FLOODTIDE

Image result for floodtide 1949

GB
1949
1hr 30mins
Dir: Frederick Wilson
Starring: Gordon Jackson and Rona Anderson

A young farmer gets a job at the Clyde shipyards and quickly shows he has an unexpected flair for design

This romantic drama unsurprisingly features many shots of the shipyards on the Clyde with some industrial steam saddle tanks thrown into the mix. The film was one of four David Rawnsley films that used his ‘independent frame’ technique, a form of back-projection. What is much nicer, perhaps, is the brilliant shots of Glasgow trams that feature as part of the story.

As Gordon Jackson, John Laurie and Gordon McLeod discuss work a saddle tank passes behind as part of the back-projection. Although largely obscured it is still quite clear and would appear to be an Andrew Barclay-built 0-4-0. An identical shot appeared in the 1956 film Jacqueline but without the offending trio, thus giving an unobscured view of the locomotive. as it passes
In this real shot of a ship under construction an Andrew Barclay 0-4-0 ST is steaming impatiently bottom left. This shot reappeared in the 1956 movie Jacqueline.
In a similar view another saddle tank can be seen in the distance centre right
In a final view of the dockyards a large self-propelled steam crane is hard at work
This is the first of the particularly fine shots of Glasgow Corporation trams to appear in the film. This is Argyle Street, looking towards the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum.
As the tram approaches the camera it passes one going in the other direction. Route 16 would be a service to Keppochhill Road. The tram on the right is going to Dalmuir West so will be a Route 1 service. These appear to be Type 5 Standard Round Dash Cars.
Passengers alight from a similar tram. Note the cobbles.
Another Type 5 tram on Route 1. This is George Street, with the Royal College Building of the University of Strathclyde in the background (though at the time of filming this was the Royal Technical College).
Gordon Jackson’s lodgings are right by a tram route, back-projection perhaps, but a number of trams are seen outside the window throughout the film
As the floodtide leaves work a tram passes the main entrance to the dockyard in the middle distance