Rails Into Ghost Town (Edited Version)

Around Woodford Halse, the remains of the local railway service are explored by amateur filmmaker Chib Thorp.

At the start, a joke amateur “Home Exhibitors Certificate” signed by E.B. Thorp, declares that “the film is considered by us to be more suitable for exhibition to adult audiences”. Opening scenes of traffic passing a hotel at Banbury, Oxfordshire, the Banbury Cross, then Banbury railway station. In his commentary, Chib Thorp explains the railway connection with Woodford Halse, Northamptonshire. He explores the features of the redundant line by car with wife Edna and Micky the border collie, and where possible he films from trains. The three visitors stand by the sign for Culworth, Northamptonshire. Chib films Blackbird Hill from the top of a signal post. He encounters three men out with a dog, and signalmen Bill Dunkley and Mr Clark inside a signal box. Micky has a meal, and Edna sits in a field, knitting. Scenes of Woodford Halse station where trains still pass through but few stop. An engine driver and fireman wait to join one stopping train. Signalman Ralph Cannon talks about the history of the station and signal box over scenes of the old railway buildings and surrounding area. Sunset scenes end the film, and a short animation of a man being enveloped by the home cinema screen as it rolls up.

Additional Description

Edward Thorp (E.B. Thorp known as ‘Chib’) an undertaker from Leigh-on-Sea, Essex spent his weekends throughout the year visiting the rural railway lines in East Anglia and beyond with wife Edna and their dog Micky. Chib always took along his 8mm camera, a good supply of Kodachrome film, and a tape recorder, to document their trips. Chib would edit the film himself at home, have a magnetic stripe added to the film, and on his Kodak projector, which had a recording facility, he would record a commentary. Music was also added to the sound track, and has been removed from this edited version of the film for copyright reasons.

Keywords: Railway tracks; Railway workers; Railway journeys; Railway stations; Train services; Beeching Plan

Places: Banbury, Oxfordshire; Culworth, Northamptonshire; Woodford Halse, Northamptonshire