GB 1985 1hr 37mins Dir: Stephen Frears Starring: Daniel Day Lewis and Saeed Jaffrey
An ambitious Pakistani and his white boyfriend strive for success and hope, when they open up a glamorous laundromat
This comedy-drama features some scenes that were filmed overlooking the railway close to Queenstown Road (Battersea) with excellent shots of passing EMU’s contemporary at the time. Stock featured includes Class 416 2-car EPB’s, Class 421 4 CIG’s, Class 423 4 VEP’s, and more modern Class 455’s, as well as a Class 489 GLV on the rear of a Gatwick Express service. However, a named Class 33 diesel on a train of Mk1 coaches is also seen. This is either 33008 Eastleigh. or 33052 Ashford, the only two members of the Class that carried short names without crests at the time of filming.
Visible through the window of this first shot is a Class 489 GLV on the rear of a Gatwick Express service, bound for the airport. The train is on the bridge that carries the South Eastern lines to/from Victoria over the South Western lines into and out of Waterloo.
Moments later, a Class 33 passes by on an express bound for Waterloo
As Gordon Warnecke looks out from his balcony a Class 455 unit passes by. This is one of the ‘square profile’ Class 455/8’s. Another train is crossing the bridge top left but it is impossible to make out its identity.
As he begins to hang out his washing another Class 455 passes in the opposite direction. The ’rounded’ front end shows that this is a Class 455/7.
In the background behind Roshan Seth is a Class 416 2-car EPB, leading a train of similar stock on a service from Victoria
It isn’t all quite as clear, but this night shot shows a train of express slam-door stock passing, probably Class 421 4 CIG’s
As Saeed Jaffrey and Roshan Seth discuss life another Class 455/8 EMU passes behind them
We end with an overall view of Queenstown Road (Battersea) station looking northeast towards Vauxhall and London Waterloo
