Vintage railway film - Groundwork for progress - 1959

This vintage railway film, produced by British Transport Films in 1959, details how modern (for the time) civil engineering practices were employed in British Rails modernization plan of the late 1950s.

[@Pjs75]

So many of those gigantic undertakings will by now have been removed in later 'rationalisation' of railways. Marshalling yards for coal trucks, MPD for the 'new fangled' diesel locos, sorting sheds for goods traffic.... most time expired and demolished or neglected. But the ingenuity and resolve of civil engineers and workers built what was needed: both for the first industrial revolution and subsequent 'service sector led' economies. A great historical record produced by a nationalised all-embracing undertaking 'British Transport'. Now there are private companies bidding for bits of profit in transport. Thoughts of an over arching policy or thrust is now as historical as this excellent film record of 'what was and is no more.'

[@petersmith4058]

I moved to Potters Bar in 1956 and spent years trainspotting by the old and new tunnel as it was being built. Every few minutes at night the warning hooter could be heard as trains mainly freight passed through and close to the workings. We also loved to ride on the narrow gauge railway trucks which were used for earth moving along each embankment only to be chased away by the night watchman. Great times but so sad that freight disappeared very quickly during the '60's & '70's.

[@llwyde1104]

Yup the milk train, cars from Luton Vauxhall factory, the cement train...

[@vulgivagu]

Every large factory had railway sidings when I was a boy in the 1950's . Huge amounts of goods and materials were moved by rail, quickly and efficiently. Slowly the lorry took over and as stations disappeared so did the goods sidings. Rail passengers ended up on buses as well. I lived in Wigston Magna, wonderful place to be a trainspotter.

[@jameslaurencesmith7537]

i am from ilkeston derbyshire we boasted 5 railway stations then beeching shut the lot ! after 50 or so years they re opened ilkeston junction.. but hardly anyone uses it !

[@shug831]

We have lost so much and we don't realise it.

[@TheJacobite]

You'd have never thought the railways would be cut by a third within 10 years from watching this film.

[@G1NZOU]

1:04 is Pont Britannia, a tubular bridge linking Anglesey to the rail network, built in 1850 and then rebuilt in 1972 as a steel truss arch bridge using the original piers after a 1970 fire irreparably damaged the wrought iron tubular structure.

[@TicoStudio90]

What a fantastic channel 😊 Can't believe it's only popped up now, after my years and years of watching KZbin. Really wonderful nostalgic videos. The world seemed much more calm and organised back then 🤗❤

[@steveib724]

Yes great history here mellows me too. this is great channel

[@stuarthall6631]

Thank you for uploading this. Films of this era are charming.... but, sad too. One is aware that something present in this period is now lost. The U.K. appears to have had a degree of self-confidence in the 1950's.

[@miscbits6399]

the "self confidence " it has now is politics of desperation and anti-science, rejecting reality and retreating into a legendary past that never really existed

[@jonka1]

Well said

[@ford8609]

What do you mean by science just wondering?

[@Shelfandtabletoplayouts00gauge]

Agree, we don’t want to work or think quite so hard anymore.

[@Sctronic209]

Love the films much simpler times. I need a time machine.

[@JintySteam1]

I love how this basically has outtake shots from "The Elizabethan".

[@vivekraychowdhury4348]

An excellent video for those who want to become railway engineers,even now. Excellent upload.

[@robbringbackthe50s10]

What a great British film showing what was great about us in the 1950’s I am sorry to say that cannot be said now. One only has to look at the people in the film compared to the mix we have now. Sad so very sad 😞

[@llwyde1104]

It was a grey as the film mate...I was there..

[@PercyPruneMHDOIFandBars]

I've been to Banbury station recently. It doesn't look much different still quite modern looking too! Thanks for sharing this. I do enjoy these films of better (if harder) times!

[@craigduncan4826]

Really appreciate this - voted as one of Britain’s best ever inventions. I voted for the femidom myself but nearly voted for this or concord.

[@MrPete1x]

Excellent video. Thank you for showing this

[@jaminova_1969]

What a wonderful and informative film!

