MRS. BROWN, YOU’VE GOT A LOVELY DAUGHTER

GB
1968
1hr 35mins
Dir: Saul Swimmer
Starring: Mona Washbourne and Stanley Holloway

Manchester working class lads raise money to race a greyhound by playing in a band

This musical comedy showcases the pop band Herman’s Hermits and was their second and final feature film following Hold On! in 1966. Midway through proceedings, Herman’s Hermits take a train journey to London from Manchester, though in reality Manchester does not feature at all as the railway scenes were all filmed at London King’s Cross. Plenty of Mk.1’s are visible in both blue & grey and maroon, yet the departing train moves off to the sound of a steam locomotive. This is odd, as by this stage all main line expresses were in the hands of diesels and electrics. As it pulls clear of the platform, the locomotive depot and stabling point can be seen, and a Class 55 ‘Deltic’, a Class 47, and no fewer than six Class 31’s are ‘on shed’. The journey to London is initially depicted by an ‘over the camera’ stock shot of a Class 86 AC electric, still relatively new at the time and known as an AL6. This maybe somewhat unexpected, but it is wholly out-of-sync with the rest of the railway scenes. There is also a shot of St Pancras station and one further shot of a train passing behind Peter Noone as he runs along wasteland looking for his dog.

Sheila White on the footbridge at London King’s Cross despite the sign stating otherwise
This shot is almost certainly from BR publicity material and shows a Class AL6 (later Class 86) electric locomotive about to pass over-the-camera
St Pancras station on the Euston Road, and one never ceases to be amazed by its sheer size
Passengers board at King’s Cross, platform 9 to be precise
As Peter Noone walks back along platform 9 at King’s Cross a whole feast of traction stands in the background. There are, at least, six Class 31’s, a Class 55 ‘Deltic’, and a Class 47.
Peter Noone as now crossed through to platform 8 of the Cross
Both maroon and blue & grey-liveried coaches are visible in this artistic shot, filmed through the lattice work of the footbridge
As Peter Noone searches for his lost greyhound the camera catches him in various locations. Here he crosses wasteland as a train of Mk.1 coaching stock passes behind. This was probably filmed somewhere close to King’s Cross.