This remarkable archive footage shows London at the turn of the century, 1896-1903, and it turns out the traffic hasn't changed. Catch a rare glimpse at early forms of transportation like steam powered vehicles and at London landmarks like Tower Bridge.

We have been contacted by the Traction Talk Forum who believe that this film may include the world's earliest moving image of a steam powered road vehicle. Members of the forum have noted that the steam lorry shown at 3:43 is a Thornycroft steam lorry, number 27, new in 1900, registration BB26. (BB is the registration for Newcastle upon Tyne.) This engine is fitted with a de Dion boiler and has a distinctive curved axle. It was new to the Newcastle Cooperative Wholesale Society.

The forum's website is here: https://goo.gl/U6QAG
Many thanks to Russell Bulley for bringing the forum to our attention.

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(FILM ID:1674.01)

Various dates and locations.

A full breakdown of the film is below:

Sunderland Bridge (1896) - Poor pedestrian, horse drawn carts, wagons and bus travel across bridge at Sunderland, Tyne and Wear.

Boar Lane, Leeds (1903) - Pedestrians, horse carts wagons and electric tram cross large open cross roads near Boar Lane, Leeds, Yorkshire.

Outside The Bank of England, London (1897) - Dense horse drawn traffic in front of the Bank, a few pedestrians try to pick their way between the buses and carriages.

Hyde Park Corner, London (1897) - Hyde Park corner looking towards the park gates, pedestrians crowd the pavements, carriages and horse buses pass by.

Newcastle Street, Tyne and Wear (1903) - Motor wagon, motor car, and horse drawn wagon pass along street, pavement is lined with onlookers.

Westminster Bridge, London - View across bridge to House of Parliament and Big Ben. Traffic passes in foreground.

Tower Bridge, London - Views of horse drawn buses and traffic crossing Bridge.

Empire Theatre - Ext of cinema showing Lumiere films. Handsome cabs draw up.

Piccadilly Circus, London - Statue of Eros. People walk in foreground. Buses carry adverts for Cadbury's and Lipton's. (Some shots repeated).

Horseguard's Parade, London - Short bleak shot of cavalry soldiers riding.

Bradford Square, Yorkshire (1903) - Square at Bradford crowded with pedestrians, civilian band crosses square watched by small crowd a steam tram also crosses the square.

London Bridge, London (1896) - View across the bridge with horse drawn vehicles and pedestrians crossing the bridge.

Street Entertainers (Minstrels) - Blacked up entertainers sing and dance to a small crowd in the open street.

Cataloguer's Note: - Obviously this material is very old and grainy but never the less great stuff - MD.

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