[@jonka1]

@19:46 my heart was in my mouth. See how the man puts his hand in harm's way. Not content with being in a very unpredictable dangerous position he risks a gust of wind slamming the metal onto his hand. No safety harness so he cannot jump for safety. I've seen girders very quickly get out of control in these conditions and men have to jump for their lives.

[@jaminova_1969]

Men of Steel!

[@JR-SCOOT]

I learned so much from this video, excellent, thanks for posting!

[@user-jn5qk7zq4o]

thank you internet

[@chrisatye]

Cracking film. Clearly women can’t use a theodolite, though… 😬 different times! Thank goodness we’ve moved on.

[@kenh3344]

Re woman cannot use a theodillight, how do you know ??? What a woman cannot and can do??

[@chrisatye]

@@kenh3344 it was a comment based on the sexist nature of the video, Ken. Hence the emoji.

[@kenh3344]

@@chrisatye ah with you. Thanks for the reply.

[@Skullandrumit]

Superb ! Thank you.

[@eddherring4972]

1:05 absolutely beautiful.

[@matthewciappara6506]

Interesting, thanks for sharing.

[@nikerailfanningttm9046]

15:04 that one lab worker: “I’m gonna step right here chaps” (Steps right next to the test rails) “I MAY HAVE TAKEN A STEP TOO FAR LADS”

[@seemorebeer2848]

Thank you Joe brilliant

[@mymoviemania1]

This one is going to be viral

[@888ssss]

the music on this is excellent and relaxing.

[@martinanderson1995]

So glad that the ending showed, (named in railway terms), 'THE BRIDGE'. I believe its the only bridge, in the UK that doesnt have a number. My information was gained from a railway maintenance engineer from a time when the rails were inspected manually.

[@MrFsandt]

A nação das incríveis invenções e manufatureira de qualidade, se perdeu no tempo... 😕

[@tompetty1880]

Wow, that was extreme manual labour. Technology has thankfully improved the working conditions for these crews. Fascinating to witness the way it used to be and thank you for posting this video.

[@RobinWootton]

For extreme manual labour, see the digging of the canal network - or digging the earlier railway tunnels! The point made by the narrator of this film, is that the machines of 1959 were saving a lot of manpower.

[@K1lostream]

Ah, I wish I could have lived in the 1950's! The world looked so much more romantic in black and white and slightly out of focus! The only thing that would have annoyed me is the incessant clarinet in the background!

[@RADS190]

Oh the simplistic style of the time, transport me back then. Real work, not compiterised! Id love it!

[@tonyroberts6500]

See 19 mins 45 secs in , boy HSE would love this!

[@Trebor-hc7ri]

My God! Where are the H&S Police with their " You can't do that" attitude? I love it! Men in dark greatcoats, walking about, inches from running lines. Blokes balancing on steel girders whilst smoking tabs, 200 feet above a river. Seriously, thank god that someone said that it was time that working people were protected from the greedy bosses who saw their workers as 'expendable assets'.

[@simonsadler9360]

Brightlingsea in Essex had a rail connection to Colchester even a bridge , thanks to Beecham all gone as in the Tollesbury to Kelvedon line , if you have the chance to visit Romania there's a steam line along the river Mures ,& in Winter every carriage has a wood stove to keep warm & to cook on ,all part of the fare !

[@mikebutler3263]

excellent film

[@liamgaynor3576]

A different world

[@bluejaguar3226]

This film was made when Britain was still interested in progress, rather than nimbyism.

[@bobtudbury8505]

thank the joining of the eu. This is the real reason manufacturing etc was cancelled

[@llwyde1104]

​@bobtudbury8505 😂 yeah look at the recovery...😮

[@davidwpinkston4226]

a grand effort on the government's part, followed by abandonment in the next decade. the reason is shown in the parking lot of the station. surely they knew what was coming by 1959.

[@mhdkhai83]

good👍and nice train😄

[@user-tp7up8lg1d]

It's amazing they had no safety restrictions 70 years ago. No hard hats, no safety harnesses, goggles, reflective vests, or anything.

