ONLY WHEN I LARF

GB
1968
1hr 44mins
Dir: Basil Dearden
Starring: Richard Attenborough and David Hemmings

A trio of confidence tricksters attempt to swindle an African state into buying crates full of scrap metal instead of anti-tank guns

This enjoyable comedy-caper was adapted from the 1968 novel of the same name by Len Deighton and features a scene at a goods yard with BR mineral wagons being loaded and a Class 08 diesel shunter (or similar) moving about in the background. Although this would have been in London, it is unknown exactly where this short sequence was filmed.

In this view of a busy scrap metal yard, what is probably a Class 08 diesel shunter can be seen towards the top left
David Hemmings points down towards Richard Attenborough as they discuss the loading of the cargo into the railway wagons. The white XP designation on the nearest open wagon denoted that it was through vacuum braked and could thus run in an express (‘XP’) goods train at an average of 35mph or over. Typically, this was mostly applied to vans and container wagons, but some open trucks were clearly given the designation.