Vintage transport film - All that mighty heart - 1963

This vintage railway film, produced by British Transport Films in 1963, takes a day-long look at that vast undertaking, London Transport, and at all those - commuters, shoppers, excursionists, theatregoers, and the rest - who rely upon it.
This is a film about London as seen by London Transport. Starting at dawn we see the slow build-up to rush hour and afterwards the mid-morning lull. The scene changes to Saturday afternoon, the hurly-burly of sport and pastime, then on to the evening gaiety of the West End, while below the surface men are tunnelling the new tube line from Victoria to Walthamstow.

[@johnnyrvf]

I was born in 1957. I so remember the tube trains and buses from my early youth! London has changed so much since those halcyon days of the sixties and seventies.

[@QuoPaperPlane]

Watching this on TPTV while tapping out this comment. As I watch a particular segment, I'm fascinated and curious as to what I was doing and where I was right at that particular scene. I was two and living in Clapham Park at the time. God, just to step into a bubble of captured time and savour that moment for as long as I wish.

[@TonyBanks21]

What a lovely film,this was,depicting morning life in the 1960s-everybody going about their daily life,using impeccable manners-those were the days !!

[@lordmanorhouse2817]

Oh my goodness, what a nostalgic little gem this film is, and beautifully shot and edited. I'm sure I first saw it when I was 12, at the free London Transport Cinema in Charing Cross station. And what a great soundtrack, Jack De Manio on the radio followed by Housewives Choice and Music While You Work. I remember my mother listening to these programmes. Then towards the end, Millicent Martin singing That Was The Week That Was from the satirical BBC TV show presented by David Frost. Talk about bringing back so many fond memories. Thank you so much for posting.

[@ford8609]

⁸

[@rogerking7258]

Born in 1957, I don't think I've ever seen a film that captures the era so perfectly, particularly so with the London Country green buses because I lived just north of London. The only thing missing is some Beatles music, but at the time no-one realised just how significant they were to be in world history.

[@qmsarge]

What was the difference between the green & red buses? Had been to London in 2007, at that time most of the buses were in red livery (and managed by private companies?).

[@tomclifton1607]

@@qmsarge The green "country" buses served the outlying rural areas, with the red ones operating urban and suburban services.

[@iainclark5964]

​@qmsarge The Country buses and Green Line coaches became part of the National Bus Company in 1970 as London Country.

[@paulcowell7588]

Just when we thought the 60s were great then came the 70s to be a teen in the 70s was magical ...anyone who is now in their 60s will no exactly what I mean...

[@Gracey64]

I desire this again.

[@paulc9588]

A wonderful glimpse of London in its postwar heyday. A bit too young to remember this era but I bet those around at the time did not realise how lucky they were to experience life in the capital before the rot set in. Just a decade on things had changed dramatically, and not for the better.

[@ford8609]

Good old days A cigarette before he's out of bed.

[@mikec7108]

... and the obligatory cough !

[@andynixon2820]

Yep , lighting up a coffin nail first thing in the morning.

[@ivanahavitoff7308]

London just before it really got swinging. A beautiful film looking back nearly 60 years ago.

[@iainclark5964]

A BTF classic, lovely to see some of London Transport's classic trains and buses especially the District line R stock, much loved from childhood. I love the way of using radio programmes to emphasis the time of day and the activities being undertaken. Have this on DVD and like many BTF films can watch it time and again.

[@nicadair7700]

This needs to be on Blu-ray in High Definition, it was clearly shot on 35mm film.

[@neilmccormick2064]

My grandfather ( Joe McCormick) was a porter at the Waldorf Astoria in the 60s. He lived at Kemble Street. It was great seeing London of that era as he'd have known it ,then to catch a glimpse of the Waldorf near the end of the film and to think old Joe might actually have been working there as this was being filmed made me quite emotional. Brilliant bit of film history, thanks for sharing it with us.

[@JasonNeil]

Wow. Brings back childhood memories. Those trains, buses, the tube, all part of my weekend trips into London when my Dad was duty managing central London hotels. I can almost smell the Underground! So many good memories…

[@Tindallhall]

I wonder who lives at 65 Fitzroy Rd. NW now and how modern with temperatures given first in centigrade and controllable CCTV - splendid!

[@martinmarsola6477]

A beautiful glance into the past! Thank you. Cheers mate!

