Vintage railway film - Under the wires - 1965

This vintage railway film, produced by British Transport Films in 1965, depicts some aspects of the problems involved in the electrification of the London Midland Region main line between London, Manchester and Liverpool and of the unprecedented operations which were carried out.
The electrification, using overhead wires and drawing supply from the National Grid, was a major undertaking involving civil, electrical, mechanical and signal engineering of a complex and advanced nature.

[@Socimi]

The intro with the animated electrical circuit is simply sublime.

[@adammoss5284]

Ye olde tap-changer is just classic.

[@amessman]

I see the transformer, but on the other side of the tap-changer (or well, the top of it) it looks like a coil. what does that represent? A variable resistor? In addition, what are the coils under the traction motors? Edit, would somebody also explain the weird configuration of the primary winding too? Thanks in advance.

[@Pob76]

I lived by the styal loop in 1959. As a railway buff ,was very interested in the work of electrifying the main line Manchester Piccadilly- London Euston. 9 years later in 1968, I went on my honeymoon using the night sleeper out of Piccadilly. All overhead fully electrified. Now, here we are 62 years later and they’re still finishing off the GWR. to Cornwall. Diesels still in full operation all over the country. It’s a damn disgrace. Recently I was in the unenviable position of having to walk across the steel gantry bridge over all of the platforms at Birmingham New St. There must have been 7 diesels idling down there on the tracks and the thick blue/black smoke filling the roof space was enough to hospitalize anyone with a lung issue. Anyhow. That’s my rant.

[@androo4519]

The good people who did all this work in the 1960s would have been shocked to hear that by 2021 the work is still largely unfinished. And disappointed that the latest trans like the Azuma offer in some ways a reduced overall quality of experience when compared to the trains of the 1960s and 1970s. These old films are wonderful but a little sad.

[@davesaunders3334]

@@androo4519 - The good old days always looks like the good old days. I dare say the 1920s looked idyllic to some [older] people in 1965.

[@postiephil48]

Too right about the GWR...Brunel would have HIT THE ROOF if he'd still been with us..I think they've given up electrifying the rest of the GWR...an ABSOLUTE COCK UP with the planning !!!

[@mikeschillinger4427]

@@davesaunders3334 and in many ways, they were right. However unsustainable things have to be updated, this is becoming a very real fact of life sadly.

[@davesaunders3334]

@@mikeschillinger4427 - The old days look better because you were younger and the world was still the one you’d grown up with. As things inevitably change the world starts looking unfamiliar and scary to us as we age and become more conservative. Also, the old days are usually viewed through the lens of professional filmmakers who know how to trigger nostalgic feelings in people. The old days weren’t better, just different, like Italy isn’t better than Spain.

[@MalcolmCrabbe]

No risk assessment, ladders, hoists, hard hats or hi vis... just shimmy up the mast, sit astride and bolt the thing together.... Fantastic ! Excellent film.

[@simonf8902]

Just a nice overcoat and a ciggie.

[@andrewhinds6560]

And then when people were getting injured or killed, the health and safety regulations were introduced. Then even more so as a result of more injuries and deaths and the compensation culture.

[@lexifillems]

@Archie Pelligoe Construction should not happen on the back of workers' health or lives.

[@andrewhinds6560]

@Archie Pelligoe And how many people were killed or seriously injured as a result?

[@davesaunders3334]

In 1972 the rail industry had more deaths and serious injuries than the steel and construction industries. Thousands of men didn't go home to their kids. Sorry to spoil your fantasy.

[@bruceknights8330]

What amazes me is how they kept trains running during such major works. Our modern industry could learn from this. Also, how it was assumed that people could understand technical language. Clear and precise diction and no talking down to the audience.

[@Wasserfeld.]

The thing I do love about these videos is that the narration explains it without dumbing it down. But gosh, I wonder if Network Rail shows old videos like these to show what not to do concerning Health and Safety

[@kevinmartin2516]

But right at the end, they are using hard hats, so H&S is coming in!

[@richard-riku]

@@kevinmartin2516 I liked the part 22:42 when they inspect the overhead cables in a tunnel. They all duck going into the darkness. Only one has a hard hat, somebody else stylishly sporting a flat cap.

[@patrickkparrker413]

To hell with that religion .

