“PUFFING BILLY” TURNS OUT IN CITY FOR BENEFIT OF CAMERAMAN

Wanganui Chronicle, 22 September 1950, Page 4

“PUFFING BILLY” TURNS OUT IN CITY FOR BENEFIT OF CAMERAMAN

A few more feet of film were used up on the old steam tramway locomotive, “Puffing Billy,” when it made an unexpected appearance in the city streets yesterday afternoon. The engine, with one trailer attached, came out for the benefit of Cinesound News, the New Zealand representative of which, Mr. Lee Hill, is making a documentary film of Wanganui transport, with historical sequences. Shortly after 2 p.m. “Puffing Billy” came whistling out of the tramway sheds and while Government locomotives in the nearby railway yards looked on with some disdain, possibly mixed with jealousy, snorted along Taupo Quay for the benefit of the cameraman. For the historical background of the film the locomotive was photographed outside an ancient, building in Taupo Quay older than “Pulling Billy“ himself. Traffic officers of the City Council traffic department kept portions of lhe street clear while the shots were being taken. People came out of offices along Taupo Quay and watched the proceedings with interest. Later, some of them went, for a ride down the street and back in the trailer as “extras” in the film. Appropriately enough, all the “extras” were members of the railway staff at Wanganui. They included a communications supervisor, a signals adjustor, seven pretty typists from the District. Traffic Manager’s office, a guard, and an assistant wharfinger. Subsequently, “Pulling Billy” set: off with ft good head of steam and much whistling for Guyton Street Extension, where more shots were taken. Crew of the locomotive yesterday were Messrs. W. S. Payne (driver), J. Edney (fireman), and K. Shanks 1 (fitter). All three have played a prominent ' part, along with others, in preparing lhe engine for the road and have formed the crew every time it has i appeared in the city. Sequences filmed yesterday will be included in a 2000 ft. documentary film tracing the history of Wanganui's transport from canoes and packhorses to Greyhound Buses. Processed and recorded in the Cinesound Studios in Sydney, the film is being produced I by Mr. Hill for Television Firns, New 'Zealand, Limited. | The completed film will lie a 20minuto featurette, hut many months • of patient work will go into it. It is l not expected Io be completed before inext February. Mr. Hill intends reviewing the complete history of lhe Greyhound Comj pany and the change-over to buses, [from the lime the Wanganui public .decided, by referendum, that it did I not want municipal control of the service. Advising lhe Greyhound Com- ■ pany earlier this week that ho wish- ; ed to produce the featurette, Mr. Hill : ent lhe following telegram: “Consider Greyhound story mo t impoil- , ant true documentary film material 1 my experience in Dominion.”