Visit the new free Classic Traction TV video website at:
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Welcome to the Classic Traction website
Classic Traction DVDs - Now fimed in High Definition
ABOVE: GWR 50xx 'Castle' 5029 Nunney Castle pilots GWR 60xx 'King' 6024 King Edward I across East Largin Viaduct with the 'Cornish Riveria Express' on the 28th June 2010. This is just one of the many locations offered on some of the Classic Traction Photographic Courses. COPYRIGHT: STEVE ANDREWS / CLASSIC TRACTION.
Visit the new Classic Traction TV video website at:
www.classictractiontv.weebly.com
The Classic Traction Collection
Welcome to the Classic Traction website, and we hope that you will find this site useful and informative. Classic Traction is one of this country's most prolific producers of railway DVDs, covering heritage steam and diesel locomotives, as well as modern diesel & electrics, DMUs and EMUs. Classic Traction prides itself in covering many of the principal events that are held on preserved railways and the national network over the length and breadth of the country. The Classic Traction Collection range of DVDs illustrates the finest elements in preserved steam and diesel, and are the leaders in the production in DVDs on areas of specialised railway interest, such as the GWR Steam Railmotor project, and we still produce the only commercially available programme on the world famous and much lamented miniature Forest Railroad Park at Dobwalls.
ABOVE: GWR 60xx 'King' 4-6-0 6023 King Edward II, the 'King' that refused to die, is seen storming away from Loughborough at Woodthorpe Bridge on 19th March 2013. See this footage, and more on our DVD: Return of the Blue King. Photograph: Copyright Steve Andrews / CLASSIC TRACTION.
Visit the new Classic Traction TV video website at:
www.classictractiontv.weebly.com
The Classic Traction range of DVDs
Classic Traction has been described as "a prolific DVD producer" with its "broadcast quality" programmes (now filmed in glorious HD High Definition). Classic Traction's range of DVDs cover the complete spectrum of railway operations which can be observed in the British Isles, and Heritage Railway have even described Classic Traction as "probably the most prolific DVD producer in the country at present."
The Classic Traction Collection range of DVDs cover everything from mainline steam and diesel operations, to the heritage steam scene, where we aim to cover all of the preserved lines in the country, including the major gala and heritage events, as well as ground-breaking and news-worthy events, which are covered in our video-journal quarterly DVD programme, The Classic Traction Review, which is discussed in depth on a dedicated page on this website.
Modern Traction is an important and vital aspect of the current scene, and we are pleased to cover the ever growing and renewed interest in historic diesels, such as the iconic Class 42 'Warship' and Class 52 'Western' diesel-hydraulics, as well as the legendary Class 55 'Deltics,' through such programmes as Power of the Napiers, Maybach Legacy & Maybach Pioneer.
We also cover some of the more specialist areas of the railway world, and one of our greatest successes to date was achieved with the ground-breaking DVD Farewell to the Sherman Hill route, which was dedicated to the final days of the Forest Railroad Theme Park at Dobwalls in Cornwall. This railroad, which was a legend of miniature railway engineering, used North American outline miniature locomotives over two tortous routes which were dedicated to the Rio Grande and to the Sherman Hill route of Union Pacific. Using locomotives such as Rio Grande K37 2-8-2s, Union Pacific 800 4-8-4s Queen of Wyoming & Queen of Nebraska, as well as the legendary Union Pacific 'Big Boy' 4-8-8-4 X4008 William Jeffers, these legendary locomotives are shown as they tackle the routes challenging 1 in 65 gradients. Using archive and contemporary footage filmed from the cab of 'Big Boy,' we see the 4-8-8-4 as she climbs Sherman Hill, showing what it was truly like to drive and fire a Union Pacific 'Big Boy!' The success of this DVD was followed by two further programmes on Dobwalls, Locomotives of the Forest Railroad, which studies every locomotive in detail, and The Forest Railroad: The Next Chapter, which looks at the final years of the park and the locomotives move to a new home in Dorset, before their eventual move to Australia. Classic Traction is the only commercial producer of a programme about Dobwalls, and now you too can own this trilogy as a permanent souvenir of this miracle of miniature railroad engineering!
