GB 1983 1hr 47mins Dir: Charles Sturridge Starring: James Fox and Jane Asher
A distraught father heads for London in search of his missing teenage daughter
This drama features quite a number of railway shots during the London sequences with a lot of the action taking place on the concourse of Victoria station. There are also some very unusual aerial views of Victoria before its redevelopment, as viewed from the adjacent Grosvenor Hotel, and in one shot an EPB-type EMU is present. In one scene where James Fox and Jane Asher board a departing Class 411 4 CEP EMU, a Class 419 single-car Motor Luggage Van is on the rear. There are some scenes filmed onboard Class 411 EMUs and a good scene at Liverpool Street station where James Fox meets his wife off a train hauled by Class 47 No.47576. Another Class 47 is just visible in the background. Liverpool Street is visited again a little later, but no trains are visible this time. While searching for her son, Jane Asher crosses Ladbroke Grove bridge and watches a Class 117 DMU pass underneath on its way into Paddington. Victoria is visited again at the end of the film where Fox talks to his daughter, and a suburban EMU is prominently visible, possibly a 2 HAP. Finally, there is a scene filmed at Maida Vale Underground station and shots at Paddington of both the Praed Street entrances to the Underground and the main line station.
The concourse at Victoria
This highly unusual view of Victoria station from the Grosvenor Hotel is very pleasing indeed. One train can be seen in the platforms, centre bottom.
A Class 117 DMU passes Ladbroke Grove on the final stage of its journey into London Paddington
This shot of the frontage to London Victoria is a much more familiar view of the station
This is the interior of a Class 411 4 CEP EMU.
James Fox and Kate Hardie on the staircase of Maida Vale Underground station. Note the Underground roundel mosaic wall tile.
Maida Vale is a very distinctive station. Here we see James Fox on the equally distinctive staircase.
James Fox with his wife (Eileen O’Brien) and daughter (Ruti Simon) at London Liverpool Street. Note the Class 47 just visible above the little girl’s head.
A little further along the platform now, and we see the loco that brought his wife and child to London. Class 47, No.47576, stands to the right of James Fox.
In this later scene at Liverpool Street, James Fox is on the old footbridge
This is the Praed Street entrance to Paddington Underground (Circle & District Lines)
Turning around from the shot above and this is the Praed Street ‘ramp’, the entrance that leads down into Paddington station
The film heads back to Victoria for the final scenes, and this is a rather artistic shot looking out of the station onto a wet Grosvenor Place.
Kate Hardie and James Fox at Victoria. The electric unit behind is possibly a 2 HAP, or something very similar.
