Summary: A look behind the scenes at the organisation required for the efficient running of the railway network, especially during wartime.
Description: Film opens with an impression of the complexity involved in coordinating and assembling an expeditionary force at a port, and exemplifies this theme by following a single goods truck (carrying a 'secret weapon') from the factory in the North through the railway system to its destination in the South, including good material on marshalling yard activities and control at a signal-box and central level. Next, film shows (with crude 'supply' and 'demand' diagrams) the pressures put on the system by the war - eg loss of men and materials to war effort, increasing weight of traffic in the West following German blockade of the eastern ports - and shows that problem can only be met by central direction: diagram explains national control by War Transport Ministry.
Production Details: Ministry of Information (Production sponsor)
Seven League (Production company)
Nieter, H M (Production individual)
Alexander, Donald (Production individual)
Densham, Denny1921-03-061992 (Production individual)
Paulet, Pamela (Production individual)
Science Films (Production individual)
Personalities, Units and Organisations:
Keywords: administration, British - civilian: War Transport Ministry (object name)
operations, British military - movement: rail (object name)
transport, British civilian - rail (object name)
propaganda (concept)
Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W
Sound format: Sound
Soundtrack language: English
Title language: English
Subtitle language: None
Technical Details: Format: 16mm
Number of items/reels/tapes: 1
Running time: 15 mins
