Sorry!
Sorry! was a BBC TV sit-com starring the late Ronnie Corbett as Timothy Lumsden, a librarian in his 40s who cannot escape from his domineering mother’s apron strings. Seven series of six episodes each were broadcast between 1981 and 1988.
Filming on the SVR
Episode 6 of Series 1 "Curse of the Mummy" was first screened on 16 April 1981. During a visit, Timothy's sister Muriel prevails upon Timothy to leave home and tries to help him escape. Pursued by their parents, she just manages to catch a train while Timothy is caught in a crowd on the platform and fails to do so. The scene was filmed at Bewdley with shots in the booking office, from the footbridge and on platform 2.
In March 2016 the Express and Star posted a photograph on Twitter of Ronnie Corbett filming at Bewdley in 1983. This may be a misdated reference to the filming above; the next series after that date included only a brief scene in a DMU compartment which may have been filmed on the SVR but is not immediately recognisable as such.
In spring 1986, SVR News 79 reported that future filming in 1986 would include a further edition. Episode 6 of Series 5 "It's a Wonderful Life, Basically" was first screened on 21 June 1986. The episode’s plot paid homage to the James Stewart film, with Timothy wishing that he had never been born and discovering the consequences. Two scenes were filmed at Northwood Lane level crossing which, as with the 1982 episode of L For Lester, had been specially fitted with barriers. Both scenes involved a close encounter with a passing freight train, but with very different outcomes. The train was hauled by one of the SVR’s Class 8 shunters and included two easily recognisable SVR wagons, white Mica B 105873 and Esso Oil Tank Wagon 2686. The platform of Northwood Halt is also seen on the first occasion.
A DVD box set ‘Sorry! The Complete Collection’ is available in the BBC ‘Classic Comedy’ series.