BTF Fim: Fully Fitted Freight

[Requeststop]

It's amazing what you can find by accident. I've come across a BTF Film from 1957 called Fully Fitted Freight. I've checked forums to see if this has been covered before.

"A BFI film from 1957. The story of the fast freight, 4-48 pm, Bristol-Leeds, vacuum braked throughout. Conveyed in crisp black & white images by veteran cinematographer Ronald Craigen."

It's interesting in the way people worked back then. HSE non existent and the numbers of movements and destinations etc.

I've done a search on YouTube and it can be found in two parts here and here.

Hope there are some people who will find this interesting.

Cheers from Bangkok!

 

[ainsworth74]

I stumbled upon it not so long ago and it really is an excellent film. Loads of interesting things in it. Keen observes may note that the Channel 4 Documentary series 'Classic Trains' made rather extensive use of this footage in their episode on freight.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Magnificent film - and a good record of the working railway of the time . Things had not changed since 1900 in reality - and you can see why the onslaught of road and motorway competition were about to destroy this cosy and dated world.

2T wagons limited to 60 mph (later reduced to 45mph) and the madness of a prime service from the huge manufactering and port city to the North and Scotland leaving from an open yard - with goods needlessly transferred from the biggest covered goods shed in the system.The services should have been re-ordered much sooner , accelerated and air braked. 1955 was way too late - and the traffic was decimated in the 1960's.

Still a great fil - even if the train ends in an operating yard as opposed to a freight loading / discharge point.

 

[Spartacus]

A random bit of info is that the trains runs virtually from Midland Road to Midland Road, starting at the former Midland Road depot in Bristol, and terminating opposite what's now Midland Road depot in Leeds.