Portrait of an engineer - 1954

Filmed just prior to the introduction of British Railways 'Modernization Plan', this educational film follows production engineer Ted Wilson as he goes through a typical day at the Vulcan Foundry in Newton-le-Willows, Lancashire, during the early 1950's.

[@dideban8355]

The locomotive you see at the end of the video with serial number 5258 is now in the Iranian Railway Museum🙂

[@antonyjohnson4489]

What an impressive loco👍

[@khtrains]

The diesel locomotive at 12:55 is a Queensland Railways 1200 class.

[@fernandosantiagorodrigueze2655]

​@@khtrains And there are no documentaries of the construction of the Renfe Mikado 141 F ?

[@TheScentofmusic]

Wonderful good old days of steam. As a Metallurgical Engineer I still wonder how British Engineering was marvelous and indepth then when I was a child and thrilled with steam locomotives in 1950s.

[@Tjerty]

Such amazing work. It's unreal to me that people once made such large and intricate machines without automated computer technology. All with their own hands eyes and measurements. Insane!

[@philjones8427]

Judging by some of these comments these armchair engineers have not worked in any engineering capacity. Chief engineers in those days were a different breed to the uni. lot now. Many still insisted on a drawing board in the office. I was fortunate enough to undergo an engineering training scheme followed by years as a contractor in many differing engineering environments. I remember men like Ted Wilson.

[@johnward374]

Ted Wilson a man of many talents. In the NHS there would be 20 senior managers on exorbitant salaries doing his different roles, who would only ever be seen when things go haywire to inform Joe Public that lessons will be learned. Ted Wilson we award you. Pipe man of the year 1954.

[@andycromwell8229]

spiffing stuff!

[@andrewallen9993]

Thanks to such expert managers the NHS has such a horrible record for lives saved.

[@dunebasher1971]

@@andrewallen9993 What "horrible record"? Despite 13 years of mismanagement and underfunding by the Tories, it's still rated one of the best healthcare systems in the world.

[@andrewallen9993]

@@dunebasher1971 By Zimbabweans. Huge quantities of cash hoovered up by jobsworth civil servants and management's whilst sick people are left to die in the huge waiting lines. Tried to see a GP in person recently?

[@johnallen7807]

8000+ Equality & Diversity managers for a start!

[@westlock]

The foundry was opened in 1832, switched over to electric locomotives a few years after this video was made, closed in 2002, was demolished in 2007, and was replaced by housing units in 2010.

[@kevinstaddon8517]

Fantastic, starting from the bottom up. No doubt a gentleman and well respected by the workforce.

[@arilebon]

It was a promotional film. Ted was an actor. Perhaps a few others as well. www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b75a6e69e It was targeted to foreign markets.

[@ShortArmOfGod]

The real guy was probably an asshole.

[@davesaunders3334]

He's an actor you tit.

[@prakasamkannadi7616]

Railway station in my town is very close to high school and elementary school close to track. I have seen steam engines very often during my school days ( 1950- 1962). Played game of steam engine with other kids making steam horn sounds. In this video I have seen the making of steam engine and its majestic designer Mr. Ted Wilson. My salutes to him. How can I express my reaction, parts of engine I have seen and their make in factory. Gone are the days of steam locomotion. My admiration to Vulcan Foundry , Lancashire. Later, on the track I have seen diseal engines with name plate some thing like " received under Colombo plan". Big thanks to KZbin.

[@Quebecoisegal]

I am always impressed and in awe of the skills of these men, to create a beautiful locomotive in what were horrendous working conditions.

[@dennisroyhall121]

A superb documentary and grateful thanks for making it available.

[@johnschlesinger2009]

Wonderful. This technology and skill in manufacture is hugely impressive. No nasty throw-away junk.

