Collection: Ministry of Transport lantern slides

Description

The collection contains 79 lantern slides relating to roads and road transport. Most date from the 1920s and 1930s, though at least two date from the First World War and several may be earlier or later. Subjects include road traffic problems, road engineering, road infrastructure, narrow main roads, rationalisation of Roman roads and relating archaeological excavations, and foreign examples (including Tokyo, Rome, Chile, and New York). Many of the slides relate to London and document the construction and introduction of by-passes in the 1920s and 1930s. There is also a series entitled 'Approaches to London Docks' showing traffic queues and congestion.

Also present are copy negatives and prints of two images in the collection: the thatched petrol station at Eashing, Surrey; and traffic congestion on a level crossing on Victoria Dock Road, London.

Some negatives in this collection, such as those showing foreign scenes, are certainly copy negatives. Many of these seem to have been taken for publication. It is not clear which of the remaining are copy negatives.

Archival History

The collection was given to the NMR in March 1995 by Roger Harris of the RCHME and Department of Transport. Original lantern slide box was marked 'Experimental Section R411, Highways Engineering, 21-37 Hereford Road, London W'.

Content

Rights

Source: Historic England Archive