Metadata
WORK ID: YFA 4380 (Master Record)
Title | Year | Date |
KEEPING THE WHEELS TURNING | 1955-1957 | 1955-01-01 |
Details
Original Format: 16mm Colour: Black & White Sound: Mute Duration: 30 mins 30 secs Credits: Donated by South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive Subject: INDUSTRY TRANSPORT URBAN LIFE WORKING LIFE |
Summary This is a film made by Sheffield Transport Department to promote their bus service. It presents a history of the bus and tram service in Sheffield in photographs, contemporary legislation and regulations relating to running a transport service, people working for the Transport Department, various bus services and industry in Sheffield. |
Description
This is a film made by Sheffield Transport Department to promote their bus service. It presents a history of the bus and tram service in Sheffield in photographs, contemporary legislation and regulations relating to running a transport service, people working for the Transport Department, various bus services and industry in Sheffield.
The film begins with buses and a tram leaving the city centre. Then the film shows a bus journey from the front seat of the upstairs of a bus as it approaches...
This is a film made by Sheffield Transport Department to promote their bus service. It presents a history of the bus and tram service in Sheffield in photographs, contemporary legislation and regulations relating to running a transport service, people working for the Transport Department, various bus services and industry in Sheffield.
The film begins with buses and a tram leaving the city centre. Then the film shows a bus journey from the front seat of the upstairs of a bus as it approaches a roundabout in the City Centre, with the Yorkshire Penny Bank on the corner. Then there is a view of buses driving down another City Centre street, possibly Fargate, with a number 81 coming to a stop.
The film switches to show some old photographs from before the arrival of trams: of W. H Haigh Cab, Coach and Omnibus Proprietor; of a street; of the old Town Hall; of a horse drawn bus; of a horse drawn tram (with an advertisement for Cadbury's Cocoa); of the first trams; having outside staircases; of an early driver and conductor; of Fitzalan Square; of the early tramlines; and then of more modern trams as they have evolved through the electric trams and on to the motorised buses. There is a photo of the tram blown in two on the Wicker and of another bus badly damaged and burnt out, during the Second World War.
Intertitle - 'Off with the old - on with the new'
Trams are shown being scrapped at Thos. W Ward Ltd., Tinsley works, and a Pickford truck is towing a tram away. The film shows Chap. 78 of the Tramways Act of 1870 Act and a document from the Traffic Court in Leeds is shown.
Intertitle - 'the road traffic act'
Various sections of the Act are pointed out, followed by a Certificate of Fitness for 1957, and a PSV License.
Intertitle - 'Taxation'
Two tax discs for 1957 are shown.
The film continues with workmen taking up the rail of a tramline using crowbars. A number 95 bus for Elm Trees passes by, with a row of shops in the background. At another section of road, the road is being resurfaced using steamrollers.
Intertitle - 'Statutory Procedure'
The front page of the 1956 Road Traffic Act is shown, as well as the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions of 1957. Also shown is an application for a Certificate of Fitness and an application for a Vehicle License. Two men are working in an office at a drawing board. In the background there is a war memorial in a roundabout in the road.
At a council hearing representations are being made. Back in the planning office a man is working at a desk on some plans. Another man is punching in information into a machine that is going into a printing press. Thousands of booklets are being printed and bound ready to go out. A woman holds up a copy for the camera (although not close enough to be read).
A workman points at an 'A' painted on the back of a bus, which has an advert for 'Dragonfly lubricants'. The film then shows several buses: a number 82 for Eccleshall, a number 10 for Peter Street, and a number 95 for Intake. He then points to a 'B' on the back of another bus with an advert for 'Go National Benzole'. The film then shows a number 73 for Chapeltown, a 57 for Stocksbridge, a 22 for Holmesfield, and then a sign for Sheffield Joint Omnibus Committee. There is then a single deck bus, number 85, for Gainsborough, a 68 for Huddersfield, a 67 (double-decker) for Leeds. The man then points to a 'C' bus.
The film switches to a film of a bus journey taken from the front upstairs of a bus. It passes Sanderson Brothers and Newbould Ltd. On the left hand side of a deserted street, then passing terraced housing on both sides, with factory chimneys over to the right and a bridge up ahead.
The film switches again to a single deck bus coming out of a bus depot. The film shows a spinning globe before moving to another bus depot from which a 34 double decker to Graves Park emerges.
