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Skill, ingenuity and gravity, combined with a ‘hump’ or slope, have produced Europe’s first automated yard for organising thousands of railway wagons at Margam, Port Talbot.
Industry sponsored film 1961 20 mins
From the collection of:
Kenneth Kendall – a household name as a BBC newsreader from the 1950s-1970s - narrates over striking shots of the maze of railway lines used to marshall or organise thousands of railway wagons at the first automated yard in Europe. Gravity, together with a ‘hump’ or slope, has been harnessed to move the wagons about this giant yard in their thousands, assisted by traffic officers, tally men and maintenance crew.
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National Screen and Sound Archive of Wales preserves and celebrates the sound and moving image heritage of Wales, making it accessible to a wide range of users for enjoyment and learning. Its film collection reflects every aspect of the nation’s social, cultural and working life across the 20th century, giving a fascinating insight into Welsh filmmaking, both amateur and professional.
