Vintage transport film - Link Span - 1956

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  • Опубликовано: 22 ноя 2024
  • This vintage railway film, produced by British Transport Films in 1956, examines three cross-channel ferry services: the SS Lord Warden, transporting cars from Dover to Boulogne; the SS Norfolk, carrying freight from Zeebrugge to Harwich and finally the romantic London-to-Paris overnight express by way of Dover and Dunkirk.

Комментарии • 132

  • @helmuthhaass3631
    @helmuthhaass3631 29 дней назад +20

    In 1965 as a 17 year old living in the Netherlands, l spent the summer holidays in Britain.
    They are still some of my happiest memories today.
    The people were so super friendly and trusting and the music fantastic.
    Fish and chips came rolled up in newspaper.
    Wishing l could live it all again once more. ❤

  • @jimmeltonbradley1497
    @jimmeltonbradley1497 Год назад +27

    I do love these BTF films. A rather rose-tinted window on the past, but enjoyable nonetheless.

  • @prashantkaduskar646
    @prashantkaduskar646 Год назад +11

    Wonderful and rare film.Brings out the discipline, timeliness and daring spirit of the time.Really enjoyed the film.

  • @iainclark5964
    @iainclark5964 Год назад +14

    Another classic in the wonderful BTF library. Im old enough to remember the Night Ferry train, it only ended in 1980. Peopke are often surprised when I tell them tgat there was a train the actually went from London to Paris before the Eurostar.

  • @akrills
    @akrills 2 года назад +17

    My stepfather worked as a chef on the cross-channel rail ferry between Dover and Dunkerque back in the 60s, 70s and 80s, before they were terminated. I have so many memories of that particular crossing in all weathers.

    • @simonsadler9360
      @simonsadler9360 Год назад +1

      My late dad too, on the Arnhem & Amsterdam , chef & steward , have a certificate of Excellence gained in London when he was just 9 at Tollesbury primary school , the same school I attended where I was caned by A Mrs X on my left hand for being a lefthander , remember going to London docks with him when there were still steam tugs "Sun 1 & Sun 2 !

    • @johnmay23
      @johnmay23 26 дней назад +1

      WE PROBABLY SAILED TOGETHER ..ME AS 2ND MATE ON THE TRAIN FERIES
      1964-1967 ( SHEPPERTON/HAMPTON)
      JOHN MAY - VANCOUVER CANADA

  • @traffic71
    @traffic71 3 года назад +68

    I wish I could live in the UK constantly in the 50s and 60s. It seems a far more pleasant place than it is today.

    • @fenrichlee2867
      @fenrichlee2867 Год назад +12

      Yes, great times indeed, a time where money was not the be all and end all. When some rail branch lines were unprofitable, but kept running anyway, but so what? I mean the fire brigade - police, medical help for the masses and so on never made money. But in this day and age it's all money money money. Oh how true it is that the LOVE of money is the rout of all evil. You are quite right it was a wonderful time to live through, and I speak as an ex rail worker born in 1946.

    • @paulmason329
      @paulmason329 2 месяца назад

      Not so good if you were an abused child , no one believed them not even the police. When Jimmy Savile was starting out

    • @johnmcmahon5225
      @johnmcmahon5225 2 месяца назад +1

      We were young then, so everything was much better, even though you had to take a boat across the Channel.

    • @paulmason329
      @paulmason329 2 месяца назад +1

      I agree that transport should not be run for private profit like it appeared to be in the 1960s, but then along comes Beeching . ..

    • @simprove
      @simprove 2 месяца назад +2

      Nostalgia isn't what it used to be.

  • @davidmiller6728
    @davidmiller6728 11 месяцев назад +8

    i love this film especially the Night Ferry

  • @johansoons8413
    @johansoons8413 Год назад +6

    amazing docu, great stuff. signed a belgian.

  • @darrensmith6368
    @darrensmith6368 19 дней назад +3

    My dad was galley boy on the Norfolk ferry and he's twin brother was on the Suffolk ferry,and my grandfather was Watchman,we have lived in Harwich all are lives John Smith

  • @marvwatkins7029
    @marvwatkins7029 Месяц назад +6

    Took the Night Ferry in 1964: mighty nice. Then in 1971, I took the big passenger ferry from Harwich to Esbjerg, Denmark. A mighty fine bar.