[@Michael-me8zo]

Ted walks around a hot factory in a three piece suit with an overcoat and never breaks a sweat or dirties his sleeves. I can’t carry in the groceries without needing a change of clothes

[@timtraver7152]

Wonderful video! I can't help but notice the lack of any safety equipment, eye protection, face shields, ear protection and even gloves at times.

[@dunebasher1971]

Yes, industrial accidents were pretty horrible back then, and long-term damage to hearing, vision etc wasn't unusual.

[@PhillHorrocks]

Ted walks into the design office with his pipe. Pure class! 👍

[@dennisroyhall121]

Indeed! He calls to mind Laurence Olivier as King Henry V and his reflections so wonderfully described by Shakespeare when in mufti he walks among his men on the eve of Agincourt, appraising the mood and temper of each, and with great respect towards them....

[@thedave7760]

Ted doesn't seem to actually do very much, he just goes from one process to another every two minutes giving a brief yes or no until someone tugs his collar and drags him of to another place. I get the feeling no one really wants Ted hanging around.

[@nickmiller76]

Just being called Ted is class. The pipe takes it to another level. There were still plenty of engineers like this when I started at Rolls-Royce Ltd in 1970. By God they knew their stuff.

[@Nick-ye5kk]

Ted seems a little too good to be true, he's an actor, but obviously a decent chap

[@29brendus]

My Dad smoked a pipe and looked like a workman, which he was, and all the people in this video looked like workmen to me. I don't think Ted here is an actor? Nope! The great days of British Manufacture stolen by design and sent to China.

[@colinmeredith6258]

My Grandfather, Robert Binns was an engineer at Vulcan foundry at this time fascinating to see the place working

[@jeylful]

Great video!

[@stephensmith799]

The apprentice route at its best. All the way from learning how to use files correctly to supervising production overall. It’s arguable that social mobility has declined since then however you can still become a chief pilot of a chief constable by joining without a degree but with talent and enthusiasm.

[@oneworldonefamily9904]

addicted to this channel

[@sandeeppaunikar]

Thank you for such a good film

[@cliffleigh7450]

On the footplate during testing: "His ears can often detect any mechanical faults unaided by any mechanical means" - it's a wonder he has any hearing left after earlier scenes! "By the feel of his hand on the throttle he can tell if the engine is responding correctly" - except that he isn't driving is he?

[@nickmiller76]

I bet you vote Labour.

[@andrewallen9993]

Deaf as a post after a few years in a boiler factory!

[@ccatkinson96]

At 14:20, I've never seen a micrometer read from that side of the barrel.

[@Nick-ye5kk]

You know "Ted" is an actor right?

[@beardyface8492]

What they're not telling you about Ted, after those years in each shop, is that he's now deaf as a post.

[@bussesandtrains1218]

i suppose thats why they come to him with hand written notes and he responds with hand gestures

[@FutureFlash2034]

Very informative video. Cant believe you have such good videos on this channel of British steam locomotive history. I looked into the Vulcan Foundry and its upsetting to know such a great place has no brick left of it now except for Vulcan Village. If only the age of steam never died and steam locomotives alongside electric continued to progress.

[@DudeFrom1972]

I'll agree with you to the extent that electric trains should continued to be improved, however, wishing steam locomotives to have a comeback is simply to over romanticising them; steam locomotives belongs to the museums and on the heritage railways period ! I may sound harsh, however, I don't think you're aware how much a coal fired locomotive pollutes its surroundings (there was a reason why buildings in cities were blacked in the old days and the burning of coal for various reasons were a contributing factor), you could upgrade them to burn oil instead, however, watching this clip would make you think twice: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gnmsZol-d9x8nKs Then we haven't even begun to discuss how labour intensive they are to maintain which you'll discover if you watch this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gnSUc3iZZZmcY5I So I'm absolutely fine with that we stopped using steam locomotive they had their glorious time and for that we should cherish them, but they still belongs in a museum and/or on the various heritage railways...

