NOTHING VENTURE

GB
1948
1hr 13mins
Dir: John Baxter
Starring: Michael Aldridge and Terry Randall

Three boys set out on a venture to thwart the theft of a secret ray

This very low-budget family drama has a number of scenes filmed at Southampton’s White Star Dock prior to its redevelopment as Southampton Ocean Terminal. A boat train is standing in the terminal platform with ex-SR ‘King Arthur’ Class N15 4-6-0 No.747 Elaine at the front. There are some good scenes filmed at the docks with railway wagons also present in a number of shots. Later, there is a sequence where a van gets held up at a level crossing and a freight train passes through hauled by an ex-SR Maunsell Class S15 4-6-0 (possibly No.839). This was filmed at Addlestone in Surrey. In addition to these scenes there is another much subtler link to railways. In a scene near the beginning of the film, the three boys are on a hillside overlooking a valley and get themselves a glimpse of Leith Hill Tower, south west of Dorking, Surrey. In the valley below is a railway viaduct. This is a shot from Box Hill, looking down onto Dorking and the Mole Valley. A near identical shot would later appear in the 1970 sci-fi horror Scream and Scream Again (qv)

England’s green and pleasant land. A railway viaduct is visible bottom right. This is the viaduct over the River Mole in Dorking, Surrey, as viewed from Box Hill.
The old Ocean Dock Cargo & Passenger Shed at Southampton. Note two of RMS Queen Mary‘s three funnels peeping over the roof, and the railway line in the foreground.
Turning slightly to the left of the above shot and a boat train is standing at the platform of the northernmost Ocean Dock Cargo & Passenger Shed. The locomotive is ‘King Arthur’ Class No.747 Elaine.
Station Road level crossing at Addlestone in Surrey.
Moments later an ex-Southern Railway Class S15 4-6-0 passes by on a mixed freight. It is still in full Southern livery and looks to be No.839.