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The Railway Children Sequel to start filming at KWVR

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ChiefPlanner

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Mm -- no doubt an excellent person in many ways; but has always struck me as one of those Christians with a tendency to confuse themselves, with the deity they worship. It is -- above all else -- a statement by him concerning World War I, which prompts my dislike of him.

Yes I agree - I was thoroughly bored the first time I read his book , but with maturity - I can see some more positive points as to his character. The odd glass of red wine might have relaxed him a bit.

Anyway - back to the Railway Children - Mrs Waterhouse (is that right) , would have done a cracking job in WW1 with her natural empathy and organisation - would have discovered politics post war and become an early and much respected Member of Parliament in the 1920's as a humane and liberal person, the father , having done back to his Foreign Office job would have been asked to carry on beyond retirement , built an excellent repartee with Winston Churchill , and in memory of his lost son , worked hard to combat with some passion against the appeasement policies of the 1930's.

The Great Northern and Southern became part of the LMS ,and had troublesome times post WW1 , operational standards were maintained , but carriage cleaning deteriorated.

How does that sound ?
 
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Calthrop

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If I remember right, Cecil J. Allen turned down the invitation to be on the train for Mallard's record run because it took place on a Sunday and he had 'other ideas' on how to spend his time on a Sunday.

He married in 1912 at the age of 26 so could have been the right age for Bobbie if she had got in quick - but I've always assumed she would have got together with the runner who she nursed back to health following his injury in the tunnel. Although it must be well over 50 years since I read the book so could be wrong!

Cecil is to be admired, I feel, for being thus principled -- it's just some attitudes of his connected with his seeming world-view which come across, which grate on me. I knew he'd married and "had issue"; didn't realise though, that it was as relatively early as above.

Yes I agree - I was thoroughly bored the first time I read his book , but with maturity - I can see some more positive points as to his character. The odd glass of red wine might have relaxed him a bit.

Anyway - back to the Railway Children - Mrs Waterhouse (is that right) , would have done a cracking job in WW1 with her natural empathy and organisation - would have discovered politics post war and become an early and much respected Member of Parliament in the 1920's as a humane and liberal person, the father , having done back to his Foreign Office job would have been asked to carry on beyond retirement , built an excellent repartee with Winston Churchill , and in memory of his lost son , worked hard to combat with some passion against the appeasement policies of the 1930's.

The Great Northern and Southern became part of the LMS ,and had troublesome times post WW1 , operational standards were maintained , but carriage cleaning deteriorated.

How does that sound ?

Or one could even get into alternative-history realms ;) -- say, there is in the end, no World War II: "our lot" manage to get it right vis-a-vis Germany in the sorting-out after WWI, plus there's no financial crash and ensuing Depression; and maybe Grouping / nationalisation in Britain happen differently from what did in fact occur (there's recently been a thread here on Railway History and Nostalgia, about this latter !).
 
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Taunton

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I'm alas of the age to, just, remember an even earlier serialised incarnation of it, on BBC children's time television, around 1960. There was a very grey intro each week with a T9 4-4-0 running across the camerashot. Wasn't it meant to start off in a nice house in Lewisham? E Nesbit lived just down the line, in Chelsfield, next to the tunnels which turn up in the book. Funny, I still have the grey mental image of it (it was of course in B/W). Intro classical music went with it, I forget the title but on odd occasions when I hear it the programme is instantly recalled. Anyone identify it here? : www.turnipnet.com/tv/railway_children.wav

The classic thing for the production designer is how to do the landslip. The one in the 1968 film must have been a real bit of mechanical engineering. Look very closely for the wires pulling it down the slope.
 
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Merthyr Imp

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I'm alas of the age to, just, remember an even earlier serialised incarnation of it, on BBC children's time television, around 1960. There was a very grey intro each week with a T9 4-4-0 running across the camera shot.

It was 1957 or 58. I can just remember it, although no details, except Cavan Kendall was in it who seemed to be in just about every children's series in those days. He was the brother of Kay Kendall ('Genevieve').

To add - according to 'Railways on the Screen' by John Huntley, the 1957 TV series was filmed on the Guildford - Christ's Hospital line, including at Baynards station, and featured T9 no. 30310 with two LSWR coaches and M7 no. 30026.
 
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Taunton

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I'm just amazed that at the age of 4 or 5, at an age when most have just learned to say "choo choo", I could recognise (and remember) a T9 :) .

Mrs T's mother, classical music supremo, says that elegant intro music is Grieg's Piano Concerto, the first bit before the piano starts.
 

EbbwJunction1

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I'm not a fan of remakes as such, as I don't think that you can improve on what came before if its a genuine hit.

That said, I do like the "remake" of The Italian Job, because there's enough differences between the great original and the new version to make it very near to being a different film.

According to Mr W Pedia, Gary Warren is still around, although he hasn't acted since the early 1970s. This extract from the Daily Express in 2015 (so it must be true!) gives some more information:

"Gary Warren, who played the youngest member of the Waterbury family, Peter, has shunned the limelight.After initially starring in several television programmes, including Catweazle, in the late 60s, Warren gave up acting. He is now believed to live in Oxfordshire and has two grown-up children. The three original Railway Children were last reunited last year alongside Bernard Cribbins, who played station porter Albert Perks, to see the veteran actor handed the JM Barrie award."

This is another extract from the same article:

"It continues to amuse many that Agutter's on-screen little sister Phyllis, played by Sally Thomsett, was in fact three years her senior – despite playing an 11-year-old. The actress, who was 20 at the time of filming, was instructed to keep her age a secret – meaning she was not allowed to drink, drive or be seen with her boyfriend."
 

Gloster

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This is another extract from the same article:

"It continues to amuse many that Agutter's on-screen little sister Phyllis, played by Sally Thomsett, was in fact three years her senior – despite playing an 11-year-old. The actress, who was 20 at the time of filming, was instructed to keep her age a secret – meaning she was not allowed to drink, drive or be seen with her boyfriend."
It seems to have been sufficiently successful that some of the crew treated her as a child and gave her sweets.
 

Mcr Warrior

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Michael Portillo's "(Not so) Great British Railway Replacement Bus Journeys" anyone? ;)
 

John Luxton

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. Titfield 2 Beeching Strikes Back!

I like this suggestion BUT perhaps it is time to revisit the Titfield Thunderbolt. Most of us know it was based on the Talyllyn Railway.

It is many years since I read Rolt's "Railway Adventure" - but wouldn't it be wonderful if it could be turned into a move and shot on location with a bit of added humour / drama?

Wharf / Pendre / Abergynolwyn have changed significantly but film makers do some wonderful things with computer graphics and set dressing these days.

As a bit of a Poldark fan it was amazing what was achieved filming around the ruins or Wheal Owles and Botallack Mines. - Yes there were some howlers including using Victorian engine houses rather than the ones associated with the late 1700s / early 1800s recreate the mines, but it was still passable.

Yes "Railway Adventure - The Movie" might be fun!
 

EbbwJunction1

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Going back to the original topic (why not, I hear you say!), I took part in the RCTS Newcastle Branch meeting yesterday evening.

The topic was "The Old Gentleman's Railway Carriage from The Railway Children". It was a very good talk, as the carriage has a very long history, dating from the 1880s. It's currently at the Vintage Carriages Trust museum on the KWVR, where it's being looked after well. The speaker confirmed that it will not be used for the sequel, partly because it's not in keeping, but also because it's not practical to do so.
 
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