The 1970's Railway

Film Taken by British Pathe and British Transport Films mostly around London in the 1970's.
The film was taken with the intention of being used in newsreels but it is seen as the raw film as it came out of the camera and therefore it's silent

[@EM-yk1dw]

Back when Buddleia was not rampant on the lineside. It is shocking the way the infrastructure is not maintained today.

[@cccenturion4480]

A real pity that BR didn't spend money on buying a few train cleaners. That is my over riding memory of 1970's rail. Dirty. The trains were reasonably reliable and kept reasonably good punctuality but they were FILTHY. I often thought there should have been a sign on the door saying please wipe your feet as you alight.

[@Aidankiwi]

It depends on which region. the Western Region had a particularly bad reputation for the cleanliness of their motive power and rolling stock as you can see from the first half of this video. The footage taken at Kings Cross and Euston shows a better standard of cleanliness.

[@harold5337]

60's rail was filthy too, especially if you look at the steam engines. Formerly clean as a whistle, the 60's lead to them being uncleaned. Hell, many Gronks were unclean too, doesn't do the proud locomotives justice

[@Aidankiwi]

Aiden Teszke I think part of it goes all the way back to the different motive power policy of the Western Region when implementing the BTC’s Modernisation Plan. Unlike other regions the Western saw diesel-hydraulic traction as the way forward. By 1970 the the BRB had determined the hydraulics had to go as standardisation was the goal & that meant diesel-electric traction. This left the Western with the following diesel-hydraulic classes all facing withdrawal within a few years...Classes 22, 35 (Hymeks) 42/43 (Warships) & 52 (Westernsj). These locos were badly neglected in their final years and bodywork repairs, painting and general cleanliness was given low priority. Having said that, many of their diesel-electric locos were vey unclean.

[@AndreiTupolev]

Some fascinating scenes. Some variation in age, as at Paddington it must have been 1973 or so, at Euston it would have been 1976 as the locos have '0O00' headcodes, (and nice zoom in on 87101), while the final scenes at Victoria, I think, must have been rather older with green EMUs with small yellow panels.

[@MarioStahl1983]

Those were the days Only one mainline had been electrified. And, yes they absolutely knew how wrong that was (even back then). Even when British engineers came up with a convincing electric locomotive in 1973 (class 87) that didn't change their minds. They simply didn't care. For many years British rail was "dieselized to death". Shame on the politicians who made that historic mistake and then refused to correct it for decades! Good to see the electrification of the Great Western Mainline completed between London and Bristol (fully operational now!). That makes 3 Mainlines! 😊 And while I'm happy to see that I still sometimes can't help being angry about the simple fact that they should have done that 50 years ago. An elderly friend of mine who is life-long railway enthusiast and retired british rail driver said it best: "Of course I love the Deltics. But they should never have been built. With 5000 hp class 87 was about as strong as two Deltics."

[@MiLLwallpaul231258]

great to see these seen's again I was a second man at ooc in the seventies and spent good times on the ranleigh bridge pilot

[@dermotmcglinchey282]

Hi Paul, I see its 2 years ago you posted but so be it...I was also at OOC and of course spent time in Ranleigh bridge...I'm sure I also spent time on the pilot but that was 45 years ago...I left the railways in 1974 after 8 years, just could not deal with the shifts...When I finished George Dyer was my driver, a great guy...I'm sure you remember Happy Harris , Puds Davies/ John Clemo, big Wally from Leeds etc....If you see this post get in touch if you remember me, perhaps I left before you started?...

[@MiLLwallpaul231258]

@@dermotmcglinchey282 hi fella I’m sort but I started at ooc 1975 so just missed you

[@nickforbes-warren6602]

PROPER LOCOS AND DMUS!! None of this Sprinter rubbish!!

