Train Station: London Terminus - 1944 British Council Film Collection - CharlieDeanArchives 

I remember the News Theatre adjacent to Platform One at Waterloo. And the departure indicator which was operated by punch cards and wires! They were both still going strong in the 1960's.

The plate layers look as though they've just left their front rooms in their pull-overs and trousers. I was looking around for health and safety paraphernalia. Signs, high-vis clothing, lamps etc. Unimaginable today. When men were men etc. These films are superbly made and a window on a lost world. Robin Witting

At 4.25 "all season tickets must be shewn" - I was never aware of that word. Presumably a pre 40's version of shown?

I noticed around 5.20 that the railway staff were wearing their oval "Railway Service" badges, which were introduced so that when they were going home etc., people would know they were in a Reserved Occupation and therefore not in the army fighting. This was done to stop people shouting at them "Why aren't you in the army like my son?". At 12.51 the Station Master was wearing his. My grand-dad was a signalman and he always wore one.

The way we were, not perfect, but a bloody sight better than many things are today!

Are we sure this was actually made in 1944. I am curious as to the lack of a blackout in the night time scenes, the lack of any blackout or protective tape on the train windows, the lack of any 'to the air raid shelter' signs on the station, the fact that nobody is carrying a gasmask case and the total lack of anything else that you would expect to see in wartime other than the occasional shot of a man in army uniform. I also thought the full restaurant car services were suspended during the war years.

Hang on! This is 1944. Firstly, there's a war going on, secondly travel restrictions. BUT the trains are running, the platforms are clean, the staff seem to know what they are doing and there are crowds of people. NOW we have a kind of war with covid19, hardly anybody is using the trains since most people are confined to their homes (before covid the trains in my part of the world - Bolton, Lancashire, UK - only ran when the runes allowed), in normal times the trains are grubby as are the platforms. Most staff (in normal times) are indifferent and usually haven't a clue about anything and, if you had the misfortune to travel when the platform was crowded it would be a disgusting melee. Leave out WWII, but keep the rest and 2021 would be improved.

The introductory music is a bit somber! It needs something a bit more jolly.

1944, the year I was born, 20 years later I was working there, then I moved to Australia and worked on Victorian Railways, they were the good old days of Steam.

Absolutely wonderful

Interesting.

I'm curious that the name Waterloo Station [aka *railway* station] was never mentioned - was it considered a breach of security to name places? The name did appear on the side of the signal box, though. And the brief shot of the bus terminus looked like Victoria, not Waterloo.

How interesting and fascinating. Amazing video, narated beautifully.

Railway Station

however, in between times, literature would have you believe that the likes of frivolous streamlining never e v e r got to fouling wartime austerity around the BI there........

Excellent film thanks for sharing

The porter playing dominoes with his mate on their break was brilliantly captured

Some nice rare footage of a MN in original condition taking charge of the ACE.

Thanks. As I have said on other YT videos you always live and learn. But the spelling really does look weird!

0:27: "Route 24 for Camberley and Reading": The Southern used their headcodes in announcements‽ This particular announcement is technically incorrect: the 24 is Shepperton; Camberley & Reading is the 28. Platform 21 did exist at this time, but was later closed. 6:11: "Devotion to duty": as if the modern railway had such a concept. 9:19: "Most often go back to their owners": these days most lost property articles are unclaimed. 10:00: The automatic car wash was invented 2 years later.

Definitely war time ! One shot you can see a barrage balloon

Many thanks for these very interesting fillers.

The driver at 8.55, is that some kind of flint lighter he's lighting his pipe with?

Great - thanks for posting!

i was taught "Railway Station" not train station

Great Video

Never heard of a railway fireman being called a stoker.

Pity things don't run as well now? and no war on.

Who is the halfwit who labelled this as a "train station"? there's no such thing. It is a railway station.

9:42 whaaaaaaat?!!! "boots or babies" good lord

That Porter at the start of the film had some seriously bad teeth 🤮

Teeeeeeeth!