Bob Privett

Careful Charlie!

An animated film on safety, featuring 'Charlie', a cartoon railwayman.

How They Dug the Victoria Line

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.

The Victoria Line Report No. 5: London's Victoria Line

The final episode of five reports on the construction of the Victoria Line in London. This one is edited highlights from the first four with very little new information.

Automatic Fare Collection and You

Part of BFI collection "London on the Move". Informational film about the London Underground’s ticket machines and automatic barriers.

Multiple Aspects

Captures the work of completely modernising and remodelling the track and signal approaches to Paddington Station in five weeks, showing the important co-ordination, planning and interdepartmental co-operation.

British Rails Are Long and Fast

Intended as a sales tool for manufacturers, this short film details the production installation and maintenance for long welded track in use on British Railways.

The Victoria Line Report No. 4: Equip and Complete

Part four in a series of five films covering the construction of the London Underground's new 'Victoria' Line. This was to be BTF's largest single project in terms of quantity of footage that was shot. These reports examine in depth the work involved in this great engineering project. As they are of a technical nature, they were only available for showing to suitable audiences. In this film, the architects' plans take shape and trains run under test conditions.

The Victoria Line Report No. 3: Problems and Progress

Part three in a series of five films covering the construction of the London Underground's new 'Victoria' Line. This was to be BTF's largest single project in terms of quantity of footage that was shot. These reports examine in depth the work involved in this great engineering project. As they are of a technical nature, they were only available for showing to suitable audiences. This particular film describes how formidable problems are overcome in the construction of the new line.

The Victoria Line Report No. 2: Down and Along

Part two in a series of five films covering the construction of the London Underground's new 'Victoria' Line. This was to be BTF's largest single project in terms of quantity of footage that was shot. These reports examine in depth the work involved in this great engineering project. As they are of a technical nature, they were only available for showing to suitable audiences. This particular film explains modern techniques of tunnelling and shows tunnels being dug.

The Victoria Line Report No. 1: Over and Under

The first in a series of five films covering the construction of the London Underground's new 'Victoria' Line. This was to be BTF's largest single project in terms of quantity of footage that was shot. These reports examine in depth the work involved in this great engineering project. As they are of a technical nature, they were only available for showing to suitable audiences. This particular film describes the route of the new line, the planning and the problems which had to be overcome.

Down a Long Way

A BAFTA award nominated animation looking at the development of oil prospecting techniques since the 19th century.

Down a Long Way

A BAFTA award nominated animation looking at the development of oil prospecting techniques since the 19th century.

The Moving Spirit

A BAFTA award nominated animation tracing the development of the motor car from the original horseless carriage common in the late 19th century to the 1950s streamlined, massed produced, designs.

Power to Fly

A BAFTA award nominated film made for the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company charting the history of aviation from Daedalus to jets.

The Figurehead

A poem of unrequited love: the studio's first puppet production. Based on a poem by Cosbie Garstin, the film tells the story of a carved wooden saint who is painted to look like a soldier and used as a figurehead on a sailing ship. The ship sinks and the figurehead is saved by a beautiful mermaid who falls in love with him. Her love is not returned because despite his dashing looks he has the wooden heart of a saint.

We've Come a Long Way

The story of the development of oil tankers during the last hundred years, produced with the co-operation of the British Tanker Shipping Organisation of the British Petroleum Company

Water for Firefighting

Feature-length instructional cartoon made for the Home Office and the Fire Brigade.