This film is part of Free
Maintaining, evolving and revolutionising the landscape on an industrial scale with one of Britain's biggest builders.
Industry sponsored film 1954 28 mins
The landscape of Britain is constantly changing. The job of the civil engineer is sometimes to arrest that change - as in the remedial work on medieval churches near Carlisle seen here - and sometimes to accelerate it. Whether it was factory building in Hertfordshire, or epic flood prevention schemes in Bala, John Laing & Son were often behind the job, and celebrating their achievements on film courtesy of their own film production unit.
Factual TV 1974 52 mins Location: Wallsend
Acclaimed author Hunter Davies travels the length of a magnificent Roman wall that stretches from industrial Tyneside to the Solway Firth.
Documentary 1937 10 mins Location: Pendragon Castle
"Men may pause, but rivers never" - a journey along the course of the Cumbrian river Eden.
Documentary 1963 51 mins Location: Settle
Not just a chance to see locomotives steaming over viaducts, with the axe hanging over both, here we have the full glory of the Settle to Carlisle line, and its place in rural life.
Industry sponsored film 1971 27 mins Location: Carlisle
Bringing the motorway to Cumbria's Lune Valley, whether it likes it or not.
Documentary 1953 27 mins Location: London
Speeding round Britain by bike: taking in the scenery in a 1,600-mile competitive tour.
Non-Fiction 1901 1 mins Silent Location: Carlisle
Royal Warrant biscuit-makers released after their shift.
Comedy 1906 6 mins Silent
Chaos reigns as the removal men do their worst…
Science Fiction 1906 3 mins Silent
The lengths that some people will go to, just to avoid a speeding ticket… in this case to Saturn and back.
Non-Fiction 1906 32 mins Silent Location: Aberdeen
Edward VII and Queen Alexandra open new buildings at Marischal College, Aberdeen
Comedy 1906 7 mins Silent
Faking the ability to contact the dead proves to be a big mistake for one Edwardian charlatan.
Comedy 1902 1 mins Silent
Grandma sews a patch on her grandson’s trousers
1903 1 mins Silent
Four-year-old girl and boy dance a mean cakewalk
Do you recognise a place, building or location in this film?
Help us populate the Britain on Film map by spotting and plotting the street or location you know. This is a BFI project and anyone can help.
Go to our Britain on Film crowdsourcing site and contribute to our mapping mission – to identify locations within our archive films.
Add a location