[@johnakerman5428]

My word did this stir up some memories. First ride on a Routemaster. Going to school on a Green Line. Tube to Morden. Happy days. Mostly!

[@robertp.wainman4094]

Yay - how delightful. Transport standards and service have certainly gone down since those days!

[@mortuaryartist]

Wonderful. Thanks for this.

[@truebrit3578]

Very interesting and not a film I had seen before. Many things that could be taken from it but from a personal point of view remembering London Zoo as it was. A visit a few years ago was a huge disappointment and showed over the years how much of the magic had been lost

[@tinytonymaloney7832]

Wow, that tunnelling machine, i thought that machine technology started when tbe channel tunnel was started, didn't know them boring machines existed in the 60s. Great video, year i was born 👍👍

[@conceyullena]

Like 11 beautiful video, greetings from Asturias 🚂👍👋

[@BritishBeachcomber]

I was nine when this was made. Everything seemed so modern then. Now it's just history...

[@Smithy67]

Please keep playing these gems

[@MrAsBBB]

One word. Fabulous!

[@mortuaryartist]

I really enjoyed this

[@MattSomethingOrOther]

*"round about on time" - thats London Transport for ya*

[@jacarre]

What a beautiful film. This year had my first time in London, wonderfull city with great history, museums and parks. I miss it very much😢

[@BennettBrookRailway]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@Steven_Rowe]

A great time, safe even as a kid to travel around London by myself. A time when gay meant happy, a time when the only people with guns were American nutcases and not many people had knives. Today it is sadly common place. I remember the Victoria line being built and opened. How lovely to see RT buses in London Country green livery.

[@squirrelsarepeopletoo6678]

I'm an American, most of us aren't nutcases. However our politicians don't seem to care about public safety, they want us to believe that murder on our streets is normal, that it's just part of living in a free society.

[@Steven_Rowe]

@@squirrelsarepeopletoo6678 I never said all Americans are nutcases but of course the right to bear arms and some of the cultural that went with it was common knowledge. I know many cities back in the city were dangerous or at last certain areas were. I hink the biggest issue is that weak minded people have watched so many Hollywood films that revel in vigilanty violence, thinks like Dirty Harry and Rambo. Of course police can't use here own weapons and any rational minded people would not hat Dirty Harry wouldn't have a 44 magnum nor use a 458 Winchester Magnum as he did in the first Dirty Harry film. Sadly though when in the 70s all this Kungfu rubbish is on tv it seemed all the contemporary clowns of my age wanted to go do Kungfu. Let's also not forget that classic film Smokey and the Bandit, it was so funny yet after that everyone went out and bought CB radios which then got known as Children's Band radio. The media has had so much influence and sadly a lot of the time not to positive.

[@uk-martin4905]

I don't want to be pedantic but that was the green livery of London Transport's Country Area buses ......no connection with London Country Bus Services which, as part of the National Bus Company, took over the Country Area (green) bus routes in 1970.

[@AndreiTupolev]

Guns? How many people will you meet in London who'll have guns?

[@neilmccormick2064]

You never heard of the Krays or the Richardsons ? Violent sociopathic psychotics to a man . Its rather delusional to think thugs , gangsters and violent criminals didn't exist then or were somehow morally better than the ones we have now.

[@paulfisher3181]

Excellent

[@buzzofftoxicblog791]

Brilliant 👏 film 🎥 🎞 thank you history 👍 everything looks more slow 🐌 and friendly 😀

[@hollimurray8856]

I love this!

[@tashvadj4914]

Wonderful ❤

[@ianstuartgraemecallender7897]

I have been in the front cab of the central line in the ninety from Oxford Circus and the driver was very friendly at the time. Amazing views approaching the station.

[@greigs9384]

St. Evenage centres basically the same, just not a lot of quality shops now.

[@michaelashby1067]

Eric Coates' music ....I love it....

[@tangerinedream7211]

All before cities became 24/7 places. Thanks for the insight.

[@peterwhitaker4038]

i used to buy a 'Red Rover' Ticket in 1965 for 1/6d and travelled on any bus all day long. Great memories.

[@pgchase4578043026]

From watching your BR safety films I kept expecting something tragic to happen.

[@oldman1734]

When London was London and England was England. Now gone forever.

[@nicadair7700]

Yes indeed, destroyed by corrupt politicians and The Kalergi Plan.

