GB 1962 6mins Dir: Crea Tarrant Starring: Bob Kitts
A man, troubled and trapped at a deserted station, misses the only train
This marvellous little drama was filmed entirely at Marino station, in County Down, Northern Ireland, and gives a rare glimpse of a Northern Irish country station. The sole character does not speak, but the film has an accompanying soundtrack. Good shots of the station feature throughout the film and the trains, in the form of a pair of 2-car Ulster Transport Authority-built MED (Multi-Engined Diesel) units, are very rare on film. Marino station on the Belfast-Bangor route had closed in November 1957, but the Ulster Transport Authority came under pressure in doing so, and it reopened in January 1960 after public consultation.
Bob Kitts on the platform at Marino. This shot is looking east towards Cultra from Old Quay Road bridge.
And a similar view from ground level this time looking through the arch of the bridge
Trying to kill some time before the train arrives, our passenger meanders aimlessly around the station with only his thoughts for company. How many of us have done that? Marino station now looking west towards Holywood with Old Quay Road bridge in the background.
Having wandered into the hedge on the right, the passenger pops back onto the platform just as a 2-car MED unit rattles through
This shot shows the boarded up, and almost completely locked up, station building. Only one door was unlocked, through which the passenger entered.
As the door slammed shut locking him inside, the one forty five comes and goes. This is another shot of an MED unit. The station building has since been demolished.
