Bridge of Song (1955) - extract | BFI National Archive

The British Transport Films Collection Volume 12: The Driving Force is released on two-disc BFI DVD on 24 February 2014 - bit.ly/1ov54IZ
Bridge of Song sees British Transport Films turn their attention to the historical work-songs and popular ballads of transport workers and the latest developments in British transport. This extract looks at the trusty London bus.
All titles on the BFI Films channel are preserved in the vast collections of the BFI National Archive. To find out more about the Archive visit www.bfi.org.uk/...

Пікірлер: 53

  • @mujawooja
    @mujawooja10 жыл бұрын

    If only buses so clean and smart with conductors were still on on our streets. what a pleasant journey it would be

  • @dodgydruid
    @dodgydruid3 жыл бұрын

    Guessing this is Peckham depot, the home of the 36 and 36b and the 141, been a long long time since the 36 ran to Lewisham. I did sometimes pick up the 36 (by accident) at Victoria if the bus chappy hadn't put the right blind up and what a palaver that caused being all kicked off at New Cross lol The killer journey after the old 12 route which me uncle Stan was driver and clippy on (South Croydon to other side of NE London) was the 141 running from Grove Park to Wood Green managing to catch just about every traffic jam on the way, I remember riding that route often as the RT gave way to the MCW's which were fast, very modern and didn't trundle along with those mighty turbo engine sounds out back, the 36b RT's became Catford based RM's but still a good ride. In a way us Londoners were pretty spoilt with decent clean and reliable, safe buses at a very modest price... just a shame Thatcher decided Londoner's had to pay thru the nose ending subsidised LT transport for all :( In my youth I remember when a kids fare was a penny, then for ages it was 2p end to end then 10p then half the adult fare and charged stop to stop grr.

  • @tattyshoesshigure5731
    @tattyshoesshigure57317 жыл бұрын

    Oh I do miss those great old open platform RT London buses... apart from being able to hop on and off when convenient, they just had so much character compared to the 'biscuit tin on wheels' monstrosities that ply our city streets today.

  • @brecans
    @brecans10 жыл бұрын

    Great footage. I bet everyone of those buses where on time as well.

  • @christopherdalton7828
    @christopherdalton782810 жыл бұрын

    London transport never had it so good as when the bus was immaculately presented inside and out

  • @GREATBUSINESSMAN

    @GREATBUSINESSMAN

    4 жыл бұрын

    It was a time that was not so much junkie, the names that died in the war were scarce and there were not so many Pakistani

  • @christopherdalton9171

    @christopherdalton9171

    9 ай бұрын

    What you're watching are the RT type buses, they were great vehicles . Take route 36 for example, a very busy service from West Kilburn to Hither Green you see looking immaculate in this film, as part of the massive 36 group to lose the AEC RT buses early when the all-conquering Routemaster buses edged them out of Rye Lane and Peckham garages in early 1963.

  • @brecans
    @brecans10 жыл бұрын

    Can't wait to buy the DVD of this footage on 28th Feb as described in description. I could watch this all day.

  • @juliesmith5567
    @juliesmith55672 жыл бұрын

    The black and white photo are good to see how they were then and showing where all the changes have done

  • @gmc9451
    @gmc94513 жыл бұрын

    What the Hell's happened to the world since this was filmed?

  • @timmieak
    @timmieak10 жыл бұрын

    I love that it had Salad Cream on the side!

  • @wishythenwashy
    @wishythenwashy10 жыл бұрын

    magnificent presentation

  • @gcfcos
    @gcfcos8 жыл бұрын

    Brilliant. Wish I had lived and worked back then

  • @swannvictor1388

    @swannvictor1388

    3 жыл бұрын

    trust me, you don't.

  • @JimTLonW6
    @JimTLonW610 жыл бұрын

    The old RT's never seem to have achieved the almost cult status of the Routemaster, although I'm sure they were an equally good bus (just a little smaller I think); they were around into the 1970's. Love the final view of Waterloo bridge too; I think the area on the S. bank is now partly occupied by the National Theatre.

  • @brianmasters1125

    @brianmasters1125

    5 жыл бұрын

    They were 7'6" wide to the RM's 8', but some of them would do 48MPH to the RM's 40.

  • @PreservationEnthusiast

    @PreservationEnthusiast

    4 жыл бұрын

    kzread.info/dash/bejne/lqZ5lc6gkbfNhKQ.html This is how they used to smash up buses. Absolutely busted the crap out of them with a sledge hammer and then burned the frames. These were the old pre RT STL buses, but RT and RM could be smashed up with sledge hammers too. A more common way was cut the body pillars and tear them apart with a grab claw.

  • @MuppetOne
    @MuppetOne5 ай бұрын

    Fabulous film.😊

  • @britishfilminstitute
    @britishfilminstitute10 жыл бұрын

    Next stop: a fascinating little gem from 1955 on the trusty London bus: bit.ly/1krnSZm

  • @brianellory28
    @brianellory283 жыл бұрын

    The RT was the one ! As a schoolboy Number 65 from Ham to Ealing in the 50’s . As it happens I think they were on time as I was never late !