[@simonjames3845]

What a civilised place it was then.

[@PSYCHIC_PSYCHO]

Britain including London was LESS CIVILISED back then; it wasn’t until the late 80’s that domestic violence became a criminal offence, prior to this if a woman phoned the Police while she was being beaten up, the police wouldn’t get involved, citing that it is not against the law. Back in the so-called good old days huge swathes of rapes went unreported because the police seldom took such accusations seriously. Child-abuse was rife too, and not reported. This is just a tip of the iceberg as far as problems that existed in your good old days. While I am nostalgic about old Underground trains, and dislike modern Underground trains, the 21st century is better in some ways.

[@nicadair7700]

​@@PSYCHIC_PSYCHONonsense, this is before the corrupt politicians and the Kalergi Plan took hold, when London was still British.

[@stuartbroome1258]

A delightful film, at a guess in the 1950's. How times change, I grew up with housewives choice. Excellent.

[@barneyhoward1691]

it says 1963

[@simonrich3811]

It is clearly from 1962/3. That WasThe Week That Was, first aired in 1962. 1950's fashions lingered on in the early '60s.

[@TheAmateurBasher1984]

1:31 "Morning Don!" "Morning chum!"

[@videonut1988]

Old school TfL… (BTW The subsurface division STILL got better cars like they do today; and the Northern and Central Lines had trains that can REALLY move)

[@bobblue_west]

Great video. Here's what I saw 4:08 gee, ain't married life wunderful. I have my first ciggie and smokers coff B4 I get out of bed. 6:33 Alan Whicker rides the tube. 8:42 Imagine him reading out, "You must wear a face mask over your nose and mouth." 10:23 House Wive's Choice -- blimey he reads out here name and street address 65 Fitzroy Rd NW1.

[@simonf8902]

What a lovely city. Can I visit it now ?

[@essexboy5520]

No chance. That London left us 40 years ago.

[@Creighton-Jones]

Only if you have the use of a TARDIS

[@rbrowne2998]

A beautiful place. How different to today!

[@essexboy5520]

@@rbrowne2998 That's an understatement!!

[@theprior46]

Ah Stevenage New Town - Fine Fare supermarket when it was a novelty and almost empty! What a great film and is it my imagination or did women walk in shorter steps all dainty back then - many of them in high heels? It seemed everyone was hurrying somewhere as if there's an important deadline to meet. Fascinating social history.

[@pritamkoli]

Five star coverage

[@yixnorb5971]

Even the train operator had to wear a tie.

[@johnchurch4705]

That’s how uniforms were back then, everybody looked smart.

[@user-yd4mx8lq4b]

A different world. Not perfect, but I'd have it all day long when I look at the actual state of this country now.

[@OlafProt]

These old BT Films are quite brilliant, if rather rose-tinted lol

[@oludotunjohnshowemimo434]

The Victoria Line was still being built at this time.

[@chrismccartney8668]

Busy but not crowded urgent but not manic the way we were.

[@80srenaissance67]

Can't quite put my finger on what's so different and lovely about 60s London compared to now.....hmmmm

[@ok2760]

"Why can't I be openly racist like I used to be?"

[@80srenaissance67]

@@ok2760 get your mask on and take your jabs

[@AndreiTupolev]

Don't be coy. Come out and say it.

[@glynwelshkarelian3489]

What a good film! The Stevenage buses that featured from around 12:00 probably also appeared in in the 1968 film 'Here We Go Round The Mulberry Bush'. There's one in the first few seconds of the title clip kzbin.info/www/bejne/m4KZXneVoMmUqKc

[@annoyingbstard9407]

Fantastic. A treat to see that we did have working class people actually happily doing something just a few years ago. Now we’re all middle class IT consultants and rely on immigrants to do the work.

[@alifiraashassan6807]

We love to watch the vintage is real London Train around the Cityscape. Great memory in the history is record the video by the publisher has best work out of the artistically views.

[@stuartbroome1258]

Yes I know it says 1963, but it seem a few years earlier. No rock n roll or Beatles for a start, and everything is so correct just like the 50's. Times changed in the 60's. Just a thought.

[@ivanahavitoff7308]

The early 60s were a complete extesnion of the 50s, only the fashion changed. Major changes happened from late 64/5 onwards.

[@markitg1972]

"Ben Hur" was released in 1959.

