Terminus (1961)
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- Опубликовано: 15 мар 2012
- John Schlesinger's outstanding "fly on the wall" film about a day in the life of Waterloo Station. It was nominated for a BAFTA Film Award for Best Documentary. As well as being a masterpiece of film it has a magnificent soundtrack composed by Ron Grainer (who later composed the Doctor Who theme).
Published Crown copyright material has protection for 50 years from date of publication. Copyright on this film has thus expired. 
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I was in this film. I was the little girl being handed a sweetie by my mum. Mr brother and Aunty were in the train at the doorway. Just after the prisoners were boarded and the rest of the passengers allowed through. I was 11. It's wonderful to see my beautiful mum who was widowed when she was 36.
Wow, amazing story! Do you have any other memories of the filming?
+David Bromage
No David. My brother reminded me of it on a recent visit to UK. (I live in Australia now). He had a tape or maybe cd he had managed to buy but said he had been trying to get another copy for me but hadn't been able to find one. He then found this link on Utube and sent me the link. As children we often went for a holiday with one or two of our aunties and it always involved a train trip which was very exciting for us. The big Train stations like Waterloo or Paddington were places of awe and wonder for kids. Another world.
How lovely to have yourself and your mum recorded here.
Its a lovely film and thank you for making that moment live again with your story. Whenever I watch this film again I will look out for you all.
I was about the same age as you in this time era
It sure was a wonderful time to grow up wasn’t it!
Great film. My dad would have been working at Waterloo then. Tried to spot him in this film but no joy. He worked there for over 40 years as a porter and then doing seat reservations. I remember going to see him at work many times over the years. I remember well the old wooden escalators and the Lost property office. My dad would always bring home nice umbrellas and fountain pens from there. Happy days the 60’s & 70’s
“Has it ever struck you that life is all memory, except for the one present moment that goes by you so quick you hardly catch it going?”― Tennessee Williams
What a frightening thought
*That so true. But here's how a MEL( : )N would say it.*
*Drum Roll Please*
*A MEL( :)NISM, by THE MELON>( ; )*
*Life is like a Fart in the wind. At first you smell it and quickly it's gone, and you don't know who dealt it.( ; )*
*Hey buddy it wasn't that bad. Put that knife down, you bastard!*
*Run for the hills!! Help!( ;(*
I watched one video of a Michael Jackson concert and it was billed as something like the "most epic event of 2001". When I checked the date it was the night before 9/11.
I’m 74 now. Back then, up on the train from Leatherhead, Waterloo was ‘our’ big London station. Wonderful to see it again. Happy memories.
No mobile phones, no louts, plenty of police helping to direct people, offices where tickets were bought from humans not machines, porters to help with luggage.
How very different from today, nobody to help or ask on most stations and certainly no porters.
Helping with a lost child in a caring and efficient way too, with a grateful mother who didn’t accuse the man of being a Paedophile!
Brilliant film, shows us a way of life that is so different from today.
I must have been aged 11 when this film was shot of an England that has changed out of all recognition. I don't feel nostalgic about it because people have a lot more 'stuff' these days which has brought us all a much higher standard of living. Few homes back then had central heating or even a telephone, a refrigerator or a washing machine.
You kissed your friends and relatives a fond farewell at the train station as they begin their long journies for new lives in Canada, Australia or New Zealand, knowing in your heart of hearts that you would probably never see them again. The wonderful internet changed all that for even as late as the 1990s the only economical way of keeping in touch was by airmail which could take weeks for a response.
And yet I am convinced that British people were much happier in those days than what we are now for all our wonderful gadgetry. British society seems to have lost its way somehow.
Don't know what planet you lived on, but my family had central heating, refrigerator and of course a telephone in their Hampshire village (Whitchurch) house in 1935, before WW2. I was born in the 1950's in the Surrey Hills, & my parents house also had all these facilities, as did virtually all other houses in the area. Indeed a house without a phone was thought to be a bit odd, although in this era you had to go through an operator.
@Pronceton Burchill. So now you are 72.
@@JamesSmith-mv9fp I imagine Princeton was a little more working class than yourself. I was born in the 70s and I remember storage heaters being installed in our house; so that would have been early 80s. Before that time it would have been a single fire in the living room, and portable electric heaters for the other rooms. The house itself was from 1960. I remember growing up well in those years, and undoubtedly we were better off than many who were living in more deprived areas.
