British Transport Collection Volume 1 – On Rail Highlight Blue Pullman Industry sponsored film, 26 min, 1960 Production: British Transport Films Credits: Ritchie, James (Directed by) British Transport Films (Production Company) Anstey, Edgar (Produced by) Mckeand, David (Unit Production Manager) Information film dealing with the new Manchester - St. Pancras Diesel Pullman train. (Synopsis) Subjects: British Rail Blue Pullman Restaurant cars Manchester Central Station St Pancras railway station Cybernetica 20 min, 1972 Production: British Transport Films Credits: Sims, Peter (Directed by) British Transport Films (Production Company) Union Internationale des Chemins de Fer (Paris) ([Produced] For) With: Aspel, Michael The use of computers in various aspects of railway operations; promotion of rail travel advantages. (Synopsis) Subjects: Computers Rail transport BFI Catalogue – British Transport Film Highlight Elizabethan Express Travelogue, 20 min, 1954 Production: British Transport Films Credits: Thompson, Tony (Director) British Transport Films (Production Company) Anstey, Edgar (Producer) Garrett, Jim (Unit Production Manager) With: Marion-Crawford, Howard - Wheatley, Alan Account of journey by The Elizabethan Express train, from London to Edinburgh. Notes: The 393 mile journey between stations was covered by this train in record breaking times during the age of steam. The film also shows maintainance activity and what the British Transport Catalogue describes as 'exciting footplate sequences [that] are probably unique'. (Synopsis) Subjects: Elizabethan Express Railway journeys Steam trains Introduction to the Diesel Train, An 7 min, 1959 Production: British Transport Films Credits: British Transport Films (Production Company) RCA Sound System (Sound System) Instructional film on driving diesel trains. Subjects: Diesel trains Dieselisation (railways) On Track for the Eighties Industry sponsored film, 15 min, 1980 Production: British Transport Films Credits: Legard, John (Director) British Transport Films (Production Company) British Railways Board (Sponsor) Ritchie, James (Produced by) With: Hawkins, Peter A review of innovation and development within British Rail and its businesses, including: modernisation of freight facilities and service to new customers; progress of the Bedford-St Pancras electrification project; paved track and permanent way maintenance; Sealink's `Galloway's Princess', Seaspeed's SRN4, and the Research department's magnetically levitated vehicle. (Synopsis) Subjects: British Rail Sealink Seaspeed Electrification (railways) Rail maintenance -2- [email protected] BFI Catalogue – British Transport Film Highlight Rail 150 Documentary, 15 min, 1975 Production: British Transport Films Credits: Craigen, Ronald (Director) British Transport Films (Production Company) British Railways Board (Sponsor) Cole, Lionel (Producer) With: Duncan, Frank Highlights the Grand Steam Cavalcade held at Shildon, on the Stockton and Darlington line, on 31 August 1975, to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the world's first public passenger steam railway. Intended for general audiences (Synopsis) Subjects: Steam trains Commemorations Stockton on Tees Highlight Train Time Documentary, 30 min, 1952 Production: British Transport Films Credits: Shearman, John (Director) British Transport Films (Production Company) Anstey, Edgar (Producer) Garrett, Jim (Unit Manager) With: Duncan, Frank - Carter, Wilfrid Documentary showing 24 hours in the life of British Railways and the work of officials in getting passenger and freight trains to their destinations on time. One of the first BT films to be given a commercial cinema release. It describes a day with the operating department of the newly formed British Railways. All the staff are seen performing their normal duties -- with the help of prompt sheets ... though the interfering Mr Calloway is played by actor Wilfrid Carter. (Synopsis) Subjects: Train timetables Rail transport British Rail Volume 1 – Off Rail Day of One's Own, A Documentary, 20 min, 1956 Production: British Transport Films Credits: Fairbairn, Kenneth (Director) British Transport Films (Production Company) Anstey, Edgar (Producer) Cooper, Ken (Assistant Director) With: Stone, Marianne - Hobley, McDonald A random selection of housewives around the country take a day off from their traditional domestic chores. (Synopsis) -3- [email protected] BFI Catalogue – British Transport Film Subjects: Trips Outdoor recreation Durham (city) Housewives Women's Institute -4- [email protected] BFI Catalogue – British Transport Film Great Highway, The Industry sponsored film, 21 min, 1966 Production: British Transport Films Credits: Baxter, R.K. Neilson (Directed by) Nicholls, Nick (Co-director) British