Snow (1963) - Geoffrey Jones | BFI National Archive

[@kevingill648]

I was only 7 years old at the time and have vague memories of this winter! probably the toughest winter the UK has ever seen.

[@Trainsandbits]

My grandad showed me this when I was 5 and now I’m 14 and he said 1963 was like a cold year to be in 😆 and he said when he lived near the grain line all the trains had snowplough and one of the trains got stuck in the snow and my grandad dad who is my great grandad went and dig the train out and then my grandad went up north on Britannia!!! And the snow was awful but this is the bested video ever 🤩 thanks BFI for showing this 🤩 ❤❤❤

[@SYKAROST]

What memories, as a BR fireman in 63 just watching this film brought a chill to my bones. In those days all railwaymen took great pride in playing their part to keep trains moving. The satisfaction cannot be measured in monetary terms because although wages were poor, the camaraderie & love of the job kept driving you on, much like the 'volunteers' on todays heritage railways I guess. I could not imagine Network Rail staff shovelling snow these days.

[@seansands424]

Items were a lot cheaper not like today a ripoff and a con and the money went further

[@paulnorris2756]

You and your fellow workers probably kept us going. Thank you.

[@SYKAROST]

@@paulnorris2756 We did our best but did often get beaten. Trains didn't always reach their destination.

[@henrytaysom6616]

My wife and I lived in an isolated cottage adjacent to the main Midland line within a few yards of Westerleigh South signal box. We were frozen in for eleven weeks. Our only neighbour, some two hundred yards away, telephoned our local co-op in Bristol and arrangements were made for a supply of groceries and parafin to be brought up to us on the footplate of a loco set for Westerleigh yard. He stopped at the bottom of our garden, off loaded our goods and 1/2 ton of coal from his tender. Marvelous

[@mikeford-branch7859]

Yea Henry such memories of experiences that you have, great news Old Boy great news indeed;

[@jow6845]

wow!

[@nigelparker5886]

Bloody brilliant eh! Anybody? Cheers

[@nhgfable]

Where is westerleigh south signal box..?

[@regcotterill7332]

@@nhgfable Well according to the comments it's somewhere near Bristol.

[@3moonriver]

Fantastic video! I remember this winter of '63, I was nine years old. Those were the days of waking up to find frost on the inside of the window, my sister and I used to have old coats on the top of our beds to keep warm. Simpler times, and what soft lives we lead now!

[@lindaduffy8309]

Me too, same age. Such fond memories.

[@glpilpi6209]

60 year's ago , time has flown. It thawed out eventually , in March .

[@cheesedoff-with4410]

But it was so filthy by then. Why ever was I wearing short trousers to school in that?

[@michaeljamesmacaulay1689]

Living in Scotland, I can remember a really tough winter in 1947, but 1963 was worse. Thanks for the memories.

[@stuarthedley5576]

Magnificent. The cinematography, the weaving of old and new, the pace of the fabulous sound track, the pride in rail so different from 2018. Surely one of the loveliest little films ever made.

[@mikeford-branch7859]

Hi Stuart indeed yes my very favourite Short Film, first viewed it when in the BBCTV Film Club, we ran it during a course; obtained a self copy which I treasured. Everything you state Stuart is so so true, the 'momentum' in the Sound Tracks is just simply fantastic linked to the very brief shots of BR Men onto the job in hand, the shots depicted by a speeding up of the Sound Track with shots of Birds and a horse running wildly on open snow, film making at its very best.

[@jomurphy1654]

My Dad would have been so delighted to read this and all the other positive comments about his film, Stuart!

[@eeaoa]

The soundtrack is, indeed, based on Sandy Nelson's "Teen Beat," as arranged by Johnny Hawksworth. This final version (with the variation in tape speed) was created by Daphne Oram of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop. This entire audio track is available on her 2CD set called "Oramics." Great stuff!

[@pauldurkee4764]

Those snow drifts are quite something, its a damn good work out tackling them with a shovel. Ive heard that some bodies of water had ice six feet thick.

[@yobbsmissesalge]

What a piece of history! a brilliant peep at this country in a time we were on our knees, thank you so much for this it is a treasure.

