Title
Film - Railways for the World
Reference
GEC/4/6/33/2
Production date
1978 - 1979
Creator
- GEC Traction LimitedBiographyBiography
GEC Traction (GECT) was formed in 1972 as part of the GEC Power Engineering Group following earlier amalgamations of the traction divisions of the General Electric Company (GEC), the English Electric Company (EE) and Associated Electrical Industries (AEI). A wholly owned subsidiary company of GEC, the company had offices and works, located at Trafford Park in Manchester, at Strand Road in Preston, and at Attercliffe Common, Sheffield.
The headquarters of GEC Traction was Trafford Park, Manchester (previously the headquarters of English Electric-AEI Traction) with design of rotating machines at Preston and Sheffield, and manufacturing activities for control equipment at Manchester and Preston. GEC Traction designed and manufactured a full range of traction machines and control equipment for electric vehicles, including electric locomotives and multiple unit trains for main-line and mass-transit railway systems (dc up to 3,000 volts, and ac up to 50,000 volts), diesel-electric locomotives and trains, mining and industrial locomotives, tramcars and trolleybuses.
GEC Traction was the leading supplier of traction equipment in the UK and had a wide market around the world, particularly in South Africa, Australasia, Hong Kong, South Korea, South America and Pakistan. In 1979 the Industrial Locomotive Division of the former English Electric which was based at Vulcan Works, Newton-le-Willows was merged into GEC Traction, which later became a separate company, GEC Industrial Locomotives Ltd.
During the late 1980s and 1990s the firm underwent major rationalisation, involving closure of several sites including Attercliffe Common in Sheffield in 1985 and the company’s headquarters at Trafford Park in Manchester in 1998. The company name GEC Traction endured until a merger with the French Alsthom group in 1989, which created GEC Alsthom Traction, which was still a branch of the main company GEC Alsthom.
Scope and Content
Corporate film produced for GEC Transportation Projects Limited by Anvil Film and Recording Group Limited, directed by Peter Hopkinson.
The film presents the services offered by GEC TPL and targets potential foreign clients. Using footage of modern railway projects conducted by GEC TPL and animated drawings, the film argues the superiority of rail transport and diesel and electric traction while showcasing GEC TPL services to run railway modernisation and electrification projects entirely.
Numerous shots were taken of various railway systems around the world, especially on Taiwan Railways, British Railways and London Underground. Film footage and animated drawings feature and compare examples of freight transportation by aircraft, barge, ship, road and rail. The film exposes and compares the existing options for modern railway: diesel, diesel electric or electric traction. GEC TPL is presented as an all-in-one company which can coordinate all aspects of building a new or modernise a railway system: design, construction, equipping, training, commissioning and funding.
A map reveals the various railway companies around the world with which GEC TPL already works closely in the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Africa, Australia, Brazil, etc.
The film reviews the steps through how a modern electric railway is created. An assessment is made by specialists, consultants and local experts on site and a feasibility report is produced. This is illustrated with shots showing paper proposals previously produced by GEC TPL: Tender for Electrification of the Trunk Line from Keelung to Kaohsiung for Taiwan Railway Administration; Modernisation, Electrification and Development of the Kowloon-Canton Railway System (Hong Kong); Hong Kong Mass Transit Railway System; Carajas Railway Project (Brazil); Rede Ferroviaria Federal S.A (Brazil); Ferrocarril Suburban en Areas Metropolitanas del Valle de Mexico; Iranian State Railways, Modernisation and Electrification of Tehran-Tabriz Line.
Close up shots of British Railways electric locomotives demonstrate the difference between low voltage DC third rail system and overhead high voltage AC system, and the existence of dual standard system with manual or automatic changeover.
Footage of the London’s financial building illustrates GEC TPL ability to help clients with seeking funding and negotiations.
Further step in making a modern railway is the actual construction or modernisation of tracks, which can be coordinated by GEC TPL, commissioning local contractors. This is shown using footage of track laying, construction, bridge and tunnel work around the world. Further footage shows computers in offices as well as tests, surveys and measurements conducted on site, checking ground conditions, rail alignment. These data are used to assess the best choice of structure and line side equipment according to the specific site.
A segment explains the path of power, how it is conveyed and transformed from the power station to the railways. Some footage shows substation cabins, vacuum circuit breakers and modern interrupters necessary for underground railway.
A modern signalling system is featured; cable circuits lodged along the trackside are filmed. Some shots were taken inside a control centre for Taiwan Railways.
In parallel to track construction, power and telecommunication equipment build on site, locomotive and rolling stock are built and delivered as told by large shots of a factory followed by shots of carriage being unloaded from a ship in Taiwan.
After delivery, GEC TPL ensures modern workshops are available to take care of the necessary maintenance on the locomotive and rolling stock and delivers a technical and managerial training scheme for the local workers.
Using footage of the London Underground, the film also promotes GEC TPL service to help organising a network.
