Railway General Knowledge.

[341o2]

So said Castleton Knight. Which British locomotive was the star of the film which was set on a railway he directed and what was the reaction of the railway's Chief Mechanical Engineer?

 

[341o2]

A very famous locomotive.

 

[EbbwJunction1]

The loco is 4472 Flying Scotsman, and the film (made in 1930) is called The Flying Scotsman. As far as I know, locations on the LNER were used, but I have no idea what Sir Nigel Gresley's reaction was.

 

[Gloster]

The loco is 4472 Flying Scotsman, and the film (made in 1930) is called The Flying Scotsman. As far as I know, locations on the LNER were used, but I have no idea what Sir Nigel Gresley's reaction was.

He was horrified by the way they ignored automatic brakes and had coaches running loose, and a lot else besides. So much so that a disclaimer had to be included at the beginning (?) of the film. No stuntmen or woman in those days: Pauline Johnson really was clambering along the outside of a speeding train in high heels (she was in high heels, not the train).

 

[341o2]

The loco is 4472 Flying Scotsman, and the film (made in 1930) is called The Flying Scotsman. As far as I know, locations on the LNER were used, but I have no idea what Sir Nigel Gresley's reaction was.

Yes, that is the correct answer. Filming was done on the Hertford loop, depicting the London to Edinburgh express. the plot is that the driver was due to retire, and he had reported a fireman for drinking while on duty. Bent on revenge, the fireman plans to sabotage the train. Pauline Johnson played Joan, his daughter.

I was reminded of the sequence in The Jewel of the Nile, where Joan Wilder (Kathleen Turner) falls off a carriage roof, the sequence of her hanging onto the carriage side was then shot with a safety strap in place.

Initially pleased with the free publicity, it was insisted that a disclaimer regarding the film be inserted in the opening credits "For the purposes of the film, dramatic licence has been taken in regard to the safety equipment used on The Flying Scotsman." Film historian John Huntley alleges that Sir Nigel Gresley forbade any further filming on the LNER.

the Directors Chair passes to you

 

[EbbwJunction1]

Thanks, but I'll declare a vacant studio as I'm not going to be able to check any replies for a short while.

 

[xotGD]

As nobody else has come forward

Several stations have a number in their name. Three Bridges, Four Oaks, Five Ways, etc.

But can you name a station has Eight in its name?

 

[Ashley Hill]

Market Weighton (if closed stations count).

 

[RDP]

Deighton

 

[AndyPJG]

Deighton?

 

[xotGD]

As I didn't stipulate that the station has to be open, then @Ashley Hill has it.

Deighton and Leighton Buzzard would also fit the bill.

 

[Ashley Hill]

In 1981 which fictional railway station was proposed for closure and was going to be replaced by a cash and carry supermarket?
(Bonus points if you can also name the station that was used for filming)

 

[D6130]

Weatherfield Central?....Salford?

 

[Ashley Hill]

Weatherfield Central?....Salford?

Incorrect,sorry.

 

[D6130]

Walford (LU)?

 

[Ashley Hill]

Walford (LU)?

It wasn’t around in 1981.

 

[Gloster]

Was it the one where they have had to blur one of the posters outside the station in recent repeats? I know where that was filmed.

 

[Ashley Hill]

Was it the one where they have had to blur one of the posters outside the station in recent repeats? I know where that was filmed.

Yes a poster featuring a certain dubious celebrity was blurred out.

 

[D6130]

Brockholes....Last of the Summer Wine?

 

[Ashley Hill]

Brockholes....Last of the Summer Wine?

Afraid not.

 

[EbbwJunction1]

I think that it was the local station in "To the Manor Born" staring Penelope Keith, although I don't know which station was actually used for filming.

 

[Gloster]

I think it was filmed at Maiden Newton, but what the fictional name was, I know not. I never saw any episodes as I don’t have a telly and, anyway, Penelope Keith always irritates me.

 

[Ashley Hill]

It was To The Manor Born and was filmed at Maiden Newton. Richard Thorp (Alan Turner in Emmerdale) played the Taunton area manager,but what was the fictional station name? I’ll give the answer tomorrow to save dragging it out.

 

[Gloster]

It was To The Manor Born and was filmed at Maiden Newton. Richard Thorp (Alan Turner in Emmerdale) played the Taunton area manager,but what was the fictional station name? I’ll give the answer tomorrow to save dragging it out.

Couldn’t they get old Walkey-Talkey (an ironic nickname) to play himself? Or was it that Maiden Newton was part of the Westbury Area and that would be poaching?

 

[Ashley Hill]

Couldn’t they get old Walkey-Talkey (an ironic nickname) to play himself? Or was it that Maiden Newton was part of the Westbury Area and that would be poaching?

The AMO at Taunton had been abolished by the time I joined in 1987. Exeter AMO covered as far as Sherborne and Maiden Newton (and I think Penn Mill too) until the Area Manager organisation was done away with.

 

[Gloster]

The AMO at Taunton had been abolished by the time I joined in 1987. Exeter AMO covered as far as Sherborne and Maiden Newton (and I think Penn Mill too) until the Area Manager organisation was done away with.

I think that Taunton AMO had been abolished by 1980 and (along with Newton Abbot) been taken over by Exeter, but Mr Walkey, who had been either the Area Manager at Taunton or his deputy, was retained as a Traffic Assistant based at Taunton. Westbury AMO covered right down to the regional boundary north of Dorchester and also the WR from Wilton regional boundary to west of Chard Junction. Exeter/Taunton came up to just outside Castle Cary’s Up Distant.

 

[Ashley Hill]

Westbury AMO covered right down to the regional boundary north of Dorchester and also the WR from Wilton regional boundary to west of Chard Junction.

Exeter certainly covered Exeter-Sherborne and Maiden Newton. Former Exeter AM John Heaton mentions visiting these outposts in his books during his managerial days out. Also staff were given promotional maps showing “our” area plus of course an area tie,I still have mine.

 

[Gloster]

Exeter certainly covered Exeter-Sherborne and Maiden Newton. Former Exeter AM John Heaton mentions visiting these outposts in his books during his managerial days out. Also staff were given promotional maps showing “our” area plus of course an area tie,I still have mine.

I can only speak for the period up to early 1985, but I am pretty well certain of my recollections. It is possible that changes were made following the transfer of the regional boundary westwards from Wilton and to allow Westbury to concentrate more on freight (stone).

 

[Ashley Hill]

I can only speak for the period up to early 1985, but I am pretty well certain of my recollections. It is possible that changes were made following the transfer of the regional boundary westwards from Wilton and to allow Westbury to concentrate more on freight (stone).

Certainly anything was possible with the constant reorganisations that were happening.
Interesting the GPR staff only covered as far as Axminster whilst as ATEs at the time we covered to Sherborne.

 

[Gloster]

Certainly anything was possible with the constant reorganisations that were happening.
Interesting the GPR staff only covered as far as Axminster whilst as ATEs at the time we covered to Sherborne.

Axminster had been the limit of the Exeter area and Chard Junction of the Westbury one, so for many purposes those were the limits for Relief staff. Westbury was largely split into two: all the area from Castle Cary (inclusive) eastwards and Yeovil area, with a bit of overlap at Cary. I am not sure what ATEs are and presume GPR is General Purpose Relief.