How They Dug the Victoria Line(1969)
First transmitted in 1969, this documentary follows the construction of the world’s most advanced underground system. Macdonald Hastings narrates the story of one of the most complex tunnel engineering feats of its time. He reveals the isolation felt by the miners who spent six years burrowing deep beneath the streets of London, shows what they did beneath one of London's most famous department stores and explains why the ground at Tottenham Court Road had to be frozen during the hottest weeks of 1966. The result is a brave new world of transport with automated trains, two way mirrors, automatic fare collection and closed-circuit television, all choreographed by a computer programme played out by an updated version of a pianola located in a control room somewhere near Euston station.

Movie: How They Dug the Victoria Line
Similar Movies

The Strait Guys(en)
THE STRAIT GUYS follows Czech-born mining engineer, George, and his fast-talking protégé, Scott, along the proposed route of the InterContinental Railway through Alaska, to the Bering Strait and onward to Russia. The “Strait Guys” endeavor to convince international governments, corporations, and indigenous tribes to green-light their $100 billion railway project, which would provide ground-based infrastructure across the continents, relieve overcrowded Pacific ports, improve global supply chains, and ease tensions between the superpowers. The US and Russia have been successfully collaborating in space for decades. Now the Strait Guys are out to prove it is also possible down here on earth.

Cavalcade of San Francisco(en)
This Traveltalk series short celebrates San Francisco, past and present.

North Korea from the Train Window(ko)
This documentary features about 20 minutes of footage of and from North Korea's aging rolling stock - steam trains being used quite in earnest rather than for the historical interest of kids and hardcore train geeks - and then about six minutes of footage of Pyongyang's subway and trams.

New York Underground(en)
Profiles the culture, lifestyles, and rituals within the New York City subways.

The Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat(fr)
A group of people are standing along the platform of a railway station in La Ciotat, waiting for a train. One is seen coming, at some distance, and eventually stops at the platform. Doors of the railway-cars open and attendants help passengers off and on. Popular legend has it that, when this film was shown, the first-night audience fled the café in terror, fearing being run over by the "approaching" train. This legend has since been identified as promotional embellishment, though there is evidence to suggest that people were astounded at the capabilities of the Lumières' cinématographe.

Berlin: Symphony of a Great City(de)
A day in the city of Berlin, which experienced an industrial boom in the 1920s, and still provides an insight into the living and working conditions at that time. Germany had just recovered a little from the worst consequences of the First World War, the great economic crisis was still a few years away and Hitler was not yet an issue at the time.
Trains(en)
After shooting more short films and documentaries, Deschanel wrote, directed and shot Trains, a short film that won the Silver Bear at the 1976 Berlin Film Festival. Trains is an exquisitely filmed short format documentary on passenger trains throughout the course of one day.

A Railwayman's Word(pl)
A documentary about the hard work of railwaymen transporting coke from Tarnowskie Góry to Szczecin Iron works. They’re doing their best to arrive on time.

Faces Places(fr)
Director Agnès Varda and photographer/muralist JR journey through rural France and form an unlikely friendship.

The Unreserved(hi)
The Unreserved is an inquiry into the lives of passengers who use the Unreserved Compartment, the cheapest way to travel across India on the Indian Railways system. The film portrays the passengers’ aspirations, efforts and opinions through conversations and personal stories.

Holmenkollbanen Minute By Minute(no)
During the World Ski Championships, hundreds of thousands of people were in Holmenkollen. A great many of them used the Holmenkollbanen to get out into the fields and arenas. When the Holmenkoll Railway was opened in 1898, it was the Nordic region's first suburban railway; today the line is part of Oslo's subway network and transports permanent residents and tourists to Holmenkollen and Frognerseteren. Now you get an orchestra seat for the tour - minute by minute. The recordings were made on Saturday - before the women's three-mile race.

Norimono Daisuki! New Tetsudou Special 50(ja)
"Tetsudou" version of the series full of popular vehicles for children. Fifty kinds of trains selected from the railway active in Japan such as Shinkansen, SL (steam locomotive), limited express, etc. are recorded with powerful images. Introducing a nostalgic train that is not running now as a bonus picture.

On a Wednesday Night in Tokyo(ja)
A regular Wednesday night in Tokyo's subway. The train is filled with more and more people...

The Incredible Journey: Durango to Silverton(en)
This incredible journey features the famous steam trains that power through the spectacular San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado. From Durango to Silverton, see the forested wilderness, and its beautiful lakes, waterfalls, and rivers. Be amazed at the route that travels over narrows passes, high bridges, and steep cliffs!
Workin' on the Union Pacific(en)
Produced by the Union Pacific during the 1970s, these films bring you a nostalgic view into the day-to-day workings of a railroading icon. These vintage films take you back a generation yet they are as entertaining and informational today as they were 30 years ago! You re Workin on the Union Pacific!