Difference between revisions of "God's Wonderful Railway"
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A further two stories in five episodes were scheduled for production in the spring of 1981. The scripts were completed in the summer of 1980 and were to have featured Highley, [[Hampton Loade]] and [[Bridgnorth]] in particular, together with many of the SVR's engines. The scripts were accepted by the executive producer, however financial difficulties at the BBC led to a late decision to the second series being 'axed'<ref>SVR News 57, letter from Avril Rowlands</ref>. | A further two stories in five episodes were scheduled for production in the spring of 1981. The scripts were completed in the summer of 1980 and were to have featured Highley, [[Hampton Loade]] and [[Bridgnorth]] in particular, together with many of the SVR's engines. The scripts were accepted by the executive producer, however financial difficulties at the BBC led to a late decision to the second series being 'axed'<ref>SVR News 57, letter from Avril Rowlands</ref>. | ||
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| + | ==DVD release== | ||
| + | With the new release of the DVD, the writer Avril Rowlands held a launch event this on 19 November 2017 at [[Kidderminster]].<ref>SVRLive</ref> | ||
==See also== | ==See also== | ||
[[List of film and TV productions filmed on the Severn Valley Railway]] | [[List of film and TV productions filmed on the Severn Valley Railway]] | ||
Revision as of 20:01, 30 November 2017
God's Wonderful Railway was a BBC children's drama series of 8 episodes, first broadcast in 1980. Written by Avril Rowlands, it was set specifically on the Severn Valley Railway and filmed almost entirely on location on the railway during 1979[1].
Description
The series was divided into three stories, set in different time periods in the history of the railway, through the eyes of a fictional railway family. In each story the main protagonist is a boy in his early to mid teens, who then reappears as an adult in the following story.
The first story (two episodes) is set during the construction of the line, and its main character is Robbie Grant, a boy who has been brought to the valley because his father is working on the railway as a navvy. Although the Grant family was fictional, the story included characters such as Sir John Fowler and Henry Orlando Bridgeman who were involved in the building of the real Severn Valley Railway.
The second story (three episodes) is set in the Edwardian era, when the now-elderly Robbie is the signalman at Highley, and his grandson George is about to start work as a porter at the station.
In the final story (three episodes), set in 1939, George is Station Master at Arley; his son Andy has to deal with an evacuee from Birmingham billeted with the family, and becomes suspicious that a spy is trying to destroy Borle Viaduct.
Novelisations of the three stories were published in separate volumes:
- Permanent Way
- Clear Ahead
- Fire On The Line
A further two stories in five episodes were scheduled for production in the spring of 1981. The scripts were completed in the summer of 1980 and were to have featured Highley, Hampton Loade and Bridgnorth in particular, together with many of the SVRSevern Valley Railway's engines. The scripts were accepted by the executive producer, however financial difficulties at the BBC led to a late decision to the second series being 'axed'[2].
DVD release
With the new release of the DVD, the writer Avril Rowlands held a launch event this on 19 November 2017 at Kidderminster.[3]