@@JamesSmith-mv9fp I grew up in the 60's and my family home didn't have a fridge until '67 and the phone came two years later.... and no central heating.
My father had to install our bathroom as the house originally only had an outside toilet and it was coal fired until gas fired heaters were fitted. Up until then the coal man brought bags round and emptied them down the chute into the cellar.
So I understand "what planet" the writer of the above lived on.
Sublime. Every face a novel we shall never read.
b/w too..amazing
Love the old geezer in the lost&found opening his locker to reveal a collection of nudies at 18:30. :^D
What a wonderful way to put it.
A lot of people on this video - actually most, by my account - are no longer with us. This is truly just a slice of life from not that long ago but it’s amazing how the fundamentals of life stay the same and everything else changes. Just as we are enthralled watching this bit of history from nearly six decades ago, imagine what any of these people would think about being dropped into our world? They’d be shocked by peoples’ clothing, style, mannerisms, and by the prevalent use of electronics and computers in general. Just about everything they knew - money, trains, lighting, racial integration, measurements, pollution, countries of the world - is different now. There are no signs of heavy industry, no more war damage in London, steam trains are in museums now. Travel is quicker and more comfortable, albeit a lot busier today. All of this within a lifetime!
I watch films like this and it certainly makes you wonder what our legacy will be in 60 years from now (2080). I’m sure people then will wax nostalgic about this bygone era too. Who knows, but I won’t be here to see it.
One thing to think of that amazes me: for every single BTF Film ever made, the Queen was alive during every one, and on the Throne for most of them. I was very sorry to see her go. And as for 2080? You don't want to know.
I'm very impressed by the level of competency that people in all ranks of life seem to portray in this film, is it "common sense" and is that lost...
I remember Waterloo Station at this time. As an eight year old, it seemed huge and smoky and very exciting. This film is always a delight and fills me with nostalgia.
No wonder this little gem won awards. When I was little, I got seperated from my mum at Liverpool Street, so seeing the little lad in the film brought it all back. I think I was in about the same state he was in, terrified. This is a people watchers dream and a wonderful wallow in nostalgia.
Yes, very heart warming, and it makes you love humanity.
@@birdlynn417 Neat how the station master got the boy to play with his typewriter in order to immediately distract him.
@@Zebrails Yep, that is what a wise parent and adult does.
Happened to me in Blackpool tower. PC took me to a police station where my parents had the good sense to go and look for me. I too was terrified!
I see this film and ache inside at what I know has been lost, Some comments tell the story; but the primary loss is Englishness, which was politeness, awareness, common sense, sensibility, clear speech....and sociatal innocence.
@MusicalElitist1
1. He said nothing about _immigrants._
2. *_Englishness_* _is_ a word.
3. It's pathetic to call anybody a _cretin._
@MusicalElitist1 Well he or she is not ignorant or rude like you.
@Nexusfast123
Thank you.
@MusicalElitist1 - You've certainly proven Firebrand's point about politeness.
@MusicalElitist1 You proved Firebrands point by your arrogance and rude response
I was five years old in1953 and it was the year of my first visit to Waterloo. I had just arrived from Egypt in a troop ship with my family. I was thrilled by the steam engines and the electric multiple units, and this is where my love of railways began! Seven years later we moved much nearer to London and I became a regular visitor to the station. I was very impressed by Pullman cars, and enjoyed watching the Bournemouth Belle slowly gliding out of the station. In later years I became a commuter and watched the end of steam and the introduction of 4 VEP units and a host of others., Including some fast runs in a 4 TC set behind two class 73's ! I suppose the greatest thrill was a trip to Paris in an early Eurostar from Waterloo. Rush hour was very exciting with the forecourt covered with people all moving in different directions and heading towards their destinations. The brolly was an essential piece of kit for the well dressed businessman, and of course the smart briefcase. He had to make sure he had today's copy of the Times, as the advert at the end of the station told everyone that ' Top people read the Times ' ! The 'Drain' was exciting. Such small trains so wonderfully quaint with dim lighting and attractive wooden interiors. Really atmospheric. Now gone for ever, but not forgotten. I count myself very fortunate to have experienced a much gentler way of life. We had less materially after a terrible war, but people really cared and helped each other not expecting something on return. The selfish , 'I want ' society had not yet emerged
and that generation had pulled together to keep Herr Hitler out of our green and pleasant land
Thanks for the superb film. It brings it all back, just for a little while.