[@davidsean1762]

I’ll see you in court as well

[@jiversteve]

Good old Bath gauges. Do they still exist,

[@gainsbourg66]

Only it wasn't progress. Train travel used to be a pleasure, Now it is an endurance. Railways are ugly, barren places. Trains are uncomfortable, plasticky and airless. Railway workers have lost all pride and satisfaction in their work. Worst of all, Britains railways are now mostly owned by foreign countries who take all the profit. Thank God for films like this that record what it was like.

[@jawtooth963]

They were building that station at Banbury? I thought there had already been trains in it? lol

[@backblaise1255]

Does anyone know where the A4 at 1:28 was, or what service it was on? It has a headboard but I can't read it. My guess would be the Master Cutler to Sheffield.

[@jeffreyhodge5564]

I think it was on the border between England and Scotland near where penmanshiel tunnel was before its tragic collapse and loss of life ,a new cutting was built .

[@philipmcdonagh1094]

Great to see health and safety still a thing of the future

[@llwyde1104]

And industrial accidents for which compensation is laughable ?

[@angelsone-five7912]

Fascinating but for the most part it`s all been for nothing.

[@mickd6942]

Those riggers on the girders must have had nerves of steel , no health and safety in those days

[@Hero007ization]

I want to see how other countries like France and Germany were building railways at that time.

[@bobtudbury8505]

building more and better

[@peacefullpeople7714]

I am from Pakistan, I long to see these railway workshops, these headquarters with my own eyes, I wish you would allow me to visit this country as a guest and help me. I am a painter.۔

[@inspektorik7586]

10:50 - tak to by mě napadlo, ... takhle se zasvinit, ... inženýr.

[@jeffreyhodge5564]

The yard at Thornton never reached its full potential ,the winding towers of Rothes colliery are in the background ,local miners warned tone NCB about sinking a pit there ,millions spent ,a total waste of money closing in 1962 as a total flop ,it even had a royal visit but that didn’t make a difference ,the dash for coal was rushed and subsequently money was lost ,we never learn ,look at the cost of developing Asfordby colliery in Leicestershire sunk in the wrong place due to local pressures!

[@perkinscrane]

Not to mention the “Selby” group of Pits.

[@bobtudbury8505]

closed by political whime / plans ,not becasue they were in the wrong place

[@vincentswift7]

Not a computer in sight

[@davidsean1762]

As for Silicon Valley damages are going up 💯

[@logotrikes]

1959; pastoral, and idyllic. Give it 5 years, and a certain doctor would be honing his axe....

[@davidsean1762]

See you in court DOJ

[@davidsean1762]

So this is war on EVERYONE AT THIS POINT

[@nigelmitchell351]

The chap at 20:40 is wearing his hat indoors.....Obviously had a poor upbringing...?

[@davidsean1762]

Challenge accepted. I am 100% ready to wait in a prison cel indefinitely until he court proceedings

[@aleckaleck2492]

Немцы и бритты лучшие анженера в мире. Остальные урвнем ниже.

[@captain_insan0]

We inherited the old world we never built it but nice try 😉

[@davidsean1762]

You will regret this Feds. I will see to that 💯

[@davidsean1762]

I will be seeking damages from Emi and Phil 💯

[@TheBroomwagon]

But I thought diversity built Britain - there's even a coin that says so. Feels like an act of sedition even to watch films like this these days.

[@bobtudbury8505]

diversity gives you lots of takeaways and crime

[@chrisburrow2884]

Don't be that guy

[@llwyde1104]

​@bobtudbury8505 you must be unhappy

[@davidsean1762]

And as for you military, your reputation is 💯 on the line here as well. I will expose this ENTIRE bulls*** artist, unconstitutional disgraceful operation to America starting with black and white, leading to denied protection, blowing your cover, psychologically torturing me for years, and robbing me of my f***ing life.

[@trainshavewheels]

You ok bud?

[@australianwanderer2217]

back in the day before mass immigration and eu destroyed everything soveriegn

[@G1NZOU]

I wouldn't blame the EU for this, the UK messed up it's rail networks years before while many European countries have great rail networks. We just stagnated due to our own bickering with each other and not investing for decades.