Engineering

The story of the building of the Forth Road Bridge, filmed by Jim Hendry from 1958 to 1964. Shot in colour, often from the dizzy heights of the main towers, The Long Span features all stages in the construction of the bridge and approach roads. Includes considerable technical detail plus scenes of lorries and heavy earth-moving equipment working on the approach roads.

The DVD also includes Forth Islands, the history and flora and fauna of Inchgarvie, Inchmickery, Inchkeith, Inchcolm, the Bass Rock and the Isle of May, filmed by Brian Cairney.

DVD running time: 60 mins colour.

A rare and believed lost film Today and Every Day made in 1947, covers the history of Britain's railways, and a contemporary account of all aspects of operations on the railway system. It features some of the crack expresses of the day, including the Golden Arrow and a footplate ride on the Cheltenham Flyer. Then a visit to Swindon A shed to see a GWR King class locomotive under construction.
Also included is North British (1949) a look inside the famous Springburn locomotive manufacturing factory, plus Locomotives For the Second Front (1943) a short newsreel item about building War Department Austerity engines at Springburn.

DVD running time: 77 mins b/w.

The classic 1960 technicolor film, Seawards The Great Ships, directed by Hilary Harris about the shipyards of the Clyde and the men who worked there. Scotland's first Oscar winner. Click here for film clip from Seawards The Great Ships. The programme also includes The River Clyde (1939) directed by Stanley Russell. Glasgow's Docklands (1956), directed by Wishaw film-maker Enrico Cocozza is included as a bonus item.

DVD running time: 61 mins colour & b/w.

Channel 4's history of the North British Locomotive Company of Springburn Glasgow. The film details the story of Neilson Reid, Dubs & Co and Sharp Stewart which combined forces in 1903 to become the North British Locomotive Company.
Diamonds Were Forever also includes steam action of many surviving locomotives around the world and in Britain, including scenes of the legendary 1911-built wood burning engines of Paraguay, a steam rally in Melbourne, Australia, and steam-condensing giants on the South African veldt. Filmed by Eddie McConnell.

DVD & VHS running time: 55 mins colour.

A collection of vintage films about life in the British Railway industry in the 1940s and 1950s. The programme comprises:
The Railwaymen (1946) - A fascinating insight into the lives of railwaymen and the wide variety of job opportunities available.
Shunter Black's Night Off (1941) - Joe Black's evening pipe is interrupted by a Luftwaffe raid on his marshalling yard on the Southern Railway.
Portrait of an Engineer (1954) - a day in the life of a production engineer at the Vulcan Foundry.
British Locomotives (1959, colour) - locomotive manufacturers face the challenge of the British Railways modernisation programme to convert to diesel and diesel electric locomotives.

DVD running time: 70 mins b/w & colour.

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