British Transport Films

Aspects of the precision and drama of locomotive manufacture, composed to form a lively pattern in picture and sound.

A film aimed at showing young people the range of careers open to them if they joined British Rail as an apprentice. It shows the support and education given to apprentices during their training.

A look at British involvement in the construction of the new double-track railway from Kowloon, on Hong Kong's harbour, to the Chinese border.

Exploration of the Slimbridge Wild Fowl Trust in Gloucestershire, England, which boasts the largest collection of living wild fowl in the world.

A random selection of housewives around the UK take a day off from their traditional domestic chores.

The work of a team of men who tackle a special British Road Services job in the treacherous terrain of the Scottish Highlands.

The holiday attractions of the Lancashire coast, including a beauty contest in Morecambe, Southport flower show and Blackpool Fun Fair.

The final episode of five reports on the construction of the Victoria Line in London. This one is edited highlights from the first four with very little new information.

A day in the life of London and the Home Counties in 1962, seen from the perspective of the use of London Transport facilities from buses and tubes to long distance coach routes, accompanied by extracts from BBC radio.

'Water', says the transport man, 'is lovely stuff' - and the development plan for British Waterways is based on this belief. The film shows parts of the plan in action, then goes to the N.E. Division, where a skipper is taking 110 tons of newsprint from Hull to Nottingham. 'As a drink', says the transport man, 'you may not think much of it. But used like this...'

‘St Christopher’s - for the children of Railway Servants’. About a hundred children are cared for at this Derby railway orphanage and this film gives a selection of scenes from a typical day: the breakfast mail, a boy with a problem, a girl with a worry, a visit from two widowers, a birthday tea party. An official insight into a forgotten aspect of railway operation.

The pleasures of sailing off the Isle of Wight are described by Uffa Fox, while Ralph Wightman tells of the peaceful life of its farms and villages.

A study of the development of British Rail's hovercraft services in the Solent and across the Channel, using SRN6, HM2 and SRN4 air-cushion vehicles.

The extension of the electrification of the Southend line from Shenfield to Southend. The last steam train leaves Liverpool Street and makes its way for a new stage in the modernisation plan for British Railways. How it was done and the men who did it.

Film charting the development of the London bus from 1829 to 1979, with the 150th anniversary of Shilibeer's first service, featuring a procession of many of the Museum's historic vehicles. Collected in BFI's "London on the Move."

A film about one of the most responsible and professional jobs on British Railways. Practical work in shop and signal box, on gantry and trackside, coupled with instruction in mechanics, electricity, electronics and draughtsmanship, lead the apprentice intro the intricacies of design, the excitement of research and experiment, and the intense satisfaction of being in on a big changeover from old-style semaphore signalling to a new coloured light system.

A BAFTA nominated documentary on the canals of England illustrated by a journey from London to Birmingham produced for the staff of the Docks and Inland Waterways Executive.

Part two in a series of five films covering the construction of the London Underground's new 'Victoria' Line. This was to be BTF's largest single project in terms of quantity of footage that was shot. These reports examine in depth the work involved in this great engineering project. As they are of a technical nature, they were only available for showing to suitable audiences. This particular film explains modern techniques of tunnelling and shows tunnels being dug.

Short documentary hymning the wonders of 'modernisation' on the railways.

Through the forward-looking windows of the new diesel multiple-unit trains reveals a new world of signs, signals and railway sights to those who ride behind the driver. For children, particularly, find this is a fascinating experience. This film communicates something of their excitement and wonder as well as some of the wry, un-conscious humour with which their pertinent and amusing questions and comments are so often interlerded.