John Legard

The advantages and pleasures of crossing the channel by Hovercraft. In this film a sales executive, with his car and engineering samples, travels to Lille for a business appointment; and a family goes to Paris for a holiday. The former's journey is via Dover/Calais, and the latter's via Dover/Boulogne. Both demonstrate the benefits of using this modern, speedy method of reaching Europe. An impressionistic look at the hovercraft journey across the channel with no commentary, using the same footage was used to produce Seaspeed Hovercraft.

The advantages and pleasures of crossing the channel by Hovercraft. In this film a sales executive, with his car and engineering samples, travels to Lille for a business appointment; and a family goes to Paris for a holiday. The former's journey is via Dover/Calais, and the latter's via Dover/Boulogne. Both demonstrate the benefits of using this modern, speedy method of reaching Europe. An impressionistic look at the hovercraft journey across the channel with no commentary, using the same footage was used to produce Seaspeed Hovercraft.

A review of innovation and development within BR and its businesses, including: modernisation of freight facilities and service to new companies; progress of the Bedford/St. Pancras electrification project; paved track and permanent way maintenance; Sealink's "Galloway Princess"; Seaspeed's SRN4; and the Research department's magnetically levitated vehicle. For general showing.

A review of innovation and development within BR and its businesses, including: modernisation of freight facilities and service to new companies; progress of the Bedford/St. Pancras electrification project; paved track and permanent way maintenance; Sealink's "Galloway Princess"; Seaspeed's SRN4; and the Research department's magnetically levitated vehicle. For general showing.

A high speed Inter-City train is the star of this impressionist film in which picture and music are brought together to enhance the mood and rhythm of the subject and hail the arrival of 125mph regular passenger services. With specially composed music by David Gow and no commentary, Overture: One-Two-Five was the last complete production to be shot on 35mm film by British Transport Films. It was produced to mark the introduction of the new Inter-City 125 High Speed Train services between Paddington and Bristol. One of the last big budget productions, it was treated to a coat of Technicolor and a theatrical cinema release. It also marked the beginning of the slow decline of BTF which culminated in its closure. With the abandoning of support features and shorts at cinemas in the late 1970s and early 1980s, most of the unit’s films after 1978 were made primarily for internal use.

A high speed Inter-City train is the star of this impressionist film in which picture and music are brought together to enhance the mood and rhythm of the subject and hail the arrival of 125mph regular passenger services. With specially composed music by David Gow and no commentary, Overture: One-Two-Five was the last complete production to be shot on 35mm film by British Transport Films. It was produced to mark the introduction of the new Inter-City 125 High Speed Train services between Paddington and Bristol. One of the last big budget productions, it was treated to a coat of Technicolor and a theatrical cinema release. It also marked the beginning of the slow decline of BTF which culminated in its closure. With the abandoning of support features and shorts at cinemas in the late 1970s and early 1980s, most of the unit’s films after 1978 were made primarily for internal use.

Travel by train is for holidays, travel by train is for work, and travel by train can be a pleasure in itself. Howard Marion Crawford advises us in verse to take advantage of all three possibilities and shows us impressions of a wide variety of journeys, destinations and amenities. A selection of railborne experiences include the luxury of Pullman travel, the thrill of arriving at the seaside, and a journey through the Highlands.

Examines Britian's industrial heritage, concentrating on the period between 1708 and 1850, and showing many examples of surviving relics of the period.

As a training exercise for their apprentice camera operators, British Transport Films used surplus roll end length of film to record the daily lives of their neighbours from the roof of their building Melbury House.

Commercial and technical developments on British Rail: new freight loads, air conditioned carriages, an ultrasonic test-train for checking the permanent way, a lecture train, and a new station for motorists - all part of the railway scene in the 1970's.

Commercial and technical developments on British Rail: new freight loads, air conditioned carriages, an ultrasonic test-train for checking the permanent way, a lecture train, and a new station for motorists - all part of the railway scene in the 1970's.

Commercial and technical developments on British Rail: new freight loads, air conditioned carriages, an ultrasonic test-train for checking the permanent way, a lecture train, and a new station for motorists - all part of the railway scene in the 1970's.

Aspects of the precision and drama of locomotive manufacture, composed to form a lively pattern in picture and sound.

Report No. 11 in a series of 13 topical films. Because 1970 was European Conservation Year, this issue of the Rail Report Series was devoted to examples of what railways in Britain are doing to help conserve and improve the national environment.

Report No. 11 in a series of 13 topical films. Because 1970 was European Conservation Year, this issue of the Rail Report Series was devoted to examples of what railways in Britain are doing to help conserve and improve the national environment.

Report No. 10 in a series of 13 topical films, covering: Hovercraft, Princess Ann; the Advanced Passenger Train; Design Centre exhibition, The next train; plasma torch, Derby Technical Centre; analysis of diesel oils, Glasgow science laboratory; bleep radio communications, Paddington; resignalling, Derby area; intercity coaches; evolved suspension, the Brighton Belle; Southern Region grouptravel; computer, Eastern Region; shipment of molten iron.

Report No. 9 in a series of 13 topical films, covering: Euston; ships - Freightliner II, Antrim Princess; container handling Parkeston Quay; Merry-go-round coal trains; permanent way lining and tamping machine; off loading cable troughing; strengthening the Royal Albert Bridge; Old Course Hotel, St Andrew's; car bodies by train - factory to assembly line; Beckenham train control; speed up of West of England expresses.