[@FutureFlash2034]

@@DudeFrom1972 I do agree with you, but there are still diesel locomotives out there that still pollute the environment. All I was saying is that it would have been great to see them continue to be refined, to be more efficent and less pollutive, as steam trains over time did accomplish this compaired to their ancestors.

[@colingatenby3010]

Brilliant British Engineering at its peak. Unfortunate that today, we have next to nothing. No way even with computer aided design, we could build such a scale of Locomotives, that were truly 'built to last'. Those in the film, that have survived from being scrapped, still going strong today.

[@bob28952]

Great film, thanks, and they had proper trousers in those days (5:14) plus belt and braces.

[@kkoch666]

Ted is the cleanest hands on guy I've ever seen..

[@RHR-221b]

👍 Thank you, BBR. R 😎

[@-yeme-]

old Ted doesnt know how to use a micrometer, thats for sure

[@Nick-ye5kk]

Wonderful actor though.

[@martinrutley-wk5ds]

We do NOT smoke in or about office premises. Thank you.

[@JC-gm3zs]

Er...this is 1954, not 2024.

[@dennisroyhall121]

Watching the pouring of molten metal at 4:55 makes me wonder whether there ever was any danger of any jumping over onto those closely observing, though none wears any protective face shield....Likewise, the hammering of hot metal for any flying splinters...But maybe not after all....

[@sivanandadas4761]

Thankyou sir. Very good film. Thanks god.

[@cipriansofineti346]

Are these guys actors? They looked so different ,way better than today .

[@Sameoldfitup]

Great Men We Salute You All

[@shauntaylor9251]

Seeing the large amount of workers involved i wonder how many man hours went into each loco

[@torgeirbrandsnes1916]

When Covid is over, or under control, I must travel to the UK and be a passenger on a steam train. I have heard they have over 500 miles of track with vintage railways! Me like!

[@davesaunders3334]

Since Brexit foreigners are no longer welcome. Sorry.

[@GreatCenteralGlory]

Some must-visits are the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, Severn Valley Railway, Tal-y-llyn Railway, Barrow Hill Roundhouse and the Bluebell Railway.

[@paulnicholson1906]

amazing to think all his experience would be unneeded in a few years.

[@darylcheshire1618]

I listened to a talk given by the VR CME and he said they’d look at a blueprint of a steam locomotive and request the weight be reduced by say, 100 pounds. How would you do that with a stack of blueprints? Easy on a CAD.

[@TheFreshSpam]

You would get an engineer who knows the inside out workings of the train to go around the build and find panels to shave down or chunks of metal to carve out. Then. Once cut out you adapt the part in the drawings. Not that hard, digital has just made sharing it faster and easier

[@josephdbishop6576]

Many hours of calculating with trigonometry and a slide rule…that’s how!

[@darylcheshire1618]

@@josephdbishop6576 maybe plan holes in the frame and strategic non critical locations?

[@seamusellis1450]

It's a sobering thought that none of those locomotives being made for British Railways would see 15 years mainline service...

[@GreatCenteralGlory]

I don't think any in this video were being made for BR. As far as I know, Vulcan didn't produce any standards. (From my knowledge, might be wrong though.)

[@PebbleStudio]

what is interesting to me is that there is probably nowhere in England where these engineering skills exist now. this quite frightening really when you consider the skill base our country now rests on and how fragile it is. today we have an economy mostly based on financial 'products' and administration service. our greatest skill set is in a management cult focused on protecting their status and roles but creating nothing of greater substance than steering profits into shareholder bank accounts. one breakdown in the global economy, a conflict between china and the u.s.a. and we could be in the dark ages double quick. on a brighter note, here's bob with the weather!

[@homeandelectronicsstop1599]

a big job for many people

[@scratchdog2216]

6:05> Watch the camera jumping. I seriously doubt that's SFX.

[@l33tpie]

In the next scene there is still a slight rhythmic jump (apart from the camera wobble) you can see at the same intervals. You could probably feel that thing throughout the whole building.