Loved your summary of that bygone era. And agree whole heartedly on your opinions.
A world we have lost :(
@Klaa2 But that would imply that stereotyping is acceptable, since its not one coherent body its a mass of people. We don't always act together just like you and your friends don't. And yet adding that "s" to kid would mean you disagree with that. The only thing this does is fuel the fire of a burning tension between our portions of generations.
Wouldn't it be great if all fly on the wall documentaries were made in this way today? No commentators constantly telling you what you've seen 5 mins before and trying to keep you interested by constantly saying 'coming up'. Great 33 mins worth. Thx.
Films were made by adults for adults then.
David Spear There's a recent French documentary called "Pôle Emploi" about the daily lives of the employees working for the anti-unemployment agency in France. People talking. No commentary.
Yes,now everything is made by 20 something children
Yes, the post-break recap drives me nuts. LIke an episode of the Tele-Tubbies, I guess the common moron loves repetition.
@@wintersbattleofbands1144 Yes, if they removed all the post-break recaps, there'd only be about five minutes left of some of these programmes
I was 2 years old! BUT this was the HAPPY England we will never see again, no terrorism or people throwing acid at you in the street or trying to stab you, murder you or kill you with a vehicle or a bomb.😁 What happened to this country, we let all the troublemakers take over and rule our lives as soon as we joined the ‘common market’ that was the end for Britain 😢 HOW WELL PEOPLE SPOKE! QUEENS ENGLISH! I remember the 60’s with great fondness and the simplicity of life WITHOUT awful mobile phones or computers everywhere .........people actually used to SPEAK to each other instead of texting or email. If mobiles DISAPPEARED tomorrow I think BILLIONS would cheer! Great film thank you👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻🇬🇧👍🏻
Yes, but a mass murderer was on the railway horizon. Dr Beeching who killed off a great number of the lines out of this station.
6 years after WW2, millions dead and a Holocaust. Snobbery and racism were the norm in Britain. Slums widespread.
Brilliant. Admittedly I’m old enough to have been there (10 at the time). John Schlesinger and his crew did a superb job.
As an 11 year old I passed through Waterloo station on my way to Bournemouth for my summer holidays. What memories this evokes.
This is without doubt one of the best video uploads on RUclips.
I was moved to laughter, tears and amazement and all without a narrator.
Thank you for the upload David Bromage
An absolute masterpiece, as the insightful piece it was in its day and now, reborn into a new identity as a window into a lost world. So many layers and so much to see, including the train of new immigrants making their arrival into London. Too good to ever be aired on television now.
Yes, beautifully put, thank you. This time, this film and what it is showing is real class.
A glorious picture of a long gone Great Britain, watched this many times and it's beautiful, 60 years old and just sublime, the music just makes it all the better
As the chauffeur pulled that posh car away, I almost saw Sir Norman Wisdom, cycling also setting off, going alongside. I miss that chap, sorry for being totally off-topic, because ho's not even in this..Little wonder this film won awards, total result finding it here, thank you so much for posting. I'm watching it on Talking Pictures TV right now thinking about if I want to watch it again, here it is :0) nice to be one of the many that found it in 11 years. British Film Forever.
I was 5 when this was made. We went through this station every year on holiday. I cried when Matthew Perry got lost - he was so much like my little brother at the time. I can't believe his mother would set the poor little man up like that! Great film though - how things have changed!
A wonderful time capsule insight into long-lost times. I recall Waterloo then, and waving goodbye to my Aunt on the 'Bournemouth Belle' train. Steam loco's everywhere, and a far happier society, too!
Most people in this film don't look THAT happy...
It captures the atmosphere of Waterloo Station, London 1960 filmed in August. Note all the Steam trains with not a Diesel in sight. Other features are noticeable being the amount of Servicemen filmed due to National Service, the Telephone Enquiries for the Station, the newly arrived immigrants from Jamaica and even a Marilyn Monroe lookalike on the Platform. A nostalgic short film of an era long gone.
