thomas prittie

This is one excellent comedy,and the
action shots,such as moving the truck
with the load of stones and a broken axle
with the locomotive,shows how to deal with
the enemy-In this case the thugs hired by the
bus company. Also the duel with the traction
engine and the locomotive were a good laugh.
And the railway inspectors who were kept
in the dark the entire time of their offical
inspection,never realizing that the engine was
not even pulling the train when the "rope" couplings broke apart. And that the engine could
not go in reverse until it was stopped fully and
then pushed backwards.It is too bad that this line
was scrapped,because it was beautiful like a similar shortline in Scotland in Angus County-that runs from the Bridge of Dun to Brechlin.
I rode in the cab of this small railway back in
1983,while visiting my inlaws who were in the U.S
Navy- It was a wonderful little trip-much like
my Hometown Tourist Railway-The Sacramento Southern Railroad-6 miles of running track and 18
miles of undeveloped right of way.
Talk about future laughter-the undeveloped 18
miles of right of way is right next to some new
homes that are a mere 20 feet away. The right of way belongs to California State Parks,and the new homes are call infilled development of small useless pieces of real estate.
When California Budget mess is cleaned-up and these tracks are activated for Tourist Trains as
big as 4-8-8-4 and smaller tea-kettles of 0-6-0
the phones will be ringing off the wall at City
Hall,asking who was responsible for placing these
houses so close to Railroad tracks that are covered with weeds and grass at the present time.
Can you just image what will happen when the
Whistle Blows and the windows crack and the houses
are shaken off their foundations by the passing
Steam Locomotives!.
I can read: Houses For Sale Cheap!.

Sincerely: Thomas John Prittie-Docent at the
California State Railroad Museum,
Sacramento,California. :)

[ 16. June 2004, 20:15: Message edited by: DB7 ]

Thomas John Prittie.

Bob M.

I work as a train driver and I can tell you this film is a special favourite of ralwaymen around the world. I think it shows how England once was and how the railway was as well.The commuters all strolling down to catch the train in the morning, now they would be looking for somewhere to park there 4 by 4. The moan about the parking fee.
Lovely film, great actors. :)

"How about dat, a? How about dat?

Rob Compton

Welcome to BritMovie Thomas - good to have you aboard. Just out of interest I stayed in Sacramento only a few weeks ago, and it's a fabulous city! Didn't see your Museum, but I did see the State Capitol building which is beautiful, and many other places. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

To get back on topic the Ealing film The Titfield Thunderbolt was filmed in 1952 on an old British Railways branch line at Limpley Stoke near Bath in the West of England. I too love this film, which is an object lesson in the use of Technicolor. Just out of interest, the scenes of removing the old loco from the museum, were not filmed in Bath, but instead the town of Woodstock was used, only a few miles from me to the north of Oxford, with Woodstock Town Hall standing in for the museum. The park scenes were shot in Richmond park, just south of London.

rgds
Rob :)

JamesM

Some regional tv company made a documentary two years ago about the locations of Titfield Thunderbolt. Douglasx Slocombe (cinematographer) made his hime movies of the making of the film for this doc. Pity that Warner Home Video could not release the film on DVD with this already produced doc and with a Slocombe commentary instead of the poor vanilla copy in that boxset. I had problems with the film's premise, nationalisation of the railways brings closure of train service. I think the reverse would be more likely to have caused such closure.

Gibbie

I have a friend from Manchester who is a train buff. Do you know if the train from the movie is in a museum?

Gibbie

Bob M.

The loco is called 'LION' and it is preserved somewhere but I don't know where.

"How about dat, a? How about dat?

Gibbie

Thanks, Bob! I'll have a look round the woods of museums for the Lion.

Gibbie

Rennie

According to the following link it is currently at The Manchester Museum of Science and Industry.

http://www.asterhobbies.co.uk/pages/models...ion_history.htm

Before ambling on up I would suggest a 'phone call would be advisable!!!!!!!!

Gibbie

Thanks, Rennie!

Gibbie

Rennie

PS

By sheer coincidence, in the June edition of 'Steam Weekly (page 51), there is a colour photograph of 'Lion' having a rare, steamless outing.

Absolutley No Hope Whatsoever

FYI One of the locations used in the film was Midford, between Limpley Stoke & Bath...particularly the Pub there. Also......another location was at an old pub on the bath to peasdown st john road on the A367 just by the junction with the B 3115....and If i remember rightly the pub was called the titfield thunderbolt!!....Midford was one of the main locations and after driving through daily, commuting, the film haunted me with constant reminders of the setting....but in a nice way :)

Out on a limb...as usual

Steve Crook

But was the pub called that before the film?

There can't be many pubs named after films.
One that I know of is the Genevieve Hotel in Brighton and there used to be a pub called the Genevieve in Streatham.

Steve

Steve Crook

PaPAS

Absolutley No Hope Whatsoever

....I'm not sure...However give me a few weeks and I shall make some enquiries....my gran lived in Midford in the 1920's and early 30's and I also haev other relations who may know some interesting stories about the film.
Actually...have a look here..it seems it was named after the film.... http://www.sharpos-world.co.uk/mainindx/uk...ndx/pub/pub.htm .

Out on a limb...as usual

Hackett

There is or was a pub in London called "THE THIRTYNINE STEPS".

Steve Crook

It looks like it's not there any more (after a search on EYP) - but they do list "The Thirty Nine Steps" a guest house in Edinburgh.

I wonder if that's got any connection to the film

Steve

Steve Crook

PaPAS