Railways in Pop Culture

[Trackman]

Music video

Level 42-Something About you

Films

Hot Fuzz - 165 at Denham Golf Club
The Worlds End - 165 at High Wycombe
Hard Days Night - Plenty of footage from Marylebone
The Conjouring 2 - Blue Grey Mk3s at Marylebone

Tv

The Bill - 1 episode featured the inside of a 165 travelling between High Wycombe and Princes Risborough
Miranda - An episode of this show was filmed on trains at Marylebone

There have been 2 whole episodes of The Bill featuring the railways.
One was about the 3rd rail, the other about kids playing with detonators.
The 3rd rail one features a light engine class 47 too.

update: The 3rd rail episode is called 'Chicken' (series 8)

 

[61653 HTAFC]

There have been 2 whole episodes of The Bill featuring the railways.
One was about the 3rd rail, the other about kids playing with detonators.
The 3rd rail one features a light engine class 47 too.

update: The 3rd rail episode is called 'Chicken' (series 8)

I remember that episode!

There was an episode of London's Burning which featured a nuclear or chemical leak from a freight train. A preserved diesel (a class 15 I think) was painted into Red Stripe colours and given a TOPS number for the filming.

 

[SGS]

The 1967 Avengers episode 'A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Station' features many railway scenes, with lots of WCML AL electric locos in electric blue hauling mixed maroon, and blue and grey coaches. The portrayal of John Laurie's character shows that nostalgia is not just a recent railway enthusiast characteristic, with his opining about "the sound of past glories" etc.

The first album by Canadian post-rock band 'Godspeed You Black Emperor' has atmospheric sounds of distant diesel train horns and wheel squeal, and when you bought the vinyl version, you got an envelope full of goodies, one of which was a penny crushed by a train!

 

[125Forever]

From Series 8 of Casualty - The Train Crash Episode

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MI-ENKJqSyY

 

[markem41]

An entire album cover devoted to...? Anyone recognise this location.

 

[t_star2001uk]

There was a series in the 80s i believe called The Last Train..

 

[EM2]

An entire album cover devoted to...? Anyone recognise this location.

Must be the SWML heading from Clapham Junction towards Waterloo?
The cover of Microdisney's 'Town To Town' features a Union Pacific caboose too.

 

[Drogba11CFC]

The Story of Tracy Beaker: The Movie of Me had the character sneaking onboard a HST starting from Paddington which, somehow, then turns into some MKs or MKIIs on a preserved line hauled by a steam train! Guard carries a - then modern - ticket machine with BR double arrows applied to the coaches!

One of the other child home kids later finds her at a fictional station called Hopeston - can't be in the preserved line as the station has a coloured aspect plainly visible

I thought it was a FNW 175 leaving Euston.

 

[125Forever]

An entire album cover devoted to...? Anyone recognise this location.

The approach to London Bridge maybe?

 

[tsr]

Must be the SWML heading from Clapham Junction towards Waterloo?

I was thinking that too. I think a couple of buildings are missing, perhaps? Though the skyline and even some of the areas around the track are ever-changing, really.

 

[Scotrail84]

Stone Roses Sally Cinnamon has Manchester Victoria in the video.

Under your thumb by Godley and Creme is about suicide by train.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

There was a series in the 80s i believe called The Last Train..

Was that not the mid 90s? About a meteor or something striking earth and the people in this train were the only survivors as it was in a tunnel when the meteor struck??

 

[HMS Ark Royal]

I thought it was a FNW 175 leaving Euston.

Somehow, I don't think they'd clear a 332 into EUS just for the filming... Plenty of FGW HSTS there in background

And the family she gets onto the departing platform for heads towards a FGW branded HST - the 175 is in the next platform

You can see her coming up from the platform (6) where a double 332 is coming in, walks along the bridge and then down onto Platform 4 - however, the platform display is the one used for services for 5

--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

The 1967 Avengers episode 'A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Station' features many railway scenes, with lots of WCML AL electric locos in electric blue hauling mixed maroon, and blue and grey coaches. The portrayal of John Laurie's character shows that nostalgia is not just a recent railway enthusiast characteristic, with his opining about "the sound of past glories" etc.

You should see SERIES 4 - EPISODE 2 THE GRAVEDIGGERS as that has the best enthusiast's set up one could hope for!

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Gavin and Stacey - shots at Marylebone with a jobsworth TI , and the back of Cardiff Central acted as "Billericay" - along with Barry Town being Barry ! ...

 

[Harbon 1]

Not sure if it's been mentioned:

Stereophonics - Graffiti on the train.

The whole song is about a bloke who graffitis 'will you marry me' on the train his girlfriend always gets (must've had a TOPS list or something) but when she calls him he doesn't pick up he phone because he fell when the train started moving. Lovely upbeat song

 

[IanD]

"Minder" featured lots of railway scenes. Two episodes in particular spring to mind.

Series 4, episode 4 "Sorry Pal, Wrong Number" features Terry running Arthur's horse race tipping scam from 3 phoneboxes outside South Acton station (renamed Acton Green for the episode) - with some hindrance from the station staff. Picture here http://www.minder.org/episodeguide/S04E04_SorryPalWrongNumber.htm

Series 6, Episode 6 "Waiting for Goddard". The title character lives in an old railway building in what is now Camley Street Nature reserve just north of St Pancras. I think there's a scene featuring rake pulled by what looks like a Peak in the background. (Before I discovered the site referenced above, this was what enabled me to discern it was filmed near St Pancras).