Even then electric was the dominant power for trains
@@Keithbarber Had been since 1915 at Waterloo.
The gent at 9 48 on phone is Mr Uzzell. He was my Area Manager, Margate in 70’. Good old British Rail days. I remember being told the music played over the tannoy was mainly marching tempo. During peak periods the music could be speeded up slightly thus making passengers move quicker. Keep safe.
Ah, the marching music in rush hour to encourage commuters to vacate trains and platforms ASAP 👍
It's amazing how much hasn't changed, as well as how much has.
The bit where the soldier is reuniting with his family brought a little tear to my eye
I love the non-chalant expression on the baby's face.
@@samtrak1204 99⁹
That film brings back many memories. I used to travel to either Salisbury or Templecombe to stay with my grandparents. Used to go on the Atlantic Coast Express. 70 minutes to Salisbury by steam!!
Fabulous to see this again. Little boy lost gets me every time! Thanks David.
Bugger, I've missed my train now because I was watching this.Thanks for uploading it really enjoyed it.
8 years later and I am watching it again, and enjoying it. Thanks again.
I went through Waterloo in 1960, aged 10 on a visit from Ireland. Everything looked so exciting to me. I remember the treat of having egg and chips on the train to Petersfield.
Fascinating to go back via this film.
Love the way the guy handles the bees, no precautions whatsoever. Guess those bees had to work really hard in that environment.
This is wonderful. All the participants look solid and decent. I love these early 60s documentaries made without narration. And the music composed by Ron Grainer contributes so much to the atmosphere. I see this was directed by John Schlesinger. He would go on to direct one of the greatest movjes ever made: Midnight Cowboy.
Many thanks for this, I love it.
'The past is another country, they do things differently there'
Nail on head - bang...
absolutely brilliant, loved the scene about the 18.48 mark where the guy opens the locker in the lost property office and there are pics of topless girls on the back of the door, also a bit further in the girl puts down the phone and opens a desk draw to reveal a cup of tea....loved it, thanks for posting this.
Jim Black 9
Sorry about the nonsense previous post. Done by misake and not able to delete. I too wondered about the girly posters. A bit rique to be shown in 1961 and surprised it did not merit an x certificate in what is otherwise a family friendly film.
@18:33 Is when the 'locker scene' starts (which I'll admit to have completely missed my first time through somehow, prolly how it got past the censors). I *loved* the overall sequence of the lost and found, the first shot reminded me of the warehouse in 'Raiders of the Lost Ark'... as the woman describes her umbrella they reveal thousands of umbrellas stacked high. I also really loved the cat in the stroller ~10s after the locker shot... and the cat in the switch room, the bees on the roof, the dogs on the platform...
@@dannyrust7619 It's hardly likely to have corrupted any children.
18:34 -18:37
AND 30.32 the handsome sailor smoking is my Uncle. Still going, still puffing on senior service.
What ship??
Did you see the guy in the wooden overcoat being carried onto the train? That was my uncle. Hes not around anymore.
@@ohcrikey9560 Prayers and thoughts babes.
@@ohcrikey9560 I started on the railway same year as this film made at 15. So most people in it are also now atoms.
@@johnward374 👍 and i bet it seems like yesterday.....scary.
What a wonderful film. Gold dust.
A world on the cusp of becoming a technology driven society. Thanks for the upload and this brief glimpse of a less stressful time.
I was 3 when this film was made. My Dad often took me to London via Waterloo. Such memories 😉
John Schlesinger directed the far from the madding crowed that I was an extra in, in about 1966 in Weymouth towards the end of steam. He was a great director as can be seen here.
For "Rail Historians" coming into view at 6:28 is one of only three ex Pullmans, painted Southern Region Green, & used as Kitchen Buffet cars, on the South Western Division. Originally used as Pullmans on the Tonbridge Hastings line (South Eastern Division) before that line was dieselised with the 6-car Hastings DMU's in 1957. The ex Pullman has slab sides and inward opening recessed doors.
What happened to this world ? A world with polished shoes. Proper clothes. Hats. Good behavior. Emotional departures. A solid respectful organization with a potential to be individual. Bee keeping on the roof. Vale the real world. I was 6 when this was made. Vague memories come back to me. I miss all this.