[@georgemitchell2992]

I wonder what happened to ted, and when he retired,surely somebody knew him?

[@jaredwernell8753]

He was an actor

[@davesaunders3334]

I heard he shared a flat in Pimlico with Basil Brush and the Go Compare opera singer.

[@subhranshuganguly2246]

CLW in India started in 1947 repairing and rebuilding British locos.

[@rizaeririza9702]

👍👍 saya suka dengan film² anda

[@Papa-vq3fv]

We need 102 Ted Like guys in Washington DC Ted Wilson for President.

[@johnsharp8632]

I served an engineering apprenticeship in the 1960s. A totally different industry, but many of the skills were similar. I now have impaired hearing from my time as an apprentice in noisy press shops and machine shops before the 'noise at work regulations' were introduced and ear defenders became mandatory. Pity those poor souls in the boiler shop and the forging shop at the Vulcan works. Not enough people in Britain have ever filed metal and have no clue how things are made. Hence, they call their little gadgets 'tech'.

[@Sameoldfitup]

Why would 18 people give this thumbs down?

[@Offshoreorganbuilder]

Because they are 'trolls'- i.e. imbeciles. It's a form of vandalism. They see something good and want to destroy it. They are to be pitied.

[@tuc-dh4df]

What was the diesel class loco?

[@crewkerne40]

At 13.00 it was built for Queensland Railways.

[@swordswam]

all gone to the ruins....oh! those were the days..........

[@yakubcemil4228]

Thank you for working. Greeting for Türkiye

[@ecw0647]

Still designing and building steam locomotives in the fifties? They would certainly have a short life.

[@roadracing3]

I've worked in construction and industry for 30 years along with firearms and automotive hobbies.........my ears are hurting from just watching this video, haha.

[@curtislowe4577]

Engineering is one of those activities that cannot realistically be shown with a film portrayal. According to this film Ted "solved" a dozen problems during a walk through the facility. Problems that were the responsibility of much, much lower line supervision to prevent. Anyone who's ever been involved with equipment testing knows it's mostly mind-numbing boredom followed by many hours of reducing the raw data into results. That Ted could wander into a test already underway and "solve" a problem with a locomotive engine is specious nonsense. Heat engines are designed to convert fuel to heat. Not once was it noted that the coal required to produce a certain quantity of steam of a certain temperature and pressure was first carefully graded for size and analyzed for carbon, volatiles and ash. The amount burned was also recorded. Likely more tests were run to determine how the boiler responds to other types and sizes of coal. That alone could easily require days if not more than a week of round the clock testing. Then there's water quality... Ted may well have done all these things but doing them all in a single day? Poppycock and balderdash.

[@RHR-221b]

👍

[@Dedubya-]

No doubt you're right, these old films were really a showcase of British engineering skills rather than a true fly on the wall account, in a world that was changing fast and other countries were catching up or overtaking what was once arguably one of, or the world leader in engineering of boats, trains and many other items ...when this was made food rations finally ended in Britain, 9 years after the war, the country was broke and desperate to show it was still a world leader of engineering and a super power....albeit sitting further down the table since the US and Russia took centre stage, it must have been obvious that the country was no longer the might workshop of the world that it once was.

[@ThePiquedPigeon]

"Poppycock and balderdash" such a fancy statement, I've grown two monocles just by reading it!!

[@Steven_Rowe]

A wonderful old doco in an age when Britain actually made things instead of importing everything. I found it amusing the good old Ted knew everything from driving a steam loco to telling a blacksmith what to do and how to do it., of course he didn't know itcall, this is just a doco. The only person I know of who could do everything was James Bond. Sad to thing all these loco builders folded like North British did too.

[@tommycoad7410]

what is the steam engine at 15:50?

