
Known as the 'Breckland Line', the 53 mile railway which runs from Ely to Norwich is one of the last main lines in Britain still worked entirely by mechanical signal boxes.
Filmed with the permission of Network Rail, this programme visits all the stations and signal boxes on the line, recording each box in detail: the equipment used, trains passing, signal levers, bell signals, manually operated level crossing gates - basically the normal day-to-day operation of a mechanical box in the 21st century.
Filmed over a 12 month period and capturing the line in all seasons, the DVD also includes a cab ride showing the approach to each of the stations, the signal boxes and the relevant signals, crossovers and sidings they control.
As well as the signal boxes there are various lineside shots from the scenic parts of the route including Class 158 and 170 DMUs plus Class 66s on freight, plus telegraph poles and other railway architecture.
From the well known box at Wymondham to the remote outpost of Shippea Hill, the signal boxes at Spooner Row, Attleborough, Eccles Road, Harling Road, Thetford, Brandon and Lakenheath are all included.
Filmed in 16:9 widescreen, this 100 minute programme tells the fascinating story of traditional signalling in a modern world. From oil lamps to semaphores, and signal levers to bell codes, the Ely - Norwich line is a wonderful example of railway heritage still in use.
Produced by - Train Crazy
Running time - 100 Minutes
DVD only