Vintage railway films - The Victoria line reports - 1960s

[@SpiritmanProductions]

9:42 The deadpan way in which he says: "The next stage is to fill the hole with reinforced concrete, having first removed the inspector." 😂

[@mikefromflorida8357]

A far better documentary than any current documentary. No bullshit music, dramatic narration, or overdone animation, as are now included for our viewing pleasure in nearly every television and KZbin video.

[@robtyman4281]

....no, because people don't talk in this stiff, stilted and abrupt way anymore. Some may find this guy's voice comforting and reassuringly 'old school British'; but I find it a little annoying after a while, and cold too. As if he's not actually engaging with the drawings or the project, but just reading from a script in some draughty office somewhere in central London. He's emphasizing all the wrong words, and the lengthy gaps are irritating. You also feel as if he's talking down at you, rather than to you. It's very of its time. They always had some man in a pin-striped suit with a clipped accent who spoke in an abrupt and cold manner. Bet this guy spent half his life in the senior ranks of the army! He had that look about him. As for current documentaries using music - I'm all for this, as music can enhance a documentary....if the right choices of soundtrack are made. All too often, the wrong music is chosen. It can make or break a documentary, even more so than not choosing the right narrator. Plus, the younger generations have shorter attention spans, and would not watch this old documentary all the way through without getting bored, and watching something else. I can just about watch all of this myself, but I admit it's hard work....what with the guy's annoying clipped accent, and the lengthy pauses. But as I said, it's of its time. It's how they made documentaries back then.

[@michaelbraybrook1316]

An interesting review. One that I do not share. I guess it is a function of age. I recall this build I the mid 1960’s.

[@johnkolassa1645]

"Then an inspection is made by the engineer to confirm that the footing is well and truly in the clay. The next stage is to fill the hole with reinforced concrete, having first removed the inspector." Very funny stuff. What a great video. I now see that others commented on this as well. I also enjoyed the talk about maintaining essential services while the film shows beer being delivered to a pub.

[@Cashpots]

Very interesting, I am somewhere in the shots of the umbrella being laid as I went up to London just to watch. Spent the entire afternoon there. Looking at the cops then reminds me how friendly the police were in those days. I was 14 and the copper let me sit on a barrier so that I could see easily. Also interesting how I felt able to travel 30 miles to London in those days alone without an worry at all. No mobile phones in those days either. I think I rang my Mum just once to tell her I was ok. Thanks for posting.

[@DudeFrom1972]

quote: "Looking at the cops then reminds me how friendly the police were in those days. I was 14 and the copper let me sit on a barrier so that I could see easily." - but that might have something to do with the respect most people had for the authorities back then.

[@stephenvince9994]

@@DudeFrom1972 Cops now are incapable of being respected now....sadly. They arent really the police, they are people, (often of dubious character ) impersonating police officers.

[@chriselliott1261]

OK

[@colinosborne3877]

I was a Westinghouse Brake and Signal Co. commissioning engineer for the automatic braking systems. No mention that the trains were fitted with disc brakes, interlocked air suspension and a seven step digital braking system. As the weight of passengers were added to a car, so the braking effort of that car was increased. The trains were originally fitted with a single button for the driver to push to start the train towards the next station. After one driver got his head knocked on the tunnel entrance by hanging it out the window to look back down the train. We had to add another button and a window interlock, so the window had to be shut and both buttons pressed to start the train. When the train stopped at a station there were white lines on the pavement so that any under or overshoot could be measured and reported. The trains were also fitted with hydraulic handbrakes. Not the best. When we serviced them and the oil mixed with the brake dust it took a week to get our hands back clean. Most of all this was new, never been done before. It was so successful that the New York Subway and Singapore Underground systems adopted it over the next few years.

[@k.h.4698]

“The next step is to fill the hole with concrete after first removing the inspector”.. Priceless Brit humor… i see i’m not the only one who laughed at this. Seriously though, the endeavor of building this underground station and tunnel complex in the middle of one of London’s busiest crossings is amazing to say the least. Talk about HARD projects. It fumes me that modern transit projects consist of extending lines on surface routes between roadway or freeway lanes, in which cases the project engineers and politicians want us to believe they have constructed a new wonder of the world tantamount to recreating the Pyramids. The workers and designers shown in this video are the kind of heroes we should never take for granted.

[@rebmcr]

Modern transit projects are much the same as in this video. Crossrail and HS2, both in London and not yet open, are created with pretty much the same techniques used for the Victoria Line. What you have described are American transit projects.

