THE RAILWAYS PLAY AN IMPORTANT PART IN THE BUILD-UP FOR D-DAY (PART 3) [Allocated Title]

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  • Title: THE RAILWAYS PLAY AN IMPORTANT PART IN THE BUILD-UP FOR D-DAY (PART 3) [Allocated Title]
  • Film Number: A70 20-3
  • Other titles:
  • Summary: Some of the methods used to sort out and despatch the thousands of goods wagons needed to convey military and civilian supplies on Britain's railways during the build-up for D-Day are seen in this film shot in two marshalling yards in the Midlands and East Anglia.
  • Description: I. Goods trains, with some wagons loaded with pontoon bridge sections, are assembled in railway sidings adjacent to a Royal Engineers Stores depot at Long Marston, Worcestershire. Two American Lend-Lease 'Austerity' locomotives are seen hauling freight wagons past the sidings along a branch of the Great Western Railway. II. An LNER 'Austerity' locomotive moves slowly past platelayers at work at Whitemoor marshalling yard near March, Cambridgeshire. At this site, the largest and most modern of its kind in Britain, the descent of goods wagons from the 'hump' into the appropriate sorting sidings is controlled by the application of a hydraulically-operated 'Froehlich' brake and remote-controlled points (seen here in reverse order) from a control tower (not seen). III. The cameraman films the scenery between March and St Ives, Huntingdonshire (?) from a moving train.
  • Access Conditions: IWM
  • Featured Period: 1939-1945
  • Production Date: 1944-05-13
  • Production Country: GB
  • Production Details: Army Film Unit (Production company) Wilkes, A E (Production individual)
  • Personalities, Units and Organisations:
  • Keywords: GB, England & <Midlands area> (geography)
  • Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W Sound format: Silent Soundtrack language: None Title language: None
  • Technical Details: Format: 35mm Number of items/reels/tapes: 1 Footage: 484 ft; Running time: 5 mins
  • HD Media:Yes
  • Notes: Remarks: see A70 20-1 for similar footage taken by Lieutenant Handford. Refer to A70 20-2, A70 20-4 and A70 11-3 and A70 17-4 for further coverage of British railways pre D-Day. The railway marshalling yards at Whitemoor were modelled on the yards in Hammin, Germany which were frequently bombed by the RAF throughout the war. Summary: more film footage for the railway enthusiast. Best seen with the first item of film listed above.
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    A70 20-3

  • Related IWM Collections Objects:

    A70 20-2 (THE RAILWAYS PLAY AN IMPORTANT PART IN THE BUILD-UP FOR D-DAY (PART 2) [Allocated Title])
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