LMS 5690 The Fellsman with Michael Portillo on board in 2009 .

A day that I was on a Fellsman railtour would take a turn for the unexpected as Michael Portillo boarded the train at Ribblehead station ( to film an episode of the Great British Railway Journeys program ) and would get off again at Garsdale station . This is footage I thought was long lost but found it on a DVD I have found . These were the days when leaning out of the droplight was not frowned upon . Sorry for the quality as like I mentioned it's taken from a DVD .

[@paulhicklin3433]

Beautiful that was really great video

[@TheStephengthompson]

Thanks Paul, pleased you liked it . Steve

[@rjas365]

What a find with that DVD... well done! Definitely a case of never mind the quality, feel the width (of the next window). Although I thought the highlight is Ribblehead Viaduct, I hardly blinked through the whole video. Kind regards, Bob.

[@nige7577]

Glad you found your footage again Steve, very enjoyable and entertaining, glad there were no faulty doors that day lol

[@TheStephengthompson]

Thanks Nige , the guy in green was a pain all day long lol

[@ianlambert8034]

Thankyou for taking me back to my schoolboy days, 60 years ago.Cracking acceleration out of Garsdale!

[@acw71000]

Nothing to beat leaning from the droplight Steve, happy days filming from the window. Smart acceleration by the crew after each of the stops. Glad you discovered the footage again

[@TheStephengthompson]

Thanks Austin, never seen any footage of her at Ribblehead or Garsdale as it must’ve been the place to be .

[@MasterMoyle]

Back in the days when you could legally get away with it unlike now. Sadly as of 2020 H&S rules have got much stricter and your not allowed to have heads out now.

[@30453trains]

Wonderful pictures, especially going across Ribblehead Viaduct. There’s leaning out of the droplight, and then there’s the bloke at 2:40!
I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Mr Portillo, and he was very obliging- signed my facsimile copy of Bradshaws, my GBRJ boxset and book (the latter of which was a wedding favour to my would-be in-laws- he signed it “Enjoy the big day”). Top bloke in my book. 👍🏻

[@TheStephengthompson]

Thanks Ross , never met him but he seems a sound bloke . The clag on the Viaduct must’ve looked good from the lineside!!

[@MasterMoyle]

Back in the days when you could legally get away with it unlike now. Sadly as of 2020 H&S rules have got much stricter and your not allowed to have heads out now, I think the only acception is for when crossing over the Ribblehead viaduct as there's no vegetation on the viaduct and it's single track so there's no risk of being hit or having your head took off.
I did always film onboard railtours from droplights but following issues last year on an outing with Braunton this tradition has now ceased. From now on it's gonna be stuff like the run I did with Galberta back in February. But there could be a traditional clip featured if I film crossing over the Ribblehead Viaduct, if I do film it.

[@balmesh]

Good stuff, again, Steve. Classic, you might say?

[@TheStephengthompson]

Thanks Alan, best thing about the program was it showed 46115 on the Viaduct from the lineside lol

[@brianbrocklehurst9224]

Great footplate crew, really got her moving. Very fine video, pit about the rude people hogging the windows.

[@TheStephengthompson]

Thanks Brian, the guy who was nearly out of the window was a pain all day long sadly.

[@JulianThurgood]

Very good Steve. my oldest video is the Sellafield Sightseer with Flying Scotsman in 1986 - shot on my very heavy Betamax camera and separate recorder! Rubbish quality!

[@TheStephengthompson]

Thanks Julian, old cameras looked heavy I must say compared to today’s.