Finally, GEC TPL is understood as a full package services in one single company handling all the aspects of the construction or modernisation of a railway for its clients.
The end credits acknowledge the following companies for their help in the making of the film:
British Railways, British Transport Films, Central Electricity Generating Board, Film Australia, London Transport Executive, Rede Ferroviaria Federal S.A (Brazil), South African Railways, Taiwan Railway Administration
Extent
Approximately 19 minutes of film on 16mm print
Physical description
16 mm film print (copy), colour, optical sound, stored in plastic canister. This an acetate base film. In September 2016 this was tested with A-D strip as between level 0 and 1 of deterioration (deterioration starting). The general condition is moderate: the copy presents some scratches and shows fading with a magenta predominance.
Wear cotton gloves when manipulating 16 mm copies. 16 mm requires specific equipment to be viewed such as 16mm editing bench or projector. 16 mm can also be unrolled with the help of a manual film coiler to look at frames with a magnifying glass and a light table, but this system won't allow to see footage in motion.
Language
English
Level of description
ITEM
Repository name
National Railway Museum, York
Associated people and organisations
- GEC Transportation Projects LtdBiographyBiography
GEC Transportation Projects Ltd., (GEC-TPL) was established in 1974 and was based at St Albans and Borehamwood, Hertfordshire. It specialised in the design, execution and management of major railway and mass transit electrification projects around the world. In 1981 GEC-TPL was transferred to Trafford Park in Manchester took over residual responsibility for vehicle design from GEC Traction, e.g. British Railways Class 91s and locomotive equipment design, e.g., British Railways Class 90s. GEC-TPL project managed 406 track kilometres of electrification in Taiwan in 1984. It involved the design, supply and installation of equipment including catenary, substations, telecommunications, locomotives and multiple units. The company also supplied the 134, 3-car trains and project managed the equipment of Lines 3 and 4 of Seoul Metropolitan Subway Corporation.
Closer to home, GEC-TPL was the project management company for Phase 1 of the Docklands Light Railway and the Manchester ‘Metrolink’ and supplied the initial vehicles for both systems. In 1987, GEC-TPL contracted to supply the body mounted power equipment for the initial build of Trans Manche Super Trains, later known as ‘Eurostars’, the bar car mechanical parts for which were supplied by its long term partner Metropolitan Cammell which later became part of GEC-TPL in 1989.
In 1989, GEC Transportation Projects Ltd became part of the joint company, GEC Alsthom Transportation Projects Ltd., when GEC and Alsthom of France, part of Compagnie Générale d’Electricité (CGE) formed GEC Alsthom. The combined company acquired Metropolitan Cammell at this time. (Alsthom’s name had earlier been derived from ‘Alsace Thomson-Houston’, thereby revealing its earlier parentage from Thomson-Houston of America, as also had the British Thomson-Houston Co., of Rugby, another GEC constituent). In 1998 the company formally changed its name to ALSTOM.
- British Railways BoardBiographyBiography
The British Railways Board was an independent statutory corporation responsible for running the British railway network from 1963. It was established by the Transport Act 1962, which abolished the British Transport Commission and divided its undertakings between five newly-created bodies: the British Railways Board, the British Waterways Board, the British Transport Docks Board, the London Transport Board, and a Transport Holding Company. The British Railways Board was responsible for running the railway network, as well as managing government-owned railway hotels. Members of the British Railways Board were also appointed by the Minister for Transport. The first Chair of the British Railways Board was Dr Richard Beeching.
The British Railways Board operated through regional boards, which were responsible for regional sections of the railway network. These regions were Southern, Western, London Midland, London and North Eastern, Eastern, and Scottish. Members of these regional boards were appointed by the British Railways Board, in consultation with the Minister for Transport. The British Railways Board also operated a series of committees to manage every aspect of railway control, including committees for finance, technical, works and property. These committees were frequently reorganised throughout the life of the British Railways Board, under both different Chairs of the Board and different governments.
Several changes occurred during the 1960s. The Board had two new Chairs; Stanley Raymond, who replaced Richard Beeching in 1965, and his successor Henry Johnson, who became Chair in 1967. In 1968, the Transport Act transferred the control of the Sundries and Freightliner divisions from the British Railways Board to National Carriers Ltd and Freightliners Ltd. The Board retained a forty-nine per cent stake in Freightliners Ltd.
During the 1970s, the British Railways Board created several subsidiary companies which were to manage some of its undertakings. These included British Transport Hotels Ltd, British Rail Engineering Ltd, and British Rail Hovercraft Ltd. Many of these subsidiary companies were sold under the Conservative governments of the 1980s. There were also two new Chairs during this time. Richard Marsh replaced Henry Johnson in 1971, and Peter Parker became chair in 1976.
