The Golden Arrow

[M636C]

Here is an early post WWII documentary on the Golden Arrow service from London to Paris...

For some reason the video is split (in mid channel) to English and French sides.

England:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JF0kMPoU-1A

France:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBQfy5_NR-E

It is in colour, unusually, and they lined up the first Pacific, 21C1 (named "Channel Packet") for the film.

The music is a little odd. I thiought I heard some notes of "Shenandoah" as Invicta passed the seawall...

Peter

[Flintlock76]

Very interesting and fun film!  Thanks Peter!

And yes, that music as Invicta  gets under way does sound a bit like "Shenandoah," but I guess it makes sense, "Shenandoah" is an old sailors song,  on the North Atlantic anyway.

I was very  impressed with Invicta's  battle honors.  Dieppe and Normandy.  Good ship indeed!

[M636C]

I noticed that the English train shown was made up of pre-WWII wooden bodied Pullman cars. A new train was built entirely of new steel cars for the Golden Arrow, although I think the wooden bar car was retained, at least for a while. All the British cars had the train name in both English and French, but the French train had no indication of the train apart from the small destination boards by the doors. The French locomotive (a 231E rebuilt (or built new) to Chapelon's design) had only the circular train name badge  while the British train had crossed English and French flags as well as the name badge (and did so until the train was withdrawn in the 1970s).

For those not familar with the terminology, in Europe a "Pullman" car is what is called a "Parlor" car in the USA. THe earliest cars were built by Pullman in the USA but later vehicles were built in England or France.

Peter

[HBrowling]

Thanks Peter for these films!

When I see, your films I find in Youtube their video...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78peEdulA00

 

What do you think about this film?

[M636C]

HBrowling

Thanks Peter for these films!

When I see, your films I find in Youtube their video...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78peEdulA00

 

What do you think about this film?

 

That is a very interesting film.

Although I can quite readily read French, I don't follow spoken French that well although I can pick up many critical words. I actually had to watch the film twice before I heard the word reve (dream) that explained the long sequence of Venice early in the film.

The motive power was interesting. It was a 141R that replaced the 2D2 electric at Dijon. The 2D2 itself seemed to be fairly rough riding, more so than the Italian E626 later around Trieste.

Thanks for posting it....

Peter