Love your railway - Heritage and The Mid-Suffolk Light Railway
Vložit
- čas přidán 28. 07. 2024
- Hello everyone,
Today we're joining in with the #Loveyourrailway campaign, and teaming up with Lawrie's home railway of the Mid-Suffolk Light Railway, to talk about what Heritage means to him, the importance of it, and to go through the wonderful story behind the MSLR, of which Lawrie was able to raid the archive and get some photos out showing the line as it once was!
If you want more information on the MSLR, then the link to their website is here:
www.mslr.org.uk/
and if you like the idea of supporting railway, becoming a volunteer and joining Lawrie, drop an email here:
volunteering@mslr.org.uk
--- Content of this video ---
00:00 Intro
02:50 Lawrie's thoughts on Heritage,
07:13 History of the original MSLR,
18:54 History of Preservation,
24:10 Summery and outro
A video shot, and edited by Lawrie
Want more info on us and the stuff in The Shed, or want to get in contact? Check out our Website!
lawriesmechanicalmarvels.com/
Fancy supporting us on Patreon and receiving extra bits of LMM? Have a look at our Patreon here:
/ lawriesmechanicalmarvels
Get hints of what's coming up next with our Instagram - / lawries_mechanical_mar...
Want to some LMM Merch? Check out our teespring store!
teespring.com/en-GB/stores/la...
Chat with us and other like minded people on our discord - / discord
Follow us for video alerts and other updates on Facebook - / lawriesmechanicalmarvels - Auta a dopravní prostředky
The thing about heritage, is that not only should it be preserved & recreated, re-enacted or what have you, it must be publicised. This is where you are coming in, helping others to see the importance of showing & broadcasting the lesser known areas of our history, & allowing them to continue for the future, exactly as it was a hundred years ago.
@Kabuki Kitsune All history deserves remembering, even if society tries to wipe it away. How are we to learn from our mistakes if we vanquish them from existence? We would then be doomed to repeat them.
Thank you very much - it's what we're trying to do, promote some of the wonderful heritage that's about!
Just the first 10 mins alone shows Lawries passion for this little railway, and why our country and government need to embrace our history and most importantly heritage
I do rather like the place
Can't truly appreciate where you're at without recognizing where you've been.
Very true
Just lovely “If you dont then all the work of those who made it happen will be lost”. A 5 year old looked but some how believed. Now he can see and feel the place… if explains Heritage all through. Brilliant work.
Thank you! It's been wonderful seeing the place evolve
That was one of the most informative little railway documentaries I've ever watched really enjoyed your take through the history of the railway! Also love your enthusiasm for what you do and your right we need far more volunteers for heritage and I hope it continues for generations to come! Thank you sir!!👍
Genuinely got me a bit emotional by the end, there. This is absolutely brilliant; a true testament to your passion for heritage railways.
Oh super. I felt a little emotional doing it!
Despite living in eastern europe I fell in love with this little line and since I'm a railway modeller I made a layout based on this last year, with a J15 and dapol van kits
Oh that's awesome! Great thing to model!
This was a truly magnificent video Lawrie. It is absolutely amazing of what people with a strong interest towards an old heritage line can do. I applaud you sir 👏👏👏
I second that.
It was fantastic to watch. I have the same feelings as I wasn't able to volunteer most of last year and this year at the Severn Valley Railway but I contacted the Volunteer liaison and they contacted my head of department, who then emailed me back saying I can return but will need to fill out some Covid forms and be put on a roster list. I can't wait to return to doing some volunteer work again.
Thank you very much!
@@lmm Your very welcome :DDDD
it was the same feeling back in october 1965 walking round haworth yard being introduced to people some of the finest experiences of my life brilliant video .lawrie,,, "rastus" aged 71 years
Heritage is both wonderful and important. I volunteer for a heritage railway here in Queensland, Australia and we recreate the spirit of both Mainline and Branchline traffic since our line has a section of an old mainline and a branchline. Heritage railways bring people together, it fosters comradery. I have a lot of good friends through the railway.
Exactly!
honestly one of the best videos i have watched in a long time, really makes us understand how passionate you are about your volunteering. i am am defiantly going to have to come to the middy to have a ride!
