“What do you call this Jenkins?” shouted my woodwork master, throwing my misshapen effort across the room. I think, by then, I had already deduced my talents - if I had any - were not in working with my hands. This was reinforced when a few months later I nearly blew up our house whilst ostensibly trying to mend a fuse. In my early enthusiast days, I had to stand back and admire those who would spend hours and hours building superb operational models of trams I knew and loved and admire those who could start - for me – the incomprehensible process of transforming a sagging chicken coop into a reborn tram.

In my professional life, I have worked in the theatre and at the BBC as a drama director. Over the years, this enabled me to fine-hone selected skills including the crafting of documentary programmes from a wide cross- section of source material. It was this knowledge I was able to bring to ONLINE VIDEO.  I had met ONLINE VIDEO’S proprietor, Wilf Watters, whilst still at the Beeb. With his background in news and filming editing, we decided to combine our skills to produce a range of documentary-style videos devoted initially to some of the principal UK tram systems.

I believed there had to be market for well-made, carefully researched visual histories and that, in their own way, these would prove to be as historically significant as a written history or a preserved vehicle.

Each tape is usually assembled from a range of film sizes (anything from standard 8mm to combustible 35mm nitrate). A wide range of cameras will have been used with very different lenses. Our guiding principle is to tell a good story so care is taken viewing the available footage to identify locations etc. After absorbing this information, I then devise a running order. For example, when dealing with a tram or trolleybus system, we tend to cover each route geographically. This sometimes involves using up to a dozen totally different sources for a single route. At the editing stage, we remove all joins, flashes, damaged sequences whilst at the same time correcting where possible the colour balance in order -hopefully - to achieve a seamless flow. It is this work that takes time and dedication. .

Early on, we decided to offer a highly generous discount to many established preservation Groups and Societies. In this way, some profit could be ploughed back into restoring and maintaining historic vehicles. One of the highlights of the past 15 years has been the tremendous level of co-operation given by the various bodies approached by ONLINE just prior to embarking on a video/or videos devoted to their particular system. For example, I recall the hours and hours of work put in by members of the STTS whilst researching the 2 Glasgow marathons - each ‘new’ discovery causing another ripple of excitement as half-forgotten reels were fetched out of cupboards. With the Edinburgh and Dundee videos, I remember the detective work involved tracing - successfully as it turned out - film taken by long-deceased enthusiasts.

It was exactly this kind of footage we needed to create each of the comprehensive documentaries. To begin with some film-makers/copyright owners were naturally quite reluctant - only a tiny handful were outright hostile; however, as more of our tapes appeared and people appreciated our efforts, concerns evaporated and evermore sources were generously made available - some coming from Thailand, Japan, Peru, USA, Canada, Australia, Belgium, Denmark, Holland and Poland. As a result, by the late 90s, ONLINE had an extensive archive of film transferred on to Betacam. With our reputation firmly established, we began to receive approaches from several of our regular contributors asking if ONLINE would consider looking after their original films. Following detailed discussion with a number of notable film-makers, a limited company (entirely separate from ONLINE VIDEO) was established in 2000, the purpose of which was to act as an Archive for the preservation and conservation of films (later extended to include slides and negatives) in safe, secure, carefully regulated, temperature controlled environs. Furthermore, it was decided that one of the principal aims of the Archive should be access for bona-fide researchers, video/DVD and book publishers etc at acceptable, affordable rates.

Today, ONLINE TRANSPORT ARCHIVE, is a registered Charity (No 1101785) which allows it to apply for grants. There are also positive tax benefits for those leaving material to OTA in their Wills. Currently, the Archive houses some 40 collections; with another 80 promised; and increasing numbers under discussion. The directors of OTA have been carefully chosen to represent a range of transport interests (rail, road and shipping) and, most importantly for long-term security, reflect different generations (age range 44-64).

It is first and foremost a privilege to be granted the safe-keeping of so much historic material knowing future generations will be able to enjoy a wide range of carefully preserved images. However, irreplaceable collections are still being lost’ usually because owners are still failing to make adequate provision.   OTA cannot recommend too strongly that every enthusiast - whatever their plans - must make very clear, watertight instructions in their Will. Also - don’t put it off till tomorrow - it needs doing today.

Without such provision, the photographs illustrating this article could well have been lost for good.