[@patrickkparrker413]

@@richard-riku What of it .

[@odakyuodakyu6650]

6:56. I'd bet the IRA would have been all over that bit of the movie. they would have reached full orgasm.

[@stefankassbohrer2765]

I like these old reports about the BR. Interesting and instructive. Best regards from south Germany

[@martinbitter4162]

An atmosphere of modernity. Best regards from the Ruhr in the west of Germany.

[@Isochest]

Long Distance Electrification was late to come to the UK because it was thwarted and still is by political interference.

[@karynrolston7326]

Hi, I enjoy watching films about railways from A to Z, but was seriously horrified and in tears when I saw horses pulling freight trains!!! Who in their humanity could do this to animals; you could see the poor horse was badly struggling!!!!

[@souvikrc4499]

@@Isochest Still better than what we did in the US, where electrified tracks declined from a maximum of 5000 km in the late 1930s to around 1100 km in 2013.

[@andrewhinds6560]

Amazing to see those overhead stanchions actually being installed that I have driven under so many thousand times.

[@1903bretep]

What an excellent piece of archive film footage, I can hear health and safety officers the length and breadth of the land turning in their graves at this, many thanks for the upload !

[@therookpiece]

Hi-vis... what's that?

[@SilenTHerO78614]

Most are wankers

[@volvoolympianforever]

The electric locomotives look so striking in their Electric Blue livery! Even from today’s standard they look very modern and futuristic. I personally prefer this shade of blue over Rail Blue. The Blue Train EMUs look awesome as well.

[@richard-riku]

I suppose the guy spray painting the EMU at 21:53 at least has overalls on (unlike the rail fitters who look like they're dressed for a day at the races). No mask or eye protection but at least he's not smoking on the job unlike many others.

[@andrewheld2475]

I think the pasty hue of a shirtless Londoner is just as effective as any contemporary Hi-Viz vest, innit?

[@mikeschillinger4427]

😂😂. Never a truer word said in jest.

[@GBPaddling]

Flat Cap and Woodbine completes the uniform.

[@odakyuodakyu6650]

one of them looks very snazzy in a skirt with a houndstooth pattern. i bet he spent a weeks wages on that shirt.

[@MikeGMcDermott]

In the 1960s BR was starting to catch up with the other European railway systems and in their day the Type AL1 to AL6 (later class 81 to 86) electric locomotives were ahead of their time in terms of their design and appearance. To think in 1966 BR were introducing a fleet of stylish AC electric locomotives to the West Coast Main Line along with the modern-looking Mark 2 carriages for their crack express services, whereas over on the Isle of Wight they were about to say farewell to a fleet of steam locomotives and carriages from the Victorian era.

[@RogersRamblings]

The Isle of Wight steam hauled trains were replaced by retired London Transport electric trains built in the 1920s.

[@dodgydruid]

Oh the howl of them class 8x's, when the engine was gearing for top notch it must have been deafening for the drivers if not for soundproofing. Steam did survive a little longer, Gravesend Imperial Paper Mills had fireless steam engines into the 70s as did the Bowater's railway have what is now run by the heritage lot who bought the old paper line but sadly didn't save the awesome bucket ropeway (I grew up not far from there and we kids all tried to get the workers to let us ride the buckets).

[@markbooth1117]

Great film. I never knew my local line (Styal Line) as I lived at Heald Green was so important in the whole process of electrification.

[@pascalauzias5636]

1:25 the french "crocodile" 25kv/50hz CC14000 was massively used for industrial freight trains, in the north-east of France from 1954 to 1981

[@kingspunkbubble]

06:45 the explosion interrupted his commentary on controlled explosions😂

[@railwaychristina3192]

Love the suit and safety helmet!

[@dct1]

The construction of the overheard line infrastructure is fascinating.

[@soundseeker63]

I love 1960s tech, it seems quite exciting and progressive yet at the same time it is crude enough that you can actually SEE it working, and often hear it working too, which is certainly not the case with modern power, signal and control systems. The old AC locomotives and those maroon MK1 coaches also look splendid, charming even. Another thing you would struggle to say about most modern trains on the network. These must have been some really exciting times to have been a railway fan (provided you weren't totally blindsighted by the death of steam).

[@mce_AU]

Great Doco. Good find.

