16mm film, original master 'G.N.R Saddle Tank No. 1247'

Filmed in 1959. Footage filmed from lineside, GNR saddle tank locomotive No. 1247 in steam passing on tracks, close-up shots of stationary locomotive, including shots of builder's plate (Sharp, Stewart and Co., Atlas Works, Glasgow, 1899), driver oiling wheels, locomotive driven away, fireman opening railway gate access to main line, diesel led passenger train passing on opposite tracks, No. 1247 shunted onto main line, Hatfield station, steam passenger train passing at speed through station filmed from height, No. 1247 arriving at station, freight, goods wagons stationed in background, No. 1247 pulling brake vans, then at water plant for water tank refill, No. 1247 at platform, token exchange between driver and railwayman on platform, group of children gathered watching locomotive, locomotive departing pulling brake vans with passengers on board, man manually closing gate at road crossing, train pulled by No. 1247 passing at crossing, people observing train passing from crossing and lineside, shots of train journey, token exchange with signalman, train arriving at St Albans Abbey station, children on platform under station sign, No. 1247 shunting away and arriving at station, coupled to brake vans and departing station with passengers on board. A film made for Railway Roundabout BBC TV, by John Adams and Patrick Whitehouse. This is the original master film reel, colour, silent. Duration: 5 minutes 30 seconds

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 'G.N.R Saddle Tank No. 1247 (by courtesy of Capt. W. Smith)' on title frame on film, 'GN Tank (No 1247)' on Railway Roundabout 16mm masters list and 'Great Northern Saddle Tank' on BBC Programme Index. First broadcast on 3 October 1961 on BBC Television. The mention on the opening title frame 'by courtesy of Capt. W. Smith' suggests that the footage was filmed by John Adams and Patrick Whitehouse with the authorisation of Captain W. G. (Bill) Smith, then owner of No. 1247. In 1959, he became the first private owner of a locomotive in the United Kingdom, purchasing No. 1247 directly from British Railways as it had been taken out of service, making No. 1247 the first locomotive to be preserved privately. In 1980, Captain Bill Smith gifted the locomotive to the National Railway Museum, it is now preserved in the National Collection.