Summary: A brief survey of the railway-laying and maintaining activities of the Royal Engineers.
Description: Opening shots show carriers and Cruiser tanks, stressing this is a war of speed: next, some film of specialised war uses of railways in Britain - a large "Boche Buster", railway-mounted naval gun, firing; an armoured train manned by Polish troops on patrol. A long sequence, much of it shot at a training camp, shows construction of new lines (preparing ground, laying track, building bridges) - a model railway helps teach theory of signalling etc - experience in a foundry teaches value of spare parts, as well as extending knowledge. Film closes with a montage of maps, News Film (Haile Selassie, Italian prisoners) and railway stock shots to provide background for commentary's statement of scope and scale of Army activities with railways - Africa, India, supplies to Russia, etc.
Production Details: War Office (Production sponsor)
Ministry of Information (Production sponsor)
Army Film Unit (Production company)
Tennyson d'Eyncourt, Walter (Production individual)
Keen, Gerald (Production individual)
May, Hans (Production individual)
Baume, Frederick Ehrenfried "Eric" (Production cast)
Personalities, Units and Organisations: British Army, Royal Engineers (regiment/service)
Polish Forces (regiment/service)
Keywords: armour, British - tank: Cruiser (object name)
engineering, military, British: railway building (object name)
operations, British military - routine (object name)
propaganda, British - inspirational (object name)
transport, British military - rail: armoured train (object name)
weapons, British - gun: railway-mounted naval gun (object name)
Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W
Sound format: Sound
Soundtrack language: English
Title language: English
Subtitle language: None
Technical Details: Format: 35mm
Number of items/reels/tapes: 1
Footage: 585 ft; Running time: 7 mins
