“Tracing the Rails” is a Sussex-based TV production company, releasing programmes both on YouTube and on Rewind TV. In a similar way to Railway Ramblers, they set out to explore old railway lines, showing what remains, and comparing what is left now with pictures of how stations etc looked when the line was in operation. They also find people who remember the railway as it once was and perhaps even travelled on it back in the day. I (Rachel Roffe) learned of them via an email from our Yorkshire Area Co-ordinator Jane Ellis who suggested that I contact them to see if we could work together on any future projects that they had lined up.
I was delighted to receive a friendly and positive email back from their producer, Lou Kirk-Partridge, a few days later, inviting myself and the club to join them on a day out filming. A time and a date were arranged for this event: Sunday 22nd March at West Grinstead Station.
After invitations were sent, a small group of RR members, including Vice-Chairman Neil Hebborn and Southern Area Co-ordinator Kevin Arnold gathered for filming on the day in question. The format was similar to that used on similar programmes in the past, where the presenter ‘met up’ with our group and asked questions about Railway Ramblers, what we do, how long we have been going etc. The day went very well; the production team were a very friendly group of people who made us all feel very comfortable. We had a lot of fun doing the filming and I really believe that it will help towards raising the profile of both Railway Ramblers and ‘Tracing the Rails’ It was also pleasing to read that their team had already posted some very complimentary comments about our group on their website.
My thanks go to all the members who gave willingly of their time on a Sunday to take part in the filming and once more to Jane Ellis who informed me about the programme in the first place. We look forward to seeing the finished article in due course.
Rachel Roffe