GB 1951 1hr 30mins Dir: Frank Launder Starring: Kay Kendall and Stanley Holloway
An unsophisticated and impressionable young girl finds herself in trouble after winning a beauty pageant
This brilliant comedy features a number of railway scenes. Firstly, there is a shot of a deserted main line station that has been identified as Stoke-on-Trent. There is then a later scene filmed at a station masquerading as the fictional ‘Westbourne’, with a train arriving behind ex-Southern Railway L1 Class 4-4-0 No.31754. The station used for this sequence was Shorncliffe (renamed Folkestone West in 1962). Finally, there is a departure scene at London Marylebone, and although the rear of a tank loco is only just about visible, there are some excellent shots of Gresley coaches.
A deserted Stoke-on-Trent station.
The arrival committee welcomes you to ‘Westbourne’. This is the old down bay platform at Shorncliffe, whilst the locomotive is ex-Southern Railway L1 Class 4-4-0 No.31754.
Pauline Stroud is first to alight from the train. Again, this is the down bay at Shorncliffe.
The action now moves to the station forecourt. Shorncliffe station is in the Shorncliffe district of Folkestone, Kent, and the station was renamed Folkestone West to cement this from 10th September 1962.
A busy scene at London Marylebone as a train is readied for departure
Bernadette O’Farrell and George Cole await departure
Pauline Stroud watches from the platform as the train departs. In the background there appears to be a small tank locomotive partly obscured by her enormous hat!
As the train pulls out we get are treated to some good, clear shots of both the old LNER Gresley coaching stock and Marylebone station itself
