London’s Screen Archives enables Londoners see their past come alive on film. Managed by Film London, we are a unique network of historic film collections that cares for, collects and screens heritage film across the city. Together we preserve London’s rich film heritage from feature films to home movies, public information films, newsreels, and records of the capital’s many different industries.
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Grand Union Canal
Short film looking at life up and down the Grand Union Canal, including several scenes shot in London canals and docks.
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Overview
This short film explores life on the Grand Union Canal, showing boats operating on the 300 miles of canal. The film explains that despite the introduction of trains and planes, canals remain the best way to transport material around the country, and shows raw materials being taken from London to towns as far as Nottingham, before manufactured goods return via the canal to London for sale or export. Includes footage of barge horses, London tunnels, cabins and London docks.
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