List of film and TV productions filmed on the Severn Valley Railway

This page gives a list of film, TV and similar productions filmed on the railway. It is a comprehensive list as far as possible, particularly with regard to the Film and TV Drama/Comedy sections, but is potentially incomplete.

Contents

Film

• The Seven-Per-Cent Solution (1976)
• Candleshoe (1977)
• The Thirty Nine Steps (1978)
• Hanover Street (1979)
• The Elephant Man (1980)
• The Weather In The Streets (1983)
• On the Black Hill (1988)
• Howards End (1992)
• The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain (1995)
• Feast of July (1995)
• Simon Magus (1999)
• Unconditional Love (2002)
• The Chronicles Of Narnia (2005)
• Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011)
• The Adventurer: The Curse of the Midas Box (2014)
• The Black Prince (2016)
• Enola Holmes (2020)

Note

TV Drama and Comedy

• Doctor in Charge (1972)
• The Incredible Robert Baldick (1972)
• Carrie's War (1973)
• The Signalman (1976)
• Survivors (1977)
• Silver Blaze (1977)
• A Man Called Intrepid (1979)
• God's Wonderful Railway (1980)
• The Good Soldier (1981)
• Sorry! (1981/86)
• L For Lester (1982)
• Doctor Who (Black Orchid) (1982)
• The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady (1984)
• The Fasting Girl (1984)
• The Box Of Delights (1984)
• The District Nurse (1984)
• Lost Empires (1986)
• The Singing Detective (1986)
• The Halt (1987)
• A Wreath of Roses (TV movie 1987)
• Miss Marple: 4:50 from Paddington (TV movie 1987)
• Knights of God (1987)
• Hannay (1988)
• Rosie and Jim (1991)
• Miss Marple: They Do It with Mirrors (TV movie 1991)
• Virtual Murder (1992)
• The Inspector Alleyn Mysteries (1993)
• Oh Doctor Beeching! (1995-97)
• ChuckleVision (1996)
• Cider With Rosie (TV movie 1998)
• Goodnight Mister Tom (1998)
• Hearts of Gold (2003)
• Woes Of The Departed (2007)
• Doctors (2008)
• Dancing on the Edge (2013)
• Decline and Fall (2017)
• Father Brown (2019)

TV News and Documentary

TV News

• Midlands News (ATV 1962). "Severn Valley Line - proposed closure". Forty second clip with no sound. Views of Bridgnorth and Bewdey. Available to watch on Media Archive for Central England.
• Midlands News (ATV 1966). "Stretch of Shropshire Railway Line Purchased". Thirty second clip with no sound. Various views around Bridgnorth and Hampton Loade. Available to watch on Media Archive for Central England.
• Midlands News (ATV 1967). Pumping station to bring water from the River Severn to Birmingham opened at Trimpley by Ralph Yates, Chairman of the Birmingham Water Committee. With a background image of a train on the SVR branch. Available to watch on Media Archive for Central England.
• ATV Today (ATV 1968). "River Severn Day Four". Six minute film of Barri Haynes interviewing Christopher George, then secretary of the Severn Valley Railway Society. Media Archive for Central England.
• ATV Today (ATV 1968). "Kidderminster Railway Station". Short film with no sound showing views of Kidderminster station building shortly before its demolition. Available to watch on Media Archive for Central England.
• ATV Today (ATV 1972). Eight minute news article on the Severn Valley Railway featuring an interview with Sir Gerald Nabarro. Available to watch on Media Archive for Central England.
• ATV Today (ATV 1976). Six minute film featuring Chris Tarrant firing one of the 'Austrian locomotives' between Bewdley and Bridgnorth. Available to watch on BFIplayer.
• Olympic torch saluted by flag-waving elephants (ITV 2012) ITV News item on WMSP elephants meeting a SVR train carrying the Olympic torch. Short clip on www.itv.com
• Lucy Kite’s Country Calendar (ITV 2013). A feature on Ladies Day and female volunteers on the SVR for Central TV News. Kite drove a steam locomotive, tutored by the SVR's Charlotte Marsh. It was aired 12 July.
• Midlands Today (BBC 2019) broadcast 23 July 2019. Item on an inspiring group of children from Belarus recovering from cancer, visiting the UK with the Solihull group of the Chernobyl Children's Project UK. They came to spend a morning on the Railway and enjoyed their time out along the line.
• Midlands Today (BBC 2019) broadcast 14 November 2019. Railfuture West Midlands spokesman Colin Major appears on the BBC Midlands Today evening news from Kidderminster station to talk about what Railfuture means by a "bigger better railway", and what we want from the political parties.YouTube (Retrieved 19 November 2019)
• Midlands Today (BBC 2020) broadcast 21 January 2020. Falling Sands Viaduct began carrying locomotives in 1878. The viaduct has started to crack due to water seeping into the seven arches. The SVR secured £1.3m funding to save the viaduct, with £853,000 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. A 1m 53sec item with footage from Sammy B Films, includes interviews with Jonathan Symonds, civil engineer, and Lesley Carr from the SVR Trust.
• Midlands Today (BBC 2020) broadcast 29 March 2020. Interview with Lesley Carr on the 2020 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic emergency appeal.
• Midlands Today (BBC 2021) broadcast 15 April 2021. Interview with Helen Smith and Lawrence Mortimer on the 2021 Steam Up event. The SVR item starts at 22.41. iPlayer (Retrieved 16 April 2021).