[@neilmccormick2064]

The Beatles released Love Me Do in 1962 .

[@gavinmellon9313]

What doth thee bringeth today? Another great video for thee to enjoyith.

[@truthjunkie2325]

I remember when it was 4 new pence on the bus to school. My best friend Timmy and I used to club together 2p and buy a fag and match on the way to school. The day the bus fare went up to 8p - doubling the cost - my mother thought I was trying to pull a fast one. The next morning she came down to the bus stop with me and confronted the bus driver in front of all my chums...I was so embarrassed. 8p was a lot back then...

[@johndonaldson3619]

6.30 am ? -must have been mid-summer!

[@nmccw3245]

Parents at the zoo, showing their children to the animals. 🇬🇧👍🏻😜

[@davidmiller6728]

life seemed so uncomplicated in 1963

[@cannadineboxill-harris2983]

I needed to know why they don’t dig a tunnel and do an extension for the main line Train so that they can extend the unused abandoned underground train stations. Why couldn’t they use the part D78 Stock train doors on the sides and also restructure the front face of the A60 and A62 stock and that includes the class 313, class 314 and class 315 remix and make them all together and also redesign them an overhead line and also make them into Five cars per units and also having three Disabled Toilets on that Five cars per units A60 and A62 stock trains and also convert the A60 and A62 stock trains into a Scania N112, Volvo B10M, Gardner 6LXB, Gardner 6LXC and Gardner 8LXB Diesel Engines and also put the Loud 7-Speed Voith Gearboxes even Loud 8-Speed Leyland Hydra cyclic Gearboxes in the A60 and A62 stock, class 313, class 314, and class 315 and also modernise the A60 and A62 stock and make it into an 11 car per unit so it could have fewer doors, more tables, computers and mobile phone chargers. A Stock Trains and also having 8 Disabled Toilets on those A stock trains. Why couldn’t we refurbish and modernise the Waterloo and city line Triple-Track train tunnel and make it more Larger and extend it to the bank station, making it into a Triple-Track Railway Line so those Five countries such as Australia, Germany, Italy, Poland And Sweden to convert the waterloo and city line Triple-Track Railway tunnel into a High-Speed Railway lines? The Third Euro tunnel Triple-Track Railway line to make it 11 times better for passengers so they could go from A to B. Then put the modernised 11 car per unit A Stock and put them on a bigger modernised Waterloo and city line Triple-Track train tunnel so it could go to bank station to those Five countries such as Australia, Germany, Italy, Poland And Sweden. The modernised refurbished 11 cars per unit A stock could be a High Speed The Third Triple-Track Euro Tunnel Train So it is promising and 47 times a lot more possible to do this kind of project if that will be OK for London Australia, Germany, Italy, Poland And Sweden. oh by the way, could they also tunnel the Triple-Track Railway Line so it will stop from Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex so that the Passengers will go to Australia, Germany, Italy, Poland and Sweden and also extend the Triple-Track Railway Line from the Bank to Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex Stations so that more people from there could go to Australia, Germany, Italy, Poland And Sweden more and more Easily? Why couldn't they extend the Piccadilly line and also build a brand-new underground train station so it could go even further right up to Clapton, Wood Street can they also make another brand new underground train stations in Chingford and could they extend the Piccadilly Line and the DLR right up to Chingford? All of the classes 150, 155, 154, 117, 114, 105, and 106, will be replaced by all of the Scania N112, Volvo B10M, Gardner 6LXB, Gardner 6LXC and Gardner 8LXB Diesel Five carriages three disabled toilets are air conditioning trains including Highams Park for extended roots which is the Piccadilly line and the DLR trains. Could you also convert all of the 1973 stock trains into an air-conditioned maximum speed 78 km/hours (48 MPH) re-refurbished and make it into a 8 cars per unit if that will be alright, and also extend all of the Piccadilly train stations to make more space for all of the extended 8 car per unit 1973 stock air condition trains and can you also build another Mayflower and Tornado Steam Locomotive Companies and can they order Every 37 Octagon and Every 17 Hexagon shape LNER diagram unique small no.13 and unique small no.11 Boilers from those Countries such as Greece, Italy, Poland, and Sweden, can they make Mayflower and Tornado Steam Locomotive speeds by up to 142MPH so you can try and test it on the Original Mainline so it will be much more safer for the Passengers to enjoy the 142MPH speed Limit only for HS2 and Channel Tunnel mainline services, if they needed 16 Carriages Per units, can they use those class 55’s, class 44’s, class 40’s and class 43HST Diesel Locomotive’s right at the Back of those 18 Carriages Per Units so they can take over at the Back to let those Mayflower and Tornado Steam Locomotive’s have a rest for those interesting Journeys Please!!!!!!, oh can you make all of those Coal Boxes’s 17 Tonnes for all of those 142MPH Mayflower and Tornado Steam Locomotive’s so the Companies will Understand us PASSENGER’S!!!!! so please make sure that the Builders can do as they are told!!!! And please do something about these very very important Professional ideas Please? Prime Minister of England, Prime Minister of Australia, Prime Minister of Sweden, Prime Minister of Germany, Prime Minister of Italy, Prime Minister of Poland and that Includes the Mayor of London.