What a classic this is from a completely different era. Love the announcer sat knitting!
Incredible film. The character observation is extraordinary. And I remember that time well. I was 15. I can smell the station.
Everyone looks so elegant, its wonderful. Let's be honest, these days most of us look disheveled at best, what on earth has happened to us. I for one will start making more of an effort to look my best
Then you will be out of step with most men interviewed or being interviewed on BBC, who can't be bothered to even put a tie on.
So pleased this was filmed and shown on RUclips. Certainly brought back very many memories for me. My mother used to take me to Euston, to travel to the Midlands to visit her family . I was about 7 or so. I have a clear picture of mother being frightened by those big steam engines and we would hover as far away as possibly till the train stopped. But she didn’t mind being in the carriage, which was a delight for me, with all the countryside to look at!
Absolute masterpiece, then and now. Thank you, David, for bringing back and preserving so many memories of a golden period in our history
What a Gem of a film, What a wonderful transport system we had back then,Just the best anywhere .
Certainly was a good system. I recall once, about 1954, catching the milk train back to Bridport arriving at 4 in the morning; and watching a lifeboat Dad had bought in Southampton being unloaded from a freight train in West Bay. Not much need for private transport then. And didn’t people walk quickly in London? I used to run between jobs in the ‘60s. And still, visiting 50 years later, I noticed how often people show kindness to strangers…(getting well off-topic, better shut up)
You would need to write a social history essay to capture some of the changes that this video, so wonderfully shot by " Billy Liar" director Schlesinger in 1960. Just a couple of things come to mind as I watch it. Firstly, how the kisses good bye were so genuine when telephones were not in each house hold and endless mobile phoning has reduced our world to a world shrinking, always in touch present. There were pauses and gaps in life in 1961 that our modern world has largely forgotten. People spoke more carefully then. Lovely to see Waterloo as it was, all sooty and marvelous.
What a beautiful film. The photography is a feast for the eyes and the musical score adds so much color to the portrait. It seems both a depiction of a world that is no more and a series of timeless themes. Leaving,arriving,work love,family and the drama of everyday life. I've watched this several times and I'm always left wondering what happened to all these people-the nuns,the banker,the sailors,the prisoners, even the friends passing around a bottle. I would love to see this on the big screen in a theater someday.
I remember, aged 3 , standing on the edge of the platform , waiting to board the train. The driving wheels of the locomotive and the steam outlets were at the level of my face. It was terrifying!
Just before the beatles were about to explode onto the world scene
Lol! These Londoners are a gay people. I love them.
Couldn't stop watching this. Another world!
For me it's the music that makes this film so special.
Michael Randles anyone know who the guitar player was?
Ron Grainer is listed as the composer: he did lots of work for British t.v. and films up to 1981.
@@None-zc5vg thanks
This film also makes you realise that the 1960s, as we now think of them, didn't really start until around 1963. Much of this could still have been in the 50s.
Pete Pasternak , I was a child in London in the 1960s I probably only saw a couple of minis, and I’m sure I never saw a mini skirt. They were restricted to Carnaby street and night clubs and the minis were no doubt parked outside. They never made it as far as Hammersmith which was more like a wartime village, than part of a city.
Very apt observation.
Very true, exactly as I also remember it.🤔🏴
Alan King à dreadful day, the day I first saw a woman in the street wearing a mini-skirt. How my heart sank. And now, 60 years later I can sat that all my fears on that awful day have been fully realised
Very true the beatles kick started the sixties
Beautiful piece of film with a great soundtrack. Most enjoyable.
This is the best thing about RUclips, not some fuzzy image of a spotty kid on a skateboard.
@MusicalElitist1 You don't understand what I'm saying? I'm making the point that this is a worthwhile video rather than the usual rubbish people upload.
@MusicalElitist1 Get back to the street corners with your violin and tin cup.
Those were the days, when station masters would let you sleep in the waiting room if you missed the last train back! I remember the station master at Ryde Pier Head would make up the fire for us matelots who missed the last ferry back to Pompey, so that we would make sure of the first ferry back next day and not be late reporting in the morning. You struggle to find a bench, let alone a proper waiting room in a lot stations nowadays.
