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.
This film is part of Free
Menai Strait Regatta, Amlwch Station, Irish Trawler, Slate Train Port Dinorwic
Sail (regatta, and Irish trawler hauling in whiting), rail (children and piglets at Amlwch Station) and slate (last slate train at Port Dinorwic).
From the collection of:
Overview
A compilation of sail, rail and slate footage: sailing folk and land-lubbers gather outside the Gazelle Hotel near Glyngarth during the regatta; schoolchildren on an excursion and pigs bound for market gather at Amlwch Station, and fishermen on board an Irish trawler haul in a whiting catch. There are shots, too, of the last slate train at Port Dinorwic, and a rescue (involving an RAF helicopter and an ambulance) in the Porth Eilian area.
Shot by David E Sutcliffe, a Bull Bay-based BBC stringer and local cinema operator – he used village halls for screenings. Stringers were the localised eyes and ears of the television companies, recording interesting stories and events whenever they occurred in their given area. The slate at Port Dinorwic (Y Felinheli) would have come from Dinorwic Quarry.
Related
Watch for free
Wexford Railway Station (1902) Wexford Railway Station (1902)
Non-Fiction 1902 2 mins Silent
A flurry of activity at Wexford Railway Station as passengers alight an Edwardian steam train.
Watch for free
Bicton Woodland Railway Bicton Woodland Railway
News 1976 2 mins Silent Location: Bicton Park
Bicton Woodland Railway reopens to passengers for the summer season
Watch for free
Godfrey Davies: The Last Train from Peterchurch Godfrey Davies: The Last Train from Peterchurch
Amateur film 1953 5 mins Silent Location: Peterchurch
Railway services on the Golden Valley line in Herefordshire slip into history.
Watch for free
Train Ride to Devil's Bridge Train Ride to Devil's Bridge
Travelogue 1964 11 mins Location: Aberystwyth
12 miles of magic as we journey on the Vale of Rheidol Railway, one of the Great Little Trains of Wales
Watch for free
This Is York This Is York
Travelogue 1953 21 mins Location: York
The Stationmaster at York guides us through a typical day, from dawn to dusk.
Watch for free
A Letter for Wales A Letter for Wales
Drama 1960 22 mins
Cinema star Donald Houston recalls his memories of railways and the romance of the Welsh landscape.
Watch for free
Grounded on the Platters: HMS Conway Grounded on the Platters: HMS Conway
Home movie 1953 7 mins Silent Location: Anglesey/Ynysmôn
A sorry end to any ship: timings, tide and wind played their part in pushing HMS Conway onto the Platters rocks in the Menai Strait on 14/4/1953.
Watch for free
Ambling through Anglesey Ambling through Anglesey
Amateur film 1946 5 mins Silent Location: Beaumaris
Ambling Scottish ramblers, members of The Countryside Club, enjoy Anglesey at a leisurely pace.
Watch for free
Racing on the Menai Strait Racing on the Menai Strait
Home movie 1930 7 mins Silent Location: Menai Strait/Afon Menai
Only a dull land lubber could fail to appreciate these yachts in full sail, and the steam yacht Minona (later Richard Burton’s ‘Kalizma’)!
Watch for free
PS St Elvies, Flying Boats and PS Snowdon PS St Elvies, Flying Boats and PS Snowdon
Home movie 1930 2 mins Silent Location: Menai Strait/Afon Menai
On the Menai Strait: boats that paddle or fly with a certain charisma, and a yacht that glides which became the Kalizma!
Watch for free
North Wales, England: The Land of Castles and Waterfalls North Wales, England: The Land of Castles and Waterfalls
Travelogue 1907 15 mins Silent Location: Chester
An Edwardian excursion along the crenelated coast of North Wales from the walls of Chester to the wilds of Snowdonia.
Watch for free
Dr Kate Dr Kate
Home movie 1969 19 mins Silent Location: Menai Bridge/Porthaethwy
Giving and Taking: writer Kate Roberts bestows her childhood home – Cae’r Gors - on the nation, and Caernarfonshire Council moves to close Bryncroes School despite opposition.
Watch for free
Getting it Back: The Story of Cymande - Q&A Getting it Back: The Story of Cymande - Q&A
Inside Film 2024 22 mins
The director of a documentary about British funk pioneers Cymande joins the band at BFI Southbank to talk about the film.
Watch for free
The West Case The West Case
Action and Adventure 1923 28 mins Silent Location: Tilbury
Plotting world domination, Devil Doctor Fu-Manchu steals plans for a new aero-torpedo in this earliest surviving thrill-a-minute serial instalment.
Watch for free
Enter the Scala!!! Enter the Scala!!!
Inside Film 2024 16 mins
Filmmakers Jane Giles and Ali Catterall discuss their documentary Scala!!!, revisiting the legendary and inspirational cinema venue and some of the most notorious films that screened there.
Watch for free
Smith Smith
Charity appeal 1939 10 mins
Long thought lost, this Powell-directed promotional short for a veteran’s charity was only rediscovered in 2003.
Watch for free
An Airman's Letter to His Mother An Airman's Letter to His Mother
Documentary 1941 6 mins
A poignant, stirring letter from a recently deceased pilot to his mother is read by John Gielgud.
Watch for free
The NHS75 Celebration The NHS75 Celebration
Short documentary 2023 3 mins
Former Bristol Poet Laureate, Miles Chambers reads a poem specially commissioned for the 75th anniversary of the NHS.