[@robharding5345]

I was a young boy of 6 back in 63, I remember we came down stairs in the morning, and noticing the front room seemed dark, The snow during the night had reached half way up the downstairs window, We couldn't get out the front door. to get to the shop, But we were tougher back then, we soon got out and had some great fun in the snow ! Not sure todays generation would be as keen as we were.

[@7hungary]

I was 4 in 1963, but I still remember that snow. Great little gem of a film!

[@G6JPG]

I was 3 (or probably 2 - 1960) and don't, to my regret.

[@seansands424]

I was 2 but still remember it

[@patriciaaldam1562]

I was 14 in 1963 and remember this winter well. Lived in Kent then and there was still pockets of snow around in early May.

[@TheMarkEH]

This really brings back memories of that winter. Thank you.

[@rosemarydudley9954]

Just found this video. What an amazing little film it is. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Thank you.

[@michaelsmyth9892]

An amazingly well preserved movie, it’s like stepping back into that moment in time;)

[@noabaak]

Wow... i am truly impressed. A sheer joy to watch.

[@ianhorsburgh9867]

I remember this, the snow had drifted and when my dad opened the front door, al the snow fell into the hallway. The pet dog decided to try and run out, took a flying leap and disappeared into 3 foot of snow.. We had ice on the inside of the Windows it was so cold and that was when most houses only had coal fires.

[@MilkDrinker218]

How big was the dog?

[@GrrMeister]

*Luxury*

[@raymondnewton2388]

The bus got stuck leaving Leeds so we set off to walk to Wakefield. After about an hour the bus appeared and we reboarded it to continue our journey.

[@arthurbaldwin1804]

Try growing up on a welsh hill farm, this bloody summertime compared with that.

[@nevittwoods1730]

your working man stayed at 3 quid a week, little morris saloon by the time he was 40

[@peterelsdon7601]

One of my favourite short films.Wonderful editing and music.

[@G6JPG]

Daphne Oram was a leading light of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop.

[@ultimessence]

Wow, this is an amazing film. So artistic. So timeless. Looks like whoever created this film had some real vision. The authenticity of the times is profound. I felt like i had traveled back in time. Bravo!

[@leonardthompson2475]

This brought back memories.... Oh for those fantastic days. Great editing ... could have watch hours of this .... SNOW & Trains. Many thanks. L.T.

[@Paraffinmeister]

Thankyou Geoffrey Jones for creating what must be one of the best short films in history! Some absolutly stunning shots of steam (and deiesel) in action in the worst weather conditions imagnable. With a soundtrack that fits perfectly. Oh if only we got snow like that now........

[@spuds4t]

A wonderful film bringing back a variety of memories, particularly with regard to the railway. My wife and I lived well and truly "out in the sticks" just beyond Westerleigh marshalling yard in Gloucestershire, two hundred yards or so from Westerleigh South signal box. As the days went by and the bitterley weather showed no signs of easing up so it was that , being unable to get to the village only shop, we ran low on food and parafin for the stove which was our only form of heating other than a coal fire! ! A telephone call to our local Co-op some three miles away prompted some suberb action by the Co-op and the staff at Mangotsfield Station resulting in 10 gallons of parafin and sufficient provisions (for ourselves and our only neighbour)to last at least two weeks being delivered on the footplate of a local 0-6-0 shunter and (as our garden literally finished at the edge of the railway) these together with the best part of a ton of best Welsh steam coal from the engine's bunker were dropped off in our garden! Special folks indeed! Many thanks for posting, happy days.

[@hemmay]

+Henry Taysom What a great story! Doubt it would happen nowadays- health and safety don't you know! I remember that winter very well.I was only nine (where have the years gone?) and remember it started snowing on Boxing day and lasted till the thaw began on my birthday- March 6th.

[@BrianSeaman]

+Henry Taysom I was 11 years old and the memory of getting through the snow to get to school in Ilford (east London) has stayed with me all my life. I use to be the coal monitor in my class as we had coal fires - hard to imagine children at school now being asked to put coal on the classroom fire!