[@ianburnett7333]

When I was on S&T Clapham junction, lots of signalling points failures at VSC, ASE was 'Wrong man for the job'had to be paid off, replacement narcissistic told by Chairman BR Board that he was to be sacked in 6 months time unless failure rate dropped, sent out questionnaire, I made lots of recommendations, 2 was carried out, had to have 4 men out on track, only 3 worked outside top grade didn't want to do outside work, 2nd can't say, but improved railway operations considerably. Bought in Man from Swanley led a task force team found lots of equipment faults, reduced failure rate.

[@jonathanbutson1385]

at 3 mins 14 secs we had Acton Lane feeder station being installed. We (Siemens) are just about to replace it, at 58 years of reliable service it was good stuff they installed.

[@West_Coast_Mainline]

3 years before modernization, it’s kinda eerie knowing that the plan was set in motion this early

[@West_Coast_Mainline]

By modernization I mean the removal of steam

[@TheGalacticEmperorOfLabels]

A fascinating watch for any railway enthusiast. Safety clearly not much of a concern in 1965. Thank you for uploading this video.

[@nordic1121]

We take rail travel for granted but I’ll bet there was many a time where they had to overcome problems and glitches to get everything up and running, I love a train ride and in future will think without these guys all the journeys we take would not be possible, true pioneer ‘s.

[@stephenr6427]

That was real health and safety when you could decide yourself if it was dangerous no nanny state back then what a great video

[@billpugh58]

I think all H&S should be banned, it’s only for student, wokes and greens!

[@gregorybentley5707]

Yeah screw the "Nanny state" trying to keep the workers that work for them a live.

[@chicago-l9125]

Through numerous other videos, I've heard complaints and statements of dissatisfaction with British Rail, particularly on the passenger side of its operation. But even if all that is true, I can say that British Rail infrastructure and services are still many, many decades ahead of rail service in the U.S., especially when it comes to electrification expansion and track engineering and maintenance.

[@hypergolic8468]

British Rail had it's issues, no doubt, but per mile cost, the frequency it was way out ahead in front. Above all it did so as inherited a system in 1948 that was bomb damaged, managed ferries and shipping (the UK's largest dock owner), hotels and still riven with rivalries from the "Big Four" major pre nationalised companies did mean it had penalties at it's inception that in some respect carry on to this day (even with privatisation). And I've not brought politics into that either! One of the things it did well (in my opinion) however was look for best practice, for example, the UK, coach bogies would require heavy maintenance too frequently (in the period of 25-40,000 miles), so they looked at the US, where as you'll appreciate, if a bogie was failing at 40,000 miles that would mean the US rail roads would have half the coaching stock in repair! British Rail bought the rights to use the Commonwealth Steel bogie, that became the basis of the MK1 coach, with the US designed bogie becoming known in the UK as the "Commonwealth" design, with 250,000 miles between maintenance. Boiler feed water chemistry was another area where the US was way ahead and British Rail put a lot of time and effort into learning the lessons of the US rail roads, admittedly years behind the US, and only really mastering it after the US moved to Diesel traction...

[@chicago-l9125]

@@hypergolic8468 Well admittedly, U.S. railroads were pretty "top notch" during the early half of the 20th century. And although railroads (particularly passenger) had to compete against the ever increasing popularity of both automotive and air travel, rail travel still managed to hold its own, so to speak, until the 1950s. Around this time the proverbial "bottom fell out" of the viability and profitability for passenger railroading. I honestly believe that a huge reason for its' demise was the failure of the U.S. to invest in the maintenance, improvement and advancement of passenger railroading such as what was implemented on the railways of the U.K.. And this failure was and is especially glaring in light of the lack of electrification expansion for mainline routes beyond the Northeast Corridor along with a lack of infrastructure investment. And truth be told, the ONLY reason why freight railroading managed to survive and maintain until this day is because the country could not function well without it. I'm just relating what I have personally seen over the last 50 years.

[@mikewatt8706]

And light years behind Europe

[@prc789]

@@mikewatt8706 The difference between the UK railway infrastructure and mainland Europe is that post 1945 most of Western Europe's rail infrastructure was completely replaced but in the UK it was repaired. This meant that when the 'Modernisation' program was kicked off, most of the roads were unsuitable for electrification with out major investment, and the funds simply didn't exist. The biggest mistake that the country made was to repair rather than replace. Even now, a lot of the infrastructure of the UK is based on Victorian designs and structures that have not been fit for purpose for a very long time.