[@UserUser-ww2nj]

@@rebmcr Probably because he is American )))

[@UserUser-ww2nj]

The humour all the way through is brilliant

[@JohnDahleAL]

British humor (or more properly humour) is their gift to humanity. I remember reading a few Old English works (riddles and a few tales) that had that incredible wit. Chaucer, Shakespeare and others up to modern times (Monty Python) have carried on.

[@UserUser-ww2nj]

@@JohnDahleAL Its not understood by some but if you get it then its priceless. A lot is about the delivery as in this video , completely dead pan . If you don't already know them try "The Two Ronnie's " , " For candles " or Fork handles "

[@Spookieham]

The tunnellers are almost certainly from Ireland. My neighbour in Glasgow was from Donegal and work on tunnel projects all over the UK in the 70s and 80s. Good money but by God did he graft for it. I'm told the tunneling gangs were damn good at their jobs and the work rate was phenomenal.

[@keith6400]

If people do not know the word "graft" means to remove clay.

[@AustNRail]

55 years ago they where breaking through on this day and I was taking my first breath. 20 September 1966.

[@STARDRIVE]

They were preparing the world for your arrival :)

[@htimsid]

What a marvellous visual document! Clear, concise yet comprehensive and a minimum of distraction (e.g. music and sound-effects).

[@glynwelshkarelian3489]

09:40 "The next stage is to fill the hole with reinforced concrete; having first removed the inspector." That is British humour at its best.

[@skj1591]

Fascinating stuff. Some incredible engineering and planning that goes into these lines. Side note, does anyone know what the piece of music at the start is called?? It’s a bop and I love it

[@100SteveB]

So strange to think of all the times I travel along those tunnels we have seen being dug in this video. Watching the cutting face inch forward through the London clay, making way for the trains that have now been running through there for over 5 decades now. Lots of guys really toiled to build the lines back then, real back breaking work by the looks of it. I salute those men for their hard work. I used to travel on those lines frequently when i was a young teenager back in the late 70's, and back then i never gave a thought to how all of those tunnels were built. So fascinating to see how the Victoria was built. So easy to take it all for granted without a thought to the guys that worked so hard to build it.

[@jackmckinnon3208]

Even that model was a work of art !!!

[@philipmcdonagh1094]

And finally enjoyed every min of that thanks.

[@bobblue_west]

6:00 "the only way we could find where the pipes were, was to dig for them." Nice to know it's not just me who lays things down and forgets where I put it.

[@UserUser-ww2nj]

I bet you even suffer with the ''put it somewhere safe syndrome '', never to be seen again when you want it 😂😂😂

[@bobblue_west]

@@UserUser-ww2nj ( ''put it somewhere safe syndrome '',) Searching for my turquoise stapler this morning. I only buy bright colored stuff so I don't lose them.

[@UserUser-ww2nj]

@@bobblue_west Thats not a bad idea , i might try it )))

[@shaunlanighan813]

Lovely series of documentaries.

[@alexpassmore6201]

Brilliant record of those events, particularly seeing the miners using their clay-spades! I saw the Oxford Circus Umbrella going up in 1962, then in 1966 I worked in the site offices at Fitzroy Square, near Warren Street, where an access shaft had been constructed in the Gardens. I'll never forget going down the shaft in the bucket for the first time, nor the weight of those clay spades. It's amazing to see the men at their tasks in such 'primitive' conditions - no safety gear. The Fitzroy Square site was closing down and in early 1967 our team were moved to Tilbury to a cable tunnel project under the Thames. This tunnel was built in wet chalk using a new type boring machine - a smaller version of the TBM's in use on Crossrail and HS2. Hard hats were issued but often neglected and, as it was wet the miners were given jackets and over-trousers.

[@GarethHowell]

I grew up in sight of Fairlop Aerodrome and watched with great fascination as it was turned from being the RAF airfield with bunkers and aircraft pens that we used as our playground into the enormous sand and gravel extraction and concrete production plant that produced all the concrete segments. I also used the Hainault loop to get to school every day and well remember the test trains that operated on it.

[@daffyduk77]

Impossible not to feel total respect for the tunnelers, even with machinery, no hardhats or gloves, manhandling tonnes of concrete slabs per hour. Wonder how many lost fingers or worse. Not a job for the accident-prone. Amazing subject-matter & documentary. Truly awe-inspiring.

[@steveross129]

Wonderful to watch. Looking forward to our next trip to London, will ride the Victoria line with a new appreciation.

