History of the Great Western Railway, film 5130
The story of the Great Western Railway from its foundation in 1835, with it's planning, construction and locomotives. Wonderful Swindon works heavy industry. The first 100 years of the G.W.R. in historical reconstruction.
1935 - A railway signal. Inside a signal box. The signalman hears bell and looks out of the window. He pushes button on control panel. Railway steam train 4021 at a station. Signal lights up 'Main'. Train's whistle. Close up on engine driver's hand on lever which he pulls. Locomotive wheels turn. Train steams off in clouds of steam and smoke. Locomotive wheels. Inside of signal box with a train visible outside through window. Train passing under signals gantry, possibly at Paddington Railway Station. Fireman shutting door of firebox. Pistons pumping. Pressure gauge. Fireman at work. Lots of quick shots of parts of the train, accompanied by a railway music theme. GWR pressure gauge. Good shot of engine whistle blowing.
'Seaport Communications'. Montage of dock and port scenes:
A long shot of an unidentified dock, a crane. A docks railway, crane, tug boat and larger boat, dockers and crane lifting pallet of wood from nearby railway truck, dockside activities, gantries on rails, a lift, huge stack of timber or logs, an estuary. Passing telephone lines seen from a train. Close up of track passing by. Another crane lifting sideways along its arm, passing line of wagons, possible tank engine, bucket crane, man lifting sack over his shoulder, railway train crossing iron bridge, with 'I. K. Brunel' written on it, possibly the Tamar Bridge. Lifting bucket off ship, man carrying sack along plank from carriage, turning crane, man emptying and folding sack, steam pulled goods train crossing same bridge as earlier, GWR pressure gauge, fast track and pistons montage, wheels coming to a halt.
A very fast and quickening montage of activities related to carriage and transportation of goods, doors closing, locks being turned, police constable's face in profile, hitching wagons or carriages together, coupling, engine driver leaning out of cab of engine 5929. Whistle blows and after initial slipping of locomotive wheels, the train starts to move. Train passes camera. From a camera position on the side of the engine, the train enters a tunnel.
'Making locomotives at Swindon Works'. Molten iron or steel, men in foundry, heavy hammering machines, pouring molten metal into moulds, using tongs to carry red hot steel. Locomotive King Henry VIII, a King Class locomotive. Men manually turn engine on turntable. Engine in steam. Man loads wagon of coal into tender, filling water tank, putting oil in some delicate part of the engine. Castle Class Engine Tintagel Castle 5011. Castle class 5014, Goodrich Castle, slowly travels over the camera position.