[@tropicalpalmtree]

The engineering is incredible.

[@odakyuodakyu6650]

one of the nice things about DC back then was that the city gent in their bowler hats, if feeling a bit chilly while waiting on the plaform could hook their umbrella handle on to the overhead wire, and get a quick electrical burn to warm them up and give them that feisty stimulation they needed. This was in the days before cocaine or skin grafts though. Sadly this was banned with the privetisation of British Rail.

[@Jaxymann]

So amazing to see the construction of what we take for granted now as a revolution in British transport history

[@rsc9520]

Brilliant documentary !!!

[@brianhepke7182]

What a fantastic film, I learned a lot from it.... I hadn't realized that the catenary wire arms were in staggered formation, but it makes sense. Strange was the absence of luminous jackets and proper overalls (and uniforms come to that); "health and safety obviously not a priority back then. The chap balancing atop of the gantry (13.00) and the rest of the track gang on the roof of the train walking about as it moved along is something I should imagine wouldn't happen now. Lots of suits, ties and shirts even out on site. Nice shots of some great old rolling stock. Thanks for posting.

[@therookpiece]

Endlessly fascinating.

[@saltspringrailway3683]

By the time they electrified the East Coast route they dispensed with digging holes and concreting the mast bases. The foundation piece was simply rammed into the ground. 17:05 looks like Rugby with the recently removed GCR birdcage bridge.

[@sylviaelse5086]

I must have ridden this from Euston to Manchester not long after electrification was completed. It took two hours and forty minutes - a journey time that remained the same until Virgin introduced the tilt trains in 2002.

[@Senna-xi1gr]

Great video cheers. 👍🇬🇧😊

[@metalman4141]

Well explained, no BS about how dangerous and now life threatening the work is.

[@mekydro]

That clip at 5:38 of what appears to be a Class 40 arriving at Kensington Olympia is accompanied by the sound of a 'Baby Deltic' Class 23 shutting down. Wow!

[@TheAmir259]

very attentive ear, you are right, it sounds more like the baby deltics

[@dodgydruid]

Always nice to see Kensington Olympia in the good ol' days where it had all its bays and little yard. It had all that because it was a Motorail terminal but also the cross point for SR and MR regions and in those days Southern men did not tread on Midland metals and vice versa so it was a lively little station that saw a lot of freight work as well as being a handy unloading point for the Olympia complex next door. Post office used it a lot too for a great deal of western London parcels with trains going to Willesden for onwards sorting north or west or down to Clapham for onwards sorting to south or south west. It was a system that worked immensely well... sadly it all got pretty mucked up thanks to the tory :(

[@PassiveAgressive319]

So fascinating

[@johnstonewall917]

Thanks for bringing this to KZbin.

[@johnkolassa1645]

Yet another beautiful video. Thanks for posting.

[@ianjones4116]

Great film,,, very entertaining. Bet those lads made a fortune In overtime pay. Walking time, Night money, Off Length allowance. Good memories of the Pway. Thanks for posting. 👍😎

[@adamquirke6024]

Strange how they say Birmingham New Street and Euston are out of date and in need of a rebuild, now they are both dumps after having rebuilt numerous times.

[@PrinceJohn84]

Fascinating video. 12:38 Colin Furze 😆

[@batlin]

Fascinating and clear explanation of so many aspects of electrification! Great to get some context into how and why things happened as they did.

[@donutey]

I love how so many people are in suits while doing heavy labor. I wonder if that was for the camera or just how it was back then.

[@michaelevans205]

My late father in law was a shunter at Peterborough. He wore a three piece suit, tie and fob watch every working day. On Sundays he had a different suit for church.......and a different hat! My grandfather was a long distance lorry driver. He wore a suit too......although his last job before retirement was driving a petrol tanker and, for that, he conceded to wear overalls! Different world.....not better, not worse, just different.

[@Ass_Burgers_Syndrome]

@@michaelevans205 Less crazy though!

[@michaelevans205]

@@Ass_Burgers_Syndrome Thumbs up to that!

