British Pathe

c. 1956

Reel 1. A British Motor Corporation presentation. "When the Royal Automobile Club are asked to test a production model they certainly do the job thoroughly." High angle shot of a car production factory. Men work on cars, guiding bodywork down from a winch and looking under a bonnet....

c. 1956

Reel 1. A British Motor Corporation presentation. "When the Royal Automobile Club are asked to test a production model they certainly do the job thoroughly." High angle shot of a car production factory. Men work on cars, guiding bodywork down from a winch and looking under a bonnet. Austin wanted to find out how many miles to the gallon could be expected from their A35 on a long run under average driving conditions. The RAC representatives attend the factory and select a car from the production line "with a metaphorical pin." Low angle shot of the bodywork of a car being lowered. The RAC representatives choose their test model. A piece of paper is signed. Routine final inspections take place. C/U of wheel of car on a testing block. Mechanics check inside the bonnet and underneath car. C/U of woman polishing the roof of the car with a cloth. C/U of number plate being fixed to the front of the car. Only one modification is made to the car. A special straight up filler tube inside the boot for filling up to exact measurement. Two RAC men look at the tube inside the boot. Boot is closed. MOT sticker placed on inside of windscreen. C/U of car being driven off. BP petrol station forecourt in Fulham. Car stops, boot is opened and petrol attendant fills up the car using the special petrol tube. The fuel used is Shell Premium. The RAC Observer (he has a badge on his jacket proclaiming him to be such) walks to the RAC van parked behind the Austin. He speaks to the driver. Driver climbs out of van to look at the car. Tank is filled to the measuring mark.
Leslie (sp?) Webb - the RAC Chief Assistant Engineer is the official observer. The man at the wheel is Joseph Lowry (sp?) joint Technical Editor of "The Motor." Car pulls out of the garage - C/U of the front of car. Cameraman is visible in background. Car drives away down a rainy London street. Graphic map of England with the test route marked out in black - 524 miles Another more detailed map shows the route. London, Salisbury, Dorchester, Lyme Regis, Swindon, Banbury, Leicester, Lincoln, Peterborough, back to London. Shot of the car driving along a rainy B-road from behind. C/U of the driver looking down then a C/U of a note book which he checks. He points to the piece of information he is looking for - presumably his route. (Dangerous driving I would have thought!) Car indicates right and turns down a less busy road. C/U of the instrument panel. M/S of the car driving under a railway bridge.

View from inside the car through the front windscreen of city street in Salisbury. Side view of the car driving along. Shot of the driver from over his shoulder. Lowery and Webb break for lunch at Dorchester. Car pulls in to the pavement. R.A.C. man locks the boot - the car has to be parked where he can see it through the window while he eats his lunch! The two men walk into the Kings Arms for lunch. L/S of the street. The car pulls away and drives off. L/S of car driving through the countryside from the car behind.

See Reel 2.