[@mhthmusicvideos]

Mind-boggling complexity and ingenuity

[@buzzofftoxicblog791]

Used to use this line and was oblivious to all the engineering thats amazing engineering! thank you loved watching I was born 1962! great history. thank you for posting 🌍

[@MrScottmac99]

How good is that stringline around the drawing pins? Who needs google maps or fancy computing stuff? [Greetings from a still pretty-much locked down Melbourne - I think we hold the world record now.]

[@patricknee7087]

yes lock down a prison term for a scamdemic all inalienable rights reserved

[@AC-SlaUkr]

Brilliant work. Nirvana.

[@gazs4731]

Was really interesting and really hard graft for the men dealing with the clay by shovel.

[@michaelpuleston3496]

Brilliant documentary of brilliant engineering and design all those decades ago. The lack of health and safety in those days never ceases to amaze me.

[@neilcummins5099]

I wonder how many of those tough tunnellers slinging the cast iron rings and concrete sections around were still young enough to have seen combat in WW2 and Korea.Resilient and doubtless afraid of very little.

[@basfinnis]

Very interesting. Good presentation for 1962. Thanks

[@turboslag]

That was absolutely fascinating! I hadnt realised how new the Vic line was when I first travelled on it in about 1973. I didnt live in London but travelled down ther regularly on training courses with the company I worked for, so I was a regular user of the tube until 1977. I remember the contrast between the Vic line and Bakerloo line was stark!

[@stefankassbohrer2765]

Great performance, in planning & execution! Hats off

[@TheEulerID]

"The next stage is to fill the hole with reinforced concrete, having first removed the inspector". Wonderfully dry British humour delivered in the same deadpan manner as the rest of the commentary.

[@HH-qm2gc]

Considering the film is nearly 50 years old its very good quality.

[@oludotunjohnshowemimo434]

Miss the 1967 stock on the Victoria line. At least we still have the identical looking relatives 1972 mk1 and mk2 stock on the Bakerloo line

[@Pjs75]

Not a Hi-vis jacket nor many hard hats - but industrious productivity abounds!

[@Valhallaxp]

Love the miner drinking out of the fire bucket, and menu of them got ciggies in their mouths , to think Crossmaglen you had hard hats, high viz, gloves, eye wear, before you even go on the site and ofc site induction,

[@philipmcdonagh1094]

Hard to believe that would be probably done the same way today, only difference a tunnel boring machine. Love the department store music of the time.

[@gwyneddboom2579]

I love how they very seriously added that they removed the inspector before filling the column with concrete

[@NgaugeShelfLayouts]

I was scared of his authoritarian voice then terrified by those eyebrows.

[@gazs4731]

Yes he would have been right at a home in a Hammer film

[@emjackson2289]

@@gazs4731 East or West Hammer? ;-)

[@Brpwndood]

Feeling you get when u turn up on the first day of school and the headmaster speaks to you like that and you're left wandering what your life has turned to

[@Brpwndood]

@@gazs4731 yes id gladly sit through the scary bits to get to the good parts haha

[@Quebecoisegal]

Like a couple of caterpillars!

[@tonywise198]

I like the sense of humour of the commentator. Definitely froll!

[@ianperry9049]

I worked with a guy in '68/9 whose daughter was born on the day this line opened. Guess what he called her..........

[@epowellrob]

Walthamstow?

[@ACELog]

Brixton?

[@johnkelly1083]

Richard?

[@NIGAND]

Tube

[@johnmehaffey9953]

Headache?

[@rjds1800]

Amazing work, can't help wondering if we could do it these days or if they'd even try to. Anyway, I'm going to enjoy this fascinating film.

[@stephenvince9994]

I work in a similar industry (Offshore construction). For every pair of hands on the job there are now trhee pairs on a keyboard. That's the problem.

[@emjackson2289]

TfL need to play that elevator-jazz-muzak in all their elevators, that's for starters. PS. Little did he know that 30-odd years later that'd be a place associated with the boys of East 17 - should change Walthamstow station name to "House of Love"

[@jacklav1]

There's some lovely music on this video, anyone know what the swing tunes are?

[@Mounhas]

From a historical point of view this is interesting, more so as I started work in London in 1963, in many ways it was still Dickensian in flavour, especially when I worked night shifts, & used a system of passageways, probably gaslight though that I couldn’t be sure. As for the jazzy music!

[@gdwnet]

I've travelled on the Victoria line on those old rolling sock train many times and it's only now that I understand WHY those armrests had the odd shape to them! It's quite clever!