  • @joachim.charleshogg4728
    @joachim.charleshogg4728 2 месяца назад +14

    Very fond memories of the trips we, as a service family, used to travel to Germany via Harwich- Hook van Holland. In those days you had the choice of BR or Dutch railways, we all ways took the Dutch ferries, the service was so much more elegant. Winter crossings were not very pleasant but the thought of Christmas markets in Germany was so exciting. Lasting memories.

    • @derrickgreen9020
      @derrickgreen9020 2 месяца назад

      Hello Joe…I did the same with my mother on the Hook Continental from Parkestone Quay …do you remember the SS Avalon? Cars were lifted on by crane. In later years, we continued from Rotterdam to Munich on the Rheinpfeil/Rheingold.

    • @johnmay23
      @johnmay23 26 дней назад

      AGREED THE DUTCH CREW ALL SPOKE ENGLISH PERFECTLY
      THE BRITISH CREW HARDLY SPOKE ENGLISH......AND I WORKED FOR BRITISH RAIL MARINE !!!

  • @stephenlever419
    @stephenlever419 2 месяца назад +14

    I think we all love this films because it takes us back to a better time when we were a proper country!!

    • @bryansmith1920
      @bryansmith1920 Месяц назад +2

      Doffing my cap to the land agent of his boss, having to do work for the Land owner, before I could feed myself, let alone my family, Oh I so miss those days

    • @bertiewooster3326
      @bertiewooster3326 17 дней назад +2

      ​@@bryansmith1920Well you should have worked harder at school chum like me and got on a ladder to riches.

    • @Michelle-wk4ek
      @Michelle-wk4ek 6 часов назад

      @@bertiewooster3326lol😂

  • @bilko529
    @bilko529 Год назад +25

    A time when people took pride in their appearance and were respectful of others

    • @paulmason329
      @paulmason329 2 месяца назад +1

      @@bilko529 Except immigrants who fought for Britain in WW2 and were abused when the war was over

    • @arslongavitabrevis5136
      @arslongavitabrevis5136 2 месяца назад +3

      ​@@paulmason329 What are you talking about? You obviously know nothing about WW2

    • @paulmason329
      @paulmason329 2 месяца назад

      @@arslongavitabrevis5136 I am aware of Chinese sailors who fought for Britain in WW2 and were deported to Hong Kong leaving dependents in Liverpool.
      I grew up watching historic TV programmes such as All Our Yesterdays and the World At War among others. I know more about WW2 than some who were alive at the time I was a post war baby boomer among adults involved. So get your facts right ..

    • @NormanAllen-ps9ju
      @NormanAllen-ps9ju 2 месяца назад

      Ahmen

  • @OlivierGabin
    @OlivierGabin 2 месяца назад +4

    Great historical document. BTF films are always well done, it's a pleasure to watch anyone of them.

  • @marvwatkins7029
    @marvwatkins7029 Месяц назад +5

    And then very slowly, eventually came the Chunnel. And many ferries went to that Great Channel in The Sky.

  • @mikebutler3263
    @mikebutler3263 2 года назад +5

    Excellent.

  • @bigdmac33
    @bigdmac33 3 года назад +5

    Thoroughly enjoyable.

  • @kevinmoffatt
    @kevinmoffatt 2 месяца назад +4

    Remember being taken out of school at lunchtime and travelling from Kent to Hollyhead for the night ferry. The water dockside, in the dark, looked very threatening but very exciting catching the early morning train from Dunloughaire to Sligo.

  • @LocutorBritanico
    @LocutorBritanico 24 дня назад +3

    Another time, another era. Chuffed to see the radio room and radio officer... which used to be my job😂😂

    • @alzeNL
      @alzeNL 3 дня назад

      QRZ? :D

    • @LocutorBritanico
      @LocutorBritanico 3 дня назад

      @alzeNL My last QSO in merchant navy was 1982 probably calling Portishead radio from Virginia, USA. Then, QRT.

  • @brianparkhurst1019
    @brianparkhurst1019 2 года назад +10

    What a wonderful way to travel. As opposed to today, with people in sweat pants, and airlines annoyed that you dare want to be treated with courtesy.

  • @chestnutsev7
    @chestnutsev7 Год назад +4

    My father worked on the Lord Warden in 1956 and was on her when she collided with another ship in the channel pushing her bow in ,but she remained afloat and went on for quite a few more years.

  • @simprove
    @simprove 2 месяца назад +4

    The night train was described as going from Dunkirk to Paris through Normandy, surely not? Interesting to see the train ferry operation. I'd read about it but it didn't make much sense until you see it in the context of a London to Paris sleeper train.

