The British Transport Films Collection represents one of the largest and most impressive collections of documentary films in Britain and is one of the jewels of the British Film Institute's National Film and Television Archive. These fascinating films entertain just as much as they inform and will appeal equally to film historians, transport enthusiasts and anyone wishing to catch a rare glimpse of a Britain rapidly vanishing from the present day.Following the post-war thirst for visual teaching and educational entertainment and the nationalisation of transport in 1948, the British Transport Commission set up its own in-house film production and distribution unit in 1949. Over a period of 37 years, until its closure in 1986, it made over 700 films promoting travel on Britain's railways or providing technical instruction.
Edgar Anstey OBE, one of the pioneers of British documentary films, led the BTF unit for 25 years and it occupied a prestigious position alongside the Shell Film Unit and the National Coal Board Film Unit, winning over 200 film awards including an Oscar in 1966.
On and Off the Rails (over 4 hours long), contains classics from the video compilations including Blue Pullman, Snowdrift at Bleath Gill and John Betjeman goes by Train, along with films new to the series such as This Year - London, The Diesel Train Driver and On Track for the Eighties. A booklet containing an introduction and film notes by BTF historian Steven Foxon accompanies the discs.
Released alongside On and Off the Rails is the DVD Geoffrey Jones: The Rhythm of Film, a collection of highly expressionistic shorts by British filmmaker Geoffrey Jones featuring three BTF films including Snow, which was nominated for an Oscar, Rail and Locomotion.
Disc 1 - On the Rails:
Blue Pullman (1960 / Colour / 25mins)
Elizabethan Express (1954 / Black and white / 20mins)
Train Time (1952 / Black and white / 28mins)
Rail 150 (1975 / Colour / 14 mins)
The Diesel Train Driver (1959 / Black and white / 7 mins)
On Track for the Eighties (1980 / Colour / 15mins)
Cybernetica (1972 / Colour / 20 mins)
Disc 2 - Off the Rails:
Under the River (1959 / Black and white / 27mins)
Snowdrift at Bleath Gill (1955 / Black and white / 10mins)
This Year - London (1951 / Black and white / 25 mins)
This is York (1953 / Black and white / 20 mins)
The Great Highway (1966 / Colour / 20 mins)
A Day of One's Own (1956 / Black and white / 20mins)
John Betjeman goes by Train (1962 / Black and white / 10mins)
