This film is part of Free

Who Voted for This? - The Nationalisation of the Railways

Little lad Sam innocently sets the scene for some stern political pronouncements on rail nationalisation

Campaigning film 1948 1 mins

Overview

“What’s nationalisation, Daddy?” Bert’s young son, Sam, plays with his toy train and innocently opens the route for some sweeping political pronouncements on the failings of the nationalised rail industry. This is one of a series of Conservative Party films denouncing the nationalisation policy of the Labour government. “Nationalisation? National frustration” is a recurring line in the films, along with “Sack the Socialists! And set the people free.”

Britain's railways had been nationalised in 1948 and they were returned to private hands by John Major's Conservative government in 1993.