[@riverhuntingdon6659]

Oh how awful having to be a Coal Monitor. You might get hurty wurtied deary weary. What a lot of rot most of this elf'n'safety busy-body rubbish is LOL.

[@hazelwild4002]

River Huntingdon and

[@jorasparents]

Wow, wish you had a blog with more of your memories!!! :)

[@DMPepe]

Magnificent images together with the music, I feel a shiver down my spine. Have been waiting decades to see this film once more. Thank you for uploading it.

[@Geoffmay33]

Sheer bloody genius. Well done all.

[@prof.hectorholbrook4692]

Outstanding footage & production. Surely, it must have won an award.

[@JesseP.Watson]

God I love this film. I return to it every couple of years and it gets my heart pounding everytime. Those exquisite cuts... Crash-bang-wallop, badda-bing-badda-boom! So much fun... And so much soul. Watching it now, a decade after seeing it first, funny to see how deep its influence has been on some of my own wee filmic exploits. ...Funny to be reminded where that came from.

[@jjshaka]

Just a brilliant melding of film and music...never get tired of watching it.

[@elainebmack]

I like how even though this video is obvioulsy about trains you never hear the cliched "choo choo" sound, but rather a suggestion of the rhythmic sound, power, and motion of the engine and wheels. Some might think a video about old fashioned steam trains would be boring, but this is great stuff.

[@Class170TurboCentral]

Superb video and outstandingly well put together. Even thought wasn't born in the 60's, it does make you feel that you was there. Great soundtrack and video 10/10

[@mp9033]

I have fond memories of the winter of 1963 and much of that is seen in this excellent film. So evocative and the music is wonderful. Definitely saving this to my favourites.

[@elizabethveldonstuff]

just watched this for the first time this year, i now know it's getting a little bit wintery round here. this is such a fantastic film: beautiful editing, fantastic cinematography, a cracking soundtrack...

[@jomurphy1654]

Lovely to read this and Dad would have been chuffed! (No pun intended!!)

[@AnnSmith-u9c]

Crazy little film

[@JohnEdwinRichards]

One of the most brilliant Salutes to Steam Dragons and the Men who Tamed them I have ever had the Pleasure of viewing!. Thankyou, John Richards. Western Australia.

[@TheMasterNo6]

Superb. The best BTF film I've ever seen. That soundtrack is just wonderful....They had a real pride in British Rail and the BTF's output back then....we haven't come forward, we've moved backwards since....and what a shame it is.

[@timorgano]

I found this on my parnets old "Trains" VHS they had recorded in the 80s. I loved it then, and I still do. A classic bit of work and lovely to watch.

[@thebrummierailenthusiasts5329]

0:05 this loco 80072 is now preserved and now resides in wales and thats the Llangollen railway

[@wordreet]

What a super short film! I was 10 yrs old back then. That winter was brilliant if you were a kid, not so good if you were trying to get to work, pretty bad for farm animals and a disaster for wildlife. But I had a proper toboggan with steel runners and cared about nothing else at the time. ;-) Thanks for sharing this. Loved it.

[@bloggulator]

Beautifully done... captures the atmosphere of Britain in that harsh winter. I was a little kid back then, and our school was frozen up so there was no running water - so we had to stay home for 3 more weeks. That was the best winter holiday ever - with ice skating, tobogganing and enjoying the toys from Christmas. It is unlikely that the UK will ever again experience such a long and protracted spell of sub-freezing weather.

[@blavapressburger9380]

So nice to read your comments - your father was a true master of film. One of our greatest documentary makers and certainly the most original. His BFI collection, The Rhythm of Film is in my collection and gets frequent viewings. Sublime and hypnotic.

[@jomurphy1654]

Sorry it's taken six years to reply!! Thanks for your lovely comment, so much appreciated - Dad would have been absolutely delighted with it!

[@KevTheBusDriver]

Amazing... This was shown on BBC TV over Christmas in about 1974/5 - it was repeated at least once within a week - we didn't have a video - so thanks for letting us watch it again!!