[@atlantaman]

Good stuff. Amusing non-HASAWA days as well. Today’s safety officials would have a collective conniption, bless ‘em!

[@nigelmitchell351]

So true, most of these chaps would have been sacked on the their first day and of course that's why today's jobs cost about ten times the price.!

[@patrickkparrker413]

To hell with them you mean .

[@jackster2568]

@@patrickkparrker413 I wonder if you'd say the same thing after you lost a limb in a totally preventable accident.

[@patrickkparrker413]

@@jackster2568 How do you marry the two .

[@jackster2568]

@@patrickkparrker413sorry, i see now that you meant to hell with those days instead of health and safety. There's a decent number of people who disregard it so I wrongly assumed you did too.

[@flybobbie1449]

Health and safety nightmare!! No hi-viz in sight, but the job still got done.

[@stewartmcmanus3991]

You would have to wonder, now in 2024, how much of this stuff is still in use.

[@MrDastardly]

A really great film. 👏👏👏

[@stephendines1936]

It was almost compulsory to smoke when working on the Railway in those days.

[@GreatBarrWolf]

A few fingers must of gone missing with the rail construction lads.

[@robharding4028]

Wonderful old film of our historic train transport system, the amount of technology involved in the running of the system is amazing in every way, I was 8 at this time,But those trains in this time, was special.

[@leonperry123]

The 1st 5seconds...... so that's how the tap works on 86 & 87 CLASS. I enjoyed watching that.

[@simonf8902]

Manchester Sheffield line soon to be closed through the new Woodhead tunnel.

[@mutantthegreat7963]

Amazing how they just got on with things in 1965. Today there would be health and safety crews, scaffolding, air cushions and a diversity manager on site.

[@gavinmellon9313]

Harry Enfield at 20:56. Loadsasignals!!!

[@Ass_Burgers_Syndrome]

Oi you. Shut your mouf and look at my diagram!!

[@johnfogarty1792]

Mr Cholmondley Warner would agree😂

[@earlknightjr.6161]

EXCELLENT ON ALL COUNTS!!! HOW THE OPERATION OF A TRAIN GETS GOING. AND THE ELECTRICAL WHYS AND WHEREFORES. Earl K.JR.8/27/23

[@Richardsrailway]

I worked at Romford OHL depot in the 90’s and we stilled worked of triple extension oak ladders that weighed a ton that you had to carry to site on your own .

[@rodneycooperLMSCoach]

Lovely old film. Reminds me of the last days we had a Railway.

[@andrewhinds6560]

I'm pretty sure that it is still a railway as I work on it. It still has trains, track, signals, etc.

[@rodneycooperLMSCoach]

@@andrewhinds6560 Well I hope you enjoy working on it as much as I did 55years ago and I'm sure you know what I meant. We had many enthusiasts working on BR including some management and a tremendous service was given to the nation on what is (by todays levels of funding) a shoestring. They all loved their railway and saddened by its breakup in privatisation. Even for the traveller who could walk into a station in deepest Cornwall and buy a ticket to any station in darkest Scotland and know they weren't being ripped off.

[@andrewhinds6560]

@@rodneycooperLMSCoach I totally understand where you're coming from. I've been on the railway for 36 years and I have seen a lot of changes, especially post-privatisation. Old school experience is looked down upon by the managers of these TOCs and the likes of me cannot get a job in one of these passenger companies as they'd rather recruit from off the street where they think that the new blood is more easily moulded although it doesn't usually work from what I've heard. Quite a number of these new employees are prone to abusing the system and yet myself, who doesn't take the piss actually wants to work. The best days of my career are behind me now and I cannot wait to retire. Only 12 years to go.

[@davesaunders3334]

@@andrewhinds6560 - You're same age as me. Don't wish your time away. My dad said exactly the same, retired at 65, dead at 67.

[@rodneycooperLMSCoach]

@@andrewhinds6560 Thanks for your reply Andrew and I'm afraid to say its the same whatever business your in. The olduns take a pleasure from working and doing a good job but not so today in the majority of cases. You cant really blame younger people when they take their example as set by todays politicians and leaders.I am well over retirement age but since I am self employed I can keep on going as long as I wish. You will find 12 years goes very quickly. All the best.