The Classic Traction Collection range of DVDs cover everything from mainline steam and diesel operations, to the heritage steam scene, where we aim to cover all of the preserved lines in the country, including the major gala and heritage events, as well as ground-breaking and news-worthy events, which are covered in our video-journal quarterly DVD programme, The Classic Traction Review, which is discussed in depth on a dedicated page on this website.
Modern Traction is an important and vital aspect of the current scene, and we are pleased to cover the ever growing and renewed interest in historic diesels, such as the iconic Class 42 'Warship' and Class 52 'Western' diesel-hydraulics, as well as the legendary Class 55 'Deltics,' through such programmes as Power of the Napiers, Maybach Legacy & Maybach Pioneer.
We also cover some of the more specialist areas of the railway world, and one of our greatest successes to date was achieved with the ground-breaking DVD Farewell to the Sherman Hill route, which was dedicated to the final days of the Forest Railroad Theme Park at Dobwalls in Cornwall. This railroad, which was a legend of miniature railway engineering, used North American outline miniature locomotives over two tortous routes which were dedicated to the Rio Grande and to the Sherman Hill route of Union Pacific. Using locomotives such as Rio Grande K37 2-8-2s, Union Pacific 800 4-8-4s Queen of Wyoming & Queen of Nebraska, as well as the legendary Union Pacific 'Big Boy' 4-8-8-4 X4008 William Jeffers, these legendary locomotives are shown as they tackle the routes challenging 1 in 65 gradients. Using archive and contemporary footage filmed from the cab of 'Big Boy,' we see the 4-8-8-4 as she climbs Sherman Hill, showing what it was truly like to drive and fire a Union Pacific 'Big Boy!' The success of this DVD was followed by two further programmes on Dobwalls, Locomotives of the Forest Railroad, which studies every locomotive in detail, and The Forest Railroad: The Next Chapter, which looks at the final years of the park and the locomotives move to a new home in Dorset, before their eventual move to Australia. Classic Traction is the only commercial producer of a programme about Dobwalls, and now you too can own this trilogy as a permanent souvenir of this miracle of miniature railroad engineering!
ABOVE: Rio Grande K37 2-8-2 498 Otto Mears stands at Denver Station on the Union Pacific route at Dobwalls, on 1st July 2006. See this locomotive, and all the Forest Railroad Locomotive fleet in Locomotives of the Forest Railroad - available on DVD now! Photograph: Copyright Steve Andrews / CLASSIC TRACTION.
Visit the new Classic Traction TV video website at:
www.classictractiontv.weebly.com
ABOVE: SR 'West Countries' 34028 Eddystone + 34046 Braunton pass Leigh Loop working the 1605 Minehead - Bishops Lydeard on 22nd March 2009. Photograph: Copyright Steve Andrews / CLASSIC TRACTION.
Narrow Gauge Railway DVDs
Classic Traction also covers an ever-growing range of DVDs devoted to the specialised subject of narrow gauge railways. In our range we have DVDs devoted to the Welsh Highland revival and Festiniog Railways, in addition to DVDs featuring railways such as the Talyllyn and Welshpool & Llanfair, as well as the legendary Beyer-Garratt locomotives, which feature WHR NG/G16 locomotives hard at work climbing the revitalised Welsh Highland Railway between Waunfawr and Rhyd Ddu. One of our most popular narrow gauge DVDs to date has been The Missing Link: Porthmadog to Rhyd Ddu, which featured Manning Wardle new-build Lynton & Barnstaple replica 2-6-2T 30190 Lyd, resplendent in a 'might-have-been' mixed traffic BR black livery, depicting what the Festiniog & Welsh Highland Railways might have looked like had they survived to be Nationalised! This DVD focuses on the revitalised Welsh Highland between Caernarfon and Porthmadog Harbour, but in particular, the final section of WHR between Hafod-y-Llyn and Porthmadog, finally making the 25 mile Welsh Highland complete. Heritage Railway described this DVD as "A classic engine, spectacular scenery and cold, clear winter weather, combine to make this a unique record of the rebirth of a unique stretch of railway." For further details on our ever expanding range of programmes devoted to narrow gauge railways, please click on our Steam DVD and Narrow Gauge DVD pages.
