The 1948 Olympic Games
The 'Austerity Games' took place in a time of rationing and economic uncertainty. See how the transport network helped London rise to the challenge...
By Mark KauffmanLIFE Photo Collection
The Olympic Games hadn't been held in either 1940 or 1944 due to World War II, but in 1948 it was felt possible to celebrate and London was called upon at short notice to host them
Video from British Movietone (1min 16s)
Account of delivering the Olympics, hailed 'A Fine Job of Work' (1948-08-31)TfL Corporate Archives
A Fine Job of Work
During the 15 days of the Olympic Games, London Transport carried out the greatest sports traffic lift in its history. This task was accomplished in addition to the routine daily transport of London's millions by a transport system already taxed to the hilt
Continued Account of delivering the Olympics, hailed 'A Find Job of Work' (1948-08-31)TfL Corporate Archives
A Fine Job of Work continued
"We are used to international crowds here but the Games fortnight must have broken all records."
The 1948 Games were the first to be shown on television. Starting blocks for athletes in sprint races were introduced, and the Empire Pool was the first covered Olympic pool
Logo of the 1948 Olympic Games
To deal with the question of transport for the Olympics, an Olympic Games Transport Advisory Committee was set up, comprising Officers of the London Transport and Railway Executives and representatives of the Organising Committee of the Olympiad
It first met on 8 July 1947
Staff studying the Olympic Transport Control operations map (1948-07-29)TfL Corporate Archives
Staff Studying the Olympic Transport Control Operations Map
Detailed planning of the transport arrangements was carried out by Sub-Committees and by ad hoc meetings between operating officials and representatives of other interested organisations
Programme of events for 1948 Olympic Games (1948-07-29)TfL Corporate Archives
Programme of Events for the 1948 Games
An Olympic Games Transport Sub-Committee was set up to deal with transport for competitors and officials between stations and accommodation, between accommodation and training grounds, and between accommodation and competition sites. It first met on 10 September 1947
Programme of events for 1948 Olympic Games (1948-07-29)TfL Corporate Archives
There were 90 different locations (21 competition sites, 45 training grounds, 24 accommodation sites), and the special operations required an itinerary of 550 routes to be followed by drivers. Detailed schedules and time cards had to be prepared
Programme of events for 1948 Olympic Games (1948-07-29)TfL Corporate Archives
The routes were selected with a view to avoiding heavily congested traffic points. Special posters were designed for display on buses, as well as portable signposts to help the competitors and officials
Staff outside Richmond main camp
District Inspector C H Fossey and Inspector T Bradley at the Richmond main Olympic village
1948 Olympics by William J SumitsLIFE Photo Collection
In a time of 1hr and 10mins, the busmen had to transport 6,000 competitors from the accommodation centres (spread over west and north west London) to Wembley for the opening ceremony - and back again! 118 buses and coaches were used
Specimen Olympics Travel Pass
The pass was for the use of competitors and officials
Discussion of Olympics travel pass (1948-07-01)TfL Corporate Archives
Olympics Travel Pass
Discussion of the design of the free travel pass for competitors and officials
Diagram of bridge improvements on Olympic Way (1948-06-01)TfL Corporate Archives
Improvement works at Wembley Park Station cost £100,000
Measures to prevent undue crowding within the station included an extensive loud-speaker system, barriers and gates in the ticket hall and elsewhere for controlling passenger flow, and a bell communication system to enable the flow from Olympic Way to be checked
Photograph of Olympic Way from Bridge Road (1948-06-01)TfL Corporate Archives
Photograph of Olympic Way from Bridge Road
Up to 98,000 passengers passed through the station daily
Much of the traffic to Wembley went by trolleybus. 10 extra buses per hour ran on route 662 (Paddington-Wembley-Sudbury). The 17 extra vehicles required were worked by volunteers
Decoration Arrangements for Stations
Memo regarding the decoration of certain identified stations with bunting and shields. The stations to be decorated are identified as Victoria, Westminster, Charing Cross, Piccadilly, Baker Street, and Wembley Park
Westminster Underground station decorated for 1948 Olympics (1948) by Topical PressLondon Transport Museum
Westminster Underground Station Decorated for the Olympics
Programme for Games Closing Ceremony
Letters of thanks from the Olympics Organising Committee for the successful delivery of a complex transport operation
Story compiled by TfL using information in records at the Transport for London Corporate Archives. The Corporate Archives seeks to preserve and make accessible records, not to interpret them. A wider range of material is available for physical consultation.
Permission is granted to reproduce for personal and educational use only.
This story has been enhanced using images from the collections of the LIFE Photo Collection and the London Transport Museum. All enquiries regarding this material should be made directly to those institutions.
