Produced by Steel Bank Film Co-Op on behalf of the Sheffield Electrification Campaign, a film that highlights the benefits that will come from the electrification of the rail network in terms of an improved service as well as creating and maintaining a vibrant and skilled workforce. A poster of an electrified train that features alongside the title. Title: Electrify for Jobs: The Case for Railway Electrification On stage at the Triple Alliance Conference in Sheffield in 1983, Jimmy Knapp...

Produced by Steel Bank Film Co-Op on behalf of the Sheffield Electrification Campaign, a film that highlights the benefits that will come from the electrification of the rail network in terms of an improved service as well as creating and maintaining a vibrant and skilled workforce. A poster of an electrified train that features alongside the title. Title: Electrify for Jobs: The Case for Railway Electrification On stage at the Triple Alliance Conference in Sheffield in 1983, Jimmy Knapp National Union of Railwaymen (NUR) General Secretary sees that promises made twenty years previous that if railwaymen accepted the changes made under Beeching, then they would be the best paid and working on the most efficient railway network in Europe as lies. He now sees a deliberate attack and a process of slow strangulation and death of the system cut off from the lifeblood of needed investment. A phantom journey along a railway line from the cabin of a locomotive passing several other engines travelling on different tracks. In voiceover Chrstine Cox provides details on the need for electrification and how in 1983 workers in local engineering industries in Sheffield joined with the city council a campaign to electrify the whole rail network that would preserve and create jobs. Along a section of railway track a group of men in high-viz jackets work to install overhead electrical cabling needed to rail electrification. As the men continue their work Bill Ronksley District Secretary ASLEF No. 4 explains that electric locomotives are both cheaper to purchase and maintain that diesel and potentially run continuously 24hrs a day without the need for re-fuelling. Another phantom rail journey seen from the driver’s cabin passing through Sheffield with Bob Dawber NUR Divisional Committee explaining how electrification will be both cleaner and provide a faster service especially for those living in the Midlands with the highest population density. Over a series of montages showing men at work building or installing the infrastructure of electrification, the positive effects of such contracts on both local civil engineering and steelmaking companies as well as creating and safeguarding thousands of jobs are put forward by Bob Moody NUR member and Treasurer for the Sheffield Electrification Campaign, John Parkinson APEX staff convener GEC Traction Preston who was made redundant in June 1984 and Derek Simpson AUEW District Secretary Sheffield and Rotherham (Engineering Section). Statistics are provided to show percentage share by volume of rail freight in 1981, 75% of which is given as coal, iron and steel. Bob Dawber explains that with electrification would come a faster more efficient service for greater diversity of fright. Several large electric pylons crossing a rural landscape and a phantom rail journey past a local coalmine where dozens of loaded coal wagons wait for collection. Bob Dawber again explaining how electrification for the railways provided by local power stations will increase the need for local coal to power said stations. In voiceover again Christine Cox asks while those in the railway industry seem to be overwhelming in favour of electrification, can Britain afford to put so much money into its railways? Title: The French Experience Promotional footage of a TGV inter-city high-speed train speeding through the French countryside. As Bill Ronksley speaks at the Electrification Conference in Sheffield in 1984 about how the French are still working to electrify more lines, promotional footage of Société nationale des chemins de fer français (SNCF) locomotives both under construction and running on the French railway network as well as new electrification lines being build. Speaking to camera Bill Ronksley explains that since electrification SNCF has seen an increase in passenger traffic especially with regards the new line between Paris and Lyon. He believes that French railwaymen have something to celebrate with a left-wing government investing heavily in electrification. Statistics are given of the Percentage of Railway Networks Electrified by 1983 with Switzerland at the top of the table with 99%, while Britain has the lowest at a mere 21%. Speaking at the Electrification Conference Bill Ronksley states that the total number of French railway equipment exported moved from 25% to 37% which proofs that if governments back rail investment a basis for exporting equipment will build and allow Britain to get back into the world market. Title: Between 1976 and 1982 British Rail’s investment level has fallen by 71%. Over the same period French and W. Germany doubled their level of investment As a railwayman jumps aboard a brake van at the rear of a long cargo train, Bill Ronksley still speaking at the Electrification Conference believes the electrification campaign is for the survival of the industrial base of Britain. Title: British Rail’s Investment Record From the drivers cab of a passenger train a cargo train pulling tankers passes in the opposite direction before pulling into Leicester station. In voiceover Christine Cox explains that due to the lack of British Rail (BR) investment they are years behind the rest of Europe. John Parkinson explains that in 1981 out of a total fleet of 3500 locomotives only sixteen new ones were built which is an historic low. Over a montage of various types of inter-city and local passenger trains passing along the track, John goes onto explain that much of the passenger fleet is over eighteen years old and rapidly approaching the end of its useful life. Over carriages being dismantled and destroyed in a breakers yard John goes onto explains that due to the lack of investment Britain is in a radically different position that the rest of Europe with Britain coming 2nd bottom on a European league table of expenditure on its rail network. He explains that the French government invests more money on the Paris Metro than the British government does on its entire railway network. As a railwayman jumps of a locomotive along a set of tracks, Peter explains that in the past 20-25 years the railway unions, the people who have been keeping the industry going against all the odds, have been in permanent conflict with successive governments and the investment that is needed. Title: Europeans leave the Britain behind. “Most countries are aiming for integrated transport systems, while Britain is moving towards a free-for-all… The government’s transport logic is impossible to deduce, and certainly is not related to an experience elsewhere,” – Jane’s Urban Transport Systems Annual Review 1983/84 On the platform of the closed Sheffield Victoria railway station debris and rubbish, a sign on a wall is unreadable due to age and decay. Title: Electrification under the Conservatives Over a montage around Rotherham railway station Christine Cox explains in voiceover that it