A Steam Train Passes

A Steam Train Passes

Infobox Film


caption = DVD cover art
name = A Steam Train Passes
director = David Haythornwaite
producer = Anthony Buckley
starring = Chris O'Sullivan
Harold Fowler
cinematography = Dean Semler
editing = Wayne LeClos
distributor = Film Australia
released = 1974
runtime = 21 mins.
country = Australia
language = English
mpaa_rating = G
imdb_id = 0252747 |

"A Steam Train Passes" is an award winning Australian 1974 short film set in the 1940s, featuring the construction and operation of locomotive 3801.

Plot

The opening sequence is a 1943 black-and-white Cinesound newsreel "Monarch of the Rails" showing the locomotive being built. The film then changes to colour and shows the locomotive at the Enfield locomotive depot, then the home of the New South Wales Rail Transport Museum. The fireman lights the fire and the driver inspects the locomotive. When ready the locomotive is turned on the turntable.

The main part of the film shows the train travelling through the New South Wales countryside through disparate locations including the Sydney suburbs, Hawkesbury River Railway Bridge and Picton loop line. These scenes are interspersed with vignettes of life the 1940s including a travelling salesman, a country wedding and soldiers in a pub, all linked to the train journey.

Most of the audio is live sound of the train, with some overlayed with original music by George Dreyfus.

Cast

There are no speaking parts so the actors are not credited. The only "acting" credits are for the driver Chris O'Sullivan and fireman Harold Fowler, both employees of the New South Wales Public Transport Commission.

Reception

"A Steam Train Passes" is one of Film Australia's most successful films [http://www.nfsa.afc.gov.au/media_releases.nsf/d413751ea97b8813ca256ec20017e459/6080d17da745f6e8ca2569990006b9ab?OpenDocument] [http://www.aftrs.edu.au/index.cfm?objectId=52E1D692-2A54-23A3-6EFB4C7CE915C28A] . It has won many awards and is generally regarded as Australia's finest railway film [http://www.digitales.com.au/item.asp?CatID=113&ItemID=4394] .

Awards include:
* 1974 Australian Film Institute Awards, Silver Kodak Award for Photography (Documentary Category)
* 1974 Australian Film Institute Awards, Bronze Medallion for Dean Semler
* 1975 US Industrial Film Festival, Silver Screen Award - 2nd prize, History & Biography
* 1975 Chicago International Film Festival, Certificate of Merit Documentary Section 9, History
* 1975 San Francisco International Film Festival, Special Jury Award - Communication Section
* 1975 Cork International Film Festival, Statuette of St. Fincarr, Category D (Short Fiction)
* 1975 Melbourne International Film Festival, Special Award Short Film.
* 1975 Australian Cinematographers Society Awards, Golden Tripod.

Film footage

Footage from this film has become almost stock footage for other productions requiring footage of a steam train. Footage has been used in "Sirens", "Rabbit-Proof Fence", "True Believers", "Curtin" and several documentaries.

The original negative is preserved at the National Film and Sound Archive.

References

External links

* [http://www.ontherails.com.au/enthusiasts.html Two excerpts at Film Australia's "On the Rails" site (select clip title)]
* [http://www.railpage.org.au/pix/steam/3801_Georges_Plains_Steam_Train_Passes_4-7-74.jpg3801 at Georges Plains, July 4, 1974 during filming of "A Steam Train Passes", photo by Dennis Rittson]
* [http://colsearch.nfsa.afc.gov.au/nfsa/search/display/display.w3p;adv=yes;group=;groupequals=;holdingType=;page=0;parentid=;query=Number%3A44050;querytype=;rec=0;resCount=10 A Steam Train Passes at the National Film and Sound Archive]


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway — Heritage Railway name = Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway locale = Paignton, Devon, England terminus = Kingswear builtby = Dartmouth and Torbay Railway originalgauge = RailGauge|ussg preservedgauge = RailGauge|ussg linename = Kingswear branch… …   Wikipedia

  • Hinton train collision — The Hinton train collision was a railway accident that occurred on February 8, 1986. Twenty three people were killed in a collision between a Canadian National Railway freight train and a VIA Rail passenger train. It was the most lethal Canadian… …   Wikipedia

  • Tram-train — A tram train is a light rail public transport system where trams also run on main line train tracks for greater flexibility and convenience. The Karlsruhe model pioneered this concept in Germany, and it has since been adopted on the RijnGouweLijn …   Wikipedia

  • Corning train wreck — Wreckage of Corning train wreck Details Date July 4, 1912 Time 5.21 a.m. Location …   Wikipedia

  • Khyber train safari — is a journey into time and history through the North West Frontier Province of Pakistan. A train pulled by two vintage steam locomotives built in 1920 s takes passengers through breathtaking and rugged mountainous terrain. The train covers a… …   Wikipedia

  • O-Train — For the basketball player nicknamed O Train , see Oscar Robertson. O Train Info Loc …   Wikipedia

  • Isle of Wight Steam Railway — Infobox rail line name = Isle of Wight Steam Railway color = logo width = 150px image width = caption = type = Heritage railway system = status = locale = Isle of Wight start = Smallbrook Junction end = Wootton stations = routes = ridership =… …   Wikipedia

  • Ottawa O-Train — Infobox Public transit name= Ottawa O Train transit type= Light Rail locale=Ottawa, Ontario lines=1 began operation=2001 system length = 8 km stations = 5 ridership =Up to 10,000 [http://www.octranspo.com/train menue.htm O Train Facts] track… …   Wikipedia

  • Driver Dan's Story Train — is a children s CGI animated story series. It is currently being shown by PBS Kids Sprout and ABC2 and CBeebies. It is produced by Twofour54 and 3linemedia[1] Its first series was launched on CBeebies in January 2010. Its characters are stylized… …   Wikipedia

  • List of rail accidents (1950–1999) — List of rail accidents from 1950 to 1999.For historic accidents before 1950, see List of pre 1950 rail accidents .For accidents from 2000 to the present, see List of rail accidents . notoc 1950s 1950* February 17 1950 ndash; Rockville Centre, New …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”