Documentary

• Horizon (BBC 1972). Documentary on railway accidents entitled "Rail Crash", filmed over 5 days at Bridgnorth, Hampton Loade, Bewdley and Bewdley tunnel, featuring 45110, 3205, 46443, 2047 Warwickshire and 686 The Lady Armaghdale. The latter 2 locations were still BR property at the time. Also featured were signalmen Frank Anson, Dave Frewin and John Garth and drivers John Hill and Charles Finch. Available to watch on Youtube.
• Steam upon Severn (BBC 1977). A half hour film on the early days of the SVR, produced by Chris and Avril Rowlands who were also involved with God's Wonderful Railway.BFI program details
• The Great Railway Cavalcade: Rocket 150 at Rainhill (BBC 1980). The Rocket 150 cavalcade included SVR locos and carriages. 59 minute video on BBC iPlayer
• Awayday (BBC, 1989), Railway and wildlife artist, David Shepherd, visits the SVR with actor, Peter McEnery. Available to watch on YouTube
• Entrepreneurs (BBC/Open University, 1989), 7819 Hinton Manor was used in filming an item for this production.
• Going Loco (Channel Four, 1990), "Return to Bewdley" episode. Twenty Five minute documentary on the SVR. Available to watch on YouTube. Part 1, Part 2
• Off the Rails, Season 1, Episode 4 (Discovery 2001). Presented by Vince Henderson, the episode featured the 2000 Thomas event, the restoration of 2857 (described as a pannier tank!), GNR 2701 and newly restored GWR 60906 Ballast Wagon. Available to watch on YouTube.
• Gardeners' World (BBC 2002?) Filming with Alan Titchmarsh took place at Bridgnorth 13 September 2002. The station was a category winner in the 2002 'Bridgnorth in Bloom' competition.
• Countryfile, (BBC 2003). Article featuring John Craven at Bewdley and Arley, locos 46443 and 42968, and the Country Park, cliff railway and Bridgnorth High Town.
• Fred Dibnah's Made in Britain, Episode 9 (BBC 2005). Includes a visit to the SVR workshop and boiler shop. BBC programme guide.
• Ian Hislop Goes Off the Rails, (BBC 2008). Ian Hislop looks at the background and impact of the 1963 Beeching Report. SVR locos featured included 4566. BBC programme guide
• Fred Dibnah's Railway Collection, Season 1, Episode 14 (BBC 2009). Featured the SVR.
• The Golden Age of Steam Railways, Episode 2 (BBC 2012). Programme about the early days of preservation, featuring the SVR and Worth Valley. BBC programme guide. A 2 minute extract featuring 3205 is on BBC iPlayer.
• Guy Martin's How Britain Worked Series 1, Episode 1 (Channel 4 2012). Guy helps to overhaul a steam locomotive. Channel 4 programme guide, also on 4-OD.
• Michael Portillo's Great British Railway Journeys, Series 4, Episode 4 'Dudley to Bridgnorth' (BBC 2013). BBC programme guide.
• Inside Out West Midlands (BBC 2013) Former boxer Richie Woodhall is on the Severn Valley Railway who are in desperate need of new apprentices. First broadcast 7 October 2013.BBC programme guide
• Countryfile, (BBC 2014). Six minute article featuring Jules Hudson at Falling Sands Viaduct and Kidderminster Carriage Works.
• Escape to the Country (BBC 2014) Series 15, Episode 22, Hampton Loade Station (approximately 15 minutes in) BBC programme guide.
• Discovering Britain (Channel 4 2016) Episode 5, Michael Buerk rides a steam train in the Severn Valley
• Trainspotting live (BBC 2016) BBC programme guide
• Railways: Making of a Nation (BBC 2016) Episode 6 'A touch of Class BBC programme guide.
• Flying Scotsman from the footplate (BBC 2016) A 60-minute trip from the driving seat of the Flying Scotsman in a one-off observational documentary on a journey from Bridgnorth to Kidderminster. BBC programme guide.
• Victorian Bakers (BBC 2016) Episode 4, 'Christmas' BBC programme guide
• Escape to the Country, (BBC 2017) Series 18, Episode 13 BBC programme guide.
• Do You Know? (BBC 2018) Series 2, Episode 8 'Train Tracks and Paint' broadcast 12 April 2018. CBeebies programme featuring 1501 and Bewdley North signal box. BBC programme guide. 65 second clip available to watch on YouTube
• Catie's Amazing Machines (BBC 2018) Series 1, Episode 4 'Rail Machines' broadcast 11 October 2018. CBeebies programme featuring 2857 BBC programme guide
• River Walks (BBC 2018) Series 1, Episode 11 'The Severn' broadcast 10 December 2018. Shobna Gulati takes a revealing stroll through Shropshire and Worcestershire beside our longest river. The programme sees Shobna travel back from Bridgnorth on the footplate of 43106 BBC programme guide
• Train Truckers (UKTV 2019) Series 1, Episode 1 broadcast 30 August 2019. Series following Allelys heavy-haulage specialists transporting locomotives. Included footage of the delivery of 70000 Britannia from Crewe to Bridgnorth on 4 September 2018.
• (Untitled) (Britbox 2020) Steam in Lights documentary, filmed November 2020.

