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GB 1965 1hr 29mins Dir: John Boulting Starring: Anton Rodgers and Charlotte Rampling
A group of crooks plan an Army payroll robbery
This crime comedy features an elaborate heist towards the end of the film. The robbery of the payroll train was filmed on the Guildford-Christ’s Hospital line with Baynards and Christ’s Hospital stations both appearing, the former renamed ‘Longhampton Halt’ and the latter ‘Longhampton’. The train itself was hauled by a Class 33 diesel on a short rake of Southern coaches. Two Class 33 diesels were used in the film, No’s D6584 and D6550 with the latter temporarily renumbered D6584 for continuity purposes. The train was carrying the wages of German Army dignitaries and soldiers used in a NATO exercise and the Class 33 was fitted with a large circular headboard displaying both the flags of NATO and the UK. In addition to this, London Marylebone station provides the setting for the final scenes. There is an earlier sequence with Eric Sykes on the London Underground that involves 1959-built tube stock (one vehicle of which is No.2154). This was filmed at Aldwych station, which interestingly portrays Brompton Road, one of the deep-level Piccadilly Line stations that closed in the 1930s. Simon Bartlett of the Steyning Line Facebook group provides an interesting footnote that I feel must be included. Apart from the impressive list of stars, he quotes, the film also “featured” his late father, Station Master Ken Bartlett, who managed to get himself on film opening a carriage door, even though he doesn’t think Christs Hospital station featured in his own list of responsibilities. He seems to remember being told years later, that they rewarded him more for that five seconds of fame, than the railway paid him in a week!! His mother also remembers receiving calls from the continuity editor to ensure that he dressed the same each day they were filming, so the scenes at Christ’s Hospital were clearly shot over a few days. This information has been reproduced here by kind permission of Simon Bartlett.
We start this movie off with something a little different. The map on the wall behind a very young Anton Rodgers is an aerial view of Christ’s Hospital station in West Sussex, more of which later.
Eric Sykes as a sandwich board walks into the main booking hall of Aldwych station. The Surrey Street entrance is up the stairs behind him whilst the phone booths are still extant at the closed station today, though they are devoid of all equipment.
The ticket gates at Aldwych
This is the curved platform at Aldwych with a 1959 stock train in the platform. Despite complete closure still being 29 years away, this quiet backwater on the Underground is already being used as a film set. It played the part of the closed Brompton Road in this film.
Despite the sign stating otherwise, this is Baynards station on the Guildford-Christ’s Hospital line
Displaying headcode A1, a Class 33 diesel pulls into Baynards. Note the circular headboard.
A pair of German soldiers walk down the platform at Baynards in a view that is looking in the opposite direction from that above
Here’s the joke. The Germans are supposed to be on the train but in the background the Class 33 can be seen pulling away. Baynards station appeared in six films in 20 years yet this is the only time we see the station forecourt.
A military guard of honour waits outside Christ’s Hospital station
An apparently deserted Christ’s Hospital station, playing the part of Longhampton. This double-sided loop platform has now been removed, but the two main line platforms on the right still remain. The separate platforms for the Guildford line via Baynards were located over to the right, out of sight behind the camera. They curved away to the west and are still largely extant, though heavily overgrown.
Moments later and the 33 arrives with its train. Given the geography and track layout, this train could not possibly have come from Baynards without one very complex reversal, but we won’t lose sleep over such a trivial matter!!
The British Army on parade at Christ’s Hospital
One final view of proceedings at Christ’s Hospital and it seems that the weather has taken a turn for the worse!
Peter Vaughan and Charlotte Rampling on the concourse at London Marylebone
Peter Vaughan tries to hurry his daughter as their train awaits departure beyond the ticket barriers. The signs denote a 4:45 pm departure to Preston, Blackburn, and Burnley.
