitehouse were both photographers, their respective photographic collections are held by the National Railway Museum. This film is titled 'Thornaby Motor Power Depot' on title frame on film, 'Thornaby MPD' on Railway Roundabout 16mm masters list and 'British Railways' newest engine shed' on BBC Programme Index. First broadcast on 13 January 1959 on BBC Television.