[@ModernHingeSociety]

That editing was amazing

[@MARKETMAN6789]

ABSOLUTELY MAGNIFICENT ,I WAS A TRAIN SPOTTER IN THE 50S AND EARLY 60S,THIS FILM IS SUPERB ,FROM THE STEAM TRAINS TO THE SHEEP IN THE FIELDS ,TO THE MUSIC ,AND MEN ON THE TRACKS ,BRILLIANT AND THANK YOU FOR PUTTING IT ON

[@muisire]

I am watching this chillingly beautiful documentary with my hands around a steaming mug of tea - wonderful!

[@roobs52]

Brilliant. I remembere that winter so well! We didn't see the grass until Easter!

[@DarrenJamesColes]

Fantastic film, really establishes a driving, chugging rhythm through the editing. I love the contrast between the psychedelic jazz music and the shots of snow-covered countryside and British train stations. Miles Davis meets Ivor the Engine!

[@jomurphy1654]

Sorry its taken only 7 years to say that Dad would have loved your comment - especially the Miles Davis/Ivor the Engine thing - brilliant!

[@Femmenition]

For something filmed in the early 60s, this is surprisingly good quality!

[@freightuk]

Great piece of filming with lively soundtrack, thoroughly enjoyed it, must view it again :)

[@scamper2able]

Fantastic quality film, i remember as a school kid being stuck in Farnham Surrey during that winter for a week, due to no trains running back to London. I didn't mind tho !

[@800beemer]

Don't forget many of the folks in this vid would have seen action in WW2 This was easy street.

[@mikeonfreeserve2926]

Actually, if they were old enough they'd have been kept on the railway during wartime.

[@philaypeephilippotter6532]

@@mikeonfreeserve2926 Not necessarily. My father joined up _before_ the railways became a _reserved occupation._

[@simonnelson7770]

Mike Onfreeserve or maybe they joined the railway after they fought in the war

[@johnmulligan7609]

Could have been in WW1.

[@duncanrobinson3200]

@@mikeonfreeserve2926 I know I used to like playing on the railway line in the 1970's with my mates as a child - not something ti be recommended though nit it was normal back then to take risks.

[@brundebrauc2208]

I wasn't born yet, back then. But I've heard stories about a severe winter in '63 here in The Netherlands too. Soundtrack is ace!

[@keithnaylor1981]

Two wonderful things that's hardly ever seen nowadays in England - Steam Trains and Snow! Sadly missed!

[@neilsmith7829]

Just seen this on Talking Pictures TV and had to see if it was on here to watch again. Love the story, the comparisons of those working so that the businessmen can get where they are going AND have breakfast, the synchronisation of pictures and soundtrack , and the flag to end it.

[@DowntheJunction]

One of the finest BTF films about, glorious images and a hellfire soundtrack too boot

[@paulnorris2756]

I was 11 at the time and waking up on the Sunday morning to that snow was better than Christmas morning to me. Thanks for the posting.

[@Harrison1420]

Great film quality.

[@5705Seahorse]

Your father did a supurb job and the film is so evocative of the times as is the music. I was twelve at the time and have a photo of me in the garden with my snowman! Men were men in those days - not a pair of gloves in sight! I asssume the shot of Barbados is library footage as she seems to be in LMS red.

[@jomurphy1654]

Six years later is a bit late to say thanks for the great comment! Dad would be delighted!

[@SizzleSuite]

I've got a 10 inch radiophonic workshop acetate of this sound recording - it is wonderful. I spent years cutting 1/4 inch tape, it is an art form in it's self. First time I've seen the film and I enjoyed it, I think it reflects very expressively the elegaic majesty of deep Winter, and it's brilliant juxtaposition against hard hot dirty steam and metal is sublimely done. :) Such a shame , these bored children have to troll here. :(

[@ThePanzer6]

Love the soundtrack

[@kfomzzsmith2306]

Just randomly found this video, not sure how but I am glad I did what a gem. I do not know much about film making, was it remastered, for a film from 1963 it has amazing clarity the mix of traditional images of the workman working in the snow, steam trains then contrasting this with the comfortable life of the business men in the warm trains also adding great music from that era made this video exacting and a memorable work of art .

