Description

In July 1992 the government finally announced the shape it hoped the new privatised railways of Britain would take. British Rail, the unified national railway network that was first established after the independent companies were nationalised a the end of the second world war, would be sold off to private investors.

This great national asset of an integrated passenger network, was for some time broken into ‘convenient business sectors’. Supported by an informative script, BR Today is an important historical record of British Rail’s passenger operations, prior to privatisation.

This superbly produced video highlights some of BR’s most interesting and varied passenger operations and locomotives, including:-

• HSTs at work from the West Country to Scotland.

• The story of the successful fight to save the Settle to Carlisle route.

• The highly scenic Scottish line to the Kyle of Lochalsh.

• The East Coast & West Coast mainlines, their past and current investment plans.

• Regional Railways, a survey of some contrasting routes in England, Scotland and Wales.

• Commuter trains in the Network South East area. Private trains already working on BR, including the Orient Express, Royal Scotsman and Stagecoach.

• Loco classes featured include:- HST, EMU, 31, 33, 37, 47, 73, 86, 87, 90, 91, DMU, 142, 143, 144, 150, 155, 156, 158, Tyne and Wear Metro.

Produced by the same team that made the highly praised Rail Freight Today series, this superb video forms an essential record and overview to the shape of BR Today and is certain to please anyone with an interest in the continuing evolution of Britain’s contemporary railway network.