  • @markifi
    @markifi10 жыл бұрын

    very good shot at 2:40

  • @michaelwood3099
    @michaelwood30993 жыл бұрын

    For three minutes I was back in heaven, now I've returned to the real world.

  • @alexmckenna1171
    @alexmckenna117110 жыл бұрын

    Some of the Drivers too I remember.

  • @stevecomer6162
    @stevecomer61625 жыл бұрын

    see 'HOW TO PARK A ROUTEMASTER BUS' on u-tube for handling

  • @jamesjames3525
    @jamesjames35254 жыл бұрын

    Fascinating Modern History video. well done😉👍😉👍😉👍😉

  • @ramaraonamburi7772
    @ramaraonamburi77723 жыл бұрын

    Well maintained and we'll built vehicle. Buity queens on road that to about seventy years back. Awsome looks and technology.

  • @eefacam10434
    @eefacam1043410 жыл бұрын

    The Flanders and Swann song "Transport of Delight" is SO much better than the one featured here. Google it for a KZread recording.

  • @michaelkenny8540
    @michaelkenny85402 жыл бұрын

    Most of the film posters are for High Noon at the Odeon and that was 1952 not 1955.

  • @DavidJones-mn7ie
    @DavidJones-mn7ieАй бұрын

    The conductor looks like a young Blakey.

  • @trevordance5181
    @trevordance51815 жыл бұрын

    Around about the 50 sec mark you can see the conductor issuing tickets. I can't remember tickets like this, only the ones from the Gibson ticket machine. When did the Gibson take over?

  • @ianwatts8446

    @ianwatts8446

    2 жыл бұрын

    Peckham Garage (PM), where this is filmed switched over to Gibson's in December 1954. Although the clip with the conductor is on a 196 which was operated by Camberwell Garage (Q) which didn't convert to Gibson's until August 1959, they were the penultimate garage to covert..

  • @davebeech236
    @davebeech2363 жыл бұрын

    How lovely to see England's capital as it should be - full of English people!

  • @kevinmcmullan1827

    @kevinmcmullan1827

    2 жыл бұрын

    What a dumb comment, London has always had a diverse population since the Romans first established it.

  • @Cabronosidad
    @Cabronosidad10 жыл бұрын

    Brilliant. "The gay conductor" cracked me up!

  • @tigermonkeybeijing
    @tigermonkeybeijing4 жыл бұрын

    This must be New Cross garage?

  • @dennislancer

    @dennislancer

    3 жыл бұрын

    This is Peckham garage

  • @sanjeevpereira6765
    @sanjeevpereira67655 жыл бұрын

    Great vedio. Perfection to the core like the japanese..brgds

  • @handyboy5332
    @handyboy53328 жыл бұрын

    Dreadful!! Upper case-only destination blinds; RT 1955 (convenient!) reversing into the line-up. All of it a reminder of the Champion London Bus - the one all the cranks rated highest: the RT (and the Leyland RTW & RTL), but the AEC bus with four variations of body was all-London. Pity they didn't inspire the publicity the Routemaster justly received largely because they were the last of London: open rear platform, giving way to boxes.

  • @lindsaypeterholden2701
    @lindsaypeterholden27019 жыл бұрын

    Get on this route now and You will be the British person on the bleeding Bus!!! What a great Country we used to live in.

  • @robharding5345
    @robharding5345 Жыл бұрын

    We need to revert back to the British way of life, with all its wonderful forward thinking strategy. and give a back seat to the things that matters less. like the foreign immigrants.

  • @digger65uk
    @digger65uk10 жыл бұрын

    Is this Ivor Cutler singing this tune?

  • @Lytton333
    @Lytton3339 жыл бұрын

    Is that Robert Shaw's voice narrating?

  • @lindsaypeterholden2701

    @lindsaypeterholden2701

    9 жыл бұрын

    Yes,He also narrated on many British Transport films.

  • @chrisstringer5675
    @chrisstringer56756 жыл бұрын

    Obviously most of you have forgotten what the 50’s were really like.....buses constantly late, service ending on many routes even before the pubs closed....and a six week strike in 1958,

  • @alexmckenna1171
    @alexmckenna117110 жыл бұрын

    The Gay Conductor - yes this was often the case as I recall:-) Bless em.

  • @williamarmstrong646
    @williamarmstrong646 Жыл бұрын

    great pity about the racist comments. On a far more pleasant note, did anyone else notice a couple of STLs?

  • @delboytrotter8806
    @delboytrotter88066 жыл бұрын

    Look mummy no black peple.....

  • @PreservationEnthusiast

    @PreservationEnthusiast

    4 жыл бұрын

    They didn't have black people or homosexuals in those days.

  • @trebushett2079
    @trebushett20794 жыл бұрын

    Nice film, shame about the crap song soundtrack !

  • @delboytrotter8806
    @delboytrotter88065 жыл бұрын

    Stupid music.......