[@marktaylor4821]

Goodness so much thrown away. We had such a clear idea of ourselves both individually and what we stood for as a nation. I know that nostalgia isa tricky bugger as he tends to ignore things like advices in medical care and the way thta women were treated and valued and trapped they were socially. Still, did we have to throw everything of value away?

[@XXXEspio]

04:18 sweet leaf 😉

[@davidnarbett]

So idyllic, clean, organised, orderly and everyone showing respect for each other. (Very similar to the Rank Organisation ‘Look at Life’ films) - The future where everything is possible - This was one year before I was born - surely it is not my fault that the world has descended into the vile cesspit we have 60 years later ?!!

[@markmay4954]

Not a fat person in sight lol

[@geoffplywood6112]

Everyone looks so smart too, no trackies and trainers

[@mikecawood]

Thank goodness smoking isn't allowed on public transport any more.

[@jamesupton4996]

Every body gets misty eyed about these old films. London as was. But just think about scientific progress since then. I'm conscious of medical progress in particular - I have a type of incurable cancer they would not have been able to treat well at all then.

[@davidbull7210]

What station is at 4:29? I'm guessing somewhere on the Met or Bakerloo in North London?

[@theendofeverything6356]

What happened to London? Who replaced the Londoners?

[@stephensaunders1845]

More Londoners.

[@theendofeverything6356]

@@stephensaunders1845 You mean, 'Londoners'?

[@davidnarbett]

I could say - but I would removed from You Tube

[@theendofeverything6356]

@@davidnarbett 👍

[@huwzebediahthomas9193]

Can't be '63 - no Mini cars about. They were everywhere by then. The Bubble Car suggests a few years earlier. Let me have another look.. Ah right, about right, but clips maybe '62. Did see a Mini, just one though. Victoria line first section was going on in that stage about then, tunnel boring.

[@ldev138]

14:13 Blind woman from Don't Look Now??

[@josephonwhidbey]

Yea, things were much better in the Bronx NYC back in them days.

[@greigs9384]

London, before TfL got its hands on it.

[@buzzofftoxicblog791]

RAT RACE OR SOMETHING ELSE 🤔 Nothing has change except we now have to change the rat race got us all in a big mess 2022 anthropogenic extinction. I enjoyed 1963 film 🎥 🎞 thank you history 👍 everything looks more slow 🐌 and friendly 😀 rat race

[@tangerinedream7211]

Senior service cigarettes and a smokers cough.lol

[@stephenskinner3851]

Wonderful. I don't think Mayor Khan and Lenny Henry would be happy with the demographic though.

[@memyself1566]

Well, it would be a case of very tough shit then. They were better times - although not perfect, just better.

[@thedave7760]

@@memyself1566 And I am not allowed to agree with that, haven't you heard? all things in the past especially if white people were involved were evil and oppressive. You must have not been paying attention.

[@memyself1566]

@@thedave7760 Yeah, okay, you must be correct in that case. Well, what can I say? It’s all PC BS and we were still better off in the past than we are now - give it another century and only God knows what we will be like.

[@gerrynewton3147]

Unfortunately a world we cast into the dustbin. Now we have the third world London where it is not safe to walk the streets even in broad daylight.

[@simonrich3811]

@@gerrynewton3147 Nonsense. You think there was a lot less crime then? I don't know what world you live in. Most crime rates peaked in the mid 1990s.

[@mikecawood]

A great London before Sadiq Khan wrecked it.