[@peterwest7855]

In the 1980's I worked in a glass bottle factory in Kent. The story I was told was that the bottle blowing machines were powered by compressors that had been sold off after they were used to service the drilling machinery on the Victoria line construction, albeit at reduced pressure because they were knackered for some reason!.

[@paulwright9749]

Not a hint of health and safety in sight, just getting the job done. Bloody marvellous! 😅

[@scotiajinker8392]

Amazing film , it’s a pity there wasn’t any sound during the construction of the tunnels , it kind of sanitised it, the sound must have been deafening.

[@timpriddy349]

Has that old world Headmaster tone to him

[@jimmyjam4371]

Great jazz music intro.

[@samwisegamgee3596]

Wonder how many accidents happened during the construction of this massive project. Or if there were any deaths. What an achievement though. People never cease to amaze. Have shoveled clay before, it's not a fun or easy job by any means and it was a very miniscule amount compared to what these guys were doing.. could only imagine. Especially day in and day out for that long.

[@colinosborne3877]

Not a crash hat, gloves or high res in sight! Every one looked after their own safety then, not expecting someone else to do it and get sued if they cut a finger.

[@Smithy67]

What splendid eyebrows.

[@francinevanzanten8368]

At 9:45: "The next stage is to fill the hole with reinforced concrete, having first removed the inspector".

[@paulspeight8398]

🤔The part showing the 1960 stock on the Hainault loop must have been taken in the mid 1970s well after the Victoria line had open in 1969. The train operater seen was my father Bill Speight (only time seen wearing a cap🤭) And he wasn't was trasfered to Seven Sisters depot untill the late 1970s as back then it was done by seniority (his was early 1930s) as one retired ⚰the next on the transfer list took there place. All for a few ££s more🙄to spend his working shift in a 🌚tunnel instead of the Essex 🌳countryside.

[@homeone4054]

Doing the tiling in a shirt and pullover. Nice touch.

[@Steven_Rowe]

Always wondered how they can tunnel and actually know where they are going . Also tunnels curve so how does the greathead Shield mange to make tunnels that are curved.

[@raypitts4880]

draw the required amount of curve needed out in the car park make every one fit then number them and of you go if you had ten sections then you would have ten lines going out.

[@CATech1138]

Center lines, levels, surveying scopes, measuring tapes and lots of math are used to drive a tunnel

[@Valhallaxp]

My construction manager worked on the finsbury park diversion, then he worked on the m25 aveley,brentwood,epping, then on sizewell b , a130 Chelmsford , last contracthet was on before retiring was the thameslink station box on the st panacras channel tunnel raillink

[@little_britain]

They were giants in those times.

[@trevormadden4301]

Changin onto the Vic from the black line at stockwell is a bi difference. Like taking off after rattling along the old northern line

[@colinosborne3877]

You remember the adverts inside the carriages. There was one specially for the opening. It said; Welcome to the new Victoria Line. Everything is new up-to-date etc. But there is a secret. Have a butchers under the bonnet... Pit Ponies!

[@maliksuper919]

9:42 'first removed the inspector' this was in their checklist before poring the concrete. LOL

[@Kidraver555]

I was living in walthamstow at that time and remember riding in the carriage the queen used to open the line.

[@timsmith8189]

As something that is taken for granted the London Underground must rate as one of the Seven Wonders of the World. 😁 ( Thankyou very much for uploading the film, thoroughly enjoyed it. When I go on the Tube again it will be with the knowledge of the effort involved to make such an effortless journey. 🚇🤗👍

[@lowerquadrant4647]

When this was done the queen had been in charge for already ten years, and she still is. God save her, indeed.

[@PeterSkudder]

A lot of today's planners and managers could learn a lot by how this project was completed. Too many of the projects completed today are over budget and/or take far longer than what was anticipated.

[@juliansadler6263]

Well done that man working there in a white shirt and tie. No PPE required in those days.

[@robarnold4104]

"OK boys start your shift, got everything?",. "yeah boss, welly boots, fire bucket full of water and 2 packs of Senior service ciggies"

[@Dellboy56]

Fascinating, the background music was a little ‘stripper sounding music’ of that period...so I'm led to believe!?

[@oludotunjohnshowemimo434]

The Hammersmith and City line was still part of the Metropolitan line between Hammersmith and Barking at this time.

[@who-gives-a-toss_Bear]

13:13 Essential services diverted. 18:24 Rubery Owen into making big things then.

[@jojonesjojo8919]

0:58 - he may have changed his name and his accent, but that is clearly Albert Speer.

[@edwinchaffin3154]

could it be done now adays or have we lost the skill and workforce?

