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...

The S tatfold Country Park  includes the Statfold Barn Railway which regularly holds events for both enthusiasts and the public alike,  Known as "spectacle of steam" these events see possibly the most engines from the statfold collection out on the rails at any one time creating the spectacle of steam in the events title. In this film I explore the event and try to show not just the engines but a few of the team of passionate drivers and operators etc who really make this event so special. We start the film and our day at the sheds where the engines are filled with coal and water ready for the days workings, then to the station where the engines are coupled to passenger carriages and freight trucks, some engines are turned on the turntable ready to pull or push their respective rolling stock. Heading out onto the railway itself we see the various engines travelling along the rails in various directions. Soon we see engines running in parallel and at pace steam billowing from...

Join us at the Abbey Pumping Station as it`s resident narrow gauge engine Leonard is called upon to pull a special service for the coronation of King Charles III. The little green engine, which runs around the perimeter of the pumping station site, was decked out in bunting and featured a specially created headboard proclaiming it to be the King Charles III Coronation Express. Filmed onboard and trackside we see Leonard make his way from the station and around the site with both the spectacular Abbey Pumping Station building (featured in previous films on this channel) and the modern space-age National Space Center rocket tower nearby visible to passengers. At the end of the line engine is decoupled and pulls the express back to its starting point bunting waving in the wind as it steam`s along. Look out for regular steam days at the museum on the Visit Leicester website.

With more locomotives working in one hour than anywhere else in the UK and a huge variety of rare, unique and historic engines on show the Statfold Barn Railway`s Spectacle Of Steam really is a Spectacle to see. My film begins at the sheds as we see the various engines "steaming up" for a day on the rails, before heading to the station to collect coaches full of passengers or freight. Next we see locomotives of all types at full steam along the tracks joined by a tram and the very unique "Goose" vehicle, How many can you spot ?. We end back at the station with the engines returning to collect more passengers. Stay tuned post-credits for some fun in the roundhouse. 

On the weekend of Saturday 12th/13th June 2021 the Statfold Barn Railway held an Enthusiast Weekend featuring a locomotive that was originally exported to Java to work at the Trangkil Sugar Mill. The engine features alongside locomotives from around the world brought together and run along the length of the Statfold Barn Railway. Look for engines racing each other along the track and pulling all types of rolling stock from passenger to freight. At these special events there's always something interesting steaming along sounding its whistle and creating an atmosphere in which something is always moving. My film aims to capture the busy nature of the event, you`ll see various engines passing each other, hear the many different sounds of operation, from train and guard whistles to the clanking of the wheels and hissing of pistons as the engines speed past.

In my first film of 2019 I take a trip to the Abbey Pumping Station in Leicester for a look at the LMTA (Leicester Museums Technology Association) Steam Toys In Action event. In the 29th year of this popular event various toys and engines could be seen in steam including Formula Mamod (a steam powered slot car style race track featuring miniature steam roller racers)  Also in steam was the narrow gauge railway giving rides pulled by Leonard the Steam engine. My film starts by taking a look at a traction engine with traditional gas lamp headlights before following Leonard as he`s taken for the last run of the day and the boiler is cleared.

I took a visit to the privately owned Statfold Barn Railway a narrow gauge railway of 2 ft (610 mm) gauge near Tamworth, Staffordshire, England. For the 2017 season, a narrow gauge tram track was laid in concrete parallel to the level section of the Field Railway incorporating an 18 in (457 mm) mixed gauge rail line. Although the railway is not open to the public a number of “Enthusiasts’ Days” are held each year and those interested can apply for an invitation to one of these events. My film starts (and Ends) at the shed and follows various engines as they travel along the railway, look out for "The Goose" which is part Train part Bus and the newly installed Tramway.