ACCOUNT RENDERED

GB
1957
59mins
Dir: Peter Graham Scott
Starring: Honor Blackman and Griffith Jones

Police find that everyone had a motive for the murder of a wealthy banker’s wife

This second feature crime film was based on the novel by Pamela Barrington and features three interesting railway scenes. First there is a view of a freight yard through a window and a GWR ‘Hall’ Class 4-6-0 on a parcels train is overtaking a goods hauled by an 0-6-0PT. The house is in Crossfield Road, Belsize Park, but the view is of Southall yards and loco depot. The second scene opens the film’s climax and shows the killer hitching a ride on a shunters truck of a short freight hauled by an ex-GWR 1500-series Class 0-6-0PT. This is followed by the final railway scene, a hugely exhilarating sequence whereby the killer and the police inspector lie in the four-foot as a goods train passes over them! It is hauled by the now preserved 1500 Class 0-6-0PT No.1501, and was again filmed at Southall.

This excellent view of Southall is packed full of interest. In the centre of the shot, a former GWR ‘Hall’ is making light work of a parcels train on the down main, overtaking an 0-6-0 Pannier Tank ambling along the down relief on a mixed freight. Southall Loco Shed is in the background, with the Quaker Oats factory in the far distance. The goods yard in the foreground is very busy and of note, is home to several BR door-to-door containers.
The final scenes at Southall are filmed ‘day-for-night’, which means they are rather dark. None the less, this approaching freight is hauled by a Pannier Tank, almost certainly 1500 Class No.1501.
This is a little clearer, and shows the now preserved 1501 heading through Southall Yard
John Van Eyssen (in the check shirt) and Ewen Solon lie in the four foot as a goods train passes over them!