[@tommycoad7410]

Found it myself Vulcan Iranian Railways Class 52 2-10-2

[@mohamedsayed4697]

❤

[@mercomania]

Those locomotives do not look like British outline and at about 17.33 they seem to have plates in Arabic script. I wonder where these engines ended up and if they still exist today,

[@brianparkhurst1019]

Looks like Ted has a hell of life. 2.3 kids and a hot blonde at home, and I'm seriously jealous of Ted.

[@floor993]

Wonderful film, have seen it several time, still it’s a joy to see again. By the way, I think Ted didn’t knew one shit of the whole process, because he was an hired model or actor😂.... have a cigarette sir? Looking at his empty pipe, yes thank you... wonderful!!

[@lwilton]

There is a good chance you are wrong. While the scenes were obviously staged for the camera (you don't think there was a camera following him around all the time do you), in the places where he had to use a tool he clearly knew what he was doing. Also, offering a cig to someone else was a common gesture of friendship in those days. And it was not limited to just males, nor to only people of the same sex. Smoking pipes and cigars was relatively unusual, most people smoked cigs. So it was not too unusual to forget that the other person smoked a pipe (even if they had it in their hand) and offer them a cig. Most pipe smokers, which preferring the taste of their pipe tobacco, would accept a cig, when it was offered.

[@nigelgilbert8820]

Certainly didn't know how to use a micrometer @ 14:17!

[@sjoormen1]

one man supervising everything, micromanaging nightmare.

[@Nick-ye5kk]

Its a film, Ted is an actor

[@sjoormen1]

@@Nick-ye5kk it's wery well known atitude of some people-

[@chemistryinstruments7156]

Amazed they don't get steam burns

[@prich0382]

I can't find anything on "Ted Wilson"

[@arilebon]

Ted was an actor, It was a promotional film. Enjoyable nonetheless. Albeit not quite accurate.

[@jvgreendarmok]

@@arilebon I guess "Ted Wilson" was like "John Smith" or "Joe Bloggs".

[@peacefullpeople7714]

وہ یادیں رلا دیتے ہیں کس طرح اسوقت کے گورنمنٹ، ٹیکنیکل یونیورسٹیز ، انجنیئرز نے کتنی خلوصِ دل سے کام کیا اور اس سے بہی زیادہ تحسین کے مستحق ریلویز کے اسٹاف ہیں وہ کتنی جسمانی و ذہنی محنت سے عام لوگوں کے لیئے پر سکون سفر مھیا کرتے تھے

[@johnallen7807]

In the days when we manufactured products and trained the workforce!

[@Alloneword-cp2xw]

Back when 1 household income would be enough to financially support a family and the house.

[@GaryNumeroUno]

If only all managers came from this calibre of people who have worked their way up the ladder instead of these useless university idiots we have these days. The country would run a whole lot smoother and efficiently.

[@davesaunders3334]

Prat.

[@chubeye1187]

Building steam in the 50's, and we wonder why we haven't a locomotives industry

[@lwilton]

And when do you think that steam died out? Hint: the first half of the 1950s was the transition period. Engineering in England died out during "the great brain drain" of the 1970s.

[@prich0382]

@@lwilton UK is just full of service jobs now, so crap, how far we have fallen

[@prich0382]

@MusicalElitist1 It just is, that's what happened to a developed country, eventually almost all industry goes and survive jobs come in. It's so shit, there's fuck all by me, the only big place is TATA Steel and that place loses money all the time, everywhere else is small engineering businesses who are struggling to compete. Country is down the fucking drain.

[@yotamamit9945]

Yotam Amit❤😊

[@andycromwell8229]

Notice how there isn't a single bit of paperwork related to lawyers or suing culture

[@dunebasher1971]

Why would there be, in a film intended to promote heavy engineering? Suing culture didn't exist in the UK until the 1990s, when the Tories deregulated the legal profession and allowed legal firms to advertise. That led to the rise of the no-win-no-fee ambulance-chasing lawyer in the UK.