[@kadadix]

Depending on the format traditional film is HD, often the grimy old films you see are down to either bad reproduction, storage or inferior media types such as small film sizes or video tape

[@SampoLapilill]

I absolutely agree. This is a brilliantly made film and shows a bit of what travelling during the worst winter on record (at the time) was like. I believe the driving music was from Sandy Nelson's Let There Be Drums which was in the charts around that time.

[@Firebrand55]

I was in the RAF at the time; this winter was as bad as the '47 deep freeze...which I also experienced...oh!, silly me....I almost forgot.....in 1963 I was sunning myself in Malta.....gosh, it was hot!.....:=))

[@TheCampbell]

The Rhythm of Film is awesome. Your father was a very talented man. I love his films.

[@jomurphy1654]

Wonderful to hear, Axel and Dad would have been thrilled! (Sorry it's taken me 8 years to reply, been busy!!)

[@TheCampbell]

@@jomurphy1654 Haha! Better late than never : )

[@WheelieMacBin]

A great little video .... 1963, the year of my birth, my mum said it was a bad winter and it sure looks like it :-)

[@7822welshsteam]

MEMORIES! Actually trembling with delight at having found this. I used to have to watch a video of this like every day when I was about 5. Remembered all of it down to the fact that the first steam engine you see is a standard tank. Little had I known that I had been travelling behind that very locomotive many times on my local steam railway at Llangollen.

[@bangerbangerbro]

Why did you have to watch it every day might I ask?

[@7822welshsteam]

@@bangerbangerbro Because I was 5.

[@heartbeat1965]

Fantastic! If only the railways were like that now.

[@goinghame]

This video introduced me to the amazing Daphne Oram. Thank you so much!!

[@Dokker62]

Locos & Snow ! Wintertime as it should be. Amazing video. Thanks for broadcasting it.

[@filtonkingswood]

Excellent. Filmmaking and editing. Superb soundrack.

[@nancyrose8028]

I agree!

[@dasy2k1]

Let there be drums is the track I believe but this is a cover by the sounds as it's been slowed down at first

[@dasy2k1]

Ok it's actually a mashup loop between Let there be drums and teen beat, both by sandy Nelson

[@kiwitrainguy]

Of course the editing was all done the hard way in those days with actual bits and pieces of film spliced together, not the digital way things are done these days.

[@teent0mt0m]

@@dasy2k1 No Daniel, it's just Teen Beat - but by Johnny Hawksworth

[@007bondspy]

an amazing window of the past. thanks for posting

[@dlewis4621]

This is fabulous! Love the music track, and this carries forward some of the thinking of Humphrey Jennings, though I am excited that it is in colour and that the footage is so well preserved.

[@fjwareing]

Film quality is exceptional. I remember that winter of 1962/63.

[@sleeming88]

I'd have loved to have spent all day in that signalbox with the roaring fire.

[@Richard-st8ds]

I used to do that job in the 1980s loved it

[@COIcultist]

@Yorkshire Lass I don't doubt you and I've done jobs where I've stood up all day but baring a job in a colliery yard which I have also worked in, if you have a desperately cold winter with fuel restrictions the only place second to working in a colliery office is working on a coal-fired railway. If it was a signal box with a tied house nearby I bet neither went without coal. I'm not besmirching your dad but every job at some point has a perk.

[@someshwarroy52]

Awesome music, and also the film

[@Jigsaw1988]

nice video with an amazing picture quality!

[@thebrummierailenthusiasts5329]

1:33 that’s one way of clearing the snow faster and better by means of using a steam engine with a snowplough at the front to shift the snow out of the way

[@exizzz]

Heh, that is great, the music went so well with it.

[@markhenley3097]

If this kind of snow hit the country today it would grind completely to a halt.

[@stevenjohnson4190]

1963: 6-foot of snow, no problem 2020: 1nch of snow.. no chance, mate. Elf and Safety, innit

[@martyfeldman3269]

Are you being sarcastic 1963 was a HUGE problem.

[@stevenjohnson4190]

@@martyfeldman3269 yes I am

[@stuartbeehoo686]

very nice to see old films takes me back it was a bad winter in 63

[@britishfilminstitute]

@topite It was created specifically for the film by Johnny Hawksworth (performer) and Daphne Oram (electronics), but the tune is based on Sandy Nelson's 'Teen Beat'.

