Who knew there used to be cinema carriages on trains? Or “saloons” as they were called…
Today we came across this exciting poster on the National Archives’ Flickr stream which reads – “There is a Comfortable & Luxurious Cinema Attached to this Train” – “Special Programme Compiled Exclusively For This Train by PATHE GAZETTE”, Commencing Monday, May 16th, 1938.
The poster is for an LNER train, which is the London North Eastern Railway service, so trains going from Kings Cross to places like Edinburgh. We can just picture the classy and demure travellers as they relaxed in the “Pathé L.N.E.R. Saloon”, the countryside silently sliding past them as they tucked into a feast of the latest British Pathé reels.
The films shown on the train were actually issued only 7 days before the scheduled event, so it was pretty hot off the press. It’s interesting to see that Ireland is quite well covered, and also that boxing appears to be the most highly-sought sport.
The train’s cinema carriage wasn’t free – it cost 1 shilling – so it would have been a bit of a treat, but think about it – people didn’t have televisions in the 1930s and they had to go to a cinema house to see moving footage. We love that the poster tells customers that the Pathé saloon is non-inflammable too! Of course earlier newsreels were made out of nitrate, and almost everybody smoked, so you can understand the concern.
ANYWAY. We were delighted to see that the poster then lists each reel that would feature in the screening. Using the date as a guide and searching the titles in the British Pathé film archive we’ve managed to find 32 out of 34 of the items on the trains bill, and we’ve put online links to each below so that you can pick and view the ones that interest you, or perhaps even re-live the experience and watch them all!
HERE WE GO:
Their Majesties In Lanarkshire
French Liner Ablaze At Le Havre
Rugby League Cup Final At Wembley
Demonstration of Kay Autogyro at Southampton
Ninety-Four Year Old Mrs. Anne Budd Takes Her First Flight
New German Ambassador in London
John Tussaud Celebrates His 80th Birthday
Boxing At Theatre Royal Dublin
US Thoroughbreds Prepare For Match Race
King Tours RAF Stations (Mute)
Al And Bob Harvey Famous Radio And Variety Stars
“Order To View” – Cannot Find
Model House – Cannot Find
Ted Andrews Canadian Singer And The Girl Friend
Novelties – Cannot Find
Suzette Tarri – Character Comedienne
Courtesy of www.britishpathe.com
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British Pathé 
Just in case you don’t know, this service was actually started in 1935 and by 1936, two cinema cars were operating. This handbill from 1938 was for services between King’s Cross and Leeds.