Transport Films (Production Company) British Railways Board (Sponsor) With: Stockbridge, John - Denham, Maurice - Jack, Stephen How the main lines between London, Crewe, Manchester and Liverpool have served the needs of population and industry since they were first conceived by George Stephenson and a comparison is made between the new achievements of electrification and the work of the railway pioneers. (Synopsis) Subjects: Electrification (railways) Rail transport Great Britain John Betjeman Goes by Train King's Lynn to Hunstanton Travelogue, 10 min, 1962 Production: British Transport Films Credits: Freegard, Malcolm (Director) British Transport Films (Production Company) BBC TV East Anglia (In association with) With: Betjeman, John A journey on the former branch line from King's Lynn to Hunstanton undertaken by the poet laureate and veteran railway enthusiast. He describes the (now closed) station at Wolferton in his usual inimitable manner. (Synopsis) Subjects: Railway journeys East Anglia Norfolk Highlight Snowdrift at Bleath Gill Documentary, 10 min, 1955 Production: British Transport Films Credits: Fairbairn, Kenneth (Director) British Transport Films (Production Company) Anstey, Edgar (Producer) With: Guyler, Deryck - Williams, Ben The rescue of a freight train stuck in a heavy snowdrift between Barnard Castle and Kirkby Stephen in the Pennines. One of the most outstanding films of its kind, and a perennial favourite with the audience. (Synopsis) Subjects: Stainmore Steam trains North York Moors Snow Emergency services -5- [email protected] BFI Catalogue – British Transport Film Highlight This Is York Travelogue, 20 min, 1953 Production: British Transport Films Credits: Holmes, J.B. (Director) British Transport Films (Production Company) Anstey, Edgar (Producer) With: Crossland, Frank - McCarthy, Denis Set in and around the ancient city of York, this film is mainly concerned with the arrivals and departures of trains at the main line station -- as seen through the eyes of the station master. One of the finest of the early productions, this widely screened film is directed by veteran Jack Holmes, and contains one of the unit's most inspired scores -- a veritable symphonic poem by the underrated Leighton Lucas. (Synopsis) Subjects: York Railway stations Yorkshire Rail transport Rail-road vehicles This Year - London Travelogue, 25 min, 1951 Production: British Transport Films Credits: Krish, John (Director) Holmes, J.B. (Director) British Transport Films (Production Company) Anstey, Edgar (Executive Producer) Cameras follow the staff of a Midland boot factory on their day off. The film shows the staff on the train journey to London and on a sight-seeing trip around the capital. Lunch is followed by an afternoon cruise on the Thames from Richmond to Hampton Court, with tea in the Tilt Yard. The day ends with a night in the West End. (Synopsis) Subjects: London Works outings Trains Tourists Richmond upon Thames Under the River Industry sponsored film, 27 min, 1959 Production: British Transport Films Credits: Baxter, R.K. Neilson (Directed by) British Transport Films (Production Company) Anstey, Edgar (Produced by) Meredith, Roy (Production Assistant) An account of the construction of the Severn tunnel, and a record of the original pumping engines in operation seventy years later. Subjects: Railway engineering Severn Tunnel Pumps Tunnels Tunnelling -6- [email protected] BFI Catalogue – British Transport Film Volume 2 – See Britain By Train Any Man's Kingdom Travelogue, 22 min, 1956 Production: British Transport Films Credits: Thompson, Tony (Director) British Transport Films (Production Company) Anstey, Edgar (Executive Producer) Ferguson, Ian (Producer) With: Murray, Stephen One of the most interesting and atmospheric of the travelogues produced by the company in the mid-1950s, this boasts an elegantly spoken narration by the much used Stephen Murray, and a disturbing score by Elisabeth Lutyens which, in its closing pages, brilliantly evokes the bleakness of the Northumberland moors. (Synopsis) Subjects: Northumberland Capital Visit A School Journey Travelogue, 20 min, 1955 Production: British Transport Films Credits: Sharples, Syd (Director) British Transport Films (Production Company) Anstey, Edgar (Executive Producer) Ferguson, Ian (Producer) With: Duncan, Frank - Simons, William - Edmonds, Christine - headmaster, staff and children of Headless Cross School, Redditch, Worcestershire - A party of schoolchildren spend three days in London, visiting the parks, museums, shops, the Tower of London, London airport, St. Paul's Cathedral, Windsor Castle, Greenwich and the Pool, and see the Changing of the Guard. (Synopsis) Subjects: London School Children H.M. Tower of London St. Paul's Cathedral (City of London)