COAST TO COAST

GB
1987
1hr 23mins
Dir: Sandy Johnson
Starring: Lenny Henry and John Shea

An American deserter from the US Air Force and a Liverpudlian drop out set up a mobile disco but become involved with London forgers

This comedy thriller is largely forgotten except by those who have been fortunate enough to watch it. It featured a soundtrack of classic Motown tracks but contractual problems and the costs of licensing the soundtrack music have prevented it from being distributed on video or DVD. It was originally screened as part of BBC2’s Screen Two strand in January 1987 and had its, to-date, only cinema screening at BFI Southbank in December 2016. It has some good night shots filmed at Liverpool Lime Street station with a Class 87 electric and a Class 45 diesel arriving on services, and a first generation DMU is visible in the background to another shot. There is also a scene filmed in Little Howard Street, Liverpool, with a pair of Class 507/508 electric units crossing the background on a Merseyrail service.

The large glass structure lit up in the centre of this shot is the trainshed roof of Lime Street station, Liverpool
A Class 87 electric draws to a stand in platform 8, having reached the end of its journey from London. Shame about the positioning of the overhead structure!
A brilliant shot of a Class 45/1 bringing its train in to platform 5 of Liverpool Lime Street, probably on a Trans-Pennine service from Leeds
George Baker and Peter Vaughan inside a 1st Class compartment. A first generation DMU is visible through the window.
In the background, a Merseyrail service passes over Little Howard Street, Liverpool L3. The train is running between Sandhills and Moorfields stations and will soon enter the tunnel under the city.