BanburyToWoodfordHalse1963MP4

8mm cine film taken by the late Cyril Thomas, who was a Didcot Guard. During the Big Freeze in 1963.
Didcot driver, Bill Warr and his Fireman, M. Philips are seen preparing their train at Didcot Goods Yard for the trip to Woodford Halse, up on the old GCR, which went via Oxford, Banbury and Woodford Halse and return.
Cyril Thomas came up from South Wales in the latter 40's. When he died his family dumped all his film equipment and Film in the Dustbin. Luckily I was able to retrieve his films and have converted some to digital.
In those days you couldn't be seen by Inspectors and/or Signalmen to be filming from a loco or guards van, therefore some of the most interesting spots on the route were missed out.I would lovebto have seen Culworth signalbox and junction on this film.

[@ceanothus_bluemoon]

Thank goodness you saved this archive for posterity. I wonder how many valuable film, photographs and documents have just been binned by so-called families.

[@johnhealy8513]

What a wonderful video. It is great to see this journey filmed and the gorgeous snowy scenes.

[@peter_holton]

Fantastic film. I remember that winter well.

[@mervynsands3501]

Very nice, how different a perspective it looks when covered in snow.

[@johntyjp]

that was a harsh winter 62/63 I remember!!!!

[@trammix]

Beautiful remarkable film. Thank you for posting

[@ianthomsonnewman4048]

Thanks for sharing. That is a good record. The train was SW bound and, hence, would have been laden. If the locomotive really was a 43XX, it had quite a load to deal with.

[@jcmc60]

Well done for saving the films.

[@lizreynolds5964]

What a lovely video my husbands grandad was a train driver at Woodford

[@greggordon1467]

Great video. I did that journey in 1963 but after that harsh winter!

[@stanchandler5393]

priceless footage

[@stuarthall6631]

Fascinating! Thank you for sharing. I live in Eydon and have walked some of this route.