British Transport Films: Cyclists Special

[brooksby]

Wonderful piece of viewing: how things have changed since then! Two things stood out for me: (1) a dearth of moving motor vehicles, and (2) the wearing of tweed plus-fours in an unironic fashion.

[pete75]

Truly a piece of the past. I suspect it looked old-fashioned when it was first released. No sign of brighly coloured racing jerseys. It could have been filmed in the 1930s, but was actually quite a bit later- well into postwar.

I know that the modern trend to look smarter than the actual pro peloton when out for a leisurely run is a bit OTT, but you've only got to look at this film to be thankful for progress- lol.

Reference to the film crops up in Hutch's book "re cyclists"- worth a read. I also like the description of League and NCU cyclists coming across each other- one lot says "up the League" and the other says "**** the League". Lots of gems like that..

Thankful for progress - what progress? Have you noticed how quiet and traffic free were the roads and lane they were riding on? How they seemed to be enjoying themselves? How BR put on a special cyclists train with a carriage specially adapted to carry bikes?

[Carlp]

My Granddad, who worked for BR as a train driver was a driver on that line between London & Rugby and there was a very good chance he was the driver that day. Incidentally he lived in a railway owned house in Willesden Junction.

[mercalia]

Truly a piece of the past. I suspect it looked old-fashioned when it was first released. No sign of brighly coloured racing jerseys. It could have been filmed in the 1930s, but was actually quite a bit later- well into postwar.

I know that the modern trend to look smarter than the actual pro peloton when out for a leisurely run is a bit OTT, but you've only got to look at this film to be thankful for progress- lol.

Reference to the film crops up in Hutch's book "re cyclists"- worth a read. I also like the description of League and NCU cyclists coming across each other- one lot says "up the League" and the other says "**** the League". Lots of gems like that..

Thankful for progress - what progress? Have you noticed how quiet and traffic free were the roads and lane they were riding on? How they seemed to be enjoying themselves? How BR put on a special cyclists train with a carriage specially adapted to carry bikes?

well the route chosen was ever so boring? did you notice we were told the cycle carriages had been borrowed from the channel ports? so presumably lots of people then cycled abroad?

[Bonefishblues]

Truly a piece of the past. I suspect it looked old-fashioned when it was first released. No sign of brighly coloured racing jerseys. It could have been filmed in the 1930s, but was actually quite a bit later- well into postwar.

I know that the modern trend to look smarter than the actual pro peloton when out for a leisurely run is a bit OTT, but you've only got to look at this film to be thankful for progress- lol.

Reference to the film crops up in Hutch's book "re cyclists"- worth a read. I also like the description of League and NCU cyclists coming across each other- one lot says "up the League" and the other says "**** the League". Lots of gems like that..

Thankful for progress - what progress? Have you noticed how quiet and traffic free were the roads and lane they were riding on? How they seemed to be enjoying themselves? How BR put on a special cyclists train with a carriage specially adapted to carry bikes?

well the route chosen was ever so boring? did you notice we were told the cycle carriages had been borrowed from the channel ports? so presumably lots of people then cycled abroad?

Reassuring to know that it really 'were all fields' like grandad said

[Hobbs1951]

well the route chosen was ever so boring? did you notice we were told the cycle carriages had been borrowed from the channel ports? so presumably lots of people then cycled abroad?

There's a similiar film about cyclists holidaying abroad, just like my Wife's Dad first did in 1951 on his Hobbs of Barbican - my Dad was in the BAOR so only cycled when he was back in Blighty.

John.