B & R Volumes 1 to 6

Q. Where are the missing Volumes 1 to 6?

A. They have not been available since the early 1990s because they are poor quality. When B & R first started producing their archive steam videos, they did not have (very expensive) professional video editing equipment. So these first 6 videos (which include archive steam scenes and early preservation scenes) were mastered directly onto VHS tape. However their picture & sound quality compares badly with Volume 7 and above (mastered with professional Umatic equipment). So B & R quickly withdrew Volumes 1 to 6 from the market. I've been producing the sleeve masters for B & R since around the time the original VHS Volume 18 was released and I'd never seen or sold a copy of any of the Volumes 1 to 6 until April 2009 when as a favour, Ray was kind enough to make some copies of them for my private use!!!

For archive purposes, B & R have made DVD copies of the VHS masters for these volumes. They are not usually made available for sale. However as a special favour to Wolverton Rail, B & R will make copies available to my customers but only those who would otherwise have the complete set. They are a special order. Please email me or fill in my contact form if you are interested. Remember you are buying them only to complete your set. The quality is poor and prior to December 2020 they had used generic sleeves. A customer had the complete set of B & R volumes so wanted to complete his collectionThen I decided to make up a set of masters for these early volumes (I have never produced a master sleeve for any of these early volumes but I might in the future and by the time you read this one or more "proper" sleeves may exist). But these six volumes are like hen's teeth... very rare!