The LNER at the Movies (and in books)

[richard]

Thanks - yes the thread is intended to be open indefinitely. Think of it as a public notebook for the 'article' page.

I've just added Goathland - I was aware of it but had forgotten
Also added Hull Paragon to the Poirot listing.

Ferro Rocher adverts must have become quite classy compared to the "Oh Ambassador" ads that I remember...

Richard

[JonathonAG]

Not sure if this has been mentioned, but "Waverly Steps", a 1948 film which took place in ( guess ) Edinburgh, and has many shots of A4 "Merlin".

I can't remember every locomotive we see, but Merlin sticks out. I'll watch the video tonight and see what list i can make

[richard]

Thanks - and any other details (year, principals) although I can probably find these on IMDB.

Richard

[Bullhead]

In the "Full Monty"-style feelgood movie "School for Seduction", which is set in Newcastle, there are several shots of the post-electrification Central Station. Amusingly, the GNER 225s which appear during the railway scenes have had diesel sound effects dubbed on.

[John B]

I have found a place in the USA where several of the LNER films can be bought.

I made a list of seven films that I wanted, the list includes;

1 Railway Children 1970
2 The Titfield Thunderbolt 1953
3 The 39 Steps 1935
4 The Ladykillers 1955
5 Oh! Mr. Porter 1937
6 The Flying Scotsman 1929
7 Waverley Steps 1948

Films number 2,3,5 and 6 are available from Moviesunlimited.

Here's a link;
http://www.moviesunlimited.com/musite/default.asp?

[richard]

Thanks John - I'll have a look.
About half of those are "widely available" - whilst not in my local movie store, they can bought at Amazon or rented from Netflix. I have "Ladykillers" in my Shopping Cart at Amazon at the moment - I'll probably buy it in a few weeks.


Richard

[Percy Main]

Get Carter - 1970/71. The original one, not the crap remake with Sylvester Stallone in it!

The opening sequence features a Deltic-headed Newcastle express and various brief shots (?from the cab) of tunnels, bridges etc. Also the train arriving at Newcastle in the early evening.

Sorry, no steam. Does this one count?

There is also a scene at Manors Station:

http://www.aouq09.dsl.pipex.com/getcarter/station.htm

[crazyhorse]

I will apologise in advance as I am not a film person.

However, I'm sure that the opening titles of "The Inn Of The Sixth Happiness" (Gladys Aylward) are shown over a backdrop of Liverpool Street station with a train arriving at one of the mainline platforms.

The view is from the city end of the station and I have often wondered if any extra footage was shot for the sequence, and may still be lying undiscovered in a vault somewhere, depending on which company made the original.

I have not seen the film for over 30 years, so my memory may be playing tricks.

[65447]

Hello,

First post - you can find several additions to the list of films at: http://www.gersociety.org.uk/ ...just click on the link labelled Films in the menu down the left...

[richard]

Thanks everyone - I'll get Get Carter & Inn of the Sixth Happiness added, and print out the GERs list to compare & add...

Richard

[52D]

Can anyone remember an episode of Dr Finlays casebook where a J36 repainted into NBR livery pulls in to Tannochbrae.
I photographed the loco back in BR livery on the scrap line at Thornton Junction with Dr Finlay chalked on its splasher. Unfortunately i have lost the photo.

Loco was 65345 i have found a picture of it in BR colours with J36 Thornton painted LNER style on the front buffer beam it looks immaculate i wonder if BR had put it back into BR livery after filming or wether my recollection of it being in NBR livery was incorrect. The notes with the picture says 65345 & 65288 were stored serviceable at the back of Thornton Shed for possibile film use.
Did they get used.

[richard]

Sorry can't help with the J36.

However in the past week, I finally saw "Get Carter" and "Inn of the Sixth Happiness". Very different films

Shame "Get Carter" wasn't filmed a few years earlier - then we'd have had J27s and the like instead of the aerial tramway at the end.

The railway scenes at the beginning of "Inn of the Sixth Happiness" feature locomotives with BR numbers and coaches with both BR & LNER liveries - not bad for ~1930! (it was filmed in the 1950s). I've been doing some background reading - this pales compared to many of the other changes, including the imaginative casting. Gladys was a short Londoner - so she is played by a tall Scandinavian blonde. Two of the prominent Chinese men are played by an English actor and an Austrian (Jurgens' character is entirely fictional). A lot of the filming was in North Wales (I believe I recognised a few spots near the end), and the kids were mainly from Liverpool's Chinese quarter - listen carefully for the occasional bit of Scouse
Still, a good antidote to "Get Carter's" bleakness...


Richard

[buckjumper]

Operation Bullshine 1959
Buntingford branch with N7. Donald Sinden, Barbara Murray. Dir. Gilbert Gunn.

Nope! This faux pas is repeated from time to time - even Peter Paye's book on the line repeats it incorrectly. The loco is infact a very grimy J15 - believed to be 65463. It's seen at Braughing station on a couple of occasions. The coaches, on the other hand, were four ex-GE corridor coaches specially restored and painted in LNER brown. All were scrapped soon after filming.

Continuity: the protagonists are on a motorbike and drive down what is now the A120 at Standon, pull into the station, and run onto the platform at Braughing.

Postmans Knock 1961
Buntingford branch with J15. Spike Milligan, Barbara Shelley. Dir. Robert Lynn.

The loco was 65460 and was the only J15 to be lined out.

[richard]

Thanks I've fixed the N7.

Richard

[52A]

Operation Bullshine 1959
Buntingford branch with N7. Donald Sinden, Barbara Murray. Dir. Gilbert Gunn.

From John Huntley guide to steam in the movies presented free with Steam Railway!