It's a real nice line, atmosphere is superb!
This was a very factful and interesting video, will have to come and visit on my next travels to that side of the country, this video has made me want to come and visit more than before, I didn't know any of the history of it, this looks like the best little big railway
Thank you, I like it being the best little railway!
Thoroughly enjoyable telling the story of a somewhat struggling railway, and how it became what it is today. Sadly not all lines of similar nature have come back to life in the manner that MSLR has.
Oh no, many have gone, this is a very silly railway though.
@@lmm I like silly very much.
I’m just speechless
In a good way?
A heart felt piece. Thanks for this. I am involved with a small railway - Yorkshire Wolds Railway. We are probably at the stage that the Mid Suffolk was in the early 2000's.
Lovely line, I look forward to seeing it progress!
I live in the USA but I will DEFENETLY come visit one day
It's a lovely little place to visit
I wish we still had the railway of my childhood- the Buntingford line through Hertfordshire. A victim of Beeching's axe in the mid 60s, very little remains apart from the bridges.
I enjoy traveling about and spotting the remains of old lines!
What an amazing story and video, and so beautifully told. With real passion, indeed, you are a credit to the MSLR.
Regards Mark in the UK
Thank you very much
Excellent video! Really like the passion you have and you transmit for railways and technology heritage in general! I really love the weird and wonderful stories on the history, we have very similar stories at our railway. Greetings and best wishes from the Dampfbahn Fränkische Schweiz in Southern Germany!
Lots of these railways have fascinating histories! Glad you enjoyed it!
Heritage is our collective history. Laurie is a historian, narrator, much in the. Ike of Fred Dibnah, who was a modern day Victorian in every sense of the word. In today’s cancel culture world, where history has no place unless it’s the ‘right, PC &.approved version’ there of it’s really nice to see history, & a history that is true, & not jaded, one way or another, being described by people who genuinely love it, & keep it alive for the rest of us. Thanks Lawrie & all of you who keep it alive....
You're most welcome - high praise indeed!
Fantastic episode, genuinely one of the best you have made. If this is a new series covering the MSLR and other heritage museums, then it may be the best content you have made yet!
Thank you very much!
Best video yet Lawrie. Well done!
And what he said is completely true. I have been waiting to find out when I can return to volunteer at the Severn Valley Railway carriage department at Bewdley. I had a email off my head of department and he has gave the all clear but I need to be put on a roster system due to Covid rules, but still I am so excited I can return back.
This is crazy, I've been driving past Diss on my way to Norwich about 6 times this year and never even knew this railway existed. Will definitely try and visit in the future. Great and heartfelt video.
It's a real nice little place. It's got character.
What a lovely video. I'm just about to start volunteering myself at my local heritage railway - the Swindon and Cricklade Railway - starting off as a loco cleaner and starting fireman training on their resident steamer. Absolutely thrilled to start and honestly without your videos I wouldn't have had the courage to send the first email introducing myself and saying hi to them.
Oh I'm so glad to have helped! I really hope you enjoy being on the footplate!
What a fantastic story, a great second home without the passion from you guys there would be nothing of our past to visit. We are hoping to visit in early June.
Oh super! I think we should have a visitor!
@@lmm Probs be 4 of us
What a great video explaining your love for your railway and encouraging others to consider "Heritage" a little deeper. Well done Lawrie you tell a story brilliantly, I hope MSLR and all the other great projects get the support from new volunteers they deserve.
Thank you very much!
thank you for the story, i did love it. also maybe little more of your favorite story to tell here because it bring new legacy for next generation.
You're most welcome!
That was a great viewing, we will definitely try and visit this year.
Thank you!
I've been building an O Gauge J15, and the "Little Black Goods" has been lovely to build. But I have been building it for another little light railway, The Kelvedon & Tollesbury Light Railway.
I do like the look of a J15. Very good looking engine.
I wish we had preserved railways in Canada like you do in the UK, but unfortunately there's almost nothing here. Thank you for another excellent video.
I know you have some museums, but it's a rather large country!
