A MONTH IN THE COUNTRY

GB
1987
1hr 36mins
Dir: Pat O’Connor
Starring: Colin Firth and Kenneth Branagh

Two men recover from the First World War in rural Yorkshire

This drama is an adaptation of the 1980 novel of the same name by J. L. Carr and is set in Yorkshire in 1920. It aptly makes good use of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway for various scenes but less accurate is the motive power. The first locomotive in these scenes is ex-GWR 5600 Class 0-6-2T No.6619, a locomotive not built until 1928 and although preserved on the NYMR would never have been seen in the area whilst in service. It is also painted in 1950s BR black. The second locomotive is K1 Class 2-6-0 No.2005, a locomotive not built until 1949. These inaccurate scenes were filmed at Levisham station and Newtondale Halt.

As agricultural labourers are hard at work K1 Class 2-6-0 No.2005 passes by with its train
Colin Firth waits for a train at the remote Newtondale Halt on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway
Ex-GWR 5600 Class 0-6-2T No.6619 approaches Newtondale Halt
Colin Firth about to board the train at Newtondale
Colin Firth has alighted from the train at Levisham station in the pouring rain
This later view of Levisham station shows it masquerading as Oxgodby