Films that feature the railways

[birchesgreen]

I'm not sure if it's been mentioned yet, but for contemporary TV, Apple TVs "Down Cemetery Road" (Ruth Wilson, Emma Thompson) has scenes at Kings Cross and on the Caledonian Sleeper in episodes 5 and 6.

And it's well worth a watch too.

Plus later in the series some Class 37 haulage of Mark 3 sleepers.

 

[John Luxton]

Recently watched the 1944 WWII war film "The Way Ahead" William Hartnell and David Niven star.

A station appears claiming to be Crewe three times during the movie.

The PA announcements are correct for departures from Crewe with addition of the fictitious name where the barracks are located.

 

[Ziggy3legs]

Two essay/documentary films by Patrick Keiller who was director, script writer and photographer on both. The first, "London", released in 1994 was filmed throughout 1992 and includes numerous glimpses of trains including EPBs departing Charing Cross on Hungerford Bridge, London Bridge during the rush hour, Liverpool Street, freight crossing the Thames and more. The second film, "Robinson in Space" (released in 1997) involves a tour of England and commences with an onboard departure from Paddington to Reading. More railway scenes include Brunel's bridge at Maidenhead, a class 47 at London Brickworks Forders Sidings on the Bedford to Bletchley line, "Thomas" and a "Peak" at Peak Rail Rowsley, the Huskisson memorial at Rainhill, class 56 on MGR from Immingham and concluding with a Sprinter, Pacer and another 56 on MGR crossing the Tyne bridges at Newcastle. Both were narrated by Paul Scofield. A third film "Robinson in Ruins" narrated by Vanessa Redgrave also features railway footage but I haven't seen this ..........yet!
And whilst Tim Dunn gave a much deserved shoutout to John Betjemen's "Metroland", how about his other films - "Railways for Ever", "Branch Line Railway" (Evercreech Junction to Highbridge, Bridgewater and Burnham on Sea - a real favourite of mine), "Men of Steam" (1962, the transition from steam to diesel), "John Betjemen Goes by Train" - Kings Lynn to Hunstanton by DMU in 1962, and his verse autobiographical film "Summoned By Bells" featuring his childhood holiday haunts in Cornwall including the closed station at Wadebridge.

 

[renegademaster]

Without giving too much away the abandoned train also features in the sequel “28 years Later - The Bone Temple", which I watched last night. Apparently it was filmed on the Embsay & Bolton Abbey Railway near Skipton, according to this link;

Discover the film locations for Danny Boyle's 28 Years Later (2025), around Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, North Yorkshire and Somerset.

Discover the film locations for Danny Boyle's 28 Years Later (2025), around Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, North Yorkshire and Somerset.

movie-locations.com

Also features a train to Edinburgh via Bedford, , which I'm curious if ever existed, which it wouldn't have when it supposed to have taken place

 

[yorksrob]

Some exterior and Interior scenes of The Young Ones' episode 'Bambi' were filmed at Bristol Temple Meds. A later scene shows a headless Vyvyan staggering along a single line which was probably somewhere in the Bristol area.

I love watching that with a packet of "peek freans Trotsky assortment".

I also remember watching the 1970's tv adaptation of Enid Blighton's Famous Five novels with one episode featuring a closed railway station. I later read somewhere that it was filmed on the Hythe (Hampshire) branch.

 

[Gloster]

I love watching that with a packet of "peek freans Trotsky assortment".

I also remember watching the 1970's tv adaptation of Enid Blighton's Famous Five novels with one episode featuring a closed railway station. I later read somewhere that it was filmed on the Hythe (Hampshire) branch.

Apparently Marchwood appeared as two different stations.

 

[yorksrob]

Apparently Marchwood appeared as two different stations.

Ah yes, that's the one !

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Buster Keatons "The General" - discussion on R4X today reminded me.

 

[weepingwillowb]

An episode of Callan (either 1970 or 1972) featured this railway station. Anyone know which it is, or was? The sign in #2 mentions "trains to London."

I'd guess that the last photo is not of an actor, as whoever it is wasn't credited at the end of the programme.

 

[Gloster]

Oxshott or Cobham & Stoke D’Abernon?

 

[weepingwillowb]

Oxshott or Cobham & Stoke D’Abernon?

The station in the photos had four platforms, if that helps.

 

[IanD]

Just watched One Life telling the moving story of Nicholas Winton organizing the kindertransport from Czechoslovakia at the start of WW2.

Interesting depiction of Liverpool Street, I think they only had 1 loco.

 

[side effect]

Thank you all so much.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

The station in the photos had four platforms, if that helps.

I'm thinking somewhere between Hither Green and Petts Wood, or between Shortlands and Swanley, since the series is known to have filmed in and around the London Bridge area.

 

[yorksrob]

I'm thinking somewhere between Hither Green and Petts Wood, or between Shortlands and Swanley, since the series is known to have filmed in and around the London Bridge area.

Nah, architecture looks L&SWR to me.

 

[Gloster]

I think that the forecourt shot is Claygate and the platform shots could all also be Claygate. Are you sure it was four platforms: the type of footbridge visible was not, as far as I am aware, suitable for large stations?

It is quite possible that shots were filmed at different locations. A friend who did some extra work was in a scene with three shots. Shot one was hero and villain jumping out of a moving train and running along the platform. Shot two was taken from outside the station as they ran out of it and across the forecourt. Shot three was of the villain jumping into a waiting car that roars off while the hero tries to stop it. Shot three was taken somewhere completely different to the first two.