Intertitle - 'Mass movement'
There is a view down onto Pond Street Bus Station, with buses and a tram. A woman walks into Sheffield Transport Enquiries and Left Luggage Office, followed by a couple leaving their luggage. Passengers are making their way around the enclosed 'B' terminal. Then passengers are shown boarding various buses, including the number 18. Then there is a view down onto Fitzalen Square, with the Bell Hotel. There is a graph showing the number of buses in operation at various times of the day, with 08.30 and 5.30 pm (with 800 vehicles) being the peak times. Buses are stood inside a large bus depot, including the number 95. A driver boards the number 22 for Holmesfield. A bus conductress is shown with her ticket machine ready for work.
Intertitle - 'Recruitment and training of staff'
A journey on a bus is filmed from the upstairs, just back from the front seat where a couple are sat. Pasted to the window is an advertisement for vacancies for drivers and conductors. The film switches to a woman filling out an application form for a job. Her height is measured and she has an eyesight test. A large room of new recruits (all women), is being addressed. Printed in large letters across one wall is 'Safety First Always'. They all have a book in front of them and someone gives a demonstration of how to use the ticket machine. The new recruit is then measured up for a uniform. She is next shown how to change the destination sign on a bus. Watched over by several inspectors she goes out on a trial run, collecting fares from the passengers.
Back in another classroom of all men, someone is explaining the workings of a bus using a blackboard. A group is given a driving lesson using a model street lay-out. In another class part of an engine is shown. Then a learner has a go driving a bus under instruction. The new driver signs a piece of paper and is given a badge.
Intertitle - 'Staff report for duty'
A new conductor is issued his ticket machine, and a driver signs on for duty. The film shows his bus timetable, and a double decker leaving Wordworth Avenue. He then checks the duty roster at Bramall Lane Garage for Friday May 17th.
Intertitle - 'Preparing for the road'
A driver checks the various parts of his bus, and changes its destination: the number 72 to Castleton. A number 34 for Graves Park pulls out of a garage. A number 110 bus stops at a bus stop just near a railway viaduct. Drivers change shift on a number 49 to Owlerton, and on another bus' conductors also change over.
Intertitle - 'Cross country bus service'
Passengers are queuing at a row of bus stops, and several buses for different destinations pull off, including a 94. The buses are shown going down a major industrial road, possibly Attercliffe. A number 4 has stopped to let off its passengers.
The film switches to a steelworks where a workman is pushing a long steel rod into a furnace. He pulls out the rod and the red hot end gets hammered into shape.
Intertitle - A lighter Industry: Cutlery
On a cobbled street workers are making their way into the small entrance to Charleston Works. Inside men are working at various machines for turning, cutting and grinding small blades. A man stamps each blade individually, and another man fixes on the handle.
Men stand at a bus stop as a bus arrives in the snow with a destination of 'City'. They board the bus, a Regent V. The driver gets out and wipes away the snow from the destination sign to reveal Lodge Moor. In another place, with snow covered trees, people are boarding a bus for Broadway. The driver is shovelling snow away from the wheels.
The film switches to show a sign declaring 'road flooded'. A number 21 bus for Swallownest has a sign for 'Flood Service'. The bus drives over a flooded road, followed by a boy on a bicycle, where there is a gauge indicating the depth of the water.
A large queue of people is boarding a number 42 bus for Fox House. Two buses are travelling down a street, including a number 51, followed by a car and a motorcycle. A crowd is looking at a Well Dressing. This is followed by a well-attended show jumping event. People are then shown boarding a number 50 bus. A woman is booking a tour. Cars pass by the bridge over Ladybower Dam. People are then shown boarding a number 47 bus.
Some boys are playing football.
A war memorial stands in the centre of a street, near to Sheffield Transport Department. In the 'Transport Department Telephone Exchange', two women are taking and forwarding telephone calls. In the 'Statistics Department', a woman is typing figures into a machine taken from a stack of cards, and these are then fed through a large machine. In 'The Wages Department', a woman sits at a large typing machine, where a man brings in some papers. In 'The Revenue Department', several women are seated in an office working through lots of papers. One woman is using a typing machine. In another office a man sits at a large desk consulting with another man on some papers. On the wall there is a large map of the area. His secretary comes in and takes notes.
The film switches to a site where new housing is being built. A group of men disembark from a single deck bus and view the nearly finished houses. Elsewhere some old houses are being demolished. A lorry of A Bradbury & Son drives off pulling a rope which brings down the chimney of a house and the film finishes.
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