[@G6JPG]

Ah, one of the great names of the Radiophonic Workshop; I guess this was (just) _before_ Doctor Who (yes I know _that_ wasn't Daphne).

[@elizabethveldonstuff]

if i remember - i may be wrong - the performance changes tempo as it does to avoid copyright as they couldn't say at which exact point it was a direct copy of the origional. great film.

[@fitzjon4628]

Absolutely Brilliant I Remember it well the window's froze on the inside HAPPY DAY'S THOUGH

[@ColinBillett]

Wonderful stuff, and from the days when we owned the railways.

[@JohnDoe-px4ko]

I was very young at the time but I do remember we were given time off school - we sledged the local hills, built snowmen and played snowballs! Perfect! It’s my only vivid memory from that time so it must have made an impression on me!

[@Vinesy68]

Really brilliant thank you for that Jo!

[@SimonRitchieMelodeon]

This is ASTOUNDING. Really know what you're doing. Accurate ART. Midland Pulman?!!! red Jubilees in mono? Truly wonderful detail passion and communication.

[@nancyrose8028]

Thank you for a very interesting film.

[@elainebmack]

What an experience that must have been! I am from the US, Chicago Illinois, which is crisscrossed with railway lines. We had huge blizzards when I was growing up, especially the famous one of 1967, but nothing like what you described!

[@silkiebreeder]

It was obviously the right kind of snow for the trains to keep running Oh no It was just people getting on with it and not making stupid excuses

[@user-ky6vw5up9m]

Jimmy wriddle they didnt keep running !

[@thylacinex1951]

Wonderful film!

[@bachandefi]

Those were the days when men were men and the women were glad of it!

[@MellowWithToms]

What? You make no sense my guy.

[@lindarhodes368]

Ha ha ha ha. Such larks.

[@alexanderjames6328]

And what a video this is. Thank you for posting this masterpiece.

[@bernardswaine8340]

I was 13 years old during that terrible winter. All the unemployed had to report to The Labour Exchange collect a shovel and dig snow for extra money. We were poor Dad chopped up floor boards from local derelict houses for firewood

[@colliecandle]

I too was 13, and I spent weeks in Southmead hospital, Bristol with peritonitis ! One winter I will never forget. The ambulance had snow chains and it was the slowest ever 'emergency' ride I have ever taken !

[@nageshwaranwaranwaran9962]

old is Gold sincerely Thank you

[@TheQ-Continuum]

Could not agree more ! Get the lazy people of their lard arses and clear away snow. And they won't, then NO MONEY ! Mind you in today's snowflake Britain, they would probably all have glass backs !

[@ladypinkviper]

SUPERB!

[@TheSolnabo]

Love the music :D

[@noonsight2010]

Wonderful. I was born in 1962 so it's a view of the country at the start of my life. Railtrack, crawl away in shame!

[@johnnewson5039]

i was only 2y/o in that winter. my mother is still alive, aged 81and she talks about it

[@sean.furlong1989]

+John Newson Does your mother also remember the 1947 snow?

[@christopherlovelock9104]

I was 1 then, but the stories I have been told about are still without equal in the UK. Wasn't that the year they forgot to clear the bottom of the Edgware Road in London and it caused even more chaos.

[@kohedunn]

I was two years old... and yes my mother would talk about it.. later on of course... How she managed I do not know... We lived in a flat in Highams park in Essex , four kids , up and until I was twelve... We spent most of our times outdoors.. Epping forest was my playground.... I remember the great smog... it was a yellowish brown colour.... At eight years old , it was exciting to disappear in it..

[@roytynan2116]

Thank you

[@SammyBFilms]

Awesome piece of film making! :-D

[@leejohnson3209]

The music is great. It's an excellent reworking of an instrumental by Sandy Nelson called Teen Beat. Johnny Hawksworth and Daphne Oram were responsible for this. Daphne Oram being a member of the famous BBC radiophonic workshop. Hawksworth also composed many theme tunes for TV including that of the 1970's children's cartoon Roobarb and Custard.