[John Webb]

Christmas presented me with a copy of "Horton's Guide to Britain's Railways in feature films", published by Silver Link from their Nostalgia Collection. (ISBN 978 1 85794 287 3, £16.99, softback, 192 pages).

This gives brief details, where known, of some 900 films in which there are views of UK railways or trams. As the title suggests, it does not include factual films, such as the British Transport Film Unit's works. Neither are foreign railways or made for TV series included. Being recently published it does contain many films made since John Huntley's book "Railways on the Screen" published in 1993, and so tends to complement that book rather than replace it.

There are two appendices; one lists preserved railways and the films that have been made on each, the other lists London Termini and the films in which they have appeared.

Regards,
John

 

[John Webb]

Features on the front cover!
John

 

[John Webb]

Neither Horton's book nor John Huntley's explain exactly why the specific colour scheme was chosen. The 1993 edition of the 'Worth Valley Railway Stockbook' gives no explanation either - it just comments that the loco was repainted in the fictious 'GN&SR' for the 20th Anniversery of 'The Railway Children'.

I assume EMI set designers chose something which looked Edwardian and not quite like any genuine railway livery.

Regards,
John

 

[John Webb]

"The Keighley and Worth Valley Railway - a Guide and History" written and published by Martin Bairstow in 1993 (ISNB 1 871944 04 X) mentions the filming but does not explain why that particular colour scheme was chosen either!
Regards,
John