Survivors
Survivors was a BBC Sci-Fi drama series created by Terry Nation (better known as creator of the Daleks). It ran between 1975 and 1977, and was set in a post-apocalyptic world where most of the population of the planet has been killed by an accidentally released plague.[1]
Terry Nation has used the SVR previously in filming The Incredible Robert Baldick.
Contents
Filming on the SVR
The Severn Valley Railway was used as a filming location in at least three episodes of Season 3, including “Mad Dog” which is the subject of a dedicated web site. A detailed account of the filming of this episode by site editor Rich Cross notes that "For many aficionados of the programme, Mad Dog is not only one of the standout episodes of Survivors’ third year but of the entire series".
Cross’s article continues: "[Survivors’ producer Terry] Dudley had arranged for Survivors to make extensive use of the rail line in three series three episodes which would be recorded concurrently: Law of the Jungle, which had preceded Mad Dog, and Bridgehead, which was to follow it. (A short establishing shot of a train in motion, filmed during the making of Bridgehead would also later appear in the opening scenes of the series’ final episode Power)." Filming of Mad Dog at Hampton Loade took place on 27 January 1977. "When edited, the Severn Valley sequences would together account for just under five minutes of screen time (44:30 – 49:24)".[2]
Survivors episodes
Severn Valley Railway scenes appeared in the following episodes:
- Season 3 episode 3 Law of the Jungle (first broadcast 30 March 1977)
- A number of scenes featuring static rolling stock were filmed at the old Alveley Colliery sidings, now the site of Country Park Halt.
- Season 3 Episode 4 Mad Dog (first broadcast 6 April 1977)
- 48773 (as LMS 8233) with an open wagon was filmed at a location near Hampton Loade, and is subsequently arriving at Hampton Loade before departing in the episode’s closing titles.
- Season 3 Episode 5 Bridgehead (first broadcast 13 April 1977)
- A number of scenes were filmed on and around Highley Station. Filming took place at a time that the water tower had arrived at Highley but was yet to be installed; it can be seen lying on the old cattle dock in several scenes. LMS 8233 makes another appearance, propelling several carriages into Highley Station in the closing scenes.
See also
References
- ↑ Wikipedia
- ↑ Rich Cross, '‘As dangerous dead as alive’, The making of Survivors Mad Dog' (Retrieved 16 February 2017)