Yes, the size of the country does limit our ability to visit museums, but even if you do, very few of them have anything that runs, especially steam. The Canadian Railway Museum is pretty good, even having an A4 and a Terrier, but nothing runs, at least not regularly.
Heritage is truly a wonderful thing,
Isn't it just
Fantastic video Lawrie one of your best yet . We are about to run our 1st passenger service on Sunday since 2019 @ the DVLR
So I like you hope that we can get more folks on board to volunteer. I must pay a visit down to the mid Suffolk it’s one place I’ve never been .
Thank you very much!
Very exciting to start running again!
Fascinating history, Lawrie
Thank you
Very interesting and you can tell that one came from the heart
Do like the place
Great piece Lawrie, one to add to my list of places to visit 👍🏻
It's worth a visit. Very nice atmosphere.
Heritage is remembering the past to guide the future. It’s honouring our forbears who have given us the present. We are only where we are because of them.
Exactly!
Thanks Lawrie!
You're welcome
Excellent video about a great railway. I've been here twice and look forward to coming again when the new extension is up and running.
I'm very much looking forward to that!
Hello Lawrie. Very and informative video, great presentation of the heritage of the railway. I will be looking forward to you next video.
Hello, glad you enjoyed it!
What a fantastic video!
I absolutely loved learning more about the MSLR. It’s amazing how so much history is held within a lovely small railway.
I can see your passion for the MSLR and I share a similar passion for the railway I volunteer at (ESR). I have been at the ESR for a couple of years now and it is definitely like a second home as well as a second family. Everyone is so friendly at a heritage railway and we all support one another helping others out gaining great friendships.
I’m already training as a steam raiser too on my journey to working on the footplate which has been a dream job since I have been a small boy.
I think every volunteer has a great passion for their railway and it means a lot to us seeing our trains pass by the shed full of happy passengers being able to stand there and say “I helped to do that”.
If anyone who is reading this isn’t a volunteer I can firmly recommend it. You will gain many skills over your time there and friends for life. It doesn’t matter what skill you have, what you can and can’t do, there is always a job just for you. There are many more jobs to a railway than you may think.
Again, a massive than you to the LMM team for sharing this, giving us some great history as well as showing the passion a volunteer has for their railway which is really well shown.
Keep up the great work and I wish you all well.
Matthew (MapTheDragon Railway’s)
It's wonderful being part of a railway isn't it.
@@lmm definitely, without a doubt.
A thoroughly enjoyable video, Lawries deep rooted love for the MSLR shines through whilst being a informative and interesting presenter.
Thank you very much!
There is a great book "The Mid-Suffolk Light Railway" written by Nicholas Comfort and published by Oakwood Press. Well worth a read as it gives more details about the line's history.
It's a very good read!
Its true what you said about people around there not going far. I used to live in Aspall nextdoor to a chap who was born on the farm, worked his whole life on that farm, and apart from his last few months lived his 83 years there. I dont think he had ever been further north than Diss, and that was only to Gazes for the auction once a week.
Yeah, it's mad. The world was a lot smaller back then!
I was working not far from Diss laat week, a few of the local guys said I should come over and have a look...
Next time..... looks fantastic...
It's a really nice railway. Its got a very special atmosphere.
Rather good video. Thank you.
Glad to hear you enjoyed it
why would people dislike such a nice and heart warming video?? hm
Welcome to the Internet - People always do.
Thanks for sharing. 😎👌🏼
You're welcome!
Fantastic vid lawrie 😁😁 this definitely shows your love and passion for the MSLR and heritage in general 👍 definitely an inspiring video and well done for spreading the word of heritage for railways across the UK 😁 thank you 👍👍
Thank you, glad you enjoyed it!
@@lmm most definitely 😁😁 looking forward to the next one 👍👍
I’ve been on the Middy, loved it. Planning to go again as soon as I can. 👍
Brilliant! Hope to see you there!
I really want to volunteer at my local line, and I will as soon as I'm old enough. And meanwhile, I'm just going to ride on it.
Great thing to aspire towards!
Heritage railways generally concentrate on locomotives. The carriages are just there to convey the visitors. It is nice to see the effort put into the rolling stock.