TV Commercials and other

• Birds Eye 'Meal for One' commercial, a parody of 'Brief Encounter' filmed at Bridgnorth (1971) YouTube
• Mackintosh’s Toffee Crisp commercial (1971), featured 686 The Lady Armaghdale
• History of Railways Magazine commercial (1971), filmed at Bridgnorth featuring 46443
• Walls’ Ice Cream commercial (1972), filmed at Bridgnorth on 8 February 1972 featuring 3205 with four GWR coaches and 46443 with four LMS coaches. 686 The Lady Armaghdale was also in steam for shunting duties.
• Nat King Cole LP commercial (circa 1978) including 46443
• Vauxhall Chevette advertisement (1978?), The Test Drive written by John Bayley and Ken Dampier at Wasey-Cambell-Ewald and directed by Bob Mahoney(?), featuring Larry Dann (Sergeant Alec Peters in the ITV series The Bill) and Brian Murphy (ITV’s George and Mildred). Filmed between Northwood Lane and Bewdley Tunnel it momentarily features 45110(?).
• TV advert for Swan Vesta matches (1980s) YouTube
• Game for a laugh (1981), item featuring musician and entertainer Joe Brown firing 80079.
• Falstaff Cigars commercial (1982)Youtube
• 'Say You're Wrong' by Julian Lennon, music video, filmed at Highley featuring 5690 (1984) YouTube
• Surprise Surprise (1984), item for Cilla Black’s LWT series featuring 6960 Raveningham Hall being driven and fired.
• 'Slow Train to Dawn' by The The, music video (1986) shot at various locations including Bridgnorth MPD and featuring 75069 YouTube. Directed by Tim Pope, the video features Neneh Cherry, who duets with Matt Johnson on the track, tied to a railway line while Johnson pilots a train towards her. Pope later dismissed his work on the video, saying, "I hate that one. It's pretentious and kind of stupid".
• Wish You Were Here (BBC TV 1995), feature on ‘holidays for the disabled’ in Shropshire, including locomotive 4566 and newly converted wheelchair-friendly coach 80776 .
• Blue Peter (BBC TV 1995), feature on the SVR Steam School with presenter Diane Louise Jordan.
• TV advertisement for a laptop computer (1998) filmed on platform 1 at Bewdley with Ivatt class 2 46521.
• 'The Boxer' by Whalebone, music video shot at Eardington (2011) YouTube
• 'If You Were My Boyfriend' by The Yearning, music video (2014), filmed at Bridgnorth featuring 5643 YouTube
• 'Your Roots, Your Bones' by Les Étoiles, music video (2014), filmed from the train between Arley and Bridgnorth YouTube

