THE BEF RETURNING FROM LEAVE AT WATERLOO STATION [Allocated Title]

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  • Title: THE BEF RETURNING FROM LEAVE AT WATERLOO STATION [Allocated Title]
  • Film Number: BTF 4
  • Other titles: RAILWAYS IN BRITAIN, 1935-1976 [Allocated Series Title]
  • Summary: The BEF march through Southampton and prepare to depart from Waterloo Station. Additional content includes; a mine washed ashore at Abbots Cliff, 9.2-inch guns being reconditioned at Eastleigh Works, and railway sleepers being unloaded from barges.
  • Description: (11 January 1940) Trains passing Abbots Cliff, between Folkestone and Dover in Kent, following a cliff fall. A troop train enters Southampton docks. (Possibly content from BTF 3) MH19 (11 January 1940) British Army troops, carrying bags of equipment and rifles, march towards the Southampton Docks for disembarkation. They march through the local area, whilst ordinary civilian activity continues. “The Royal Automobile Club” stands on one corner and local businesses feature on advertising boards; “Baines and Owen”, “Lion Packing”, “Wills Capstan Cigarettes” and “Sydney H Sawbridge and Sons”. Policemen marshal the troops through civilian traffic and into the docks, where some signage warns pedestrians to; “BEWARE OF THE TRAINS”. MH20 (12 January 1940) Exterior of the YMCA (Young Men’s Christian Association) Information Bureau, a sign above the door; “YMCA INFORMATION BUREAU – CANADIAN”. The film cuts to the BEF (British Expeditionary Force) returning from leave at Waterloo Station, London. A close-up of a chalk written notice board; “BEF RETURNING FROM LEAVE SPECIAL TRAINS PLATOFRMS 9 & 10 12-00”. General scenes of troops on the concourse, including a mobile canteen trolley serving refreshments. Signs for the “UNION JACK CLUB”, along with information concerning the additional troop train services. The troops on the concourse appear relaxed before they disembark, most carry heavy bags of equipment. One soldier smokes a cigarette, whilst keeping careful watch on his daughter (?) holding a soft toy. Other family members gather around in clusters. (1 min 23 sec) MH21 (13 January 1940) Southampton docks. Steamrollers are unloaded from LMS (London Midlands and Scottish) flat railway wagons by crane. They are then loaded onto a cargo vessel, the “DALLINGTON COURT”. (2 min 23 sec) MH22 (25 January 1940) A close-up of emergency timetables, and passengers viewing them from the Waterloo concourse. (4 min 33 sec) MH23 (7 February 1940) War Department armaments (9.2-inch guns) at Eastleigh Works depot. Work to recondition the guns in a poorly lit depot continues. The guns are presumably First World War Howitzers. (5 min 10 sec) MH24 (7 February 1940) Unloading railway sleepers from a barge and into stacks at Redbridge, Hampshire. Workers use picks to manoeuvre the sleepers whilst a crane hoists them off the barge. They are then loaded into railway tracks adjacent to the dock, where a railway crane carries them away for storage. Others are stacked by crane directly onto piles. Close-ups of the tightly stacked sleepers. (6 min 48 sec) MH25
  • Alternative Title: RAILWAYS IN BRITAIN, 1935-1976 [Allocated Series Title]
  • Colour: B&W
  • Digitised:
  • Object_Number: BTF 4
  • Sound: Silent
  • Access Conditions: IWM Attribution: © IWM (BTF 4)
  • Featured Period: 1939-1945
  • Production Date: 1940-01 1940-02
  • Production Country: GB
  • Production Details: Southern Railway Film Unit (Production company)
  • Personalities, Units and Organisations:
  • Keywords:
  • Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W Sound format: Silent
  • Technical Details: Format: 35mm Number of items/reels/tapes: 1 Footage: 849ft ; 9 min 03 sec
  • HD Media:
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    BTF 4

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