  • @chrisdeeley3775
    @chrisdeeley3775 13 дней назад

    I first crossed the channel in 1956 on a school trip to Bruges. On the return voyage it was very rough and i was amazed to see how many passengers were very sick . I was not affected. Happy memories

  • @-DC-
    @-DC- 3 года назад +13

    What a wonderful film if only someone would provide a time machine !

  • @66xtopher
    @66xtopher Месяц назад +2

    Loved my time in the Train Ferry Dept, Western Docks, Dover.

  • @kungfuwitcher7621
    @kungfuwitcher7621 3 года назад +5

    Brilliant video.

  • @davidhewson8605
    @davidhewson8605 2 месяца назад +2

    See how crew/harbour staff take care for ship transfer !! . Crazy lock system . No baby awoke . I remember 50s as a safe place to be. Was 4 in 1956 . ❤ Regards playmates . Dave

  • @Eltonlaleham
    @Eltonlaleham 13 дней назад

    I wish I could have been born in the year 1956 or even born earlier, instead of been born in the year 1969 and also I would love to have seen these awesome films when they came out on tv.

  • @rabburns1382
    @rabburns1382 Месяц назад +1

    Brilliant....❤

  • @marvwatkins7029
    @marvwatkins7029 Месяц назад +3

    What?! No mention of the Eiffel Tower? Arg!

  • @sigurdjohnson6617
    @sigurdjohnson6617 Месяц назад +1

    This was excellent!!

  • @simonf8902
    @simonf8902 3 года назад +5

    Night ferry. Fantastic.

  • @rogerhill138
    @rogerhill138 2 месяца назад +2

    I used to work on the cross channel boats in the 1960s. Quite a good job then.

    • @johnmay23
      @johnmay23 27 дней назад

      john may
      2nd MATE
      ISLE OF THANET
      CANTERBURY
      INVICTA
      SHEPPERTON FERRY
      HAMPTON FERY
      MAID OF KENT
      LORD WARDEN
      MAID OF ORLEANS
      DORSET COAST
      Now living in West Vancouver B.C. Canada
      Home of B.C. FERRIES where
      - cancellations frequent
      - 1-2 sailings " wait " common( due to full loads)
      - breakdown not unusual
      - no sailings above BF Force 4
      but fares are cheap compared to UK/Europe
      j may

  • @graemeconnelly8849
    @graemeconnelly8849 2 года назад +2

    something that could be dreamed of a tunnel under the channel

  • @markcousins9337
    @markcousins9337 3 года назад +5

    That Night Train certainly beat couchettes. They were grim.

  • @fazfinisher5598
    @fazfinisher5598 2 месяца назад +4

    You cant get out the harbour today, without running over a dinghy.

  • @terencewong-lane4309
    @terencewong-lane4309 Год назад +5

    Lord Warden's stern door doesn't look very substantial.

  • @martinchamberlain542
    @martinchamberlain542 2 года назад +9

    This is from the days when ships looked like ships. Today they all seem to look like floating shoeboxes with a pointy end.

    • @chestnutsev7
      @chestnutsev7 8 месяцев назад

      Spot on mate.

    • @samclarke8543
      @samclarke8543 Месяц назад +1

      1950/60s: we have nice beautiful ships.
      Today: Giant Shoebox in the sea.

  • @davidnash41
    @davidnash41 3 года назад +6

    Thank you. This revives old memories.

  • @sulray
    @sulray 3 года назад +3

    Loved it

  • @RichardDKneller
    @RichardDKneller 18 дней назад

    We crossed in our Wyvern in 1952 Newhaven Dieppe I think?

  • @fandangofandango2022
    @fandangofandango2022 2 месяца назад +1

    Love it.

  • @jackb8682
    @jackb8682 Месяц назад +1

    Thank you for this ! The pacing of music and narration is wonderful, almost poetic. In comparison it makes modern documentaries look (and sound) like garbage.

  • @tangerinedream7211
    @tangerinedream7211 Год назад +1

    The days before Ro Ro,, now we've got P and O Pioneer with two bows .😮

  • @johnmcmahon5225
    @johnmcmahon5225 2 месяца назад +1

    Herald of Free Enterprise Channel ferry. 193 people were killed when she capsized in 1987.

