Motorised Bath (1960)

M/S point of view shot from inside a motorised bath (the end with the taps is at the front) as it speeds along a road in Kingston, Surrey, then C/U of a rear view mirror stuck to a bath brush attached to the right hand side of the bath. M/S from the bath as we turn into a busy street with shops and a market place, and shoppers turn to stare as we drive past. M/S of three young men, Dave Harding, Paul Gaunce and Phil Savage, all wearing bobble hats, working on the motorised bath. M/Ss and C/Us of them working on the engine, throttle and wheels. C/Us of the front of the bath, showing the number plate (999 MPB), licence and speedometer. The commentator tells us that these are the engineering students of Kingston (Surrey) Technical College who created the motorised bath as a money making stunt for Charities Week. M/S as we see PG, wearing a duffle coat, climb into the bath and adjust the driving mirror then tilt down to show him revving the throttle. M/S of the other two handing a board to the driver which he puts across his knees for protection. C/U of a small rubber duck being squeezed - this is the hooter! M/S as they start to shove him off, and the bath drives out of the shot. The commentator tells us “On her first outing the bath established a world record for the run from Bath to London!“ Brilliant M/S of the student driving along a street in the motorised bath, taken from a car in front. Lots of cars are seen parked in the street. M/S as he comes to a junction and makes a hand signal to turn right then drives along the road; a couple walking along turn round to stare! M/S point of view shot from inside the bath as he drives past the busy market place, then from a vehicle in front as he drives along Kingston High Street, past shops including an old-fashioned looking ’Boots the Chemist’. He pulls up at a market stall, buys a bag of fruit which he puts in the bath tray, then drives on through a small crowd of people and heads off down the street, with people looking after him in amazement. Note: Interesting documentation on file including newspaper article. Print shows signs of vinegar syndrome and is in isolation vault. FILM ID: A VIDEO FROM BRITISH PATHÉ. EXPLORE OUR ONLINE CHANNEL, BRITISH PATHÉ TV. IT’S FULL OF GREAT DOCUMENTARIES, FASCINATING INTERVIEWS, AND CLASSIC MOVIES. FOR LICENSING ENQUIRIES VISIT British Pathé also represents the Reuters historical collection, which includes more than 136,000 items from the news agencies Gaumont Graphic (1910-1932), Empire News Bulletin (1926-1930), British Paramount (1931-1957), and Gaumont British (1934-1959), as well as Visnews content from 1957 to the end of 1984. All footage can be viewed on the British Pathé website.