27 April 2022 Southern Medley & Cuba Revisited

Presenter: Alan Wallbank

Alan is an accomplished amateur film maker who on two previous visits to
Chichester Branch has shown that the standard of his productions is worthy
of a professional.

The first half began with a film about Tisted Station on the old Meon Valley
Line that closed in February 1955. The inevitable dereliction followed but in
the 1990’s the station house was purchased by a private owner with a view to
restoring it as his own residence. The original buyer sold the property to the
current owner who spoke eloquently to camera about the painstaking
restoration work undertaken that has resulted in today’s very desirable
residence.

Alan has a strong emotional attachment to the ‘Hayling Billy’, the much loved
branch line that ran to Hayling Island until November 1963. Part 2 of his post
closure film showed what the Hayling Billy Trail, built largely on the old
trackbed, has to offer to today’s visitor. A restored semaphore signal was a
clear reminder of times past but we also had a captivating glimpse of the how
the Trail has improved access to the nature reserve in Langston Harbour

A nostalgic trip then took us back to Stuart Egbeare's cine film of Southern
Region steam at various locations including Brockenhurst and Upwey Bank.
There then followed a video taken by someone who worked on the Eastleigh
Breakdown Train in the 1990's. The verbal comments from a member of staff
when a breakdown crane came off the rails certainly caused amusement in the audience!

The evening ended with Alan's latest Cuba film taken in 2018/19. As well as
items of railway interest including antiquated steam engines and diesel
railcars it featured a charming and empathetic look at rural life in Cuba.

Once again Alan lived up to his reputation for quality and variety.