Presentation of weird and 'useful' inventions of the British Army. Military Engineering Establishment in Christchurch, Hampshire L/S of a line of vehicles crossing the river on a big float. Float reaching the shore, arriving at bank. M/S of two officers observing the operation. "Just once every four years this secret establishment (Military Engineering Experimental Establishment) opens its door to show us some of the weird and wonderful contraptions its back-room boys have contrived." There follows a succession of shots of these "weird and wonderful" inventions demonstrating their 'excellence'. Truck rolling out metal stripe from the back, around the front and under the wheels to make a 'road' - device against mud. However, the metal strip rolled around the front of the truck prevents the driver from seeing where he is going! C/U shots of the two strange looking tractor-like vehicles following the 'road making truck' and a yellow tractor getting out of the water. No demonstration of their use - they are for display only. Beach landing vehicle is a large and complicated looking amphibian construction which carries two boats (one at each side of the vehicle) and has something that resembles a bulldozer mouth in the middle - a beach landing bulldozer! Large balloon placed into the shell hole enables the tank to drive over it - simple! Trench making machine works on the principe of coal-cutting equipment. 'Instant trenching demonstration' looks amazing. Bulldozer (or any heavy equipment) can be dropped from the air thanks to the use of air cushions placed underneath the platform on which the bulldozer sits.

50 years of BBC South. A series of 19 mini-features made by BBC South at Southampton in 2011 to celebrate the station's 50 year history.

Episode 14 Sir Alec Rose. One of a series of features celebrating BBC South's 50 years of broadcasting. Steve Humphrey recalls how Southsea greengrocer Alec Rose sailed single handedly around the world in 1967, returning the next year to a hero's welcome and a knighthood. His yacht, Lively Lady, is now operated by a charity which offers life-changing opportunities to disadvantaged young people. Some footage (c) Pathe

NFG are indebted to the BBC staff at Southampton for their help in sourcing items for the archive. See more episodes in the Category - BBC South.

50 years of BBC South. A series of 19 mini-features made by BBC South at Southampton in 2011 to celebrate the station's 50 year history.

Episode 3 Environment. For many years Roger Finn was BBC South's Environment Correspondent. We asked him to suggest his personal top three environmental success stories from BBC South's fifty years of broadcasting.

NFG are indebted to the BBC staff at Southampton for their help in sourcing items for the archive. See more episodes in the Category - BBC South.

50 years of BBC South. A series of 19 mini-features made by BBC South at Southampton in 2011 to celebrate the station's 50 year history.

Episode 7 The Mary Rose. One of a series of features which celebrate BBC South's 50 years of broadcasting. Sally Taylor recalls the raising of Henry VIII's flagship from The Solent in 1982.

NFG are indebted to the BBC staff at Southampton for their help in sourcing items for the archive. See more episodes in the Category - BBC South.

Mixed material about the winning of the 1931 Schneider Trophy seaplane race. Full title reads: "Calshot. Britain is Supreme in the Air. Schneider Trophy won by Flt. Lt. Boothman outright for Britain at an average of 340.6 mph." Calshot, Hampshire. A seaplane speeds across water. Unidentified man applauded on British Naval vessel. More shots of seaplane. Shots of speedboats racing. Shots of pilot drinking on board warship. CU of pilot with sailor. N.B. This item is completely mixed up and makes no sense. There is also a missing intertitle which should read: "then Flt. Lt. Stainforth went up and shattered the world's record averaging over 378 miles per hour." This and extra material are found at 859.21