Leigh984, The creative portfolio of Leigh Spencer

A visit to the Mountsorrel And Rothley Community Heritage Center which includes the Mountsorrel Railway Museum for one of their March Steam Days . We begin the visit with an overview of the site with various steam powered locomotives moving about 'Pops' the traction engine is nearest to the camera and in the back of shot we see two steam engines moving about. Down beside the rails now and the imposing structure of the 1834 lift bridge can be seen (more on that later in the film). Panning left we see a green tank engine set for a goods run and past the sheds to the narrow gauge quarry bottom railway where a small grey engine visiting from the Statfold Barn railway is busy giving visitors a ride around the looped track. Next we see the green engine moving a goods train back and forth before number 2 turns a corner on another loop of the Quarry Bottom track loop. Then it's "All Aboard" from Quarry Bottom Halt for an eventful ride which ends in a rather dramat...

  I took a trip to the Taylor’s Bell Foundry in Loughborough , Leicestershire , for a tour of the biggest and last remaining bell foundry of its type in the country. John Taylor arrived in Loughborough in 1839 with a vision to shape the soundscape of communities worldwide with their bells. John Taylor & Co. is not just the country’s last remaining bell foundry, but also a living link between tradition and innovation in bellmaking today. I took a " Casting Tour " around the site to see how centuries of tradition and skills passed through generations come together to create the bells we know so well in our churches and towns. We begin looking at the red brick buildings of the factory with the clanging soundtrack of industry in the background. Into the newly opened museum next, and the bell is rung to start our visit. In the casting hall , the roaring furnace is being prepared for casting later in the day. Into the workshop, and the clappers that give the bells their...

The Abbey Pumping Station Steam Days are a chance for people of all ages to take a trip into our industrial and domestic heritage from street organs to chips "Fried the old way" and toys from Christmases past this festive look into the past is sure to bring the memories flooding back quicker than any beam engine could ever pump it back. We begin with Leonard (Lenny) the loco letting off some steam before we hear the distinctive sound of a street organ playing well known songs , whilst the organ plays on we see a long queue forming at the Chip Van which fries chips in the "old Style" in oil giving them a crispy coating. As the organ continues to play outside we head into the building to see the toy displays with model boats and is that Nessie on holiday ?. Next up the spectacular twists turns and trains of Charlie`s railway where TGV trains run through Knapford station alongside Thomas and his friends . Next we take a look at the Storm Pig Magical Flying S...

  “The Future Needs To Know You Existed !!"-  John Coster 2025 Come with me as I take a look at the ‪@documentarymediacentre7009‬ Saturday Heritage Fair at Leicester`s Adult Education Center where various groups come together to promote and enhance understanding of heritage projects, family and community history, related issues and people, preserving our past whilst also looking to the future, The creation of John Coster and his Doc Media Center, the events put people in touch with archivists such as MACE (Media Archive Of Central England) and groups such as Vikings Of Middle England among others. On this occasion I was invited to showcase some of my own films on the big screen in the imposing Hansom Hall one of Leicesters architectural gems it`s columned white cylindrical shape reminiscent of the Albert Hall. We begin outside the venue before we are welcomed into the event by Actor Ken Ogborn as Arthur Wakerley designer of Leicester`s famous Turkey Cafe on Granby Street 1899...

  A relaxed look at some of the Riparian activities taking place around the Brinklow Swing Bridge on the Oxford Canal. They say life moves at a different pace on the canals and waterways and so this film takes in the serene scene along a stretch of the Oxford canal as ducks paddle among Narrow boats both new and old. We follow a single duck as he paddles his way through the idyllic scene passing boats without to much fanfare. At the boat yard a boat makes its way through the swing bridge and passes by and carries on it`s journey with a stately pace and amazing grace.

Over two days in May 3rd - 4th the village of Desford travelled back to the 1940's with a festival of the 40's, with Vintage Cars (both civilian and Military) and themed areas across the village the wartime spirit was evident throughout. The event by the Desford Heritage group was timed to be the villages marking of 80 Year anniversary of #veday a celebration nationwide of Victory In Europe. Our Film begins with the Battlepipes rendition of Scotland the brave which cleverly is combined with the theme to Dads Army before a outdoor service in which Abide With Me is sung as Poppies are dropped from the tower of St Martin`s Church. The pipes can still be heard in the background as Sir Winston Churchill himself makes an appearance with his classic car parked in front of the church a moment so important it`s recorded by a press photographer from the 40's !. Back on the church green and visitors are given informative talks about communication both secret and otherwise in the er...

January brings the Winter Warmer Weekend to the Battlefield Line and a host of visiting engines including 6880 "Betton Grange", 1369, 71468 "Fred" and 2807. My film starts at Shenton Station where 2807 and 6880 "Betton Grange" arrive before recouping and heading back along the line to Market Bosworth where we meet 1369 and 71480 "Fred" in full steam.

The Victory Show, one of the UK`s biggest wartime re-enactment shows, returned to Foxlands Farm in Cosby Leicestershire. The event now in it's 19th year sees re-enactment and Living History groups from across the country meet at the farm just outside the village of Cosby in Leicestershire and has grown over the years to include an airshow, an area of woodland and more, alongside the main encampment to bring to life and give visitors an idea of combat in theatres of war in varied areas across the world. My film gives viewers a look around the event and the various 'scenes' by the groups from engineers erecting a telephone system as a marching band passes, to a Jeep suspended from a crane !.  The action moves to the Battlefield where tanks, soldiers and all types of military hardware, including a flypast from a Lancaster Bomber, from the era recreate scenes seen across the globe during wartime, after the battle we are reminded that although this is a staged display battles li...