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Title: FLOATING CITIES

Reference number: 7911

Date: 1993

Director: [d. Liam Paterson, Tony Grace]

Sponsor: Clydebank District Libraries and Museums Department

Production company: Life's Rich Tapestry

Sound: sound

Original format: U-Matic (hi-band)

Colour: col

Fiction: non-fiction

Running time: 15.00 mins

Description: Looks at the origins of shipbuilding in Clydebank and the development of the yard which was to be responsible for the launch of some of the greatest ships in the world, including the Queen Mary, the Queen Elizabeth and the QE2. Also outlines the many processes involved in building a ship and all the stages of construction, with some archive footage. The development of the Clydebank yard is followed through to the present day with a look at the move to designing and manufacturing highly sophisticated oil and gas rigs by the current owners, UiE. [synopsis from BFI database at http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/524553, last accessed 10/2/2009]

Credits: narr. Johanna Hall
The generous assistance of UiE (Scotland) is gratefully acknowledged.
Archive material reproduced by kind permission of Scottish Film Archive, Anchor Line Ltd., The British Council, The Central Office of Information, The Co-Operative Wholesale Society, Ian Jack

A Life's Rich Tapestry Production for Clydebank District Libraries and Museums Department

Shotlist: (0.00) ocs various stills of ships and shipworkers Floating Cities (0.25) gvs dockyards by Clyde, gvs Clydebank and ships in late 19th/ early 20th century, v/o of origins of Clydebank shipyards, esp John Brown's shipyard (2.18) c/u still of William Beardmore, v/o describing his shipyard at Dalmuir, and work of two shipyards during WWI, further gvs of shipyard scenes, esp of women workers (3.11) The Palatial Cameronia at her berth in Glasgow (3.15) v/o of post-WWI switch to manufacture of passenger liners, (b&w) film of passengers boarding Cameronia en route to New York, ship sailing down Clyde, guests enjoying activities and orchestra aboard ship, and arrival in New York, from 'New way To the New World' 1217(00.05.33) c/u of newspaper with headline '2,000,000 Unemployed' v/o describing effect of depression, gvs shipyards in this period (6.06) gvs building and launch of Queen Mary, 1934 (7.14) v/o detailing shipyard work during WWII, gvs shipyards in this period, stills of Queen Elizabeth liner (8.12) v/o describing steps taken in building ship (b&w/col) film showing each stage (00.10.58) gvs stills of interiors of Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth (11.26) [COL] film of launch of Queen Elizabeth II, built in Clydebank and launched 1953, gvs Queen's visit for launch (12.28) gvs QEII in dock and at sea (13.29) v/o describing diversification of shipyard companies in recent times, [COL] gvs offices and docks (14.29) ecs (14.55)