[@Keithbarber]

Sprinters and Pacers ARE PROPER trains, as much as the slam doors before them You need to appreciate quality my dear sir

[@awesometrainsandbuses]

There are people on this planet who are aloud to prefer old trains to modern trains And there are people on this planet who prefer modern trains, it usually depends on what people are used to seeing, I'm used to seeing old but not too old trains, such as the Class 465, 319, 373, 165, 365, etc.

[@Keithbarber]

@@awesometrainsandbuses agreed mr awesome trains and buses However, It does get my back up when people rubbish more modern stuff, such as one enthusiast calling class 315 emus (electric I know), as "plastic rubbish" - "that was never any good", despite their 40 years long career I liked the class 101 & 104 dmu units, they operated on londons goblin, as did the sprinters (150) units, and whilst the 150 was never originally intended for London service, and they never had a major impact in london, during their time on goblin, they provided reliable service none the less, and I think left a favourable impression with the majority of passengers, even if they "looked too modern" The first like is with my compliments

[@awesometrainsandbuses]

Although, as I am more of a 465 person, I love the NSE livery, because Network Southeast had a great livery and were a great company, everything was good until Privatisation

[@randomclass4653]

@@awesometrainsandbuses same , I'm a 465 Person who likes the NSE Livery , Infact it's my profile Picture.

[@Keithbarber]

An interesting insight into day to day life on the railways in the 1970s If there Is one thing that hasn't changed We are still moaning about late trains and high fares, season ticket prices etc

[@owenevans83]

Good quality footage.

[@owenthackeray4195]

You was never a trainspotter then.the 70s was a wonderful time on the railway.now the trains are really boreing and faceless..i prefer to travel by coach.

[@Keithbarber]

The variety may not bee there, but the railways are more efficient these days

[@SpoonyMcSpoonface]

Love the shots of Hanwell. Full of character. The modern railway lacks that quality.

[@Keithbarber]

It's a shame it loses its quality and character of an era However, we have to be realistic and accept the railways have to modernise People will one day get nostalgic about these new bi-modes At least we have some memories on film giving us a glimpse of the past

[@hughacollins1]

No sound - really devalues the video - sorry!

[@martinbitter4162]

The grime seems to be synonemen for the UK of that time.

[@scotty87able]

I was at paddington last month certainly no 47s 52s or dmus there anymore and of course no mk 1 coaches anymore

[@DAFRIEXXX]

I have permission to use your video in my band, thank you

[@Aidankiwi]

8.91 Definitely not from the 1970s! Up to 10.12 is early 60s (or possibly even late 1950s) with all green SR EMUs, then from 10.12 to the end of the video is around 1964-65 with the appearance of small yellow warning panels and the first blue liveried stock..

[@mysticgeneie4668]

Anybody here who lived in the 70's I have a question, was everything actually a shade of brown or is that just film?

[@OlafProt]

The 70s were as colourful and iridescent as an HD Disney film is now. It’s all lies and old video tape 😂

[@AlanAlanAlan161]

That brown was Brake dust on the locomotives

[@mattyboy3576]

Looks like they were facing similar hardships to that of American railroads

[@BritishRailProductions]

Proper Traction not loads of Computers

[@scopex2749]

NO SOUND ? 😪

[@tomp6792]

Keyboard Krazy you had to use separate video and sound recording devices in those days. Camcorders, which have the video and sound recorders in one device, didn’t become available until the mid/late 1980s.

[@roywatson8133]

great video shame there no sound i wish he a pointed is camrea at ranleigh bridge yard at paddington

[@julianaylor4351]

Diesel shunter pulling carriages. ❤️

[@scotty87able]

Some pulling power there

[@OlafProt]

I miss the filth.

[@BritishRailProductions]

Ok the Southern Region stuff not so much a fan.

[@A_10_PaAng_111]

Love the Locos. Cant stand those coaches :-/

[@caledoniansignalman8153]

Why

[@PeterBatchford]

That's the worst filming I've ever seen

[@steveburke7675]

Christ all these trains are filthy...compare to Japanese trains.