Rail stations provide platform for film

BFI Nationl Archive's Britain on Film project work with National Rail

The Britain on Film archive includes many railway themed movies

The Britain on Film archive includes many railway themed movies

A BFI Player terminal

A BFI Player terminal

Rail passengers and station visitors will be able to see historical film and TV footage, some dating back to the early 1900s, as screenings get underway at a number of Britain’s biggest and busiest stations.

The initiative is part of the Britain on Film project from the British Film Institute (BFI), which reveals forgotten stories of people and places drawn from the BFI National Archive and national and regional film and TV archives across the UK.

Highlights include a short film capturing Victorian Glasgow’s Jamaica Street (1901); Here is the News (1968), a celebration of the centenary of the Manchester Evening News; Bristol, British City (1951), a post-war celebration of Bristol’s heritage and culture; and Terminus (1961), John Schlesinger’s evocative, historic portrait of Waterloo station.

Region specific films will screen on purpose-built stands at a number of Network Rail stations including; Paddington, Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow, and Leeds.

Robin Baker, head curator, BFI said: “For 120 years cameras have captured almost every aspect of life in the UK on film, but too often these have been inaccessible to all but the most determined researchers. We are transforming access to films from the UK’s archives and making them available, no matter where you live. What better way to celebrate this than by screening films at some of the busiest stations in the country. We hope that these films will whet people’s appetites for more, and inspire them to log on to BFI Player while travelling to check out historic films from their destination town or city.”

Network Rail sees the screenings as part of its aim of transforming the network’s biggest stations into destinations in their own right, offering visitors a range of events and activities that celebrate arts and culture. For example, photographs by English rock photographer Denis O’Regan, went on show at Manchester Piccadilly station showcasing music stars. Rock Through The Ages is touring rail stations across the country up until February 2016.