[@andycromwell8229]

@@dunebasher1971 it's also today's risk adverse culture and over-regulations that transcends beyond the blame of any one political party and is common to other western countries

[@PhillHorrocks]

The very fabric of what made Britain great is woven throughout this gem of a film. The can do attitude coupled with a lack of government red tape meant that good, honest work could be done unimpeded. Even though I am far to young, I appreciate what my relatives went through to make the world a better place all those years ago. Such a shame its all gone to rat shit now.

[@richmanwisco]

You understand that the entire British rail system was nationalized by the time they made this film, right?

[@dunebasher1971]

Presumably, by "a lack of government red tape meant that good, honest work could be done unimpeded", you mean nobody gave two shits about the welfare of the workers? Yes, you're right. It was quite common for the people working in the foundries to end up with severely impaired hearing and other long-term disabilities/health issues directly caused by their working environment, and that was just the way it was. Do you *really* pine for a return to those days?

[@Nick-ye5kk]

Please tell me you know "Ted" is an actor. Great film though.

[@Nick-ye5kk]

Well it's bleedin obvious, but his handling of the micrometer is plain wrong.

[@jazzdad2650]

In other words, Ted is a busy-body.

[@johnstudd4245]

Ted likes those young boys, doesn't he.

[@quychang4471]

The original steampunks!!

[@johnward374]

Men in the factory stood on a plank of wood tipping out molten metal. Don't think that would go down to well with H&S nowadays.

[@johncarden1112]

Good quality film. These locos are bound for the old Empire, middle east I'd say. Note the lack of health and safety, a steam hammer shaping a block if red hot steel, feet away from shirt sleeved workers. In these days the workers had their own homes and guaranteed jobs. See what successive governments gave done to the security of the working people.

[@nigelfarley814]

Very true. In those times people took a pride in their work and the Government took pride in the Nation. These days I’m so ashamed of what this once great and wonderful nation has become.

[@ianjones4116]

It's all Ted's fault. He taught all the college students for free. Spent the rest of his time at the factory. So no time for his wife,,, so no children for Ted. Then the students went back to there countries and built there own loco's. Leaving Ted a broken, wifeless, homeless, Jobless Shadow of a man . Poor Ted 👍😎 Good film though.

[@TheBodshaw]

Poor Ted, they closed the place 8 years later.

[@glynwelshkarelian3489]

A good film, but the bomb in the firebox wasn't the fact that making steam engines like this was horribly dangerous; but that it was horribly inefficient. A small army of skilled men making tiny numbers of non-standard parts, too many of which depended on just human judgement and crude mechanical measures. For instance: the film says the forgers judged the temperature of the metal "by eye", a notoriously bad way of judging temperature.

[@SB5SimulationsFerroviairesEEP]