That's what people see - locos. They don't appreciate the effort people put in behind the scenes
I love this video
Thank you very much!
Hey Lawrie not sure if you remember me but a few year back I made a comment talking about how I wanted to get into railway volunteering, I am happy to report I start my induction as a engine cleaner on the puffing Billy railway
Oh brilliant! Good for you sir!
Well it was your videos that inspired me to do so, so I have you to thank
I was thinking about going to Ramsgate to the Hornby visitors centre on August bank holiday. But now I've seen you guys are open I may have a change of plan 👍🏻
Oh good move. I think it's our model railway event then
truly gotta love rail heritage there is a site in Mandeville NZ where they are restoring a section of the original 1800s kingston flyer branch but are planning on having a loop line around the airfield next door but are currently fixing up the yard area to suit including a large shed for storage and restoring the hundred plus year old locos and stock adding a turntable and a station halt thye currently run shuttle trains with ether a class Tr diesel shunter or the 1870s K class 2-4-2 tender loco
Oh that sounds cool!
@@lmm and they also hope to lay about 5km of track along the original trackbed
We were their this morning and had a great time. Fantastic. Talking of things I thought I would never see in my lifetime, do you think you might do a video on the recreation of Blyth and the Southwold?
I certainly hope to!
@@lmm I have been following the Blyth build on North Bay Engineering's Facebook page. The latest photos show her looking quite complete. I also hope they reproduce a coach with the Cleminson 6 wheel under frame. I would really like to feel how people who traveled on them felt. In the same way it was lovely to experience the GE coaches on the MSLR. They would not have been comfortable over long distances. The Kangaroo effect in the guards coach was a feature I guess of these sort of coaches?
In an attractive rural setting, the station looks authentically 'light railway' for sure. The line is quite short at the moment, but there are apparently plans to extend eastwards a few miles. No reason why this shouldn't grow into a popular Suffolk visitor attraction in time. All over the UK heritage railways like this generate a lot of money for their local economy.
We've a just under half mile extension in the works!
after hearing this story of the railway, if i ever do have the chance to visit the UK i make sure on the visit i try to make it to MSLR, here in the USA railroad/railway preservation have the same issue with Volunteer and money flow.... there so many heritage railways i want to go see in the UK.... i may have to do more then 1 Visit.....
If you come to the he UK there's loads to do!
Quite a few in this area too!
you certainly would not be disappointed
Looking forward to visiting the railway on my steam roller as part of the EATES route 66 road run next year
That's going to be good fun!
I have been a volunteer at Froxfield since 1997
That's a cracking railway
I would love to see a video on the Austrian steam engine on the Whelspool&Llainfair!
I'm working on it!
The sad thing where I live in Canada is there are no historic railways but if there was id definitely volunteer at one
There are some museums I know of, but I appreciate Canada is quite large.
Yep totally agree with this I am hopefully back volunteering the weekend after next week at the Severn Valley Railway and hopefully enquire on engine driving. I can't wait to get back.
Heritage of anything should be preserved and not airbrushed over because certain people don't like it because it's not modern and in trend with their idea of life, hence why I am totally against electrifying classic cars and other vehicles as it spoils their character, yes the looks are there but their unique sounds are missing.
It was so good to get back to the MSLR!
Heritage is very important mate I myself and part of the helston railway
It's a nice railway that
Using buffer compression was a good method to avoid slipping, from the north end of York.
Oh really?
You should visit the Swindon and collapse railway, they put there 2 and a half mile railway down by hand. They've got odd locomotiv d's such as a polish tank engine and a little diesel with a steam engine funnel be cause of the lads at Swindon works being funny, so I highly recommend it as they are returning to the nearby town criklade
Yeah, they're a good place
Well said buddy
Thank you!
Done my part of the campaign
Oh cool!
Please take some time to visit the miniature railways, the 3.5, 5, and 7.25in gauge steam railways.
coming on the 8th August with the "flying pig"!
Oh awesome! Should be a good event
Do you remember PG Amoy coal office at top of St Steven’s Norwich?