Report No. 8 in a series of 13 topical films, produced since the far reaching plan for the modernisation and re-equipment of British Railways in 1955 started to take effect, to log the many developments - new services, equipment, techniques - wherever these have been introduced. They provide a unique pictorial record of the progress of British Railways.

Report No. 8 in a series of 13 topical films, produced since the far reaching plan for the modernisation and re-equipment of British Railways in 1955 started to take effect, to log the many developments - new services, equipment, techniques - wherever these have been introduced. They provide a unique pictorial record of the progress of British Railways.

Electrification, and the raiIway men of Rugby adopt new methods and use new machines. In this film they tell in their own words of the great technological changes and the human problems of adapting which each has to face. As with seamen and farmers, railwaymen even today remain curiously close to nature; and gain flexibility of mind from the relationship.

The film's contents are as follows: Merry-go-round coal trains - between collieries and power stations; Motorail; stations - Birmingham New St., Durham, Sunderland, Kirkcaldy; hovercraft - Isle of Wight service; Cartic car-carrying wagon; testing of wagon bodies - Derby laboratories; Southern House; Glasgow suburban services; Guildford signal box; Freightliners, company trains; hostesses - Seaspeed and at Gatwick Airport station.

Neptune, an automatic and electronically equipped track fault recorder; Tinsley marshalling yard; freight trains - cement, limestone, cars; Reading station and signal box; the laying of long welded rails; Toton diesel maintainance depot; new electrification multiple unit rolling stock for service from Euston, locomotive cab training simulator, Willesden control room; Cross-Channel - launching the SS Dover... are topics featured in this film.

Behind Britain's railway modernisation lies research, design and development. Research ensures in various ways that passengers travel fast, safely and in comfort. Design and development yield new vehicles, equipment and methods; from motor-car conveyors to micro-wave communications. The electrification of the busiest mainline in the world also depends on research, design and development.

Exploration of the Slimbridge Wild Fowl Trust in Gloucestershire, England, which boasts the largest collection of living wild fowl in the world.

Exploration of the Slimbridge Wild Fowl Trust in Gloucestershire, England, which boasts the largest collection of living wild fowl in the world.

Thirty Million Letters is a 1963 short documentary film directed by James Ritchie and made by British Transport Films. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Short.

Part of BFI collection "London on the Move". A day in the life of London and the Home Counties in 1962, seen from the perspective of the use of London Transport facilities from buses and tubes to long distance coach routes. Accompanied by extracts from BBC radio

The flora and fauna of the Scottish highlands, including footage of ospreys, and stags in Argyle.

The flora and fauna of the Scottish highlands, including footage of ospreys, and stags in Argyle.

The work of a team of men who tackle a special British Road Services job in the treacherous terrain of the Scottish Highlands.

On the shortest journey you pass a church or two. Out of the 20,000 churches in Britain, the artist, John Piper, whose work contributes to the glory of England's churches, selects and describes a church built in each of the last nine centuries, from Norman times to the present day. Accompanied by the music of Peter Racine Fricker, he reveals the beauty and riches of architecture, decoration, carving and sculpture aged in mellow stone and weathered glass; the art of the wood carver and the sculptor, and in doing so finds that through the centuries the portrayal of the human face and figure has been an unfailing source of inspiration to all who have brought their talents to the service of the Church.

‘St Christopher’s - for the children of Railway Servants’. About a hundred children are cared for at this Derby railway orphanage and this film gives a selection of scenes from a typical day: the breakfast mail, a boy with a problem, a girl with a worry, a visit from two widowers, a birthday tea party. An official insight into a forgotten aspect of railway operation.

A 200-ton transformer is moved by road from Hayes, Middlesex, to Iver, Bucks. Behind the story of the journey there is another tale: the problems which had to be solved before the task could be undertaken. This background story is told by the voices of those responsible for the various aspects of the operation, until the transformer is placed within a 'bee's wing' of its intended position.

Between the Tides is a 1958 short documentary directed by Ralph Keene for British Transport Films.It is a study of the animal and plant life of Britain's shores. The film show the fascinating and colourful marine life of shoreline and rock pool, filmed in the inter-tidal zone of a typical and attractive rocky shore of southwest England. The amazing diversity of creatures must be seen to be believed; periwinkles, top-shells, starfish and lump suckers, the self-concealing flatfish, the gaper and razor fish and the commuting and breeding seabirds. Beautifully photographed in glorious Technicolor by resident cameraman Ron Craigen, the film was awarded fifteen international film honours, and was nominated for an Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film.

Short documentary hymning the wonders of 'modernisation' on the railways.

A romantic overview of England in the Elizabethan Age.

A short film about the recovery of a snowbound train in 1950s England.

A school journey through the city of London as seen through the eyes of the children and their teacher.

Southampton, a deep-water port with four tides a day, is an ocean terminal for the world's largest liners. Their coming and going, and the people who work with them are the subject of this film as they reflect in their personal lives some of the drama and romance of its situation. Among them are a tug skipper and his crew, a stewardess on a Cape ship, an assistant wharfinger in charge of handling baggage and freight, a taxi driver, and a pilot taking a great liner down Southampton water at night.

The transporting of a distillation colurm, 137 feet long, 500 miles by road from Greenwich to Grangemouth in Scotland. The commentary, spoken by the rigger in charge and one of the tractor drivers, expresses the humour and resourcefulness with which these transport workers tackle their job; and the camera has captured moments of beauty as well as some amusing episodes in this journey of the longest load to travel by road in Britain.

A British Transport Films short film

An account of the first expedition to the Queen Maud Land region of Antarctica.