The Good Life locations

[Automotivehistorian]

My wife is besotted with The Good Life, and we have an unopened VHS set which may never see the light of a player. She was asking where the 'Surbiton' houses were? I thought that the two featured houses were rented in Northwood. Was the golf course in the same location?

[Mark O]

Kewferry Road, Northwood for the houses, about halfway along the road......

[Automotivehistorian]

Thanks. Did they use Eastcote for the 'shops' scene after the Goods spend every single drop of money save for 1p paying the Rates?

[Mark O]

name='Automotivehistorian']Thanks. Did they use Eastcote for the 'shops' scene after the Goods spend every single drop of money save for 1p paying the Rates?

You're welcome, could well be Eastcote, or it could be the parade at Northwood Hills, the architecture has a look of a 1930's 'Metroland' suburb, i know it was definitely Northwood itself where you see Margo leaving a business premises then get into her green Volkswagen Golf where the others were wondering what Margo was getting up to.



I love The Good life to bits also, my fave sit-com, i recall the episode where Mrs Weaver had just moved into The Avenue, she gives Margo a watercolour of the River at Thames Ditton Mrs Weaver had painted herself and Margo is thrilled with, intrigued i eventually made it to the River at Thames Ditton myself last Summer, not quite what i expected but visiting the place was something i needed to get out of my system!



A few pics here........



The Archives of Let's Talk Dusty! - Out and about

[Jack Gurney]

Two other locations used were Denham station (in the episode HOME SWEET HOME, where the old farmer takes them to the country to look at a smallholding) and the nearby Willowbank area bordering on Uxbridge, where, in JUST MY BILL, Tom takes his fruit and veg cart out and repeatedly shouts "Gidiaspudsagresia" before being threatened by Ronnie Boxall and his mate Eugene.

[Torquemada]

I used to live in Suburbiton when I was at university and soon realised that there wasn't anywhere that looked anything like the Good's street there.

[Jack Gurney]

Yes, I was disappointed when I went on a pilgrimage down there in 1993 and even found a road called "The Avenue", but which was clearly not The Avenue depicted in the series. One wonders why they used Surbiton as a setting at all, unless it was some kind of onomatopaeiaic association thing whereby it makes you think of the word 'suburban'. Surely actually saying Northwood, Uxbridge or Pinner would have gotten the point across just as well?

[Torquemada]

name='Jack Gurney'] One wonders why they used Surbiton as a setting at all, unless it was some kind of onomatopaeiaic association thing whereby it makes you think of the word 'suburban'.

Because it's always been known as the heart of the stockbroker belt and that's why we called it Suburbiton.

[Mark O]

name='Torquemada']Because it's always been known as the heart of the stockbroker belt and that's why we called it Suburbiton.

It is, saying Northwood as the home location wouldn't have quite the same ring to it, plus other Surrey places not far away were mentioned in some episodes, 'i'm shopping in Dorking', 'we're moving to Chobham', etc; though i could never understand why Gerry was in some permanent traffic jam on London Bridge when he could have used a train from Waterloo to Surbiton like everyone else!

[Steve Crook]

name='Mark O']... though i could never understand why Gerry was in some permanent traffic jam on London Bridge when he could have used a train from Waterloo to Surbiton like everyone else!

Because he was an executive. "Everyone else" would take the train but an executive would drive, and have his own parking place. The kudos of that, before the congestion charge and while it only took a couple of hours to drive the 20 miles into central London, would make it seem worthwhile to an executive like Gerry.



I've known some like that



Steve

[Rowdon]

Does anyone know if it's true that there was a "W" club along that line, who used to get off the train for a double at every station starting with "W"? (Waterloo, Woking, Witley, Wivelsfield .... that, tragically, is off the top of my head).

Probably a suburban myth.

[film1967]

Does anyone know if it's true that there was a "W" club along that line, who used to get off the train for a double at every station starting with "W"? (Waterloo, Woking, Witley, Wivelsfield .... that, tragically, is off the top of my head).

Probably a suburban myth.

That's a new one on me!

[Mark O]

name='film1967']That's a new one on me!

Me too!........though 'Merchant Bankers' = W>^%£-s?..........

[Torquemada]

name='Rowdon']Does anyone know if it's true that there was a "W" club along that line, who used to get off the train for a double at every station starting with "W"? (Waterloo, Woking, Witley, Wivelsfield .... that, tragically, is off the top of my head).

Probably a suburban myth.

Wimbledon and Worcester Park at least, from memory.