  • @peterdavidson3268
    @peterdavidson3268 2 месяца назад +2

    Re: Night Trains
    Overnight sleeper services are currently (2024) enjoying a renaissance on the other side of La Manche (put "European Sleeper" into your search engine and see what comes back?) but of course good ol' British isolationism precludes UK based travellers from participating in this "sustainable" transport revival. Maybe, just maybe I will live to see the day when a night sleeper service makes use of that innovation we know as the Channel Tunnel?

    • @a7b89
      @a7b89 2 месяца назад

      There was talk of running a sleeper service through the tunnel,but as usual just talk.

    • @annoyingbstard9407
      @annoyingbstard9407 2 месяца назад

      Stop whining.

    • @peterdavidson3268
      @peterdavidson3268 2 месяца назад

      @@annoyingbstard9407 Translation: Stop highlighting inconvenient realities about our post Brexit environment?

    • @annoyingbstard9407
      @annoyingbstard9407 2 месяца назад

      @@peterdavidson3268 How did I know you were still harking back to pre-Brexit history? Why not do what I did for several years and move to Europe. It’s best to get a touch of reality rather than the hankering for something imaginary.

    • @peterdavidson3268
      @peterdavidson3268 2 месяца назад

      @@annoyingbstard9407 It doesn't have to be imaginary though does it - with sufficient political willpower the UK could once again align itself with its natural (geographical) neighbours. There were plans as far back as late 1980s to implement Eurostar Regional and Nightstar trains to enable the rest of the UK outside the London/South East nexus to benefit from the then nascent Channel Tunnel project - whatever happened to that technological optimism?

  • @korma9732
    @korma9732 5 дней назад

    Similar wagons to the one used at Compiègne

  • @1200kevin1
    @1200kevin1 11 месяцев назад

    Do you have the film of the TOPS system of British Rail?

  • @Benya-d9j
    @Benya-d9j 27 дней назад +2

    In 40 to 50 years from now, what will there be to get nostalgic about the 2020s? Very little of any significance.

  • @chriswaring5565
    @chriswaring5565 Месяц назад

    22:25 THERES OFFICER CRABTREE FROM" ALLO" "ALLO" DISKEEZED AS A FRONCH POLOOSEMAN

  • @studebaker4217
    @studebaker4217 3 года назад +18

    Thanks for posting this wonderful film. Paris looked very French in 1953, rather than north African.

    • @alanmarr3323
      @alanmarr3323 3 года назад +3

      Racist !

    • @studebaker4217
      @studebaker4217 3 года назад +6

      You clearly haven't been to Paris this century. But you must be a lefty to rush to judgement as you have, to suit your narrative.

    • @elrjames7799
      @elrjames7799 3 года назад +2

      @@alanmarr3323 Why the exclamation mark instead of a question?

    • @elrjames7799
      @elrjames7799 3 года назад +1

      @Studebaker. Only some parts of Paris, not all by any means.

    • @elrjames7799
      @elrjames7799 3 года назад +1

      @@studebaker4217 You've 'rushed to judgement' also with your lefty allusion.

  • @georgen9755
    @georgen9755 Месяц назад

    Channel ferry

  • @leemcclelland2618
    @leemcclelland2618 2 месяца назад

    The EU didn’t exist, and Britain was still head of the Commonwealth deriving v wealth from it. Not now. Britain is a solitary country on the edge of Europe.

  • @elrjames7799
    @elrjames7799 3 года назад +19

    Not an illegal immigrant in sight.

  • @nikerailfanningttm9046
    @nikerailfanningttm9046 Год назад +2

    6:38 well this aged poorly. 🤣🤣🤣🤣

    • @flitsertheo
      @flitsertheo 2 месяца назад

      A tunnel under the channel ? Are you kidding ? That will never happen !

  • @georgen9755
    @georgen9755 Месяц назад

    France
    Dock side

  • @johnmartin4650
    @johnmartin4650 Месяц назад

    Yes the 50s and 60s seemed to be a lot better but dentistry was awful and if you had surgery they weren’t big with pain relief !!

  • @podthesod
    @podthesod 9 дней назад

    Being a London teenager in the 1960’s was great .. now London is a foreign country … This country has gone to shit.

  • @MagereHein
    @MagereHein Месяц назад

    Ah, the future of Brexit.

  • @kennethvenezia4400
    @kennethvenezia4400 Месяц назад

    GREAT! So, what happened? Wait, oh ya, BREXIT. Never mind.🙀

  • @RoddCutts
    @RoddCutts 2 месяца назад

    That is so cool to see this.