 

[70014IronDuke]

Must be the SWML heading from Clapham Junction towards Waterloo?.....

My first thought too, taken from the signal box, with the W London line diverting to the left, but ....
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

The approach to London Bridge maybe?

Could be in with a shout?

I thought there was some kind of division between the Brighton lines the SECR lines though? And what is the line diverging to the left - a connection towards the old Bricklayers' Arms or ...?

 

[Drogba11CFC]

In the film "Goal: The Dream Begins", there are shots of a GNER 225 set when the main character is travelling to Newcastle.

 

[HMS Ark Royal]

One of the Sherlock Holmes or Poirot episodes was filmed at Hull Paragon with the station done up to look like it was in the Southern part of the country - which was okay until the panning to the right where you saw full colour aspects and a 142 on P6

 

[Trackman]

I remember that episode!

There was an episode of London's Burning which featured a nuclear or chemical leak from a freight train. A preserved diesel (a class 15 I think) was painted into Red Stripe colours and given a TOPS number for the filming.

I remember that one too!
Double headed 14's
found it on you tube https://youtu.be/J__LellkkK0

 

[Drogba11CFC]

Another episode featured Blue Watch dealing with a train derailment, and a third featured a fire on a train hauled by Britannia.

 

[al green]

The band Man had an album in 70s called Back into the Future. Title song is about a train journey. It's a double album and the gatefold cover has a photo of the band and family members dressed in Victorian costumes on a station. The sack barrow says Marlow but I believe the photo was taken at Taplow station. And the third rail connection is that the live tracks were recorded at the Roundhouse in Camden, a former engine shed.

 

[Michael.Y]

IIRC, Ystrad Mynach station was also used during the filming of Porridge?

Well the one in the film is Wargrave, not sure about the one in the Prisoner & Escort pilot. IMDB no help. That was filmed in and around Bedlinog in Merthyr.

Also a little wrinkle re Gavin & Stacey - Marylebone stood in as Paddington, complete with Paddington signage on the wall. I wouldn't want to ride a Turbo all the way to Cardiff mind.

 

[HMS Ark Royal]

Well the one in the film is Wargrave, not sure about the one in the Prisoner & Escort pilot. IMDB no help. That was filmed in and around Bedlinog in Merthyr.

Wikipedia confirms the station as Ystrad Mynach

 

[Michael.Y]

Wikipedia confirms the station as Ystrad Mynach

[citation needed]

 

[EM2]

I wouldn't want to ride a Turbo all the way to Cardiff mind.

I once rode a 158 from Clapham Junction to Abergavenny...

 

[HMS Ark Royal]

I once rode a 158 from Clapham Junction to Abergavenny...

I once rode a 142 for nearly four hours!

#

In 102 Dalmations, Flying Scotsman sets off towards Paris hauling the orient express - complete with American/Continental bell and then changing locomotive types in the very next shot

 

[70014IronDuke]

Music video

Level 42-Something About you

Films

Hot Fuzz - 165 at Denham Golf Club
The Worlds End - 165 at High Wycombe
Hard Days Night - Plenty of footage from Marylebone
The Conjouring 2 - Blue Grey Mk3s at Marylebone

Tv

The Bill - 1 episode featured the inside of a 165 travelling between High Wycombe and Princes Risborough
Miranda - An episode of this show was filmed on trains at Marylebone

Ian Anderson (of Jethro Tull) also seemed to be touched by the former Great Central charisma.

"Sliding through Victorian tunnels
Where green moss oozes from the pores.
Dull echoes from the wet embankments
Battlefield allotments. Fresh open sores."

From the song "journeyman" - which musically seems the best ever at capturing the feeling you get when staring down out of Mk 1 carriage drop-light doing 90mph over a set of points/crossings.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U200PtLtcFA

(It might help that his lead guitarist is a train freak).

 

[Mikey C]

The modern Sherlock series had an episode set on the Underground, set around Westminster station.

 

[Trackman]

"Minder" featured lots of railway scenes. Two episodes in particular spring to mind.

Series 4, episode 4 "Sorry Pal, Wrong Number" features Terry running Arthur's horse race tipping scam from 3 phoneboxes outside South Acton station (renamed Acton Green for the episode) - with some hindrance from the station staff. Picture here http://www.minder.org/episodeguide/S04E04_SorryPalWrongNumber.htm

Series 6, Episode 6 "Waiting for Goddard". The title character lives in an old railway building in what is now Camley Street Nature reserve just north of St Pancras. I think there's a scene featuring rake pulled by what looks like a Peak in the background. (Before I discovered the site referenced above, this was what enabled me to discern it was filmed near St Pancras).

The Long Ride Back To Scratchwood featured Euston, some great shots of them going down the escalators to the underground which couldn't be shot today.

 

[125Forever]

Big Big Train have a song called 'The Last Train' - it details the life of the Station Master of a Station on the Somerset/Dorset Border (song is on The Underfall Yard):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfCMX6iMcZM

The next album they recorded (English Electric Part One) has 'The First Rebreather' as it's opening track, detailing a true story during the construction of The Severn Tunnel when a diver had to rescue stranded workmen during a flood (they had tapped an underground spring during its construction, placing the workmen in severe danger).

English Electric Part Two also has a song named 'East Coast Racer' which is a beautiful homage to Mallard. I wish I could have been one of 'Joe' or 'Tommy' on the plate!