[Torquemada]

name='Mark O']It is, saying Northwood as the home location wouldn't have quite the same ring to it, plus other Surrey places not far away were mentioned in some episodes, 'i'm shopping in Dorking', 'we're moving to Chobham', etc; though i could never understand why Gerry was in some permanent traffic jam on London Bridge when he could have used a train from Waterloo to Surbiton like everyone else!

Yep train from London Bridge to Waterloo East, over the footbridge to Waterloo and train to Surbiton - half an hour tops.

[SlicerWanstead]

This thread combined with a soft spot for the series has encouraged me to hunt around for the locations to this series myself so I thought I'd join in and share what I've found. Kewferry Road is well documented but the one-offs are never mentioned. I've not found everything but I've surprised myself with what I have discovered. I'll go through them in episode order.



In Plough your Own Furrow, Tom and Jerry arrive for work at J.J.M. Ltd. This building is Westel House, Uxbridge Road, Ealing on the corner with Craven Road. It is part of Thames Valley University.



In Say Little Hen the view from Jerry's windscreen is driving east along Moor Park Road, Northwood. The view of the succession of houses is at the other end of the same road heading west from the third house in.



The newsagent in Pigs' Lib is Martin's at 51 Green Lane, Northwood. You can see up the road when Tom walks in.



Back in Moor Park Road for Just My Bill and the "Gidiaspudsagreesia!" scene. Ronnie Boxall turns out of Grove Road. The silent houses are still identifiable, especially number 15 behind Tom when he says “Please?�.



The walk back from the rates office is along Joel Street in Northwood Hills (thanks Mark O). It still goes Estate Agent/Wimpy/John Terry Soft Furnishings; this view is uncanny. The public toilets have been bricked up but the building is still there in front of the bridge.



More to follow...

[SlicerWanstead]

Chapter 2 of this saga.



In Mr Fix-it Jerry is visiting shops. Tops 'n' Bottoms is 22 Bridge Street, Pinner, now a dry cleaner's. On the basis that they wouldn't want to travel too far it looks as if Kennett's is one of the shops further down the road judging by the columns dividing the properties. Are there any Pinnerites old enough to remember Kennett's? Come on Elton. Don't be shy.



Thanks Jack Gurney for Denham Station in Home Sweet Home.



In The Happy Event Jerry is driving to the hospital at night. We see the police car parked in Grove Road as Jerry drives along Sandy Lodge Way. The cars come to a stop back in the short leg of the L-shaped Grove Road and later drive off turning right up the long bit.



The view from inside the car shows a long wall followed by a long wooden fence. Batchworth Lane fits the bill between the Kewferry Road and Sandy Lodge Way turnings although there's probably no way of proving it. There has been about 35 years of growth since it was filmed.



Continued...

[SlicerWanstead]

The allotments in I Talk to the Trees are off Chestnut Avenue, Northwood.



For The Green Door, Mark O has given us Rowland Place along Green Road in Northwood when Margo looks around furtively and doesn't notice her next-door neighbours watching her across the road with a goat.



We'll stay here for Our Speaker Today. Just behind the shops in Rowland Place is St Helen's School for sweet young things. One of these buildings is shown as Grant House, remand home for nasty little herberts. Completely unexpected, this one elicited the loudest “Strewth!� at the 'Ville.



Earlier in the episode Lenin boards the bus back in Moor Park Road. It looks like the bus passes the Grove Road turning and a Street View vacuum.



Once on the bus we can see through the windows as it turns right out of Kewferry Road and into Batchworth Lane as Tom pays his fare.



Nearly there.

[SlicerWanstead]

Final instalment.



For the Weaver's Tale, the part of Dorking is ably played by Pinner. The antique shop is at 44 High Street (now dnk). That's the Queen's Head behind Tom and Margo.



I've let you down with the Victoriana shop. I'm sure it can't have got far.



For the race in When I'm 65, after setting off Tom and Jerry appear to be running along the well-trodden Moor Park Road towards Kewferry Road. After the double garage they pass a sign for St Martin's School. The building behind the hedge has disappeared.



Finally they run out of Thirlmere Gardens and steam as they come to a stop in Rickmansworth Road. After calling a truce they crawl into The Gate pub.



I hope this has been of use. I’m not precious about any of this so if you have any corrections or queries please respond. I'll find somewhere to host some screen-grabs as there are some bits missing.

[Alan F]

Excellent work.

I watched Plough Your Own Furrow at the weekend and wondered about the JJM building. I thought it might be Ealing as that stretch of road has often been used by the BBC.