Screen Archive South East is a public sector moving image archive serving the South East of England. The archive's collections of magic lantern slides, films, videos and associated materials capture the many varied aspects of life, work and creativity from the early days of screen history to the present day and serve as a rich and invaluable historical resource.
This film is part of Free
Video Player is loading.
Petworth, Midhurst & Petersfield Line
The twenty miles of rural railway that once lay between Pulborough and Petersfield is wonderfully immortalised in this film from the mid-fifties
From the collection of:
Overview
Rattling over heathland at Ambersham and Heyshott, our train calls at sleepy rural stations like Selham, Petworth and Fittleworth before reaching the mainline at Pulborough. We return by ‘push-pull train’ to Midhurst before continuing on to Petersfield, on the Portsmouth mainline. The film also shows a railtour’s arrival at Midhurst on 6 February 1955 - where crowds gather to see one of the last trains of such length on their local line before its inevitable closure.
Once British Rail's plans for the wholesale closure of routes became known, enthusiasts organised railtours along those soon to be closed lines. As you can see from this film, the chance to travel along a condemned line for perhaps the last time, proved exceedingly popular. For the bulk of this film, the service trains along the route consist mostly of a few carriages, carrying miniscule numbers of passengers. These trains contrast sharply with the very long, for this particular line, Railtour which arrives at Midhurst, bringing large numbers of rail enthusiasts to witness, along with crowds of locals, this historic but melancholy occasion.
Related
Watch for free
The Pioneers of Nudism The Pioneers of Nudism
Amateur film 1938 27 mins Silent Location: Bricket Wood
If you go down to the woods today, you're sure of a big surprise...
Watch for free
Future Uncertain Future Uncertain
Amateur film 1968 8 mins Location: King's Lynn
A whistle-stop venture from Kings Lynn to Hunstanton via rail, in the company of Chib Thorp, amateur filmmaker and rail enthusiast from Leigh on Sea.
Watch for free
Watch for free
A Romany Summer A Romany Summer
Documentary 1977 43 mins Location: Yorkshire and the Humber
With their battered vardo, scruffy kids and assorted horses in tow, Cocker and Ellie are on an “endless odyssey”, visiting Appleby Fair, trying to eke out their own chosen life.
Watch for free
Apaches Apaches
Documentary 1977 27 mins
One of the most disturbing public safety films depicts six children being picked off one-by-one by deadly farming machinery.
Watch for free
Wires over the Border Wires over the Border
Industry sponsored film 1974 18 mins
An account, in human and non-technical terms, of the electrification of the West Coast main line railway from Crewe to Glasgow
Watch for free
Wittering 1938 Wittering 1938
Amateur film 1938 18 mins Silent Location: Ottershaw
Join the Giles family and their friends on an idyllic seaside holiday by the Sussex coast - just a few months before the Munich Crisis
Watch for free
At the Seaside and Sailing At the Seaside and Sailing
Amateur film 1930 15 mins Silent Location: West Sussex
Thirties seaside holidays feature in this Albany Cine Club film - with families, dogs, pipe smokers and uncomfortable woolen swimwear
Watch for free
Fancy Dress Cricket and Beach Fun Fancy Dress Cricket and Beach Fun
Amateur film 1935 4 mins Silent Location: West Sussex
The arrival of summer means it's time for grown men to dress as ladies and play some raucous cricket - as Eric Norman's holiday camp film shows
Watch for free
Countryman's Diary Countryman's Diary
Amateur film 1950 14 mins Silent Location: West Sussex
Enjoy the changing colours of the Sussex countryside and the fruits of the season in this prize-winning lyrical film diary
Watch for free
Once Upon a Farm Once Upon a Farm
Amateur film 1985 15 mins Location: West Sussex
Beryl Armstrong's gently polemical film extolls the value of rare farm breeds, which could one day meet future challenges and demands
Watch for free
Crawley & Horsham Foxhounds Crawley & Horsham Foxhounds
Amateur film 1966 6 mins Silent Location: West Sussex
Watch the Crawley & Horsham Hunt shakin' their livers in this lively film about fox-hunting and point-to-point racing made by Dora Harmer
Watch for free
If I Make It To The Morning If I Make It To The Morning
Drama 2024 9 mins
A Chinese teenager dreams of living with her cool aunt in New York, until tensions boil over during a crab dinner.
Watch for free
We’ll Go Down in History We’ll Go Down in History
Documentary 2025 25 mins
Two years in the life of TRUK United FC, a beacon for positive change and trans inclusivity in football.
Watch for free
Wrong Bathroom Wrong Bathroom
Drama 2024 9 mins
A trans high-schooler is tempted by toxic masculinity in the boys’ bathroom.
Watch for free
Dragfox Dragfox
Animation & Artists Moving Image 2024 8 mins
A child struggling with their identity and a charismatic fox (voiced by Sir Ian McKellen) learn to embrace their differences in this heart warming stop-motion animation.
Watch for free
Wait, Wait, Now! Wait, Wait, Now!
Drama 2024 13 mins
A Maori and a Kiwi teen buddy up to raid their mum’s wardrobe and pucker their lips with red.
Watch for free
NGGAK!!! NGGAK!!!
Drama 2024 8 mins
‘I pronounce you wife and wife.’ A young couple design their perfect wedding online, but then mum dials in.