Amateur filmmaker, cinema historian and railway engineer H.A.V. Bulleid brings his professional life and passionate pastime together in a tragic tale of young love hindered by an incurable disability and the cruelty of society. Ted works as a fireman on a steam locomotive and is deeply in love with Emily, a beautiful young lady. But Emily has a disability, the result of a childhood accident which left her with a terrible limp. Constant pity from friends and the prying eyes of strangers drives a wedge between the pair, and Ted's confrontation with colleagues outside Emily's house leads to harsh words, and tragic consequences.