It's beautiful, isn't it? It's even surreal. How could they do this without a computer? How could they know what kind of metal, what kind of nuts and bolts? The size of the threads? How could they know the wheel sizes, the length of the connecting rods? Even their shape? How could they work in such a furnace with just shirts on their shoulders? Whereas nowadays, you need overalls, and protective gear! Where did the measuring instruments come from to find out whether the machining was good or not? Who trained the first engineer? Who made the first plan of these big machines, without ever having seen them before? No wonder what is happening on this planet without anyone asking the right questions? How did the first men learn about the different alloys that could be used? Who told them all this? Then the tests! How many workers and engineers died in machine explosions during the first tests? Strange to know that suddenly everything is there in the so-called modern man! As for a program. How did we go from the very first small steam engines to big monsters of several tons? With some of them equipped with gas turbines! How did the hunter-gatherer get there? When it seems that he was chasing mammoths to feed his family? Finally the man increased, how long has it been going on? Ah yes! Since the beginning! How does man know what he knows? For example for these steam engines, how did man make all the different elements that make up his machines? Surprised that nobody asks the question under this video? And who invented the machines that make machines? So what was the first machine in the history of the industrial machine? And why was it designed? And by whom? And on the basis of what it observes in nature? So easy to talk about evolution. Animals have existed on this Earth much longer than we have, and where are their machines? Steph. C'est magnifique pas vrai? C'est même surréaliste. Comment pouvaient ils faire cela sans le moindre ordinateur? Comment pouvaient savoir quel type de métaux, d'écrous de boulons? La taille du filetage? Comment pouvaient ils savoir les tailles de roues, la longueur des bielles? Même leur forme? Comment faisaient ils pour travailler dans une telle fournaise avec juste des chemises sur les épaules. Alors que de nos jours, il faut des bleus de travail, et des équipements de protections! D'où sont sorti les instruments de mesures pour savoir sur les usinages étaient bon ou pas? Qui à formé le premier ingénieur? Qui a réalisé le premier plan de ces grosses machines, sans jamais en avoir vue auparavant? Etonnant non ce qu'il se passe sur cette planète sans que personne se pose les bonnes questions? Comment les premiers hommes ont été mis au courant des différents alliages possible? Qui leur a soufflé tout ça? Puis les essais! Combien d'ouvriers et d'ingénieurs sont décédés dans des explosions de machines lors des premiers essais? Etrange quand même tout se savoir qui soudain est là en l'homme dit moderne! Comme pour un programme. Comme est on passé des toutes premières machines à vapeur de petites tailles aux gros monstres de plusieurs tonnes? Avec certaine d'entre elles équipées de turbines à gaz! Comment le chasseur cueilleur en est il arrivé là? Alors qu'il parait qu'il courait après les mammouths pour nourrir sa famille? Finalement l'homme augmenté, ça dure depuis combien de temps? Ah oui! depuis le commencement! Comment l'homme sait ce qu'il sait? Par exemple pour ces machines à vapeur, comment l'homme a t-il fait pour réaliser tous les différents éléments qui composent ses machines? Etonnant que personne ne se pose la question sous cette vidéo? Et qui a inventé les machines qui fabriquent des machines? Donc quelle a été la première machine dans l'histoire de la machine industrielle? Et pour qu'elle raison a t-elle été conçue? Et par qui? Et sur la base de qu'elle observation dans la nature? Tellement facile de parler d'évolution. Les animaux existent sur cette Terre depuis bien plus longtemps que nous, et où sont leurs machines? Stéph.

[@johnnycats5157]

I'm not a fan of one-dimensional nostalgia, but that sure was a cool video. What an amazing operation. All gone now. Oh well, the nature of this world is change.

[@frankfronczak4469]

11:54 mark. Successful test. For an engineer - just as good as sex - light up a cigarette.

[@vincebagusauskas278]

That was my thought too!

[@markbrennan4693]

Where has it all gone wrong !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ?? Trains, cars, motorbikes. Once the best in the world at engineering, now just history very sad.

[@stealthseagull]

Micro management at its finest

[@sadiqhussain7254]

Critical past too hard but very amazing today looking very strange and unique it's steer of revolution best wishes.Pakistan Muhammad Ali Jinnah

[@egdiryellam68]

Thoroughly enjoy these films made when I was a young man, sadly the days of a "Great Britain" are long past, now it is just Britain. thanks for nothing to our almost useless and self serving politicians.

[@richmanwisco]

Yes, because politicians back then were perfect.

[@egdiryellam68]

@@richmanwisco Don't know about that as young person was not interested in politics. As a teenager growing up in the late 1950's and the 60's the country was a better place live in, people were more friendly and there wasn't the greed and selfishness that seems to be the way it is now.

[@richmanwisco]

@@egdiryellam68 That's what your memory tells you. And memories are selective. And fabricated by your brain in the moment. You choose to remember what you want to remember because it makes you feel better.

[@davidrussell8834]

Typical engineer,when measuring the wheel axle journal the micrometer is upside down

[@williamkennedy5492]

Such a different country now, As we look around what industry have we left ? Walk around Crewe center it staggers the imagination just how big the locomotive works were. and now just a shadow of its former self. Governments have so much to answer for. They show a political ignorance that is beyond belief. its delinquency on such a large scale. No forethought and investment just close close close.

