London from the back of a bus (Great 1950's Video of a bygone era)

LiveLeak ^ | 11-13-2011

[timeywimey]

A short silent film of London taken from the back of a vehicle showing some of the best recorded ordinary-street scenes ever. What are now termed Classic Cars abound in this as yet undated film. It has the early 1950's aura to it. It wouldn't have been during the 40's and it was definitely not the 1960's, safe to say approximately early 1950's. Great colour film for the period.

[GeronL]

Now its called Londonistan

[Vendome]

Changed?!

Those nuts were driving on the wrong side of the road even back then!

[GeronL]

No drunk 15 year old girls passed out in doorways?

/sarc (slightly)

[EyeGuy]

Unfortunately, not so much for Western Civilization.

[GeronL]

There was also a good one from San Francisco before the big quake.

[GeronL]

You could use that film to recreate a scene for a movie, its very cool.

[Oztrich Boy]

I’m going with 1954, the most modern cars I saw were a Hillman Husky, curved windshield Morris Minors

Curved screen Minor 1000 was introduced in 56.

From 53 to 55 it was the split screen Mk2

Got a horizontal slat grill in 54

[FoxPro]

Boy, I am impressed Oztrich Boy!

So we have a consensus on 1956 because of the Hillman Husky, curved windshield?

Man, that is only 5 years before I was born. I am feeling old...

[Oztrich Boy]

Yeah, I used to have a 53 MkII (top photo) 4 dr in that colour - I think it was called British Non-Racing Green (top speed 52-55mph - not the ideal car for Australian roads)

[buccaneer81]

One Brit commenter on the site did that and said it’s 1955 at the earliest.

[FoxPro]

British Non-Racing Green

Yes, and if it is painted British Non-Racing Green it wont go very fast. I should know, I had an MG painted British Racing Green, and it was pretty fast...

[buccaneer81]

You could use that film to recreate a scene for a movie, its very cool.

That's what one commenter on the site said it probably was. Very professional looking and deliberately without sound as a studio would supply its own soundtrack. The equivalent of all the helicopter panoramic shots we've grown used to over the last 40 years in movies.

[FoxPro]

One Brit commenter on the site did that and said it’s 1955 at the earliest.

I love old cars, so this has been a lot of fun!

[GeronL]

It might have been filmed for background for “in car” movie scenes but it could be used today to reconstruct the entire neighborhood if someone needed it done. At least the “front” of them like in a lot of old westerns.

[wally_bert]

Let James (Captain Slow) May have a go at it.

[jessduntno]

From the comments;

This was the Britain all those Tommies died for, not the black and brown multiracial monstrousity that Labour created. Assholes.

[SamAdams76]

Great, now I'm going to have the song "Penny Lane" running through my head for the next few hours.

If I could go back in time, I'd go back to the year 1954.

[jy8z]

Live Leak has a few vintage videos like this. Here's one.

[Happy Rain]

From Londinium to Londonistan—in between to be tossed in the dust bin.

[Roscoe Karns]

Ha! I thought I noticed a fireman with an hourglass near the end.