Visit the new Classic Traction TV video website at:
www.classictractiontv.weebly.com
ABOVE: EBR blue liveried GWR 60xx 'King' 6023 King Edward II stands outside Didcot shed on 23rd April 2011. Photograph: Copyright Paul Maycock / CLASSIC TRACTION.
Purchase with Confidence
At Classic Traction we only use footage filmed on professional video tripods using dedicated high quality digital camera equipment using the same size tape as the BBC, infact some of our material has been used by ITV! In addtion, from 2014, all our new productions are now filmed exclusively in glorious HD High Definition, whilst still drawing on the resources of the Classic Traction digital tape archive. The vast majority of our programmes are approximately 60 - 95 minutes in length, and as a professional photographer, Classic Traction approaches the filming of railways with a passion and from a renewed perspective, which is particularly demonstrated in our steam productions where we strive to have no tender first running at all. We always aim to produce high quality productions, and together with filming in HD High Definition (from 2014), all our programmes are edited and included with subtitled narrative text allowing you to fully enjoy the glorious effects of steam, diesel or electric traction in glorious full definition stereo, whether that is the 4 cylinder beat of a Great Western 'King,' the chime whistle from a Gresley A4 Pacific or the wonderful noise from a pair of Maybach V12s! We are pleased to include in this website independant reviews from some of the world's leading railway journals, such as Heritage Railway, Steam Railway, Railway Magazine, Traction, Rail Express, Railway Modeller and Model Railroader. Also included is a Customer Feedback page, so please read what previous customers have said and read our independant reviews that will enable you to purchase from Classic Traction with confidence!
Visit the new Classic Traction TV video website at:
www.classictractiontv.weebly.com
Feedback from some of our many satisfied customers:
ABOVE: Class 52 'Western' diesel-hydraulic D1010 Western Campaigner stands at Crowcombe Heathfield during a night photographic shoot. Photograph: Copyright Paul Maycock / CLASSIC TRACTION.
Here are just some of the comments from many of our customers:
At Classic Traction, we believe that the best way to judge our DVDs and the quality of our prints is to listen to what many of our loyal customers have said.
Mr James H. Kaye of Clwyd, North Wales said:
"May I take this opportunity to thank you for your prompt attention to my last order and to thank you for one of the best steam DVDs that I have ordered in the past from many companies. Again, many thanks."
Dr Ian MacDougall of Dundee, Scotland said:
"This is just to confirm safe receipt of the splendid Steam Railmotor DVD. It's first class! I'm delighted with it and it has given me alot of pleasure!
Mr Bob Berry said:
"Hi Steve, the DVD arrived safely thanks - EXCELLENT VIEWING!"
Mr James H. Kaye of Clwyd, North Wales said:
"May I take this opportunity to thank you for your prompt attention to my last order and to thank you for one of the best steam DVDs that I have ordered in the past from many companies. Again, many thanks."
Dr Ian MacDougall of Dundee, Scotland said:
"This is just to confirm safe receipt of the splendid Steam Railmotor DVD. It's first class! I'm delighted with it and it has given me alot of pleasure!
Mr Bob Berry said:
"Hi Steve, the DVD arrived safely thanks - EXCELLENT VIEWING!"
"Thank you for one of the best steam DVDs that I have ordered in the past from many companies. Again, many thanks!"
Classic Traction DVDs - Now filmed in HD High Definition
ABOVE: 'Peak' galore! The early days of the Sulzer type 4s are recalled as original class 44 'Peak' D4 Great Gable stands beside later class 45 sister D120 at Swanwick Junction. Photograph: Copyright Paul Maycock / CLASSIC TRACTION
Visit the new free Classic Traction TV video website at:
www.classictractiontv.weebly.com
Heritage Railway recently said:
"This DVD producer is probably the most prolific one in the country at present, virtually nothing moves in Britain's heritage railway scene without its cameraman being there to record the action."