[@bcbeadsworth]

Just Brilliant , no health and safety though.

[@cf1925]

It's all fun and games until all the underage laborers die from stage 14 lung cancer and infections.

[@cf1925]

@westbender 820 It was a joke. ???

[@davesaunders3334]

@Dartgame 340 Ok boomer.

[@fairalbion]

It was the last gasp of steam traction - Britain's abundant coal resources kept it going down that road after the rest of the world had already turned to diesel-electric & electric traction.

[@tomclifton1607]

That's not correct. The UK was one of the earlier countries in Europe to finish with steam, in 1968. It carried on in West Germany until 1977 and well into the 1980s in East Germany. In France it finished in 1975. The Chinese were running steam freight trains into the 21st century. The USA was ten years ahead of the UK in finishing with steam.

[@zippy5131]

True engineering at it's highest. All these Uni wallah's .... And yes I've heard it ' I'm an engineer' No ... No you are not..Can you use a lathe, Milling machine, can you weld / electric or gas, braze, solder tin?? The best I have ever had is an inside vernier handed it to the bod and said it's out of cal. the reply ' What am I supposed to be looking at?' The Gentleman here in this film started at the bottom and worked his way up. No brown nosing, no discrimination card. Pure hard work and study. Sadly these days have gone. Even worse we shall never see them again, but in the amazing world of the preserved Railway those Ladies and Gents pull off miracles, my hat is off to them all.

[@curtislowe4577]

Your definition of engineering is at least 7 decades out of date. Mechanical Engineering is to apply engineering calculations and guidelines to provide a piece of equipment that meets the service requirements as outlined in a specification. The procedure for actual production of the piece of equipment falls to an Industrial Engineer. An Engineering curriculum (I hope) still includes some hands-on training in industrial operations but acquiring skill as craftsman is functionally a waste of time. Investing training time for an engineer to be proficient at industrial processes is time not used effectively in an engineering career. A good engineer need only be familiar with manufacturing processes not an outright expert.

[@chubeye1187]

They were shit, that why cars had to be run in, and never saw 100k

[@mmouse1886]

@@chubeye1187 you are aware that 1 Train of at minimum 10 coaches could carry up to 100-200 passengers at a time, plus luggage, on mainline routes at 80-90 mph throughout the ride? Whilst cars to this day still have a 75mph speed limit, carrying one or two people at a time?

[@richmanwisco]

You understand that "Ted" was most likely a fictional character, yes?

[@David-cm4ok]

@@richmanwisco pedant.

[@union310]

The HSE killed the Ted's of this world.

[@robertjones-eb4xo]

Not a pair of goggles or a safety helmet them days. !!!!

[@tweygant]

Not a bit of PPE to be seen

[@terencebennison6275]

Obviously this film was staged, rehearsed and choreographed. I wonder did these engineers go deaf in time, as did many mill workers, because no ear defenders visible, no even cotton wool bungs in ears! Very interesting film though.

[@dunebasher1971]

@Dartgame 340 They did, but frequently at huge personal cost to their health. They retired at an average age of 67 and were typically dead in less than 5 years.

[@steveworthington930]

Vulcan now a frigging houseing estate, buying in loco,s from abroad, criminal.

[@janvisser2223]

Ted was probably an experienced and capable engineer but he was a lousy actor😂

[@petercarney56]

i think Ted Wilson is gay

[@Nick-ye5kk]

He just likes standing very close to other men..

[@nigelfarley814]

What a sad indictment and very much the way people think today. The reality is that it was often so noisy in those workshops that you had to stand close in order to be hear and be heard. Shame on you.

[@Nick-ye5kk]

@@nigelfarley814 it's obviously a joke and anyway he's obviously an actor.