Official and promotional videos

• SVR Volunteer video (2007)
• Official promotional video (2012)
• SVR TV advert (2013)
• "Severn Valley Railway does The Italian Job" 60s weekend promotional video (2015)
• "Severn Valley Railway, Sounds of the 60's weekend promo film" (2015)
• "Severn Valley Railway 2016 part 1 of 4" (2016)
• "Bridgnorth Station, Building for the Future - Share Offer, Severn Valley Railway" (2017)
• "How the SVR Charitable Trust is supporting the Railway" (2017)
• "What partnership with the Severn Valley Railway can mean for your business" (2017)
  
• 'Helping Hands for Falling Sands' (2018) (Interview with Jonathan Symonds)
  
• Falling Sands Viaduct: 'Built by Victorians, 141 years ago' (2018)
  
• Helping Hands for Falling Sands (2018) (Charitable Trust fund raising video)
• Falling Sands Viaduct, part 1

From around 2020 the SVR moved into producing frequent official and promotional videos on its YouTube channel. These cover a diverse range of behind the scenes subjects, events and exhibitions, Charitable Trust, steam and diesel engines, carriages and engineering.

See also

• The SVR's YouTube channel
• Video gallery on www.svr.co.uk

SVR locos at other railways

• The Children's Film Foundation film "Runaway Railway" (1965) included a brief appearance by LMR 600 Gordon filmed at the Longmoor Military Railway.
• The Goodies episode "Daylight robbery on the Orient Express" (1976) featured GWR 1450 at Buckfastleigh on the Dart Valley Railway.

Other unverified

These items will be included above when verified or additional information found.

• On 1 September 1971 8233 was briefly renumbered 48188 for a film concerning the heroism of Driver John Axon G.C. who was killed when the real 48188 ran away at Chapel-en-le-Frith in 1957. Filming involving freight train scenes took place on 1 September 1971. Details of the resulting film are required.

• From the Wikipedia entry for the SVR: Bridgnorth station was used in 1981 as part of a sketch for the TV comedy Not the Nine O'Clock News. In the sketch, Mel Smith's character observes a steam train passing by without stopping and refers to it as an "old chuffer", forming part of a sequence of puns around the protagonist's wife.

• From SVR News 27 for Spring 1985, Chris Ridgway's Locomotive Department notes. "5690 Leander has had its left hand side motion overhauled. The return crank had a new bush fitted, but this seized up on test, putting a slight bend into the eccentric rod. Immediate repairs enabled a filming contract to be fulfilled. It's nice to see a discerning film company, after the interminable series of green engines being requested." The film (or TV programme) is unknown as none of those currently listed around that time include Leander.

• From 'Severn Valley Railway memories' by Christopher Magner, p47 (Self published, 1997, no ISBN number) "Good publicity was obtained [in 1966] when BBC television made a film on the preservation scheme for the Today programme"

See also

The Severn Valley Railway in preservation

References