Saturday Film Club: Class 14: Why Britain Scrapped These New Locomotives After Just 5 Years

The Class 14 "Teddy Bear" has, to my eyes, always been an attractive loco. Sadly, it was a bit of a failure - the traffic it was designed to handle was fading away as the locos were delivered. This video covers it nicely, with some well-researched archive footage. 

But, the highlight for me is at 12:50, when we see a self-propelled rail-mounted Coles crane batting along a bit of track. I don't recall seeing one of these in action before, and it can certainly move!

I built a static model of this in the September 2025 issue of BRM, using a base from 247 Developments, with a Corgi Trackside top.  

Saturday Film Club: Was this the Midland Railway's Most Beautiful Locomotive?

Maybe. But it's no Sea Lion is it? 

Saturday Film Club: The Down Bristol Line, as seen from the Driver's Cab at Pendon

People are always coming up to me and suggesting that it would be fun to put a camera in the front of a model train.

Well, this video from Pendon shows why I disagree.  

The problem with most model railway layouts, is that they are designed to be viewed from the front. What the camera sees is lots of scenery on one side of the track, and a giant (relative to the scenery) room on the other.

For me, this doesn't work. When I photograph a layout, I'm happy with this First Person View, but that's because I can remove the room, and replace it with sky, so the illusion is maintained. While this is possible with video, it's a lot of hard work. 

This makes me suggest, that if it doesn't work on one of the greatest models in the world, what chance do the rest of us have?  

Saturday Film Club: Severn Crossing Monorail

An unexpected monorail - that breaks down! Fascinating. 

Saturday Film Club: What is kitbashing?

They have let me into the studio again - this time to talk about kitbashing with Steven. 

As well as the video, he has put together an excellent guide on World of Railways.  

Saturday Film Club: How Star Trek's Original Phaser Prop Was Built

Film and TV props, especially older ones, fascinate me. Once, when looking at some from Red Dwarf, I commented that they were more basic than I'd expected. The builders agreed, but pointed out that they were on screen for a fraction of a second, and people were more interested in the story than the details of the gizmo being waved around by the actor. Well, until the advent of DVDs, and sci-fi fans who will step through a scene a frame at a time, to fully take it all in. 

One of the best-known sci-fi props, has to be the phaser guns from Star Trek. Here, we take a good look at one of the screen-used props.  

Saturday Film Club: Static Grass - The shocking difference!

Some wise advice from my good self, all hidden behind a thumbnail chosen by one of my rotten colleagues! I will get my own back...

Saturday Film Club: Tin baths on the Isle of Man

A quick look at the Tin Bath racing that I saw on my visit, along with the skateboard racing I missed because Groudle was calling. 

Saturday Film Club: 10 Mesmerising Manufacturing Films from the 1960s

I've always enjoyed films showing how things are made, and so British Pathe have done me proud here. And there are two more to watch too!

Saturday Film Club: Sand Drags - Dome Valley Raceway

You gotta love the internet for bringing sports you've never heard of, to your attention. Here we have, drag racing - on sand! Messy madness!

Saturday Film Club: The Plastic Box That Spins and Pretends to Be a Car

I found this video because one of these cars popped up on eBay for not much more than Sinclair C5 money. 

It is probably a good job I don't have the garage space... 

Saturday Film Club: An Interview With Brian Johnson (1939-2026)

Saturday Film Club: Merry Hill Monorail remembered

Another excellent video from Transport Matters - and another monorail I missed out on riding. 

Saturday Film Club: The Dry Fit

Another video from me. This time, providing some sage advice for anyone building a kit. 

Saturday Film Club: This is Japan's UNIQUE Monorail Built By a Hospital!

This is a terrible video. I recommend skipping the first minute and a half, but the subject is interesting, a monorail in the grounds of a hospital. A bit like Hellingly Hospital, but not for carrying coal. And with one fewer rail. 

There's a cracking view of the thing on Google Streetview too. 

 

Saturday Film Club - Happy Birthday Groudle Glen Railway!

A bumper set of videos to celebrate the GGR's birthday today. 

 

 

Saturday Film Club: Paint like a Pro - Three Top tips for mastering Acrylics

A video by my colleague Steven Draper with some useful hints on mastering acrylic paints. I learnt a bit, and now need to do some shopping!

Saturday Film Club: How A Small Irish Town Built The World's First Commercial Monorail

I've never fancied visiting Ireland, that's what being a child in the 1970s does for you. Except for here. Maybe, as I've ridden on the Wuppertal, it should be on the list. 

Saturday Film Club: Rustival 4 2026 - the world's friendliest car show full of classics, rare cars and more!

I'll be honest, if I'd not been heading to SWAG a couple of weeks ago, my car would have been pointed down the road to Rustival. A lovely, friendly car show, with all sorts of weird and wonderful vehicles displayed, including quite a lot that I remember being on the road normally!

Saturday Film Club: 1975: MODEL RAILWAYS - All You Need to Know

Running model trains on a carpet for the benefit of a video camera? It will never catch on...