Historic Films

A Selection of Short Documentaries by British Transport Films

British Transport Films was an organisation set up in 1949 to make documentary films on the general subject of British transport.

We are please to show a selection of BTF films that are particularly relevant to the CDRL owned heritage railcars that now operate on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway.

It is now possible to purchase full length DVDs of many of the BTF films via our online shop.  For every item purchased, Cotswold Diesel Railcar receive a small affiliation fee from Amazon.

Diesel Trainride (1959)

This film was made at the time that British Railways were first introducing diesel railcars into service across the country.  More than merely quaint nostalgia, this is an educational and informative film that answers all the questions of a quizzical young traveller.  Rest assured, the young visitors that visit us at the GWSR are no less inquisitive over 50 years later!

An Introduction to the Diesel Train

The original intended audience for this film is likely to have been steam locomotive drivers who back in the late 1950s were being forced to move with the times.

Pay careful attention and listen for the narrator announcing "The brakes on these cars are outstanding...." but be reassured that the drivers on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway try their best not to do what you'll see in the film! 

Operational Requirements

The following film details many of the original rules and regulations that were implemented with the introduction of Diesel Multiple Units into British Railways service.  Despite the fact that many of the practises are now outdated and have evolved as the trains have entered the "Heritage Movement", the film emphasises quite how old these DMUs now are.

Dealing With Faults

Despite best efforts with maintenance, problems occasionally arise when operating Diesel Multiple Units.  The following three films show drivers Walter Drake and Mike Jones dealing with a number of common problems.  You will see that very often it is possible to experience a partial failure that does not result in the train being rendered completely inoperative.  Such component redundancy continues to add to the high availability for traffic figures that Cotswold Diesel Railcar continue to achieve.