Guest actor: Patrick Mower as The Duke of Flockton.

Jimmy returns to the Flockton line, having tried his hand in the world of work.

Commander Frost reveals the shocking news that the line is to loose four miles of its track, splitting it in two. The Duke of Flockton has returned from southern Africa, and wants his bit of railway back so that he can run his own trains on it.

Bill Jelly hatches a plan to secure the future of the line - but it is a huge gamble, not approved of by everyone.

Locations - The opening shots are at Crowcombe. Harry Lee's camping coach, usually located at Minehead, was moved to the former stone siding at Crowcombe. This provided real-life accommodation for Harry Lee whilst engaged in the filming and a storyline "home" for Bill Jelly. The station was dressed-up a bit by the TV company. The ugly concrete screen at the entrance to the Gents' toilet was covered by a white wooden lean-to shed. A couple of lamp-posts were located on the platform, and the woodwork of the station building and the fence at the Minehead end were spruced-up with a quick lick of paint. The WSR's Permanent Way Department re-laid the stone siding, and enough of the Down platform line to give the appearance of a two track station.

We meet The Duke's engine Vulcan at Stogumber station. Vulcan was hastily readied for its role in the programme. The Bagnall 0-6-0 saddle tank had arrived on the WSR in its early days with Victor.

Flockton Castle, The Duke's home, was shot at Halsway Manor, near Crowcombe.

The race starts and finishes at Crowcombe, with much of the actual racing taking place on the double track section between Bishops Lydeard and Norton Fitzwarren. The ex Down line had been taken out of use by BR in October 1970, and so had not seen a train for seven years.

Harry Lee appears in this episode, as The Duke's driver. Equity (the actors' union) rules prevented the use of any dialogue by non-members, so The Duke seems to have a mute driver. The script originally required Harry to also be in charge of The Duke's carriage and horses; it is not known why the actual programme didn't turn out this way.

With Harry on the footplate of Vulcan, 6412 was in the charge of David Butcher.

A film crew arrive on the line to make a film about British Army action during the Indian Mutiny. The Flyer is disguised as an Indian locomotive Star of India, whilst Bob Carter and Bill Jelly are hired as extras.

Romance is in the air when Jan Carter accepts a dinner invitation from Christopher Bell.

The filmmakers run out of money, and the project is only saved when Bill pulls-in a favour from an old friend.

Locations - The film crew are working at Crowcombe, along the railway, and in the countryside nearby. "Clouds" Nightclub gets a mention - it really did exist in Minehead in those days, as several WSR folks will remember with varying degrees of embarrassment.

Several WSR volunteers make appearances as extras in this episode. The platoon of soldiers consists of Gil Bird, John Francis, John Griffiths, Tim Maddocks, Steve Martin, Nick Jones and Mark Stanistreet. Lindsey Brain is the damsel in distress. Sheik Ben Yamin is played by Brian Stainton. Linda Butcher drives past in he Renault 5 as Jan and Christopher meet for their date. Harry Lee is shown looking out at the action from the cab of 6412. Steve Martin and I spent time in charge of the Gatling gun. Although it was firing blank rounds, the gun made a huge noise - enough to have everyone asking for cotton wool to stuff into their ears, in self defence.

Bob Carter is giving an engine driving lesson to Commander Frost. They find themselves off F.L.E.R.P.S. territory, and come across Potts, a former shipmate of the Commander's. Potts has his own engine, 0-4-0 Peckett saddle tank 1163 Whitehead. Potts agrees to help Frost learn to drive. When Frost next visits, he becomes suspicious about Potts' involvement with some cattle.

Bill Jelly, realises that it is his birthday, but he's worried in case it's been has been forgotten.

Meanwhile, Jimmy is out on his bike, jobhunting, when he has a sharp encounter with a local farmer who wonders where his cattle have gone.

Locations - Potts' home is at Williton. According to the filming schedule, the farm is at Nettlecombe. Jan and Jessica pay a visit to Althea, Commander Frost's wife. Scenes in their garden were shot at a cottage on Church Steps, Minehead.

Bob Carter and the railway run into a dispute with the local hunt. Both Bob and The Master of Foxhounds become very belligerent with each other, and before long Bob is getting cross with everyone around him, including Bill Jelly, who he argues with, accusing Bill of being lazy.

Bill is packing his bags, ready to leave. But there is an injured horse to rescue. Will the argumentative men forget their differences?

Locations - much of the filming for this episode was one in the area around Leigh Bridge. The hunt rides through some of the very beautiful West Somerset countryside.

The scene in the Frost's garden was shot at a cottage on Church Steps, Minehead.

The West Somerset Hunt took part in the action, and their Carhampton stables feature.

Gerald Harper enjoyed his role as the MFH. He said he had a passion for foxhunting in an interview for TV Times. He did not enjoy, however, his horse being spooked by 6412's whistle, turning the air blue with suitably horsey language.

There is not much for young Jessica and her dog, Yeller, to do. Everyone is too busy to have time for her. She meets a young man at the harbour, working on his father's boat.

Jessica stows away, hidden on a goods train, and goes missing.

When Bill Jelly returns from an old comrades' reunion, he has an idea where Jess might be. It's all aboard the Flyer, and a full speed trip to the sea to see if the youngster can be found.

Locations - a small consignment of merchandise is loaded at Blue Anchor, where 6412 and a goods van stand "wrong road" in the Down platform (because the light was better for filming on that side)

The small boat is in the harbour at Minehead, and Jessica uses the jetty's steps to board.

Washford and Watchet docks are seen, and Jimmy and Jan go searching for Jessica in The Avenue, Minehead, near the station. There is a meeting between Commander Frost's car and 6412 at the rather dilapidated level crossing at Roebuck gate. Steep Holm, the island in the Bristol Channel, is renamed Hodder's Knot, for the programme, although scenes located there were actually filmed at Porlock.

Bob and the Flyer are bowling along the railway with a passenger train when they encounter a family of trespassers.

Bob learns that the trespassers are homeless gypsies, and wants to help. But Frost and the Board do not see things Bob's way. Meanwhile, Bill Jelly intervenes and seems to make matters worse.

Jimmy starts a haulage business, helped by his sister. Their first load goes missing. Did the gypsies do it?

Locations - The encounter between 6412 and the gypsy family happens on the railway between Stogumber and Leigh Wood Level Crossing.

Jimmy's truck is loaded with furniture at the farmhouse near Roebuck Gate level crossing.

The closing shot is of 6412 hauling the WSR's converted CCT vehicle, carrying Sylvia and her band of gypsies off to their new home, under Lydeard Bridge, just to the south of Crowcombe station. This vehicle played a big part in the early days of the WSR, being the only way we had of moving Permanent Way and other materials around the line.

The two gypsy children were played by Andrew and Claire Butcher.

Filming for Series 2 was completed early in October 1977, and there was great pressure on the TV crew to get the programmes finished in time for broadcasting from early in January 1978. As was typical of TV practice at the time, the interior scenes were performed in studios, and recorded on 2" video tape (VT). The Director was in charge of assembling studio scenes with the edited film "inserts" from the location filming. Music was added, as well as captions, the station idents, and title sequences with the credits. All in all, this, coupled with actors' availability to come to the studio sessions, made this process quite a tricky juggling act.

I was fortunate enough to be invited, along with others from the WSR, to a studio session at the Southern TV centre at Northam, near Southampton for a day when the last episode from series 1 was being put together. It was quite spooky to be on the studio floor in "Minehead" station's booking hall.

Series 2 was first transmitted by ITV on Mondays at 4.45 pm between 9th January and 14th February 1978.