 

[75A]

I'd highly reccommend visiting the Disused - Stations website, particularly:

Disused Stations: Films made at Baynards station

Which features all the films that used Baynards Station in Sussex

 

[weepingwillowb]

I think that the forecourt shot is Claygate and the platform shots could all also be Claygate. Are you sure it was four platforms: the type of footbridge visible was not, as far as I am aware, suitable for large stations?

It is quite possible that shots were filmed at different locations. A friend who did some extra work was in a scene with three shots. Shot one was hero and villain jumping out of a moving train and running along the platform. Shot two was taken from outside the station as they ran out of it and across the forecourt. Shot three was of the villain jumping into a waiting car that roars off while the hero tries to stop it. Shot three was taken somewhere completely different to the first two.

Ah, yes, I was wrong, it's not a platform number. I plead illness for not thinking clearly.

 

[D6130]

I'd highly reccommend visiting the Disused - Stations website, particularly:

Disused Stations: Films made at Baynards station

Which features all the films that used Baynards Station in Sussex

Very interesting....but those platform scenes weren't filmed at Baynards. Double track electrified line with three aspect colour light signal....4-SUB units?

 

[Gloster]

Very interesting....but those platform scenes weren't filmed at Baynards. Double track electrified line with three aspect colour light signal....4-SUB units?

I think that the post on Baynards does not have any connection to the posts on Callan. It is just a continuance of the main thread.

The 4-EPB, as it would have been, is on the Up platform at Claygate.

 

[Farang]

In 1981 the BBC screened an adaptation of Malcolm Bradbury's campus novel The History Man. Anthony Sher played scheming Sociology lecturer Howard Kirk, and Lancaster University stood in for the fictitious Watermouth University. There was a brief scene outside a train station which was filmed at Bristol Temple Meads.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

In 1981 the BBC screened an adaptation of Malcolm Bradbury's campus novel The History Man. Anthony Sher played scheming Sociology lecturer Howard Kirk, and Lancaster University stood in for the fictitious Watermouth University. There was a brief scene outside a train station which was filmed at Bristol Temple Meads.

Excellent book that - and I believe Temple Meads ought really to have been Brighton !

 

[75A]

Very interesting....but those platform scenes weren't filmed at Baynards. Double track electrified line with three aspect colour light signal....4-SUB units?

The Baynards link is related to the main thread.
Lots of films are mentioned and the time you can see trains in the films is included plus a link to the film. Very enjoyable.

 

[D6130]

The Baynards link is related to the main thread.
Lots of films are mentioned and the time you can see trains in the films is included plus a link to the film. Very enjoyable.

Thanks. Got it!

 

[yorksrob]

In 1981 the BBC screened an adaptation of Malcolm Bradbury's campus novel The History Man. Anthony Sher played scheming Sociology lecturer Howard Kirk, and Lancaster University stood in for the fictitious Watermouth University. There was a brief scene outside a train station which was filmed at Bristol Temple Meads.

Isn't there also a shot of one of the students catching a VEPb at Waterloo.

 

[weepingwillowb]

Haverthwaite station is featured in the 1974 film of Swallows And Amazons.

 

[Andrew S]

Two essay/documentary films by Patrick Keiller who was director, script writer and photographer on both. The first, "London", released in 1994 was filmed throughout 1992 and includes numerous glimpses of trains including EPBs departing Charing Cross on Hungerford Bridge, London Bridge during the rush hour, Liverpool Street, freight crossing the Thames and more. The second film, "Robinson in Space" (released in 1997) involves a tour of England and commences with an onboard departure from Paddington to Reading. More railway scenes include Brunel's bridge at Maidenhead, a class 47 at London Brickworks Forders Sidings on the Bedford to Bletchley line, "Thomas" and a "Peak" at Peak Rail Rowsley, the Huskisson memorial at Rainhill, class 56 on MGR from Immingham and concluding with a Sprinter, Pacer and another 56 on MGR crossing the Tyne bridges at Newcastle. Both were narrated by Paul Scofield. A third film "Robinson in Ruins" narrated by Vanessa Redgrave also features railway footage but I haven't seen this ..........yet!
And whilst Tim Dunn gave a much deserved shoutout to John Betjemen's "Metroland", how about his other films - "Railways for Ever", "Branch Line Railway" (Evercreech Junction to Highbridge, Bridgewater and Burnham on Sea - a real favourite of mine), "Men of Steam" (1962, the transition from steam to diesel), "John Betjemen Goes by Train" - Kings Lynn to Hunstanton by DMU in 1962, and his verse autobiographical film "Summoned By Bells" featuring his childhood holiday haunts in Cornwall including the closed station at Wadebridge.

I absolutely love Patrick Keller's films.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

In case it hasn't already been mentioned ( I have been reading the additions to the thread daily but can't remember!! ), at least two episodes of "Last of the Summer Wine" had scenes filmed on the platforms at Huddersfield and another episode included a scene of a view from a hillside of the uniquely liveried 47 475 hauling a Trans-Pennine express towards Liverpool.

In the latter instance, the conversation on the hillside went thus:

"Where do you suppose it's going?"

"London, probably!"

*all three then solemnly remove their hats as you would for a passing hearse*

 

[CaptainHaddock]

Delete: double post

 

[CaptainHaddock]

The BBC's classic Ghost Story For Christmas "A Warning To The Curious" has several scenes filmed at "Thruxton" station, which is actually Weybourne on the North Norfolk Railway.

Interestingly the film was made in 1972 yet the NNR didn't actually open to passengers till 1975.

Do watch it if you get chance, it's probably one of the most atmospheric TV programmes ever made.