[@nickbarber9502]

Is that Oliver Postgate narrating? (The first voice that we hear)

[@Mike8981]

Don’t think so

[@vincec8808]

No. It's Mr Cholmondley-Warner

[@simonjackson7269]

PPE..what's that???

[@philsharp758]

Wow!

[@jonb3311]

It was said that some navvies used to be paid on Friday, clean up, buy a new off the peg suit and be on the booze all weekend. On Monday, they'd turn up for work in their suit and wear it all week, until Friday and restart the cycle all over again. Look carefully and you'll see quite a few men working in suits that are worse for wear.

[@Valhallaxp]

The navvies use to go the national ballroom in kilburn on Fridays, many of them met their future wife's, yep we had a guy from Ireland a lead jointer for cast iron pipes, then he drove a mobile compressor, he worked for the utilities company for 30yrs plus , and when he retired. Moved from Highgate to Ireland , he told me this over his Gunness, his lady job as my driver was driving a transit tipper , great gentleman

[@mikesahle1193]

🚂🚂🚂good luck over 100 years ago 😎🎥☝️👏👏👏👏👏

[@jimmillington8299]

Imagine Network Rail or Crossrail or HS2 finishing that Oxford Circus job dead on time?!

[@mce_AU]

And it was raining, of course.

[@iant9461]

Men and their creations.

[@mikegillard7283]

Mind your feet and fingers! Old school DSE, shirt sleeves and hair grease!

[@mikewatte4478]

Mostly built by big strong Irish hands

[@philipmcdonagh1094]

My Grandfather included. Explains why we don't have an underground, busy building theirs.

[@michaeltb1358]

Long before Health and Safety became an issue!

[@sjguk267]

Shame these lads couldn't have done crossrail

[@OgaugeTrainsplusslotCars]

Nice subway.I mean Tube.

[@philipmcdonagh1094]

This would give a health and safety inspector a cardiac or a stroke.

[@raypitts4880]

thats why you dont see any they all died also cost to much money to pay them just to hold up the work tie that ladder in 3 places yea who's going to do it before its climbed.

[@memofrf]

Briiliant.

[@derekkelly3708]

Very interesting, tremendous engineering feat for its time. Health and Safety very different then. I had the experience working on the Victoria Line back in late 70’s as a Technical Assistant working out of Northumberland Park Depot, so parts of the film very familiar, and test runs on the ATO trains were interesting.

[@daniel-ino]

Wonder if these guys lost all his hearing later. Also : did they really dress this in suits to work?

[@daffyduk77]

51:01 this guy should have been an Olympic weightllfter. Hope he didn't do his back in

[@tobyfletcher6803]

the reason it was succesfull back then is because they didnt send emails and whatsapp to each other. it was just got on with. it had people in charge and accountable. thats how things were done then. and with presision

[@jgboyer]

The guy who took so long to finish the Black Horse sculpture really milked that job. It looks horrendous. Considering the back breaking work going on 24/7, he sure had the cushy job. LOL

[@Nick-ye5kk]

He looked like a Monty Python caricature of a middle class hobby sculptor.

[@MarkInLA]

Imagine !! Wonderful background music played by real live humans reading their parts, and a conductor conducting them !! No synthetic soulless crap like today !!! And it's jazz !!!

[@56independent]

2:45 His Eyebrows: --------|

[@TheManLab7]

7:07 I thought "a few" meant 3 or 4 max in my books. But what he should of said was "half a dozen" or "Elon time". Even back then they lied through their teeth and things have only got worse as times gone on. I still don't think it's fair they get paid a lot more that the rest of us, as we get tuppence. 11:14 Btw is there any reason you'd be wearing shoes, trousers, shirt and a tie when your working in dirt n concrete dust? It's not as if they're working in the grand old age of steam, now is it. 29:42 The poor bloke. I bet he'll never forget his parents for giving him that name ☹️

[@thelibrarian46]

Incredible to think no one is wearing a safety helmet or high vis jacket and men are working in confined conditions, undertaking hard physical work by hand. Equally the calculations were undertaken by hand, rather than application of information computer technology.

[@yunassaxer7119]

😀

[@poissonblanc3106]

terminalの発音が、米語とは随分違うんだね・・

[@philipmcdonagh1094]

It time countries got back to making their own stuff instead of importing cheaply made crap.

[@tonyboloni64]

Back where eyebrow were eyebrows.

[@alistair1978utube]

Those eyebrows!

[@LMB222]

It's amazing that a nation that wasn't able to produce an automobile managed such a feat, and with very few immigrants on top of it!