[@31144]

Loved the VAB sound 👍

[@TrainSpotterTVIndia]

Voice is like news Anchor, great 👍👍👍👍

[@medwaymodelrailway7129]

Love the video one to watch.

[@Krislights1]

Nice One, Mr. A. Instead of the instructions in a Peco catenary kit.. there should be a link to this instead!😜👍🚂🚂🚂🚂

[@bennickss]

25:20- nearly 60 years ago, Stafford station looks almost identical to how it does today!

[@PeterWalkerHP16c]

Sydney only started moving from 1,500V to HV in the last few years. Most is still 1,500V.

[@admydragon]

The bridges were then destroyed by a series of-*KABOOM*

[@23merlino]

Cameron Applegath - yes, very creative... it was like he was actually narrating on location...

[@holidaymoviecompany]

One of my relations was in charge of the electrification of the west coast main line

[@TrainSpotterTVIndia]

Great information

[@sylvesterlennon8925]

Very interesting. Thank you.

[@andrewhinds6560]

1:02. London Liverpool Street just as I remembered it.

[@cletus1875]

Excellent video

[@56independent42]

Wow, the 60s was a crazy time. 12:17

[@2760ade]

Can't believe that this was (just) within my lifetime. The total lack of safety awareness is petrifying! Those guys standing on the roof of a moving train fitting the power lines is insanely stupid surely, even for 1965? Great film though, really interesting!

[@mohammednadeemanwar2213]

Woodhead electrified Route, including larger bore tunnel fell to closure. Remember it well.

[@iainclark5964]

Another gem from BTF Unit

[@tomkent4656]

Health and Safety not a big deal back then!

[@kitharrison8799]

I know nothing about electric traction, but I'm high af and seventeen minutes deep.

[@dafdaffer1]

Brilliant i really enjoyed that

[@gazs4731]

.a good and enjoyable film from BTF and no hi-viz anything in site

[@David-ci1vn]

And there was pride in the job well done, none of this checking the contract to see if it's in the spec.

[@timtim4603]

Some had hard hats most didn’t, no hi vis, no safety harness will climbing up structure hoping for the best!

[@shopdog831]

Love that intro animation

[@saltspringrailway3683]

Rugby with the recently removed GCR birdcage bridge crossing the WCML and the steam engine testing station to the left..

[@bigdmac33]

Beezer video!!

[@stevedunningduckinggiraffe6296]

Look at all those bare hands, not a glove in sight!

[@lamontcranston4436]

Gosh those stations look just as grim there as they do today…

[@mohammednadeemanwar2213]

Love historic videos. 1965 yr of my existence. To think steam crane installing its replacement. Sad really.

[@zacharyspinks6207]

Amazing Video!

[@SMILEVIDEOTRAINS]

excellent

[@train4905]

Wow that chap shimmeeing up the mast. H and s woud have a freakout today

[@thomasawl]

18:20 ‘must be carried out with the greatest precision’ *shows signals literally just crashing down onto the ground*

[@MrSvenovitch]

I expect Morse and Friday to come along and investigate some trackside corpse any time.

[@andrewsewell9179]

Wonderful lovely 😊 informative

[@quattrohead]

Tools of the trade, milk bottle and a leaky bucket.

[@chieffirefigherplays]

Can’t wait for the next video about BBR back at Whitemen Park. Did you know that part of the train line to Ellenbrook, a train station will be put for whitemen Park.

[@colindollimore3170]

No hard hats , high viz and smoking on the job.

[@ianjones4116]

Good days,, I remember them well. Pway gang 179,,,, Shrewsbury. Happier times. The Whole Railway was ONE Family. 🍻👍

[@glenjarnold]

I remember working similarly contracting at power stations etc, and only as recently as 1985. Today's H&S officials would have a collective coronary.

[@patrickkparrker413]

@@glenjarnold When it past its worth .

[@sylviaelse5086]

Modern health and safety officials would have kittens.

[@brianfearn4246]

The train approaches at the end 25.32 remember that on the tv advert, BR has been electrified

[@nielspemberton59]

This is how Amtrak had Masschusetts Electrical Construction Coirporation electrify the railroad from New Haven to Boston in 1996 - 2000.

[@av8r500]

The old bridge was demolished by a series... BOOM!!... a series of controlled explosions....

[@FM60260]

12:39 Looks like Colin Furze is working on the project