GEORDIE

GB
1955
1hr 33mins
Dir: Frank Launder
Starring: Bill Travers and Alastair Sim

A weak Scottish boy becomes an Olympic hammer-thrower

Based on David Walker’s 1950 novel of the same title this sporting drama has three good railway shots, and all in Technicolor too. The first is a run by of an ex-LNER C16 Class 4-4-2T, which is followed by a scene of a train arriving at a station. There then follows a rare shot of an ex-LMS Class 4F 0-6-0 arriving at Tilbury Riverside station with a boat train and displaying reporting number ‘M803’ on the smokebox door, and finally an even rarer view of ex-LNER C16 Class 4-4-2T No.67488 arriving at Gartmore station on the Aberfoyle branch in Scotland. It is highly probable that the earlier shot of the C16 and the station scene, featured the same locomotive again at Gartmore, a station which had already closed to passengers in January 1950, but remained open to freight until 1959.

A crowd arrive at a station to await the arrival of a train. This is the already closed Gartmore station on the Aberfoyle branch in Pertshire, probably the busiest it has ever been!
The train has arrived in the hands of a C16 4-4-2 tank, probably No.67488.
Norah Gorsen on the platform at Gartmore. Although still in use for the occasional goods train one wonders if the station was ‘tidied up a bit’ for the film crew.
A Class 4F 0-6-0 arrives at Tilbury Riverside on an excursion. The station somehow managed to cling on until its closure in November 1992.
Back at Gartmore again and a really fine shot to end the film. Class C16 4-4-2T No.67488 arrives with a train. (all shots courtesy of reelstreets)