British Transport Films… a window on a bygone age

[StarCruiser]

I've been looking out for these old promotional/educational films for some time, and now they are on YouTube . It was mainly the old commercial vehicles I was interested in to start with but they give such a great view of what the country was like in the 50s that I think they are a joy to watch.

Here's one that relates to the 80. Ok, tenuous link I suppose but the 80 has the same type fuel pump as the prototype being tested here.

And this one showing Pickfords Scammels in action

Enjoy.

 

[froggy Steve]

I did good to see a trucker in Shirt & Tie - will watch the rest when time allows
Thanks!

 

[flint]

Thank you very much for posting these. Tough work in those days, no power steering, crash gearbox, less power than a family car of today, dubious brakes and driver comforts were mainly down to having a seat.

 

[StarCruiser]

Slightly off topic (it's my thread, So I can ) but still British Transport, and I can't think of a better place to post this half hour of pure delight. Beautifully shot too, enjoy!

 

[SteveJB]

Well spotted Star the fish and heavy transport films are whistful and remind you what life should be like Fags and Brilcream a long lost way of life ta steve

 

[joinerman]

Blimey that second one was a shock, i actually remember that load going through Beaconsfield ( my neck of the woods ), i was seven then & my brother who is fourteen years older than me knew it was going through the town & took me to see it.

Many thanks

 

[Pat]

Slightly off topic (it's my thread, So I can ) but still British Transport, and I can't think of a better place to post this half hour of pure delight. Beautifully shot too, enjoy!

A marvellous film
I did all my travelling to boarding school in NZ on NZ built KA class 100 ton
steam engines and it brought back a lot of memories.Thanks for that Mate.

 

[StarCruiser]

And another one for you, exports this time.

 

[flint]

Thanks again, I watched this one the other day after you posted the first ones. How things have changed ! I remember that my Dad had a photo from the early post war years of his car being hoisted onto the boat by crane when he went to see friends who’d hidden and helped him get back over after missing Dunkirk. Reversing onto the ferry (rear doors only) was quite common when I started going over in a truck and interesting to see the ferry with rail tracks too, I think that might have been one that went over from Folkestone.

 

[StarCruiser]

I had a school trip to France and the ferry we went on had rails on one of the decks.

 

[Pat]

And another one for you, exports this time.

It is not showing at this stage

 

[clivehorridge]

These are fabulous, wonderful to see all those lovely trucks again, Foden, ERF, Bedford, and British Road Services (BRS) all in full swing.

As a 50’s lad, brought it all back like it was yesterday... thanks Rich...

 

[Chas]

Slightly off topic (it's my thread, So I can ) but still British Transport, and I can't think of a better place to post this half hour of pure delight. Beautifully shot too, enjoy!

That was fantastic Rich, thanks for posting that, I had forgotten how much I loved the old steam trains. I had some relations who lived very near to Carpenders Park station and I remember standing with my uncle on the bridge over the railway lines and seeing the steam trains picking up water while on the move from troughs between the lines, ah the good old days.
This is one of my favourites.

And this one, my dad used to do The Night Mail when he worked for the Post office. He used to be on the mail vans but there were a lot amail van robberies and with a wife and young son (me) he thought it was too dangerous so he transferred to the Mail Train.

 

[flint]

Night Mail is a classic. I grew up in a house in W. London that backed onto the GWR main line from Paddington with a big marshalling yard opposite, a bit noisy at times, but great for the imagination !

 

[StarCruiser]

Thanks for those Chas. The first one led to another BTF that I had not seen,

then another.

Most enjoyable.

 

[StarCruiser]

Another transformer ably moved to Wales by Pickfords, this time with the aid if a train and some muscle, along with the old faithful Scammel Junior constructors. I think the same as used in the other transformer move.

Another here, showing use of the "Scammel Coupling" which cleverly put the landing gear down and uncoupled everything from the trailer without the driver having to get out of his cab.

 

[Pat]

Thank you very much for posting these. Tough work in those days, no power steering, crash gearbox, less power than a family car of today, dubious brakes and driver comforts were mainly down to having a seat.

I drove from the early 50's started in 1948 Dodge advanced to a 49 R7 Commer with a Leyland Retriever Tandem drive fitted,more Commers then advanced to Leyland Beavers,Comet 90's and later my own ( bastard Bedford)
Beauty TS3 Commer and then a very good International with a Perkins diesel.
As well as these from time to time you would be called on to drive a wide variety of makes.In my opinion the British trucks were far more advanced than the Yankee ones who stuck with petrol motors until the 60's.
The quality of the older drivers that you learnt you trade from,was top notch also.

 

[flint]

Never drove one, but I remember the sound of the TS3 working hard.....lovely !

 

[Pat]

!

 

[StarCruiser]

Nice one Pat. Based on the post by Flint, were they a 2 stroke diesel?