So many of those gigantic undertakings will by now have been removed in later 'rationalisation' of railways. Marshalling yards for coal trucks, MPD for the 'new fangled' diesel locos, sorting sheds for goods traffic.... most time expired and demolished or neglected. But the ingenuity and resolve of civil engineers and workers built what was needed: both for the first industrial revolution and subsequent 'service sector led' economies. A great historical record produced by a nationalised all-embracing undertaking 'British Transport'. Now there are private companies bidding for bits of profit in transport. Thoughts of an over arching policy or thrust is now as historical as this excellent film record of 'what was and is no more.'

I moved to Potters Bar in 1956 and spent years trainspotting by the old and new tunnel as it was being built. Every few minutes at night the warning hooter could be heard as trains mainly freight passed through and close to the workings. We also loved to ride on the narrow gauge railway trucks which were used for earth moving along each embankment only to be chased away by the night watchman. Great times but so sad that freight disappeared very quickly during the '60's & '70's.

Every large factory had railway sidings when I was a boy in the 1950's . Huge amounts of goods and materials were moved by rail, quickly and efficiently. Slowly the lorry took over and as stations disappeared so did the goods sidings. Rail passengers ended up on buses as well. I lived in Wigston Magna, wonderful place to be a trainspotter.

You'd have never thought the railways would be cut by a third within 10 years from watching this film.

What a fantastic channel 😊 Can't believe it's only popped up now, after my years and years of watching KZfaq. Really wonderful nostalgic videos. The world seemed much more calm and organised back then 🤗❤

the music on this is excellent and relaxing.

I love how this basically has outtake shots from "The Elizabethan".

Thank you for uploading this. Films of this era are charming.... but, sad too. One is aware that something present in this period is now lost. The U.K. appears to have had a degree of self-confidence in the 1950's.

1:04 is Pont Britannia, a tubular bridge linking Anglesey to the rail network, built in 1850 and then rebuilt in 1972 as a steel truss arch bridge using the original piers after a 1970 fire irreparably damaged the wrought iron tubular structure.

We have lost so much and we don't realise it.

Love the films much simpler times. I need a time machine.

An excellent video for those who want to become railway engineers,even now. Excellent upload.

Excellent video. Thank you for showing this

I've been to Banbury station recently. It doesn't look much different still quite modern looking too! Thanks for sharing this. I do enjoy these films of better (if harder) times!

I learned so much from this video, excellent, thanks for posting!

Really appreciate this - voted as one of Britain’s best ever inventions. I voted for the femidom myself but nearly voted for this or concord.

@19:46 my heart was in my mouth. See how the man puts his hand in harm's way. Not content with being in a very unpredictable dangerous position he risks a gust of wind slamming the metal onto his hand. No safety harness so he cannot jump for safety. I've seen girders very quickly get out of control in these conditions and men have to jump for their lives.

Superb ! Thank you.

What a wonderful and informative film!

Interesting, thanks for sharing.

What a great British film showing what was great about us in the 1950’s I am sorry to say that cannot be said now. One only has to look at the people in the film compared to the mix we have now. Sad so very sad 😞

thank you internet

Cracking film. Clearly women can’t use a theodolite, though… 😬 different times! Thank goodness we’ve moved on.

Oh the simplistic style of the time, transport me back then. Real work, not compiterised! Id love it!

1:05 absolutely beautiful.

Thank you Joe brilliant

15:04 that one lab worker: “I’m gonna step right here chaps” (Steps right next to the test rails) “I MAY HAVE TAKEN A STEP TOO FAR LADS”

This one is going to be viral

See 19 mins 45 secs in , boy HSE would love this!

A nação das incríveis invenções e manufatureira de qualidade, se perdeu no tempo... 😕

Wow, that was extreme manual labour. Technology has thankfully improved the working conditions for these crews. Fascinating to witness the way it used to be and thank you for posting this video.

