Film - Partners in Property

Corporate film produced by Saville.

The film is presented by Bill Kerr-Elliott on the role of British Rail Property Board and its different partners.

The film beings with how the reduced network compares with how it was in the 1920s and the Board selling off land at auction followed by how buying lands will support the modernisation and electrification of the railway lines.

The film continues by focusing on how investing in stations with new shops will make the stations “bright commercial centres with investment by the Board to give benefit to the passengers and the shoppers”, with a design example of a new shopping plaza at Glasgow Central station and footage of the ‘new’ Waterloo station.

The film also looks at the development and investment in railway arches for businesses below the lines and the conversion of buildings such as station master’s houses into cafés, pubs or restaurants and preserved heritage, for example the footage of Windsor station at the ‘Royalty and Empire’ exhibition.

The film highlights land preservation, unused lands, partnerships with local preservation trusts, and turning former railway lines into footpaths and cycling lanes, for example the footage of the Tissington trail.

The film concludes with buildings and commercial centres above stations, retail developments, and hotels, for example the footage of The Trinity Centre above Aberdeen station, and the planning of office development at Liverpool Street construction site.