British Pathe

M/Ss of a veteran car, a 1912 Baker electric brougham driving along country roads in Oxted, Surrey, then pulling in at the car park of a village pub. Two men get out, walk to the rear and attach a kind of metre to a plug on the car with crocodile clips. Commentator says "This is the world's first solar...

M/Ss of a veteran car, a 1912 Baker electric brougham driving along country roads in Oxted, Surrey, then pulling in at the car park of a village pub. Two men get out, walk to the rear and attach a kind of metre to a plug on the car with crocodile clips. Commentator says "This is the world's first solar car - powered by a ten thousand cell panel on the roof". C/U of the meter registers. High angle M/S of the solar panels on the car's roof, panning left to show one of the men opening the boot of the car and checking the batteries. The other man walks to the front of the car, opens the bonnet and checks the batteries there. C/U of the number plate reading 'California / Horseless Carriage / 2103'.

C/U of solar panels on the car roof; then of solar panels in the centre of a model train set; tilt up to show a man watching as a model train speeds around the track on a table in a garden. C/U of the train going over the track ; a wire from the solar panel runs under the track. The man gets up and walks in front of the set so his shadow falls over the panel, making the train stop. He puts an extra carriage in front of the train then stands back so it starts again. High angle M/S of the train going around the track as commentator says "It's a significant point that every day as much energy falls on the earth from the sun as has been used in the whole history of our civilisation!"

M/S and C/U of the man using a solar walkie-talkie, with the solar panel pointed at the sun. Commentator says "Unfortunately in Britain we have one big handicap - no sun!" as the camera pans left from the walkie-talkie to show the aerial sticking up and ominous black clouds behind it.

One of the men seen could be Dr Charles Escoffery, a scientist and pioneer in solar energy, who brought the car over from the United States.

Note: Press release, small news cutting and correspondence on file about the car, used to demonstrate the potential of solar power. Cuts exist - see separate record.