Brightlingsea in Essex had a rail connection to Colchester even a bridge , thanks to Beecham all gone as in the Tollesbury to Kelvedon line , if you have the chance to visit Romania there's a steam line along the river Mures ,& in Winter every carriage has a wood stove to keep warm & to cook on ,all part of the fare !

Ah, I wish I could have lived in the 1950's! The world looked so much more romantic in black and white and slightly out of focus! The only thing that would have annoyed me is the incessant clarinet in the background!

So glad that the ending showed, (named in railway terms), 'THE BRIDGE'. I believe its the only bridge, in the UK that doesnt have a number. My information was gained from a railway maintenance engineer from a time when the rails were inspected manually.

A different world

a grand effort on the government's part, followed by abandonment in the next decade. the reason is shown in the parking lot of the station. surely they knew what was coming by 1959.

My God! Where are the H&S Police with their " You can't do that" attitude? I love it! Men in dark greatcoats, walking about, inches from running lines. Blokes balancing on steel girders whilst smoking tabs, 200 feet above a river. Seriously, thank god that someone said that it was time that working people were protected from the greedy bosses who saw their workers as 'expendable assets'.

good👍and nice train😄

excellent film

Good old Bath gauges. Do they still exist,

Does anyone know where the A4 at 1:28 was, or what service it was on? It has a headboard but I can't read it. My guess would be the Master Cutler to Sheffield.

They were building that station at Banbury? I thought there had already been trains in it? lol

I’ll see you in court as well

It's amazing they had no safety restrictions 70 years ago. No hard hats, no safety harnesses, goggles, reflective vests, or anything.

This film was made when Britain was still interested in progress, rather than nimbyism.

Only it wasn't progress. Train travel used to be a pleasure, Now it is an endurance. Railways are ugly, barren places. Trains are uncomfortable, plasticky and airless. Railway workers have lost all pride and satisfaction in their work. Worst of all, Britains railways are now mostly owned by foreign countries who take all the profit. Thank God for films like this that record what it was like.

I am from Pakistan, I long to see these railway workshops, these headquarters with my own eyes, I wish you would allow me to visit this country as a guest and help me. I am a painter.۔

I want to see how other countries like France and Germany were building railways at that time.

Fascinating but for the most part it`s all been for nothing.

10:50 - tak to by mě napadlo, ... takhle se zasvinit, ... inženýr.

As for Silicon Valley damages are going up 💯

Great to see health and safety still a thing of the future

Those riggers on the girders must have had nerves of steel , no health and safety in those days

Not a computer in sight

The yard at Thornton never reached its full potential ,the winding towers of Rothes colliery are in the background ,local miners warned tone NCB about sinking a pit there ,millions spent ,a total waste of money closing in 1962 as a total flop ,it even had a royal visit but that didn’t make a difference ,the dash for coal was rushed and subsequently money was lost ,we never learn ,look at the cost of developing Asfordby colliery in Leicestershire sunk in the wrong place due to local pressures!

See you in court DOJ

The chap at 20:40 is wearing his hat indoors.....Obviously had a poor upbringing...?

1959; pastoral, and idyllic. Give it 5 years, and a certain doctor would be honing his axe....

Challenge accepted. I am 100% ready to wait in a prison cel indefinitely until he court proceedings

So this is war on EVERYONE AT THIS POINT

We inherited the old world we never built it but nice try 😉

Немцы и бритты лучшие анженера в мире. Остальные урвнем ниже.

You will regret this Feds. I will see to that 💯

I will be seeking damages from Emi and Phil 💯

But I thought diversity built Britain - there's even a coin that says so. Feels like an act of sedition even to watch films like this these days.

back in the day before mass immigration and eu destroyed everything soveriegn

And as for you military, your reputation is 💯 on the line here as well. I will expose this ENTIRE bulls*** artist, unconstitutional disgraceful operation to America starting with black and white, leading to denied protection, blowing your cover, psychologically torturing me for years, and robbing me of my f***ing life.