Another BFI Film - Grand Union 1937

[springy]

http://player.bfi.org.uk/film/watch-grand-union-canal-1937/

 

Following a pair London to Birmingham,

 

wasn't expecting a GU liveried Mechanical Horse right at the end

 

springy

[Athy]

How splendid!

There was much to see. I particularly noticed that Southall still had her rectangular exhaust funnel (disliked by boatmen and quickly discarded I'm told), that a rather shapely tug was pulling lighters (?) past the Nestlé factory, and that the Chamberlain Tower (or "Joe" as it has been known to generations of Birmingham University students) got itself into the picture.

 

Oh, and that those naughty boat people were using the bows to push lock gates open.

[ChimneyChain]

The tug steerer was probably either my great grandad or great uncle, whist they were working for H.Sabey. Love these types of films especially the southern GU.

 

 

Darren

[alan_fincher]

Well this film has been about in a number of places before.

 

I thought, (but may be wrong!), that this is one that Laurence Hogg said CRT retained the copyright on, and that only he had permission to publish.

 

If so I'm kind of surprised to find on the BFI site.

 

A bit of an odd film really - particularly where it shows film of a location, but no obvious link to the canal or the canal boats.

Several GUCCCo boats with their "liner" funnels, of course, but also interesting because it features boats like "Renton", probably almost brand new there, but within only a few years cut to just 40 feet long and converted to an ice breaking boat.

[Laurence Hogg]

Dead right Alan, I know Simon Salem was investigating the films before he left so they mave have been in collusion. Lets hope some of the missing titles get done.

 

Just a plug, I sell this on our "British Waterways Archive" twin disc DVD along with a selection of other BW / BTW films, the film belongs to BW.

Edited November 6, 2015 by Laurence Hogg

[Derek R.]

A bit of an odd film really - particularly where it shows film of a location, but no obvious link to the canal or the canal boats.

 

 

 

 

Do you think so? I see the connection of international trade via the dock system and canals to major towns inland through the Regent Line ships. The opening shots show Westminster bridge and Palace, and the PLA head quarters, all part of the 'capital' image just as those buildings in Central Birmingham - all accessed by waterways.