HERITAGE RAILWAY, Issue 158, Page 92.
HERITAGE RAILWAY, Issue 158, Page 92.
"This DVD producer is probably the most prolific one in the country at present..."
ABOVE: GWR 50xx 'Castle' 4-6-0 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe passes Parsons Street, Bristol working the 1Z34 0730 Tyseley Warwick Road - Minehead 'Whistling Ghost' on 25th May 2013.
Photograph: Copyright Nick Warren / CLASSIC TRACTION.
Photograph: Copyright Nick Warren / CLASSIC TRACTION.
Visit the new free Classic Traction TV video website at:
www.classictractiontv.weebly.com
Pay securely on-line!
We are pleased to be able to announce that as from the 1st December 2010, all Classic Traction DVDs are now available to purchase on-line. Underneath each DVD you will find the motif / legend 'ADD TO CART.' To buy on-line, simply click on this and follow the instructions through the secure PayPal system. You are able to pay via all major Debit or Credit Cards or via a PayPal Account. Alternatively, you can still purchase directly from Classic Traction through our mail order service (making all cheques payable to 'STEVE ANDREWS') at:
CLASSIC TRACTION
53 Dayton Close
Crownhill
Plymouth
Devon, PL6 5DX.
Tel: 07895 070811 / 01752 704828.
To contact me directly, please phone me on either 07895 070811 / 01752 704828. If using the mail order service, please make all cheques payable to STEVE ANDREWS, thank you.
Classic Traction hopes you enjoy this website and look forward to hearing from you soon.
Steve Andrews
CLASSIC TRACTION.
CLASSIC TRACTION
53 Dayton Close
Crownhill
Plymouth
Devon, PL6 5DX.
Tel: 07895 070811 / 01752 704828.
To contact me directly, please phone me on either 07895 070811 / 01752 704828. If using the mail order service, please make all cheques payable to STEVE ANDREWS, thank you.
Classic Traction hopes you enjoy this website and look forward to hearing from you soon.
Steve Andrews
CLASSIC TRACTION.
Visit the new free Classic Traction TV video website at:
www.classictractiontv.weebly.com
Filming Details:
All our DVDs are produced to the high standard set by Classic Traction and are independently reviewed by magazines such as Steam Railway, Model Railroader, Heritage Railway, Railway Magazine, Railway Modeller and Railways Illustrated. Please take time to read all our DVD reviews on our dedicated page on this website.
All our footage filmed between 2005 and March 2014 has been filmed on high quality Sony (or equilivent) Hi8 / 8mm digital tape, and from 2014, all our footage is filmed in HD High Definition at 1920 x 1080p.
Please note that some of our DVDs which may contain older footage, will therefore contain a combination of high quality digital Hi8 / 8mm tape footage, may contain exclusive digital tape footage, a combination of HD High Definition and digital tape footage, or exclusive HD High Definition material.
If you have any queries concerning our material, please dont hesitate to contact us at the address or telephone numbers above.
Thank you.
All our DVDs are produced to the high standard set by Classic Traction and are independently reviewed by magazines such as Steam Railway, Model Railroader, Heritage Railway, Railway Magazine, Railway Modeller and Railways Illustrated. Please take time to read all our DVD reviews on our dedicated page on this website.
All our footage filmed between 2005 and March 2014 has been filmed on high quality Sony (or equilivent) Hi8 / 8mm digital tape, and from 2014, all our footage is filmed in HD High Definition at 1920 x 1080p.
Please note that some of our DVDs which may contain older footage, will therefore contain a combination of high quality digital Hi8 / 8mm tape footage, may contain exclusive digital tape footage, a combination of HD High Definition and digital tape footage, or exclusive HD High Definition material.
If you have any queries concerning our material, please dont hesitate to contact us at the address or telephone numbers above.
Thank you.