The Titfield thunderbolt story but IRL especially with the gun
They actually considered filming that at the MSLR! But decided the other route was more photogenic
@@lmm oh wow the story would of fit much better
Wanted to share because of his great passion and the cause: but then with so many inaccuracies I couldn't share it at all 😥
Are there?
@@lmm yes sorry I am an old Mid Suffolk boi so yes, but your enthusiasm is worth it. I even did some stints at the EAMRL, and my Grandad's family from Wetheringsett-cum-Brockford too.
@@michaelgreen1515 what was wrong?
Is that a J15 at 3:09? Owning the Hornby model the boiler is also the right shape.
Yep, three ran the railway for its last years. They've become synonymous with the MSLR
I wish I were there. I'm too stuck in America to volunteer, and too broke to donate.
There's lots of places in the USA who would love to hear from you guys.
@@lmm Sure, but the nearest heritage line is on the other side of the state. Not exactly convenient, especially considering I don't drive. I'm in a fairly small state, but that's still almost as far as someone on the east coast of southern England volunteering in Wales. A bit of a hike for regular volunteering, and they just do Diesels, not steam. I do volunteer occasionally at my local Marine Museum, but they do mostly fish, not vehicles, which isn't really my thing. America never had as many small railways per unit area, and not that many were preserved. I mean, I know the whole saying of Americans think 100 years is a long time, Europeans think 100 miles is a long distance, but just over 100 miles still isn't really local, even for us. there might be more stuff in other states, but not really around here.
If I did have a heritage railway closer, I probably would volunteer, but American suburbia isn't exactly the sort of place you find railway preservation societies.
My local railway which went through the village I live in and my maternal grandfather rode on it. In fact probably went on it to fight in world war two.
Lovely line isn't it!
Yes I think I have been visiting about as long as you have been volunteering. I can remember the first time I saw you on the footplate.
I wish I could visit the mid Suffolk and other UK railways but I live in the US so trying to visit or help in England can’t really happen
Luckily though I have my own local railway I volunteer at and love
We have volunteers at the Severn Valley Railway that apparently come from South Africa for one month to play trains and then go home and we do get other members and volunteers who are also volunteers at other preserved railways and people from other parts of the UK
Volunteering at your local railway is a very important thing to do!
A new build for those original tank engines would complete the look but one idea at a time.
We've joked about it. There are a number of similar engines in preservation which would look good if they visited.
I wonder if some J15 is left around that could come back to the old line. Or maybe a new build.
There is a J15 left in existence and I do think it has been to the middy for a visit in the past
A J15 does still survive, as mentioned in the video at the NNR and returned to the MSLR to haul the first trains in preservation.
i meant as a more Permanent Locomotive for the Line, Not just visiting.
can you go back to the mid suffolk light railway
Have you ever had Gothenburg at MSLR?
Nope.
What class of locomotive is that at 10:23?
That's a J15.
One survives on the North Norfolk Railway, although they have restored it to its original guise.
Answer = heritage is important (I didn't win anything, but heritage lives on)
Yep!
I did not know a MSLR coach still existed. Who has that coach ?
Embsey and Bolton Abbey railway
Isn't 5428 a little big for a light railway? I assume it is visiting.
Oh that was at the Moors on a photo charter.
Alabord Alabord.
Indeed
Why did someone dislike this
People always do...
It's nice that everything is on keeping with the line, but how come the station is painted in what looks like gwr colours?
But what a lovely story about the line. Especially the train going over a tarmaced crossing lol
I think that's how they were painted
I'd like him to see auto-coaches
We do get the auto-coaches out at the Severn Valley Railway on the gala weekends
I'd like do do a video on auto working. I have crewed it before, it's great fun
600 to 40K?
It's getting there!
First 39 seconds
Good going!
Without heritage railways I'd only have My live steam and OO to enjoy and not the REAL thing. I have absolutely no interest in riding contemporary trains or planes. Like cars they are ugly and not pleasurable to ride nor as comfortable. Modern seating is soo uncomfortable. Just a block of rock hard foam. Heritage has nice cushions with are coil sprung. Rare seating today indeed. Modern Motorcars isn't much better either. Best of all heritage has coal fired steam the best sights, sounds and smells on earth!!
Nothing like really sampling it for yourself!