SEVEN SINNERS

GB
1936
1hr 07mins
Dir: Albert de Courville
Starring: Edmund Lowe and Constance Cummings

An American detective and his sidekick are called to Britain to take on a gang of international criminals

This surprisingly crisp and humorous little thriller has central to its plot, gun-runners who cause train crashes to cover up murder. It is seen at least by some therefore, to be a remake of the 1929 thriller The Wrecker (qv), though this isn’t the case and the two films are quite distinct in their differences. There are similarities though between the two movies, with one of the major crash scenes using almost all the footage from that earlier film, with the spectacular staged crash using ex-SECR F1 Class 4-4-0 No.1148 that was filmed on the Basingstoke & Alton Light Railway, though it is clear that No.1060 was used for some scenes. There is an additional stock shot of the cab and motion of unrebuilt LMS ‘Royal Scot’ Class 6P 4-6-0 No.6111 Royal Fusilier, and a darkened shot of the concourse at London Waterloo station, but otherwise there is very little else in the way of British railway material in this film. All the remaining scenes feature studio sets and models, including the final crash scene that takes place in a tunnel. Although this shot was achieved using back projection on a studio set, the onrushing locomotive crashing into the coach, the whole sides of which then collapse around the screaming occupants, is tremendously effective.

The vast majority of genuine UK railway footage came from the 1929 thriller The Wrecker. This is an expansive shot of the soon to be wrecked train.
The loco hauling the train is a Wainwright F1 4-4-0, nicknamed ‘Jumbos’ because their elegance belied their strength. This is probably loco No.1148, the star of the film.
Framed by the trees of a wooded copse, the train passes on its way to destruction
And in this clearer view we can see the F1 more clearly. It is a shame that we can not confirm the number for although it is documented that No.1148 was derailed in the crash…..
….No.1060 was clearly also used for some sequences. Note that although the number is perfectly clear, the shot is yet another shown in reverse!!
The train derails. See The Wrecker for more information.
This is a darkened shot of what is thought to be the platforms at London Waterloo
Although this shot shows the cropped cab of an LMS ‘Royal Scot’ one can just about make out the number, for which there is little confusion. It appears to read 6111, and therefore Royal Fusilier.