+Mark Turner: all these 'moments' seem to have been lost now, Mike. I.O.W Island Line was pretty amazing back in the 1990's: we chatted to the guard about the film we were going to see at the Lake cinema (Schindler's List, as I remember) on the outward journey from Ryde. The performance finished just a few minutes late and we ran to the Station in an effort to catch up, arriving two minutes after the official departure time, but the train was still in the platform expecting out arrival.
Same at Darlington Station on sundaynight/Monday morning. Many Soldiers and Airmen from nearby Catterick ,Barnard Castle, RAF Middleton St George and RAF Catterick would be allowed to stay in the huge waiting room while the Porter came in and kept the Fire going.
The rebuilt Euston station had no proper waiting-room and just a handful of seats around a pillar on the concourse: it was like that in 1971 when I first used it.
This is a fabulous film. Thank you for sharing.
This is a gem of a film. I remember making a trip from Springfield Mass to Los Angeles with my Mom to see my Grandfather, on the South West limited. Granted it was 1956 and in the US but it was the same polite pleasant people depicted in this film. People wore decent clothes and had manners. Last trip I made it was all nasty rap, cursing, and half naked people. Bravo on this film.
I would prefer a world full of polite, pleasant and half naked people. If fully naked isn't an option, of course.
Spellbound. A wonderful snapshot of early 1960s London.
Great piece of history. Can watch this over and over. Love the music. Some were actors especially lady who lost her umbrella.
An incredible insight into a bygone age. Thank you for sharing 👍👋
Great film, thanks for sharing. The faces of people staring at the departure boards is exactly the same today, technology may have changed, but searching for your train at Londons busiest Terminus has never been easy. :)
I captured this masterpiece on Freesat and have watched it several times. It has all been said below, all I can say is 'Ditto'!
Wonderful film, how we were in the early 60's, I was 14 at the time, some strange looking people
about !!!
beautiful the raw facial expressions. the emotion captured is amazing.
Great film. Just thinking about all those employed by the railways at that time. Today, only a fraction of what it was back then.
Thank you for uploading.
The subtle composition of the scenes. Look for the nicely cropped shot of the man, who misses the tube, and the poster with NERVES. Then the prisoners being walked from the bus. The camera person, follows..but uses the railings to suggest jail is not far away. Cats are everywhere!
The cat in the *Lost Property Office* was neither feral nor lost property - it was a member of the station staff responsible for _rodent patrol._
This was brilliant. The goodbye scenes on the platform were very touching. I wish we still traveled on trains.
You still can.
Lovely Documentary of a Lifetime that has passed. Every body doing there own thing minding their own business. Smokers, beer drinkers, Mum lost Child, locker with girlie photos, cup of tea in a draw and lots more. That is why they call them the good old days No P.C.
MusicalElitist1 There were no evil internet trolls in those days either.
Great Film. Wonderful memories from school days: returning and going on hollidays. Well worth the prieces it got.
It's very unfortunate that films like this attract bell end comments.
I want to go back to those black and white days, to the excitement of boarding steam trains and going to the seaside in my short trousers with all the family.
Why do we have to grow up and lose so much?
It's called the passage of time, and things change, sometimes change is hard to accept
keith barber - yes Keith (blimey that name rings a bell, where have I heard it before?) your right!
Nostalgic video 62 years on ,Born in 1973 ,Wish I could be transported back to those Golden years before the world wide web and when the world was a simple place to live in ,Just watched this documentary on Talking Pictures on Sky Channel 328 ,Everybody in this looked dapper and Smart to Royal Mail being sent by train ,The little laddie that was lost being reunited with his mum had me in tears and what a lovely thing letting his mum know 😢,Long before Decimalisation also ♥️ love BFI films from those Glory times and years .😢😍 Well done John Schlesinger,Bring back those simple times when my Mum ,My Dad born in the 1950s to my Gran 1923-2017 and my Grandad 1914-1994 were all growing up in 1961 with change when Steam was still the norm ,The fashion was suits and Trilbies back then to the way ladies looked looked like Royalty ,Nowadays the world is a disaster 😢
Thoroughly enjoyed that film. Thanks for sharing.
Brilliant, I will come back to this again,
Well I didn't expect to enjoy that as much as I did... what a gem.
You can actually understand what the station announcers say!
