Leigh984, The creative portfolio of Leigh Spencer

In this film I take a look at The Gravity Slate Train that operated as part of the railways 150th Anniversary event in 2013, When the Festiniog Railway first opened in 1836 and before steam arrived, all "down" trains were worked by gravity. A horse would pull the empty wagons to the top of the mountain and after being loaded with slate they would be allowed to travel back down under their own weight with the horse riding in specially designed dandy wagons. When Steam was introduced to the railway (in 1863) they took the place of the horses in leading the trains. My film features the locomotive Prince working hard to lead the wagons on wet tracks before being uncoupled and allowing the wagons to travel back down the line with a brakesman at the front sounding his horn to alert the station master to the trains imminent gravity powered arrival. images follow

I travelled to Wales for the Ffestiniog Railway 150th Anniversary event '1863 and all that !'. Recreating scenes from the railway's early days authentic steam engines from the era where accompanied by costumed characters and events along the length of the railway. Highlights included a line-up of vintage engines at Porthmadog Ffestiniog, a variety of freight trains and an Early-morning Victorian Train with authentic carriages including the unique 'flying bench' on which passengers sit back to back along the length of the carriage. Alongside the events on the railway there where demonstrations of pre-steam mining techniques people in Victorian era dress and 'Rails On The Wharf' in which horse drawn slate wagons where demonstrated my video of which can be seen at Leigh984- 'Rails on the warf' images follow

Rails On The Wharf features a demonstration of Horse drawn slate wagons of the type used widely in Wales during its mining past. The Horse is seen walking the length of the rails before returning lead by its owners in period costume. The demonstration was part of the Ffestiniog Railway`s 150th Anniversary event in Porthmadog and took place on the Wharf alongside the harbour area of the town. images follow.