The privatisation of the British rail network during the 1990s radically changed the role of the British Railways Board. The Transport Act 1993 established Railtrack, a publicly-owned company. The Act transferred the ownership of track and railway infrastructure from the British Railways Board to Railtrack, in addition to the control of signals. Railtrack also replaced the British Railways Board as the body responsible for track investment and maintenance. The British Railways Board remained in existence after these changes, but only performed residual functions relating to pensions, liabilities, and non-operational railway land. The Board also continued to operate the British Transport Police service.
The British Railways Board was abolished by the Transport Act 2000, which transferred the remaining functions of the Board to the newly-created Strategic Rail Authority.
- Transport for LondonBiographyBiography
The brand London Transport came into being in 1933 and remained until 2000. Prior to 1933, the transport system in London was owned and managed by several independent and separate organisations. The Underground railways were developed and owned by the Underground Electric Railways Company of London (est. 1902) and the Metropolitan Railway (est. 1863) whilst the Tram and Trolleybus networks were under the control of various local authorities and public companies. The London County Council operated tram routes within the County of London but its responsibility did not extend to the bus or tram routes that ran outside its area and it did not hold responsibility for the railways which also extended into neighbouring counties.
From 1933, the London Passenger Transport Board (LPTB) was established in accordance with the 1933 London Passenger Transport Act and covered both the County of London and adjacent counties within a 48-km radius. For the first time services within the London area were amalgamated. A significant proportion of tram routes were brought under the responsibility of the LPTB, as were the Underground Electric Railways Company of London lines and the bus services; this became known as the London Passenger Transport Area. It was then that the familiar ‘roundel symbol’ (designed in 1918) and the tube map designed in 1931 were adopted by the LPTB.
The second World War was to cause some disruption to the ongoing programme, resulting in delays and also the abandonment of some projects. During the post war years, the transport authority was the London Transport Executive until 1962. It was taken into public ownership and London Transport and British Railways were under the same jurisdiction for the first and only time. It was during this time that recruitment began directly from the Caribbean and work began on resolving war damage to stock and stations as well as the completion of projects previously delayed during the war. The post-war years also saw some major developments within London transport, including the withdrawal of both trams and trolleybuses and the introduction of the iconic AEC Routemaster bus in 1956.
From 1963, the transport authority was the London Transport Board until 1969 and it reported directly to the Ministry of Transport and no longer held direct association with the management of British Railways. Public transport was not heavily invested in during this period and motor cars increased in popularity. Unprofitable railways across Britain were also closed. The 1960s also witnessed the opening of the underground Victoria line and also the introduction of the single-deck bus.
From 1970, the Greater London Council was the transport authority and remained so until 1984. Control of green-coloured country buses and Green Line Coaches were passed on to London Country Bus Services which became part of the National Bus Company. As with many organisations during this period, London transport suffered a severe lack of funding from central government as well as major staff shortages. The inter-modal zonal ticketing system was also introduced in 1981.
From 1984-2000 London Regional Transport was the transport authority and was also under direct state control, reporting to the Secretary of State for Transport. Under the London Regional Transport Act in the 1980s subsidiary companies were established to run Underground and bus services. This period also saw the inclusion of British Rail services into fare options and the opening of the Docklands Light Railway in 1987.
From 2000 to the present day, the transport authority has been Transport for London (TfL). Unlike its predecessors, it has never been commonly known as London Transport and holds responsibility for many other transportation functions such as road management, taxi and private hire licensing and also cycling and walking. Responsibility for the Underground was not given until 2003. TfL have been the longest running transportation organisation in London to date.
- South African Railways and HarboursBiographyBiography
In 1910 the state-owned South African Railways and Harbours (SAR&H) organisation was created, after the four colonies of the Cape, Natal, Transvaal and the Orange Free State were amalgamated into the new Union of South Africa. In 1916, SAR&H took over the activities of the Central South African Railways, the Cape Government Railways and the Natal Government Railways. In 1924 the last privately owned railway line in South Africa was taken over by SAR&H; the New Cape Central Railway between Worcester and Voor Bay. In 1920 electrification of South Africa’s railways was completed, and in 1924 the first electric test train ran between Ladysmith and Chieveley in Natal. In 1950 the first portion of the new Johannesburg station was opened and construction was completed on the huge workshops complex at Koedoespoort. In 1960, diesel locomotives were introduced on a large scale to SAR&H. In 1981, SAR&H changed its name to South African Transport Services (SATS) and took on South Africa’s railway, harbour, road transport, and aviation and pipeline operations.
Subject
Conditions governing access
Access is given in accordance with the NRM access policy. Access to film collections is assessed on a case by case basis.
Conditions governing Reproduction
Copies may be supplied of items in the collection, provided that the copying process used does not damage the item or is not detrimental to its preservation. Copies will be supplied in accordance with the NRM’s terms and conditions for the supply and reproduction of copies, and the provisions of any relevant copyright legislation. Copyright is retained by the author of the footage.
