Farewell to Steam

An opening shot of a steam train travelling through the countryside. Credits. The train in the railway station, with shots of the driver and close-ups of the 'City of Aberdeen' engine. Crowds watch another engine, 'Sir Nigel Gresley,' pull into the station. Again, there are close-ups and details of the railway train, and the crowd helps to turn the engine on the turn-table. The engine couples with the carriages and officials check the train over before the passengers board, many of them enthusiasts and children. The train leaves Aberdeen railway station. Crowds gather on a platform. Both the 'Union of South Africa' and 'The Granite City' are coupled to a train, and it leaves the station, heading out along the coast and through the landscape, while passengers wave from the windows. The train makes a number of stops, and there is brief detail of the points and junctions. The train arrives in another station. There are shots of the steam billowing around the tracks as it heads away once more. It passes under a bridge, while a double decker bus crosses above. Once more it heads out into the countryside, this time passing some industrial spoil and forestry. The train arrives at Ballater station. We cut to the present. A deserted scene. There are shots of the disused tracks and junctions, grown over with weed; of discarded spares and a distraught warehouse.