[John Webb]

Channel 4 showed this 1962 film at lunchtime today. It stars Peter Sellers, Lional Jefferies, Bernard Cribbins, John Le Measurier and others. It is a tale of London crooks being robbed by Australian crooks disguised as policemen. The crooks set up a trap with the real police to capture the Australian crooks. I remembered that there is a major use of a level crossing where they hope to trap the crooks. The film was made by Beaconsfield Studios.

Neither John Huntley's "Railways on the Screen" or Glyn Horton's recent book "British Railways in Feature Films" mention the film at all. I therefore recorded the last two-thirds of it to include this part of the film and try and identify where it was shot. All I could get from the film was:
Signal box of rectangular shape, flat roof and brick build - possibly WWII build?
Third rail electrification, so presumeably BR(SR), apparently on a level and straight length of track going away from the crossing. (but could have been done elsewhere and edited in).
Lattice signal post holding upper quadrant signal protecting crossing.
Large gasholders a short distance along road crossing railway.

No name visible on signalbox and no trains passed, suggesting this may have been a minor line.

Anyone know where these scenes were taken, please?

Regards,
John Webb

 

[poliss]

Drat, missed it!!! The imdb says the scene of the robbery is Cowley Mill Road / Waterloo Road, Uxbridge, Middlesex, England, UK
The imdb has 2,046 films with the keyword Train. Anyone seen them all?

 

[John Webb]

Thanks - there was actually a hand-drawn map with 'Cowley Mill Road' and 'Waterloo Road' seen during the planning of the robbery; I had assumed they were made-up names and didn't attempt to use them as a clue!

Could you please enlighten me as to what the "imbd" is and how to access it, please?

Regards,
John

 

[poliss]

IMDB, International Movie Database, http://www.imdb.com/ Treat with care as the info on there isn't always correct.

 

[John Webb]

Thanks for that - your comment on accuracy (or lack of it) is noted.

Regards,
John

 

[7113]

I can't add anything of note about the railway aspect but mention of the film reminded me of it being shown as a treat when I was at junior school, I think it would have been about 1967 or 1968. Didn't one of the gang members drive an Aston Martin?

Regards

 

[John Webb]

QUOTE (BRITHO @ 14 Jan 2008, 16:38) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Didn't one of the gang members drive an Aston Martin?

Yes, I think it was Peter Sellers as 'Pearly Gates' - there was another sports car driven by his girl-friend, who was double-crossing him by giving away his plans to the Australian crooks.

Regards,
John

 

[7113]

QUOTE (John Webb @ 14 Jan 2008, 18:39) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Yes, I think it was Peter Sellers as 'Pearly Gates'

Thanks - nice to know the memory is holding up.

Regards

 

[John Webb]

Had a look at the 'IMDB' site which confirms the robbery location - but absolutely nothing about the level-crossing location! Can't have been near to the robbery location - the nearest railway was some streets away and was an ex-GWR branch to Uxbridge. This closed in 1964 and has mostly been built over since, alas.

So if anyone out there has any information...... I'd love to know! Double track, possibly SW London, close to a gasworks or distribution centre, probably SR. Flat area

I think the couple of road bridges where cars come flying over at speed are in the Uxbridge area over the Grand Union canal.

Regards,
John

 

[poliss]

Try Google maps or old ordnance survey maps for locations near to the studio.

 

[frame69]

Hi John,I have posted this question on another forum to which I'm a member,I happen to know there are a few train buffs on there who wont rest until they have solved this one...
Regards,Frame.

 

[frame69]

http://www.britmovie.co.uk/forums/film-loc...ng-arm-law.html
My question had already been posted so this link maybe af interest.Regards,frame.

 

[John Webb]

Thanks for that - obviously my sleuthing on Google Earth was too presumptive!

I just didn't realise places could change that much! (I wonder where they get their gas from now....!)

Regards,
John

 

[frame69]

Thanks for this post John,my girlfriend is ordering this from amazon for me,£8 or so ,on its own or with 2 other movies on board.

BTW this is a good source of information...http://www.davros.org/rail/movies.html...I came across it last year.
Regards,Frame.

 

[jasp]

Hi Guys
Great movie from my youth
Dont make 'em like that any more
Jim

 

[rossi]

I thought "pearly" Gates was the cop .My memory is getting bad .

 

[Purley Oaks]

QUOTE (John Webb @ 11 Mar 2009, 23:21) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>I just didn't realise places could change that much! (I wonder where they get their gas from now....!)

A couple of massive gas holders at Granton down by the Forth in northwest Edinburgh were torn down 5 or 6 years ago;until then they were a given on the Edinburgh skyline.

Wondered where my original post about Fairfax Road was then realised there are two threads with the same heading (different subheader, though).

mal

 

[John Webb]

According to the records held by John Hinson, who runs the site www.signalbox.org, the signalbox was just known as 'Fairfax' and closed in August 1973.

Mal. sorry about the two threads - perhaps with hindsight I should have extended the first one with the mention of the reshowing.

Regards,
John

 

[steam-driven boy]

QUOTE (poliss @ 12 Jan 2008, 01:25) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Drat, missed it!!!

Hi all, there's another chance to see this (of course

)

Channel 4 Friday 20/03/09 1.35pm

Regards.

 

[steam-driven boy]

Hi again,

Just noticed the other thred posting - Sorry

Regards.