I can't understand 12:10 thru 12;16 (ESL tho)
It's not a person anymore, just a cheap computer made in china, and for as much as I could understand speaking Chinese.
@@johnward374 Problem is, our latest "Chinese import" is anything but cheap.
@@ixlnxs Announcing the boat train for the RMS Pretoria_Castle ? en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RMS_Pretoria_Castle_(1947)
A shame by this time the little spur that ran through the station up into Waterloo East had been all but erased, where the cars used to drive in and out was where it travelled but its use was scarce simply as Charing X had little freight or parcels traffic of consequence requiring trains to run between the SER and mainline Waterloo operations. In the early eighties I actually worked in the lamp arch, did some turns in the Red Star there as well but my job was to periodically go up and change lamps on the incoming Exeter St David's trains and the 4SUB's, take up any train stores like the little bars of Palmolive soaps, toilet paper, driver and guards sundries and any stores for down the line as per requisition form. We were infamously naughty down in the lamp arch, the ranking storesman and my guv'nor enjoyed a tipple although I suspect my guv'nor was drinking the lamp oil so there was me, a defrocked guard also called Ian and we played pranks on every part of Waterloo, nearly causing a strike of signallers when we sent every jack one of the signalmen a new set of 1950's era "weskit" uniforms they were under orders of some fictitious manager to wear or else... YTS trainees were awesome too, sending 'em up to measure train to buffer gap, sending 'em up to compare the yellow on the EPB's etc to a piece of yellow card we found and telling 'em to demand the drivers name if found the wrong shade, oh those poor kids suffered and then it was time to visit the grumpy Welsh AM for punishment duty which one time was me, a wide yard sweep broom and just swept the concourse all day for a week.
What an excellent film. A real "fly on the wall". No overly staged parts, it just 'is'. And you've got to love the fat bloke's laughter!!
Wonderful study of mankind.So atmo
spheric. Thanks for uploading.
So romantic and dramatic to see and hear the old steam locos puffing out of the station.
Excellent.Thank you for showing this
I was a young US soldier in Britain at that time and this film captured station life as I remembered them. I loved the steam trains and was sad when they were discontinued in 1967.
When this film was made the iconic Routemaster bus was already on the streets of London.
This is a film I really enjoyed Brings back a lot of memories! 🙏 thanks!
love this footage,a moment captured in time,
You have just about defined every good documentary movie.
A superb film just as I remember Waterloo Station on my way to/from school. I even remember that vagrant woman.
That woman was the only person in it, apart from *John Schlesinger* himself, to refuse an *Equity* fee for her appearance. When she died the crew, as well as *John,* paid for her funeral and many of them attended.
What a great documentry!!!
Tavistock, Launceston, Bude, Barnstaple - oh happy days!
Okehampton, Halwill and Padstow too ! Sadly now but a memory. Okehampton may eventually be reconnected to Bere Alston, and there are efforts to reconnect Bude - but that looks even less likely...
MarmiteCrumpets it won’t happen... the old line now forms part of the national cycle network. That and the fact that a lot of it is situated in National Park land means it’ll never get through planning or an EIA
Wonderful to see people being given a proper send off on the station platform. Where I live today they won't let you onto the platform without a ticket to travel. Elderly just have to struggle on and off by themselves. Whatever people feel about BR today at least it was user friendly, modern rail companies want profit over any form of customer service.
On Newtown station in Wales, there is a notice warning people seeing others off, not to get on the train.
It didn't stop for long and it could take them a long time to get back from the next station.
Wonderful memories of Waterloo station!
The station cats get everywhere! ;)
As they should, they're the _rodent patrol._
its a documentary but with a storyline, so beautiful and captivating and shall i say genius!
Wonderful, images and music. A small masterpiece.
Wow, casted this on my TV. Quality is stunning!
When people actually spoke to each other , it wasnt perfect then , but a damn sight better than the present horrible mess we are in
What a wonderful story for you to see again, Lovely era to be in and wish I could go back. I had only just become engages to my girlfriend/wife Thanks for sharing and God bless
Wonderful bit of London nostalgia ! I was 4 at the time of this release.
Spoilers! The Sweeney trap the murderer in a trainyard, and just when he is about to shoot a cop, he gets run over by the London/Liverpool Express. His last words were "5 minutes early! In England? How....is that....possible?"