Solari animation film

[robertcyjones]

Some of you may find this animation of a Solari board I just posted on You Tube interesting.

These were the opening credits for a short film for the BBC Film Club and was based on the Solari boards at Victoria, although the station names are a hypothetical 'journey' of an actress going from Fenchurch Street station to Hollywood via Southend (where she lived) and Saddleworth (where I'm from), with a few jokes in between ('Oh I do love to be Batter-Sea-Side' and 'Up the Junction' - I live in Battersea).

The Solari sounds were recorded live at Liverpool St Station.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9tKowzqTtE

Regards

 

[metrocammel]

Ashton is mentioned!!!

And Saddleworth Station!! That shut in the 1960s! It's a shame it didn't use Ashton's full title, Ashton Charlestown :P


Nice though, it's a shame Solari's are almost a thing of the past now

 

[williamn]

Are they still in use anywhere in the UK?
I don't know why they have been replaced - they still seem to be commonly used on the continent.

 

[A60K]

Are they still in use anywhere in the UK?
I don't know why they have been replaced - they still seem to be commonly used on the continent.

But getting replaced in a lot of places across Europe as well now, mainly with LED displays. A bit of a shame, but probably inevitable given the greater flexibility of electronic displays. Remember before the Solari displays when you had boards that were hollow with men running around inside, changing wooden name plates in slots!

 

[Royston Vasey]

Are they still in use anywhere in the UK?
I don't know why they have been replaced - they still seem to be commonly used on the continent.

Montparnasse terminal in Paris certainly still has them, I noticed when there recently but IIRC consisted of individual letters (obviously with A, B, C etc) to make up the words. I much prefer the procession of station names we used to see. Maybe it better congures up the anticipation of of a journey through all those places (or for a commuter leaving Waterloo for home in the 80s for example, maybe the dread!!)

I seem to recall the opening sequence of Clockwise (John Cleese film, mid-80s) featured a mock-up one of these boards which when it stopped showed the cast names etc rather than station names (a scene in the film involves Cleese getting on the wrong train).

Sticks in my memory, but can't seem to find that particular sequence on youchoob!

 

[Jordy]

Here is an example of a Swiss solari (or solari-style!) board I found in Neuchatel

[youtube]GFqMmYDG60E[/youtube]