has been the policy of the Conservative government to cut the annual grant to the railways, the so-called public-sector obligation, by 25% forcing BR to sell assets and close less-profitable lines many of which are local services on which ordinary people depend. She goes onto explain that with the running down of the railway workshops and privatisation of BR Engineering there will no longer have the resources to build, repair or maintain the network. A phantom rail journey aboard a local diesel passenger train heading towards and pulling into Sheffield railway station with John Parkinson explaining in voiceover that the government policy for electrification is to provide for electrification of specific lines within the scenario of a shrinking network. He explains this line-by-line approach is assessed on the profitability and efficiency of that line rather than the need to provide a service and maintain continuity of services to the public. Bob Dawber explains the NUR’s purpose and aim of electrification is as a social asset, he explains that he sees the government’s policy in electrifying certain parts of the inter-city sector to make it more viable and profitable in line with privatisation. Another phantom rail journey from a cab of a high-speed inter-city passenger train travelling into a tunnel and passing the cooling towers of a power station. In voiceover Christine Cox explains how the government is prepared to give a separate grant for electrification of single lines, but only if they can be persuaded the line will make a profit of 7%. It has been agreed to electrify the east coast mainline from Hitchin to Edinburgh. However, this piecemeal approach sets each line against every other in competition rather than encourage an integrated network financing electrification at the expense of jobs. Title: Electrification… securing jobs? Over a montage of railwaymen working various jobs within the industry, Bob Dawber explains in voiceover that the government has been clear with regards spending any money on any aspects of the railway that the price would be jobs going. As workmen replace an old mechanical signal with a new electronic one, Bob continues by explaining how new technology keeping industries in existence meaning change, but change is often done at expense of workers in that industry. As workmen work to replace more signalling across a gantry, Bob Moody explains that it is absolutely vital that new technologies such as electrification be of benefit not only to those who use the service, but also for those working inside the industry. As workmen along the track speak with colleagues in a control room, Bob talks about looking to reduce the working week to around 35 hours. Title: Electrification… creating jobs Bob Moody goes onto talk about other jobs outside of railway workers. Over a view of the GEC Traction Attercliffe Common Works, Bob explains that the factory closed because its management wasn’t getting the order for electric traction motors which they would have expected to get if there were a rolling programme of electrification. He goes onto talk about the money generated in the industry being spend in private industry with the identification of twenty local firms who have important orders and works levels based on them by BR. A montage of some of these companies featured including Edger Allen Foundry Ltd, Brass Founders (Sheffield) Ltd, Cook and Knight Ltd and Woodhouse and Rixson Ltd. A graphic showing where the ‘Jobs will Be’ within both Railway Equipment Manufacturing such as track products and signalling / telecommunications and Supporting Industries such as steel, power supply and electronics. As an Inter-City 125 passenger train pulls out of a station, Christine Cox explains in voiceover that to the government profitability and privatisations are more important than service or employment. For those who have been made redundant or whose jobs are at stake there is an urgent need for the government to make electrification a top priority. Title: Electrification… Services for people Christine Cox continues to explain in voiceover that public transport needs this improvement if it is to provide a proper service to meet the needs of ordinary people. Derek Simpson talks about investing and getting a return and believes what better investment would there be in getting a first-class railway network. As he talks about how a transport network should be the backbone of a thriving industrial nation, on one of the platforms at Sheffield railway station below three wagons containing bags of mail that are then loaded onto a train. As other mailbags are unloaded Derek continues to explain how as a social asset rail transport is mile for mile cheaper than any other form of transport. As a railwayman watches over the shunting of a locomotive Derek explains how railways are also safer with far fewer accidents than other forms of transport. As an Inter-City 125 train pulls out of the station a montage of men along the platforms performing various jobs with Derek explaining how investing in electrification is a good way of spending public money to save as well as create jobs which would reduce the numbers unemployed. Passengers at Sheffield station come out of a Buffet-Bar or sit and stand on platforms waiting on their trains. A local diesel commuter train pulls into a platform and once passengers are onboard it departs. In voiceover John Parkinson makes a speech to delegates at the Electrification Conference explains that the purpose of the electrification campaign is to present an idea of what type of need exists inside the community and what type of need could be provided by an improved modernised railway. Over a montage of railwaymen working to construct both new electrification lines and track, John Parkinson continues to address the conference in voiceover explaining the need to identify the stupidity of putting skilled people out of work within the rail sector when their skills are still clearly needed, the need to defend the rail industry by putting forward the types of industries that can serve the ordinary people of this country in order to show ordinary people to take action to defend jobs, to fight for an improved system that provides a benefit and service to the community and to defend of our industry based on the needs of ordinary working-class people. Title: The Electrification Campaign… what can we do? Bob Dawber provides details on some of those who are already involved in the campaign including all the local trade unions as well as shop stewards, councillors and local employees. He provides details on how local Labour or community bodies can sponsor the campaign. Title: North-West Electrification Campaign, c/o Preston Trade Union Centre, St. Mary’s Street North, Preston, LANCS Employment Department, Sheffield City Council, Palatine Chambers, Pinstone St, Sheffield, 0742 755215 Produced on behalf of the Sheffield Electrification Campaign by Steel Bank Film Co-Op with financial and other assistance from The Employment Department of Sheffield City Council Credit: Voiceover Christine Cox Music Past Seven Days Captions S.C.P. TV Unit Video Equipment Sheffield Independent Film Group Title: Thanks to British Rail, SNCF (French Railways), Railway Industries Association End credit: Copyright Steel Bank Film Co-Op, Employment Department Sheffield City Council