London to Brighton in Three-and-a-Half Minutes

In 1953 the BBC produced a short black and white film of a train journey from London to Brighton in four minutes. Here, the journey is repeated in colour and takes 30 seconds less.

Broadcast on:
BBC Four, 7:30pm Friday 31st October

Recommend you view it in "High quality mode"

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• BBC
• Four
• Brighton
• London
• 1/2
• minutes
• Colour

[Flashbang104]

I haven't seen this since I was a kid, managed to record it on our VCR and I must have worn the tape out watching it over and over again!!

[butiamthedoctor]

@SilsdenCougar I don't think it will happen, while it was easy under BR for the BBC to make such a project, nowadays, even if a train company like Southern were up for it, Network Rail would probably say no to a train traveling undisturbed from Victoria to Brighton, as it would hold up the other train companies like Gatwick Express and First Capital Connect (Thameslink), not to mention the EWS freight services. Bring back British Rail!

[zebedep]

Blue / grey EPBs and Mk1 slammers was what it was all about in '83. 

[SilsdenCougar]

Next version due in 2013 if the BBC are still interested.

[itsthatsebguy93]

i am so gonna watch this next time i get high :D

[andyjay729]

It's actually 27 years old now. It first came out in 1983.

[UrgentementeUK]

I also remember this as a kid, I would have been around 10 or 11.

Was mesmerised by the visuals and the music, and then remember wanting it to be reshown - obviously back then you couldn't just jump online and grab it.

I'd love to get a broadcast quality copy of it so that fullscreen on a PC wouldn't look quite so blocky.

16 years old and it still looks great!

[adeholmes10]

Chiltern railways

[Visonu]

Which rail line are you working on?

[adeholmes10]

I remember this from 1983, I was late back for double maths after watching this on Pebble Mill! It affected me so profoundly that now I am a Train driver